"WAAAAAAAH—!"
A violent storm suddenly erupted from Dragonite's small wings.
The wind roared.
The earth trembled.
Fragments of volcanic rock were hurled into the magma below, rising and sinking in molten waves. The lava river itself was whipped into surging tides, glowing orange and blazing bright, crashing against the land like a fiery ocean.
Occasional splashes of molten rock struck Yellow's body, making her cry out in pain.
Run.
Run.
That was all she could do.
Against a Dragonite of that size, she had no means of direct confrontation. Its thick dragon hide rendered even Pikachu's strongest electricity utterly useless.
"Still trying to stall for time?" Lance's voice rang out.
"Dragonite, Hyper Beam. Stop that little mouse in her tracks."
"ROOOAR—!"
Energy gathered at the antennae atop Dragonite's head.
A straight beam of destructive light tore through the air and slammed into the volcanic wall ahead of Yellow.
"BOOOOOOM—!"
The mountain shook violently.
Boulders exploded outward.
Yellow lost her footing in the quake and fell hard.
Countless shattered rocks cascaded down from the crater walls, sealing off her escape route completely.
"Now you have nowhere left to run, Yellow."
Lance stood upon Dragonite's back, speaking calmly.
"Amaura —Rock Slide! Pikachu—Thunderbolt!"
"Pikaaaaa—CHU!"
Realizing that running was useless, Yellow immediately changed tactics.
Lance's patience was clearly at its limit. He would no longer allow her to waste time.
Massive rocks materialized above Lance and Dragonite, crashing down from the sky. Pikachu unleashed the electricity it had been storing, lightning roaring toward its target.
Yet—
Even under attack from above and below—
Lance did not panic.
"Useless! That level of power can't even pierce Dragonite's defenses!"
Dragonite raised a claw and smashed the falling boulders into dust.
As Thunderbolt struck—
it simply shifted slightly, shielding Lance with its massive body. The electricity dispersed harmlessly against its thick hide.
"Doduo—Peck!"
Doduo sprinted forward and leapt, spinning rapidly in midair. Its twin beaks drilled downward like a rotating spear—
But even at that speed—
Dragonite's skin did not break.
Not even a drop of blood.
Dragonite glanced down in disdain.
With a casual kick—
Doduo was sent flying, slamming into a rock wall.
Suddenly—
Dragonite felt something wrap around its arm.
It looked down.
Silken threads.
Caterpie.
The tiny Pokémon was desperately spraying String Shot.
Lance froze for a second—
Then burst into laughter.
"Caterpie? Are you joking?"
Yellow's face flushed red with anger.
Caterpie was the first Pokémon she had ever caught by herself. The only one she had captured through her own effort.
"Hmph. Trying to distract me with that Caterpie while attacking from above, are you?"
Lance looked up.
Descending through lava-lit air—
Scizor.
Once Blue's partner.
Now Yellow's.
"Dragon Tail!"
Lance's voice sharpened.
Dragonite's massive tail lashed out.
Scizor cried out as it was smashed straight into the ground.
Dragonair stood protectively before Yellow, refusing to attack.
But Lance showed no mercy.
"Let them feel the difference."
"Hyper Beam."
Dragonite inhaled deeply—
and unleashed another catastrophic beam.
"AAAAH—!"
The volcano shook violently.
Deep rumbling echoed beneath the earth as if eruption was imminent.
Lava bubbles churned furiously.
Yellow and all her Pokémon were blasted away by the shockwave, hurled across the crater.
She crashed hard.
She couldn't rise.
"It… hurts…"
She bit back tears.
Her clothes were torn into tatters. Her skin blistered and peeled from burns. Even her face was bruised and swollen.
Lance had been holding back.
He wanted her to awaken that power.
If he had attacked seriously from the start—
she wouldn't have survived even a single exchange.
"That Pikachu and Scizor aren't weak," Lance said, tilting his head.
"They could hurt me."
"But their Trainer…"
He looked down at her coldly.
"…is dragging them down."
"That's why they're injured."
Yellow struggled to rise.
"Why continue?" Lance said quietly.
"You've earned my recognition."
"Lie down and surrender. Wait for paradise."
"Yellow of Viridian City."
"I… I won't give up."
She trembled as she stood.
In her left arm she held the weakened Amaura.
In her right, Pikachu crackling faintly with electricity.
"I'm sorry… Amaura … Pikachu…"
"It's my fault. I'm too weak…"
"If power is what it takes to fight you…"
"Then I want power."
"I yearn for power!"
Blood trickled from her forehead, sliding down past her eye.
Her vision blurred.
As she cried out—
Something awakened.
The volcano ready to erupt.
The stars blazing in the sky.
The raging sea beyond.
Even the mysterious island beneath her feet—
It was as if all of nature responded.
An invisible current gathered.
Flowed.
Merged into her.
For a fleeting moment—
Yellow felt herself become one with the natural world.
Endless.
Boundless.
Power.
"Hm?"
Lance sensed it instantly.
His expression grew serious—
but inside—
he was elated.
"Yes. That's it."
"The might of nature."
"When a Trainer channels natural force, Pokémon can unleash the Legendary Secret."
"Ordinary Trainers cannot communicate with nature—much less command it."
"But you…"
"You were born with the blessing of Viridian Forest."
"You can commune with nature."
Yellow finally understood.
This—
was the power Lance sought.
The power she had possessed since childhood—
but never used.
If she could teach it to someone else—
Could she teach it to Logan?
Would that make him stronger?
But…
How do you teach something like this?
Yellow fell into thought.
Yellow has awakened something ancient.
Lance desires it.
And the volcano—
is about to erupt.
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