This time, one could say the true exploration of this mysterious island had officially begun.
Without going into detail, with Slowking having reached level 58, he could now take on a wild Pokémon from the island by himself. Moreover, with the support of Honchkrow and Weavile, battles against Psychic-type Pokémon were much more favorable.
If any Pokémon got injured, Cain would simply return it to its Pokéball and call out Florges for healing.
Thanks to his previous experience, he had come fully prepared to survive in this place. Recovery medicines and antidotes were well stocked, along with some potions Cain had crafted himself.
There might not have been much food, but with all the medical supplies he carried, he had no need to worry about running out of essentials.
After defeating a wild Grumpig that had attacked them directly, both Honchkrow and Weavile leveled up, reaching levels 52 and 51 respectively.
Cain had no intention of capturing the Grumpig. He knew that the Pokémon in this place could not be caught.
However, he wasn't looking to harm them unnecessarily either. He still didn't fully understand the nature of this island—if he hurt the wrong Pokémon and provoked the wrath of a true "boss" of the area, he could get into serious trouble, possibly even putting his life at risk.
Besides, Cain no longer needed the "shining stones" that could be generated within Psychic-type Pokémon. His psychic abilities had already reached the intermediate level, and those stones were no longer useful for his progress.
In fact, he found it more effective to use the power of the Unown he carried on his wrist.
If he wanted to improve faster, finding more Unown to boost his potential was likely the better path.
The curious thing was that the Pokémon Cain defeated seemed to vanish without a trace. Once beaten, they never appeared before him again.
Just as Cain was about to cross the spot where the defeated Grumpig had fallen, Slowking used the move Teleport to appear in front of him, wearing a solemn expression.
Honchkrow and Weavile reacted a bit more slowly, but quickly took positions on either side of Cain, alert to any potential threat.
Cain frowned.
As a psychic himself, he could sense certain changes in the environment, but Slowking's perceptive abilities far exceeded his own. When Slowking stepped in, Cain finally sensed it too: something strange was happening in the space ahead of them.
In this altered dimension, where the very fabric of space was already abnormal, those kinds of irregularities were hard to detect unless one had a special sensitivity to the surroundings.
Since reaching the intermediate level as a psychic, Cain had confirmed he had a particular talent for spatial perception. That's why he could detect the anomalies in the air stretching out in front of him.
At the spot where Grumpig had fallen, the space began to distort. A figure slowly emerged from the rippling air.
It was a light yellow Pokémon, with a fox-like appearance. Its long, thin mustaches extended to the sides of its face, and its eyes glowed with an aura of overwhelming intelligence.
In each hand, it held a metal spoon that shimmered with a silvery glow.
Though it looked like a normal Pokémon, the waves of psychic power emanating from its body were completely contained.
Cain narrowed his eyes as he observed it.
One of the most intelligent Pokémon in the world.
Alakazam!
Pokémon: Alakazam (Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 65
Type: Psychic
Ability: Inner Focus
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Power Trick, Skill Swap, Psycho Shift, Psychic Terrain
Basic Moves: Kinesis, Teleport, Confusion, Disable, Psybeam, Miracle Eye, Reflect, Psycho Cut, Recover, Telekinesis, Ally Switch, Psychic, Calm Mind, Future Sight, Trick
Learned Moves: Ice Punch, Magic Room, Magic Coat, Wonder Room, Role Play, Gravity
TM Moves: None
The information about Alakazam made Cain tense up.
An elite-level Alakazam.
In an island where Psychic-type Pokémon were already abnormally strong, this Alakazam was an extremely dangerous opponent. If Cain didn't handle the situation well, his entire team could be defeated.
Even attempting to escape using Slowking's Teleport would be extremely difficult.
Fortunately, Cain still had one ace up his sleeve: Mismagius, hidden in his shadow.
Alakazam didn't attack immediately upon appearing. This behavior contrasted with that of the other Pokémon on the island, who normally attacked Cain and his team as soon as they saw them.
The Pokémon simply stared intently at the egg Cain was carrying in his arms.
The atmosphere turned strange.
When Alakazam finally reacted, it showed a somewhat uncomfortable expression—almost human-like.
A faint current of psychic energy emanated from its body, but it didn't seem hostile. Still, Slowking raised his psychic power to protect Cain.
However, Cain signaled for Slowking to stop. He allowed the thread of energy from Alakazam to approach him.
It was an attempt at telepathy.
"Young human, you've crossed a boundary. If you continue forward, you will awaken something you cannot face," said Alakazam's voice in Cain's mind.
From the tone of the voice, it was clear this Alakazam was quite old.
The warning confirmed several things.
First, that this Alakazam had previous contact with humans—otherwise, it wouldn't have recognized Cain's youth.
Second, that an extremely powerful entity resided at the center of the island.
Third, that this entity was currently asleep, but could awaken if Cain kept advancing.
Rather than relying solely on Alakazam's telepathy, Cain extended his own psychic energy to respond.
When facing a Pokémon as intelligent and proud as Alakazam, demonstrating his own skill as a psychic was essential to earning respect and avoiding being underestimated.
"Is it... Azelf?"
Alakazam didn't respond immediately.
Uncertainty began to grow in Cain's mind.
(End of Chapter)