Chapter 10: Poisonous Chaos

I ran through the tunnels, my breath heavy and sweat dripping from my forehead. The rocky ground grew increasingly slippery with every step, forcing me to cling to the walls at certain points. Suddenly, I entered a wide cavern where the air was almost unbreathable—a purple haze floated everywhere. Around me, at least a hundred people lay unconscious. Some still struggled against their fatigue while their Pokémon, half-dazed, tried to fend off a group of five Koffing releasing toxic gases, accompanied by a swarm of frenzied Zubat.

A chill ran down my spine. Seeing so many students collapsed, coughing and with vacant stares, reminded me of how dangerous Poison-types could be. A few of my classmates staggered away, trying to escape before succumbing entirely. Others weren’t as lucky, collapsing helplessly. The chaotic scene froze me in place for a moment. I didn’t want to draw attention, let alone face a head-on battle with Poison Pokémon using Dozy. Using my Alolan Grimer in a venom-filled area would make me a glaring target.

In a moment of cowardly ingenuity, I decided to pretend I was also a victim of the toxic fog. I carefully let myself fall to the ground, lying on my back as if completely unconscious. I waited there for a few seconds, holding my breath to avoid coughing—even though I was immune to poison. Occasionally, I used the opportunity to roll a few inches closer to the exit, trying to remain unnoticed amidst the confusion. Slowly, I edged toward the outskirts of the cavern.

The purple mist enveloped me without causing harm, but I noticed my nails undergoing a gradual mutation: they turned a whitish hue with crystalline glimmers. I had seen something similar before when I ingested Dozy’s toxins. It seemed that now, by breathing the toxic gas, my body—or rather, my modified spleen—was condensing the poison into budding crystals. I felt an intense tingling at my fingertips. Even so, I maintained my “unconscious” act. I had also discovered that the substance was initially semi-liquid inside me but solidified upon exposure. This allowed me to create small spikes protruding from my nails. The problem was, I didn’t know how durable they would be in combat or if their shine would give me away.

In the back of my mind, I remembered my grandmother saying she couldn’t teach me much about this part of the Earth ability since her compatibility with it was medium-low. She had only managed to infuse her skin with poison. In contrast, I seemed to have the ability to crystallize it. I tried not to get too excited and kept crawling slowly.

By then, some students from Class D had started to arrive. They were one step behind me in the race but now appeared with potions, antidotes, and berries to treat those who were poisoned. Some threw themselves into battle against the Koffing and Zubat, with moderate success. I observed two crucial things: first, the poison from a Koffing was harder to obtain than I had thought. The substance inside it turned to gas before anyone could extract it. Even cutting their skin didn’t yield the “liquid” my grandmother had described. I realized stealing that poison for my lungs wouldn’t be as straightforward, at least not in a conventional way.

The second thing that caught my attention was a Zubat separating itself from the main group. It was slightly larger than average, though not enough to be the leader of the colony. Still, it stood out, with an aggressive demeanor and movements I had never seen in a wild Zubat. It seemed to prefer fighting without relying much on its companions. I spotted it struggling against a boy’s Pidgeotto: in an instant, the Zubat unleashed a piercing shriek, and a sky-blue aura surrounded its body. It rammed into the Pidgeotto with a strike that knocked it down, though it injured itself in the process. Then, other students surrounded the Zubat with their Flying Pokémon, nearly cornering it. However, the bat released a sound wave so powerful that it harmed everyone nearby—Koffing, Zubat, trainers, and Pokémon alike. I, too, felt an infernal ringing in my ears and was left dizzy for a few seconds.

That Zubat, taking advantage of the chaos it had caused, fled down a side passage. Without thinking too much, I struggled to my feet and followed it, as if something inside me pushed me to uncover what kind of creature it was. I advanced, almost staggering from the effects of the blast. Even so, I couldn’t let it escape. In my mind, the idea formed that if I could catch it or understand its powers, it might be useful to me… though I also risked being attacked directly.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Elsewhere, a large monitoring room displayed the race’s progress on multiple screens. Teachers and some Gym Leaders watched the feeds from mobile cameras and drones the academy had installed throughout the cave. A professor muttered something as he observed: “About 70% of Class F and 60% of Class E are already down.” The screens showed dozens of unconscious students, much like the scene I had witnessed. On one screen, a chubby boy pretending to be unconscious was briefly visible, moving across the ground unaffected by the gas.

