"Hello, Gym Leader Feng Che. My name is Maki."
"I am one of the Three Ninjas serving under Ando Kinji. I was ordered by High Priest Shaka to assassinate you. However, after witnessing your overwhelming strength, I have changed my mind. I wish to cooperate with you to dismantle the Jingten Cult."
Maki stated her position with startling honesty. Feng Che looked her in the eye, his expression unreadable.
"In that case, I have one question for you," Feng Che began. "If you were to reveal the secrets of the cult, would you die by the Hellfire, just like Kimbo?"
"Yes. On our first day, Shaka placed a mental seal on us through a secret ritual. Whether through direct speech or subtle hints, any betrayal triggers the fire. I joined only to find the whereabouts of my missing sister. I hope that one day, you can use your Power of Viridian to purge this curse from me."
"You believe the Viridian power can remove the seal?" Feng Che asked, surprised.
"Yes. The seal is a manifestation of Demonic Qi. If you can purify the Rainbow Wing, you can purify this. Your Ninetales' Fairy power can do it too, but it's too violent. It would kill me along with the malice. The Viridian power is gentle; it's my only hope."
"And why should I believe you're truly turning, rather than acting as a double agent?"
"I won't tell them you can purge the Qi," Maki said, her voice steady. "I swear by my Power of Spirits (超克之力). If I reveal your secrets, may my power be stripped from me forever. For one with my gift, a broken oath means a soul-crushing backlash. I cannot defy it."
"She's telling the truth," Mewtwo whispered in Feng Che's mind.
"Fine. I believe you," Feng Che nodded. "Stay embedded in the cult. I need intel: the resurrection ritual of the Sky Demon, their hierarchy, their base locations. When you're ready to have the seal removed, find me. In exchange, I want everything you find."
"Agreed. Once I find my sister, I will come to you." Maki turned and vanished into the brush.
Finally, a nail in their coffin, Feng Che thought. He knew how dangerous this cult became in the later stages of the "game" world's history—they were a plague that eventually threatened the entire world.
War in the Forest
Elsewhere on the island, the rival factions finally clashed.
"If it isn't the stinking rats of Team Aqua," Courtney (火雁) drawled, blowing a bubble of gum. "Shouldn't you be swimming in a gutter instead of crawling on land?"
"I wondered why the air suddenly smelled like a mangy fox," Matt (滴) shot back. "It's just you, Courtney."
"Barking is easy; let's see you bite." Courtney signaled her Ninetales, which lunged forward, turning the surrounding greenery into a charcoal wasteland.
"Pelipper, show this brat what real power looks like!" Matt countered. Pelipper beat its wings, and a torrential downpour immediately began to douse the flames. A massive battle erupted between the two syndicates.
The Entrance to the Ruins
At the mouth of the Wind God Ruins, deep within a jagged canyon, stood Winona, Steven Stone, and Zinnia. The site was chaotic; violent winds whipped through the gorge, and massive boulders fell from the cliffs above, shattering into fragments upon impact.
"The ruins are shielded by winds exceeding Category 5," Winona noted. "But according to the ancient texts, the barrier will fail momentarily."
Just then, the sound of powerful wings echoed. A cyan Corviknight expertly navigated the turbulence, descending toward them.
"A Corviknight?" Winona reached for a Poké Ball, her eyes narrowing. She didn't like intruders.
"Wait, Winona!" Zinnia stepped forward. "That's a friend of mine. I didn't realize he was on the island, but I swear on the Draconid name, I didn't leak the coordinates."
Zinnia turned to the others as Feng Che landed. "This is Feng Che. He's a master breeder, an apothecary, and the new Viridian Gym Leader. If we run into trouble in there, we'll want his healing expertise."
Winona's hostility faded slightly. Feng Che looked at the group—Winona, the Flying specialist; Zinnia, the Dragon Priestess; and Steven Stone, the silver-haired heir of Devon Corp.
"Feng Che, you're just in time," Zinnia waved. "We're exploring under Winona's lead. She gets first pick of the treasures, and the rest is split by contribution. Sound fair?"
"Perfectly," Feng Che agreed.
"How did you even find this place?" Steven asked curiously.
"This is Togetic," Feng Che pointed to the bird on his shoulder. "Her ancestors were the original guardians of this place. She has the layout in her genetic memory."
Winona bit her lip. If Feng Che knew the layout, his "contribution" might outshine hers, threatening her first-pick status. "Well, I have the maps from the League scouts. We'll follow my lead, but Feng Che, feel free to offer 'suggestions.'"
"Of course," Feng Che smiled, seeing right through her.
Suddenly, the violent winds guarding the gate died down.
"Now! We have fifteen minutes before the barrier resets!" Winona mounted her Altaria and bolted inside. Steven followed on his Skarmory, and Zinnia on her Noivern.
Feng Che felt a strange sensation, like passing through a thin film of water, as he crossed the threshold into the ancient halls.