The Eleventh Day
Neverland
Clans of Carbink lived atop the towering mountain.
Aoki stood firmly on the back of his Drapion, with Slowking by his side. From their elevated vantage point, they could see the dense, shadowed forest below and, in the distance, the towering form of the Ancient Tree of Life.
The previous night, Aoki had managed to form a temporary bond with an Altaria. Though his current abilities weren't enough to fully tame such a powerful Pokémon, securing its cooperation on Neverland Island gave him a formidable advantage. With Altaria's strength, even if other Team Rocket members ambushed him in the ruins, he would have a way to fight back.
Now, he felt unstoppable.
The frigid winds at this height were biting, but after enduring the cold for a while, Aoki signaled Drapion to descend the mountainside. Below lay an untouched forest—one they would have to cross to reach the Ancient Tree of Life.
Time was short, so Aoki no longer worried about territorial disputes with wild Pokémon. Instead, he moved in a straight line, avoiding only the most dangerous opponents. If they encountered a foe too strong to handle, Slowking would use Teleport to retreat, allowing them to bypass the threat safely.
This strategy drastically increased their efficiency. His Pokémon also gained valuable battle experience, facing opponents of similar strength. With his Florette's healing abilities, minor injuries were no concern.
Originally, the journey should have taken only a day, but frequent battles and detours extended their travel time. By the time they reached the base of the Ancient Tree of Life, it was already noon on the twelfth day.
From a distance, the tree had seemed enormous—but up close, its sheer scale was overwhelming. Standing near its trunk and looking up, the canopy blotted out the sky. Countless Pokémon lived among its branches, which were wide enough to support entire colonies.
The trunk itself was like a colossal pillar, its roots sprawling beneath the earth. Aoki guessed that the tree's roots might extend across all of Neverland.
The area around the tree was peaceful, with few aggressive Pokémon. As Aoki approached, the wild Pokémon hiding in the branches cautiously retreated.
But as he neared the trunk, his expression darkened.
The bark was dry and peeling in large patches.
"Is the tree dying? But legends say the Ancient Tree of Life never withers naturally..."
Aoki examined the scorched sections closely. This didn't look like natural decay. He reached out, pressing a hand against the withered bark—and immediately recoiled.
The surface was warm. Worse, his palm stung from the contact.
This wasn't natural. Someone had done this.
"A poison-type attack? But even elite-level Poison Pokémon shouldn't be capable of this..."
Aoki's Drapion was highly trained in its Poison-type abilities, having evolved through intense battles. Yet even it couldn't inflict damage like this.
"Is someone hiding their true strength? Or did they bring in an outside Pokémon as a secret weapon? But why attack the tree? What's the point?"
He withdrew his hand, the stinging sensation lingering. If the corruption ran deep, the tree's legendary vitality wouldn't save it. Its death would displace countless Pokémon living in its branches.
But that wasn't Aoki's concern. He needed to figure out who was behind this—and why.
Just as he pulled away, a sudden wave of danger prickled his senses. His psychic instincts screamed at him.
His Pokémon reacted instantly.
Slowking's hand clamped onto his shoulder—Teleport activated.
Meanwhile, Gengar, ever the vigilant guardian, materialized from the shadows above Aoki, conjuring a shimmering Protect barrier.
BOOM!
The attack shattered Gengar's defense, but Slowking had already whisked Aoki to safety.
Drapion, Weavile, and Honchkrow swiftly repositioned, ready to fight. Gengar, knocked to the ground, melted back into the shadows.
Dust swirled from the impact, obscuring the attacker. But the sheer force of the strike—and the oppressive aura radiating from it—told Aoki one thing:
This opponent was terrifyingly strong. Maybe too strong for his entire team combined.
"Did I just get blamed for damaging the tree?"
The dust cleared.
A towering, upright figure emerged.
Aoki's breath caught.
"This is—"