If this were truly the case, it would actually be quite favorable.
The three standard abilities of Starter Pokémon are [Blaze], [Torrent], and [Overgrow].
These abilities share the same effect.
When a Pokémon's HP drops below one-third, the power of moves matching their type increases by 50%.
This effect is by no means weak and can turn the tide in critical battles.
However, overall, they're considered fairly standard.
Many Starter Pokémon have Hidden Abilities that are significantly more powerful.
Examples include [Contrary] Serperior, [Speed Boost] Blaziken, and others.
With Hidden Abilities, their combat potential far surpasses those with standard abilities.
All three Starter Pokémon Akira currently possessed fell into the category of superior Hidden Abilities.
Rillaboom's [Grassy Surge] instantly transforms the battlefield into [Grassy Terrain] upon entering combat.
[Grassy Terrain] continuously restores HP to grounded Pokémon while boosting Grass-type moves by 50%.
One could say [Grassy Surge] is an enhanced version of [Overgrow].
Not only does it boost move power without requiring low HP, but it also provides sustained healing.
In games, terrain effects last only five turns.
But in reality, as long as Rillaboom's Aura reserves suffice, the effect can be maintained indefinitely.
This ability is exceptionally rare.
Among all Pokémon, only Rillaboom and its pre-evolutions, along with one other Pokémon, can potentially possess it.
That being Tapu Bulu, one of Alola's guardian deities.
This demonstrates both the rarity and practical value of [Grassy Surge] in battle.
Overall, Akira was quite satisfied with obtaining Rillaboom.
As a Starter Pokémon, its base strength was formidable, not to mention its capability for Gigantamaxing to further enhance its power.
Collecting his thoughts, Akira's excitement gradually subsided as he continued forward impassively.
Four days had passed since encountering the [All-consuming Black Ants] and [Annihilating Dandelion].
The menacing [All-consuming Black Ants] were wiped out by the [Annihilating Dandelion], which in turn was obliterated by Genesect.
As Akira predicted, Genesect effortlessly eradicated the high-threat [Calamity] with a single blast.
The earth-shattering attack left many trembling in fear, with several weaker teammates collapsing to the ground.
The shockwaves alone uprooted entire trees, sending them flying through the air.
Even underground root systems were severed as massive chunks of earth were displaced.
The aftermath rivaled a major earthquake—no wonder they fell prone.
Among the entire team, Ging remained the most "composed" after Akira.
The other team members were witnessing the terrifying cannon fire for the first time, but he wasn't.
Back during the campaign against the Chimera Ant King, he had watched the same kind of bombardment alongside Akira and Netero, just the three of them.
So when Genesect appeared, Ging was the first to react, his eyes widening instantly.
Perhaps the impression left on him last time had been too profound.
The moment Ging saw Genesect, he immediately associated it with that overwhelmingly destructive attack.
Even if the others didn't recognize Genesect, they all knew this was an exceptionally powerful Aura Beast!
The subsequent cannon fire only confirmed their suspicions.
Among them, Golem seemed particularly thoughtful, suspecting that the massive explosion that had occurred in East Gorteau might have been caused by this very Aura Beast.
Although Genesect handled it effortlessly, that didn't diminish the fearsomeness of the [Silent Dandelion].
Fortunately, they acted swiftly. Any delay would have made it much harder to resolve.
If the affected area had grown larger, a single shot wouldn't have sufficed—multiple [Techno Blasts] would likely have been necessary.
After all, the [Silent Dandelion] reproduced at an alarming rate.
A momentary lapse could allow it to overrun an entire region.
Akira suspected this plant must have some inherent weaknesses or natural predators.
If the only countermeasures were those listed in the Pokedex Ability, the Dark Continent would probably already be dominated by [Silent Dandelions].
Driven by research curiosity, Akira collected samples and stored them in Network Space, assigning Meowth to study them.
This unique [Calamity] held significant research value, particularly its terrifying reproductive capabilities.
