Amidst laughter, they finally entered the densest forest at the summit of Hikelani Mountain.
The trees growing here were exceptionally lush, much more so than those at the foot and mid-slope of the mountain.
And.
Upon entering, not just the Pokémon but even Natsuhiko caught a strong scent of tree fruit.
A very rich aroma.
Almost as if someone had planted an entire orchard of tree fruit here.
Much larger than the tree fruit field guarded by the group of Gumshoos encountered at the mountain foot.
"It increasingly feels like humans have settled here," Natsuhiko mumbled to himself.
Because it really seemed so.
Whether it was the wild Pokémon encountered with tactical planning or the dense forest here, they all hinted at signs of human activity.
Who knows.
Natsuhiko might actually meet a hermit residing deep in the mountains later.
Maybe even an elder.
Hiding a precious "Pokemon Three-Year Daoist School Five-Year Champion" manual.
Just kidding.
Yet it made Natsuhiko focus even more intently.
The playful Pokémon also set aside their frolicking mindset.
"Alakazam."
Approaching the area near the tree fruit woods, Alakazam spoke up, giving Natsuhiko a warning.
Upon hearing Alakazam's warning, Natsuhiko furrowed his brow.
"You say you felt someone using super sensing on us?" Natsuhiko looked at Alakazam.
To this, Alakazam confidently nodded.
Because it too had its super sensing activated, it felt very clearly when the other party swept over them.
Though not obvious.
The other party seemed to disguise well, but Alakazam's super abilities were outstanding, having repeatedly fused stone plate fragments and awakened the genes of the mythical Pokémon; its super sensing quality had long surpassed the average Gym Leader level Pokémon.
Natsuhiko did not doubt Alakazam's feeling was incorrect.
"Interesting, I'm increasingly curious about what kind of existence is in there," Natsuhiko slowly narrowed his eyes.
Trees full of lush, colorful tree fruit.
Pokémon who were once caught by tree fruit ambush were cautious not to approach rashly.
Thud—
With the crisp sound like the collision of shells, a shadow jumped down from a fruit tree.
Ka-ka-ka—
Heading toward Natsuhiko and them, each step was very distinct.
When the other walked out of the fruit tree's shadow and into the moonlight, Natsuhiko and them finally saw this Pokémon.
A purple crab-like Pokémon with forked horns on its head, its arms and abdominal areas beige colored, having blue stripes running from the bottom of its abdomen to its back, a pair of gigantic blue pincers, and blue coloring at the end of its feet.
Its left eye was wide open while its right eye was partly covered by a blue eyelid, resembling a boxer hit in the eye.
Crabrawler!
Natsuhiko recognized this Pokémon.
Though Crabrawler is a crab, it is not a Water Type Pokémon.
They are Fighting-type Pokémon.
As their name implies, they're extremely competitive.
Whether facing opponents or their own kind.
They even choose higher places to compare strength with companions.
Therefore Crabrawler can mostly be found on mountains.
They like eating tree fruit, often punching to knock fruit off trees.
Just one Crabrawler?
Clearly more than that.
Crabrawler is considered a group Pokémon.
Natsuhiko heard more "ka-ka-ka" sounds, the collision sounds of Crabrawler limb joints as they walked.
More and more Crabrawler walked out from the fruit woods.
"Competitive!!"
With a rough sound, the Crabrawler made way, revealing a crab-like Pokémon wrapped in snow-white fur, holding huge sandbag fists, walking out step by step from behind the Crabrawler group.
Crabominable!
An evolved form of Crabrawler.
Since Crabrawler likes climbing heights, and the environment becomes colder as they climb, Crabrawler's evolved form, Crabominable, appears to combat the chilly conditions.
They evolve from the original Fighting Type Pokémon into Fighting Type and Ice Type Pokémon.
The only known Pokémon world combination of Fighting Type and Ice Attribute.
But Natsuhiko remembers that Crabrawler evolves on Lanakila Mountain.
Much like Vikavolt, the evolution requirement is relatively strict.
Yet casting a glance far off.
Outside Hikelani Mountain.
Through the mist and flurries of snow at night, visible is a giant outline, which is Lanakila Mountain.
Hikelani Mountain is right next to Lanakila Mountain. Evolving in such conditions is plausible.
Natsuhiko's impression of Crabominable mainly remains from the game.
A decent physical attacker for the Space Team.
Because Crabominable's physical attack ability is strong, but its slow speed is also a noticeable drawback, only in Space Team can this be somewhat compensated.
"Competitive!"
Once Crabominable walked out, it glanced at Natsuhiko and his Pokémon, then disdainfully beckoned.
Meaning to say.
Let your strongest Pokémon out to battle, then we'll talk.
This Crabominable did not conceal its power, so determining its strength wasn't difficult.
Gym Leader Level.
Though not an Overlord Pokémon, it is the leader of this Crabrawler group, its strength likely not weak.
By these gestures, it seems ready for a one-on-one fight.
Natsuhiko nodded.
He didn't mind Crabominable's arrogance as such Pokémon possess these traits.
He winked at Alakazam.
Facing a Fighting Type and Ice Type Pokémon, clearly Alakazam is quite suitable, Togekiss is countered by Ice Type, Beedrill is ineffective for damage.