Among the observers, Janine, Koga’s daughter, frowned, looking surprised.

“Poison resistance,” she murmured. “Who is that boy? He’s not wearing a ninja uniform and doesn’t seem to have any special training.”

She stared curiously at the screen where I was seen sneaking around. Then she noticed my attention was on the Zubat fleeing down a tunnel.

“Ah… that Zubat. I think Dad raised it for Niko, and it’s meant to be caught during this test. Niko still has a while before he enters since he’s in Class A. But it seems like his Zubat is causing trouble with those egg moves…”

Janine pulled a small communicator from her belt, and a beep signaled a frequency connection.

“Hey, little brother! There’s a chubby kid with poison resistance who seems to be after Dad’s Zubat. Yeah, he’s wearing a huge black jacket and isn’t very tall. No idea what Pokémon he uses; I haven’t seen it. Be careful when you go in.” She ended the call with a click. “Let’s see if that boy manages anything.”

Janine watched the screen with cold eyes, her curiosity turning into a disdainful smirk. The idea of someone trying to steal a Zubat meant for the Fuchsia family amused her.

Elsewhere, in a more secluded area, ten students sat comfortably under umbrellas, with food at their disposal. They watched the race on more sophisticated monitors, as if it were a spectacle organized just for them. They were the Class A students—the elite of this generation. Their ages varied, but they all shared an unmistakable arrogance.

One of them, with turquoise-green hair and sharp eyes, exuded an aura of absolute confidence, as if he were the king of the place. Beside him was a burly boy with orange hair, who had the look of a fighter. There was also a serious-eyed girl with pink hair, a boy in ninja attire with purple hair, and several others with striking appearances.

“Niko, you’re being called,” commented the black-haired girl with narrowed eyes, smiling maliciously.

The purple-haired boy in ninja attire looked up from his plate when he heard Janine’s message.

“So someone’s trying to take Dad’s Zubat…” he said, suppressing a laugh.

“A challenger already?” added the pink-haired girl mockingly.

“Bah, let’s see if he even makes it to the exit,” the burly orange-haired boy interjected.

Meanwhile, the leader of the group of ten, the turquoise-haired boy, leaned back in his seat with an air of authority.

“I hope some worthy challengers show up. I’m bored of watching rookies who can’t even hold a Poké Ball properly.” He glanced at the pink-haired girl, the orange-haired boy, and the ninja. “You three already expect rivals? It’ll be a massacre when we go in.”

The three closest to the leader glanced in different directions.

The pink-haired girl looked toward Vera, who was hiding and training near Class B.

“Well… yes,” she muttered with jealousy and hatred.

Niko, Koga’s second son, gazed at Cerulean Caves with a deadly look.

“It seems I do too,” he said with murderous intent.

Lastly, the burly orange-haired boy glanced toward Class C. His originally orange eyes glowed sky blue.

“There’s someone I can fight freely,” he said with a touch of admiration and fighting spirit.

“Perfect. I’d like a rival too, but there’s no one in the Dragon Clan in my generation who can match me. I hope someone worthy appears—after all, a dragon only grows by defeating worthy opponents,” said the boy who seemed to be the group’s leader.

In another area, a boy with gray hair in Class B observed the scene from a distance. He noticed the proud face of the turquoise-haired boy in the VIP area, frowning as if he wished to confront him.

Meanwhile, in Class C, a tall, toned, dark-skinned girl with deep blue hair was doing squats alongside a Machop and a Mankey. Some of her classmates watched her with fascination and respect, knowing she was at the top of Class C. She ignored their stares, finishing her routine and flexing her legs with strength.

“Alright. Ready, guys?” she smiled as her naturally glowing sky-blue eyes shone with matching energy. “It’s time to have some fun.”

As Class C’s starting signal was given, the girl launched herself forward with such speed that a gust of wind swept past her, knocking several people to the ground before they could react. They flew like dry leaves as her laughter echoed, eager to challenge anyone in her path.