The ground at the center of the ruins began to melt, forming a massive hole that revealed the hidden scene below.
A network of rusted chains, seemingly hundreds of them, intertwined and tightly wrapped around a Pokémon at the center.
Although the chains appeared ordinary, even inferior due to the yellow rust covering them, anyone who saw the Pokémon trapped in the middle would quickly change their mind.
Cain and Steven gazed at the scene beneath their feet in astonishment.
"That is..." murmured Steven.
"Volcarona!" Cain exclaimed, naming the trapped Pokémon.
However, this Volcarona was not in a normal state. The chains binding it broke one by one with every movement of its body. Additionally, the blood spilled by Beedrill and Heracross had been completely absorbed by Volcarona.
Cain understood what was happening. This ancient chamber was not merely a ritual site but also a breeding ground designed for a specific Pokémon: Volcarona.
In the past, a multitude of Bug-type Pokémon likely lived here, but all of them eventually became food for Volcarona. Only Armaldo, captured by Kaya, managed to escape this fate.
The other Bug-type Pokémon must have fought among themselves, leaving Volcarona as the sole survivor, absorbing their energies to sustain itself for centuries.
That was the primary reason Volcarona had managed to survive from ancient times until now.
However, why was Volcarona ultimately chained and sealed?
Through his psychic abilities, Cain perceived that these special chains were constantly absorbing Volcarona's energy. Though the amount of energy drained was minimal compared to its vast power, this extraction had continued for countless years.
This also explained why Kaya believed that Bug-type Pokémon trained and grew faster in these ruins—the energy absorbed by the chains was dispersed throughout the chamber.
This Volcarona was a Pokémon bred to become a mighty force, yet in the end, it was used merely as an energy source.
Perhaps the reason behind its imprisonment was the fear its power instilled in its creators. Its strength was so overwhelming that they decided to seal it rather than let it roam free.
The earthquake that Cain and Steven felt upon entering the ruins was caused by Volcarona's final attempts to break free. The high temperature of the place was also due to its presence, hidden beneath the depths.
In certain regions, Volcarona is revered as a deity. When it spreads its three pairs of red wings, it resembles a blazing sun, with the black spots on its wings representing solar flares.
In battle, Volcarona scatters burning scales as it flies, turning the surroundings into a sea of flames, which is why ancient civilizations feared it as "the wrath of the sun."
It is said that Volcarona is born from a cocoon wrapped in flames. When volcanic ash darkens the sky, its flames replace the light of the sun, making it a symbol of the Sun.
Although Volcarona had existed since ancient times, this was the first time Cain had seen one raised like a mere insect.
Perhaps whoever built this breeding chamber had accidentally captured a Larvesta and placed it in this facility. However, the Larvesta evolved into Volcarona, and its immense power caused its creator to imprison it out of fear, eventually abandoning the site.
The special chains restraining Volcarona were likely designed as a security measure to prevent this extremely powerful Bug-type Pokémon from escaping.
However, no one had anticipated that Volcarona could survive for centuries, gradually wearing down the chains. Now, although the chains were about to break, its life was also nearing its end.
For a Bug-type Pokémon to have lived this long was a true miracle.
Still processing the magnitude of what he was seeing, Cain scanned Volcarona's data using his system:
Pokémon: Volcarona (Light Purple) (Exhausted)
Gender: Female
Level: 83
Type: Bug/Fire
Ability: Flame Body
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: String Shot, Endure, Zen Headbutt, Morning Sun, Magnet Rise
Basic Moves: Quiver Dance, Fiery Dance, Hurricane, Rage Powder, Heat Wave, Flare Blitz, Thrash, Amnesia, Bug Buzz, Flame Wheel, Ember, Absorb, Gust, Fire Spin, Whirlwind, Silver Wind
Learned Moves: Signal Beam, Defog, Giga Drain, Snore
TM Moves: None
An level 83 Volcarona, with a light purple quality.
It was an Initial Champion-level Pokémon!
Cain stared at Volcarona's data, at a loss for words.
The system indicated that its body was exhausted. It had resorted to the residual energy of Beedrill and Heracross to unleash its current strength, but it was clear that it didn't have much time left.
Perhaps... this Volcarona had never seen the sun since it evolved.
Kaya, tied to the side, also stared at Volcarona in awe. As a Bug-type Pokémon specialist, she knew exactly how powerful Volcarona was.
Although deep down she wished to capture Volcarona to secure victory over anyone, she knew it was already too late.
Volcarona, a Pokémon that evolves from Larvesta at level 59, has one of the highest evolution levels, even compared to pseudo-legendaries. This reflects the massive amount of energy it needs to accumulate to reach its final form.
It is one of the most powerful Bug-type Pokémon for a reason.
Suddenly, the chains binding Volcarona began to snap one after another as the Pokémon gathered what remained of its strength.
Volcarona knew that its life was coming to an end, but it still had one last thing to do.
Sensing the rising energy of Volcarona and seeing how the chains were breaking, Steven became alarmed and exclaimed, "Cain, we need to get out of here! This Volcarona, which has lived for countless years, is about to break free. We can't handle it. We must contact the League's high command immediately!"
Steven grabbed Cain, trying to drag him toward the exit.
But Cain, with a complex expression, shook his head, refusing to flee.
(End of Chapter)