After knocking the two Team Magma members unconscious again and hiding them in a corner, Cain and Steven ventured deeper into the cave behind them.
A blast of hot air immediately hit them.
This cave likely connected directly to the inside of the volcano or might even lead to volcanic lava.
They disappeared into the depths of the cave.
"Cain, I want to discuss something," Steven said softly as they cautiously moved forward.
"What is it?" Cain looked at him curiously.
"Well... can we switch jackets? This one's a bit small for me," Steven said resignedly, tugging at the Team Magma jacket he was wearing.
The two Team Magma members they had knocked out were a man and a woman. Though both were adults, the woman's clothing was naturally smaller.
Cain couldn't help but twitch slightly at the eye. "No way!"
Why had he been the first to rush out from behind the rocks? Wasn't it precisely so he could pick the man's jacket?
Even though Team Magma uniforms were standard, it was obvious that the woman's jacket was much smaller.
Cain and Steven were still wearing their clothes underneath the jackets, so it was natural for it to feel snug.
There was no way he was switching!
Hearing Cain's reply, Steven felt like an idiot for not being the first to rush out.
Cain barely managed to hold back a laugh. If Steven hadn't mentioned it, Cain wouldn't have even noticed that Steven's jacket didn't fit.
But none of that mattered now. The important thing was figuring out what Team Magma was planning inside Mt. Chimney.
....
Elsewhere, after receiving messages from Cain and Steven, the Pokémon Trainer Alliance, which had already been monitoring Team Magma, convened an emergency meeting—primarily involving the Hoenn division.
Cain and Steven, being prominent figures in the Alliance, had managed to put the higher-ups in a tricky position.
"Why are we still debating? Just send reinforcements already!" exclaimed someone at the far end of a long meeting table.
The Alliance had detected Team Magma's activities some time ago, but since their objective was still unclear, they hadn't wanted to act rashly.
Now, with Cain and Steven involved, perhaps they could uncover one of Team Magma's objectives.
"And tell those two boys to return immediately! What are they doing getting mixed up in the Mt. Chimney mess?" said another elder with white hair.
Sitting at the head of the table, Hoenn division president Juan rubbed his temples.
He was responsible for hosting Alliance meetings in Hoenn, but every time he convened one, it ended in a headache. The attendees weren't nobodies, but chaos always ensued.
Clap, clap, clap!
Juan clapped to get their attention. "Enough. Let's focus on what's important. Although those two boys haven't responded to our recent messages, the last report we received indicates that the leader of this Team Magma operation is Butler, a subordinate with no elite-level power, posing no high-ranking threat. There's no need for concern."
Hearing there was no elite-level enemy, those present breathed a sigh of relief.
Cain, a significant member of the Breeders' Guild, was also the Gym Leader of Leafy Town. Cain played a crucial role in Hoenn's integration into the Alliance, making his safety paramount, especially in the region.
As for Steven, his importance went without saying. Seated to Juan's left was the representative of the powerful Stone family, one of Hoenn's most influential families.
Since there was no high-ranking enemy, the elders no longer seemed as anxious.
Those two boys should be able to escape without much trouble.
"Still, even if there isn't a high-level threat, it's important to uncover Team Magma's plans. It would be wise to send someone to investigate. Who volunteers?" Juan asked.
As soon as he said this, the room fell into complete silence.
They had rushed to the meeting upon hearing about Team Magma's appearance and the involvement of two young talents. But learning there was no high-level threat had dampened their enthusiasm.
Juan rubbed his temples again.
These people...
"I'll go."
A young man, who had been leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, broke the silence.
With fiery red hair and an elegant cape, it was none other than Lance, the Dragon Master.
No one had expected that he hadn't yet returned to Kanto.
"Lance, good. If you're going, I can rest easy. Even if there were a high-level enemy, you'd be able to protect those two boys," Juan said, visibly more relaxed.
Lance nodded respectfully, then left the room without another word.
After his departure, the room was abuzz with conversation.
"Is that young man Lance, the prodigy from Kanto?"
"They say the Kanto headquarters has big plans for him."
"He's from the dragon clan and incredibly talented. No wonder Kanto wants to groom him."
While the others discussed Lance, Juan fell into deep thought.
Lance had already reached high-ranking power, and given his skills, it was only a matter of time before he ascended even further.
Juan couldn't help but feel envious of Kanto's talent pool.
Perhaps Hoenn needed a representative like that as well.
Steven...
Cain...
There were many potential candidates in the Hoenn region.
Seated beside Juan, the Stone family representative remained silent, also deep in thought, watching the direction Lance had exited.
....
Meanwhile, Cain and Steven had been moving through the cave for half an hour.
The temperature kept rising, but they hadn't encountered anyone yet.
With Slowking and Metagross's psychic abilities, any human or Pokémon entering their range would be immediately detected.
However, so far, they hadn't even found a wild Pokémon.
It was evident that Team Magma had cleared the area before their arrival.
Occasionally, they came across the corpses of wild Pokémon on the ground.
Cain wasn't surprised, having been in similar situations before, but for Steven, who had grown up in a much more sheltered environment, the sight visibly unsettled him.
Even when attacked by wild Pokémon, Steven had always spared their lives after each battle.
That was the mindset instilled in him from a young age.
(End of Chapter)