Led by Theodore, a ten-member team ventured deep into the Mayan Forest.
A Kommo-o cleared the way, two Machamps acted as porters, their eight muscular arms steadily carrying research equipment forward. A Shiftry and a Weavile moved stealthily through the grass on the left and right of the team, while a Braviary soared above, guarding from the air.
By one o'clock in the afternoon, we had left the outer region of the Mayan Forest and delved deeper.
The danger zone shifted from D to C, with indications it might soon escalate to B level.
At five o'clock, Chris attempted to subdue a passing Rhydon to assess its level—an impressive LV47.
In the context of a school environment, such a Pokémon would be at least at the Senior Pokémon level.
Still, Chris remained relaxed at the back of the group, sitting under Venusaur's floral canopy and watching TV dramas.
Chris's perception of Theodore's combat abilities remained rooted in his achievements two years ago—defeating a foreign Elite Trainer one-on-one.
While foreign Elites might not be on par with China's Elites, Theodore at least possessed genuine Gym-level combat power, positioning him as a top-tier Gym Trainer.
This was Theodore's strength a year ago. Now, his prowess might now rival that of an Elite Trainer.
With a team led by someone of Theodore's caliber, what did Chris have to worry about?
Time for some music and dancing~
As for the mission into the Mayan Forest, Theodore expressed an interest in finding a special magnetic field capable of evolving Nosepass into Probopass.
Chris questioned the necessity of searching here, considering China's vast resources, which included over a dozen known magnetic fields capable of enabling such evolutions.
After all, the special magnetic fields that evolve Nosepass also enable Magneton to become Magnezone and Charjabug to become Vikavolt. Given that Magnezone and Vikavolt are core assets of Electric-type Trainers, they've been widely cultivated.
Nevertheless, Theodore must have had his reasons for seeking new, untamed magnetic fields. As a member of Theodore's lab—using his villa, no less—it felt only right to accompany him on this venture.
"We'll camp up ahead tonight," Theodore called out from the front.
With the sun nearing the horizon and nocturnal Pokémon stirring, it was indeed time to halt. The group moved another 100 meters until they reached a rock wall. A small stream ran beside it, and remnants of firewood hinted at prior campers.
It was evidently an old campsite.
The team, experienced in fieldwork, promptly began unpacking and setting up tents. For Chris, "setting up camp" was simple: draping waterproof fabric over Venusaur's back.
Climbing into his makeshift tent, Chris asked Gardevoir to activate the Secret Base nestled in the "palm tree" on Venusaur's back. Secret Power only required a suitable medium, and the branches sufficed.
Relaxing on a mattress inside the Secret Base, Chris couldn't help but appreciate how indispensable Secret Power was for traveling.
After a shared dinner, Theodore deployed Honchkrow and Mismagius as sentries. Honchkrow's keen eyesight excelled in the dark, and Mismagius could deter Ghost Pokémon, with Dream Eater on standby to alert the team.
Shiftry and Weavile remained outside, sleeping in nearby trees in case of emergencies.
Later, Chris snuck back to his Secret Base for a second meal. The earlier dinner of salted fish, pork jerky, and rice had been decent, but lacked flair.
Chris pulled a frozen steak from his refrigerator, frying it to perfection before pairing it with a cold Coke. With a movie playing and a handheld console in hand, life in the wild wasn't much different from school.
Mindful of tomorrow's early start, Chris planned to turn in by 10:30 PM, squeezing in only three trips to the underground power plant overnight.
The previous two underground power plant dungeons had been incredibly rewarding, boosting Venusaur to level 34.
Just as Chris was preparing to download the third dungeon, Theodore's urgent voice broke through the night. "Everyone, come out with your Pokémon at once!"
Chris quickly scrambled out of his tent without hesitation. "Professor Theodore, what happened?" he asked, his voice edged with concern.
Theodore's expression was tense. "My Xatu's Future Sight predicted that a battle of gods is about to occur here. We must leave immediately."
The camp erupted into activity as groggy researchers stumbled out of their tents, many visibly disoriented. It seemed several had been roused by Mismagius's Dream Eater, which acted as a wake-up call.
"What's a 'battle of gods'?" Chris asked, unfamiliar with the term.
Theodore didn't answer immediately, instead issuing orders to the group. Despite their exhaustion from a full day of research, the team sprang into action at the mention of the ominous term. Pokémon were deployed, and within moments, the camp was packed—a process that normally took half an hour was accomplished in five minutes.
Evacuation began with everyone mounting their Pokémon. Arcanine, Rapidash, Altaria, and Skarmory bore their trainers swiftly. Chris called on Flygon and joined the retreat.
As they ascended into the night, Chris noticed the forest below was teeming with Pokémon fleeing in the same direction. Flying Pokémon filled the skies, while those on the ground charged forward in a frenzied stampede. Despite the chaos, there was no sign of aggression between species; survival took precedence over any rivalry or predatory instinct.
After covering more than ten kilometers, Theodore finally slowed the pace. Chris seized the opportunity to repeat his question. "What exactly is a 'battle of gods'? Why are so many Pokémon fleeing?"
Theodore, perched on the back of a Salamence, took a deep breath. Before he could respond, a thunderous boom erupted from the far reaches of the sky.
It was as if two colossal stones had collided. The explosion sent a cascade of bright flames hurtling into the forest below. Vegetation ignited instantly, and the fire spread at an alarming rate.
By the flickering light of the growing inferno, Chris could make out two towering figures locked in combat. The crescent moon's light illuminated them, revealing their unmistakable forms.
"Is that… two Landorus?!" Chris exclaimed, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
The sight was awe-inspiring and terrifying in equal measure. Two Landorus, embodiments of nature's wrath and protectors of the land, clashed fiercely, their power shaking the very fabric of the forest. This was no ordinary encounter—it was the beginning of a God War.