Chapter 233: The Book of Vermilion
At noon, Naoki finally reached the second observation station.
The layout was nearly identical to that of the first observatory—simple and functional, with some unused materials neatly stacked along the walls and a thick energy conduit running through the structure.
Naoki glanced around the room, satisfied. He set down his backpack, planning to rest for a bit and have lunch before continuing his journey deeper into Area Zero.
"Dragonite, Pawmot, come on out!"
With a flick of his wrist, Naoki tossed two Poké Balls into the air. In a burst of white light, Pawmot and Dragonite materialized inside the station.
Both Pokémon greeted Naoki eagerly, happy to stretch after being confined in their Poké Balls.
Naoki, however, hesitated when he looked at the final Poké Ball in his hand—the one containing Scream Tail.
After a moment of contemplation, he decided against releasing it. "Maybe not just yet," he muttered.
With the lunch preparations underway, Naoki laid out his utensils, ready to make something simple. Just as he was about to start cooking, the communication device in the observation station began to ring.
Naoki blinked, momentarily surprised, but quickly answered the call. A familiar voice came through the speaker—Dr. Sada.
"I see the second observatory is active now. Looks like you made it there safely! How's everything going? Encounter any Paradox Pokémon along the way?" Dr. Sada asked eagerly.
"It's been safe so far," Naoki replied, recounting his encounters with Roaring Moon, Iron Moth, and Scream Tail.
Toward the end of the conversation, Naoki asked cautiously, "Doctor, do you really think these Paradox Pokémon can coexist with modern ones? They seem... dangerous."
Dr. Sada paused, considering Naoki's words, before replying thoughtfully: "Not all Paradox Pokémon are inherently dangerous. We believe they can coexist peacefully with humans, just like modern Pokémon."
Naoki furrowed his brow. "What makes you so sure?"
Dr. Sada chuckled warmly. "Look at your Koraidon, Naoki. It's technically a Paradox Pokémon, yet it listens to you. It's living proof that they can integrate into our world."
Naoki glanced at Koraidon, who tilted its head curiously.
"See?" Dr. Sada continued. "With the right care, these Pokémon can be tamed. If we can bring Paradox Pokémon into the world safely, it could revolutionize the ecosystem. Trainers would get to know new Pokémon, and our understanding of these creatures would grow immensely."
Her voice softened with passion. "It's our dream to create a place where all Pokémon—modern and Paradox alike—can coexist harmoniously. No battles, no fear, just peace and cooperation."
Naoki couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "A paradise, huh?"
"You'll see it one day," Dr. Sada said with a touch of excitement. "I'll be waiting for you there."
Naoki blinked in disbelief. Was Dr. Sada always this... crazy? He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Right, one more thing," Dr. Sada added as if remembering something. "There's a book in the desk drawer—The Vermilion Book. It has valuable information about Paradox Pokémon. You should read it."
With that, the line went silent.
Naoki stared at the communicator for a moment, then turned toward the dusty desk. Sure enough, he found a drawer and pulled it open.
Inside lay a slightly yellowed book with the title "The Vermilion Book" printed on the cover in vibrant red and purple hues.
Holding the book, Naoki glanced at his Pokémon. "Hungry?"
"Pawmot!"
"Raao!"
"Ooo~!" Dragonite cooed cheerfully.
Naoki chuckled. "Alright, give me a minute."
He sat down on the metal bed, flipping open the book to the first page. The cover crackled slightly under his fingertips as he began to read:
"My name is Hazen. Today is July 8th, Year 2 of the League Calendar. Our team has begun its expedition into the depths of the Great Crater of Paldea."
"The Paldea Crater is a dangerous place with very few towns nearby for resupplying. To transport goods for the observation team, my trusty Cyclizar worked tirelessly by my side."
"With the help of the Cyclizars, the team successfully entered the depths of the Great Crater."
"At first, the Pokémon in the upper levels of the crater were no different from those found elsewhere in Paldea. But as we ventured deeper, strange and inexplicable scenes began to unfold before us."
"We discovered odd markings on the ground, resembling circles. However, their origins remain unclear—whether they were created by ancient explorers or are something else entirely."
"Despite the lingering mysteries, we pressed forward. Eventually, we reached the heart of the crater, where dazzling crystals sparkled everywhere."
"Then disaster struck. We were attacked by a Pokémon that resembled a Donphan but was far more savage. Several members of our team sustained fatal injuries."
