The purple forest was filled with unsettling, poisonous hues that seemed almost hypnotic; staring at them too long could easily give you the illusion of being poisoned.
But that didn't mean the swamp nearby was any less eerie.
Apart from the swamp's somewhat normal color, everything else about it felt heavy and oppressive.
Thick, lush grass covered the ground, making it hard to see what might be lurking beneath.
Towering trees grew everywhere, their massive trunks rivaling those in the purple forest.
These trees had huge, dense canopies, with thick leaves that blocked most of the sunlight, leaving the forest floor shrouded in darkness.
A gentle breeze occasionally rustled the treetops, casting shifting shadows that looked almost like ghosts drifting through the gloom.
Above the forest, dark cumulonimbus clouds loomed ominously, constantly pouring down rain.
The droplets filtered through the thick leaves, nourishing the forest below; this place was essentially a rainforest.
The whole scene was painted in gloomy, dark tones: heavy clouds overhead, dim light slipping through the branches.
If it weren't for the green leaves and grass, it would have been downright terrifying.
Even so, everyone knew this place was far from simple.
The stranger and more unsettling the environment, the more likely it was to hide unexpected dangers.
Larry pulled his gaze away and moved forward silently, with his team following closely behind.
Everyone in this group was experienced and knew exactly what to do in such a hostile environment, especially on the Dark Continent.
Staying alert was the most important rule of all.
As Larry stepped onto the soft grass, a new gestation bar suddenly appeared in his mind, as if out of nowhere.
He frowned slightly but didn't pause, leading the team deeper into the rainforest.
He wasn't surprised that new Pokemon could be bred here, but what caught him off guard was that only one new gestation bar showed up.
It was rare, though not unheard of, to have two bars at once; since arriving on the Dark Continent, he'd even seen that happen twice.
This place had suddenly turned into a breeding ground, and Larry felt a bit uneasy at first, which took him by surprise.
Still, having such a spot was a good thing; after all, the Dark Continent is vast, full of opportunities to breed Pokemon.
As for the kind of Pokemon he planned to breed this time, he glanced around at the surrounding woods and grasslands, also thinking about the swamps that lay deeper inside.
He figured it would likely be a grass-type or ground-type Pokemon.
Grass-types made sense because of the dense forest around, so breeding those was a natural choice.
Ground-types seemed fitting, too, given that the swamp represented a key part of the local terrain.
He wondered if it might be something like Venusaur, Bellossom, Swampert, or even Swampert's swamp-dwelling counterparts.
But he couldn't be sure.
There might be a connection to the creatures living there, like the Hell Bell Twin-Tailed Snake they had to face before obtaining Nitolome.
If there were snake-like Pokemon or those tied to sound, that could make sense.
Maybe Arbok, Spinarak, or even something like Whismur?
The rainforest was surprisingly quiet.
Apart from the steady patter of rain, it was hard to hear any other sounds.
It felt like only their group was alive here; other creatures seemed to have vanished.
The danger had disappeared along with them, so they hadn't faced any crises since entering.
But on the Dark Continent, feeling safe often meant danger was just around the corner.
As everyone walked silently, suddenly a burst of rain dripped down from the tree canopy above.
This rain wasn't ordinary; it carried certain substances from the trees.
Small green seeds were wrapped inside the murky raindrops, quietly waiting to land on something.
At that moment, these special raindrops mixed with the regular rain and began to fall on the people below.
At first, no one reacted.
After all, it was just more rain, and they were all wearing protective gear, so they didn't feel anything unusual.
Their focus remained on moving forward while staying alert for any sudden attacks from nearby creatures.
But those seemingly harmless raindrops soon turned into a terrifying threat.
Miru's face went rigid as a sudden weight pressed down on his right shoulder, like an iron box had been placed there.
He quickly turned his head and saw that his shoulder, which had only been wet from rain moments before, was now covered with writhing roots.
These roots seemed to have taken hold, embedding themselves deeply into his skin.
In an instant, the roots sprouted and twisted upward, forming a flower-like plant crowned with a bud as large as a basketball.
The swollen bud bulged ominously, its contents unknown but undeniably menacing.
Then, without warning, the bud split open into five petals, each lined with rows of sharp, evenly spaced fangs that glinted coldly in the light.
The sight was so grotesque and symmetrical that anyone with a fear of clustered patterns would likely faint on the spot.
From the open flower bud, streams of yellow, smoke-like pollen drifted out.
Miru didn't know what the gas was for, but he was certain of one thing: it was dangerous, and he had to avoid contact at all costs.
The carnivorous plant snapped its fanged petals toward Miru's head in a terrifying motion reminiscent of the parasitic creatures from "Parasyte" that attacked by splitting open human heads.
Miru wasn't the only one caught off guard; several others on the field faced the same sudden threat.
The rapid transformation left everyone stunned and unprepared.
Since the danger came from the seeds on the tree, even Miru, who was in charge of keeping watch, hadn't spotted it in time.
Miru's pupils narrowed as adrenaline surged through him.
Although his safety suit offered some protection, he wasn't willing to rely on it alone; this was an unknown enemy, and he couldn't predict what kind of damage it might inflict.
Instead, he chose to fight back immediately.
With a sudden rush of aura, Miru activated a powerful [Refining] ability.
Instantly, a razor-sharp long knife materialized in his hand.
Clutching it tightly with his backhand, he swung it fiercely at the savage, man-eating plant.
Silver flashes streaked through the air as he struck, determined not to become its next victim.
Before the man-eating plant's five petals could bite down, three sharp, clean cuts appeared one after another across its roots, stems, and flowers.
In the next instant, the plant's body collapsed, breaking into several pieces and falling onto the grass.
The largest flower was mostly ground into powder by Miru's attack.
Dark green juice oozed from the chopped remains, and wherever it touched the grass, the plants corroded completely, turning into wisps of white smoke drifting upward.
Seeing that some roots still clung to his shoulders and continued to grow, Miru quickly pulled them out.
Holding the roots in his palm, now covered with [Jian], he clenched his fist sharply, crushing them into fragments.
He exhaled softly, feeling a mix of fear and relief.