Cain reacted quickly, using his psychic ability combined with his agility to dodge the shards of magma that broke off when his opponent charged at him.
"Larrr!"
"Kurr!"
Larvitar and Aron also responded instantly, stepping back a few paces to stand beside Cain as they began gathering energy in their bodies.
Boom!
Combusken crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes turning serious as he stared at the shadow lunging toward him, taking the hit directly with his own body.
Bang!
Ssshhh~!
Although Combusken held his stance firmly, his feet were driven into the ground with force, but he couldn't help being pushed back three to four meters from the impact.
The pale yellow feathers on his crossed arms now showed dark brown burn marks.
That perfectly scorched tone...
No, we're not talking about roasted chicken wings.
Cough, cough.
Combusken, being a Fire-type Pokémon, has special feathers imbued with energy that are normally resistant to fire. However, this time, with a single attack, part of his plumage had been scorched.
Moreover, Combusken, although a Fighting-type Pokémon who doesn't particularly shine in physical strength, excels in speed. He shouldn't have been pushed back so easily by a single blow.
When Cain finally got a clear view of the enemy Pokémon, his expression turned to astonishment, quickly shifting into a mix of surprise and interest.
Encountering a Pokémon like this in such a place was, without a doubt, unexpected.
A Pokémon capable of living in magma. Definitely a Fire-type.
Although... this Pokémon was a bit ugly.
Magmortar.
Standing before them was a chubby-bodied Pokémon. Its massive fist was still extended—clearly the one that had struck Combusken—and a mocking smile spread across its face, just begging to be punched.
Its mouth was wide, and its lips were thick.
None of that was appealing.
The system in front of Cain quickly displayed the information about this Magmortar:
Pokémon: Magmortar (Light Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 38
Type: Fire
Ability: Flame Body
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Mega Punch, Dynamic Punch, Flare Blitz, Focus Energy
Basic Moves: Thunder Punch, Smog, Leer, Ember, Smokescreen, Feint Attack, Fire Spin, Clear Smog, Flame Burst, Confuse Ray, Fire Punch, Lava Plume
Learned Moves: Heat Wave, Iron Tail, Low Kick, Focus Punch
TM Moves: None
This Magmortar was the one responsible for pushing Combusken back with that powerful attack.
That Magmortar could live within magma made sense to Cain. What puzzled him was why a Magmortar was here in the first place.
Magmortar normally evolves when Magmar is exposed to a special item called the Magmarizer.
It's true that, later on, the discoverer of Magmortar's evolution method published this information, which was accepted by the Pokémon League and included in the official Pokédex. However, Cain had never personally witnessed a Magmortar evolve in that way.
Occasionally, certain evolution methods can be replaced by other factors.
For example, Feebas can evolve into Milotic through two methods: using a specific item or by increasing its beauty.
Perhaps something similar happens with Magmar. Some Magmortar might evolve naturally in the wild—and this one could be such a case.
Cain thought this theory was the only logical explanation for why there was a Magmortar here.
What caught Cain's attention the most was the Pokémon's level.
It wasn't particularly high—only level 38.
Compared to the levels of the Magcargo that Cain and Steven had seen inside the volcano during their last visit, this Magmortar should have been at a disadvantage.
Yet it seemed to be the strongest Pokémon in the area at the moment.
"Something must have happened here," Cain thought.
A slight sense of unease settled in his heart, as if someone else had already arrived before him.
But now, the priority was to defeat this Magmortar.
A Pokémon with the Flame Body ability was valuable—even if its strength or potential wasn't outstanding. For someone like Cain, with advanced breeding skills, such a Magmortar could be an excellent assistant for breeding and selection.
The Flame Body ability wasn't just useful in battle—causing burns to opponents who made physical contact—but it also had another function. When a Pokémon with this ability is near eggs, it significantly speeds up hatching time—by as much as 50%.
Cain planned to establish a breeding base on his secret island. Having a Pokémon with this ability could save him a lot of time in hatching eggs, allowing him to focus on improving the quality of the Pokémon he bred.
However, a level 38 Magmortar clearly wasn't an opponent that Combusken and the other three Pokémon could face alone.
Cain drew another Pokéball from his belt and tossed it into the air. A Politoed appeared.
"Croak!" shouted Politoed.
Inside a volcano, its Drizzle ability wouldn't be of much use.
"Kurr!"
"Bussk!"
"Larr!"
The three small Pokémon weren't happy with Cain's decision to call out Politoed. They saw it as a sign of distrust toward them.
Although Politoed had a huge advantage as a Water-type against the Fire-type Magmortar, Larvitar, Aron, and Combusken wanted to prove their worth.
"All right," said Cain, after hearing his Pokémon's cries. "You three will get the first chance to fight."
Cain connected telepathically with Politoed. "Use your water control to dispel some of the fiery energy in the area—especially around the battlefield."
Politoed nodded silently and began to gather energy, his antenna glowing with a faint blue light.
Even though it was difficult to manipulate water in such a dry environment, his background support would greatly increase their chances of victory.
Now, the battle had begun.
(End of chapter)