Pokémon Dominion: A New Earth

Chapter 8

As soon as Gregory Hayes stepped into Summerview Academy, his sensitivity to fire elements immediately confirmed the unusual circumstances.

The fire energy in the area was overwhelming—far too rich and active. It felt as if the entire city's fire element had converged here. Without the powerful ice element from earlier countering it, the school grounds would have turned into a blazing inferno by now.

Even more unsettling, the torrential rain caused by Rain Dance, which had moments ago drenched the city, was completely ineffective here. Inside the school, Gregory couldn't feel a single drop of rain.

"What in the world is happening here?" Gregory muttered to himself. "Could two elite trainers be battling? No… wasn't this supposed to be a standard elemental aptitude test?"

He patted Arcanine, signaling for it to leap toward the playground. But to his surprise, Arcanine hesitated. Its confident stance weakened, and it lowered itself to the ground, tail drooping submissively as it had earlier.

"Damn it… Who could be causing this?" Gregory cursed under his breath. Even the most renowned trainers he'd encountered couldn't inspire such awe in his Arcanine. Not even the governor of the region had ever caused such a phenomenon.

As for the Legendary Tier, Gregory had only heard rumors. Though he was a prominent figure in the Flintlake City Educational Bureau, he had never encountered a trainer or Pokémon of such caliber in person. There were only a handful of known Legendary Trainers in the world, and their activities were always shrouded in secrecy.

Realizing Arcanine wouldn't advance, Gregory returned it to its Poké Ball and sprinted toward the playground.

By the time he arrived, it was just as Ethan Walker's Pokémon was making its appearance.

The fire element above the school had condensed into a radiant "river" of flames pouring from the heavens. This fiery cascade spiraled down toward Ethan's outstretched hands.

The Fire Stone placed in the containment safe for the test had already been depleted, its energy drained entirely. All that remained was a small, translucent shard the size of a fingernail.

Everyone watching was speechless, including the normally composed Professor Arthur Richardson.

The crimson clouds, previously suspended in the sky, seemed to be drawn by an invisible force. They descended in a dazzling arc of light, ignoring the heavy rain that continued to fall around them.

A flame appeared.

It ignited in Ethan's palms, dark red and no larger than a fist. But it quickly grew, spreading across his hands without causing him any harm. Instead, Ethan felt an indescribable warmth radiating from it.

Then came the sound.

A clear, melodic cry rang out, silencing the entire playground.

The flame in Ethan's hands began to transform, skipping the typical embryonic Pokémon stage entirely. Wings of fire unfurled, followed by a beak, talons, and a sleek, avian body.

The creature was unmistakably a bird Pokémon—but not an ordinary one.

Its feathers weren't made of mere keratin but living flames. The flames were its feathers, its heat, its very essence.

The bird's orange-red wings blazed with a fiery intensity. Its beak, head crest, and tail shimmered like molten gold, and its entire body radiated an ethereal, almost divine energy.

It was a Moltres, a Legendary Pokémon.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?"

"It's stunning… and terrifying."

"I've never seen anything like it. It looks incredibly powerful!"

"Wait… isn't that Ethan Walker from Class 2? My roommate said she confessed to him and got rejected. Ugh, what a heartbreaker!"

The murmurs of students and the stunned silence of Professor Richardson filled the air.

The moment Moltres cried out, the rain clouds conjured by Blastoise's Rain Dance dissipated, and the rain ceased within seconds. Sunlight poured down on the city, brighter and warmer than it had been all day.

"It's clearing up…" Professor Richardson muttered, shielding his eyes from the sunlight. "It cried once… and completely nullified Rain Dance." He turned his gaze back to the firebird perched on Ethan's palms. "What… are you?"

Only Ethan had the answer.

The moment Moltres appeared, a line of text flickered across Ethan's vision:

---

[Moltres · Newborn]

Type: Fire/Flying

Gender: None

Height: 0.3m

Weight: 2.6kg

Abilities:

Pressure: Exerts a strong mental force on opponents.

Flame Body: Inflicts burns on contact.

Flash Fire: Absorbs fire-type attacks, boosting its own fire power.

Moves: Ember, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Heat Wave, Fire Spin, Sunny Day, Peck, Gust, Roost, Air Slash.

---

Ethan blinked in disbelief as he stared at the data overlay.

"My partner Pokémon… is Moltres?"

He had always suspected his reincarnation came with perks, but this was beyond his wildest expectations.

And the skills… just born, yet it already had a list of advanced moves.

Wait… why could he even see Moltres's attributes and abilities?

Curious, Ethan glanced at Blastoise, Professor Richardson's partner. Sure enough, another data set appeared:

---

[Blastoise · Mid-Elite Tier]

Type: Water

Gender: Male

Height: 3.1m

Weight: 221.4kg

Ability: Torrent (Boosts the power of water-type moves when HP is low.)

Moves: Water Gun, Bubble Beam, Aqua Jet, Hydro Pump, Skull Bash...

---

Ordinary trainers couldn't see such information.

"This… is this another one of my abilities?" Ethan wondered, looking between Moltres and Blastoise. "It's not some grand system or mysterious guide, just… titanium-alloy eyes. Guess I can't complain when I have Moltres!"