A large hole gradually melted in the middle of the ground of the ruins, revealing the eerie scene below.
Hundreds of rusted iron chains stretched across the cavern, their corroded surfaces flaking with age, all tightly coiled around a central figure—a Pokémon bound at their core.
Though the chains appeared ordinary, even fragile due to their decay, the sight of the creature they restrained shattered any illusion of weakness.
Aoki and Steven stared wide-eyed at the spectacle beneath their feet.
"This is..." Steven murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Volcarona!" Aoki uttered the Pokémon's name with a mix of awe and dread.
The Volcarona's current state was far from normal. As it writhed, the chains snapped one by one, their metallic groans echoing through the ruins. Every drop of blood spilled from the fallen insect-type Pokémon was absorbed by the Volcarona, its fiery wings pulsing with renewed energy.
Aoki realized the truth—this ancient chamber was no ordinary ruin. It was a breeding ground, a nightmarish crucible designed to cultivate a single, monstrous Pokémon. And the Volcarona before them was the culmination of that horrific experiment.
Countless Bug-type Pokémon had lived and died here, their lives drained away to fuel the Volcarona's growth. Only the ancient Armaldo that Steven had captured had survived. The rest had perished, their essence devoured to sustain this creature.
This was why the Volcarona had endured from ancient times until now.
Yet, despite its power, it had never been freed. The specialized chains binding it siphoned its energy, a slow but relentless drain that had persisted for untold years. Though the Volcarona was mighty, even its strength had limits. The chains, though worn, had held firm, and now, after centuries of imprisonment, the Volcarona's life was fading.
For a Bug-type Pokémon to live this long was nothing short of a miracle.
With a mix of fascination and horror, Aoki scanned the Volcarona's data:
Pokémon: Volcarona (Light Blue) (Exhausted)
Gender: Female
Level: 83
Type: Bug/Fire
Ability: Flame Body
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: String Shot, Harden, Zen Headbutt, Morning Sun, Magnet Rise
Basic Moves: Quiver Dance, Fiery Dance, Hurricane, Rage Powder, Heat Wave, Flame Charge, Bug Buzz, Amnesia, Silver Wind, Flame Wheel, Ember, String Shot, Absorb, Gust, Fire Spin, Whirlwind
Learnt Moves: Signal Beam, Defog, Giga Drain, Snore
TM Moves: None
A Level 83 Volcarona.
A Champion-tier Pokémon, its potential wasted in this forgotten prison.
Aoki could only stare, speechless.
The ancients had created a monster—one so powerful they had been forced to seal it away, unable to wield its strength.
And now, after centuries, the Volcarona was making its final stand.
The system's analysis confirmed it—the Volcarona's body was exhausted. The energy it had absorbed from the fallen Heracross and Beedrill had granted it one last surge of power, but it would not last.
This Volcarona had evolved in darkness. It had never seen the sun.
Jiaya, still restrained by Aoki, gaped at the Volcarona. As a Bug-type specialist, she recognized its significance.
If she could have captured it…
But it was too late.
Volcarona was a Pokémon that evolved from Larvesta at Level 59—an exceptionally high evolution threshold, even surpassing some pseudo-legendaries. The sheer energy required for a Larvesta to reach that stage was immense.
This was the pinnacle of Bug-type Pokémon.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
The chains shattered, one after another.
The Volcarona knew its time was ending. But it had one last act of defiance.
As the chains broke and the Volcarona's aura surged, Steven's expression darkened.
"Aoki, we need to leave!" he urged. "This Volcarona has existed for centuries. If it breaks free, we can't stop it. We must contact the League!"
He grabbed Aoki's sleeve, ready to flee.
But Aoki didn't move. His gaze remained fixed on the Volcarona, his expression unreadable.
He shook his head.
"No."