The gale howled, the sound of rain long since swallowed by the roar of fierce flames.
The forest was a wreck of scorched, standing trees. The air was filled with a mixed scent of scorching heat and dampness.
Yahiko struggled to lift his head, a mixture of sweat and rain streaming down his cheeks.
Fearow still circled above, its wings stirring up layers of storms.
Charmeleon stood by his side, its breathing low and heavy.
Shiroishi's voice echoed in his heart.
"Kindness is never a mistake, Yahiko. It is a restraint on power, and a guide for the human heart. If you lose that balance, you will fall into a tragedy like Fearow's."
Shiroishi's words just now were like a beam of light, piercing through the fog in Yahiko's heart.
He slowly straightened his body, his eyes becoming clear once more.
Rainwater pattered against his face, yet he revealed a long-lost smile.
"Charmeleon."
He called out softly.
Charmeleon turned its head, a hint of confusion in its eyes.
Yahiko gazed at it. "My goal isn't just to defeat the Ninja Beast before us. This is only the beginning. I want to achieve my ideal, to dispel the gloom that shrouds the Land of Rain and let the sun shine upon this land."
"After saying all that, the truth is, I also love to fight."
Yahiko suddenly grinned, his smile as brilliant as fire.
"A thrilling, unrestrained battle. But the reason I fight is to let this world see the sun of hope!"
Charmeleon was stunned for a moment. Then, its burning pupils blazed with renewed brilliance.
With a low roar, its Tail Flame suddenly surged.
The Chakra within Yahiko's body and Charmeleon's aura began to resonate on an emotional level.
It was a kind of harmony.
"Let's go! Let's evolve and transform together!"
He abruptly formed a hand seal, pressing his palms together.
Fire Chakra surged through his body at an astonishing speed. Cyan and Scarlet flames intertwined, rushing toward the sky.
The sky suddenly brightened.
Charmeleon's entire body was engulfed in a scorching light. Raindrops landing on it instantly turned to steam.
The searing wind kicked up dust, illuminating the entire forest.
As a heaven-shaking roar sounded, Charmeleon's figure was completely enveloped in the brilliant flames.
Burning away the old self to forge a new life.
[Charizard evolution complete!]
A system-like notification echoed in the air.
The brand-new Charizard spread its broad wings. Flames flowed along the tips of its wings, like crimson clouds.
Its aura was calmer, yet it also carried a new layer of oppressive might.
At the same time, the Chakra Cloak around Yahiko also changed.
The intertwined Cyan and Scarlet energy flowed like blazing armor.
Behind him, the brilliant flames condensed, forming a pair of burning, cyan wings!
[Awakened Skill: Oath of Fire!]
Flames descended from the heavens. Yahiko soared into the air with them, forming a seal with his claw-like hands as firelight gathered in his palms.
Two figures, one man and one dragon, charged toward the sky in unison.
A deafening boom!
Charizard swept its wings, whipping up a vortex of fire; Yahiko's hands aimed straight for Fearow's chest.
Flames and storms collided in mid-air, erupting in a dazzling shockwave.
Fearow let out a heart-wrenching, miserable cry that pierced the heavens and shattered the clouds.
Its massive body was engulfed in flames. Its wings twisted continuously in the firelight as charred feathers drifted down through the air.
Its eyes, filled with agony, still flickered with resentment and obsession.
It wasn't that it didn't understand what was happening; it just couldn't forgive this cruel world.
It once had a master, once had a bond, and once had a warm sky.
Now, everything had turned to ash. Only loneliness and rage supported its broken soul.
Fragments of memory flickered in the firelight: its first meeting with the Rain Ninja Captain, his smile, the moment of his death.
Those memories transformed into endless resentment, deeply rooted in its heart, becoming a burning ember.
Yahiko looked up at those eyes, a sharp pain stabbing his heart.
He understood that Fearow was not evil, merely forced into a desperate situation by fate.
He wanted to speak, but it was too late.
Because Fearow refused pity.
In the downpour, it could have used the heavy rain to extinguish the flames on its body.
But it refused to bow its head, refused to end its life in submission.
It spread its tattered wings and, with a furious blaze that would burn its last shred of life, charged into the clouds!
"Scree!"
That shriek tore through the sky.
Fearow's figure pierced the thick cloud layer, rushing into the sky obscured by gloom.
In that instant, for the first time, it saw it!
The long-lost sun, high above the Land of Rain.
"Spearow, I'd really like to see the sun over the Land of Rain."
The Rain Ninja Captain's words from the past now echoed in Fearow's ears.
After a clear cry...
Blazing light shone on its charred wings. The fire ignited once more, more dazzling and purer than before.
It transformed into a ball of fire like a blazing sun, tearing apart the dark clouds and illuminating the entire rain-shrouded sky.
Like the first ray of dawn, it was brief yet brilliant, setting the entire sky of the Land of Rain alight.
However, the light was ultimately extinguished.
The flames gradually dissipated high in the sky, turning into countless specks of light that fell from above.
The wind began to blow again, and the rain began to fall, as if nothing had ever happened.
Yahiko stared blankly at the sky that had returned to its dim grayness. His lips moved, but no words came out.
Shiroishi walked slowly to his side. His expression was calm, but his voice carried a trace of warmth.
"It saw the sun," Shiroishi said faintly. "Even if only for that brief moment."
He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on Yahiko.
"Yahiko, if you die, you can only see that one moment of light. You can't create an eternally clear sky."
Raindrops fell, sliding down Yahiko's face. His fists slowly clenched.
Once you're dead, you're nothing.
This was what Shiroishi wanted to tell him.
As Fearow dissipated, its Chakra consciousness merged deep into the earth beneath the eastern forest.
The swarms of Spearow in the sky saw this and fled in all directions. Deep beneath the scorched earth and smoldering embers, Fearow's soul and Chakra seemed to await the next chance for rebirth.
After all, in this world, Pokémon were, in essence, also Tailed Beasts.
Charizard hovered in mid-air, spread its wings, and spewed a stream of brilliant flame toward the sky.
It let out a low roar, filled with victory and pride.
But the next moment, it turned its head to look at the ground.
While Yahiko was in a daze, the Chakra Cloak on his body had nearly vanished.
He was in a stupor, looking gravely injured.
Charizard's expression immediately became anxious. It descended, landing on the ground, and gently nudged Yahiko's shoulder with its head.
Its scorching flames had become gentle at this moment.
Just then, the air around them suddenly rippled.
Shiroishi slowly extended a hand.
He seemed to exude a divine aura.
Countless emerald-green vines broke through the ground, spreading nimbly through the rain and mist.
That was Shiroishi's power.
He walked over slowly and held out his hand, a soft light glowing in his palm.
"Don't move."
The vines gently wrapped around Yahiko's body, seeping into his skin while releasing a faint life energy.
That energy was precisely the nourishment he had previously absorbed from the Rain Ninja, now completely converted into healing power.
Yahiko's wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, his skin regaining its vitality.
Charizard's expression gradually relaxed. It was clear that although it had evolved, its temper was less volatile than during its time as a Charmeleon.
It even showed concern for Yahiko.
"Shiroishi, I've made up my mind."
Yahiko, having recovered from some of his injuries, spoke up. "Our future organization will be called Akatsuki."
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