Under the bright, clean moonlight, a lean figure moved swiftly.
In the end, they stopped deep in the woods, in front of an especially thick Wintergreen tree.
They peeled back a bulging piece of bark on the trunk.
On the waxy-white trunk, there was an inconspicuous, tiny black protrusion.
A hand reached out and pressed it.
Click!!!
After a faint sound, the tree trunk suddenly split open into a gap just big enough for a person to pass through.
Not long after the shadow bent down and slipped inside, the crack in the trunk vanished.
All around was silent—there was no sign of anything unusual.
As if everything that had happened just now had never happened at all.
That's right.
This was one of Team Dark's secret bases.
Hidden underground beneath this tree.
The location was extremely concealed.
And inside the entire base, a large number of signal jammers had been installed.
The base itself was set nearly a hundred meters underground.
So over the past few months, the City Defense Forces had come to search the forest time and again—
yet they had only discovered traces of Team Dark,
without finding their stronghold or any further clues.
After entering through the opening in the trunk,
there was a long, steep stone stairway going down.
They kept walking until reaching the deepest point below.
The dim space suddenly became spacious and brightly lit.
They arrived at a steel door.
After verifying their identity information,
the door slowly opened.
Behind it,
large groups of researchers in white lab coats were busy at work.
"Professor Shen, today's test is complete."
"That Pokémon should be close to waking up."
The team member leaned in to speak to a gray-haired researcher.
As they spoke,
they handed back the Poké Ball in their hand.
"Good."
Professor Shen didn't even lift his head.
All his attention was on the image on the electron microscope.
He was studying a small chunk of purple energy crystal.
The team member stood there watching for a moment.
They really couldn't figure out what this great professor was researching.
Just as they were about to leave,
they suddenly remembered something.
They turned back and spoke again.
"Oh, right, Professor—Military investigators have been sent. They're closely watching the City Defense Forces' recent activities and investigating this area."
"I think it's better for us to keep a low profile over the next few days."
They made the suggestion seriously.
Hearing that, Professor Shen finally shifted his gaze away from the screen.
They didn't have to care about the City Defense Forces.
Under the City Defense Forces' investigation, they could still carry out experiments and operations in this forest without restraint.
But—
once the Military got involved in this matter,
they couldn't keep acting so recklessly.
After all,
anyone the Military sent would be at least Gym-level.
If they clashed with them,
or if they discovered this hidden base—
with the base's current defensive strength,
it likely wouldn't be able to withstand the assault of even a single Gym-level Trainer unit.
Professor Shen thought it over.
With a scientist's rigorous temperament,
he felt the safest approach during this period was to take a brief break and temporarily halt operations.
Besides, over these past few months,
they had already achieved the intended goal.
That Pokémon sleeping deep in Wintergreen Forest was gradually nearing the edge of awakening, so it wasn't something that had to be rushed.
When it woke up—
that would be the moment Team Dark's plan fully unfolded across the board.
"What are you afraid of? It's just some measly Military investigator!"
Just as Professor Shen made up his mind
and was about to issue the order to temporarily stop operations,
a loud voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
Everyone looked over.
A burly man—so muscular his uniform seemed ready to split—strode forward with firm steps.
"Elite Four Dayu!?"
Seeing who it was,
Professor Shen's brows lifted in surprise.
This heavily built man, with a physique like a bodybuilder,
was none other than Tsuchida Dayu—
one of Team Dark's four Elite Four-level core officers.
Normally,
those officers stayed stationed at headquarters.
For him to show up here today
really was unexpected.
"The boss was worried about your progress, so he sent me to take a look. Seems I didn't come for nothing this time."
Tsuchida Dayu smiled,
revealing two rows of clean, neat teeth.
He seemed to have read the doubt in Professor Shen's heart.
"With me here, forget Military investigators— even if an Elite Four shows up, there's nothing to fear."
The confidence in Dayu's tone was overflowing.
He walked up beside the two of them
and slung an arm around the Team Dark member's shoulder.
"Come on. Show me who the Military investigator is."
The team member nodded.
They took out their phone
and zoomed in on a photo.
It had been taken by their mole planted inside the City Defense Forces.
In the image,
Himeko's face was clearly visible.
Seeing that face,
Dayu's expression froze for a brief moment.
He snatched the phone from the team member's hand
and held it right up close.
"So it really is her!"
Dayu broke into a bright grin.
What a coincidence.
A few months ago,
the explosion case at the Amano family in Wintergreen City was his doing.
And the father and son—Joji and Akio—
had died in the self-destruction of his Electrode.
Before they died, those two had handed him a recording of the Wintergreen City Pokémon Tournament finals.
It was also through that footage that Dayu had first seen Himeko.
And had seen the scene of Shiko evolving into GeoGreymon.
Back then, it had left him with an extremely deep impression and shock.
It practically shattered his worldview.
Later, when he left Wintergreen City and returned to headquarters,
he submitted a dossier to Team Dark's boss.