"Our medical supplies were limited. Two brave members of the observation team succumbed to their wounds, and we gathered to mourn their loss. Their names will forever remain in our hearts."
"Despite the tragedy, we continued onward. Somehow, when we reached the deepest point, I became separated from the others."
"I lost consciousness and fell into a strange coma. During this time, I had the odd sensation that I was conversing with someone—or something—and I found myself writing notes without being fully aware of it."
"Later, my teammates found me unconscious and managed to rescue me. Our expedition ended in disarray, but we were determined to share what we had discovered with the world."
"If you want to know more, keep reading!"
Intrigued, Naoki flipped to the next page.
There, a sketch of Scream Tail greeted him.
Beneath the drawing was a note detailing the observation of this Pokémon:
"This strange creature is called Scream Tail. Though it appears cute at first glance, it has an extremely aggressive temperament. Observers noted that anyone approaching Scream Tail is attacked without hesitation."
Naoki turned the pages eagerly, discovering sketches of other Paradox Pokémon such as Koraidon, Iron Moth, Brute Bonnet, Roaring Moon, Sandy Shocks, and Iron Hands.
A special note was scribbled next to the sketch of Roaring Moon:
"From its behavior, I suspect that this creature's violent nature surpasses even that of a Tyrannosaurus rex from the movies. Avoid contact at all costs if encountered."
Naoki could see from the journal's tone that the team had faced terrible losses in their encounter with Roaring Moon.
"Raao?"
Koraidon, curious, nudged its large head over Naoki's shoulder to read the pages with him.
Naoki chuckled and flipped to the section documenting Koraidon's entry.
"This mysterious creature closely resembles Cyclizar, but its demeanor is far more tenacious and wild."
"When we first encountered it, Koraidon struck the ground with such force that it left a deep crack. Its strength was overwhelming, surpassing anything the team had seen before."
"We feared the worst—that our expedition might end in disaster. But to our amazement, this powerful creature didn't attack us."
"It seemed cautious but also incredibly curious. After observing us for a time, it even approached and began playing with the team, much to our surprise."
"Such a close encounter allows us to better understand this mysterious creature. It sits comfortably at the top of the ecological niche in this environment. Perhaps due to its confidence in its overwhelming strength, it did not immediately attack our observation team, seeing that we posed no threat."
"This is the kind of confidence that only comes from being an apex predator. There are almost no other creatures that dare challenge it where it resides."
"Its temperament is quite unpredictable. Like Cyclizar, it can shift between multiple forms depending on the situation."
"During our observation, we witnessed it push off the ground with immense force, leaping over 20 meters into the air before spreading its wings and slamming back to the earth with a tremendous impact."
"Due to these unique abilities and behaviors, the observation team decided to name it the Winged King."
Naoki gently pushed away Koraidon's curious head, which had been almost pressed against the pages of the book. He reflected on the peculiar contents of the Book of Vermilion.
He recalled that the version sold on the market was incomplete—key sections had been deliberately redacted or smeared with ink. From his perspective, the original book, written by Hazen, was an invaluable piece of research regarding the Paldea region.
However, the world had dismissed it as little more than a collection of ghost stories, and the Book of Vermilion was slowly forgotten, collecting dust in second-hand bookstores.
Yet, one thing still troubled Naoki deeply.
It was known that Hazen's expedition to the Great Crater had taken place 200 years ago. According to his writings, paradox Pokémon had already existed inside the crater at that time.
But Dr. Sada and Professor Turo had claimed that these paradox Pokémon were summoned through their time machine experiments.
"Could it be," Naoki wondered aloud, "that Professor Sada's time machine affected not just the present, but also the past?"
The thought twisted his mind into knots—' how could something like that even be possible?'
Or perhaps the Great Crater acted as a bridge between two timelines, or even two worlds, allowing the paradox Pokémon to appear naturally through the mysterious energy seeping from the Terastal crystals?
Naoki groaned, clutching his head. The more he thought about it, the more confusing it became. He gave up trying to make sense of it all, collapsing back onto the bed in exasperation.
At that moment, Dragonite's stomach rumbled loudly, breaking the silence.
Naoki sat up, glancing over at the guilty-looking Pokémon.
Dragonite gave him a sheepish grin, rubbing its belly. "Ooo~..."
Naoki sighed with a small smile. "Alright, alright! I'll make you something to eat."
