Larry stood up, picking up his briefcase, "Let's go, let me just finish this job quickly!"
Naoki: "Alright."
The two left the Treasure Eatery. Naoki initially thought Larry would ride a Cyclizar taxi or drive his car to take him to Area Zero Gate.
But unexpectedly, after walking out of the door, Larry headed straight to a bicycle parking area, pulled out a bicycle, and got on.
Naoki: "?"
Larry turned around, intending for him to follow, but seeing that baffled expression, he thought for a moment and explained:
"This is my usual mode of transport, very ordinary, right?"
Naoki nodded numbly: "Yeah."
Larry: "Normal type... ordinary... common... mundane... goes well with my lack of personality, I just enjoy this, simplicity is reality."
As he spoke, Larry began pedaling the bicycle.
Naoki, helplessly, could only follow by riding Koraidon.
On the way, Larry started to explain another matter: "Originally, I wasn't the one responsible for taking you there, but that person had something come up at the last minute and took a leave, so I had to take you over."
Naoki wasn't sure how to handle Larry's workaholic nature, so he woodenly replied: "Sorry for the trouble, thank you."
Larry: "You're too polite... it's the work of a corporate employee."
Naoki was speechless.
Larry, seemingly from too many side jobs, couldn't hide his fatigue on his face. After a brief introduction, he no longer spoke.
The Area Zero Gate was constructed on the steep, towering cliff outside the Paldea Giant Pit. To reach there, besides riding a bicycle, one had to climb the mountain afterward.
Medali Town lies beneath the Area Zero Gate, and in the town, one can clearly see the towering cliff scraping the sky.
The two soon arrived at the foot of the mountain.
Larry got off the bike, parked it by the roadside, "Next, we'll have to walk the mountain, the bike can't be ridden up there."
Naoki was quite concerned: "Do you want to take a break first?"
Seeing Larry's appearance, he was afraid he might drop dead halfway up.
Larry: "...Let's consider this helping with digestion after the meal, come on, let me finish this job quickly and go home to rest."
Naoki: "Oh oh!"
Larry was walking; he could only follow suit, walking.
Fortunately, he used to do farm work often, so his body was pretty well exercised.
After a short walk, Larry was already out of breath.
Naoki concernedly asked: "Do you want to ride Koraidon up with me?"
Larry glanced at Koraidon, shook his head, and refused: "Forget it, I'm not keen on experiencing something so novel."
"...Alright."
Perhaps feeling that idle chat would make walking less tiring, Larry asked: "Is its name Koraidon?"
Naoki nodded: "Yes, Professor Sada named it."
"I see." Larry thought about the fact that Geeta allowed this person to enter the Giant Pit, and he said surprisingly: "I didn't expect the Champion would approve your request to enter the Giant Pit."
Naoki muttered: "Maybe she thinks I have the strength to protect myself?"
The ability to protect oneself in the Paldea Giant Pit's interior, could this man be a Champion-level Trainer?
Indeed, Geeta has always been attracting talent for the Paldea League, perhaps approving this man's application was an attempt to make friends with him.
Larry turned his head to look at Naoki, suddenly asking: "Did the Champion invite you to work in the League?"
Naoki paused: "How did you know that?"
Larry had a face of 'I knew all along': "I guessed it all."
"The Champion is my superior, if you agree to her request, maybe you'll end up like me, assigned to a city to be a Gym Leader, and perhaps also enter the sales department reliant on performance, doing multiple jobs at once, she's capable of such things."
Naoki: "..."
Larry continued: "If you willingly want that, then fine, if it were me, I wouldn't do it, even though I'm also serving as an Elite Four right now, but this is already my limit."
Naoki quietly asked: "Taking me to Area Zero Gate isn't considered part of the duties of an Elite or Gym Leader, right?"
Larry sighed: "No choice, this is the life of a corporate employee, to avoid being disliked by the boss and for overtime pay, you end up doing tasks not meant for you; maybe you'll understand as you grow older."
Naoki: "..."
During their conversation, the two had reached the halfway point of the mountain.
After passing through a dimly lit tunnel, a towering building equipped with a landing gear and helipad came into view.
"We're here." Larry said, "This is Area Zero Gate, pass through here to enter the interior of the Paldea Giant Pit."
Larry followed the procedure, walked ahead, used the card issued by the League to open the metal door, leading Naoki and Koraidon inside the building.
Naoki looked up at the technologically styled place in front of him and couldn't help but exclaim.
Larry said: "It's my first time here too, it's too dangerous below, if it weren't for work, I definitely wouldn't come here."
As he spoke, he opened the metal door leading to the helipad: "It's right here."
Naoki walked in, and heard the roaring sound of air current.
He and Koraidon stood on the landing gear, facing a vast stretch of dense white clouds.
In an instant, Naoki felt as if he had reached the clouds, immersed in paradise.
Even though he had entered the Giant Pit in the game, at this moment, Naoki couldn't help but feel nervous.
Because beneath this milky white cloud cover lies the seemingly bottomless Paldea Giant Pit; if he accidentally fell off Koraidon, he'd be shattered to pieces.
Beside him, Koraidon also seemed a bit nervous.
Naoki patted its head, then took a deep breath.
He turned around and saw Larry standing distantly behind, watching him.
Seeing him turn around, Larry said: "My work is done, good luck."
"Thank you."
Naoki thanked him and then mounted Koraidon's back, gently patting Koraidon's head: "Let's go!"
"Ah gaa ss..."
Koraidon's feelings were inevitably complicated at the moment.
But as Naoki wanted to go, it still raised its forelimbs and leaped.
Instantly, the biting airflow frantically roared past Naoki's ears, enveloping him and Koraidon in thick white clouds.
Koraidon began to rapidly descend, Naoki tightly hugged its neck.
Suddenly, the ornate feather on Koraidon's head transformed into wings, drastically slowing the descent, calming everything around.
Naoki opened his eyes, and they seemed to have already passed through the clouds. Below appeared a vast landscape and valleys glittering with magnificent crystalline light.
Light cascaded like waterfalls, pouring down from the clouds.
That light was so pure and dazzling, making the grassland, trees, valleys, cliffs, and waterfalls all appear sacred.
Koraidon landed nearby on a green cliff rich with life.
Naoki led it to the edge of the cliff, standing before a simple railing designed by the Paldea League, gazing at the indescribable spectacular scenery.
The air shimmered with radiant crystal light, and on the grass, Frosmoth's scales drifted by in the wind, resembling stardust falling from the clouds under the luminous glow.
In the distant canyon, under the towering waterfall, Girafarig was drinking with a group of Girafarig.
Above them, Hoppip floated gently with the breeze.
"So beautiful!" Naoki murmured, feeling he would never forget this scene his whole life.
"Ah gaa ss..." Koraidon called out, puzzled.
Naoki withdrew his gaze, not forgetting his real purpose for coming here.
He looked around, surprisingly not seeing any Paradox Pokemon nearby; thinking perhaps this was the uppermost layer of the pit, those Paradox Pokemon's habitats hadn't expanded here yet.
Professor Sada mentioned that walking down from the area below Area Zero Gate would lead to the first observation station.
He and Larry had taken over two hours to climb the mountain; now it's estimated to be three in the afternoon.
Naoki didn't plan to ride Koraidon straight down to the lower layer through the large central hollow.
The danger mentioned by Professor Sada was one reason, but mainly, Naoki wanted to see the Paradox Pokemon residing here and see if he could capture some that were fated with him.
Thus, they had to reach the first observation station before nightfall, take a brief rest, and then continue downward.