Under the watchful eyes of the Wormadam, Natsuhiko opened the Pokeball and released the Senior Level Wormadam.
The other hung its head low, looking quite dejected.
It seemed to also understand what it meant to be captured by a Pokeball.
"Continue living with your people. I probably won't disturb you in the short term, maybe even never disturb you in the future."
Natsuhiko told the leader of the Wormadam.
"Hmm?"
The Wormadam looked at him in surprise, eyes full of unexpectedness.
"So, can we pass? I'd like to see what's inside."
Natsuhiko pointed at the rock wall behind them.
The Wormadam hesitated before calling out to its companions, and the other Wormadams quickly stepped aside, no longer obstructing.
"Hmm—"
Seeing that Natsuhiko really meant them no harm, the Wormadam leader called out softly to him.
With Yujira translating, Natsuhiko surprisingly understood the Wormadam's words.
"You said there's a very strong Pokémon inside? You closed this place because you're too scared?"
The leader Wormadam nodded.
The surrounding Wormadams also expressed agreement.
Some even showed fearful expressions, saying that when the Pokémon gets angry, it even wants to eat them; it eats everything, quite fierce and overbearing.
Since Natsuhiko hadn't harmed their leader, the Wormadams' hostility decreased significantly.
Upon hearing about the "terrifying" Pokémon, they each expressed their views.
According to them, the Pokémon was two to three meters tall and wide, and when it walked, the whole ground shook, and when it sat, the ground cracked. The most terrifying part was when it ate, it didn't care about anything and just ate.
In Natsuhiko's ears, it sounded very much like the Ultimate Beast, Guzzlord.
This brutal temperament, terrifying appetite, enormous size.
But if it really was Guzzlord, how could it be blocked by a rock wall made by Wormadams?
Never mind Wormadam, even if the Rock Divine Pillar Regirock came, it wouldn't be able to stop it.
So.
Natsuhiko quickly dismissed this unrealistic thought.
Currently, the Ultimate Cave and Ultimate Space haven't appeared yet, so how could there be a Guzzlord?
Moreover.
Didn't Sableye pass through the rock wall via the gaps?
It didn't seem to have entered just once or twice.
And hasn't suffered any attacks.
"Maybe that being already left," Natsuhiko thought to himself, deciding to take a look.
But to be on the safe side.
First let Beedrill create an opening in the rock wall to investigate.
Soon, a circular hole appeared on the loose rock wall.
Through the hole, it was pitch black inside, and nothing could be seen, but neither Natsuhiko nor Beedrill felt any dangerous aura.
"So it's already gone?"
Natsuhiko said to Beedrill, "Create an entrance."
"Sizzle!"
Beedrill nodded, its Double Needles continually pierced out, creating an entrance big enough for a person in the rock wall.
Meanwhile, the Wormadams around them huddled to the other corner, looking very frightened.
Not underestimating their fear, Natsuhiko left a "superpower anchor" point with Yujira and said solemnly, "Be careful, everyone."
Then, under the escort of the Pokémon, he entered.
Inside was a huge cavern, even Yujira's Super Sensing couldn't fully cover it.
Yet the cavern seemed very empty.
How empty?
That not even a stone lay on the ground, as if some creature had gnawed it from end to end.
The most exaggerated was that the floor level inside was at least twenty to thirty centimeters lower than where the Wormadams were, almost forming a step.
Whisper——Whisper——
A gentle breeze blew across his face.
"Wind?"
The wind had a fairly regular interval, almost identical each time.
Like...
"Like snoring?" Natsuhiko's expression was strange.
Because, besides feeling the wind, he faintly heard snoring; not loud, but clear due to the acoustics of the enclosed space.
A Pokémon sleeping here?
Approaching the source of the sound.
Natsuhiko's expression grew stranger.
Soon.
He arrived at the front of the sleeping Pokémon.
A...
How to say.
Slim.... Snorlax!
No matter how you think about it, the Pokémon Snorlax shouldn't be associated with the word "slim."
After all, when people think of Snorlax, the first thing that comes to mind is gluttonous, sleepy, fat!
The word "slim," when describing Snorlax, is somewhat inappropriate.
Yet before Natsuhiko lay one, flat on its back, with rock and soil crumbs around its mouth, a bit yellowish and skinny, except for the difference in size it was almost identical to Snorlax.
Except the originally thick and full skin was deflated, and its belly, supposed to be rounded, showed visible ribs.
"It's really so skinny it's unrecognizable..." Natsuhiko commented with a complex expression.
He also realized the "fierce," "violent," "terrifying," "gluttonous" Pokémon, mentioned by the Wormadams, was actually Snorlax.
No wonder.
Snorlax tends to be quite irritable when it's hungry, maybe it mistook the Wormadams for food with a glance.
Likely the Wormadams feared Snorlax, thus sealing up the area.
As for why Snorlax didn't escape.
It probably ate its way here, then fell asleep.
Upon waking, it found itself surrounded by rock walls, restricting exit.
It tried smashing walls; the pitted marks on the rocky walls evident of this.
Though luck wasn't on its side, it didn't hit the "rock wall" set up by Wormadams.
One could imagine the stomach-starved Snorlax, crazily gnawing at the ground and rocks.
Fortunately for Snorlax's incredibly resilient stomach, able to digest even the most toxic substances with gastric acid, eating rocks posed no issues.
Moreover, these rocks were rich in minerals, offering some energy to Snorlax, and it had a thick fat layer storing ample energy; else it wouldn't survive for so long in isolation by the Wormadams, being so thin and still sleeping peacefully.
Honestly, based on eating alone, Snorlax truly deserves the title "Guzzlord."
True "Guzzlord."
"Togetic," Togetic looked at Snorlax, speaking to Natsuhiko.
'Look at how skinny it is, how about feeding it?'
Natsuhiko's eye twitched.
You don't manage household expenses, do you know how much Snorlax eats in one sitting compared to you?
However, before Natsuhiko could speak, Togetic kindly retrieved its stockpile from somewhere.
The faint aroma of Energy Blocks filled the air.
Boop.
The bubble on Snorlax's nose burst with a crisp sound.
The Snorlax's eyes, like bronze bells filled with bloodshot, slowly opened.
Snorlax, awakened!