Dragonite's face lit up with joy. "Ooooh!"
Naoki decided to prepare lunch for his Pokémon. He pulled out a variety of ingredients from his travel backpack. Today's menu was simple but hearty—fried eggs and sizzling steaks, paired with berries from trees and bottles of Moo Moo Milk for a nutritious meal.
He heated oil in a pan, and as the steaks hit the hot surface, a delicious aroma filled the air. The meat sizzled, the fat crisped to a golden brown, and the juices danced across the surface, making each steak glisten and look mouthwateringly tender. When ready, the steaks promised a juicy explosion of flavor with every bite, designed to stimulate the taste buds of even the most stubborn eater.
As the aroma drifted around, Naoki took out the Poké Ball containing Scream Tail. As an ancient, wild Pokémon, Scream Tail was vastly different from modern Pokémon, lacking the understanding of human trust and companionship.
Naoki decided to use food as a bridge, hoping to appeal to the Pokémon's primal instincts, much like ancient humans had tamed wild wolves by offering food.
With a flash of white light, Scream Tail appeared on the grassy field outside the observation station. It howled immediately upon release:
"Raaahhhhhh!"
Koraidon, standing nearby narrowed its eyes, ready for a confrontation.
Naoki sighed, expecting the ancient Pokémon to follow its instinct and avoid conflict with Koraidon, who was clearly stronger.
But Scream Tail surprised him.
Without hesitation, the wild Pokémon bared its small fangs and lunged at Koraidon.
With a swift, calculated movement, Koraidon raised its claw and swatted Scream Tail to the ground, burying it momentarily in the dirt.
"Raaaoooo!" Scream Tail cried in frustration, writhing in the mud.
Naoki stood still, slightly exasperated. "This Pokémon really has no sense, does it? Wasting all that cuteness on such a wild, brainless attitude."
With a shrug, Naoki motioned for Koraidon to pin Scream Tail down. Then, he placed a juicy steak in front of it, hoping food would shift its aggressive behavior.
Scream Tail's nose twitched as it caught the scent of the steak. Its eyes sparkled, and it eagerly opened its mouth, revealing sharp little fangs, ready to tear into the meal.
However, just as it lunged forward, Naoki swiftly pulled the steak away.
Scream Tail snapped at the empty space, missing the meat entirely. It growled, glaring at Naoki.
"Raaaah!"
Naoki crouched down and tried to communicate. He pointed at himself, then at the steak. "Listen, if you behave, I'll give you the food."
Scream Tail tilted its head but let out another loud, defiant howl:
"Raaaarrr!"
Naoki raised a finger. "Stop shouting!"
"Raaaarrrr!"
Scream Tail roared again, ignoring him. It snapped toward Naoki's finger, but Naoki, anticipating the move, quickly pulled his hand back.
"Raao!" Koraidon let out a low growl, and with that, it unleashed an overwhelming aura.
The sheer pressure of Koraidon's presence washed over Scream Tail like a tidal wave, leaving the wild Pokémon frozen in place.
Scream Tail whimpered, fear finally flickering in its eyes, as if realizing it was no match for Koraidon.
"There, there," Naoki said softly, placing the steak back on the ground. "It's okay. We won't hurt you as long as you don't attack us. Now, eat."
Still trembling, Scream Tail cautiously sniffed the steak. Satisfied it was safe, it began tearing into the meat with wild abandon. The way it ate—messy and aggressive—was in stark contrast to its adorable appearance.
Naoki watched patiently, arms crossed. Once Scream Tail had finished the meal, Naoki took a step closer, only for the ancient Pokémon to bare its teeth again, growling low in its throat.
"Raaaarrr…"
Naoki sighed, disappointed. "Guess taming you won't be easy."
He glanced over at Koraidon, who stood calmly by his side. "Looks like the only thing it respects is strength."
It dawned on Naoki that the concept of trust between trainers and Pokémon didn't exist in Scream Tail's primitive mind. It didn't see Naoki and Koraidon as a team—just a weak human and a strong Pokémon.
To truly earn Scream Tail's trust, Naoki realized he would have to prove his strength—not through food, but through battle.
But how could a human, without weapons or armor, overpower a Pokémon like Scream Tail?
"If this were the world of Monster Hunter," Naoki mused, "I'd craft armor from dragon scales and weapons to take on ancient creatures like this."
He chuckled at the thought. "But this is the Pokémon world, not Monster Hunter."
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