The tension in the ruined cavern thickened the moment Alex stepped forward.
The two Team Rocket grunts froze for only a second before their expressions twisted into cruel smiles. Their eyes moved across Alex's team, analyzing quickly.
Then both of them noticed Zorua.
The white fur.
The crimson markings.
The unmistakable glow of a shiny Hisuian Zorua.
Their eyes filled with greed.
"Well well…" one of them muttered. "That thing alone would sell for a fortune."
Alex noticed immediately.
And he understood something important.
If he wanted to leave this place alive, he couldn't afford a single mistake.
Slowly, Alex released the rest of his Pokémon. Every member of his team appeared except one.
Gible.
The small dragon was still exhausted.
Riolu stepped forward, fists clenched.
Grovyle crouched low, blades ready.
Charcadet's flames burned hotter.
Larvesta positioned itself carefully near Alex.
Zorua's eyes glowed with cold focus.
Across from them stood the Rockets' Pokémon.
Arbok.
Weezing.
Both were clearly experienced fighters.
Alex inhaled slowly.
Then he raised his hand.
"Now."
The battle exploded instantly.
Riolu dashed forward first, body blurring with speed.
"Bullet Punch!"
His fist slammed into Arbok's side like a metal hammer.
At the same moment Grovyle leaped from the opposite angle.
"Leaf Blade!"
Green energy extended from both of Grovyle's arms as he slashed downward, forcing Arbok to recoil.
The massive serpent hissed violently, its hood expanding as it twisted its body and counterattacked with terrifying speed.
Its tail whipped toward Riolu.
Riolu barely blocked the strike and slid backward across the stone floor.
Meanwhile, the second battlefield erupted.
Larvesta fired a rapid series of Embers, small flames scattering through the cavern air as support fire.
Charcadet launched forward using Flame Charge, its body surrounded by blazing fire as it attempted to close the distance.
Zorua darted through the shadows.
"Shadow Sneak!"
A black blur appeared behind Weezing and struck.
Then Zorua followed with Shadow Claw, dark energy forming sharp blades around its paws.
But Weezing simply floated higher.
Far higher.
The poisonous gas Pokémon rose toward the cavern ceiling, escaping the close range attacks.
"Sludge Bomb!"
Toxic energy rained down from above.
Larvesta tried to intercept with more Embers, but the attacks weren't strong enough.
Charcadet barely dodged the explosion.
Zorua rolled across the ground, coughing as poisonous smoke began spreading through the battlefield.
Alex's eyes narrowed.
This was exactly what the Rockets wanted.
Distance.
Poison.
Stalling.
Arbok was doing the same.
The massive serpent dodged Grovyle's blades and retaliated with venomous strikes, forcing Riolu and Grovyle into constant defensive movements.
Their opponents were stronger.
More experienced.
And they were slowly poisoning Alex's team.
If this continued, Alex would lose.
He needed something decisive.
Then he remembered.
The Malicious Armor.
The artifact they had discovered in the ruins days earlier.
Alex reached into his bag.
"Charcadet!" he shouted.
The small fire Pokémon turned just in time to see something fly toward it.
The armor.
Dark.
Ancient.
Cursed with burning energy.
Charcadet caught it instinctively.
The moment the armor touched its body, everything changed.
Flames exploded outward.
Dark blue fire wrapped around Charcadet like a storm.
The Rockets stared in shock.
"What the hell is that—"
The evolution began.
Fire twisted and hardened into armor. Blades formed from ghostly flames. Charcadet's small body grew taller, stronger, sharper.
Five seconds later, the transformation ended.
Standing where Charcadet once stood was a new warrior.
Ceruledge.
Blue fire burned along its arm blades as its eyes glowed with cold intensity.
Alex pointed upward.
"Incinerate!"
Ceruledge moved instantly.
With one powerful leap, it soared high into the air.
Weezing had barely enough time to react before Ceruledge unleashed a massive wave of fire.
The Incinerate blast struck Weezing directly.
The explosion of flames sent the gas Pokémon crashing down from the sky.
It slammed into the cavern floor.
"Weezing!" the Rocket grunt shouted.
But the battle wasn't over.
"Zorua!" Alex ordered.
The small illusion fox didn't hesitate.
"Shadow Claw!"
Dark energy extended from Zorua's paws as it lunged forward and slashed across Weezing's weakened body.
The attack finished it.
Weezing collapsed.
On the other side of the battlefield, Grovyle and Riolu continued their desperate fight against Arbok.
The serpent was powerful and experienced, but Grovyle had managed something important.
He kept Arbok busy.
Just long enough.
Riolu suddenly dashed forward.
"Bullet Punch!"
His fist struck Arbok's face.
At the same moment Grovyle followed up.
"Leaf Blade!"
Both attacks landed in perfect synchronization.
A devastating combo.
Arbok crashed into the cavern wall before collapsing unconscious.
Silence filled the ruins.
The Rockets stared in disbelief.
Their Pokémon were defeated.
Alex slowly walked toward them.
The two men backed away, fear creeping into their faces.
"You… you're just a kid," one of them muttered.
Alex's expression was empty.
"You attacked first."
They tried to run.
They didn't make it far.
Alex knew something important about this world now.
If he let enemies like Team Rocket walk away, they would come back stronger. Crueler. More dangerous.
For him.
For his Pokémon.
For everyone.
And people like them didn't deserve mercy.
A few moments later, the cavern fell silent again.
Alex stood there breathing slowly.
His Pokémon gathered around him.
The battle was over.
But the cost of survival in this world had become clearer than ever.
Sometimes…
Victory demanded blood.