Chapter 837 - Desert Space

Finally arriving at the other side of the lava, Aoki reached the entrance of the cave.

The cave was slightly smaller than he had expected—just large enough for the Quilava to pass through, but making it troublesome for Aoki himself to enter.

Just as he reached out to explore the cave's interior, five glowing letters flashed across his outstretched right hand. A line of text appeared in his mind:

"Is there a strange space here?"

Aoki muttered the words to himself.

This meant the place the Quilava had entered wasn't truly a cave as it appeared, but rather a pocket dimension—an isolated space similar to the one under Lake Valor. A place typically inaccessible under normal circumstances.

Testing the barrier again, Aoki pressed his right hand forward. As the symbols on his wrist glowed, his hand passed through effortlessly. But when he tried with his left, without channeling any energy, it met solid rock.

"Strange spaces like this aren't uncommon in the Pokémon world," he mused. "Seems like you can stumble upon one anywhere."

Without hesitation, Aoki decided to venture inside. If it was a small area, he could scout it quickly and leave. If larger, there might be discoveries to be made—perhaps even valuable resources.

At the very least, catching a few Quilava would make the trip worthwhile.

As for how the Quilava had passed through the barrier, Aoki wasn't sure. Perhaps, as a native of this space, it could come and go freely.

The "cave" he had seen earlier was clearly an illusion—its shallow depth visible at a glance.

Earlier, he had captured a Magmortar, an expert in Pokémon egg breeding with its flame body ability. If Aoki wanted to raise high-quality royal starter Pokémon, this Fire-type could prove useful.

While Typhlosion wasn't the most remarkable among the royal starter Pokémon, and those from lesser regions lacked standout traits, it was still a royal starter. Not to be underestimated.

Guided by the Unown's power, Aoki stepped through the barrier—feeling only a slight resistance, like passing through a thin film.

When he opened his eyes, an endless desert stretched before him, dotted with rocky outcrops. No greenery in sight.

The entire space was a barren wasteland.

Either it had always been this desolate, or it had degraded over time due to isolation from the outside world. Aoki leaned toward the latter.

No Pokémon would create a space solely as a desert. Even desert-dwelling species needed water.

"Water must be scarce here," Aoki noted.

Marking the entry point with Slowking's psychic coordinates, he ventured deeper.

From this vantage, the space seemed boundless—no visible edges. Without the Unown's aid, returning might be impossible.

Ahead lay only dunes and scattered rock formations.

Aoki wasn't keen on mapping the entire area. Catching a few Quilava would suffice.

Tracks in the sand confirmed the Quilava's path—but alongside them, other prints gave him pause.

Human footprints.

Faint, but unmistakable. Multiple sets, suggesting a group had passed through recently.

In a place like this?

With no wind or sun, the prints remained preserved, though the Quilava's movements had eroded some. Still, the print of shoes was recognizable.

This changed things.

A desolate pocket dimension was one thing—but evidence of human activity? That hinted at something more.

"System, scan these prints. Record and analyze."

"Analysis complete. Based on preserved impressions, over ten individuals passed through."

Aoki's eyes narrowed.

A group that large, capable of accessing such a space, could only mean one thing: Team Magma.

Their base wasn't far from Mt. Chimney. The League might not know, but Aoki did. He'd avoided confronting them—until now.

Yet they couldn't resist making their presence known.

"Could this place be tied to Groudon?"

If Team Magma's leader, Maxie, had mobilized a team here, it wasn't for nothing. Unlike the grunt Aoki had encountered before, Maxie wasn't a fool.

The thought intrigued him.

In the past, Aoki lacked the strength to meddle. Now, with a stronger team, caution gave way to curiosity. Team Magma didn't instill the same dread as Team Rocket.

Maxie was powerful, but not invincible. Not like Giovanni, who'd faced Mewtwo head-on.

Giovanni's strength was legendary. Maxie? At best, Elite Four level.

And the current Team Magma was still building power—operating in shadows.

"Interesting. But first, let's find that Quilava nest."