Before Naoki's transmigration, the DLC for The Scarlet Book had not yet been released.

Though he had heard rumors about a so-called "third deity" of Paldea, Terapagos, he had never seen one with his own eyes, nor did he know of their power or even their true appearance.

And now, standing here in the depths of Area Zero, he saw them for the first time.

It was hard to believe.

Each region had its own "third god":

Hoenn's was Rayquaza, the sky sovereign.

Sinnoh's was Giratina, the renegade of distortion.

Unova's was Kyurem, the frozen boundary.

Kalos' was Zygarde, the order's guardian.

Alola's was Necrozma, the prism of light.

Galar's was Eternatus, the bringer of the Darkest Day.

And here, in Paldea, all signs pointed to Terapagos as the third god.

But could such a small, turtle-like body truly wield the power of a Legendary?

And worse, there weren't just one or two of them. There were dozens.

If each Terapagos carried even a fraction of the strength of Eternatus or Rayquaza, then together, they could easily shake the balance of the entire world.

Naoki stared at the glittering swarm for a long time before finding his voice.

"I told you that when you woke up again, I would take you with me?" he asked cautiously.

"Pago!" The Terapagos nodded their gem-like heads in perfect unison, like a chorus of quacking ducklings.

Naoki: "…"

Taking a deep breath, he finally said, "In that case, follow me and Koraidon."

"Pago~!"

Delighted, the Terapagos squealed and scurried after him, crowding together as if afraid to lose sight of him. They looked as if Naoki had just promised them the greatest game of their lives.

Naoki glanced around the crystalline cavern one last time, but aside from the Terapagos, there seemed little left to discover.

It was clear now. These Pokémon were the very heart of the time machine itself, the source of its power. Their energy was the foundation on which Professor Sada's invention had been built.

Closing his eyes, Naoki pieced together the tangled history in his mind.

Over a decade ago, the Paldea League investigated the Great Crater. From their findings, Professors Sada and Turo constructed the Area Zero Research Lab and its time machine.

Nine years ago, in Alliance Calendar Year 198, Naoki first arrived in this world. His very first partner had been Cyclizar, gifted to him by Mayor Thomas.

That same year, the professors began their experiments, summoning Paradox Pokémon from across time.

Nine years later, in Year 206, both professors lost their lives protecting Koraidon from a rampaging paradox. Their AI successors, bearing their memories and emotions, turned to Naoki for help shutting the time machine down.

But tragedy struck. In a single careless moment, his Cyclizar fell into the time machine, hurling it back tens of thousands of years, where it encountered Terapagos.

The ancient Terapagos resonated with the energy of the future's time machine. It was this resonance that allowed the machine to locate and call back Cyclizar, now hardened and transformed into Koraidon.

Yet two different futures had pulled at the same moment, one nine years past, and one in the present. That clash of temporal energies nearly tore Koraidon apart.

In the end, Naoki had made his choice. He had let go. He himself had sent Koraidon back to the year 198, to the very beginning of their story, closing the loop by placing the Pokémon in his own younger hands.

It was complete. The circle had closed.

And now, he had learned something even more shocking: Terapagos had not gone extinct at all.

If what these tiny Legends said was true, then someday in his future, he would return to the ancient past himself. He would walk beside Koraidon, protect the Terapagos from destruction, and leave them to slumber until the present day, when he would meet them once more.

Naoki's heart grew heavy. 'So this is the perfect ending…'

Nothing could be undone. The past was already sealed.

What mattered now was protecting his family, his friends, and all of Paldea from the chaos of the Paradox Pokémon.

With that resolve, Naoki turned back toward the elevator.

Just as he stepped aboard, Koraidon suddenly stopped and cried out, "Ah, gah!"

Naoki followed its gaze.

On a dusty table nearby, half-hidden beneath shattered crystal, lay a notebook.

He stepped forward and lifted it carefully, brushing the dust away.

It was old, fragile, and worn, but it unmistakably belonged to Professor Sada.

Inside, her notes read:

Deeper still within Area Zero lies an immense cavern. At its heart slumbers the true treasure, Terapagos. Its crystallized body shields it from intrusion, but it will take a long time to awaken.

Perhaps influenced by Terapagos, a new crystallization has formed in the Great Crater. Unlike anything else on Earth, this crystal holds every elemental property at once. I have decided to temporarily name this phenomenon…

Star Crystal.

"Star Crystal…?" Naoki whispered.

The term was new to him. He had never once encountered it in all his journeys.

Turning the page, he searched for more details, but to his frustration, the notes stopped there.

Professor Sada had left no further explanation.

From this point onward, the records shifted into an investigation of the Great Void Zero, the colossal cavity beneath Area Zero.

