As Kay and Player 27 moved away from the gate and deeper into the dungeon, Kay kept many thoughts to himself.
He had given Player 27 only a simple explanation about why he was drawing the map and why returning to the gate might be important. But in truth, Kay had figured out much more than he was willing to say.
One additional thing he didn't mention was that he was now sure the area near the gate had some kind of hidden protection.
There had to be something, either a psychic barrier, a repellent field, or a special device keeping wild Pokémons away from that area.
It made sense.
If the dungeon was unstable and there was a risk that wild Pokémons could pass into the human world, the people managing this place would do everything they could to keep the area around the gate safe and clear.
That's why Kay believed that if things went badly inside the dungeon and he was prevented from crossing the gate, he could try hiding near the gate.
It might be the safest place if the guards didn't allow him to pass through it. Still, he chose not to tell Player 27 about that part.
Some things were better kept to himself. In a place where everyone could become an enemy tomorrow, even your teammate doesn't need to know everything.
As they continued walking through the thick forest, Kay kept adding details to his map. He marked every strange-looking tree, every glowing flower, and every unusual sound he heard.
The forest was full of Psychic-type energy. It filled the air like a heavy fog. The trees were tall and twisted, their bark glowing faintly pink or violet.
Strange vines moved slowly on their own, and the plants gave off a soft humming noise. Some areas were darker, and the ground looked slightly purple, as if the energy was stronger there. Kay stayed alert, making sure not to miss any detail.
After some time walking in silence, Kay raised his hand to stop. Player 27, who was walking just behind him, paused as well and looked toward Kay.
Kay said, "I think we should have a plan; we can't just keep walking around without a clear goal."
Player 27 nodded, then asked, "What do you propose?"
Kay looked around carefully before answering, "The first and most important thing is to find a water source. We only have enough for today. After that, we'll be in trouble. While we search for water, we should also try to figure out where the strong Pokémon herds are in this dungeon."
Player 27 seemed to agree. "Yeah, I thought the same thing. Water is important. But why the Pokémon herds?"
Kay explained, "In a place like this, Pokémons will group together, especially around food or water sources. The bigger the herd, the more likely it's led by a very strong Pokémon. If we wander into one of those areas without knowing, we could get attacked and won't even stand a chance."
Player 27 looked thoughtful for a second, then asked, "Is that something new to this dungeon? In normal dungeons, we don't really see large Pokémon groups like that."
Kay nodded. "You're right. In most dungeons, the gate breaks after a short time, and the Pokémons rush out to the human world. So, the dungeons don't hold many Pokémons for long. But this dungeon… It's different. I'm sure a long time has passed, and yet the gate hasn't broken. The Pokémons have been living here for a long time, building groups, territories, and maybe even ecosystems. That's why I think Pokémon's habits in this dungeon would be different."
Player 27 nodded again. "Yeah… that makes sense. Logic."
Kay and Player 27 continued their journey through the mysterious dungeon, moving carefully while following Kay's plan.
Their goal was simple; find a source of clean water and mark the locations of powerful Pokémon herds.
The two trainers moved slowly and quietly, always keeping an eye on their surroundings.
As time passed, they explored more of the strange forest. It had been three hours since they started this part of their mission, but they still hadn't found a water source.
Even though they had no luck with water, their other goal was going well. They had already spotted two large herds of wild Pokémons.
The first one they discovered was a massive group of Tauros. The herd was so large that Kay and Player 27 didn't even need to get close.
They could see the rising dust storm from a distance, caused by the constant movement of the strong and fast Tauros.
Kay immediately knew that the leader of such a large herd had to be an incredibly powerful Pokémon.
Controlling a group that size wasn't something any normal Tauros could do. It meant the leader was tough, experienced, and very strong.
The second herd they spotted was made up of Exeggutor, the tall, tree-like Psychic and Grass-type Pokémon.
This group was smaller than the Tauros herd but still large enough to be dangerous. Kay marked their locations carefully on the map, keeping note of the Pokémons and how far they were from the entrance.
Another hour passed, and still no sign of water. That's when Player 27 finally stopped walking. He looked at Kay and said, "I think we shouldn't keep searching for water like this. I have another way."
Kay stopped as well and turned to face him. "What's your method?" he asked with curiosity.
Player 27 looked around and explained, "We should climb trees and look for Flying-type Pokémons circling around an open area. If you see birds flying around one specific spot in the forest, there's a good chance that place is a lake or pond."
Kay blinked and nodded slowly, clearly impressed. "Yeah... that actually sounds like it could work. But why didn't you say anything earlier?"
Player 27 scratched the back of his head and said, "I thought we could find water on the ground and didn't want to waste time climbing trees. But now it looks like we wasted even more time just walking around."
Kay smiled and offered a new plan. "Alright, how about this; we split up just a little. You climb a tree in one direction, and I'll go the other way. That way, we can cover more area and have a better chance of spotting something useful."
Player 27 agreed with a nod, then walked toward a tall tree on the right side of the path, with his Cubone following close behind.
Kay turned to a different tree, picking one that was especially thick and wide, perfect for climbing. His two loyal Pokémons, Growlithe and Eevee, followed him as always.
Before starting, Kay gave them instructions. "Growlithe, I want you to go up first and scout the tree. Use your nose to check for anything unusual or dangerous. I'll follow right behind you. Eevee, you stay behind and watch our backs while we climb."
The tree was massive. Its trunk was wide enough that tens of people could stand side by side and still not cover it completely.
Kay estimated that climbing it would take more than an hour. It was a big risk, but he decided it was worth it.
He believed the area was safe for now. After all, they had been walking here for more than an hour and hadn't seen any groups of Pokémons.
In Kay's experience, strong Pokémons always attracted others, forming herds or claiming territory. Since that wasn't happening here, it likely meant no powerful Pokémon were nearby.
With that thought in mind, Kay took a deep breath and started climbing behind Growlithe, hoping that this plan would finally lead them to the water they needed so badly.
See you in the next chapter...
Don't forget to drop some Power Stones...