Chapter 10: Mount Chimney, Team Magma!

After a brief moment, Cynthia finally gathered her thoughts.

It seemed that the sword she had acquired—called the Rusted Sword—shared a profound, interwoven connection with the blue Pokémon she had just witnessed.

Otherwise, the sword would never have shown her such a vision.

So... could it be that the blue Pokémon was actually sealed inside this sword?

Or perhaps... was it that purple entity instead?

Cynthia could not help but frown slightly.

Without a doubt, the difference between these two possibilities was as vast as heaven and earth.

At this moment, the brilliance emanating from the rusted blade had faded. It slowly descended back into Cynthia's hand, returning to a state of calm, as if it had never moved at all.

Come to think of it, according to Bill's theory, releasing whatever entity was trapped inside this sword would require breaking the contractual magic array sealed upon it; simply repairing the sword would accomplish nothing.

Yet the item description for the sword explicitly told her that as long as it could be repaired, its original power would be unlocked.

From this perspective, could she first attempt to repair the sword, and then decide whether or not to lift the seal based on the circumstances at that time?

Besides...

After all, this was a video game, not reality, so there was no need to act with excessive caution.

If one remained timid and hesitant while playing a game, it couldn't truly be called playing.

Furthermore, the shock brought to her by those two Pokémon was simply too immense. Taking such a "risk" to acquire more intelligence and information regarding those two creatures was undeniably worth it.

With this thought, Cynthia finally made up her mind, turned around, and spoke to Bill nearby.

"Did you see what just happened?"

Bill was momentarily stunned, shook his head, and rubbed his head with a grimace. "See what? Of course I saw it! That broken sword just gave my head a vicious whack! It even formed a bump!"

It appeared that Bill had not been granted the vision that the sword had provided to Cynthia; that was exclusive to her character.

After a brief reflection, Cynthia spoke again:

"You seemed to mention earlier that the material of this sword... is called Keystones? If I want to repair this sword, do you have any ideas?"

Upon hearing this, Bill was momentarily taken aback, then immediately shook his head. "Sorry, I've only just happened to hear about this kind of ore and its crafting techniques, but as for the specific technology required to repair it... I honestly have no idea."

Cynthia felt a wave of disappointment at these words, having hoped to glean some information from Bill.

Yet it seemed there was still a turning point—at that moment, she heard Bill point at the sword and speak once more:

"Hey, you're not actually thinking of repairing this sword and letting whatever is inside out, are you? I'd advise you against it. Judging by how it just acted, whatever is locked inside is definitely no good!"

However, the moment his voice trailed off, the sword in Cynthia's hand suddenly shot up into the air once again, bursting forth with a disgruntled hum as it flew straight toward Bill!

This time, Bill had learned his lesson. With a loud yell, he turned tail and fled without the slightest hesitation, dashing straight out of the room.

The Rusted Sword spun around in mid-air, then returned dejectedly to the front of Cynthia. A ray of brilliance surged from its blade, transforming into an arrowhead symbol that pointed in a specific direction.

Cynthia was slightly startled at the sight, lowering her gaze to look at the Rusted Sword. "Are you guiding me to repair you?"

The Rusted Sword seemed to understand her words, swaying up and down as if nodding.

Cynthia pondered for a moment, pressed the interaction key, and spoke again, her voice soft and explanatory.

"I do indeed intend to repair you, but I have more important matters to attend to right now. I'm sorry."

The brilliance of the Rusted Sword instantly dimmed.

Cynthia quickly added:

"However, if possible, I will definitely find a way to fix you. Please give me a little time!"

Hearing this, the Rusted Sword remained silent for a moment before swaying up and down, as if nodding once more.

It seemed to reluctantly accept Cynthia's proposal, flying back into her hand to rest in absolute stillness once again.

Cynthia wore a thoughtful expression as she watched this sequence. If she had this sword's guidance, a corresponding method of repair would inevitably await her exploration.

That being said, she no longer needed to worry about this aspect for now; she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

Carefully, she stowed the Rusted Sword away into her backpack and turned her gaze back to the machine sitting in Bill's laboratory.

In a few hours, this fossil would be successfully resurrected into an ancient Pokémon!

To be honest, this should have been a thoroughly astonishing event for her, but in the wake of the light and shadow recently projected by the Rusted Sword, Cynthia suddenly felt that this was nothing extraordinary.

She couldn't help letting out a soft sigh. This game truly continued to refresh and challenge her worldview...

Come to think of it, she had originally assumed the game's creator only possessed knowledge concerning Rayquaza and the other legendary Pokémon of the Hoenn region.

Yet now it appeared...

The creator's understanding of legendary Pokémon probably far surpassed her own as a mythology expert...

With that thought, Cynthia shook her head slightly and walked out of Bill's research institute.

Bill was currently shivering outside. Upon seeing Cynthia emerge, he instinctively took several steps back, wearing the expression of someone terrified of being struck by the sword again.

Only after confirming that the sword in her arms was gone did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"It actually hits people! This thing is far too petty... I only spoke a few truths..."

