In the dim surroundings, blue-gray stone slabs gave off an eerie glow. A Pokémon resembling an ancient Chinese bronze mirror drifted leisurely through the air, red light flashing in its orange eyes.
This was Bronzor, a rare Pokémon with mysterious origins and a long history. It generally lived in ruins or ancient tombs.
Suddenly, it looked toward a dark corner, as though it had discovered something intriguing, then floated over.
A human boy lay unconscious on the floor, with a large backpack fallen beside him. Covered in yellow sand, he looked thoroughly bedraggled.
It was none other than the missing Yong.
Bronzor hovered above his head, curiously studying this unfamiliar creature.
Having always lived in this tower, it had never seen a human before. His unusual appearance puzzled it, and red light shone from its eyes as it scanned the boy's body.
"Beep..."
The mysterious sound came from its body.
Its little eyes narrowed as though it were smiling. Using Confusion, it gently lifted a small stone into the air, then dropped it onto the boy's forehead.
"Ow! That hurts!"
Struck on the forehead, Yong sprang upright into a sitting position. Clutching his forehead with both hands, he cried groggily,
"What idiot threw that rock? Didn't you know I was about to beat the second level? My flock of sheep!"
Startled, Bronzor flashed red and instantly vanished into thin air.
Yong stood up, grumbling and cursing. His whole body felt sore and weak, but after checking himself, he found he wasn't injured. That was good news, at least.
Taking in the dim surroundings and blue-gray structure, he finally remembered what had happened earlier.
"This... isn't the inside of the Mirage Tower, is it?"
He frowned and surveyed his surroundings.
"They say this tower exists in another dimension. How am I