The Groudon-infused Golurk suddenly opened its mouth and let out a thunderous roar. A crimson beam shot forth, not as an attack but as a strange, temperatureless ray of energy. Its target was the Larvitar standing beside Aoki.
Aoki's expression darkened instantly.
This wasn't an assault—it was something far more unsettling. The beam struck Larvitar before anyone could react, and the runes covering the Golurk dimmed, its red surface fading to a lifeless dark red as if drained of energy.
The small Pokémon cried out in discomfort, its body writhing as if invaded by a foreign presence. It felt like an alien force was surging through its veins, battling for dominance over its very being.
Aoki acted swiftly, pressing his hands against Larvitar's body and channeling his psychic powers to establish a Telepathic link. But what he found was alarming—two distinct consciousnesses now resided within Larvitar's mind. One was the Pokémon's own, but the other…
The second consciousness was pure, unfiltered rage.
Aoki recoiled mentally after the briefest contact. There was no reason, no thought—only violence and madness. This foreign presence had been drawn to the residual Groudon energy lingering in Larvitar's body, and now it sought to merge with the young Pokémon.
"Slowking! Mismagius! Help me suppress this consciousness!" Aoki commanded.
Had the entity remained within the Golurk, Aoki would have been powerless against its overwhelming strength. But now, isolated within Larvitar's mind, it was vulnerable.
Mismagius materialized beside Slowking, their combined psychic might weaving a mental prison around the intruding consciousness. Though Mismagius was the higher-leveled of the two, Slowking's psychic prowess was unmatched—it would be the linchpin of their efforts.
Meanwhile, the five Unown symbols on Aoki's wrist glowed faintly, amplifying his own psychic abilities.
Together, the three forces pushed inward, compressing the raging consciousness into a tiny, flickering orb no larger than a fingertip.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Larvitar's own consciousness—vaster and more dominant than Aoki had anticipated—suddenly lunged forward and devoured the compressed entity whole.
Aoki and Slowking could only watch, stunned, as Larvitar's mental projection chewed contentedly, as if savoring a rare delicacy.
A belch echoed through the psychic plane, followed by a puff of reddish-black vapor that dissipated harmlessly.
Satisfied, Larvitar plopped down, patting its round belly in confusion. It had eaten so little, yet it felt full. Stranger still, it felt… stronger.
Finally noticing Aoki and Slowking's presence, Larvitar tilted its head. In its mindscape, they appeared tiny—so small that even seated, it had to lower its gaze to see them properly. Latest content published on NoveIꜰire.net
Aoki didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
After all that worry, Larvitar had simply eaten the problem.
With a shared nod, Aoki, Slowking, and Mismagius withdrew from the Telepathic link.
Back in the physical world, Larvitar no longer showed any signs of distress. The red tint that had briefly colored its scales had vanished completely, leaving it looking perfectly normal.
The Pokémon hopped excitedly, eager to tell Aoki about its strange dream—how it had eaten something delicious and seen a miniature version of him and Slowking.
But before it could speak, a brilliant white light erupted from its body.
The glow intensified, soon enveloping Larvitar entirely.
Aoki quickly retrieved the Talent enhancing solution he had prepared in advance—thankful he'd thought ahead. Larvitar's sudden evolution would have caught him off-guard otherwise.
Perhaps consuming the foreign consciousness had triggered it. Or maybe the residual energy within Larvitar had finally reached a tipping point.
Either way, the transformation was underway.
At first, Larvitar seemed startled by the light surrounding it. But realization quickly dawned, and its eyes sparkled with excitement.
It eagerly gulped down the Talent enhancing potion, then stood still, waiting as its body began to reshape itself.
The white glow grew brighter, obscuring Larvitar's form. Through the radiance, Aoki could see its body curling inward, its tail expanding like a blooming flower before wrapping around itself completely—forming a cocoon-like Pupitar.
Two deafening explosions shook the chamber, followed by the clamor of approaching footsteps and raised voices.
The Magma Team had arrived.
Aoki's grip tightened. Larvitar—no, Pupitar—was mid-evolution. Any interruption now could be disastrous.
He could only hope the two Claydol stationed outside could hold the intruders off long enough.
Against Magma's elite operatives, Aoki stood little chance alone.
Thankfully, Pupitar's evolution proceeded without issue. Minutes later, the light faded, revealing a sleek, blue-gray cocoon.
The only anomaly was the middle prong of its three-horned crest—a vivid, unnatural red.
The newly evolved Pokémon let out a soft cry, blinking as it adjusted to its limbless form.
Then, with a sudden whoosh, twin jets of air burst from its underside, lifting it effortlessly into the air.
It is now able to levitate.
Aoki's system analyzing Pupitar's updated stats.
What he saw made his breath catch.
"This move… Precipice Blades? A weakened version?!"