The next day.
Morning.
Aoki led his Pokémon out of the dimensional space.
"No." With just a quick glance, Aoki noticed the difference.
He had clearly covered the bonfire the previous night, but now a small hole had appeared where the fire had been. Judging from the size, it was likely made by a human finger.
Several unconcealed footprints were scattered across the ground.
"Do you think I've already left, so you don't bother hiding your tracks?" Aoki's eyes narrowed, glinting dangerously.
He crouched down, carefully examining the size and depth of the two sets of prints.
"Interesting. Two people—a man and a woman. Did they meet by chance, or do they have a way to regroup quickly?" Aoki mused.
It wasn't impossible.
Neither he nor Drake were familiar with this space.
If the enemy had been able to ambush Wattson before he entered the dimension—and had attacked so decisively—they might know more about this place than he did.
Aoki stood slowly.
"They couldn't have gone far in one night. We might still catch up."
After determining the direction the two had taken, Aoki quickly finished breakfast with his Pokémon and set off in pursuit.
Encountering allies—or enemies—would help him understand this space better.
---
Not long after Aoki began his pursuit…
The ground trembled violently.
It wasn't just a localized quake—the entire dimension seemed to shake.
Then, something astonishing happened.
A colossal tree of unknown origin erupted from the horizon, its height increasing relentlessly, showing no signs of stopping.
Aoki stared at the ever-growing tree.
This primeval forest was already vast beyond measure. When he had flown up earlier to survey the land, he had seen no end to the towering ancient trees.
But this new tree dwarfed them all.
From Aoki's position, the distance was immense—like standing in Verdanturf Town and gazing at the distant smokestacks of Mount Chimney.
"What kind of tree is this? It's already over three thousand meters tall… and it's still growing." Aoki muttered.
Tree of Life?
The tree's emergence was a signal—an undeniable beacon.
Whatever secrets this dimension held, everyone inside would now be drawn toward it.
But Aoki couldn't rush blindly.
From what he knew of Steven and Phoebe, they were cautious. They wouldn't charge straight for the tree—they'd approach carefully.
If he acted recklessly, he might walk into an ambush.
For now, he ignored the tree. Its growth had slowed, but it showed no sign of stopping.
Aoki refocused on tracking the two intruders.
Hopefully, they hadn't strayed too far.
---
Elsewhere in the dimension…
An old man with a white beard stood atop a thick branch, chewing dried meat and sipping from a flask of liquor. His sharp eyes were fixed on the distant tree.
Beside him, a light-blue Pokémon hovered, its blood-red wings flapping gently.
It was Drake, who had been separated from Aoki upon entering the dimension.
He swallowed the last of his meat, took a deep swig of liquor, and wiped his beard.
"That tree must be the heart of this place. I don't know if Steven or Aoki will head for it, but I can't let the enemy get there first. Even if there's no secret, staying near it is better than wandering aimlessly."
Drake had a plan.
He corked his flask. "No telling how long we'll be stuck here. Better save the booze."
With that, he leaped onto his Salamence's back.
Fearless as ever, he soared toward the tree.
Wild Pokémon here were strong, but few posed a threat to him.
Among wild Pokémon, those reaching Champion level was rare. Wild Pokémon above Champion Level? Most Trainers would never see one in their lifetime.
---
Unlike Drake and the others, Aoki was an exception.
He was still tracking the two intruders when their trail abruptly vanished.
As if they'd stepped into another dimension.
Or…
Above.
Aoki's head snapped up.
There—a Pidgeot circled overhead, a cold-eyed woman standing on its back, glaring down at him.
Only one?
Aoki frowned.
That didn't make sense.
Where was the other? Hiding?
Or had they already gone toward the central tree?
Under these circumstances, sticking together would be safer.
But for now, Aoki focused on the woman.
Her red uniform and the "Ω" emblem marked her clearly.
Team Magma.
Aoki's gaze locked onto her.
His suspicions were confirmed—someone had framed Team Aqua.
And who knew Team Aqua better than their fiery rivals?
Fire and water never mixed.
The woman descended, her Pidgeot landing gracefully.
"Team Magma? Where's your partner?" Aoki asked coolly.
She smirked. "Oh? So you were following us. Little League boy, didn't anyone tell you it's dangerous to stalk a woman?"
Had he been baited?
Aoki's frown deepened.
If the missing person had gone toward the tree, fine. But if they were hiding—and he hadn't noticed—that was trouble.
"I have questions. That's why I followed." Aoki replied evenly.
The woman laughed. "Oh? Ask away. Maybe I'll answer."