The next day

After a brief rest and reorganization, Red prepared to leave Cinnabar Gym.

Having learned from Blaine about the volcano crater where Moltres appeared, Red rode Charizard and waved goodbye to Blaine and Arcanine, heading alone toward the volcanic summit.

Half an hour later

Red and Charizard arrived above the largest volcano crater on Cinnabar Island. Even flying in the airspace above, Red could still feel the intense heat occasionally emanating from the molten depths below.

“There’s no mistake, this is where Moltres dwells,” Red determined, instructing Charizard to descend.

Charizard flapped its wings, carrying Red to the vicinity of the volcano crater.

Upon landing, Red immediately released his psychic powers, forming a protective barrier around himself to block the erosive heat from the volcanic crater.

“How should I get Moltres to come out?” Red pondered for a moment.

At this time, a Poké Ball at Red’s waist activated on its own, and the thousand-year-old Gengar emerged from the sphere, mischievously floating to Red’s side and offering a terrible suggestion.

“Boss, I’m not afraid of flames anyway. Why don’t I dive down and wake up the sleeping Moltres?” the ancient Ghost-type suggested with obvious glee.

Although he didn’t want to resort to such methods, sensing the shaking Ultra Ball at his waist, Red reluctantly agreed to Gengar’s suggestion, instructing it to do its best and absolutely not get hurt.

“Don’t worry, Boss, I’ll definitely handle this perfectly!”

The thousand-year-old Gengar assured Red, then transformed into a black shadow and dove into the volcano crater below.

After Red and Charizard waited for a moment, a scorching pillar of fire erupted from the bottom of the volcano crater, as terrifying as molten lava about to erupt.

“Hehehe, Boss, I succeeded! That stupid bird was successfully provoked by me!” The thousand-year-old Gengar smugly floated to Red’s side, showing off its superior methods.

Under the gaze of Red and his two Pokémon, a magnificent figure appeared at the volcano crater. This creature had brilliant red feathers, a straight and sharp beak, and nearly bronze-colored skin.

It possessed a long, streamlined crest and a tail that churned like living flames, both composed of pure fire. Its wings were also covered with flame-like feathers, and its divided feet were brown.

This Pokémon was one of the legendary bird Pokémon—Moltres, which was also the source of the sacred flame for the Indigo League in the Kanto region.

Upon appearing, Moltres saw the powerful Charizard and subconsciously understood Red’s intention was nothing more than using the dragon beside him to challenge itself.

‘Insignificant human, do you think a mere ordinary Fire-type Pokémon can match the power of a Legendary Pokémon?’ Moltres arrogantly looked down at Red below, snorting disdainfully, thinking Red and Charizard were being far too presumptuous.

“Wow, this stupid bird is way too cocky!” the thousand-year-old Gengar exclaimed, stunned by Moltres’s arrogant behavior.

‘Could this stupid bird really not be powerful enough to sense Charizard’s strength? Does it really think being part of Legendary Pokémon makes it so special?!’

‘What an annoying guy. If that Zapdos hadn’t already reserved it, I would definitely stomp it under my feet!’ Charizard said with obvious displeasure, its mouth burning with scorching flames, wanting to release them immediately.

“I’m counting on you, Zapdos!” Red shouted, throwing the Ultra Ball in his hand.

The dazzling white light faded, and a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, transforming into a lightning pillar that appeared prominently at the volcano crater. The appearance of the lightning pillar caught the attention of most residents of Cinnabar Island, who were all amazed by the strange changes at the volcanic summit.

The appearance of the lightning pillar also shocked Moltres, because it had already recognized who its opponent was.

Zapdos’s figure appeared within the lightning pillar, and after the electrical display dissipated, the Thunder God’s form slowly emerged.

“What a stylish entrance!” the thousand-year-old Gengar teased appreciatively.

Seeing that the newcomer was Zapdos, also from the three legendary birds group, Moltres’s gaze became much more cautious because it sensed the powerful aura emanating from its fellow legend.

“Strange, Charizard’s strength is clearly superior to Zapdos’s, so why is Moltres’s attitude toward Zapdos more cautious instead?” the thousand-year-old Gengar wondered aloud.

“Maybe it subconsciously looked down on Charizard as an ‘ordinary’ Pokémon,” Red observed, not forgetting to pat Charizard’s body to calm it down.

‘Don’t worry, Charizard! I’ll properly teach this arrogant Moltres a lesson for you!’ Having a rare chance to tease Charizard, Zapdos naturally didn’t want to miss it.

Then, sensing Charizard’s angry gaze, Zapdos quickly shut up, flapping its wings to come before Moltres and locking eyes with it.

‘I never expected that as a descendant of the three legendary birds, you would willingly become a human’s pet. How shameful!’ Moltres taunted, thinking Zapdos’s strength was too weak, which was why it had been captured by Red.

‘Hmph! You’re nothing but a frog in a well. Defeat me first before you taunt me!’ Zapdos no longer paid attention to Moltres’s provocations and decisively used Thunderbolt. High-voltage electricity released from Zapdos’s body like vicious lightning serpents trying to catch Moltres’s figure.

Seeing this, Moltres decisively used Flamethrower, releasing a scorching pillar of fire from its mouth to confront the lightning attack. In moments, a violent explosion occurred, followed by huge clouds of smoke.

Since Moltres was a wild Pokémon, Red didn’t give commands to Zapdos, wanting his partner to defeat Moltres entirely through its own strength.

Taking advantage of the visual gap created by the explosion, Zapdos used Agility, causing its figure to disappear from its original position.

Under Moltres’s cautious gaze, Zapdos’s figure suddenly appeared behind it, using its entire body covered in high-voltage electricity to fiercely crash into the Fire-type legend.

After being hit by Zapdos’s Wild Charge, Moltres also let out a painful cry.

Although it received recoil damage, seeing Moltres in such a miserable state, Zapdos couldn’t help but mock it.

‘No matter what, Charizard is my companion. How dare you mock it?’

The angry Moltres also turned and used Heat Wave, with scorching air attacking in Zapdos’s direction.

Seeing this, Zapdos first calmly used Charge, increasing the power of its next Electric-type move, then released electricity from its entire body, using Thunderbolt to collide with Moltres’s Heat Wave.

In moments, the high-voltage electricity destroyed the Heat Wave and struck toward Moltres again.

The terrified Moltres immediately flapped its wings and used Agility, but still couldn’t escape the electricity’s attack, with its wings forced to take partial damage from the current.

Taking this opportunity, Zapdos decisively used Thunder Wave. Weak electrical pulses released from Zapdos’s body, hitting Moltres head-on.

Just as Moltres was puzzled about why it wasn’t hurt, it discovered that its wings, which maintained its flying ability, suddenly stiffened, and then its entire body fell into a strange paralyzed state.

‘You can’t be stupid enough to think I’d show you mercy!’ Zapdos laughed loudly and mockingly, ridiculing Moltres’s ignorance.

‘You’re even weaker than the Articuno on the neighboring island. I really don’t know how you manage to be both weak in strength and so arrogant in attitude!’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep