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Time always flies when you're having fun. In what felt like the blink of an eye, a full day in Violet City had passed. Liam and Delia, satisfied with their little adventure, spent a restful night at the Pokémon Center.
The next morning, bright and early, they set out for their next destination: Azalea Town.
Azalea Town was home to the Azalea Town Gym, a Bug-type gym led by a specialist in Bug-type Pokémon. Overall, it was considered one of the weaker gyms in the Johto region—just the right difficulty for Delia at her current level.
They had actually considered another route—heading toward Goldenrod City instead—but after some discussion, Liam and Delia ultimately decided to go to Azalea Town first.
Why?
Because Azalea Town was also home to someone more famous than the Gym Leader—Mr. Kurt, the legendary PokéBall craftsman!
Known across Johto for his handmade specialty PokéBalls, Mr. Kurt lived in Azalea Town and dedicated his life to crafting them. A few days ago, during a farewell dinner with Lorelei, Delia had seen the special PokéBalls Lance pulled out.
She had immediately fallen in love with the beautiful craftsmanship. Now that she knew where they came from, she didn't hesitate for a second before shouting out the new travel plan.
———
Leaving Violet City behind, they were immediately greeted by endless plains stretching into the horizon. It was spring, and the fields were a vibrant green. Fresh grass swayed gently with the breeze.
Liam and Delia had already studied the map and knew they'd be crossing a vast grassland. But only after stepping into it did they realize it was even more immense than they'd imagined.
They kept walking south for what felt like hours, but the scenery barely changed. Eventually, they started to feel a twinge of regret about their earlier decision.
"Grassland… still just grassland… How long until we get out of here? Wait… Liam! We've been walking forever and we're still stuck in this grassland. Could we be... lost? Oh no! Are we going to end up wandering this giant plain forever?"
Delia's feet were sore from all the walking. Hugging her Pokémon egg tightly, she finally dropped into a squat, grumbling loudly in frustration.
"There's no way we're lost. We've been heading in the right direction the whole time," Liam said, trying to reassure her. "This grassland is just really big. If you want, I can let Aerodactyl out to fly us across."
Liam had his navigation map open the entire time—there was no chance of them getting lost. But, honestly, if he hadn't had that map… he wouldn't be so confident either.
"No! That would ruin all the fun. If we just have Aerodactyl fly us out of here, what's the point of traveling on foot? Absolutely not. It's just a grassland. Watch—I'll walk us out of this mess!"
The moment Liam suggested flying, Delia sprang up as if someone had poked her. Her eyes lit up with determination as she declared her defiance, then whipped her head to the side and marched ahead with resolve.
Liam just chuckled and shook his head, then followed after her at a slower pace.
———
The weather on the grasslands was unpredictable. One moment, a warm spring breeze brushed their faces—and the next, dark clouds rolled in, thunder and lightning crashing across the sky.
Bolts of electricity flashed in the clouds above, and a torrential downpour seemed imminent.
"Ugh! Come on out, Arcanine! Delia, hop on—we need to move fast and get out of here before the rain hits!"
Liam knew that once the heavy rain started, the grassy plains would turn muddy and dangerous. They had to escape while they still could.
Sure, the fastest option would've been to fly with Aerodactyl—but in this kind of thunderstorm? No one was risking that.
"Roar!!"
Once Delia was secured on Arcanine's back, it let out a roar and burst forward. Fully aware of the urgency, Arcanine sprinted like lightning, its four legs a blur as it turned into a streak of red across the plains.
Whoooosh—!
The rain came down in sheets without a second's warning. In the blink of an eye, the entire field was submerged in pouring water.
Anticipating this, Liam had already yanked a waterproof tarp from his backpack and was now hunched over, gripping both corners tightly. He spread the tarp across Arcanine's neck, trying to shield it from the worst of the rain.
"Hmm? There's something ahead! Arcanine, change direction—head right!"
As Arcanine dashed forward, Liam noticed a marker on the navigation map—a building symbol had just entered the radar range. Without hesitation, he shouted to Arcanine to adjust course.
"Awoo!!"
Arcanine responded immediately, sharply turning mid-sprint. Its paws slid across the muddy terrain, but it regained balance quickly and launched forward again at full speed.
"Liam.. Why are we suddenly changing direction?"
Delia, tucked under Liam's protective hold on Arcanine's back, looked up with confusion and called out.
Liam didn't answer. His eyes stayed glued to the virtual screen of the map. As the building marker came closer, his brows began to ease.
Despite the storm, the mud, and the wind, Arcanine's speed was astonishing. It closed the last kilometer in just about a minute.
But right at the entrance to the structure, Arcanine skidded to a sudden stop. Its soaked muzzle lifted as it stared intently at a dark tunnel ahead.
"Woof!!"
"Huh? We're here? Why'd we stop?"
Feeling the shift in Arcanine's mood, Liam lifted the tarp and peeked out. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
What the map had shown as a building… was actually an ancient stone ruin. It stood silently in the middle of the plains, exuding an aura of mystery and age.
"Arcanine? Why'd you stop? Hurry up—get us inside!"
But Arcanine didn't budge. Instead, it lowered its head, body tensed and crouched, growling deeply. Sparks crackled between its teeth, bright flickers escaping from its clenched jaws.
Liam's expression changed instantly. He didn't need to ask further—he knew.
Something was wrong.
He looked up, face serious, eyes scanning the tunnel entrance, which had begun to glow faintly red.
[Ding!]
[Emergency Mission Triggered!]
[Mission: The Flame Emperor Who Commands the Purple Blaze!]
[Mission Objective: Deep within the mysterious ruins, a flame-wielding emperor draws near, surrounded by searing fire. It is said to possess the power to see into the hearts of humans. To uncover its true identity, collect a reference sample—blood, fur, or scales are acceptable.]
[Reward: 1,000 Exchange Points; A Mysterious Gift Package]
[Note: There is no penalty for ignoring this mission. The host may choose to proceed or not, without any consequences.]