By the time we reached Pewter City, the air felt different. Not glitched not overtly but muted, like the world itself was holding its breath.
The cobblestone roads were clean. Too clean. The crowds moved in eerie synchronicity. And when I passed people, their eyes lingered a little too long… like they were scanning me.
System Note: Passive Scan DetectedSource: Unknown Observer Node – Active under Pewter City
Charmander's tail flicked with unease. Kirlia glitchborn and ever-aware stayed silent, her eyes glowing faintly as she scanned our surroundings. The moment we passed the Pokémon Center, she looked at me and nodded toward the Gym.
I didn't need words. She felt it too.
The Gym loomed like a monolith taller than I remembered from the games, more industrial. Steel plates covered its outer walls, and digital screens glitched every few seconds at the entrance. When I pushed the doors open
Gym Entry Registered: Pewter CityLeader: ???Status: Leader Missing. Challenge Inactive.
Corruption Warning: Node Signature Detected Beneath Arena Floor
"Of course."
I walked through the dimly lit Gym. Trainers lined the walls, but none of them moved. They just stood there eyes blank, like NPCs without scripts.
"Hello?"
Nothing. No reaction.
Then:
You are not supposed to be here.
The message appeared not in the system UI but projected on the arena floor. Words burned in orange code.
Then the entire floor dropped beneath me.
Sublevel Zero – Echo Lab
I landed hard on a metal grate, surrounded by walls of flickering light. This wasn't part of any Gym. It was like falling into a hidden debug room underneath the entire city.
Node 3 of 5 – Echo Lab
Corrupted Data Center – Purpose: UnknownGuardian: InactiveThreat: High if provoked
Kirlia and Charmander leapt down beside me. Both ready.
That's when I saw him.
Brock.
Or what looked like him.
He was standing at the far end of the room, eyes glowing white, arms limp. His body shimmered occasionally between smooth and pixelated between human and… rendered avatar.
Entity: "Brock" – Clone Shell?Status: Inactive HostConnected to Node Core via direct neural line.
A voice echoed.
"Do not wake the Core. It is not meant to be observed."
I stepped forward anyway.
Brock's head snapped toward me. His mouth opened, but only static came out. Then the Node flared.
Guardian Core Activated: Prototype Onix [Lv. 20] – Code Shell Form
A massive Onix dropped from above, its body made of wireframe segments overlaid with semi-transparent rocky textures. Its roar glitched into a grinding screech.
Battle Start – You vs. Guardian Core: Onix
BATTLE: Node Guardian Onix
Kirlia took the lead her Signal Pulse disrupted the Onix's control interface, but its attacks were raw power. Slam-like moves that bent gravity.
Charmander followed up with a boosted Ember using Echo Sync finally cracking one of the Onix's wireframe plates.
Node Core Integrity: 58%
Node is attempting self-repair.
I activated my System Stabilizer Chip from the last Node.
A beam of blue code swept across the room. Brock froze. The Onix staggered.
Stabilization Pulse: Success (Minor)
Weakness Window: 12 seconds
"NOW!"
With one last blast from Kirlia's pulse and Charmander's Flame Wheel a new move it learned mid-battle the Onix shattered into fragments of pure code.
Guardian DefeatedNode Stabilized. Integrity +6%Obtained: Synthetic Gym Badge – Pewter Variant
Brock clone shutting down…
I rushed to the figure as it collapsed. It looked up, one last time, and whispered through broken lips:
"It's beneath the mountain… It's waking…"
Then it flickered and vanished.
System Note: You have uncovered 3/5 Nodes
New Route Unlocked: Mount Moon – Code Disturbance Extreme
Next Objective: Reach the Source beneath Mount Moon
I stood alone in the cold chamber beneath Pewter City, holding a glitching badge and hearing the last echoes of the Gym Leader's warning.
The Nodes weren't random.
They were leading me somewhere.
And whatever was buried beneath Mount Moon… wasn't sleeping much longer.