The third day after entering the Alternate Space.
Natsuhiko confirmed that they were indeed deep underground in the Alternate Space, about several thousand meters into the Underworld.
If not for the Excadrill Pokémon being particularly adept at digging holes, and among them, the persistent ones drilling straight up, they finally broke through the underground and saw the outside world.
However, since the Excadrill could reach the surface, leaving wouldn't be too difficult.
There were no disturbances in the underground tunnels, and although the resources weren't as plentiful as above ground, they lacked significant threats.
If Natsuhiko were a complacent person, he might choose to "wait it out" here for fourteen days and then leave when the trial ended.
But Natsuhiko was destined to be someone who couldn't stay complacent.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, but the conditions wouldn't allow it.
In the space with Regigigas, they had obtained a large amount of resources to sustain their consumption for a period.
However, no matter how many resources, there would be a day when they ran out.
As someone with no background, no inherent advantage, climbing up bit by bit from the bottom, every bit of his resources and opportunities had to be fought for through his own effort.
Finally entering an unexplored Alternate Space, it must not be wasted.
So, on the third day, Natsuhiko ordered Salazzle to lead the Salandit to start scavenging the materials inside the tunnel that they had marked, while he took the Pokémon to the area feared by both Salazzle and Excadrill.
A world filled with magma!
Just stepping into this place, he was immediately hit by a wave of heat.
Magma!
Having seen the volcano magma where Regigigas created the Regi Trio, coming here felt entirely different.
The volcano magma back then was confined by Regigigas' Pulsating Furnace, and though hot, it wasn't as hot as what he was seeing now.
Boiling, bubbling magma, constantly bursting magma bubbles with wisps of scalding steam rising.
The surrounding rock walls were all crimson; rocks that could endure such intense heat must be exceptionally sturdy.
Slugma and Magcargo crawled along these rock walls.
This place was their paradise.
The magma was abundant in mineral food, and living here, they didn't need to worry about predators, so the Magcargo group thrived massively.
Fortunately, the Magcargos were relatively gentle in nature and didn't show any hostility toward the sudden arrival of Natsuhiko, merely scanning over him occasionally.
Otherwise, another fierce battle might have been inevitable.
Over the bubbling magma laid small paths of exposed crimson rock, leading to yet another dark cave at the end.
Evidently, the Pokémon active beyond that cave were the ones the Salazzle feared.
Natsuhiko unleashed his psychic powers to that utmost limit to block out the intense heat, barely managing to catch a breath.
He calmed his mind.
After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Let's go."
Having come this far, it wouldn't sit right not to take a look.
If the Pokémon's power proved exceptionally dreadful, they would retreat without hesitation.
Yujira immediately used Instant Movement, precisely transporting them to the other side of the magma and onto the platform outside the cave.
Upon closer inspection, the cave wasn't completely dark; faint red glows filled it, allowing them to barely see some of the interior.
Natsuhiko took a deep breath, "Everyone, be cautious."
Once the Pokémon heightened their vigilance to the maximum, he stepped into the cave under the watchful eyes of Magcargo and Slugma.
Leaving the magma, the intense heat showed no sign of dispersing.
Inside the cave, the walls and ground occasionally had streams of fiery magma flowing out, with temperatures even higher than outside.
With psychic power enveloping his entire body, he moved without making a sound.
Yujira's eyes glowed with a continuous blue light.
It was attempting to use the "Future Sight" technique to sense something.
The cave wasn't long; before long, his vision expanded once more.
The innermost cave was much smaller than the outside one inhabited by Magcargo, yet unlike outside, here magma gushed down the walls like waterfalls—though they were magma waterfalls.
The fiery glow illuminated the entire cavern.
Magma Cave!
That's the name Natsuhiko gave to this place.
Because everywhere, from ground to walls, magma flowed; even the layers within the magma were golden-yellow in color!
This indicated that the magma temperature here was far higher than outside.
There was only one platform to stand on, stretching from the cave entrance to the center of the magma.
"Sss-Hiss."
Beedrill's crimson eyes flickered, its Long Needle pointed to the platform at the magma's center.
There lay a stone tablet upon which sat a stone, entirely red but interspersed with golden streaks, seemingly absorbing something from the surrounding magma.
However, what Beedrill pointed to was not that stone.
It was a radiant, shiny seven-colored stone embedded within the crevice of that stone tablet, with peculiar energy flowing within.
"Super Evolution Stone!" Natsuhiko's eyes instantly lit up.
Being one of the few in this world that enjoyed the benefits brought by Mega Evolution, he clearly understood the stone's value.
Unexpectedly, there was a Super Evolution Stone here.
Besides the Beedrill's Super Evolution Stone currently in his possession, there was one more whose corresponding Pokémon he hadn't yet identified—this was the third one he'd seen!
Moreover, apart from the Super Evolution Stone, the two palm-sized pieces on the stone tablet also captured part of his attention.
He didn't act rashly but instead surveyed his surroundings, then slowly furrowed his brows.
They'd been here for some time but hadn't seen the fearsome Pokémon the Salazzles mentioned, not even a shadow of any Pokémon.
Natsuhiko didn't believe the Salazzles were mistaken, or that the Pokémon originally residing there vanished or even aged and died.
Otherwise, why wouldn't the Slugma and Magcargo from outside come in?
Logically, they should prefer the magma here more.
He stood silently for a while.
Still, no shadow of a Pokémon in sight, Natsuhiko hesitated, "Could it have actually died of old age? Just recently? Or perhaps left for something?"
As far-fetched as it seemed, it wasn't altogether impossible.
In his indecision.
"Yongji!"
Suddenly, Yujira uttered a low cry, raising its Spoon to unleash its psychic powers, blocking in front of Natsuhiko.
Out of the boiling magma pool shot a glob of searing magma targeting Natsuhiko at the cave entrance.
Whizz—
Yujira's Instant Movement successfully aided them in dodging the attack.
The "Future Sight" technique allowed it to sense impending danger and react in time.
During their escape, Natsuhiko finally saw the Pokémon hidden within the magma or resting in it.
"So it was this Pokémon, rare indeed..."
Returning to the outer cave inhabited by the Magcargo, Natsuhiko contemplated the image of that Pokémon in his mind, speaking with a hint of admiration.
Now, the impending dilemma was how to obtain the Super Evolution Stone and the fiery-red special stone on the tablet under the surveillance of that Pokémon.
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The fifth update!