Paldea Region, East Province (Area Three).
This was a vast mountain-mining zone, and also Paldea's largest and most important ore region. It completely separated Levincia to the east from Zapapico to the west.
All kinds of man-made equipment could be seen throughout the area. There were many mine shafts, though plenty of them ended in dead ends as well. This region was mainly developed by Zapapico, the "Town of Mining." One major feature of this town in the games is that you can exchange Bronzor Fragments and Sinistea Chips for the Auspicious Armor and the Malicious Armor.
Aside from that, the town is almost entirely unrelated to the game's main story route.
A large river flowed along the mining range and emptied into the sea near Levincia in the east.
Levincia, meanwhile, was a city of high technology and commercial exchange. It sat on the coastal edge of East Province (Area Two), right next to East Province (Area Three). It was Paldea's second-largest metropolis and also had Paldea's biggest shipyard. One could say its status in Paldea was like Driftveil City's in Unova—a gateway city for the region.
Its multicolored lights shone day and night, earning it the name "the Million Volt Skyline."
Because of that, even deep in the mines of East Province (Area Three), you could still see Levincia's dazzling lights stabbing up into the sky.
Of course, something important was hidden within the mining range of East Province (Area Three)—the third Herba Mystica.
"Herba Mystica, Salty."
"One of the seasonings described as 'fantastical.' Its mellow salty flavor is said to have astonishing effects in promoting good health."
"Miners working in the collapse-prone mountains of East Province (Area Three) have reported that something enormous seems to be moving beneath the ground. Everyone suspects it's the rumored Titan Pokémon."
The Titan Pokémon of East Province (Area Three) was, in fact, a gigantified Orthworm—a Pokémon that looked quite ridiculous, and whose behavior was just as abstract.
"We came here to find some high-quality minerals, and to obtain the third seasoning."
"But you suddenly attacked us… Were you attracted by the rare soil on Torterra's back?"
"I know. A Pokémon like you—Orthworm—lives in dry, sandy ground. You feed on iron in the soil to maintain your metal body."
"Look at this. It's a Steel Gem from Unova—a precious mineral Paldea doesn't have. Doesn't it tempt you at all?"
"How about trading the Herba Mystica to me? If you do, I might even throw in some delicious soil as a bonus."
Hikaru held up a glittering Steel Gem and tried to lure the suddenly-appearing Lurking Steel Titan with gourmet temptation.
This guy was different from the first two Titans.
Bombirdier had fallen in love with french fries, and Klawf had turned into a crab-claw-boiling "shrimp bro."
But Orthworm… the thing it liked was "mineral-rich soil," and that left Hikaru with a headache.
Sure, Paldea was a paradise of cuisine, and plenty of Titan Pokémon could basically be served as a dish by themselves.
But a pure Steel-type that liked to eat dirt—
"Chakadong!"
Charcadet swung its little hammer, smeared with Arboliva's oil. Flames whooshed and burned like a torch, lighting up the mine's battlefield.
The Lurking Steel Titan swung its six abstract little fists. Its eyes brimmed with greed, yet it still refused to yield.
"Mi-mi~!"
Even in adversity, it stayed stubborn as iron.
Dirt, I'll eat. Gems, I'll eat. The seasoning is mine too!
With a thunderous rumble, the Lurking Steel Titan drilled into the ground. It could tell the Pokémon around it were strong—so what? As long as it was still in this mining range, this was its home turf.
"Awu!"
Riolu whipped its arms, gathered tremendous power into its fist, and then slammed a punch into the ground.
Earthquake!
Against an opponent using Dig, Earthquake's damage would be doubled! And the target was a Steel-type Pokémon—this would shake it right back out!
Rumble—!
The shockwaves spread outward. Charcadet swayed, nearly losing its footing. Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground… but the expected explosion never happened.
"Wu?"
Riolu blinked, staring at the ground in confusion. At that moment, Torterra poked Riolu with vines formed from Grass Knot.
Because of the Lurking Steel Titan's ambush, Kamekame had popped out of its Poké Ball and decided to personally take part in the challenge.
Torterra raised both feet and stomped down hard!
An Earthquake even stronger than Riolu's!
Same-type attack bonus, boosted by 1.5 times!
This shockwave traveled farther. Countless wild Pokémon fled in panic. The entire mining region trembled as if it were about to collapse. But after the quake's force sank deep underground and gradually dissipated… the Lurking Steel Titan still didn't appear.
