The topographic map Dr. Moroboshi had given him was not particularly detailed. It showed only general directions and marked a few caves. Many places had red crosses drawn over them, presumably areas they had explored without finding anything.
He followed a rugged mountain path eastward, heading uphill.
Yong gradually ventured into the vast mountain range. Ahead of him, Swampert strode along the path, occasionally looking around.
Swampert's senses were far sharper than they had been as a Marshtomp. They could keep Yong from getting lost while also intimidating weaker Pokémon into staying out of their way, making Swampert the ideal companion to have beside him right now.
As for whether they could encounter Ancient Pokémon, especially Tyrunt, that really came down to luck!
The towering mountains blocked the sunlight on one side. Yong was currently in a vast mountain hollow, surrounded by cracked mountainsides that formed irregular caves.
In ancient times, Wailz Island had been connected to Lilycove City. But as the years passed and continental plates shifted, Wailz Island gradually separated from the Eastern Continent and drifted farther into the ocean.
Thanks to the ocean currents crossing here, Wailz Island had a very pleasant climate.
Many Pokémon species had remained here as a result, giving the entire island a remarkably complete ecosystem!
By the present day, however, those long-extinct Pokémon had become fossils, their remains left on the island.
Dr. Moroboshi and his wife had established their research institute here precisely to bring Ancient Pokémon back into the world, hoping to turn Wailz Island into a paradise where they could live.
Marks left by human tools covered the surfaces of these caves, showing that they had already been explored.
Nevertheless, Yong walked through the crisscrossing tunnels, exploring them one by one. Fortunately, with Swampert there, he did not have