Just over ten seconds after they vanished, a crimson meteor tore through the sky, whipping up a fierce gale as it descended with astonishing force onto the platform at the edge of the crater!
Rubble flew, and dust billowed!
As the light gradually faded, it revealed a powerful, imposing Charizard whose entire body seemed to burn with invisible flames. Its broad wings folded in, its powerful legs planted firmly on the ground, and its golden eyes swept sharply across the surroundings.
Standing on its back was a tall, upright figure with flared hair and beard, clad in a dark red martial arts uniform and standing like a javelin.
It was Mura, the Lavaridge Gym Leader and former Fire-type Elite Four member!
His expression was as grim as iron, his graying hair and short beard stirring slightly in the scorching airflow.
His hawk-like eyes were sharp as blades, gleaming as though they could pierce through truth and illusion as they took in the entire devastated crater platform in an instant.
Scorched remnants, splatter marks from lava that had yet to fully solidify, chaotic energy fluctuations lingering in the air, and a faint unfamiliar scent that had been concealed but still could not escape his nose...
"Hmph!" Mura snorted, his voice like muffled thunder echoing across the vast, scorching crater platform, filled with undisguised fury and imposing pressure. "The rats ran quickly enough!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he raised a hand, and three Poké Balls shot out!
Red light flashed, and Arcanine, Houndoom, and Ninetales appeared at once—three powerful Fire-type Pokémon with fierce, keen-eyed expressions!
"Old friends, see if they left any clues behind!" Mura's voice was brief and forceful. "Arcanine, Houndoom, track the lingering scent and energy trails! Ninetales, sense every trace of residual energy and abnormal spatial fluctuation in this