Kapitel 7: Chapter 7
Chapter 7: The Thrill Between Life and Death:
"Arcanine, Rapidash, burn down this door!"
A thick metal door stood in front of them, its surface gleaming menacingly. At Blaine's command, both Arcanine and Rapidash opened their mouths and unleashed torrents of flames upon it. The door reminded Yulong Jie of the kind used to protect vaults in banks, safeguarding treasures and valuables. However, under the intense flames of these Fire-type Pokémon, the once impenetrable door began to glow red-hot, looking as if it could melt into molten iron at any moment.
This made Yulong Jie realize that the flames from these Pokémon weren't just high temperatures but carried some kind of unknown, potent energy.
"No good, we don't have time! If we had Magmortar, it could tear this door apart, but the space here is too tight for that, and if there's another door behind this one, we're done for!"
Blaine quickly made a decision after realizing how sturdy the door was. He immediately ordered Arcanine and Rapidash to turn around and run down a nearby corridor.
Just as the group left, they heard a terrifying noise behind them, like a dam bursting and water rushing through. A massive wave of water surged through the facility's hallway with a deafening roar, slamming into the already weakened metal door, tearing it apart. As Blaine had suspected, another door lay behind the first. If they hadn't left in time, the sheer force of the water would have destroyed Arcanine and Rapidash's ability to continue the fight.
Yulong Jie looked back to see the water calming down, revealing dozens of Pokémon standing far off in the distance. It was a classic case of quantity over quality.
Although none of these Pokémon alone could match a Gym Leader like Blaine, the combined strength of so many Water-types using Hydro Pump made them more than formidable. Outside, Blaine could have easily relied on his mobility to handle them, but in this narrow hallway, with Professor Oak and Yulong Jie to protect, even the Cinnabar Gym Leader seemed to be struggling.
"How much money has Team Rocket poured into this facility? For the Mewtwo Project, they've turned this place into a fortress!"
Blaine was furious but also secretly thankful that no high-ranking members of Team Rocket were currently present. If they were surrounded in an enemy stronghold like this with no way out, Blaine knew he would have no choice but to fight to the death.
"All exits from the facility have likely been sealed off. With all the security cameras here, we're being watched no matter where we go. If we stop moving, we'll soon be surrounded. We can't rely on ourselves alone to escape; our only hope is to make contact with the outside and request rescue. Let's hope help arrives before Team Rocket's reinforcements do... Oak, Jie-kun, hold on tight. There's a safe room up ahead, designed as a last resort. Once we're there, we'll be safe for a while!"
Blaine's voice was hoarse as he shouted.
Arcanine and Rapidash galloped on, but Blaine's clothes were already dirty and disheveled, his face smeared with ash from the flames. Both Pokémon were also showing signs of exhaustion, panting heavily.
Along the way, the group had broken through several encircling attempts, barely escaping each time. But the risks were high, and with no other Pokémon suited for quick movement in such tight spaces, Blaine had relied solely on Arcanine and Rapidash to protect both Professor Oak and Yulong Jie.
Yulong Jie remained silent, holding tightly onto Rapidash. His body was trembling. Despite the protection he had received, the overwhelming heat and the splashing water from the enemies had soaked his clothes, leaving them wrinkled and singed in places.
Fear gripped his heart. Just days ago, Yulong Jie had been living a peaceful and ordinary life, and now he was thrust into a situation like a soldier facing a flood or a firefighter charging into a blaze. It was impossible not to feel fear, especially when the enemy's intent to kill was so clear. Every attack was a genuine attempt to take their lives. The constant brush with death was terrifying, and his body trembled uncontrollably, like leaves in the wind.
Fear is one of the most basic human emotions. Anyone who doesn't feel fear isn't truly human. But deep within that fear, Yulong Jie found himself surprised by another emotion—excitement. His blood was boiling. A primal instinct for battle seemed to awaken within him, urging him to laugh aloud, like an ancient warrior on the battlefield, who in the heat of battle forgets everything else and focuses solely on cutting down anything in their path.
The thrill of dancing on the edge of life and death was intoxicating, almost making him want to cry out in ecstasy. There was something beautiful and grand about a fight where one stakes their life as a wager.
Yulong Jie had never realized before that deep inside, he was such a violent, brutal person.
Perhaps it was a hidden feeling that all humans possess.
"Hurry, we're almost there!"
Rapidash and Arcanine sped across a narrow bridge-like passageway, barely wide enough for two people, and entered a small room.
"Magmortar, it's your turn!"
The moment Blaine dismounted from Arcanine, he rolled onto the floor, swiftly releasing a Pokéball. Emerging from it was a Pokémon with molten lava flowing through its body. With its duck-like beak and the violent aura it emitted, Magmortar stood over two meters tall, blocking the bridge entrance like an unmovable fortress.
"This safe room is made entirely of Silph Steel, from the floor to the ceiling. This metal is an extremely rare alloy created by Silph Co. and is very scarce. The fact that Team Rocket used so much of it to build a safe room shows just how lavish they've been with their resources. But this is also the most durable metal known to us. It's nearly impossible to break through with Pokémon in a short time. Once the security door lowers, we'll be safe for now."
While explaining, Blaine operated the computer terminal in the room. He also reminded Yulong Jie, "…Stay away from Magmortar, Jie-kun. Its body temperature reaches 1,200 degrees Celsius, and it's not exactly a gentle Pokémon. It can be quite hostile to anyone except its trainer."
Blaine frantically tapped away at the computer terminal, but suddenly he slammed his hands down in frustration. "…What's going on?!"
"What happened, Blaine?"
Despite the dire situation, Professor Oak remained calm, his voice steady and composed, like a true elder in the face of crisis.
"Why isn't the control panel working?!"
As Blaine tried to figure out the problem, laughter echoed from the other side of the narrow corridor. A Team Rocket member called out, "Hahaha! Blaine, I bet you're wondering why the safe room isn't working, right? Let me tell you! Team Rocket's motto is success or failure—there's no escape for us! That so-called safe room was just a trick to deceive researchers like you!"
"…Now, you're trapped in that safe room! Sure, the space is too narrow for a full assault, but how long can you last? All Water-type Pokémon, use your strongest Water-type moves and flood them out!"
As the Team Rocket member finished speaking, the sound of rushing water filled the air again. Rapidash and Arcanine quickly moved to the front, standing alongside Magmortar. All three Pokémon desperately unleashed their flames, using the intense heat to turn the incoming water into steam, preventing it from entering the safe room.
"If that's the case, we have no choice…"
Blaine gritted his teeth and tossed out another Pokéball. From the smoke, a large, blue, dragon-like Pokémon appeared, with a saddle-shaped shell designed for riders.
"Lapras, use Ice Beam to freeze the entrance!"
Blaine knew he wasn't Lapras's regular trainer, so his commands weren't guaranteed to work. But Lapras was an intelligent Pokémon. It nodded, opened its mouth, and gathered freezing energy. At Blaine's command, the Fire-type Pokémon quickly moved aside, and Lapras unleashed Ice Beam, instantly freezing the incoming water and forming a thick wall of ice at the entrance.
"What do we do now, Blaine?"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein