"I did all this so I could unlock your new Abilities."
Gary spoke calmly while riding on Arcanine's back, his hand resting on the Pokémon's thick, warm fur. The ground beneath them radiated heat, and faint volcanic ash drifted in the air, but Arcanine showed no discomfort at all.
"Woof!"
Arcanine responded with an energetic bark, clearly pleased. Its steps were light and powerful, every movement filled with confidence. After the recent upgrades, it could clearly feel that its body had changed—its strength, its aura, even the way surrounding Pokémon reacted to it.
Gary didn't stop there.
He opened the system interface again.
"System," Gary said mentally, "strengthen Arcanine's Flash Fire Ability."
[Ding! Ability strengthening successful.]
A faint but intense wave of heat surged through Arcanine's body. Its mane fluttered without wind, and its eyes glowed briefly with a deep crimson light.
"Rrr—woof!"
Arcanine halted instinctively, then shook its body as if adjusting to the new power coursing through it.
Gary immediately checked Arcanine's updated data.
[Pokémon: Arcanine]
[Type: Fire]
[Level: 56]
[Potential: Champion]
[Ability 1: Intimidate]
When Arcanine enters battle, all opposing Pokémon's physical Attack is reduced by one stage.
[Ability 2: EX Flash Fire]
Actively draws Fire-type moves toward itself. Immune to Fire-type damage. When activated, Arcanine's Attack and Special Attack increase by one stage. When using Fire-type moves, damage is increased by 1.5×.
[Ability 3: Justified]
When hit by Dark-type moves, Arcanine's Attack increases by one stage.
[Moves]
Leer, Ember, Howl, Odor Sleuth, Helping Hand, Agility, Fire Fang, Retaliate, Crunch, Take Down, Extreme Speed, Flamethrower, Roar, Flare Blitz, Play Rough
[TM / Tutor Moves]
Fire Blast, Sunny Day, Body Slam, Dig, Rest, Hyper Beam, Iron Tail, Snarl, Protect
[Friendship: 255 (Max)]
Gary's eyes lit up.
"Perfect."
Flash Fire was no longer a passive Ability. Now, like Storm Drain or Lightning Rod, it could actively pull in Fire-type attacks. Not only did it completely nullify Fire-type damage, but it also boosted Arcanine's offensive power.
"Fire-type Pokémon won't even be able to stand in front of you anymore," Gary muttered. "You're their natural enemy now."
He then glanced at Justified.
"This Ability… still isn't ideal."
The trigger condition was too restrictive. Any competent Trainer facing Arcanine would avoid using Dark-type moves unless they were absolutely certain it was safe.
"Even if the boost is strong, an Ability that depends on the opponent's mistake is unreliable," Gary concluded.
Some Abilities, even after enhancement, simply weren't practical.
Gary thought briefly of Slaking.
Slaking's Truant Ability was a negative Ability, but because Slaking's base stats were terrifyingly high, even that flaw couldn't fully suppress its strength. With the right Terastallization or battle strategy, Slaking could still become a devastating physical attacker.
Not all Abilities were meant to be powerful.
Some existed to maintain balance.
Gary turned his attention back to Arcanine.
"System, strengthen Intimidate."
This Ability had already been tested extensively with Salamence. Gary knew exactly how terrifying a reinforced Intimidate could be.
[Ding! Ability strengthening successful.]
"WOOF!"
Arcanine's roar deepened.
A powerful pressure radiated outward like an invisible shockwave.
Gary himself didn't feel much—but the surrounding environment reacted immediately.
Within a hundred-meter radius, wild Pokémon froze in place. Some trembled. Others fled instinctively, abandoning their territory without hesitation.
This wasn't just fear.
It was instinctive submission.
"Good," Gary said with satisfaction. "This will make exploration much easier."
Once they were far enough from Floaroma Village, Gary recalled Arcanine and released Moltres.
"Kraaaa—ah!"
Flames flared as Moltres spread its wings, lifting Gary into the sky. They flew northward, toward a distant island.
That island—
Was home to Stark Mountain.
Stark Mountain stood like a scar on the earth.
From the air, Gary could see thick clouds of volcanic ash rising constantly, darkening the sky above the island. Rivers of magma glowed faintly through cracks in the mountain, like veins of molten fire.
This place was hostile.
Dangerous.
Alive.
"Kraaa!"
Moltres let out a cry as it circled the peak.
Gary could already feel the intense heat even from this height.
Stark Mountain was one of the most dangerous environments in the Sinnoh Region. Landslides occurred frequently, the terrain shifted constantly, and the volcanic gases alone were enough to suffocate ordinary humans.
Only experienced Trainers dared to come here.
Gary knew some background information.
One of the Sinnoh Elite Four—Flint—came from this island. Though he had moved away to Sunyshore City as a child, this place was still considered his hometown.
Moltres descended toward a wide opening near the mountainside, where magma bubbled and cracked violently.
"Let's start from the middle layers," Gary said. "Not the core."
He knew Heatran well.
Despite being a Fire- and Steel-type Pokémon, Heatran did not live directly inside magma. Instead, it absorbed thermal energy from volcanic environments while nesting in rocky caverns near magma flows.
Heatran's cross-shaped claws allowed it to cling effortlessly to steep cliff faces. It often dug tunnels near sheer rock walls, away from most intruders.
Finding Heatran wasn't impossible—
But it required patience.
Gary soon spotted a large cave entrance carved into the mountainside.
"There."
Moltres flew straight in.
Inside, the temperature spiked instantly.
Gary recalled Moltres and released Arcanine, mounting it immediately. He activated a high-powered flashlight and began exploring.
The interior of Stark Mountain was vast.
Lava flowed through open channels. Steam hissed from cracks in the rock. Some walls glowed red-hot, radiating unbearable heat.
For normal humans, this environment was deadly.
But Arcanine, with its strengthened EX Flash Fire, absorbed much of the thermal energy. Gary still felt the heat—but it was tolerable.
The deeper they went, the more complex the tunnels became.
Dead ends.
Collapsed passages.
Vertical shafts.
Gary marked each explored path carefully, carving simple symbols into the rock and drawing a rough map as he went.
Hours passed.
Wild Pokémon avoided them completely.
Arcanine's reinforced Intimidate ensured that no Pokémon dared to approach. Even aggressive Fire-types like Magmar or Camerupt retreated at the first sign of Arcanine's presence.
Still—
No Heatran.
By the time the sky outside began to darken, Gary had mapped a large portion of Stark Mountain's interior.
But Heatran remained elusive.
Gary exited the cave near dusk, standing on a rocky ledge overlooking the island.
"…This mountain is much larger than I expected."
In games, Stark Mountain was condensed.
In reality, it was massive.
Finding Heatran without a precise location was like searching for a needle in a sea of molten rock.
"But that's fine," Gary said calmly. "I have time."
He wasn't in a rush.
As long as Heatran remained here, Gary would find it eventually.
"I don't believe I won't find you within a month."
He patted Arcanine's head.
"Thanks for today. You didn't even seem tired."
"Woof!"
Arcanine barked proudly.
In fact, the abundant Fire-type energy in Stark Mountain made it feel more energized than usual.
Gary recalled Arcanine, released Moltres again, and flew toward the Survival Area at the foot of the mountain.
The Survival Area was a settlement established by the Sinnoh League.
Originally, it had been nothing more than a temporary camp—a place for Trainers exploring Stark Mountain to rest and recover.
Over time, it expanded.
Now, it had permanent buildings, residents, shops, and a Pokémon Center.
But its primary purpose remained unchanged—
To serve Trainers.