The next day, Caleb, with the Red Orb and Blue Orb in his inventory, brought all his Pokémon to the Pikachu statue in the central square...
Yuna and the other two were already waiting there.
She glanced at Caleb and the other two, took out four light blue friendship bracelets from her inventory, and instructed, "Be careful once we're inside."
Fumitaka nodded, took a bracelet from Yuna, and said with a playful smile, "Don't worry. Even though I haven't been to a punishment Instance, I'm still a top-ten player on the leaderboard. I have some experience."
Kamala, standing nearby, poked Fumitaka's shoulder and reminded him, "Sister Yuna is ranked second."
Not only did the second-ranked expert almost lose her life, but she also lost a Pokémon inside.
The danger level of that Instance was unimaginable.
Fumitaka immediately changed his tune, saying with a solemn expression, "We'll follow Yuna-senpai's commands then!"
Yuna sighed helplessly and said, "As long as you don't release your Pokémon, there shouldn't be any danger."
By now, Caleb had also put on the light blue friendship bracelet. This was a temporary team-up item.
[Bracelet Symbolizing Friendship (R-grade): Players wearing this bracelet can enter the same Instance.]
Seeing that everyone had put on their bracelets, Yuna took out an admission ticket with two colors from her inventory...
The admission ticket was similar to the Ticket of Time Caleb had obtained last time, but unlike the pure green Ticket of Time, this one was half gray and half white. The two colors were distinctly separated, looking like two extremes.
As Yuna used it, the admission ticket shattered in mid-air, turning into scattered gray-white specks of light dust that fluttered around, enveloping the four of them.
A mechanical voice sounded in their ears:
[Welcome, players, to the punishment Instance, Dystopia!]
....
Rustling sounds arose all around...
Caleb slowly opened his eyes, and the next second, his gaze met several round, red pupils.
"Rattata?"
A group of Rattatas with glossy fur surrounded him, lightly sniffing the scent on him with their small noses.
As soon as Caleb opened his eyes, the Rattata scattered in fright, but they didn't run far, just crouching in the grass, peeking out with half their faces to secretly observe the situation.
Caleb: "..."
He used his left hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight overhead, propped himself up with his right hand, and sat up from the ground.
A warm breeze swept across the land. The endless green plains, like a green ocean, rippled with waves.
'Am I in the wilderness?'
Caleb narrowed his eyes and opened the inventory panel to check the location on the Warp Beacon:
[Warp Beacon (SSS-grade): Players can freely teleport to already unlocked maps...
- The current world is L002.
- Cross-Instance teleportation is not possible.
- Player's current location: Nameless Grassland...]
'Nameless Grassland...'
According to Yuna, the land and sea of this world seemed to have been reorganized. The original map and cities should have been completely rearranged.
And here, there were Pokémon.
'So, was I sent to the continent where only Pokémon existed?'
Caleb was taken aback for a moment.
Just then, Yuna's voice rang out: <..Is everyone here? Report your locations!..>
Immediately after, Fumitaka's voice sounded: <..I just asked a passerby. This city seems to be called Sootopolis City!..>
Kamala: <..I'm in Lunaria City. Is there a name like that in the Pokémon world?..>
Yuna: <..No. That's a name humans gave after the continental reorganization..>
At this point, she paused for a moment, seemingly checking a map, and spoke again a few seconds later: <..In that case, let's assemble at Sootopolis City. Sootopolis City is close to the sea. We can sneak across to the other continent from there... Wait! What about Caleb?>
Yuna seemed to suddenly realize and asked: <..Caleb, can you hear me?..>
Caleb glanced at the surrounding Rattata group and said, "I can hear you."
Yuna: <..Report your current location..>
Caleb: "Um... I think I was sent to the continent where the Pokémon are..."
Yuna: "?"
Fumitaka: <..What's going on?..>
As soon as he finished speaking, a series of violent, earthquake-like sounds came from Caleb's side.
Caleb saw a herd of Tauros charging towards him, his pupils constricting. He spoke rapidly, "Can I release Pokémon over here?"
Yuna also heard the commotion on Caleb's end. She thought for a moment and asked: <..Do you see any Genesects over there?..>
Caleb quickly scanned the sky and said, "No."
Yuna: <..Then it should be fine..>
Upon hearing this, Caleb directly took out Dragonite's Poké Ball from his inventory, then quickly released and mounted it, and flew into the air.
The rumbling sounds from below stopped.
Yuna frowned and asked: <..What happened? What's going on over there?..>
Caleb watched the departing Tauros herd and sighed in relief, saying, "It's nothing, just a herd of Tauros passing by."
At that moment, an exclamation came from Fumitaka's side: <..What the f*ck! Why are there so many Genesects in the sky?!..>
Yuna explained: <..They are surveillance units placed in the human side. But don't worry, as long as you don't release your Pokémon from their Poké Balls, they won't attack you..>
Fumitaka breathed a sigh of relief and asked: <..You said we're to assemble at Sootopolis City, right?..>
Yuna grunted in agreement: <..Yes. Sootopolis City is a port city, facing the other continent across the sea. Only by crossing that ocean can we reach the continent where the Pokémon are..>
<..Ok, understood. I'll handle the boat issue..> Fumitaka said.
<..I'm already on a train heading to Sootopolis City..> Kamala said after some bustling on her end had settled down.
Yuna nodded and said: <..I'm heading there too..>
Caleb, who had been listening silently on the other end, asked, "Is there anything I can do?"
After all, they had specifically paid him 100 000 points to help.
He added, "Tell me Decidueye's location. I can go look for it first."
Yuna looked at the light point representing Decidueye's location on the map and asked: <..Can you determine your current location?..>
Caleb looked around and answered truthfully, "No."
Although he had the Warp Beacon, he didn't have a detailed map of this area.
Yuna: <..Then forget it for now. Just wait there for us to arrive..>
Caleb also understood his current situation, so he didn't say more.
He unilaterally cut off the telepathic link on his end. While listening to Yuna's plans and the situation on their side, he landed on the ground with Dragonite.
Ignoring the curious Rattata around him, Caleb stood next to Dragonite, then he took out the Book of Answers from his inventory and asked the question he was most concerned about, which was also his main purpose for coming here:
'Who's waiting for me in this Instance?'
...
{T/N: As of today, this fic is officially completed back on P@tre0n. If anyone is interested, here:
[email protected]/MayaMatengele01
Any thoughts on what my next project should be?}