"...Well, but then again, if you really want to repair this sword, you could try heading to the Galar region to see if you can find this kind of ore to mend it."

"The Galar region?"

The reappearance of this term instantly captured Cynthia's attention.

Bill nodded. "Mhm, that's right. This region is located to the northwest of our Hoenn region, very, very far away. There aren't many established shipping routes yet, but you can take a boat from Lilycove City to go search for it. Remember, this kind of stone is only produced in the snowy mountain ranges of northern Galar; it doesn't exist anywhere else."

"Well... good luck to you, and remember to come back later to check on your fossil Pokémon!"

After Bill finished speaking, he hurried back into his house like a frightened animal without looking back.

Cynthia quietly committed the name of this region to memory.

The Galar region...

She speculated that this must be a special area uniquely created by the creator within the game...

Surely, there couldn't actually be an undiscovered continent named the Galar region in real life, right?

No matter how one thought about it, that seemed highly improbable...

Bidding farewell to Bill, she resumed her journey in the direction of Meteor Falls.

According to Cynthia's initial expectations, since Meteor Cave was a mandatory story route and had explicitly mentioned that Team Magma was stationed there, she guessed that a difficult battle was practically guaranteed.

To prepare for this, she had even preemptively trained her entire team up to the current level cap.

However, the events that transpired after she entered Meteor Cave completely defied Cynthia's expectations.

Not long after she walked toward the left side of the cave, she spotted a researcher in a lab coat from a distance, surrounded by a mob of men clad in Team Magma uniforms, who roughly and forcefully snatched a box away from him.

Immediately afterward, these Team Magma members left directly without looking back...

Cynthia stepped forward at once, initiating a dialogue with the dejected-looking staff member to learn the specifics of the situation.

"Those guys from Team Magma lured me here and stole the most important thing I had—a meteorite from outer space... Damn it, what do they even want this for?"

"I'm going to report this to the League right now..."

A meteorite?

Cynthia instantly seized upon this keyword, her brows knitting together slightly. At that exact moment, from the opposite side of the cave, seven or eight individuals dressed in deep blue uniforms came running in, scanning their surroundings before addressing the researcher.

"We heard that those scoundrels from Team Magma came through here recently to carry out their evil scheme. Where are they?"

The researcher was stunned for a moment, then pointed toward another direction within Meteor Cave.

"They snatched my meteorite and said they were heading to Mt. Chimney..."

Upon hearing this, the leader of Team Aqua slapped his thigh, an expression of regret crossing his face.

"Damn it, looks like we're still a step too late?"

"Boys, after them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the members of Team Aqua vanished in a flurry within Meteor Cave. Witnessing this scene, Cynthia once again plunged into deep thought.

Judging by the present situation, although their exact purpose for seizing that meteorite remained unclear, Team Magma undoubtedly harbored a plan and strategy of their own.

Now, there was good news and bad news.

The good news was that Team Aqua, at least on the surface, was not allied with them; rather, they stood in opposition.

The bad news, however, was that Team Aqua also harbored a scheme of their own. Neither faction could truly be considered a force for righteousness—they were simply mutual enemies...

In that case, her next step should be to head to Mt. Chimney and see... what exactly Team Magma was planning to do.

Cynthia's gaze sharpened as she turned and left Meteor Falls.

When Cynthia returned to the cable car entrance outside Fiery Path, true to her prediction, the two Team Magma grunts who had previously blocked the path were nowhere to be seen.

She successfully boarded the cable car and quickly reached the summit of Mt. Chimney.

Mt. Chimney was a remarkably tall volcano in the Hoenn region, its peak filled with vast pools of bubbling, flowing magma that threatened to erupt at any moment. The volcanic ash Cynthia had previously encountered in the nearby tall grass originated from past eruptions of this massive volcano.

At this moment, the live-stream chat room was engaged in fierce debate.

[What on earth are Team Magma planning to do by running up a volcano with a meteorite? Don't tell me they're trying to blow up the volcano?]

[I have no idea. Besides, what does blowing up a volcano have to do with a meteorite?]

[These villainous organizations always do things that are kind of hard to understand... I guess we'll find out once we see it?]

Cynthia was pondering the exact same thing.

The earlier gameplay had revealed the tip of the iceberg regarding Team Aqua's plan, and Team Magma's objective was likely about to unveil itself before her eyes.

Just as she stepped out of the cable car, Cynthia heard a clamor of battle echoing from nearby.

Operating her character to step forward for a closer look, she discovered that members of Team Magma and Team Aqua had released their Pokémon and were locked in fierce combat!

Such clashes extended all the way from the base of the mountain upward toward the peak. Dozens of individuals in red and blue uniforms were engaged in total melee.

Not only were their Pokémon fighting one another, but the grunts themselves were even engaging in close-quarters physical brawls—the scene was absolute chaos.

This chaotic situation undeniably provided Cynthia with a convenient opportunity. Carefully controlling her character, she began to quietly climb upward along the mountain path.

