Hunter S might not be dead.
Perhaps he was sucked into this special space unique to Thundurus and can't return for now?
Natsuhiko couldn't be certain.
Because his main purpose for venturing out this time was to find Hunter S's body, or more accurately, to find the items he carried.
He obtained this information from Hunter M stationed in Twin Dragons City.
If Hunter S or any other hunters are still on this island, Natsuhiko needs to be extra cautious.
Of course.
He also needs to be cautious of the wild Pokémon residing on this island.
Pokémon capable of surviving under the violent thunder of Thundurus are either very strong, have special abilities or traits, or can enhance themselves using Thundurus's thunder.
After heightening his vigilance, Natsuhiko continued toward the slope where a stone tablet was located.
The forests, bushes, and all the vegetation here seemed to have some degree of isolation from the impact of the electric currents.
For example, when a massive thunderbolt struck, the tree that was hit undoubtedly turned into charcoal and ashes, but the nearby trees and plants appeared untouched.
The fine electrical currents, upon contacting these plants, seemed to be absorbed, or perhaps redirected into the soil.
This is the wondrous aspect of nature's evolution.
Hiss—
Upon entering the dense forest, traces of wild Pokémon finally became visible.
A golden thread shot out from the treetops and was blocked by the fiery fist of Monferno.
But this thread seemed quite resistant to flames, only the part touching the fire was burnt, while the flame did not spread along the thread, being obstructed halfway by filament-like electrical currents entwined around it.
Obviously.
This was no ordinary thread.
If Natsuhiko summoned Beedrill, it would surely recognize that this was an electrified thread, or more accurately, a "Power Grid."
Clack clack clack—
The crisp sound of joints colliding as golden, spider-like Pokémon appeared on the treetops and among the bushes.
Galvantula!
The previous thread was emitted by one of these Galvantulas.
Immediately.
As if receiving some command, all the Galvantulas simultaneously emitted electrified threads, instantly weaving a massive "Power Grid" with strong adhesion, wrapping toward Natsuhiko and his team.
"Grr-rkt!"
Monferno's body erupted in raging flames.
A stream of fire snaked out from its mouth, forming a burning vortex that scorched a hole in the web.
Though these Galvantula webs seemed quite resistant to fire, direct contact with open flames could not be obstructed.
As a Fire-type Pokémon, Monferno gradually showcased its advantage in the forest.
This group of Galvantulas lived in the outer regions of the island. Although their coordination was strong, there wasn't a particularly outstanding individual.
As long as one was cautious of their "Power Grid" and "Sticky Net" moves, dealing with them wasn't difficult.
With Latios facilitating, the natural agility of the Pokémon became even more nimble, making it hard for these threads and webs to touch them.
Once Eevee and Vulpix joined the battle, Meloetta naturally moved from Natsuhiko's embrace to his shoulder.
Boom!
As the last Galvantula fell, Monferno and the others halted their actions.
The Galvantulas were still quite valuable, given their high environmental requirements; even in the forests of the Unova Region, they were not commonly seen.
However, the strongest of these Galvantulas was only at the Elite Level, which didn't meet Natsuhiko's minimum standard, so he didn't attempt to capture them and left them in their place.
Continuing onward.
They encountered many Electric-type Pokémon similar to Galvantula, who lived in such environments where even if they didn't eat, the rich electric energy surrounding them was sufficient as sustenance.
For instance.
Several Lanturns found beside a small stream on the island, not only did they not avoid the electrical currents, they even approached the currents willingly.
With their "Electricity Storage" trait, the currents from Thundurus became the best nourishment for them.
These Lanturns didn't initiate attacks, so Natsuhiko didn't trouble them.
As they ventured deeper.
The frequency and intensity of the falling thunders noticeably increased.
This caused the wild Pokémon on the entire island to display a very clear trend of hierarchical escalation.
The closer the wild Pokémon lived to the central area, the stronger they were.
Gradually.
The wild Pokémon that actively attacked them transitioned from merely Elite Level, to the elite among elites, and occasionally, they would encounter one or two Gym Leader Level individuals acting solo.
The appearance of Gym Leader Level Pokémon greatly increased the pressure on Monferno and Latios.
But under Natsuhiko's adept command and the excellent cooperation amongst the Pokémon, ordinary Gym Leader Level Pokémon only posed a few troubles to them.
Not reaching the point of being unbearable.
Of course.
The greater the strength of the opponents they battle, the more the Pokémon will gain.
Natsuhiko could distinctly sense that Monferno entered a state of extreme excitement.