"The treasury doors can only be opened with the token," Flygon continued its incessant chatter. "The token is an exquisitely crafted medallion that fits perfectly into the mechanism. According to my ancestors, it's been lost for a very long time..."
Reaching the end of the tunnel, Feng Che stood before a massive stone door, three meters high. Flanking the entrance were two towering statues of Golurk, their hollow eyes staring into the dark. In the center of the door was a recessed slot exactly the size of a medallion.
"This is it."
"Come out, Ditto."
Feng Che released the pink shapeshifter. The Ditto rippled, crawling into the slot and morphing into the exact shape of the missing token.
CLACK.
The ancient gears behind the stone groaned and began to turn. With a heavy, rhythmic grind-grind-grind, the treasury doors slowly swung inward.
"Wait, that counts?! How can that pink thing just become the key?" Flygon's jaw dropped. It rubbed its eyes with its claws, convinced it was having a mental breakdown. "I've fought a thousand battles and never seen anything like that. In all the memories passed down from my father and his father, that creature doesn't exist. I bet my wings that's a brand-new species!"
The dragon's rambling was making Feng Che's head throb. Without a word, he recalled Flygon into its ball and locked the switch.
"Finally, silence," Feng Che sighed. He realized that being able to understand Pokémon wasn't always a blessing—especially when dealing with a motor-mouth.
As the doors fully opened, a wave of frigid, deathly air rolled out from the darkness. A cacophony of dry, rasping cackles echoed through the chamber.
What kind of Pokémon is this? Feng Che swallowed hard. With Mewtwo by his side, he wasn't afraid of anything below God-tier, but the atmosphere was suffocating. Deep in his shadow, a dark mass stirred, opening its own crimson eyes at the stimulus of the cold energy.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of bone on stone echoed, followed by the heavy dragging of metal. A legion of skeletons emerged from the gloom. Atop each skull sat a Ghost-type Pokémon, pulling the strings of the remains like macabre puppets. The skeletons were riddled with ancient arrows and broken blades, dragging rusted claymores across the floor.
"Cofagrigus and Runerigus," Feng Che noted grimly. "The token wasn't just a key; it's a death sentence. Anyone who opens this vault triggers the final defense of the pirates."
Cofagrigus, the tomb Pokémon, resembles a gold-and-blue sarcophagus with four grey spirit-arms. It is known to swallow intruders and turn them into mummies. Runerigus, its Galarian relative, is made of shattered ancient slabs held together by a vengeful spirit, its eyes overlapping with snake-like runes. It is said to be a collection of grudges, cursing any who disturb the ruins.
"Go! Scizor, Incineroar, Alolan Niales!"
Feng Che released his team into the hall. Beyond the skeletal guards, he could see literal mountains of gold coins and glittering gemstones.
Scizor lunged forward, becoming a red-and-silver blur. Every time its steel claws flashed, a skeleton was reduced to fine white powder. Incineroar unleashed a sea of white flame, incinerating the sword-wielding remains where they stood. However, their aggression seemed to poke a hor's nest. More and more skeletons rose from the gold.
[Mewtwo: Feng Che, something is wrong. When the skeletons fall, the spirits within are being freed, but they aren't retreating. The bones are acting as seals for the ghosts.]
"Incineroar, Scizor, stop attacking!" Feng Che commanded. "Niales, Greninja, use Ice Beam!"
The two Pokémon combined their power, unleashing a freezing gale that locked the rising skeletons into a single, massive glacier. The freed Cofagrigus and Runerigus unleashed a barrage of Shadow Balls, desperate to free their frozen "vessels."
In the chaos, a dark streak darted out of Feng Che's shadow, lunging at the flying ghosts. Wherever the shadow passed, the Cofagrigus and Runerigus vanished instantly.
"Niales, Greninja, use Ice Blast!"
Taking inspiration from Rock Blast, the two slammed their paws down. The massive glacier shattered, sending high-velocity ice shards flying in every direction. The impact pulverized the frozen skeletons into dust.
The remaining ghosts cackled as they swarmed the ceiling, their sheer numbers causing the temperature in the vault to plummet until frost coated the gold.
[Mewtwo: Do you need me to step in?]
"No," Feng Che shook his head. "This is a perfect training ground for my team. They can handle it."
"Niales, Moonblast! Greninja, Incineroar, Scizor—Dark Pulse!"
The nine tails of the fox stood on end as it manifested a brilliant lunar orb. BOOM. A rain of Ghost Pokémon fell toward the floor, only to be swallowed by the dark shadow darting through the room. Greninja and the others followed up with waves of dark energy, clearing the remaining defenders in a final, synchronized strike.
As the spirits vanished, the temperature returned to normal. Feng Che looked around at the wealth before him. Compared to this, the treasure he found on the shipwreck was a handful of pocket change. The gold was immeasurable, and the gems were each the size of a fist.
"Mewtwo, move all of this into your subspace. I won't touch a single coin for now. Too much wealth can make a trainer lose their way. Keep it safe as a reserve for resources."
[Mewtwo: Understood.]
A spatial rift opened, and a massive suction force pulled the gold and jewels in like a whirlpool. In minutes, the legendary hoard of the Sand Pirates was gone.
[Mewtwo: I found these among the treasure: one Heart of Earth and two Dragon Orbs. They should be useful.]
"Perfect for Flygon and Deino," Feng Che smiled. "We're done with Death Island. We have one more stop."
As they teleported away, Aomatsu finally reached the location, panting and waving his medallion. "Strange... why do the Ground-types hate me? The legend said they would bow..." He looked around, bruised and battered after being chased ten kilometers by an angry Krokorok. He had no idea he was about to walk into a completely empty cave.
Cinnabar Island Volcano
Blaine was in the middle of a fossil resurrection experiment. He pressed a button, watching the nutrient fluid drain from the tank. A blue Aerodactyl with black rocky protrusions emerged.
"Still not quite right," Blaine sighed, looking at the creature. "I still haven't been able to filter out the Rock typing entirely."
"That's because Aerodactyl originally had a Rock typing, Blaine. You're researching in the wrong direction."
Blaine spun around to see a stranger standing in his laboratory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
?? Read chapters early on Patreon → /Bagga_10 ??
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
?? Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
?? Every 100 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.
Reviews
All reviews (0)