If this reproductive ability could be applied to other botanical [Hopes], it would yield tremendous benefits.
It would mean an endless supply of plant-based [Hopes]—
Healing herbs that could cure all ailments, the ultimate food source Nitro Rice soon to be obtained...
These were all plant-type Hopes, each with extraordinary effects.
Still, this was just an impulsive experiment. Akira didn't hold particularly high expectations.
With the [Silent Dandelion] dealt with, their journey continued uninterrupted.
During these four days, they hadn't been idle, encountering numerous bizarre creatures along the way.
Such as [Fear Scythe Grass] and [Bomb Cherry Trees]...
[Fear Scythe Grass]: A sickle-shaped grass about half a person's height.
When mixed among ordinary weeds, it's difficult to spot.
Where one appears, many inevitably follow, typically growing in dense clusters.
This plant is exceptionally unique—it can detect emotions in nearby creatures by releasing specific scents.
Normally, they're just ordinary plants, swaying slightly in the breeze, their only notable feature being their sharp edges.
However, when creatures nearby experience fear or terror, they launch attacks.
Among the [Calamities] encountered these past days, [Fear Scythe Grass] left the deepest impression on Akira after [Silent Dandelion].
They weren't as terrifying as [Silent Dandelion], lacking its unnatural reproductive and absorptive abilities.
But that didn't make them weak.
Even days later, Akira could still vividly recall that scene, the memory refusing to fade.
The originally soft and harmless sickle grass suddenly transformed, as if turning into ruthless and terrifying scythes.
Despite the absence of wind, they moved on their own, swaying in unison before suddenly lashing out.
Their sickle-shaped bodies were exceptionally sharp, effortlessly slicing through the air to form blade-like gusts of energy.
A single [Fear Sickle Grass] was equivalent to one such blade.
In an instant, they were faced with countless blades of energy.
Through the use of [Circle], they could clearly sense the countless attacks surging through the air.
Each one was chillingly lethal!
Without exaggeration, without the safety suits, most of the team could only withstand three to five strikes.
After that, they would be torn apart by the endless blades, their intestines spilling out, blood splattering the ground, before being minced into pieces and reduced to a bloody mist in the air.
A single encounter could turn them into clouds of blood.
And it wasn't just them—most creatures facing [Fear Sickle Grass] would meet the same fate.
[Fear Sickle Grass] belonged to the category of [Disasters] with high offense but low defense—except their "offense" was exceptionally high.
Many creatures could endure one or two strikes, but [Fear Sickle Grass] usually appeared in large groups.
When one [Fear Sickle Grass] attacked, it meant an entire swarm was striking simultaneously.
Few creatures could withstand such an intense assault.
Only three types of creatures could evade this onslaught.
The first were those with overwhelming strength, completely unfazed by the attacks of [Fear Sickle Grass], or capable of easily exterminating them.
Akira, who possessed numerous Pokémon, belonged to this category.
The second were those with special abilities that allowed them to dodge these attacks.
For example, Jun's shadow abilities—if it faced [Fear Sickle Grass], it would likely survive.
The third were creatures without emotions, or those incapable of feeling fear.
These creatures were natural enemies of [Fear Sickle Grass], as they lacked the emotion of "fear" entirely.
Thus, they wouldn't be targeted by [Fear Sickle Grass] and could deal with them however they pleased.
However, such creatures were rare, as most self-aware beings could experience fear.
Especially those who had witnessed the lethality of [Fear Sickle Grass]—they were often in greater danger when facing it.
Because the moment they saw [Fear Sickle Grass], they would instinctively recall its terrifying assault.
Fear would inevitably arise in their hearts.
At that point, [Fear Sickle Grass] would attack them, and their worst fears would become reality.
In contrast, creatures that had never encountered [Fear Sickle Grass] had a much higher chance of survival.
Since they didn't know its terror, they were less likely to feel afraid.
