Chapter 256: The Sacred Fire of Entei
A dazzling white light engulfed the battlefield. Within it, Growlithe's silhouette expanded, growing nearly two meters tall. Standing proudly, Arcanine's majestic, flaxen fur billowed. A perfect fusion of strength and beauty. The legendary beast of Eastern myths.
That being said, Lu Ye stared blankly at his very well-fed Arcanine. Did my Pokémon… overeat a little? The two Arcanine faced off, but Lu Ye's was clearly… a bit rounder. Of course, for a bulky support role, extra mass was a good thing. But… if this guy ever goes on a rampage at home… I'm doomed.
"Awoo!" Arcanine turned its fluffy head, flashing a goofy grin at Lu Ye. I understand, Master! I will win this battle for you!
Lu Ye sighed. "Just don't break anyone's bones, okay?"
"Awoo~ (O_o)??"
"Truly magnificent," Blaine murmured in admiration. This Arcanine filled him with an indescribable sense of awe. Fighting relentlessly for its Trainer… "Let's continue this battle!"
Blaine's Arcanine had the Flash Fire ability. Its moveset revealed a special attacker playstyle. Lu Ye glanced at his Arcanine's newly learned move, Extreme Speed. "Use Extreme Speed?" he cautiously suggested.
"Awoo!! (｀0´)" With a mighty roar, Arcanine charged forward like a tank.
"Fire Spin—on yourself!" Blaine commanded. Flames erupted, forming a fiery cloak around his Arcanine. Flash Fire activated, boosting its power as a Fire Blast roared toward Lu Ye's Arcanine.
Had it still been a Growlithe, this would have been too much. But now, Arcanine barreled straight into the attack. "That reckless?!" Lu Ye exclaimed. "Use Take Down!"
With the added force, Arcanine burst through the flames, soaring forward with surprising agility. Normal Arcanine: Swift, elegant. My Arcanine: A full-speed, drooling wrecking ball.
"Use Burn Up!" Blaine shouted. As one of the strongest Fire-type moves, its power was terrifying. Flames roared, turning the battlefield red. Yet despite the impending inferno, Lu Ye's Arcanine only gained momentum. Boom! Burn Up exploded. Swoosh! Extreme Speed left behind a white shockwave. The two attacks collided like heavy tanks, shaking the entire Cinnabar Gym.
At that very moment, deep beneath Cinnabar's volcano, a legendary fire beast opened its eyes slightly.
Both Arcanine were sent flying. Lu Ye's crashed, its once-fluffy fur now singed black. But Blaine's was just as bad. It struggled to get up… before finally collapsing. Blaine took a deep breath. "I've lost."
"Awoo~" Arcanine, still on the ground, opened its eyes slightly, tilting its head toward Lu Ye.
Lu Ye chuckled. "You've already done more than enough." He stepped forward, gently patting its head. "You can rest now."
"Awoo~" Arcanine nuzzled into his palm, curled up, and drifted into sleep.
"That was an incredible battle," Blaine stepped forward, his voice filled with emotion. "It's been a long time since I've fought with everything I had!"
Lu Ye shook his hand. "I didn't expect… this guy to be so stubborn."
"There's a Pokémon Center nearby," Blaine offered, glancing at the singed Arcanine.
"No need," Lu Ye chuckled. "This guy is just napping." Seriously… is this thing a Snorlax?
Blaine was about to say something when his expression turned serious. A powerful pressure filled the air. Lu Ye's heart tightened, and all of his Poké Balls opened at once, his team taking defensive positions. A shadow appeared at the entrance. Following Blaine's gaze, Lu Ye turned—and his breath hitched.
Flaming orange-red fur, a billowing white mane, and a red, six-pointed star marking its face. Like a lion descended from the heavens, it stood tall, watching Lu Ye with scrutinizing eyes. The Legendary Beast—Entei! Legend has it that only those with a righteous heart could see it.
Blaine nodded slightly. Because of their friendship, Entei had been residing in the volcano. Perhaps the intense battle had drawn its attention. Or maybe… it had found a Trainer worthy of its challenge.
At that moment, Lu Ye felt like he was standing in the heart of a volcano. His eyes met Entei's. Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "You got a problem?"
Blaine's forehead was slick with sweat. Was he provoking it?!
Lu Ye froze. He had meant to say hello, but somehow, it came out wrong.
Entei's presence intensified. It opened its mouth, and a wave of scorching heat surged forward. Lu Ye instinctively raised his arm. The hot wind whipped at his clothes. Seconds later, the heat vanished. When he lowered his arm, Entei was gone.
"Awoo~~" In its sleep, Arcanine lazily rolled over. Golden flames flickered around its body, gradually restoring its singed fur.
"It's Sacred Fire," Blaine muttered. "Looks like… you and Arcanine have earned Entei's recognition."
Lu Ye blinked. "Is there a catch?"
"It's just a healing ability. No side effects," Blaine rubbed his bald head. "Although… it will make Arcanine even more energetic."
Lu Ye: ??? Making Arcanine more energetic?! Entei, do you even know what you're doing?!
Seeing his complicated expression, Blaine burst into laughter. "When I was chosen by Entei, I was more excited than you! If you want to laugh, go ahead!"
"Haha," Lu Ye forced a chuckle.
"Oh, right. This is for you." Blaine pulled out a Gym Badge. "With this, you have proof of your victory."
[Ding! Mission Update]
[Badge Collection Progress: (2/8)]
Seeing the prompt, Lu Ye let out a resigned sigh. Well… I was already prepared for this. "And this, too," Blaine rummaged through his pocket again, pulling out a red TM. "Fire Blast."
"No thanks! I really don't need that!" Lu Ye's face darkened.
"Haha, no need to be shy!"
As night fell, Red and Yellow were preparing to return to the inn. "I wonder how Teacher Lu's battle went," Red mused. He dialed Blaine's number. Just as he was about to speak, his instincts as a Battle Legend kicked in. He glanced toward the distant night sky. A shadow moved across the rooftops, a lion-like figure leaping gracefully before vanishing. Entei… why is it here?
His voice grew more serious. "Mr. Blaine, your battle with Teacher Lu…"
"I gave it my all and still lost," Blaine chuckled. "Even Entei acknowledged him. No wonder you all call him 'Teacher.'"
"I see." Hearing this, Red smiled slightly. Now he understood why Lu Ye hadn't let him watch. His trump card, one that could even stand against Entei… wasn't something to be revealed so easily. "Come on, Yellow! Let's throw Teacher Lu a victory party!"
"W-Wait for me, Red-senpai!"
Under the luminous moonlight, the two walked side by side toward the hot spring inn.
[Inorin Note:
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