"Ya-tu?"
Now Torterra was confused too. Kamekame and the blue-furred puppy stared at each other, unable to understand why their signature finisher had suddenly become useless.
But Riolu could sense it with Aura! That thing was still nearby, underground!
"Hm. Two Earthquakes didn't force the Lurking Steel Titan out… Looks like its Ability is Earth Eater."
"When it's hit by a Ground-type move, it doesn't take damage—it heals instead."
That unique Ability was exactly why the Lurking Steel Titan could act so brazenly!
Earth Eater—how noble!
Otherwise, as a pure Steel-type with a base stat total of 480—an inferior Pokémon that was doubly weak to Ground—what right did it have to swagger around here?
Thanks to Earth Eater, it had up to ten resistances, two immunities, and only two weaknesses—Fire and Fighting!
On top of that, it had the annoying evasive move Dig, and its ecological habit was literally "eating while buried in the ground." That meant the mine's underground was riddled with tunnels it had dug—its ecology was probably similar to an Onix in other regions.
"This greedy guy wants to launch sneak attacks from underground."
"Speaking of underground and earthworms… dried earthworm is also a pretty peculiar food, and an extremely useful medicinal ingredient."
"Riolu, Iron Valiant! Use Aura to lock onto its position, then—"
"Have you ever played whack-a-mole? The mole scurries around underground and suddenly pops out somewhere, so humans made a game: watch where it appears, then smack its head with a small hammer."
"So where will it pop out next? Actually, we already have the answer!"
"Use Aura Sphere on the tunnels!"
Aura could track an enemy's movements—experienced Aura practitioners could even lock onto a machine's owner. For someone who trained Aura year-round, catching a Pokémon's position and movement wasn't difficult.
And Aura Sphere was precisely the move that used Aura to become unavoidable!
Riolu and Iron Valiant stood at the tunnel entrance where the Lurking Steel Titan had vanished. They formed two massive Aura Spheres at the same time and fired them straight into the tunnel!
"There are lots of tunnels around here, all carved out by the Lurking Steel Titan. Everyone pick an exit at random and wait in ambush! Remember—use Fighting-type moves!"
"The game begins!"
Underground, the Lurking Steel Titan was thinking about which angle of attack would let it flip that Torterra and enjoy the delicious soil on its back.
Then, a strange storm-like whirling sound suddenly rose inside the tunnel.
What kind of noise is that?
The Lurking Steel Titan turned its head in confusion.
A blue-glowing Aura projectile—like a guided missile—slammed into its head with a boom!
Hey, I'm hiding underground! What kind of move is this—why does it still hit me, and why is it super effective?! Fighting-type has a move like this? I've never seen it. Answer me!
The Lurking Steel Titan screeched and writhed—because it heard that screaming, whistling sound again!
Dig dig dig! I'm digging, I'm digging!
What the hell is that thing?!
Forget it—digging won't make it in time. Use an old tunnel?!
No—there's more than one of those whistling noises. There's one in the old tunnel too!
"The ground's shaking—keep firing Aura Sphere!"
"Get ready. The Lurking Steel Titan is about to come out!"
When the Lurking Steel Titan poked its head up and returned to the surface, it heard the human voice.
It thrust its huge head out—
—and saw a Pokémon that looked like a massive insect made of steel, with a cannon mounted on its back.
Genesect's eyes lit up!
Drive swap—Fighting Drive!
High-tech beam cannon!
A Fighting-type blast with a terrifying base power of 120 fired straight at the Lurking Steel Titan. The giant earthworm nearly scared itself to death. It tucked its head and dodged the beam, then immediately drilled into another tunnel!
"Geno!"
Genesect looked regretful.
I should've used Lock-On first!
If I'd locked it, it wouldn't have gotten away!
Second tunnel!
The Lurking Steel Titan cautiously poked its head out again. This time, it saw a graceful plant beauty.
Lilligant spotted the giant earthworm and spun into motion, leaping and turning—
Brick Break!
A leaf-blade chopped down toward the Lurking Steel Titan, and the still-shaken steel earthworm snapped its head back underground at lightning speed!
What the—there's ambushes too?!
What is going on—why is it another Pokémon that can use Fighting-type moves?
The whirling roar of those Aura storms drew closer and closer through the tunnels. Panicking, the Lurking Steel Titan burrowed into another old tunnel. This time it got smart: it pushed its face out first and didn't rush to expose its whole head.
