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Roger led Caleb and Maya, two of his junior patrol members, through the deep snow at the base of Sky Mountain. Each step forward was deliberate and measured as they moved through the harsh terrain.
"Physical fitness is the foundation of everything," Roger muttered to Caleb and Maya while gazing up at the towering peak of Sky Mountain. "Sometimes a trainer's own endurance matters just as much as their Pokemon's strength."
Their patrol route would take them in a complete circuit around the massive Sky Mountain. Even after walking this same path for over twenty years and staring up at Sky Mountain for just as long, Roger still felt a sense of awe whenever he saw the mountain from a distance.
Despite being April, the temperature at the base of Sky Mountain remained bitterly cold. The snow here never melted—it had accumulated for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years.
"Let's stop here and get some food," Roger announced, settling down on the ground. He unscrewed the cap of his metal flask and took a long drink of the strong liquor inside.
The alcohol burned like fire as it traveled down his throat and into his stomach, sending warmth through Roger's body. In weather this cold, even that small bit of heat made a difference.
Roger held his flask while staring at Sky Mountain's highest peak, lost in memories. How many years had passed? He'd been stationed here for more than two decades now.
BOOM!
A massive explosion suddenly echoed across the mountainside, jolting Roger from his thoughts. The three patrol members watched as thick black smoke billowed up from Sky Mountain's slopes.
More than a dozen dark shapes emerged from the smoke, escaping into the sky. At the same time, a wild roar that seemed to shake the very heavens erupted from somewhere deep within Sky Mountain.
Along with that furious cry came a powerful gust of wind infused with ice-type energy. The freezing gale spread in all directions, creating a fierce windstorm. The razor-sharp cold air cut across Roger's face like a blade, drawing blood.
Roger touched the crimson drops on his cheek, his expression growing serious. What kind of Pokemon could generate such terrifying power with just a single roar?
After the roar subsided, the entire mountain began to shake. The ground trembled beneath their feet as an enormous avalanche suddenly broke loose. From their vantage point, they could see the sea of snow surge forward, rolling through the mountains like a river flowing eastward before rushing over cliff edges and cascading down like frozen waterfalls.
Roger frowned as he watched the chaos unfold before them. He secured his precious flask back to his belt and spoke to himself, "Poachers again. This is really getting troublesome."
As he spoke, Roger reached out with his weathered hand and grabbed a red and white Poke Ball from his belt, throwing it forward with practiced ease.
ROAR!
Red light flashed as a battle-scarred Charizard materialized from the Poke Ball. Only its right eye remained normal—the left eye showed nothing but white. A horrifying wound stretched from its eyebrow to the corner of its mouth, creating a long, terrifying scar that gave the Charizard a menacing appearance.
Ferocity blazed in the Fire-type's good eye as it stared toward the smoke rising from Sky Mountain's slopes. Even this powerful Pokemon could sense something dangerous lurking up there.
"Let's go, Charizard." Roger climbed onto his partner's back before remembering his two companions. "You two need to find backup. Contact all three patrol teams and tell them we've got a major situation here."
"Captain!" Maya called out with concern in his voice.
"I've told you many times to call me Captain," Roger replied with irritation. "You'll just slow me down up there. Now go—contact them immediately."
With those words, Roger patted his Charizard's neck. The Fire-type's orange wings beat powerfully, creating a gust that scattered the snow throughout the forest as they took flight toward the dark smoke of Sky Mountain.
Sky Mountain Slopes
BOOM!
Another tremendous explosion echoed across the mountainside as an enormous avalanche erupted with devastating force. In moments, it transformed into a natural disaster of incredible scale.
Massive amounts of snow slid downward rapidly, collapsing and pouring down the slopes. Powerful air currents rushed down the hillside, sweeping everything into the air with tremendous speed and crushing force. Ancient trees that had stood for centuries were destroyed instantly, powerless to resist.
Countless wild Pokemon began fleeing for their lives. Flying-types escaped into the sky while those unable to fly were swallowed by the avalanche in the blink of an eye.
As the explosion's echoes faded, more than a dozen figures riding Flying-type Pokemon quickly fled from the area where the smoke was rising.
"Damn it, what just happened back there?"
Tomas's face was dark with anger. Their poaching operation had been proceeding smoothly until he suddenly felt a malevolent presence lock onto their group, sending chills down his spine.
Immediately afterward, a bone-penetrating cold had erupted without warning. Massive amounts of ice-type energy surged outward, spreading wildly like a spider's web and freezing everything in its path.
Tomas had reacted quickly, immediately commanding his Weezing to use Self-Destruct to counter the bitter cold and delay the freezing effect. Then he'd immediately mounted his Flying-type Pokemon and escaped from the scene.
But not everyone possessed Tomas's quick reflexes. About one-third of their group hadn't had time to react at all. They were frozen solid by the bone-chilling cold, transformed into ice sculptures that would remain on Sky Mountain forever.
Tomas, who had managed to escape, still felt shaken by their close call. What kind of Pokemon was living in that cave that could display such terrifying power without even showing itself?
Could the old legends actually be true? Was there really an ancient Ice-type living in these mountains?
"Boss, someone's coming!" The group of survivors was still recovering from their shock. They'd been so close to death just moments ago. As they regained their composure, they noticed a dark shape rapidly approaching from the distance.
Tomas squinted at the quickly approaching shadow. He didn't want any more complications right now. They'd started with more than thirty people on this mission, and over ten were now dead, leaving only about twenty survivors.
Fortunately, their poaching haul had been quite successful. Otherwise, even as the vice president of the Dawn Society, he would face serious questioning upon his return.
"Shake him off and get out of here," Tomas commanded, signaling the Corviknight beneath his to speed up and lose their pursuer.
But soon Tomas realized something was wrong. Not only were they failing to shake off their pursuer, but the distance between them was actually shrinking. Only when the gap closed further could Tomas clearly make out his pursuer's identity.
"Roger?"
"Blast Burn!"
Seeing the distance close enough for an attack, Roger ordered his Charizard to use the devastating Fire-type move. A massive burst of flame shaped like burning letters flew toward Tomas's Corviknight.
"Protect, Corviknight!"
Facing Charizard's ultimate Fire-type attack, Tomas didn't dare take any chances. He immediately commanded Corviknight to use the defensive move Protect, creating a shimmering barrier to block the incoming Blast Burn.
"Roger!" Tomas shouted at his pursuer. "Don't push your luck! Don't force me to take drastic action—you're all alone out here!"
"Come on then, let's see if I'm qualified enough to handle you by myself," Roger replied with a contemptuous expression, gesturing dismissively at Tomas. "I haven't had a good battle in ages, and my skills are getting rusty. This is a perfect opportunity to test just how strong the vice president of the Dawn Society really is."
"You're asking for it!" Tomas, already furious from their earlier disaster, was successfully provoked by Roger's taunting. "Corviknight, land! Everyone, attack formation!"
At Tomas's command, all his remaining subordinates descended to the ground, released their Pokemon, and formed a circle around Roger.
"Just a bunch of rabble," Roger declared fearlessly as he faced the enemy's encirclement. "Come on, attack me all at once!"
Confronted by the siege, Roger showed no fear whatsoever. These criminals were nothing more than a disorganized mob—only Pokemon with Champion-level strength could pose any real threat to him.