The Gym battlefield was built above lava. Aside from Blaine himself, once they stepped onto the field, Terrance and the others did not continue any farther.
Blaine, meanwhile, walked all the way to the edge of the battlefield, stopping only one step away from falling into the lava below.
“Now then, let us put on a blazing battle. Let me witness the true power of the Flame of Life.”
“I’m very much looking forward to it,” Terrance nodded.
However, Blaine’s expression suddenly turned serious: “I forgot to mention this. Cinnabar Island’s lifespan is probably nearing its end. This volcano has been growing increasingly restless lately. Even Pokémon power can hardly suppress it anymore, so during the battle, please keep an eye on any changes in the volcano.”
“This volcano is already close to erupting?” Terrance nodded, indicating that he understood.
Looking at the elderly Blaine and the surging lava below, Terrance’s thoughts shifted. He slowly took out Altaria’s Poké Ball. This time, he intended to have Altaria fight using only the power of the Flame of Life.
In other words, what followed would be a showdown of flames.
“Go, Altaria!!” As Terrance threw Altaria’s Poké Ball, Blaine also called out Moltres’s name.
Just like when he battled Terrance and Ash before, the Pokémon Blaine used this time was still residing within the volcano.
Compared to a Poké Ball, Blaine believed the volcanic environment was more suitable for raising these Fire-type Pokémon.
“Come out! Moltres!!”
As Blaine shouted, the lava immediately churned violently. A massive bird Pokémon cloaked in flames shot into the sky, its gaze locked firmly onto Altaria, who was bathed in white light and flames as it underwent Mega Evolution!!
At the moment of Mega Evolution, the immense life energy not only elevated Altaria’s life level but also began fusing with flames, forming a fiery mantle around its body.
The fiery cloak wrapped around its white cotton feathers, making Altaria resemble Moltres in both appearance and bearing.
This was the defining characteristic of the Flame of Life!!
It could transform into flames without temperature while retaining healing and restorative abilities!!
Though it was only an exchange of gazes, Moltres already understood how troublesome Altaria was. The pressure radiating from those flames alone made it realize that there was a difference in levels between itself and this Altaria.
It had only ever felt this kind of pressure from the legendary bird of fire of the Orange Archipelago. Although Altaria’s fiery pressure was inferior to that legendary bird’s, it was still far beyond anything Moltres’s own flames could compare to.
“Moltres has appeared, and Altaria has completed its Mega Evolution. Next…” Brock’s expression grew serious. He reminded Ash and Misty to step farther back and not get too close to the front.
“Whoooosh~~~~”
Soon, after an exchange of glances between Terrance and Blaine, the battle began immediately.
As the two Pokémon moved, flames drifted with the wind and howled loudly. As Altaria and Moltres flew forward, both left long trails of fire across the sky, dazzling to behold.
Flames enveloped its claws as Altaria tore through the air with overwhelming force. Not to be outdone, Moltres gathered flames around its wings and slammed them down with tremendous power!
However, during the attack, Altaria underwent a strange change. It was as if its forelimbs had been granted strength beyond the limits of its body, forcibly unleashing a tremendous power that should have been impossible to withstand!!
Such an outburst would normally damage its body, but under the restorative effects of the Flame of Life, Altaria remained completely unharmed!
Boom!!
Altaria’s constitution had already far surpassed Moltres’s to begin with. Combined with the healing effects of the Flame of Life, Altaria’s explosive tearing strike directly split apart the flames covering Moltres’s wings. Fiery serpents scattered in all directions, and the sight immediately stunned Blaine for a moment before an excited expression appeared on his face.
“This Altaria truly is formidable!”
“But Moltres is no weakling either!!” Blaine exclaimed excitedly.
As Moltres rapidly retreated, even more intense flames erupted from its body. The reason Moltres dared challenge the legendary bird of fire was because of Burn Up. This move engulfed its entire body in flames, squeezing the limits of the flames within it. However, the price afterward was tremendous—it would lose its perception of fire, and in severe cases, even lose its Fire type and ability to manipulate flames, requiring a long period of recovery before returning to normal.
This Moltres had been using such a self-destructive method to challenge stronger opponents. Combined with its Flame Body Ability, its Burn Up could push itself to the absolute limit, enhancing its control over fire.
As the heat wave rushed forward, Altaria visibly paused. Looking at Moltres, whose entire body was burning with fierce flames, it began taking the battle seriously.
Although Moltres’s flames were inferior to the Flame of Life, from this moment onward Altaria clearly sensed a threat. Even if the quality was lower, once enough flames were gathered together, it became terrifyingly powerful.
“Fire Spin!!”
“Fire Blast!!”
As the two blazing attacks collided, a blazing sun unknowingly rose into the sky. It was the joint handiwork of Moltres and Altaria. Since this was a battle of flames, a Sunny Weather environment was naturally indispensable.
Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!!
After several exchanges, exploding flames continuously scattered in all directions. Countless fiery serpents fell into the lava below, disturbing Blaine’s other Pokémon and even angering the volcano itself. Without hesitation, and with Blaine’s and Terrance’s approval, the two Pokémon immediately burst out of the volcano and flew into the sky, beginning a world-shaking battle high above.
At that moment, all the residents of Cinnabar Island could sense the disturbance in the sky. When they looked up, they were shocked to find the sky outlined with the flaming silhouettes of two enormous creatures.
Their majestic wings and birdlike bodies caused many of the residents to think two Moltres were battling each other. They wanted to see clearly, but the two Pokémon were flying too high and were concealed by clouds, making it impossible.
The piercing cries and the sight of the sky itself being burned shocked countless people, none of whom knew what was happening. Far below, Blaine and Terrance, after giving only a few initial commands, handed the battle over to the Pokémon in order to avoid affecting the volcano, their eyes fixed seriously upon the sky.
As the Trainers of Moltres and Altaria, others might not understand the battle’s progress, but they could.
Boom! Boom!!
The raging flames completely ignited the heavens, making people feel as though the apocalypse had arrived. Many tourists already regretted coming to Cinnabar Island, fearing that some disaster might occur. Even the staff of the Pokémon Diva Idol Project’s team trembled beneath the blazing sky, their faces filled with tension.
The only person who remained calm was Hiyoko. She knew the Fairy Elite Four was present, so nothing too serious would happen. Moreover, she had a faint feeling that the disturbance in the sky was inseparable from Terrance!!
“Sister Minami, what should we do?” As several fiery serpents splashed outward, the project staff began to worry.
“It… it looks like something is falling.”
Not only Hiyoko, but also the bolder Trainers who had approached the airspace above the volcano noticed that a black speck seemed to be dropping from the burning heavens.
As the black speck grew larger and larger, those who finally made out its true form felt as if their throats had been seized, their eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
That streamlined crest, that tail surging like fire, and that body bathed in flames—wasn’t it the Legendary Pokémon Moltres, whose beauty could stir the hearts of all who beheld it, its wings flashing like sparks the moment they spread?!!
The Moltres that countless Trainers regarded as the embodiment of both power and mystery was now slowly falling from the sky like a Spearow with broken wings, gravely injured!
How could the Trainers witnessing this scene not be shocked?
Even more unbelievable to many people was that behind Moltres, another Pokémon bathed in flames descended alongside it.
This Pokémon was incomparably composed. The ever-changing flames surrounding it made it resemble a phoenix constantly undergoing rebirth, radiating astonishing brilliance. Even without thinking, people knew that this mysterious Pokémon was the one that had defeated Moltres.
“That direction is above Cinnabar Gym. Could this really have just been a Gym Battle?”
For a moment, the entire Cinnabar Island fell silent.
“That Pokémon is…”
Hiyoko rubbed her eyes vigorously and muttered to herself.
“Elite Four Terrance… actually defeated the legend of Cinnabar Island.”
As Moltres and Altaria returned to the volcano, Blaine and Terrance both understood that the victor had already been decided.
Looking at Moltres’s miserable state, Blaine felt utterly helpless. Even after Moltres had challenged the legendary bird of fire in the Orange Archipelago, it had not looked much worse than this.
After crashing into the lava, Moltres immediately lost its perception of fire. The Burn Up state had already reached its limit. Yet even as it threw itself into the lava to recover its injuries, Moltres still cast Altaria a resentful and envious glance. It truly felt miserable inside.
“I lost.” Blaine shook his head. In truth, he had already expected this outcome from the moment the two Pokémon clashed in their very first exchange.
However, Blaine was deeply shocked. If Altaria could defeat Moltres using nothing but its physical prowess and flames… then how powerful would it be if it unleashed its full strength?
A genius…
Looking at Terrance and Altaria, Blaine sighed with admiration. As expected of an Elite Four member.
At this moment, Ash and the others were still immersed in the battle they had just witnessed. Misty continued staring blankly at the sky, where the flames had yet to disperse, unable to calm her heart. If… if that battle had taken place over the ocean… Would a large portion of the seawater have been evaporated?
Could Water-type Pokémon really withstand flames like those?
“Alright!” Brock snapped Ash and Misty out of their daze. He knew that battles at the Elite Four level were not something they could compare themselves to. Their level was still far too low, and becoming overly absorbed in such comparisons was not a good thing.
“So strong…” After coming back to his senses, Ash realized that Terrance’s earlier battle against him had been little more than playing around. The disparity hit him hard. But for Ash, adjusting to that disparity was very easy.
Once the battle was over, Terrance stepped forward and began speaking with Blaine again. Regarding the changes in the Flame of Life that had appeared during the battle, he believed that Blaine, a true master of Fire-type Pokémon, would certainly have some unique insights.
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