"Magmar has fallen into a state of paralysis, but I came prepared for this."
Hellfire reached into his pocket and produced a Cheri Berry, tossing it with pinpoint accuracy into Magmar's open mouth. In the Rocket Arena, trainers are permitted to feed their Pokémon berries or status-healing medicines during combat—it's part of the "anything goes" survivalist rules.
"Magmar, use Fire Blast! End this Magnezone once and for all!"
After consuming the berry, the golden sparks dancing across Magmar's hide vanished. The Pokémon's eyes flared with a lethal, vengeful light.
[Magmar: You little... you almost got me. I'm going to turn you into a charcoal briquette!]
Magmar unhinged its jaw. A sphere of orange-red flame coalesced, growing from the size of a ping-pong ball to a massive, roaring boulder. The heat was so intense that the arena floor directly beneath Magmar began to glow red, turning the sand into a sluggish pool of magma.
[Magmar: Hff... hff... can't hold it much longer! Eat this!]
The Fire Blast erupted. The flames expanded into a giant "大" (Dai) character, covering nearly half the battlefield. On the trainer's platform, Feng Che felt like he was standing in a furnace; sweat poured down his face, and his cloak felt like it might ignite.
Faced with this wall of fire, Magnezone remained eerily calm. It hummed with a low, vibrating frequency as a silver-white orb gathered at its center. Flash Cannon.
Magnezone fired. A concentrated beam of silver light pierced through the heart of the Fire Blast. BOOM. The massive fire character shattered into harmless sparks that drifted away into the wind like dying embers.
"What?! How did the Fire Blast just... vanish?!" "Hellfire's 'Hell's Ghost' title comes from that move! Usually, it leaves nothing but ash!" "I have a bad feeling about my bet..."
The confidence of the Rocket grunts in the stands crumbled alongside the fire.
Impressive, Lt. Surge thought, leaning over the railing. That Flash Cannon hit the energy core of the Fire Blast perfectly. This trainer has insane battle instincts—to identify the structural weakness of a high-tier move in a split second and command an accurate counter-strike... this 'Alchemist' is no joke.
Hellfire stood frozen, unable to believe his eyes. His "invincible" trump card had been snuffed out. He didn't even notice the Flash Cannon continuing its path toward his Pokémon. By the time he recovered, it was too late. Magmar was struck full-force and slammed into the ground, its body steaming as it fell unconscious.
"Magmar is unable to battle! The winner of the 21st match is Alchemist!" the announcer screamed.
Feng Che quickly disguised himself and slipped away from the arena before the mob of grunts could swarm him. He knew Surge was hooked, but he wanted the General to stew for a few days.
Returning to the lab, he found Dr. Fuji in high spirits. "Feng Che! 13 is doing remarkably well today. It's even grown a bit! Your nutrient solution is a miracle."
In a game, Fuji's 'Affection Points' would be +100 right now, Feng Che thought. Good. Having the 'Father of Ditto' on my side will be invaluable for understanding Ditto's final evolution later.
Over the next month, Feng Che served as Fuji's shadow. He bonded with the infant Mewtwo, providing specialized alchemical boosters that helped the creature grow from the size of a rat to the size of a house cat. Mewtwo's telepathy was already approaching the level of a top-tier psychic human.
Eventually, the elite guard Tyran returned from his mission, and Feng Che's protective duty ended.
During that month, Feng Che had pushed his arena win streak to 50. Magnezone was now a celebrity Pokémon within Team Rocket. Every high-ranking officer was trying to find out who the "Alchemist" was, none more so than Lt. Surge.
Feng Che walked into the arena stands and spotted the distinctive blonde, spiky "hedgehog" hair of the American General. Surge was currently yelling at a subordinate for failing to find Alchemist's real identity.
"Lord Surge," Feng Che said, using his scrambled voice. "I hear you've been looking for me."
Surge spun around, his hand instinctively going to his belt. "How the hell did you get behind me without me sensing you?"
"I am Alchemist," Feng Che explained. "I heard you've been asking around about a trade for my Magnezone."
"You... you're willing to trade?!" Surge's face lit up with child-like glee.
"Perhaps. But it depends on the price. Many have approached me, but most just want a strong weapon. I hear you actually love the Magnemite line—that you respect the 'Spark'."
"Damn right! I respect the power!" Surge barked, grabbing Feng Che's arm and dragging him toward his private office. "Come on! Let's talk turkey."
Inside the office, which was surprisingly neat and military-organized, Surge opened a high-security safe. He pulled out a Poké Ball and two other treasures: a sea-blue gemstone and a necklace shaped like a raindrop.
"This is my best offer," Surge said, placing his heart on the table.
Feng Che picked up the Poké Ball and scanned its inhabitant.
Pokémon: Rowlet Potential: Epic (Dark Cyan) Ability: Overgrow Level: 5 Status: Lethargic / Hypersomniac. Evaluation: This Rowlet is a freak of nature. It sleeps 23 hours a day, but possesses terrifying latent power.
"Lord Surge, do you mind if I release it?" Feng Che asked.
"Go ahead. I found this guy when I was on a mission in the Alola region. He flew onto my ship and was still sleeping there when I docked in Kanto. But listen, kid—I gotta be honest. This bird is defective. It sleeps 23 hours a day. Even the clear hour is a daze. Our Medical Center says he's perfectly healthy, but they can't wake him up. I've got a pile of medical reports if you want to see 'em."
Surge handed over a thick stack of papers. Feng Che flipped through—the data confirmed the bird was in peak physical condition.
"If you don't like the owl," Surge added anxiously, "I'll throw in a Green-potential starter from our reserves. Just... please tell me we have a deal for that Magnezone."
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