Before long, the number of Team Aqua members dwindled...

Finally, as she reached the halfway point, a Team Magma grunt stationed there spotted her arrival and charged forward to challenge her.

"The Boss said this is the most critical moment, and nobody is allowed to approach!"

This NPC's Pokémon were not particularly formidable, and Cynthia dispatched them easily in under a minute.

However, as she continued her ascent, waves of Team Magma NPCs successively stepped forward to issue challenges.

Each NPC seemed slightly stronger than the last. Fortunately, Cynthia's current team configuration featured two Water-type Pokémon, and since the majority of these Team Magma NPCs used Fire-type Pokémon, she handled them with relative ease.

Most importantly—Pelipper, the newly added member of her team, was able to summon rain upon entering battle, further weakening the strength of those Fire-type Pokémon.

Ludicolo didn't even need to step onto the field before Cynthia plowed through all opposition and successfully reached the summit of the mountain.

What greeted her eyes was a massive magma pool, where deep red molten rock churned violently, white steam billowing alongside intense heat.

Standing before this magma pool was a robust figure clad in a red Team Magma uniform.

His gaze was incomparably calm, radiating the arrogance and confidence of a powerhouse between his brows.

Yet upon closer inspection, one could discern a deeply hidden trace of ruthlessness.

Her intuition told Cynthia that this fellow before her was by no means ordinary and undoubtedly held an extremely high rank within Team Magma!

Yet just as she was pondering this, the man appeared to notice her presence as well, taking a step forward as his rich, resonant voice echoed in her ears.

"Little one, why are you here? This is hardly a place for you."

"Wait... since you're standing here, it means you've bypassed my subordinates. Regardless of how you managed it, that is something worth appreciating—it seems you are a talented young person."

"In that case, I will make an exception and grant you a privilege. Let me introduce myself: I am Maxie, the leader of Team Magma."

Cynthia's gaze instantly sharpened. The League possessed precise intelligence regarding the identities of the leaders of organizations like Team Magma, and this was indeed Maxie!

Yet she had never expected that the man standing right before her would actually be him!

The next moment, Maxie's voice sounded once more.

"Listen well. Here and now, I formally invite you to join our organization—Team Magma."

"Our plan is to let fire and magma spread across the entire land, swallowing the oceans, and ultimately forge a brand-new civilization amidst the raging flames."

"Well? Interested?"

As he spoke, he extended a hand directly toward Cynthia.

Cynthia's expression at this moment grew somewhat complex.

—As the Champion of the Sinnoh League, playing a video game first resulted in being scouted and invited by the leader of Team Aqua, and now, upon her very first meeting with the leader of Team Magma, she was being invited to join them as well...

At this rate, if she encountered the leader of Team Rocket later in the game, would she receive an invitation from them too?

Faced with Maxie's proposal, two options abruptly popped up on the screen before Cynthia within the game.

—Accept / Decline.

Her gaze narrowed sharply.

What did this "Accept" button signify?

Could it be that if she chose it, she could genuinely join Team Magma?

She was genuinely a bit surprised.

She hadn't expected that the game's creator... would actually code such branching paths into the game!

To be honest, Cynthia was genuinely tempted at that moment.

If she were to join Team Magma within the game... wouldn't that mean she could acquire even more files and intelligence concerning Team Magma?

Although Team Magma acted with high profile and committed heinous acts in the real world...

Recently, for reasons unknown, their movements had grown increasingly quiet, almost bordering on vanishing entirely.

The League's grip on intelligence regarding Team Magma was actually quite sparse and could hardly be considered abundant.

Now that such a prime opportunity lay right before her eyes, how could she possibly have any reason to refuse?

Thus, after a brief period of reflection, she directly selected Accept!

Receiving this response, Maxie, standing opposite her, gave a light clap.

"A very wise choice. Joining us... is a decision you will never regret. Together, we shall pioneer a new realm within the flames!"

Yet his tone shifted abruptly a moment later.

"However, to prove your loyalty, there is something I require you to do right now."

Maxie reached out, pointing toward the churning magma pool beside him.

"Take out all the Pokémon you possess, and throw them in along with their Poké Balls."

"Once you join us, you will no longer need these weaklings. An exceptional trainer like you deserves far more powerful partners."

Two buttons popped up on the screen before Cynthia once again.

[Yes / No]

However, this time...

She did not hesitate for a fraction of a second, and directly chose No.

Even within a video game, she could never accept casting her own Pokémon into molten magma!

This was the bottom line a trainer must uphold, something that could never be crossed under any circumstances!

Naturally, such an action meant she had forfeited the opportunity to join Team Magma within the game and had rejected Maxie's invitation.

Upon witnessing this, Maxie's voice turned instantly frigid.

"I had originally assumed... you were a smart person."

"Yet now it seems you are no different from those fools in the League."

"In that case, allow me to show you the cruelty of reality!"

Inspiring battle music surged into Cynthia's ears as countless Poké Ball icons flashed across the screen—the battle erupted in that very instant!