Second, since they've just arrived and this is their first real battle in the Dark Continent, completely wiping out the enemy would be a huge morale booster for the team.
Plus, these sandworms are just the lowest-level enemies here.
As they go deeper, the foes will be far more dangerous, and there won't be any chances for easy wins like this.
Finally, this strategy comes from Beyond's unique experience in the Dark Continent.
Many people know the saying "cut the grass and root it out," but it's usually used in human conflicts.
When facing monsters here, there's no room for mercy; you have to eliminate the threat completely.
Beyond's insight comes from a past mission in the Dark Continent when his team encountered jackal-like creatures.
These beasts were vicious, and he still remembers their bloodthirsty red eyes.
After a tough fight, they won, but someone accidentally let two jackals escape.
Most of the team didn't think much of it, focusing instead on the captured bodies.
Beyond didn't say anything at the time but felt uneasy.
Sure enough, after some time and distance, those escaped jackals caught up with them again, thanks to their sharp sense of smell.
This experience reinforced the importance of completely eliminating threats, no half measures.
This time, the jackals that caught up weren't just one or two; they came in a much larger group than before.
It turned out that the two jackals who had escaped earlier had attracted more of their kind.
In the end, the team had no choice but to resort to using weapons of mass destruction to break free, but this came at a heavy price: several soldiers lost their lives.
Luckily, the noise from these powerful weapons didn't draw in too many other creatures, which is why the team rarely uses high-tech weaponry despite having plenty of it.
The loud sounds usually attract unwanted attention.
Simple guns and shells barely harm these creatures; only weapons of mass destruction are effective.
Because of this, the team has a strict rule: such weapons can only be used in critical situations.
Ultimately, many lives were lost.
The jackals were completely wiped out, but then other creatures appeared and attacked.
During the escape, they had to abandon some of the captured spoils as well.
Overall, the losses were significant, and all because they accidentally let two jackals get away.
From that point on, Beyond learned a harsh lesson: when dealing with social creatures,
If the team has enough strength, they must do everything possible to eliminate them completely.
We can't let anyone escape; after all, no one knows if fleeing creatures might draw more attacks from others of the same kind.
A single moment of carelessness could lead to disastrous consequences.
Once the dust settled on the battlefield, Larry gave a slight nod, and suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared behind him.
In an instant, portals of various sizes opened up across the field, all centered around the sandworm corpses.
Everyone held their breath, watching Larry's every move silently, not daring to make a sound.
Regardless of whether the sandworms were split in two, riddled with holes, or cut into pieces, each was carefully placed into these portals and preserved.
Though defeating the sandworms took some time, gathering them all only took a few breaths, an impressive display of efficiency.
"Let's rest for half an hour, then move on," Beyond said, clapping his hands.
He asked everyone to take a break here to recharge their aura before continuing.
By his estimate, thirty minutes would be enough for everyone to replenish their mental strength.
All living things have a sense of territory, and this area clearly belonged to the sandworm group.
Since the original owners had been killed, this spot was the safest place to rest.
Everyone agreed, responding quietly before either standing or sitting cross-legged on the ground.
Although their postures varied, they all shared the goal of restoring their aura.
Meanwhile, in cyberspace, everyone had their roles.
Some were busy processing and breaking down creatures to use as food, while others cooked the ingredients to prepare a tasty meal.
Sami, the main chef, took charge in the kitchen.
Time flew by, and by the time they landed on the Dark Continent, it was already morning.
After a day of progress, night fell.
Since dangers are more likely after dark, rest was essential.
So, everyone retreated into the cyberspace shelter created by Porygon Z to rest safely, planning to set out again at dawn.
With Porygon Z, they had a secure refuge anywhere and anytime, which was crucial for exploring the Dark Continent, where nighttime is especially hazardous.
"The first day passed without any danger," Pariston whispered to a few nearby teammates as he watched the busy group.
Overall, Ging felt pretty satisfied with how the first day went.
"Yeah, even though all we really faced today was that sandworm swarm crisis, it was just the right amount," he said thoughtfully.
"If it had been overwhelming right from the start, I'm pretty sure everyone would've cracked mentally."
He paused and added, "Also, thanks to Larry's space, everyone could actually get a decent rest at night, otherwise, no one would dare relax."
Ging held an oval-shaped fruit in his hand as he spoke, examining it carefully.
Being on the Dark Continent meant constant threats, but since they were all on the same team, even the tone between Pariston and Ging had softened quite a bit.
The fruit Ging was holding was entirely green and covered with short, soft spikes, not really thorns, more like tiny fuzz.
Because it grew in the desert, it was clearly some kind of cactus fruit.
Unlike the cacti found on the six continents, this one was different in appearance, and when broken open, it was packed with water, almost like a green water bag.
This unique cactus caught Ging's interest, and it was easy to guess that it must be an important water source for desert creatures.
Their conversation didn't go on for long, though.
With help from the other team members, Sammy quickly prepared dinner using the sandworm meat they'd harvested earlier and some edible fish caught at sea.
Since they had plenty of sandworm meat, there was no worry about running out of food.
Larry eyed the delicious dishes set before him and silently switched his fusion partner from Shedinja to Snorlax.
The hazard detectors had confirmed the food was completely safe, and being inside his secure cyberspace with powerful Pokemon like Kyogre and Marshadow nearby made him feel even more at ease.
So, he fused with Snorlax to enjoy the meal to the fullest.
Casually, Larry picked up a piece of sandworm meat, dipped it into the sauce Sammy had made with the fish, and gently popped it into his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, the thick, tender meat melted away like ice cubes meeting flames.
The rich, earthy flavor of the desert blended perfectly with the intense sweetness of the ocean, creating a complex explosion of tastes on Larry's tongue.