Along the way, the number of Pokémon they encountered was not particularly large. Most of them were Geodude and Slugma—species that had long adapted to high-temperature environments. There was still no sign of Vulpix or Magmar.
Theo took out the tent, and with Beldum's Psychic assistance, the setup was completed in no time.
After that, Theo retrieved Milotic's and Tyrantrum's Poké Balls and released both of them, letting them stretch their bodies a bit.
The moment Milotic landed, it instinctively swayed its tail fin, manipulating the sparse moisture in the air to condense a thin layer of water around its body once more, using it to isolate itself from the dry atmosphere.
Tyrantrum, on the other hand, shook its heavy head and vigilantly scanned the surroundings, a low rumble escaping from its throat.
Its amber-colored eyes reflected faint glimmers of light in the night, locking firmly onto every movement around them, fully embodying the posture of a dutiful sentry.
"Alright, let's eat first."
Theo smiled and shook his head, pulling a portable camping stove and sealed food packs from his backpack. "We'll rest here tonight, recover our strength, and continue upward tomorrow."
He ignited the small camping stove and poured in an appropriate amount of purified water. Blue flames licked the bottom of the pot, and wisps of steam soon began to rise.
Compressed jerky, dehydrated vegetables, and various grain pellets were added in sequence, simmering together into a pot of richly fragrant stew.
The thick aroma slowly spread through the silent mountains.
Theo portioned out four servings of steaming hot food—one for himself, and the remaining three paired with Pokémon-specific food suitable for Milotic, Tyrantrum, and Beldum.
Milotic sipped the soup delicately, its movements graceful and refined.
Tyrantrum showed no such restraint. With a wide snap of its massive jaws, it gulped down its food in just a few bites, then let out a satisfied burp.
After tasting a few spoonfuls of soup, Beldum floated over to the backpack, using its Psychic power to lift out a piece of mineral ore that gleamed with a metallic sheen, and began to eat it.
The volcano at night was exceptionally quiet.
Aside from the occasional "gurgle" drifting over from distant magma pits, there was only the low sound of mountain winds brushing against rock walls, and Tyrantrum's heavy, steady breathing.
After moving around for a while, Milotic was recalled into its Dive Ball. For Milotic, staying inside the Poké Ball was still far more comfortable.
Tyrantrum consciously lay down on the outer side of the tent, its massive body resembling a solid fortress, shielding the tent at its side.
Though its eyes were closed, it maintained a high level of alertness—any disturbance nearby would rouse it instantly.
Beldum slipped into the tent and nestled beside Theo's sleeping bag. Its red eye slowly closed, and its metallic body emitted a faint hum with each breath, like a gentle lullaby.
Lying inside his sleeping bag, Theo listened to Tyrantrum's steady breathing outside the tent and the faint sounds of magma flowing somewhere in the distance. His mind was calm and peaceful.
The wilderness certainly hid unknown dangers, but with these companions by his side, he had never once felt uneasy.
His curiosity about Mt. Chimney took root like a seed quietly sprouting in his heart. Carrying this sense of anticipation, Theo's consciousness gradually blurred, and he drifted into sleep.
The next morning, the darkness over Mt. Chimney was torn open by the first ray of dawn. Orange-red sunlight pierced through the thin volcanic smoke, spilling over the dark crimson rock walls.
When Theo awoke from his sleeping bag, Tyrantrum's low breathing and Beldum's faint humming could already be heard outside the tent. The night had passed without incident.
He pulled open the tent zipper, and fresh air tinged with sulfur rushed in, instantly dispelling the remnants of drowsiness.
Hearing the movement, Tyrantrum lifted its head and bobbed it slightly toward him, a soft, affectionate rumble sounding from its throat.
Beldum floated in midair, its red crystalline eye especially bright in the morning light. Seeing Theo emerge, it immediately flew over cheerfully, rubbing its cool metallic body against his arm.
"Awake already?"
Theo smiled and gently patted Beldum's head, then began preparing breakfast.
He set the camping stove atop a rock, once again boiling a pot of steaming stew, which he ate together with compressed biscuits.
At the same time, he took out the exclusive food prepared for the three Pokémon.
After a full night of rest, both he and his Pokémon needed ample energy to face the even steeper mountain paths ahead.
Theo released Milotic from its Dive Ball. As soon as its blue figure appeared, it immediately felt the warmth of the morning light. With a gentle flick of its tail fin, the water film around its body shimmered softly.
The three Pokémon gathered around the food, eating with great enthusiasm.
Beldum still sampled the soup, then used Psychic power to lift rare metals from the backpack, drinking soup and eating Pokémon food while also nibbling on metallic ore, occasionally letting out satisfied hums.
Theo sat on a flat rock, sipping hot soup while opening his phone and pulling up the Devon Corporation database's detailed map of Mt. Chimney.
On the screen, the winding mountain path looked like a thin thread coiling around the dark red mountain mass, while the summit was marked as an irregular orange-red area.
That was the lava lake at the peak.
Theo slid his finger across the screen, his gaze stopping on several marked locations—cave entrances with twisting internal passages. These were the areas he planned to explore today.
Most Pokémon in the mountain preferred to dwell in caves, especially those connected internally to magma fissures, which were prime habitats for Fire-type Pokémon.
Calculating his route, Theo tapped a marked point on the map, deciding to head in that direction first to check out that cave entrance.
Just as he was planning his course of action, an unusual disturbance suddenly arose beside him.
The movement came from Beldum.
Its previously steady "ding-ding" hum abruptly became rapid, like strings being plucked in quick succession. Immediately after, a powerful wave of energy burst forth from its body.
Theo turned his head sharply, only to see Beldum hovering in midair as its once-small metallic body suddenly erupted with dazzling white light—so bright it was almost blinding.
Within the white glow, a vague phantom seemed to appear beside its body, flickering back and forth between illusion and reality.
Threads of energy spilled from it like flowing water, forming a faint halo around it. Even the air itself seemed to grow slightly hot under this surge of power.
"Is this—evolving?!"
Theo's heart jolted, and surprise instantly blossomed across his face.
He had originally thought that Beldum would need to finish consuming all the ore in the backpack before accumulating enough energy to split and evolve. He never expected the evolution to come so suddenly.
Staring intently at the shifting forms of Beldum and its phantom, Theo immediately retrieved an Advanced Energy Orb from the system space.
He held the Energy Orb out in front of Beldum and said softly, "Beldum, absorb it—push a little harder!"
Beldum seemed to sense the allure of the Energy Orb. Its white-lit body leaned forward slightly and swallowed the cube in a single bite.
In an instant, the white light around it surged violently. Within the glow, the vague phantom rapidly solidified, revealing—unmistakably—another Beldum, identical in every way.
(End of Chapter)