According to the strata, this void had formed roughly two million years ago. Traces of debris indicated that the cavity had once been filled with countless materials until repeated collapses hollowed it out. The final collapse, estimated at a depth of nearly 1,000 meters, was likely caused by tectonic shifts, rain, and groundwater erosion. After the largest cave-in, the terrain stabilized into what exists today.

The notes speculated that the Terapagos had been wiped out during this collapse, leaving only one survivor, crystallized, slumbering in the depths.

"Two million years ago…?" Naoki whispered, his chest tightening with awe and unease. If this was true, then his Cyclizar hadn't just traveled to the distant past… it had been hurled into an era millions of years removed from the present.

Two million years, three short words, but carrying a weight almost infinite.

Naoki fell silent for a long while before exhaling slowly and turning to the next page.

That was when an essay by Professor Sada caught his attention:

While investigating the hidden treasure, I experienced a temporal shift and was transported to another dimension. Based on the temperature and humidity, it may have been the eastern region often referenced in ancient texts.

The air reeked of sulfur. Near a pond, I encountered two children, one carrying Koraidon, the other carrying Terapagos. One of them handed me a white book. It contained records not only of the Great Void but also of Terapagos's awakening. I am desperate to know more about this book's author, someone named Briar.

Naoki blinked. Just two paragraphs, yet they revealed staggering implications.

Professor Sada had also been pulled across time and space, likely by Terapagos's crystal energy. And in that strange dimension, she had met two mysterious children, one with Koraidon, one with Terapagos.

And she had received a white book, a book he knew all too well.

"The Scarlet Book… Briar… Isn't she a teacher at Blueberry Academy?" Naoki muttered.

He remembered her vividly. They had spoken once, and she had shared her theories on the Scarlet Book and the Great Crater. She was also, if memory served, a descendant of Heath, the explorer who first chronicled Area Zero.

Could it be that the Scarlet Book in Sada's possession was never written in the past at all… but instead brought back from the future?

Naoki rubbed his temple, dizzy with the implications.

Paradox Pokémon. Time machines. Past and future entangled. Loops and paradoxes layered one atop another.

The deeper he went, the more the main storyline of Paldea seemed like a puzzle that refused to settle into place.

Shaking his head, Naoki tucked the notes safely into his bag. He would need time, quiet, focused time, to study them properly.

He and Koraidon, along with the dozen Terapagos, crowded into the elevator.

It creaked and rumbled as it rose, taking several long minutes to reach the surface.

When the doors slid open, they were back at the familiar threshold of Area Zero's upper labs.

Naoki glanced at the shining Terapagos gathered around him.

The Research Station had no rich food nor entertainment, only cold machinery and harsh stone walls. And yet, this would be their home for the time being.

One task lay before him now: to use the time machine to return the displaced Paradox Pokémon to their rightful eras, before they wreaked more havoc across Paldea.

The second task awaiting Naoki was one final favor for Professor Sada: shutting down the time machine.

But to do that, he needed the Scarlet Book that Arven carried. The professor's ID, the very key to disabling the machine, was encoded inside its pages.

For now, though, Naoki decided he would first send the Terapagos back to the ranch, where they would be safe.

He crouched down to their level and spoke gently.

"Terapagos, I have something important I need to take care of. I'll bring you to my home first. There are lots of Pokémon there, kind ones you can play with. Once I finish my work, I'll come back for you. How does that sound?"

"Pago?" the little turtles tilted their heads curiously.

Naoki smiled. "I promise. You'll make plenty of new friends."

"Pago!" they chirped, voices bubbling with excitement.

A few of the Terapagos flapped their stubby legs anxiously, adding, "Pago-pago!" (Naoki will meet us over there when he's done!)

Naoki nodded firmly. "Of course. I'll be back."

Just as he reached for his Rotom Phone to call Calyrex for help, his screen lit up with another call, Elara.

"Daddy, when are you coming home?" his daughter's small, sleepy voice carried through.

Naoki's heart tightened. "Daddy has a little more work to finish, but once I'm done, I'll come back. You have to listen to Mommy while I'm away, okay?"

"But Elara hasn't seen Daddy in forever!" Her words wobbled as she wiped away tears. "Larvesta misses you too!"

Naoki's chest ached. He lowered his voice, soft and soothing.

"I know… Daddy misses you just as much. I promise I'll be back soon. And when I do, we'll go to the beach together and collect shells. How about that?"

"Really?" Her eyes lit up with hope. "Then Daddy has to pinky promise!"

"Pinky promise, for a hundred years." Naoki hooked his pinky toward the screen, sealing their invisible vow. Then, with a little smile, he added, "Oh, and Elara… Daddy found some new friends for you to play with."

"New friends?" she perked up, curious. "Who are they?"

"You'll see soon," Naoki teased, keeping it a surprise.

