The ground beneath Skylar's boots shifted.
A tremor—faint at first, then steady. The black crater in the center of the chamber pulsed gently, like a heartbeat under stone.
Charmeleon stepped closer to his trainer, growling low, his tail flame casting long, uneasy shadows.
Skylar tightened his grip on Charmeleon's Poké Ball. "This place isn't done with us."
From the side tunnel, a flash of blue light burst out—followed by heavy footsteps splashing through shallow pools.
—"Skylar!" Misty's voice rang out.
He turned as she emerged from the shadows, soaked, scraped, but alive—Starmie floating behind her, spinning erratically. Misty clutched a Poké Ball in her other hand.
—"What happened to you?" he asked.
—"Water tunnel. Corrupted Poliwhirl. I caught something—Froakie—but that's not the worst part." She pointed toward the crater. "Something is alive down there."
Skylar nodded grimly. "It's stirring."
The tremor stopped.
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
Then—the stone crater cracked.
With a deafening CRACK, a fissure split down its center, and a foul wind spilled out—reeking of smoke, sulfur… and something else. Something that didn't belong in this world.
The center of the chamber exploded upward in a burst of ash and black sludge.
From beneath the crater, a creature crawled into the open.
A Nidoking.
Or rather—what used to be one.
Its once-purple body had darkened to a deep, inky black. Cracks of glowing violet pulsed across its limbs like molten corruption. Its eyes were lidless and milky white, and each breath it took came with a grinding, gurgling snarl.
Misty froze. "That's not… possible."
Skylar stepped in front of her.
—"It's infected. Like the Zubat and the Poliwhirl. But worse. Stronger. Deeper."
The corrupted Nidoking raised its massive claws—and roared.
The entire chamber shook.
—"Charmeleon, front line—let's go!"
Charmeleon surged forward with a burst of flame, launching a powerful Flame Burst at the creature's chest. The impact hit—but the Nidoking barely flinched.
It swung its tail like a wrecking ball, smashing through two stone pillars and forcing Charmeleon back into the wall.
—"Misty—now!"
—"Starmie, Water Pulse—aim for the joints!"
A spinning pulse of water slammed into the Nidoking's right arm, momentarily knocking it off-balance—but then it twitched and let out a screech that made both Trainers flinch.
Skylar's mind raced.
—"It's regenerating. That sludge—it's keeping it going."
—"Then we aim to break the core," Misty said. "Look—its chest. See that spiral crack?"
Skylar nodded. "Then we hit it together."
Charmeleon got back on his feet, snarling, fire blazing from his mouth.
Skylar pointed. "Dragon Breath! Now!"
—"Starmie, follow with Psywave! Focused!"
The twin attacks struck the Nidoking's cracked chest—first fire, then psychic energy. The creature screamed in pain, staggered back—
And then charged.
Stone exploded beneath its feet as it rushed forward.
—"Scatter!" Skylar yelled.
Charmeleon leapt left. Misty and Starmie rolled right.
But not fast enough.
The Nidoking crashed into the far wall, sending a shockwave through the chamber that collapsed part of the ceiling. Debris fell everywhere—blocking the exit behind them.
They were trapped.
Misty coughed, shielding her eyes. "Tell me you have a plan."
Skylar looked around, eyes darting between broken pillars and the exposed walls of the crater chamber. He spotted something—thin crystal growths protruding from the stone above the Nidoking.
—"That outcrop. Misty—we take out the roof. Drop it on him."
She blinked. "You're serious?"
—"Starmie can fracture the base. Charmeleon and I bring the fire."
Misty didn't hesitate.
—"Starmie—Psywave, target those supports!"
The psychic blasts shattered the crystal base, sending hairline fractures into the overhang.
Skylar clenched his fist. "Charmeleon—Flame Burst, full charge!"
Charmeleon roared and launched a blazing orb at the ceiling.
BOOM.
The stone groaned.
Then collapsed.
The entire outcrop broke free and crashed onto the Nidoking in an avalanche of crystal, boulders, and ancient debris.
Dust choked the chamber.
Silence.
Then—finally—stillness.
Skylar dropped to his knees, coughing. "Did… did we get it?"
Misty nodded slowly, hand over her heart.
From beneath the rubble, there was no movement.
The corrupted Nidoking was gone.
But the crater still pulsed.The air still felt wrong.And both Trainers knew—
This was just the beginning.