"Larvitar!" Aoki noticed Larvitar's unusual behavior and called out in a low voice, his tone laced with concern.
Hearing Aoki's voice, Larvitar snapped out of his daze, his eyes clearing as they returned to their normal dark hue.
"Larvitar...?" Larvitar tilted his head, confusion evident in his expression.
"It seems this thing is more than just energy," Aoki muttered, his gaze fixed on the ancient tag that had begun crumbling into fragments.
As the last remnants of the tag disintegrated, the chains binding the coffin loosened, links sliding apart with a metallic groan.
Click.
A sharp sound echoed through the chamber as the coffin lid shifted, dust rising in a slow, swirling cloud. A thin crack formed along the edge, and from within, a faint red mist seeped outward, curling like smoke.
Aoki took a cautious step back, pulling his Pokémon with him.
According to Slowking's final calculations and analysis, the coffin had met all the necessary conditions—but after centuries of dormancy, no one could be certain what lay inside.
Clink.
A glass bead tumbled out from the widening gap, striking the stone floor with a delicate chime before rolling toward Aoki's feet.
It was a small, crimson sphere, its surface smooth and polished. Inside, a pale yellow "Ω" symbol glowed faintly.
Larvitar's eyes locked onto the bead, his pupils dilating with sudden intensity. A thin line of drool threatened to escape his maw as he let out an eager whine.
"Larvi~ Larvi~!"
Aoki recognized the symbol immediately—it was nearly identical to the Red Orb the Magma Team had once sought at great cost, though this one was far smaller.
He knelt, picking up the bead with careful fingers. A subtle warmth radiated from it, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
"System, scan this bead," Aoki ordered, unwilling to hand it over until he knew it was safe.
System Analysis:
Item Name: Red Orb (Fragment)
Description: Contains trace amounts of energy from the Legendary Ground Titan, Primal Groudon.
Function: Can provide substantial energy to Pokémon. Low chance of granting abilities derived from Groudon's power.
Warning: Overabsorption may result in mental instability.
The results aligned with Aoki's suspicions—this was a lesser version of the true Red Orb.
The genuine artifact could summon and partially control Groudon itself. This fragment, however, merely allowed a Pokémon to absorb its energy, with only a slim chance of inheriting any of Groudon's signature abilities.
As a Primordial Titan, Groudon possessed techniques no other Pokémon could replicate.
Precipice Blades.
A legendary move, said to have been forged by Groudon itself—a technique born from necessity, allowing the land-bound deity to strike foes soaring beyond its reach.
Thud. Thud.
Another sound snapped Aoki's attention back to the coffin.
The fragment wasn't the only treasure inside.
Two massive, clawed feet stepped forward, shaking the ground with each movement.
They resembled Groudon's own, bearing the same "Ω" symbol—though instead of gold, these were black, like those of an ordinary Groudon. The rest of the emerging figure was a deep, molten red.
As the coffin fully opened, the creature within revealed itself.
Aoki's breath caught.
"This…"
Had he not known better, he might have mistaken it for the real thing.
The Pokémon before him was a near-perfect replica of Groudon—same jagged head, same massive arms, same armored plating, same lashing tail.
Only its face and chest differed.
Its torso bore intricate, ancient runes, resembling those of a Golurk, with a sealed compartment at its core—likely housing its energy source.
A Golurk sculpted in Groudon's image.
Its eyes were not true eyes, but glowing sigils, pulsing with a dim red light.
And it was smaller—much smaller—than the true titan.
Yet at a glance, anyone would mistake it for the real deity.
No wonder the ancient worshippers of Groudon had pursued it so fervently.
What greater devotion could there be than crafting a living effigy of their god?
Even knowing it was artificial, the zeal of faith was not so easily dismissed.
"The ancients' ingenuity should never be underestimated," Aoki murmured.
This Golurk-Groudon hybrid was inscribed with complete runic arrays. If Team Magma ever obtained it, they could—with the right core—summon a near-perfect imitation of their deity.
Rumors spoke of a false Groudon once created using Jirachi's energy as its core, its runes allowing it to endlessly absorb power from the earth and other Pokémon to grow stronger.
This one, however, remained motionless.
Though its eyes burned crimson, it did not attack. It simply stood, silent, staring at the Scarlet Orb fragment in Aoki's hand.
"Is this the control mechanism?" Aoki wondered. "But if it could be controlled, why did the king insist it needed sealing—or destruction?"
Perhaps centuries of energy drainage had depleted its core, erasing the violent will it once possessed.
For now, that was the only explanation that made sense.
Activating his system once more, Aoki scanned the creature before him.
Pokémon: Golurk (Groudon Form)
Gender: None
Level: 69
Type: Ground / Fire
Ability: None
Held Item: Groudon Energy Core
Egg Moves: Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Mega Punch, Stomp, Magnitude, Hammer Arm, Shadow Punch, Earthquake, Curse, Dynamic Punch
Learnt Moves: Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Earth Power, Drain Punch
TM Moves: None
Despite its appearance, this was still a Golurk at its core—merely infused with Groudon's essence.
Or perhaps, after centuries of decay, it had evolved into something else entirely.
Aoki exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the Red Orb fragment.
Whatever this creature was, one thing was certain—its power was real.
And now, it was awake.