"Okay!" Elara whispered, but then darted her eyes around suspiciously. She ducked into a corner, clutching the Rotom Phone, and whispered like she was sharing a forbidden secret:

"Daddy, I'm going to have a little brother! Mommy didn't want me to tell you because she was worried…"

Naoki froze for a moment, then a gentle smile broke across his face.

"A little brother, huh? Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy knows."

"Shhh! Don't tell Mommy I told you!" Elara's eyes widened.

"I won't," Naoki chuckled. "Our little secret."

They said their goodbyes, and Naoki finally contacted Calyrex.

Moments later, the mighty Pokémon appeared in Area Zero. At Naoki's request, it opened a portal of psychic light and carried the dozens of Terapagos safely back to the ranch.

Meanwhile, at the ranch…

Iono noticed her daughter wiping away tears as she stared longingly at the empty doorway. Her heart ached. She walked over, gently scooping Elara into her arms.

"Sweetheart," she asked softly, "do you miss Daddy?"

"Mm-hmm," Elara sniffled. "But Daddy said he can't come back yet…"

Iono stroked her daughter's hair, her voice calm and reassuring.

"That's because Daddy is protecting us. He's doing something very important. Some bad Pokémon came here, strong ones, and they could hurt people and our kind Pokémon friends.

Daddy is catching those bad Pokémon and sending them back to their homes. That way, everyone will be safe."

Her eyes softened as she kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Daddy is a hero. When he's done, he'll come home."

The child sniffled once more, but then nodded firmly. "Mm! Elara will be good!"

Just then, a lively commotion came from outside.

Iono and Elara hurried to the door. To their surprise, Calyrex stood in the pasture, accompanied by a large group of sparkling turtle Pokémon, Terapagos.

Iono blinked in confusion, but Elara's eyes widened with joy.

Daddy hadn't lied! He really had sent her many new friends to play with!

She wriggled free from her mother's arms and dashed toward them, calling out brightly,

"Hello! I'm Elara! Let's be good friends!"

The Terapagos instantly sensed her gentle aura. Their eyes glittered as they chirped in excitement.

"Pago~!"

After ensuring the Terapagos were safe and happily playing, Naoki returned his focus to the time machine. The sooner he finished here, the sooner he could finally go home to his family.

Inside the Area Zero Research Institute, he stood before the monitoring systems and turned to Professor Sada's AI.

"By the way, I have a question."

"What is it?" the AI asked, glancing at him.

"I came across something called Star Crystals in the professor's notes. What exactly are they?"

The AI paused, then explained,

"You should have already encountered Terapagos. Star Crystals are a crystallization phenomenon discovered deep within the Great Crater, influenced by their power. Unlike normal Tera Crystals, they aren't bound to any single type. Instead, they embody the potential of every Tera Type. When a Pokémon crystallizes with Star Crystal energy, it can unleash the power of all types at once. In short, it is a force even greater than ordinary Terastallization."

Naoki's eyes widened. Even stronger than Tera Crystals… He couldn't help but imagine the overwhelming power such energy must hold.

Shaking off the thought, he shifted his focus to the large surveillance screen. This was the monitoring system, which he had entrusted Chief Geeta with authorization to deploy. Their goal was simple: to locate the Koraidon that had escaped Area Zero.

Finally, their efforts bore fruit.

According to reports, the severely injured Koraidon, after fleeing the Great Crater, had collapsed on a southern beach near Cascarrafa. There, it was rescued by a trainer named Juliana, who later enrolled with the Pokémon at Naranja Academy.

Naoki narrowed his eyes at the feed. The screen showed the girl and her new partner together, an unusual bond forming quickly between them.

Professor Sada's AI spoke softly beside him. "That child?"

Naoki nodded. "Yes. She's talented, already earned three Gym Badges. She's even been battling alongside Arven, helping him face Titan Pokémon for the Herba Mystica. With her around, Arven will be able to handle the dangers of Paradox Pokémon and reach Area Zero safely."

The AI processed this, while Naoki's thoughts drifted. Just like in the journey he remembered, Arven's faithful Mabosstiff had been injured, and the boy sought healing through the Herba Mystica. Naoki found himself frowning. Why doesn't he ever ask me? Even Gogoat Milk from our farm would help…

But he knew the answer. Arven didn't want to trouble anyone. That was simply who he was.

Meanwhile, Juliana's prowess had already drawn notice: Nemona, the battle fanatic, had taken a keen interest in her.

Now, Juliana was training alongside Koraidon in the Academy's Operation Starfall campaign.

Juliana. Arven. Nemona. Penny.

The full four-member team, the destined companions of the journey, was finally assembled.

Naoki clenched his fists lightly. All that remained now was to guide them toward the truth, into Area Zero, where Arven would face his parents one final time, and where together they would bring the time machine to its end.