Crystal caves... Crystal Pokémon...
From the reports of the other groups, it seemed that the Pokémon they encountered were all normal. This meant that only certain Pokémon in this crystal cave would transform into the Crystal Type.
Onix... Rampardos... They both seemed to be Rock-types...
While Lucius pondered over this, Houndoom once again clashed with the Crystal Rampardos.
Judging by their combat styles, Houndoom clearly bore the hallmarks of a trained Pokémon—its moves were well-rounded, with clever combinations and unexpected tricks.
In contrast, the Crystal Rampardos relied solely on raw, wild power. Its moves were few, but each one was devastating.
As the Rampardos unleashed its signature Head Smash, Houndoom's Quick Attack allowed it to deftly dodge to the side. Without warning, it opened its maw and fired a searing Fire Blast—the attack struck the crystal-coated Rampardos head-on, sending it staggering back seven or eight meters until it crashed into a crystal-encrusted wall. For a moment, the entire cavern seemed to tremble.
Something's not right...
Lucius, though not giving direct commands, had been observing the entire battle. Once again, the cave's peculiar nature caught his attention.
The walls were far too sturdy.
That's right—too sturdy. The Crystal Rampardos stood over two meters tall and weighed well over a thousand pounds. Yet despite crashing into the wall with full force, the wall had only shuddered slightly—without a single shard of crystal breaking off.
If this had been the cave where they captured the Crystal Onix, the whole tunnel would have collapsed by now.
What exactly was this crystal cave made of? Was some mysterious energy protecting it?
The battle continued. Just like the Crystal Onix before it, the Crystal Rampardos seemed especially weak to Fire-type moves. Each time Houndoom's flames struck, the Rampardos flinched in pain.
Time to end this.
"Go, Magmar." Lucius tossed a Poké Ball, and the same Magmar that had battled on Mandarin Island emerged once again.
Two against one.
A Syndicate officer like Archer never played by the rules. Two against one? Two hundred against one? It made no difference to him. His Pokémon didn't see anything wrong with such tactics either.
With Magmar joining the fray, the tide of battle quickly shifted. Houndoom and Magmar—both trained under Archer's hand—fought in perfect sync, forcing the Crystal Rampardos to retreat step by step.
The Rampardos roared in frustration. Its eyes gleamed with savage light as it suddenly leapt high and smashed its feet into the ground.
BOOM—
Rippling shockwaves spread outward in visible circles, making the entire cave tremble. Even the supposedly indestructible walls began to crack. Lucius and his Magneton, still levitating, could feel the air itself quivering.
With nowhere to run in the confined cave, both Houndoom and Magmar had no choice but to halt their pursuit, focusing instead on keeping their balance.
In battles of this caliber, one misstep could mean death.
Better to let the enemy flee than risk their own lives.
Taking advantage of the reprieve, the Crystal Rampardos turned and fled deeper into the cave.
Trying to escape? Chase it.
Lucius gave the order without hesitation. Whether crystal-coated or not, a Leader-class Rampardos was a rare find. Wild Pokémon of this rank were one in ten thousand—each one born with exceptional potential. With proper training, it could even reach King-class one day.
Though Lucius was unfamiliar with this species, Houndoom's keen nose would ensure they never lost its trail.
Suddenly, one of the mutated creatures linked to Lucius' Shared Vision was snuffed out.
It was in the direction of the shop owner's group.
Lucius immediately focused his senses there.
Through the shop owner's eyes, Lucius saw a monstrous Tyrantrum towering over the remains of its prey—a once-mutated creature now reduced to nothing but pulp.
What overwhelming power... Even through Shared Vision, Lucius could feel the Pokémon's terrifying presence.
This Tyrantrum was even stronger than the Crystal Rampardos.
If only it were closer... I would have captured it without question.
Lucius sighed as he mentally issued a retreat order to the shop owner.
Facing a Pokémon of that caliber, even a high-level fusion like Flora would struggle to escape unscathed. The shop owner stood no chance.
Ahead, Houndoom suddenly halted and glanced around warily, sensing something unseen.
"What's wrong?" Lucius asked, hovering beside it.
Houndoom flicked its tail, hesitated, then crept forward with measured caution—each step lighter than the last.
Lucius didn't press. Curiosity gnawed at him, but he followed silently.
A few moments later, the shop owner's Shared Vision link severed.
As expected.
Against a Pokémon that powerful, there was no escape.
Lucius silently mourned the loss. The shop owner had been...useful.
He glanced at the other teams. Maeva and Yumi had run into several Pokémon, but none too threatening—they pressed on without much trouble.
Meanwhile, Flora and Zeyan had fended off a Golem and even captured a Rockruff with Zeyan's help.
At last, Houndoom stopped once more.
No sign of the Crystal Rampardos.
They now stood in a massive crystal cavern. The walls and ceiling were lined with gleaming crystals—larger and brighter than any outside.
But the most striking sight was at the cavern's heart: three towering crystal pillars, each thirty meters high, arranged in a perfect triangle.
Lucius' heart pounded.
He knew this place.
This was the Crystal Cave from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky.
If he remembered correctly, activating these three pillars would open a gateway to Crystal Lake—where the Legendary Pokémon Azelf resided.
But how... how could a fictional location from a spin-off game exist in the real world?
How do I activate it?
Lucius reached out and touched one of the pillars. Its surface was smooth and warm—wrapped in a faint, tingling electric current.
Not cold... Not ice.
How should it be activated? Primary energy?
Lucius glanced at Houndoom and gave up on the idea of having it unleash flames on the crystal pillar.
Breaking it would be troublesome, and if they rashly attacked it, they might draw the attention of Azelf—or worse, provoke a counterattack.
Legendary Pokémon were those that had inspired myths across various regions, embodying certain symbols or representing powerful forces—like Entei, the embodiment of volcanoes, or Cresselia, the herald of the crescent moon.
Their strength was generally on par with the peak of the King-class.
-----
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: patreon.com / madbot635