What's going on? Could it be that this Flutter Mane and Koraidon come from the same time? Do they know each other?
If that's really the case...
Professor Sada's eyes were filled with excitement; that would be a major discovery!
"Calm down." Seeing his wife so excited, Professor Turo couldn't help but say, "It might just be that the photo caught its attention."
After all, Paradox Pokemon summoned from a distant ancient era have never seen a photo before.
Just like some Pokemon who get scared after seeing themselves in the mirror for the first time.
"I know." Professor Sada nodded, she thought for a moment, planning to conduct some small experiments first.
If this Flutter Mane really knows Naoki's Koraidon, then they might have to invite Naoki over here.
But more important than this, they had more crucial matters to attend to.
Deeper in Zone Zero, the Area Zero Underdepths held many mysteries.
Even Professor Sada and Professor Turo, who discovered the place first, couldn't explain them.
These past days, they had been delving deeper into exploring the Underdepths.
After a night's rest, at the break of dawn, the two professors reorganized their equipment, preparing to take the elevator back into the Area Zero Underdepths.
However, just as they were about to depart, they suddenly received a report from the canteen chef.
"Bad news, professors, the lab is haunted! Yesterday, a pile of meat and Berries I stored in the warehouse disappeared completely!"
Hearing this, Professor Sada was slightly taken aback, "What happened?"
The chef shook his head, "I don't know! The warehouse door was perfectly locked, so there's no way anyone or any Pokemon could have snuck in and eaten it! And they were all uncooked raw meat..."
Professor Sada thought for a moment before saying, "Let's talk about this when we get back."
"Yes!"
After sending off the chef, the two professors arrived at the elevator leading to the Area Zero Underdepths.
Hiding in the shadows, the Flutter Mane observed the actions of these two humans.
It quietly followed along, hiding in the shadows, as they took the elevator deeper down.
As the elevator doors slowly opened, Professor Sada and Professor Turo once again began their investigation of the Underdepths.
And looking at this unfamiliar place, Flutter Mane couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity.
If it remembered correctly, it was in this very place that it first saw that group of little turtle Pokemon.
Back then, they lived here in groups, enjoying coiling on the shiny Gems, stretching their necks to drink droplets falling from the stalactites above the Underdepths.
But now, it was completely empty, not a hint of a little turtle in sight.
This astounded Flutter Mane.
While the two humans investigated, it quietly flew out and began searching in this vast cave system.
Flutter Mane couldn't understand what had happened; it had just flown into the white light, and when it came out, everything outside had changed drastically.
Even the air was different from before.
The further in it flew, the more anxious it became inside.
Finally, it got completely lost in the depths of the Area Zero Underdepths.
Not until it saw the two humans again did Flutter Mane finally breathe a sigh of relief.
It didn't dare run around anymore and quietly followed behind the two humans, hoping to leave here with them and return above ground.
However, the two humans did not leave; they continued on, and after who knows how long, they arrived at a cavern filled with Crystals.
Here, Flutter Mane saw again the faintly breathing turtles, turned into Gem-like forms, sleeping attached to the glowing rocks.
*
In the blink of an eye, a whole month had passed since the last acceleration of the World Tree.
Today, it was time again for Calyrex to nurture the World Tree.
That morning, Naoki gathered the Pokemon from the ranch around the World Tree.
Once everyone was present, Calyrex nodded slightly to Naoki, then waved its arm.
The next moment, a powerful surge of Grass Type Energy gushed from its body, then poured entirely into the World Tree in front of it.
The World Tree immediately reacted to this power; every leaf began to glow with green light.
The leaves rustled, moving without wind, producing a crisp, rustling sound under the warm spring sunlight.
Its trunk grew even sturdier, its form taller, and the leaves on its crown even more lush.
Naoki's eyes were fixed on the World Tree in front of him.
The specifics of the World Tree appeared in his vision, and the numbers on it continued to change.
[World Tree Seedling: A seedling that has absorbed a large amount of Power of Grass. Due to Gogoat's influence, it underwent a mutation during growth; a vast Life Force is brewing within, eventually breaking through the earth, needing 95,995 more years to mature.]
[94,563 years.]
[94,336 years.]
"..."
Ultimately, it halted at 93,995 years.
Just when Naoki thought it was finished, in the next second, the number twitched again.
It changed from [93,995 years] to [91,220 years].
A critical hit triggered!
An additional 2,775 years were deducted from the growth time; is this the effect of the "Leaf Cake" enhanced with a Friendship Berry?
Naoki was utterly astonished.
And with the "Leaf Cake" effect of "shortening growth time" triggered, the already ceased-growing World Tree emitted a buzzing sound once more.