"The shock just now couldn't have been caused by the opponent's strength alone," Aoki said.
Steven's expression was serious as he nodded. "There's no way she could have produced that kind of force. Otherwise, the League wouldn't have sent the two of us here."
"Then that means there's probably something else in these ruins," Aoki replied, his expression equally grave.
After recalling the cryptic words they had seen earlier, a disturbing possibility crossed his mind.
This ruin might not be an ancient settlement at all—it could be a... breeding chamber!
Earlier, Aoki had felt a strange familiarity with the markings on the walls. Now, he realized why. The documents given to him by Team Rocket contained records of an ancient method known as "raising Gu," extracted from similar ruins. The deciphered text matched the inscriptions here almost perfectly.
This would also explain why the ruins were buried so much deeper than others, accessible only through a single opening resembling a door or window. The walls themselves had no other visible exits.
Though the structure was sturdy, it wasn't airtight. Despite the passage of time, the air inside remained fresh, even cooler than outside.
Which meant... whatever had caused the tremor might not be a recent intruder. It could be something far older—a Pokémon that had survived through the ages, raised under the brutal "Gu" method.
Aoki's face darkened at the thought.
He didn't voice his suspicions to Steven, but he hesitated. Was it worth descending further, just to capture a League traitor?
Before he could decide, Steven made the choice for him.
"Let's go, Aoki. We've come this far—might as well see what's down there," Steven said, his tone resolute.
Hearing that, Aoki's doubts wavered.
Steven was right. Whatever lurked below, it hadn't emerged from the ruins yet. That suggested it was either bound to this place or lacked the power to escape. Otherwise, the structure would have collapsed long ago.
And if the traitor was slowly gaining control over such a creature, leaving now would only allow a dangerous enemy to grow stronger.
Torches in hand, the two selected the widest corridor and began their descent.
The spiral staircase stretched endlessly into the darkness, its bottom invisible from above.
The ruins were eerily silent—no rustling of Zubat wings, no distant echoes of wild Pokémon. Only the sound of their own footsteps and the occasional faint noise from deeper within.
The air was breathable, but the deeper they went, the heavier the atmosphere became.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the bottom.
Judging by the descent, they were now over five kilometers underground. The temperature had risen noticeably, the heat pressing against them like a living thing.
As their feet touched solid ground again, both Aoki and Steven tensed.
Without a word, they recalled their Pokémon—this was no place for training anymore.
Aoki released two new Poké Balls, summoning Slowking and Drapion.
Steven did the same, calling forth his Aggron and Metagross.
The moment Drapion materialized, its usual fearless demeanor faltered. Its claws twitched, its posture stiff—something was unsettling it.
Aoki had never seen Drapion react this way, not even in the presence of the Legendary Titans.
"What's wrong?" Aoki immediately linked his thoughts with Drapion through Telepathy.
The response was a flood of dread—an instinctive, blood-deep fear of something lurking in the depths.
Aoki understood. Whatever was down here, it carried an aura that unnerved even a predator like Drapion.
After a moment of reassurance, Drapion steadied itself, though its unease remained.
Slowking, however, showed no reaction—its expression as placid as ever.
Aoki then turned his attention to Steven's Pokémon.
Metagross, which had been at level 49 during their last encounter, had now surged to level 53—a full-fledged pseudo-legendary, its power unmistakable. With Steven's tactical brilliance backing it, this Metagross could rival even Elite-level opponents.
But the real surprise was Aggron.
Pokémon: Aggron (Light Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 49
Type: Steel/Rock
Ability: Sturdy
Held Item: Hard Stone
Egg Moves: Heavy Slam, Metal Burst, Stealth Rock, Dragon Rush
Basic Moves: Tackle, Harden, Mud-Slap, Iron Head, Rock Tomb, Metal Claw, Iron Defense, Iron Tail,
Rock Slide, Metal Sound
Learnt Moves: Earthquake, Thunder Wave, Bulldoze, Stone Edge
TM Moves: Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Dragon Claw
Aggron had evolved, its potential fully unlocked. Now at the peak of Elite-tier strength, it had been meticulously trained—taught Dragon Claw for coverage, along with Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, and Flamethrower to handle type disadvantages.
Aoki had a Mega Stone for Aggron in his possession, but he couldn't reveal it yet. Mega Evolution wasn't public knowledge, and if it leaked, the major factions and the League would scour the world for every remaining stone.
For now, this secret had to stay hidden.