Chapter 377 · Paradox Pokémon: Great Tusk

After stocking up on supplies in Lavaridge Town, Gary and Zinnia resumed their journey, planning to return to Verdanturf Town, travel through the Rusturf Tunnel to reach Rustboro City, and finally head to Petalburg City.

Although the route looked long on the map, it was actually the shorter option. There was another way: heading north through Fallarbor Town, then passing through Meteor Falls, and continuing to Rustboro before reaching Petalburg.

Gary explained both routes to Zinnia. She decisively chose the first one—since she hadn't yet completed her trial, it would be too embarrassing to return to Meteor Falls now.

Five Days Later

Gary and Zinnia were riding mountain bikes across the desert, which was the only route back to Verdanturf Town.

In the games, this desert is home to Hoenn's Fossil Pokémon and even the legendary Regirock inside the Desert Ruins.

But this was reality. There were no Desert Ruins here. Fossils probably existed underground, but Gary had little interest in Fossil Pokémon.

Of all the Fossil Pokémon, Gary only liked Aerodactyl, and he had already caught one—there was no need to collect others.

As noon approached, Gary and Zinnia found shelter near a rocky outcrop and began preparing lunch for their Pokémon.

After spending so much time traveling with Gary, Zinnia had also learned to prepare Pokémon food and was busy distributing the feed when a Trapinch suddenly emerged from the sand nearby.

"It's Trapinch!"

Zinnia's eyes lit up. Back in Meteor Village, some villagers raised Trapinch, and she knew this ant-like Pokémon would one day evolve into the powerful Dragon-type Flygon.

Gary also looked over and scanned the Pokémon.

[Lv. 20 Trapinch ♂ / Quasi-Gym Potential]

This Trapinch had only modest potential—not the kind worth raising for competitive battles.

"This Trapinch doesn't have much potential. I'd suggest you don't catch it," Gary advised calmly.

"Really? Then maybe there are other Trapinch around here," Zinnia said optimistically.

"Trapinch naturally live in dry deserts. There should be plenty around. But wild Trapinch aren't exactly friendly Pokémon," Gary warned.

"How could that be? Trapinch is so cute," Zinnia said, looking at the little Pokémon affectionately.

Gary gave her a serious look. "Trapinch is a carnivore. The ones raised in your village are tamed, but in the wild, they lurk beneath the sand, creating quicksand traps. Any creature caught will struggle to escape—and eventually, the Trapinch will devour it."

"You're kidding!" Zinnia gasped, horrified.

Gary shook his head. "It's true. And it's not just Trapinch. Its evolutions, Vibrava and Flygon, are dangerous too. Flygon sings a haunting melody to lure travelers into the desert, where they become trapped—and then it shares the prey with wild Krookodile."

Zinnia looked like she'd been struck by a Bolt Strike. In her mind, all Dragon-type Pokémon were noble and kind. She never imagined that Flygon, the Desert Spirit, was so cruel in the wild.

Still skeptical, Zinnia watched as Gary picked up a nearby stone and tossed it toward the sand where Trapinch was lurking. The stone vanished instantly into the quicksand. Trapinch sprang up and crunched the rock, pulverizing it in its jaws.

Zinnia: (??_?)...!

"If you still don't believe me, you can go closer—if you're not afraid of losing a chunk of your leg," Gary said dryly.

"No, no! I believe you!" Zinnia shook her head vigorously and backed away.

She had wanted to catch Trapinch at first, but now that she understood its habits, she suddenly found it frightening.

"Donggu~!"

Suddenly, a deep, thunderous roar echoed from somewhere nearby.

Both Gary and Zinnia froze, startled by the unexpected sound. All the Trapinch in the area immediately burrowed deep into the sand, disappearing from sight.

"That roar... was that a Pokémon?" Zinnia asked nervously. "Could it be a Krookodile?"

Gary frowned. "I'm not sure... but I don't think it was Krookodile."

There were other creatures in the desert, but the sound they just heard didn't match any typical desert Pokémon. It was deep, powerful—clearly the roar of a large creature. It almost sounded like a Mamoswine, but this was a desert—there was no way it could be one.

"Should we go check it out?" Zinnia asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Gary sighed. "Fine. Eevee, go with her. I'll stay here and finish preparing lunch."

"Vee-ee!" Eevee trotted over to Zinnia's side.

"Then I'll go now." Zinnia smiled.

She knew firsthand how strong Gary's Eevee was. She used to think it was weak, but after undergoing Gary's training regimen, Eevee had become so powerful that none of her Pokémon combined could beat it.

"Be careful. Don't take too long," Gary warned. With Eevee by her side, no Pokémon in this desert could hurt her.

Over 20 minutes passed.

Gary finished preparing lunch and released all his Pokémon to eat.

"Strange... why aren't they back yet?" Gary muttered, glancing toward the direction where Zinnia had gone.

The roar had come from somewhere nearby, so they shouldn't have been gone this long.

BOOM!!

Suddenly, an explosion echoed from the distance, followed by a rising column of black smoke.

"Something's happened!"

Gary instantly knew something was wrong.

"Latios, let's go!" Gary called to the Latios resting nearby.

"Woo!"

Latios abandoned its meal and soared into the sky, carrying Gary toward the black smoke.

In less than a minute, they arrived—and what Gary saw left him stunned.

In front of him stood Eevee, facing down a gigantic Pokémon.

It was a four-legged beast, over two meters tall and more than three meters long. Compared to Eevee, it was a towering titan.

[Lv. 45 Great Tusk / Champion-level]

"What the—?! A Paradox Pokémon?!"

Gary was shocked when he saw the name.

A Paradox Pokémon—here? In Hoenn?!

These Pokémon were supposed to only exist in the Paldea Region, far from Hoenn.

How could a Paradox Pokémon like Great Tusk be roaming the Hoenn desert?!