"I know about this one."
Lucas raised his hand and spoke up.
"I asked around just now. The reason they call the Black Mystery Zone a 'dungeon' is because the Pokémon inside might not be real — they seem to be more like data fragments."
"Huh???"
Everyone stared. Before university, there was basically no information about the Black Mystery Zone — but calling the Pokémon inside "just data"? Wasn't that a bit… too much?
"It's real." Lucas shook his head, dead serious. "In normal Mystery Zones or out here, when a Pokémon loses a battle, it faints. But in the Black Mystery Zone, it's different. When a Pokémon loses the ability to fight, it fades away."
"Fades away?!"
Everyonestunned a second time. Loses the ability to fight and just… vanishes?
"So what about our Pokémon…"
"Pokémon that enter from outside don't have that problem."
Lucas cut off Jace Rowan before he could finish.
"From what they told me, the Black Mystery Zone should have an Energy Core somewhere. Rather than calling those Pokémon 'Pokemon' or 'data,' I find the otherboss's explanation more believable — those Pokémon are probably projections of that Energy Core."
"An Energy Core?"
"Yeah. Master Wang Yi said he's seen it, but besides him, nobody's heard of anyone else actually finding it."
He paused for breath, then continued.
"Defeating a Pokémon in the Black Mystery Zone gives a special burst of energy to the Pokémon that defeated it — and that energy makes the Pokémon evolve faster and grow stronger."
Auron felt his mouth twitch. This… EXP points?
"But if the level difference is too big, the effect doesn't trigger."
Everyone nodded. "That makes sense. If there was no such restriction, people could just grind infinitely."
Tang Yunqin suddenly perked up. "I heard the second-year students have a Black Mystery Zone trial — could it be this same place?"
Tim shook his head. "No idea. But every year, second-years do have a period of off-campus training. Maybe that's when it happens?"
"Probably, yeah. Maybe they signed NDAs." Jace Rowan threw in his two cents as well.
"Are we basically taking second-year classes early, then?"
"HAHAHA~"
"Hey hey, we're getting off topic here."
Lucas looked at them helplessly. Every time they talked, somehow the conversation drifted somewhere completely unrelated.
"Fine, fine — so the takeaway is, we don't treat them like regular Pokémon. Got it."
"Correct. And after those Pokémon fade away, they drop items. Common drops like berries, Stardust, that sort of thing. Rare drops like Pokémon held items. And the most valuable are Attribute Gems."
Auron suppressed another twitch. Was this… loot drops?
Because this world had a history of Pokémon joining human civilization, there was no Seribia — and noeight million warriors of Arad or anything like that.
He didn't know where the word "dungeon" came from, but from Lucas's explanation, this world clearly didn't have the concept of "loot drops" either.
"The second rule here is: don't trust anyone!"
Jace Rowan immediately raised his hand. "I know this one! Don't trust anyone — it's to prevent people from killing to steal. Regular Mystery Zones already have plenty of bandits on the road. With even richer resources in the Black Mystery Zone, there have to be people who specialize in robbing others."
Auron nodded. "Agreed. Okay — third rule: once inside the Black Mystery Zone, the first thing you do is find the exit."
"If you don't find the Mystery Zone exit, then every day that passes, the danger level increases. And it's not just about fighting off aggressive Pokémon — you also have to watch out for the possibility of running into hostile people."
"At that point, the Zone exit is your escape route. Once you're out of the Black Mystery Zone, the Pokémon inside can't follow you out. Outside is a society ruled by law — nobody would dare take the risk. So getting out of the Zone means safety."
Auron finished, then looked at the others.
"Fourth rule…"
After going through all the precautions on the map, the group finally turned their attention to the map itself.
"Whoa — this place here, Ursaring Forest? Isn't this similar to the one in Ice City?"
"Yeah, probably about the same. Danger level: extremely high."
"There's an Eevee Prairie here too. That one's got a lower danger rating."
Tim nodded. "But according to the fifth precaution, the higher the danger level, the richer the rewards."
He smiled. "Of course, first you have to survive."
"Okay, now let's plan a route. We should at least have some kind of strategy."
Auron said, and everyone started throwing out ideas.
By the time noon approached, they'd factored in most of the possible scenarios and worked out solutions.
For example, if someone accidentally got separated from the group, they'd immediately find the exit and wait there to regroup.
Another example: if you got separated and ran into bandits, and you were sure you couldn't win — you'd throw your backpack immediately and run.
Better to live and fight another day than die with yourbackpackfull.
With a general plan in place, the group had lunch, then headed toward the Mystery Zone entrance.
The Black Mystery Zone was under official management, so military personnel were stationed at the entrance.
Their first job was screening — some people were outright barred from entering. That included high school graduates without Pokémon, criminals on the wanted list, and, per the newest regulation, anyone who hadn't reached Junior Trainer certification.
Beyond that, their presence also prevented any troublemakers from causing scenes.
That was why the merchant crowd outside — for all their poor attitudes — didn't dare cause trouble.
The soldiers standing at attention in full uniform, the Machamp beside them standing in matching military posture — neither was particularly inviting.
And that wasn't even mentioning the three or four Sub-Elite trainers stationed inside the base nearby.
Anyone who caused trouble would have to be out of their mind.
The regular dungeon-goers who passed through all the time still behaved themselves outside because of that presence.
The group arrived at the Zone entrance, queued up, and paid the entry fee. Auron took a deep breath, then turned back.
"You all ready?"
"Ready!"
Including Jace, everyone felt a surge of excitement.
A Mystery Zone — this was their first time entering one. The Black Mystery Zone, no less.
Jace was thrilled too. The last time he'd followed Auron into a Pokémon Mystery Zone, he felt like he'd basically never even stepped inside.
Sure, the rewards were massive — but there was zero theadventure tension. Could that really be called entering a Mystery Zone?
"Everyone ready? Then let's go!"
Auron smiled — and stepped through the black spatial rift.
———
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