Chapter 419: The Tai Crystal Cave of Area Zero

"So pretentious." Huo La couldn't help muttering lowly, and despite the complaint, he still followed Chi Ri and Spinel into the Space-Time Gate.

As soon as he stepped in, a familiar dizzy sensation surged, the world spinning, Huo La quickly inhaled deeply, then exhaled heavily, only then could he barely recover his strength.

He inwardly cursed: this lousy feeling of time-travel is truly a trap.

When he turned his head, Paipa beside him was bracing against the wall, bent over vomiting repeatedly; the nearby Explorer Team members were no better—each pale, some even squatting on the ground to catch their breath.

Huo La suddenly thought he was relatively strong, at least he hadn't vomited.

His gaze fell again on Chi Ri and Spinel, who stood side by side, expression calm, no hint of dizziness or vomiting, as if the recent time-travel was no different from walking on a flat road for them.

"This is Paldea's Area Zero from a hundred years ago." Chi Ri's voice rang out first.

Spinel slowly nodded, turned and ordered the members behind him: "Send a few people to thoroughly search this area, be meticulous."

"Yes, Spinel!" several Explorer Team members replied at once, hurrying to grope around the surroundings, daring not to slack.

Huo La didn't join the search; he reached out to steady the still‑dizzy Paipa, silently stayed behind Spinel, his eyes cautiously scanning the surroundings.

The place was barren yet mysterious, exuding an unknown aura everywhere.

Before long, the searching members returned one after another, gathering near Spinel to whisper reports, quickly pinpointing a direction.

Spinel no longer hesitated, leading the way toward that direction.

Chi Ri followed behind, his tone carrying a hint of warning and a barely perceptible weariness: "Spinel, you'd better pray that your judgment and choice this time are correct; otherwise, this trip will cost you dearly."

He knew that this time‑travel, though powered by Dialga and Palkia, took a huge toll on him personally.

This world is not his original one, and the two Time‑Space Dual Gods are not projections of this world's power; coupled with some inexplicable mysterious forces, the price he paid for this crossing is far greater than it appears.

Spinel didn't look back, his tone indifferent: "I know, no need for your reminder."

He understood Chi Ri's meaning; regardless of whether he could catch the desired Pokemon this time, the deal with Chi Ri must be fulfilled, helping Chi Ri deal with Ghetsis.

The group kept moving deeper, the surrounding light growing increasingly dim.

Even though the Explorer Team was equipped with professional gear, this area seemed to naturally swallow light, severely diminishing the instruments' illumination and greatly limiting their effect.

Huo La stayed close behind Chi Ri and Spinel, his mind rapidly sorting all clues.

Spinel spared no effort in using Space‑Time Power, crossing a full hundred years to deliberately arrive at the ancient Area Zero, with the unmistakable goal of Terapagos.

Combining the information previously revealed—that Terapagos was already dead—sufficed to prove its death occurred within the subsequent hundred years.

Jibeiweng now clings to the Zhuoyue Dasha Explorer Team outpost, barely extending its life with Liu Shuo.

From this one can infer that the three original founders of the Explorer Team must have once set foot in the legendary Paradise.

Spinel didn't choose to seize at that moment; instead, he deliberately backtracked time and headed straight for Area Zero, clearly to avoid the three founders.

His true aim was to beat Lystar and capture the last Terapagos first.

Chi Ri was mostly aware of the whole backstory of this matter.

Otherwise, given his caution, he would never have readily agreed to the deal.

In the same world, Time and Space follow fixed rules; every past action cascades to affect the future's direction.

If Spinel's actions were to harm Chi Ri's interests or disrupt his plans, the other party would never easily cooperate to open the Space‑Time Gate.

"We've arrived," Spinel suddenly halted, his tone calm yet issuing an unquestionable command, "Turn off all the lights."

The Explorer Team members behind him dared not delay, swiftly turning off every light—flashlights and spotlights went out instantly, even the emergency lights on their bodies were switched off.

The next second, everyone was plunged into pitch darkness where one couldn't see a hand, their silhouettes indistinct, only the breathing of those nearby audible.

But after a short while, tiny specks of phosphorescence began to emerge in the darkness—initially faint dots that gradually grew brighter and larger, and soon illuminated everyone's sight.

This was a massive Cave; its four walls were studded with myriad crystals, each emitting a different hue—red, green, purple, yellow—creating a dazzling, multicolored spectacle.

These varied lights gradually converged and blended in the air, eventually turning into a soft blue glow that enveloped the entire Cave.

At the Cave's center lay a clear spring; under the blue glow it turned a translucent blue, its surface sparkling, reflecting the overhead light, a beauty that felt unreal.

"Th‑this… it's so beautiful," Paipa exclaimed, mouth agape in shock.

"Tai Crystal…" Huo La also widened his eyes, his gaze full of astonishment, fixed on the Cave wall.

Embedded in the wall were countless solid Tai Crystals, which are the essential core material for crafting Tai Crystal Beads.

He never imagined he'd see so many solid Tai Crystals in Area Zero a hundred years ago.

While Huo La was immersed in shock, Spinel beside him stopped looking at the Tai Crystals on the wall; his gaze locked onto the central spring, and the originally indifferent expression gradually gave way to increasing delight, his breathing subtly quickening.

A tiny blue head slowly rose from the water, its round eyes curiously scanning the group before it, its form small and lively.