Third exit.
A withered-looking leaf snail with an indifferent expression—at a glance, it looked weak.
The Lurking Steel Titan relaxed. A Grass-type Pokémon, huh? Then I can finally stand tall again, right?
That plant beauty earlier… seemed Grass-type too.
Uh… you snail… you're not going to whip out some Fighting-type move and hit me, are you?
Wo-Chien glanced at the Lurking Steel Titan. Two thick vine whips slowly extended.
Don't be afraid. I don't know Fighting-type moves—but I do know the Dark-type move Knock Off.
Crack—one whip, fast as hell!
The Lurking Steel Titan felt like yesterday's dinner was about to get ripped out of its body. It hurriedly drilled back underground!
Fourth exit: a bridge-like alloy dragon used Rock Smash—its Defense fell!
Fifth exit: a snow-white sword-fanged leopard swung its tail and used Sacred Sword!
Sixth exit: a small Pokémon with a V-shaped head charged straight in, wreathed in intense V-shaped flames!
Seventh exit: that big green turtle with delicious soil used Superpower and collapsed the tunnel entrance with a single shock!
Eighth exit: a glowing larva spewing flame used Flare Blitz!
"Hu… huff, huff…!"
The Lurking Steel Titan took hits everywhere. Some it dodged. Some slammed straight into its face and hurt like hell!
Every exit had a Pokémon waiting, and the two screaming Aura Spheres finally found its position. They detonated on its body one after another, making the giant earthworm twist violently and burst out from the ninth exit!
And there, Charcadet had been waiting a long time—hammer already raised, charging forward!
It leapt!
Flame Hammer—Close Combat!
"How can you play whack-a-mole without a hammer?"
"Sure, the Lurking Steel Titan isn't a mole—it's an earthworm—but close enough!"
The hammer struck a vital spot. The Lurking Steel Titan's eyes spun wildly as its six little fists flailed in midair!
"Chwi-iiii!"
The intense震动 left it unable to think. Finally, with a heavy crash, it hit the ground and passed out.
Charcadet lifted its hammer high!
Victory over the Lurking Steel Titan! Another mark added to the knight's badge!
"That face just now was so obnoxious… What are you, something that crawled out of a retro cartoon? You're seriously unhinged."
"But everyone had a lot of fun, didn't they? If it were a normal mole, it'd drop from one hit—how could it take a beating like the Lurking Steel Titan did?"
"…That said, up close, Orthworm really does look like a sausage."
During all that digging and fighting, a not-so-sturdy rock wall finally collapsed!
And inside it—
—the Herba Mystica.
A Pokémon that ate the Salty Herba Mystica would rise as if transforming, surging with silvery-white vapor. It could relieve aching and numb limbs, and it also helped with declining muscle strength—in other words, Salty Herba Mystica was an exceptionally suitable seasoning for Steel-type Pokémon.
"So… it's even stronger than Purifying Salt…?"
"Let's try cooking something new!"
"Something related to steel… teppanyaki and barbecue?"
Hikaru was thinking that when he suddenly heard an Aerodactyl's roar.
Aerodactyl swooped down from the sky with a huge pile of messy ingredients clutched in its talons. Among them were several thick, tail-like things that immediately caught Hikaru's attention. There were multiple tails, but their colors and sizes were different—clearly from different Pokémon.
It had been wandering nearby and noticed various things left behind when wild Pokémon fled. It recalled what Walking Wake, Archaludon, and Gimmighoul had said when it communicated with them earlier.
If you see something weird, pick it up fast and bring it back. That's our crew's fine tradition!
[Valuable Ingredient: Slowpoke Tail.]
[Description: Slowpoke secretes a sweet taste from the tip of its tail. Biting it brings a feeling of happiness. This tail naturally breaks off and falls out, making it easy to obtain and extremely valuable as an ingredient. In Alola, a side dish made by drying Slowpoke Tail and then boiling it in salt water is a common home-style delicacy.]
[Obtained: Several Slowpoke Tail cooking methods. Seared Tail Curry, Smoked Tail, Grilled Slowpoke Tail, Boiled Salted Tail]
[Bizarre Ingredient: Cyclizar Tail.]
[Description: Cyclizar has a thick, flexible tail. In battle, it will occasionally use Shed Tail to leave its tail behind and escape, or to avoid fighting. This tail seems to be a rather rare ingredient—after all, it's a dragon's tail…]
Besides those, there were also thin slices dropped by Toedscool, twigs from Bramblin, and claws from Clauncher.
