While researching the Inferno Shock Turbo Guards, Fang Yuan and Mobile Rotom not only studied how to reduce the damage to Monferno when using the Thunder Flame Mode... but they also researched how to enhance it through accessories!
The hallmark of a Pokémon entering the top-tier domain is that its energy is compressed, resulting in higher purity and greater destructive power.
Therefore, at the heart of enhancing the Thunder Flame Mode is compressing energy – compressing the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force, which can also be termed "turbocharging."
Through the Inferno Shock Turbo Bracers... Monferno is assisted in compressing the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force, leading to a temporary surge in greater power.
This compression process is also a phase of slow integration of the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force...
Currently, after Ditto transforms into the Inferno Shock Turbo Guards, it can assist Monferno in mastering Thunder Flame Mode to unleash 100% combat power.
At this stage, the strain on the body caused by the intersected force is minimal, and it wouldn't be wrong to call this the perfect version of the Thunder Flame Mode.
However, this is just the beginning...
Based on the first stage, along with the principles and operational limits of the Inferno Shock Turbo Guards, and Monferno's physical condition,
Rotom analyzed the potential for a second stage... third stage... fourth stage and even up to an eighth stage.
Mobile Rotom estimates that as long as Ditto's physical strength and Monferno's physical condition keep improving to withstand the stress from compressing and merging this intersected force, ultimately, Thunder Flame Mode could become a technique of legend.
By continuously compressing the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force, at each stage Monferno's power would be enhanced to varying degrees, and breaking through the species limit is not impossible.
Of course, as it moves beyond the first stage, Monferno will continue to pay a price for gaining power, so to master more ferocious intersected force, Monferno has to keep improving its physical strength.
Only in this way can it have a chance to perfectly master the second stage, third stage, fourth stage...
Based on the progression from compressing to merging of the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force, Rotom divided Thunder Flame Mode into eight stages.
By the eighth stage, the Thunder Energy and Flame Energy might fuse due to extreme compression, mutually amplifying and affecting each other.
Mastery can grant tremendous combat power, but failure to withstand the true intersected force has severe consequences...
As of now, Monferno and Ditto have only mastered the first stage; they haven't started attempting the second stage yet. What effects the final stages might have is a greatly risky challenge, and as Monferno resolves to start attempting it, with sufficient theoretical foundation on Rotom's part, Fang Yuan has no reason to refuse.
Having mastered a relatively perfect Thunder Flame Mode... As long as it continues to improve its physical condition, with enough buildup, this powerful technique will let Monferno easily become a top-tier domain contender.
Yet, Monferno feels that normal accumulation is too slow, hence it chose this more perilous path.
Although the path is more dangerous, it, in turn, increases Monferno's growth ceiling.
In the end, Fang Yuan, based on the characteristics of the eight stages of the Thunder Flame Mode, suggested renaming it: Rai-en: The Eight Gates Hidden in the Leaves.
The eight stages, namely the Open Gate, Rest Gate, Life Gate, Injury Gate, Stop Gate, Scene Gate, Shock Gate, and Death Gate, correspond one-to-one to the countless stages of compression Rotom speculated could occur between the normal state and ultimate fusion of the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force.
Rai-en: The Eight Gates Hidden in the Leaves, by compressing the Thunder Flame Interweaving Force, temporarily grants great power. When all eight gates are open, the perfectly merged intersected force becomes akin to the Legendary Level Power of the Intersecting Flames and Intersecting Lightning demonstrated by Pokémon like Zekrom and Zekrom. Meaning, under the analysis of Rotom and Fang Yuan...
Continuous development of the Thunder Flame Mode might empower Monferno with top-level combat power, go beyond top-tier, attain Guardian God Level combat power, and possibly even match the combat power of Legendary Pokémon.
Monferno is also a member of Fang Yuan Team with potential rivaling that of a Legendary Pokémon, next to Eevee who has mastered Life Energy.
Of course, compared to the path Eevee is on, the road ahead for Monferno is filled with even more bumps and hurdles.
After receiving Fang Yuan's approval, Monferno sat down calmly. It has already mastered the first of the Eight Gates of Yin and Yang, the "Open Gate".
At this stage, the Intersected Force has just begun to unlock Monferno's physical limitations, granting it combat power that is invincible at the Master Level.
Monferno was clear about what it needed to do next—master the "Rest Gate" before the third Fang Yuan Tournament. In doing so, by further compressing the Intersected Force, its bodily potential would shine even more brilliantly due to the enhancement of the Intersected Force... and it would step into the Top Tier Domain in one fell swoop.
When that time comes, it would not only be able to outstrip Eevee, but also have the power to contend with Chef Magnet Monster.
If it could master the "Life Gate", perhaps it could become the champion of the third Fang Yuan Tournament!! Even if it meant suffering a heavy toll and lying incapacitated for another half-month, Monferno thought it would be worth it.
With a clearer path ahead, Monferno's heart was as still as water. Rai-en: The Eight Gates Hidden in the Leaves, the cool name Fang Yuan gave to the Thunder Flame Mode, left Monferno unsure how it could ever lose.
"Oh, there's one other thing I almost forgot. Rotom, in the third Fang Yuan Tournament, we're going to introduce a new partner," Fang Yuan turned to look at Rotom.
"I know, the new partner is Ditto," Rotom nodded, aware of this even without Fang Yuan's reminder.
"No... That's correct, Monferno and Ditto will be partners in the tournament, but I'm talking about another one," Fang Yuan said.
At Fang Yuan's words, the Pokémon were puzzled. Rotom looked around and then at itself; it seemed to be the only one left. Could it be that it too would become a partner to another Pokémon, joining the battle?
Rotom analyzed for a moment... with its meager combat ability, it figured it could probably only team up with Eevee.
At that time, a self-destruct move might make Eevee recognize the bond they shared as gaming companions and unleash a greater Emotional Energy, breaking into the top tier...
However, Rotom really didn't want to resort to that...
As the Pokémon were in the midst of their confusion, Fang Yuan took out two stones with a smile curling at the edge of his mouth and said:
"Let's show you then. In the third Fang Yuan Tournament, I will partner with Glutton to temporarily unleash its hidden power and complete an evolution beyond its limits..."
Originally, to trick Glutton into leaving, Fang Yuan had once bamboozled the Thousand-year Gengar of the Sun and Moon Forest Secret Territory by declaring that Gengar still had the potential to evolve and ascend to a higher level of life.
At that time, Eevee scoffed at the notion, so accustomed to Fang Yuan's bluffs. Instinctively, it retorted internally—if Gengar could still evolve, it would eat its own phone!
Monferno, too, had set a mental flag, convinced the then lazy and gluttonous Gengar, even with evolution, could not surpass itself. Although Gengar's strength now had surpassed what Monferno imagined, Monferno still believed it would not lose in an all-out battle, so Monferno didn't feel like it had been smacked in the face.
However, now Fang Yuan was saying that Gengar could indeed evolve again, which not only baffled Eevee and Monferno but also the other Pokémon.
Particularly Rotom, the self-proclaimed walking Pokémon encyclopedia, who exclaimed in a loud voice: "What the heck!??"
Eevee and Rotom were the first to jump out with doubts. Fang Yuan's joke this time was too poor; they were Pokémon that could go online, so how could such a low-level joke fool them?
If Gengar could still evolve, then Rotom was willing to be eaten by Eevee!