Just like with [Silent Dandelions], Akira had also collected some [Fear Sickle Grass] and handed them to Meowth.
Often, [Disasters] could also be [Hope]—it all depended on how they were used.
For Akira, anything novel and possessing unique effects was worth collecting.
Discovering both [Silent Dandelions] and [Fear Sickle Grass] in the swamp led Akira to a realization—this terrain seemed far more perilous than the previous ones.
Akira had a vague premonition that starting from this swamp, the dangers they would encounter would escalate dramatically.
Compared to what lay ahead, their previous encounters had been child's play.
The deeper they ventured, the more formidable and bizarre the creatures they would face!
And they were still merely at the periphery, far from reaching the truly perilous zones of the Dark Continent.
For others, this realization would be utterly despairing.
It meant their dream of conquering this unknown land was forever unattainable.
But for Akira, it was different.
He eagerly anticipated more perilous crises, encounters with mightier creatures, and explorations of stranger terrains.
All these meant he could nurture even more powerful Pokémon!
Among his current Pokémon roster, the most formidable and highest-tiered was Kyogre, the Legendary Pokémon known as "The Creator of the Seas."
It was worth noting that the Pokémon world had many Legendary Pokémon, with several sharing Kyogre's tier as primary deities.
There were even a few that surpassed it in power.
Perhaps by delving deeper into the Dark Continent, he might obtain even more legendary Pokémon through these experiences.
Akira harbored immense anticipation for this possibility.
...
Fueled by visions of future Pokémon, Akira led his team forward relentlessly.
After traversing a sparsely wooded area, they came upon a vast plain.
Like the forest, the plain was dotted with patches of grass, though far more sparsely distributed.
Through the scattered vegetation, they could see numerous pockmarked depressions across the terrain.
Each depression was filled with a dark brown, viscous liquid that looked thick enough to trap anything that stepped in.
A single misstep would doom one to sinking inexorably, with struggle only hastening the descent.
Creatures could only wait helplessly for the moment they were fully submerged, suffocating in the depths.
This was the predominant terrain of this forest—the swamplands!
From Jin's memories, Akira knew encountering these swamps marked their arrival at the forest's central region.
The forest was immense, requiring four full days of travel just to reach its heart.
From here onward, the environment would differ markedly from the initial leg of their journey.
The most noticeable change was the absence of rainclouds.
Sunlight bathed the entire plain, with sparse grasses absorbing its energy.
Clearly, no rainclouds lingered here.
The perpetual rainclouds existed only in the forest's outer reaches; from the central region onward, rainfall ceased entirely.
This was one peculiarity. Another was the swamp itself.
From this point forward, swamps would become ubiquitous, with every step carrying the risk of sinking.
This meant the journey ahead would grow more treacherous, demanding vigilance against both creatures and footing.
Yet these weren't Akira's primary concerns at the moment.
Scanning the plain, beyond the black swamps and scattered grasses stood several moderately sized trees.
"Moderate" only by comparison to the forest's towering giants.
Measured against ordinary trees from the Six Continents, these would be considered quite large indeed.
The arrangement of these trees was quite peculiar.
Although they grew in a generally disordered manner, they coincidentally formed a twisted circle.
At the very center of the plain, the area was precisely enclosed by several trees.
Despite the relatively wide spacing between each tree.
Akira narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the nearest tree.
If he wasn't mistaken...
In the next moment, faint, ethereal chimes drifted from the distance—so elusive they seemed almost nonexistent.
Yet they formed a strange, eerie melody.
Akira's narrowed eyes suddenly widened, but not because of the chimes—it was something else.
He had obtained many gestation bars, but so far, only three remained in his mind.
The first was Kyogre, evolving toward its primal form.
The second was the gestation bar that had appeared ever since he set foot on the Dark Continent.
And the last one—the earliest of the three—was the gestation bar symbolizing the Dark Sonata!
The one he strongly suspected was tied to the Mythical Pokémon, Meloetta.
It had started moving!