Cain set off once more.
This time, the Pokémon he used as a mount was no longer Drapion, but Venusaur.
Drapion had gloriously concluded its career as a land mount.
Even though Venusaur had just been captured, it was a Pokémon with a calm and obedient temperament. After being tamed by Cain, it followed orders without hesitation.
Perhaps its combat strength didn't reach Drapion's—especially due to a lack of synchronization with Cain—but it still didn't require detailed instructions. Its instinct for survival and self-protection in the wild was excellent.
In addition to its legs, Venusaur had vines it could summon at any time to protect Cain from attacks.
Seated atop Venusaur's head, Cain was escorted by four Pokémon: Blaziken, Aggron, Swampert, and Politoed.
They advanced at a slow pace.
The forces that had managed to settle near the Tree of Life had surely already found their footing, so there was no need to rush.
Moving slowly also served to train the Pokémon.
After all, having absorbed large amounts of energy from the energy pool, many had not yet fully digested it. Battles helped integrate that energy permanently.
Moreover, given Venusaur's colossal size, it was impossible not to attract attention. Entering any wild group's territory meant drawing lots of eyes.
However, so far, they hadn't encountered any wild group comparable in power to the Venusaur tribe.
Most of the leaders of these wild tribes were Pokémon at the peak of the quasi-elite level.
For a wild Pokémon, without an extraordinary opportunity, reaching the Elite level was extremely difficult.
That's why the Venusaur tribe could dominate their area unchallenged.
Between battles and progress...
...
After a day's journey, Cain finally arrived near the Tree of Life.
Only up close could one grasp its colossal size.
And to think that this tree had grown in just a single day.
Its crown touched the ceiling of the space, and its branches extended so far that they covered a third of the surroundings.
If conditions allowed, one could easily build a city atop this tree.
Compared to this structure, a human's size was like that of a mere ant.
It was hard to imagine how something so gigantic could grow in this space.
Even a Venusaur didn't seem large in front of this colossus.
As he approached the area, Cain saw signs of other humans.
Most likely, everyone in this space had already gathered around the tree.
Cain recalled Venusaur—its size was far too conspicuous.
He then hid his presence and approached the Tree of Life on foot.
Perhaps by luck, the first person he encountered wore a League uniform.
Especially due to the League insignia on his chest.
After observing him secretly for a while, his gestures and behavior fully matched those of a League member.
Even so, caution was necessary.
Cain ordered Gengar to silently slide into the man's shadow, while he covered his own face using psychic powers.
This man likely belonged to the first group that entered with Steven.
With a swift motion, Cain appeared on a branch behind him.
But something didn't add up...
Right before making a move, Cain halted.
At the last moment, he sensed something off.
Though the outfit, insignia, and behavior matched that of a League member...
It was important to remember what kind of environment they were in. And who the groups present in this space were.
To put it bluntly: if it weren't for Drake's presence, League members would be nothing more than sheep waiting for slaughter.
To appear so close to the Tree of Life, without hiding one's identity... what did that mean?
There were only two possibilities:
Either he was incredibly strong and feared nothing...
But Gengar had managed to infiltrate his shadow undetected, so that option was ruled out.
Only one explanation remained:
Damn it! They were fishing!
And not just any fishing—they were fishing for League members!
Silently, Cain tossed Slowking's Pokéball.
"Slowking, expand your perception to the maximum. Detect if there are other presences nearby," Cain admitted he had let his guard down lately due to his rising power.
Fortunately, he reacted in time. Otherwise, things could have gotten dangerous.
Slowking's voice echoed in his mind.
Now, Slowking was a true living radar, with an enormous detection field.
Unless there was a very powerful psychic or high-level Psychic-type Pokémon nearby, no one could avoid detection.
And that only applied if they had a certain level. Not just any Pokémon or person could perceive his sensing.
Upon hearing what Slowking said, Cain narrowed his eyes, and a dangerous light flickered within them.
Indeed, someone had taken him for prey.
Let's see what happens when the bait vanishes.
"Gengar, neutralize him and bring him here immediately," Cain communicated telepathically.
Gengar, still in the shadow of the fake League member, slowly released his ghostly energy. Before the man could react, he was completely engulfed, without making a single sound.
He turned into a black sphere and vanished beneath the tree.
For a human, there was no need to complicate things: just neutralize and that's it.
Gengar appeared beside Cain.
Then, using Slowking's Teleport move, they vanished from the tree.
But the groups watching from afar turned pale.
They exchanged glances, faces filled with astonishment.
No one dared approach right away.
Only when an individual confident in his power took the initiative did the others move closer—but they found no trace.
It was as if everything had disappeared without a single clue.
"Damn it! Quick, report to the boss!" one of them shouted, furious.
The others said nothing. They mounted their Pokémon and rushed back.
But just then, in the treetops, the space distorted.
Cain reappeared there, smiling coldly as he watched the groups retreating.
"It's not that easy to swallow a shark thinking it's a minnow," he said, patting Slowking.
Slowking got the message instantly and teleported Cain again.
Hidden enemies were the most dangerous. But now that they had exposed themselves, Cain had no intention of letting them off the hook.
The space distorted again.
When Cain and Slowking reappeared, they were on a branch not far from where the enemies had retreated.
He wanted to clearly see which organization they belonged to and how they were organizing. He also wanted to understand the exact situation of this space.
Once his target was set, Cain and Slowking vanished once more.
(End of chapter)