"Let's do teppanyaki barbecue!"
"And for the iron plate—let's just take it from the Lurking Steel Titan."
"I've got a homemade side dish too!"
The astonishing aroma gradually pulled the Lurking Steel Titan back to consciousness.
It blinked, rolled its huge body, and stared at the group of Pokémon barbecuing on iron flakes that had fallen off its body. Its taste buds were assaulted. After being defeated, it was exhausted—and now it was hungry too.
Smells so good… it smells so damn good!
Just like the delicious soil on that Torterra's back—if it had a little bit of that mixed soil added in, the flavor would be even richer!
No, no, no—what I said was delicious food, the main thing isn't the barbecue!
"You're awake. What—do you want some too?"
"But we're eating normal food. You probably can't handle it, right?"
The Lurking Steel Titan stared at the sizzling, oil-sputtering food, made even more fragrant by the Salty Herba Mystica. Drool streamed down its mouth.
I admit it—ambushing you earlier was my fault!
You already took the seasoning. Letting me mooch a bite isn't too much, right?
If you've got demands, say them. I can't take it anymore!
Herba Mystica and spices mixed together, roasted at high heat, blending with the aromas of oil and plants…
No—I don't want the barbecue…!
"It's the Salty Herba Mystica. I added Salty Herba Mystica!"
"Chwi-iiii!"
Boss!
One order of teppanyaki grilled meat!
No meat. I want the iron plate!
————————
One day later, some students wearing Naranja Academy uniforms came nearby because of the academy's "Treasure Hunt."
The so-called extracurricular Treasure Hunt was a special academy activity: students freely traveled to destinations, met many Pokémon, and found a "treasure" that belonged only to them.
It generally began not long after enrollment. Though it was called a treasure hunt, it wasn't about literal treasure. It was about freely adventuring across Paldea and experiencing all kinds of things.
You could challenge Gyms, help people in trouble, or even go look for real treasure if you wanted.
You could learn countless things you'd never learn in school—and you'd also get many chances to battle.
Even though the school atmosphere wasn't great right now, with some students engaging in bullying on campus, the Treasure Hunt still proceeded as usual.
However, these students heard some strange rumors in the area.
"The workers say the Lurking Steel Titan that's always been hidden in the mining range really showed up—a super gigantic Orthworm!"
"But that thing's condition is kind of weird… They say it waves its six arms around and uses iron plates that fell off its body, asking workers to help heat them up, then it puts ingredients on top to roast, and evenly sprinkles some kind of salty seasoning…"
"What are you talking about? What do you mean the Lurking Steel Titan's barbecue stall is open—and it's wildly popular?"
"The school was right. If you come out on a Treasure Hunt, you really do learn a lot of things you'd never learn at school. I've seriously never seen anything like this!"
——————
South Province (Area One).
Poco Path, Lighthouse Laboratory.
This laboratory belonged to Professor Sada. It was built with funds raised from corporate financing using the Tera Orb prototype.
Inside were many books, dimly glowing computer monitors, and some odd machines.
A boy with pale white hair and naturally curly waves was studying the content on the monitor—recent strange news from across Paldea.
The biggest headline among them was that the legendary "Herba Mystica" seemed to have been confirmed as real, and the rumored Titan Pokémon were appearing one after another!
"Herba Mystica?"
"Let me check… it should be here…?"
The boy stepped away from the monitor and found a red-covered occult magazine on the shelf. He flipped through it again and again, finally locating the pages about Herba Mystica.
This was a legendary ingredient in Paldea. Supposedly, eating it could instantly restore vitality to a life on the brink of death. There were five kinds total. Even licking a bit of its powder was said to strengthen the body, promote blood circulation, slow aging, and boost immunity.
But the legend also said it was something connected to Area Zero—and it was just an urban legend.
But now the legend had come true?
The boy frowned in doubt.
"Bombirdier that fries french fries, Klawf that boils crab claws, Orthworm that runs a barbecue… Paldea's news is getting way too absurd. This is fake news, right?"
"But if I can find these ingredients, I can definitely make even more delicious dishes."
"Still… it's time for me to set off, too."
The boy looked at the Pokémon by his side—a Mabosstiff with the aura of a mafia boss. It answered with a low, approving growl.
"Shall we go see her, Mabosstiff?"
"We're going to Area Zero."
(End of Chapter)
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