"It's inside."
Chen Shi whispered as the three approached the entrance of the Team Magma hideout.
Aida's eyes sharpened. Without hesitation, he strode straight in—fearless, aura blazing.
Seeing the Meteor clansman so calm and confident, Chen Shi and Steven Stone exchanged a glance and followed.
They walked deeper until torchlight revealed a crude base carved into the cavern walls.
Fire-Tree, the Magma cadre stationed here, was resting with his eyes closed. Hearing footsteps, he assumed his subordinates had returned.
But when he opened his eyes and saw three strangers, his face twisted.
"Who are you people?! You dare break into a Magma base—are you begging to die?!"
He sneered as he looked them over.
To him, Aida looked barely in his twenties, and Chen Shi and Steven Stone seemed like teenagers.
Children.
Harmless.
No threat.
Aida stepped forward, voice icy.
"You. You're the one who stole our five dragon hatchlings, aren't you?"
Fire-Tree's eyes flickered—then hardened.
He raised his wrist and snapped all six Poké Balls from his belt.
"I don't know what you're talking about. But since you trespassed—none of you are leaving alive."
Six silhouettes burst into the cavern.
Chen Shi's interface flashed:
Torkoal — Elite (Low)
Mightyena — Elite (Low)
Camerupt — Elite (Low)
Golbat — Gym Peak
Weezing — Gym Peak
Seviper — Gym Peak
Exactly the lineup Yoshino described.
Aida didn't hesitate. He swept three Poké Balls from his robe.
"Hydreigon! Altaria! Flygon—full-power Dragon Pulse!"
Chen Shi nearly whistled.
Hydreigon — Elite (High)
Altaria — Elite (Mid)
Flygon — Elite (Mid)
Hydreigon roared, shaking the cave.
"ROOOOAR!"
Three massive Dragon Pulses—each shaped like ethereal dragon heads—launched forward, obliterating the incoming attacks and detonating into the three Gym-tier Pokémon.
Golbat, Weezing, and Seviper collapsed instantly.
Fire-Tree snarled.
"Torkoal, Heat Wave! Mightyena, Take Down! Camerupt—Earthquake!"
Aida smirked.
"Earthquake? We're airborne. You think that'll hit?"
But Chen Shi's expression sharpened.
He's not trying to hit them—
He's trying to collapse the cave and escape.
"Dragapult—stop Camerupt! Sucker Punch!"
Steven Stone reacted instantly.
"Metagross—Psychic! Cancel the Earthquake!"
Dragapult blurred into motion, cloaked in dark energy, smashing into Camerupt before the attack could launch.
Metagross followed, psychic power locking Camerupt in place.
The Earthquake fizzled before forming.
Chen Shi didn't pause.
"Dragapult—Phantom Force!"
Dragapult vanished, slipping into the shadow dimension.
Fire-Tree roared in desperation.
"Torkoal, Overheat! Hydreigon—"
Aida cut him off.
"Hydreigon—Hyper Beam! Altaria—Sky Attack! Flygon—Dragon Pulse!"
The cavern erupted in blinding light.
Hyper Beam erased Overheat.
Altaria dove like a heavenly spear, smashing Camerupt aside.
Flygon's Dragon Pulse blasted Mightyena across the room.
Within seconds:
Torkoal — down
Camerupt — down
Mightyena — down
And as for Fire-Tree…
THUD.
He collapsed, unconscious—Dragapult materializing behind him, tail flicking smugly.
Chen Shi raised a brow.
"You knocked him out already?"
Dragapult proudly presented the fallen Fire-Tree like a trophy.
Chen Shi: …
Steven Stone: …
Steven Stone crouched and rummaged through Fire-Tree's space pack.
Food. Tools. Fire-type resources. Nothing exciting.
But—
Chen Shi found five Poké Balls on Fire-Tree's belt.
He opened them.
Five tiny dinosaur-like Pokémon appeared—blue-skinned, bright-eyed.
Bagon.
"Beee—!"
Aida trembled violently.
"Bagon! My little ones!"
The hatchlings cried out and rushed toward him, nuzzling desperately.
Chen Shi scanned them:
Three Elite potential
Two Champion potential
As expected of the Meteor People—every one terrifyingly gifted.
Aida hugged the little dragons, whispering reassurances.
Then, turning to Chen Shi and Steven Stone, he bowed deeply.
"Thank you. Truly. If you are not in a hurry, our village would be honored to host you."
He understood everything—from Fire-Tree's attempted cave collapse to the timely interference from these two strangers.
Without them, the Bagons would be gone forever.
Chen Shi glanced at Steven Stone.
Steven Stone nodded.
"Sure. We'll visit."
Chen Shi pointed at Fire-Tree.
"What about him? He's still a criminal in the outside world."
Aida's expression darkened.
"Our laws are simple. Those who steal from the Meteor People face two options: execution… or lifelong labor in our village."
Chen Shi considered it.
Honestly?
Both sounded pretty good.
He grinned.
"Then we'll leave him to you."
Aida nodded, gathered the Bagons, and motioned for them to follow.
Together, they headed deeper into Meteor Falls—toward the hidden village of the Meteor People.
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