As Cain walked toward the interior of the island, the Unown that had guided him hesitated for a moment before mimicking the behavior of the three previous Unown, attaching itself to Cain’s wrist as well.
Cain looked at his wrist in surprise and discovered that there were now four symbols.
"What do these Unown really want by joining me?" Cain still didn’t understand why these Pokémon decided to attach themselves to him.
At first, he thought it was just a coincidence, but with the arrival of this new Unown, it was clear that it wasn’t.
"Is there something in me that attracts them? Or are they just looking for a place to rest, and I was chosen by chance?" Cain himself found this last idea hard to believe.
When his psychic abilities were about to reach the intermediate level, the Unown had played a crucial role.
Nothing happens without reason. The Unown must have their own objectives, and although it wasn’t clear what they were, Cain assumed that, at some point, he would have to fulfill some kind of mission for them.
For now, he put those thoughts aside.
If the Unown needed his help, they were unlikely to harm him. In fact, they would probably even contribute to strengthening him to ensure he could meet their expectations later on.
Four Unown together should have significantly greater capability than three.
With this thought, Cain continued advancing alongside Slowking toward the island’s interior.
The Unown hadn’t indicated a specific destination, so Cain chose to explore on his own.
This island, possibly never before visited by humans, could have resources comparable to those of the Mythical Island. The big question was how strong the Pokémon that lived here would be.
Cain brought only Slowking with him, ensuring a balance between mobility and combat power.
As soon as they arrived on the island, Slowking left a psychic mark as a reference point.
In case of an emergency, Slowking could use Teleport to escape.
Cain also thought that exploring this enormous island wouldn’t be a matter of just a day or two. He might have to interrupt the exploration halfway and return later, depending on the Unown’s reactions. If he managed to enter once, he could surely do it again.
Just as he expected, shortly after entering the forest, Cain encountered his first Pokémon.
To his surprise, it was a Bronzong.
Bronzong are Pokémon that have existed since ancient civilizations and have survived to the present day.
In ancient times, Bronzong was worshiped as a god of the harvest, as it was believed to open portals to another world and bring rain. The rains generated by Bronzong favored the growth of crops and plants.
Thinking about it, the "other world" Bronzong could open might be a region within an alternate space. If so, it could mean that this species has the ability to travel between alternate spaces and the Pokémon world. This probably required a high level of power.
When Bronzong saw Cain and Slowking, its red eyes gleamed intensely, and a powerful psychic energy was released like an arrow directly toward them.
Slowking reacted quickly and stepped in front of Cain.
Using its own psychic energy, Slowking created a shield that managed to stop Bronzong’s attack, though not without difficulty.
The impact pushed Slowking back two or three meters.
Cain quickly analyzed the situation with the help of the system:
Pokémon: Bronzong (Dark Green)
Types: Steel + Psychic
Basic Moves: Block, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Tackle, Confusion, Hypnosis, Imprison, Confuse Ray, Psywave, Iron Defense, Feint Attack, Safeguard, Future Sight, Metal Sound, Gyro Ball, Extrasensory, Payback, Heal Block
Learned Moves: Stealth Rock, Iron Head, Gravity, Iron Defense, Zen Headbutt
At level 57, this Bronzong had considerable strength.
Although Cain didn’t know Bronzong in-depth, ever since he had befriended Steven Stone, he had thoroughly researched Steel-type Pokémon.
This allowed him to better understand their abilities and prepare for any possible confrontation.
Bronzong don’t have defined habitats, making them difficult to find. As Bronzor’s evolution, they share the same type and resistance as Steven’s powerful Metagross.
Cain also noticed that the Bronzong in front of him not only had excellent defenses but also displayed unusual hostility.
"Is it because I’m an intruder?" Cain wondered.
Bronzong didn’t give him much time to think before launching another attack, this time using Confusion.
Cain reacted quickly, throwing two Pokéballs to the ground.
Drapion and Florges appeared to reinforce Slowking.
However, just as Cain considered releasing a fourth Pokémon, a strange sensation stopped him. His mind filled with a message formed by the Unown’s symbols:
On this island, you can only use three Pokémon simultaneously.
Additionally, spatial storage systems will be disabled.
Cain checked his backpack and the storage ring on his hand, only to confirm that he couldn’t access his supplies or other resources.
With a more serious expression than ever, Cain processed these restrictions. The situation had become much more challenging.
However, there was no time for regret. Bronzong attacked again, this time with a powerful Confusion attack.
"Drapion!" Cain ordered firmly.
Drapion reacted instantly, stepping in front of the team with its pincers crossed to block the attack.
The battle had only just begun.