As they reached the large, glowing gate that led into the dungeon, Kay quickly looked around to notice Player 27 turning his head slightly,
As they reached the large, glowing gate that led into the dungeon, Kay quickly looked around to notice Player 27 turning his head slightly, locking eyes with Kay as if to confirm what they had discussed earlier.
No words were needed. Kay simply nodded, and Player 27 nodded back. That one small gesture was enough; it was clear that they were going to play this game as a team, just like they had agreed the day before.
One by one, the players began entering the dungeon. Surprisingly, the Marowak-masked man, who usually liked to speak or mock them at the beginning of each round, stood to the side silently this time.
He didn't say a single word as the players walked past him. His quietness added a strange and serious feeling to the moment, as if even he knew how dangerous this game truly was.
When it was Kay's turn to enter the dungeon, he didn't hesitate at all. He stepped forward and crossed the gate.
From the beginning of the tournament, Kay had made a decision: he was going to risk everything.
He knew he was still far too weak compared to his enemies. If he followed the normal path, he would be killed quickly.
So, he decided to take big risks and take every chance to grow stronger faster. This was his only chance.
As soon as Kay stepped into the dungeon, he was shocked by the sight in front of him. He found himself standing at the edge of a massive forest, far larger than anything he had expected.
The trees were incredibly tall, their leaves glowing faintly with a purple and silver light. Some trees had strange shapes, their trunks twisting unnaturally, while others stood perfectly straight, but with large floating stones hovering around them.
The forest floor was covered in soft grass that shimmered with light pink and pale violet hues. The air itself felt thick and strange, as if it was filled with invisible waves.
Psychic-type energy was everywhere, so dense that Kay could almost hear it humming in the air.
Kay stood still, his eyes wide open, just trying to take it all in. For a few seconds, he forgot where he was. The beauty and strangeness of the dungeon made it feel like he was standing inside a dream.
But that dream ended quickly when he heard Player 27 shout from behind, "Hey! Let's go before some strong Pokémon show up here!"
Snapped back to reality, Kay nodded and began to follow Player 27. But after just a few steps, he stopped and called out, "Wait a minute."
He quickly took off his backpack, opened it, and pulled out a folded piece of paper and a pen. Then he sat down on the grass and began drawing on the paper.
Player 27 stopped and turned around, confused. "What are you doing?" he asked, watching Kay sketch something quickly on the paper.
Kay didn't respond right away. He kept drawing lines, marking a few points, and making small notes.
After a minute, he raised his head and saw that Player 27 was still looking at him with a puzzled expression. "I'm drawing a map of this place so we can know our location later."
Player 27 tilted his head and asked again, "But why do we need a map? We're just supposed to survive. It's not like we're going to be running back and forth."
Kay calmly replied, "There are two reasons. First, it helps to have a general idea of the dungeon. Second, and this is the most important, it helps us return here when we need to."
Still confused, Player 27 asked again, "Why would we return here? When the time ends, they'll come get us with Alakazam, like in the other games."
Kay looked him straight in the eye and said, "That's what I thought at first. But this time might be different. And I have a reason to believe so."
Player 27 nodded slowly, showing Kay he was listening and waiting for him to continue.
Kay took a breath and explained, "You know that this dungeon is man-made. It's not a natural one like the others. That already changes many things. For example, time flows here like it does in the real world. Pokémon bodies don't disappear after being defeated. These are all traits of the human world, not of the Pokémon world."
He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "So, I believe that, just like time and matter, there's another difference here. I think Pokémons might be able to leave this dungeon and enter the human world without being stopped by the gate. That's why I believe we should mark this location. This gate may be our only way back if something bad happens."
At that moment, Player 27's eyes widened. "Ah," he said slowly. "That's why there were so many guards near the gate when we arrived. I thought it was strange, but now it makes sense."
Kay nodded and replied, "Exactly. There were many guards back there, in case a Pokémon made it out through the gate to the outside."
Kay finished drawing the map carefully, making sure to mark their exact location near the gate, along with a few key landmarks nearby.
Once he was done, he folded the paper neatly and placed it back inside his backpack. He looked at Player 27 and said, "Before we go deeper into the dungeon, I want to check something."
Without giving too much of an explanation, Kay turned around and began walking back toward the entrance gate, the same large, glowing gate they had all come through just a few minutes ago.
Player 27 looked at him with a puzzled expression but didn't say anything. Kay kept moving forward, feeling more curious with every step. In just a few seconds, he was standing right in front of the gate again.
As Kay stood there, he felt the energy coming from the gate in the air. Kay slowly reached his hands forward, curious to see what would happen if he touched the gate from the inside.
But just before his fingers could make contact with its glowing surface, something unexpected happened.
Two Cubone guards suddenly appeared through the gate from the outside. Their arrival was so fast that Kay was caught off guard.
Without wasting a second, the two guards stepped up and pushed Kay back roughly. One of them shouted with an angry voice, "What do you think you're doing? Step back! Don't even think about touching that gate! We don't know what kind of effect that might have on the dungeon if touched from the inside."
Kay took a few steps back and quickly raised his hands to show he meant no harm. He nodded at the guards politely, pretending to be sorry. But inside, he wasn't worried or angry; in fact, he was smiling.
Just before one of the guards pushed him, Kay had noticed something that changed everything.
In the pocket of the guard's belt, there was a small walkie-talkie, a radio communication device. It was clear and obvious. And that one small detail gave Kay all the confirmation he needed.
Kay had already guessed that the gate between the dungeon and the human world worked both ways.
But now, seeing the radio device, he was sure of it. If radio waves could pass through the gate, then other signals could pass through it as well.
That's why the guards were able to appear so quickly when he reached for the gate. They were either watching him directly or being informed by someone who was.
This led Kay to another conclusion: they were being watched, possibly by hidden cameras, sensors, or some type of psychic surveillance.
It explained the perfect timing of the guards' entrance. Kay understood that he had just discovered a big piece of information, but he also decided to keep this discovery to himself.
There was no need to tell Player 27 about it, at least not for now. The fewer people who knew, the safer he felt.
As Kay walked back toward Player 27, he looked closely at his teammate's face. To his surprise, he noticed something strange; a small grin, quickly hidden when Player 27 realized Kay was watching him. It was only there for a second, but Kay didn't miss it.
He didn't know why Player 27 was smiling. Maybe it had nothing to do with Kay's little trip to the gate.
Or maybe Player 27 knew more than he let on. Either way, Kay didn't ask. He chose to ignore the grin and pretend he hadn't seen it. They had more important things to focus on.
When Kay reached Player 27 again, he gave him a calm nod and said, "Now, let's go." Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking deeper into the strange, glowing forest of the dungeon.
See you in the next chapter...
Drop some Power Stones...