As expected,
Team Dark's boss was also extremely interested in GeoGreymon.
And he ordered Dayu to find an opportunity—no matter what—to seize GeoGreymon and take it for Team Dark.
However,
after the tournament ended,
Himeko joined the Military and came under heavy protection.
No matter how capable Dayu was,
he alone was absolutely not a match for a behemoth like the Military.
So there was no choice.
The matter had to be shelved for the time being.
He had thought the mission would remain out of reach for a long time.
But Dayu hadn't expected—
today he would actually see Himeko again.
And from the looks of it, this time she seemed to have come back alone to investigate Wintergreen City's situation.
That instantly made him excited.
If that was the case—
didn't it mean there was a chance to snatch that "Pokémon" from her?
Dayu's mind shifted.
A plan formed immediately.
"Tomorrow, you take people and deliberately expose your tracks in the forest to draw the City Defense Forces over."
"Leave the rest to me."
Dayu patted the team member's shoulder as he gave the order.
"Understood!"
The team member nodded and agreed,
then immediately went to make preparations.
"Don't mess this up. If you expose this base, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Professor Shen frowned.
He didn't like Dayu's way of doing things.
Out of caution,
he would have preferred to pass through this special period peacefully, without stirring up too much trouble.
"Don't worry, Professor Shen. I know what I'm doing!"
"A Military investigator is at most Gym-level. With an Elite Four like me taking action, isn't it easy?"
Dayu chuckled with a self-assured look.
He turned his head.
Looking at the purple points of light on the electron microscope's screen, his tone suddenly changed.
"Oh, right, Professor Shen—lately you've been busy with some side project, huh?"
"Your old colleague—Teacher Boo, the director of the Northern Military Division's research institute—seems to have made breakthrough progress recently."
"He's already successfully helped some Pokémon achieve Mega Evolution and break past their limits."
"Does your research here have any real progress to show?"
Even though Dayu wore a bright smile,
his words carried a strange, mocking edge.
The moment he heard "Teacher Boo,"
Professor Shen's face turned ugly—steel-blue.
"Hmph. That's nothing!"
"My research has far more potential to overturn the entire Pokémon academic world!"
He snapped back coldly.
Seeing Dayu's disbelieving look,
Professor Shen couldn't help but start explaining.
"See this purple crystal or not!"
"This isn't a substance born on our planet—it comes from the cosmos."
"Inside this purple crystal is a special energy. According to my analysis and research, this energy can let Pokémon achieve Dynamaxing!"
"It can make their bodies more than ten times larger!"
As Professor Shen's words fell,
Dayu's teasing expression abruptly became serious.
If that was true,
then it really would be an astonishing discovery.
Something that could absolutely stand shoulder to shoulder with Teacher Boo's Mega Evolution research.
"Then how far have you gotten?"
Dayu asked curiously.
At that question,
Professor Shen's earlier, competitive posture instantly drained away.
He looked deflated.
"Right now, I've only determined the effect the energy in these crystals can have on Pokémon."
"As for how to apply that energy to Pokémon in a practical way, I still don't have a reasonable method."
After speaking, Professor Shen gave a light cough to cover his embarrassment.
What he'd just said was essentially admitting—
they were only at the theoretical stage.
No real, practical breakthrough had been made.
"Then keep at it. I won't disturb you."
Dayu blanked for a moment.
So that was it?
He'd thought they were already in the experimental phase.
Turns out they'd only finished theory.
He laughed twice
and strode away.
Watching Dayu's back as he left,
Professor Shen's brows tightened.
He turned back and continued his research with full concentration.
...
The next morning,
Shiko was awakened by somewhat noisy voices.
He opened his eyes and looked.
At the large dining table in the living room,
quite a few people were already seated.
There were many familiar faces among them—
Teacher Moo Inoshishe, President Sun, Kazu, and a number of other Wintergreen City high-ranking figures.
Everyone sat around together.
At that moment, all eyes were on Shiko.
They examined this giant beast with a terrifying aura.
In every expression,
there was shock and astonishment.
How long had it even been!?
GeoGreymon had visibly grown stronger by far, far too much!
A few months ago,
when Himeko won that Pokémon tournament,
GeoGreymon had only been at mid-tier Elite level, right?
But now—
judging purely by its aura and the strength of its physique—
at the very least,
it had reached peak Gym-level.
It might even have surpassed Gym-level already.
What terrifying talent and potential.
"Everyone, let's talk business first. About the energy fluctuations in Wintergreen Forest and Team Dark—I hope you can explain everything to us in detail."
Himeko spoke.
Only then did everyone's gaze return to her.
They weren't here to eat breakfast.
They were here to discuss how to resolve Wintergreen Forest's problem.
Shiko had little interest in what they were going to discuss.
He stood up,
took heavy steps,
walked out the door,
and went into the backyard to lie down and bask in the warm sunlight.
After he went out,
the people in the living room also got down to business.
(End of Chapter)
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