The night lingered, thick and humid, as Alex and his team prepared for the next phase. The destruction of the primary node had shaken the ridge, but the secondary nodes were still active, and the adaptive system remained a threat. Each pulse of residual energy whispered across the water, a reminder that the island's power veins were still alive.
Alex surveyed his team. Infernape flexed, flames curling but controlled, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Gyarados shifted its massive body in the shallow harbor, tail slicing water in slow arcs, while Roserade hovered near Alex's shoulder, vines twitching in anticipation. Hydreigon circled above, eyes scanning, wings cutting silently through the humid night air. Typhlosion H, Heatran, Garchomp, Ceruledge—all stationed strategically, muscles coiled, aura taut.
Kai's voice came through the communicator. "Alex, sensors indicate an increase in geothermal activity along the northern cliffs. It's feeding the secondary nodes. If we don't act quickly, we could have a local eruption combined with energy surges. That would be catastrophic."
Alex ran a hand down Infernape's shoulder. "We move fast. No reckless strikes, but we take them down systematically. Lila, you coordinate surface operations. Sariah, you take the underwater channels. I'll move with the core team and neutralize the nodes at the source."
Lila's Gardevoir glimmered beside her, ready for support. "Understood. We'll keep civilians clear and provide extraction points."
The team moved out immediately, the air thick with tension. The streets of Cinnabar were quiet now, lit only by lanterns and the dim glow of the recovering ridge. Each step toward the northern cliffs carried the weight of anticipation; Alex felt it in his chest, a pressure heavier than the water beneath the ridge.
The climb toward the secondary nodes was treacherous. The volcanic terrain was jagged, fissures glowing faintly, steam hissing from vents. Garchomp scouted ahead, claws scraping against rock, nostrils flaring to detect heat anomalies. Ceruledge followed close, its metallic edge catching the faint light, while Typhlosion H exhaled bursts of heat to stabilize areas of unstable rock.
Alex moved alongside Infernape, keeping pace despite exhaustion. The flames around Infernape's fists glowed softly, illuminating the path and casting long shadows across the fractured cliffside. Every step they took carried them closer to another confrontation. Another adaptive node. Another pulse of unknown intensity.
Hydreigon hovered above, watching for environmental hazards and potential attackers. Alex's gaze swept the cliffs. He knew from Kai's readings that the nodes were feeding off natural heat pockets, and any miscalculation could trigger a surge capable of flattening everything in the surrounding area.
"We stick to plan," Alex murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Precision. Control. No surprises."
The first secondary node was partially concealed within a natural rock alcove, cracks glowing with the same eerie red as the primary node. Alex gestured, and Infernape stepped forward, releasing a controlled flare of white-hot fire from its aura.
"Gardevoir, cover the perimeter," Alex ordered. "Hydreigon, provide overwatch."
Lila's Gardevoir sent a protective barrier around the team, shimmering with psychic light, while Hydreigon hovered overhead, wings slicing through the humid night air. Infernape's flames danced along the stone fissures, careful, calculated, avoiding contact with the surrounding rock that could destabilize the cliffside.
The node pulsed almost immediately, adaptive energy reading their presence. Alex's eyes narrowed. "It's faster this time. Watch the spikes."
Infernape's fists glowed brighter, fire spiraling around them as Alex guided the attack carefully. The flames struck the node, but instead of a simple reaction, the runes etched into the stone shifted, realigning to absorb the energy.
Alex clenched his jaw. "It's learning faster. Ceruledge, Typhlosion H, strike in tandem. Overload the flow long enough to crack it."
Ceruledge lunged, metal blade slashing against the node with precision, sparks flying into the night. Typhlosion H exhaled bursts of searing heat directly into the fissures. The node throbbed, crackling in response, the red glow intensifying.
The team moved like a single entity, each Pokémon anticipating the other's actions. Infernape's aura surged, flares brightening as it struck again, pushing the node to its limit. Finally, the stone fractured, spiderweb cracks spreading across the surface. A pulse of heat radiated outward, but the barrier held.
Alex exhaled sharply. "First node down. Let's move to the next."
The second node was deeper into the cliffside, partially underwater, a mix of geothermal heat and trapped seawater feeding its energy. Gyarados led the approach, body cutting through shallow pools as Alex climbed its massive back. Roserade hovered alongside, vines extending to steady Alex as the serpent moved carefully through the rocky channels.
Kai's voice cut through the communicator. "Alex, sensors indicate the node is more volatile than the first. Energy density is higher, and the rock structure is unstable. Any misstep could trigger a collapse."
Alex didn't hesitate. "Then we take it slow, precise. Hydreigon, overhead. Infernape, partner with Gyarados for controlled strikes. We take it in coordinated bursts."
The team worked seamlessly. Infernape's flames struck in precise arcs, heating energy channels just enough to destabilize them, while Gyarados rammed fissures with calculated force, directing the flow without causing uncontrolled surges. Roserade's vines reinforced weakened rock formations, and Hydreigon's hovering presence kept the team aware of shifting debris.
The node reacted, pulses accelerating as it attempted to adapt, but Alex anticipated each shift, directing Infernape to strike with perfect timing. Ceruledge and Typhlosion H assisted in delicate bursts, guiding the energy safely into harmless vents.
Finally, after tense minutes that felt like hours, the node collapsed inward, energy dissipating into harmless channels. The cliffside trembled but held, stability returning.
Alex dismounted Gyarados, allowing the serpent to settle. He touched his forehead briefly, sweat and water mingling. "Two down. One more. Then we regroup."
Lila's voice was calm, reassuring. "The surface is stable, Alex. The town is secure. You're doing incredible."
Alex allowed himself a brief smile, but the weight of the mission lingered. They weren't done. Not yet. But the team was alive. The strategy was working.
He looked at the horizon, the first hints of dawn breaking over Cinnabar. Mist hung over the bay, glistening in the early light. The Jewel of Kanto had survived another night, and under his watch, it would continue to shine.
Alex drew in a deep breath. "Final node," he said softly, more to himself than anyone else. "Let's finish this."