The Annapurna mountain range is classified as a C-Level Lost Region in terms of danger rating. It is an undeveloped area, located in the most remote part of Kalos, far away from any sign of human habitation.
In a place like this, vehicles cannot enter at all. In the mountain range inhabited by many aggressive Pokémon, only Trainers can travel in and out.
However, a C-Level Lost Region is not just any ordinary place. This much can be understood by comparing it to Terrance's Gym assessment.
The deserted island where Terrance underwent his assessment was a D-Level Lost Region. Even so, with Terrance's strength at the time, he still had to be cautious around large groups of Pokémon.
But in the one level higher C-Level Lost Region, unless one is a top-tier Trainer of Champion League level, there is simply no way to move about freely.
"It's so vast." Terrance was shocked upon retrieving information about the Annapurna mountain range.
It would take an unknown amount of time to fully search such a forested mountain range with just a few people. Even with the powers of Pokémon, the time required would be far from trivial.
After receiving the information from Teacher Julian, Terrance boarded a flight to Kalos the same day and arrived at the central airport of Lumiose City in Kalos the following day.
Teacher Teresa and Teacher Julian were the two teachers at Crown Academy who had taken the most care of him, and Akon was the classmate he was closest to. Since something might have happened to them, Terrance rushed over almost immediately.
After landing, Terrance did not linger in the city. He followed the map displayed on the Rotom Pokédex straight into the wild and rode Altaria toward the Annapurna mountain range.
"Terrance, you're in charge of searching the central region. Be especially careful of a Pokémon group led by a Florges. This group has already driven away many Trainers trying to go deeper into the mountain range. Of course, if you have the strength to spare, you can also investigate this Pokémon group's internal situation."
"In addition, there's also a gang of Pangoro that are quite troublesome. These Pokémon are hot-tempered and extremely aggressive… Also…"
Outside the Annapurna mountain range, a teacher from Crown Academy who was waiting for Terrance began explaining the latest information to him in detail.
All of this information had come from within the mountain range just recently. The Annapurna mountain range is filled with far more dangers than the deserted island where Terrance did his Gym Leader assessment. Just shortly after people entered, reports from the Danger Zone began pouring out.
And this was still before most people had even made it deep into the mountain. Terrance responded quickly. With his current strength, there was no need to worry about the dangers of a C-Level Lost Region.
If it were a Danger Zone deep within Mt. Silver, he might still feel some fear. But now, having nearly reached Elite Four-level strength and with his entire team of Pokémon at the ready, Terrance was at the peak of his combat power and full of confidence.
His goal was to find Akon and Teacher Teresa as quickly as possible, or to thoroughly investigate the situation within the mountain range.
Whether they were trapped in the mountain range or something else had happened to them, the Annapurna mountain range was the first place under suspicion.
"Teacher Teresa's family has also arrived," the teacher said.
Teacher Teresa was born in the Kalos region and is the eldest among the Stuart family's children. Her father is an ecologist whose research team has made significant contributions to the protection of Pokémon ecosystems. As a result, the family enjoys a certain level of renown locally. The research team is affiliated with the Kalos League, and her father is a well-known person. So it can be said that Teacher Teresa came from a relatively well-off family.
It was only today that Terrance learned the specifics of Teacher Teresa's background.
"What could the reason be?"
After giving a brief explanation, Terrance took the luggage he had prepared in advance and entered the Annapurna mountain range.
Along the way, he kept wondering about the reason for the two's disappearance. Without a clear reason, there was simply no logic in them entering such a dangerous place as the Annapurna mountain range.
Moreover...
"Given Teacher Teresa's strength, even if she couldn't move freely through a C-Level Lost Region, she should at least have no problem retreating safely with Akon in the face of danger," Terrance thought, full of doubt.
As a teacher at Crown Academy, although Teacher Teresa taught coordination and breeding knowledge, her own strength was not weak.
Her Chandelure… Crobat… and that shiny Azumarill. Terrance had never once doubted Teacher Teresa's capabilities as a Trainer.
Also, both Teacher Teresa and Akon were rational people. There was no way they would enter the Annapurna mountain range without a good reason and put themselves in danger.
"What could it be…" Terrance pondered as he ventured deeper into the Annapurna mountain range.
The Annapurna mountain range was an enormous area made up of several forest regions. It was far larger and more mysterious than the famed Santalune Forest of the Kalos region.
Forest… Forest… Terrance muttered to himself.
Could it be because of Akon?
Akon lost his mother when he was young. For various reasons, he never got to see her one last time, and this had always been a deep regret for him. He had a dream, which was also his main reason for enrolling at Crown Academy: he wanted to find the forest deity Celebi and use its power to travel through time to see his mother one final time.
If Teacher Teresa and Akon had discovered signs of Celebi and gone deep into the Annapurna mountain range because of that…
As the largest forest region in Kalos, it wasn't out of the question for Celebi to appear here.
"Or maybe it's for some other reason…" Terrance let out a deep sigh as he continued deeper into the mountain. Mismagius followed at his side, releasing its totem aura. The overwhelming intimidation it gave off meant that for a while, they didn't need to worry about any reckless Pokémon showing up to cause trouble.
With Mismagius providing support, Terrance advanced through the Annapurna mountain range at an incredibly fast pace. Even if another Elite Four came, without the same kind of intimidation and fear-inducing aura that Totem Mismagius possessed, they wouldn't be able to move so freely through the mountains.
"Rotom Pokédex, you're in charge of recording," Terrance instructed the Rotom Pokédex beside him.
"Got it, Roto~~"
"Gallade, Beautifly, stay by my side. Work with Mismagius to keep an eye on our surroundings."
"Gal~lade!!"
"Bea~utifly~"
Gallade and Beautifly, who had been released, both nodded.
The safest parts of the Annapurna mountain range were at the outer edges. The deeper one went, the more dangerous it became. Even the teachers dispatched from Crown Academy had to be extremely cautious when entering the inner areas. Yet Terrance charged straight through one direction with astonishing efficiency and made his way into a dense forest.
"Biii~~~"
As soon as he entered, Terrance's keen perception picked up a clear, distant cry.
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