Chapter 233: The Fractured City of Amber
It was apparent that not only this section of the passage but many other areas had also succumbed to collapses.
Yuga dared not allow Ninetales to dig a hole too large, ensuring it was just enough for him to pass through. He harbored a fear that enlarging the hole might incite a secondary cave-in.
Accompanied by Combee and Ninetales, Yuga pressed onward. Whenever they encountered obstacles due to cave-ins, he had Ninetales aid in clearing the path.
Throughout this journey, they stumbled upon countless forks and entrances within the cave. Without the guidance of Combee, Yuga believed he might have wandered aimlessly forever.
Yuga marveled, "Undoubtedly, the Combee Hive."
Furthermore, scattered among the rubble, Yuga discovered the lifeless forms of many Combee who hadn't managed to escape, crushed beneath falling rocks.
Combee accompanying Yuga mournfully gazed upon their fallen brethren.
Yuga grasped that this specific branch of Combee family would likely bear a deep-seated grudge against Latias. Although Latias had not acted with malice, the fact remained that many Combee had been harmed or perished.
Sighing softly, Yuga proceeded.
Eventually, they reached a large, circular chamber. As Yuga ventured within, innumerable Combee fixed their eyes upon him. What lay ahead was an enormous wall composed of countless Combee.
Upon encountering a human, Combee within the chamber employed Gust. Individually, their gusts resembled nothing more than a gentle breeze. Yet, when combined, they produced a substantial effect.
Without hesitation, Yuga summoned his Vivillon and directed it to create a Light Screen to shield against the approaching gusts.
The subsequent Combee quickly clarified Yuga's intentions to the others—that he had come to rescue their Queen—and the animosity towards Yuga dissipated.
Yuga couldn't help but admire the profound trust and unity among these Combee.
With misunderstandings resolved, Yuga and Combee promptly advanced toward Vespiqueen's location. However, they encountered a formidable cave-in along the way.
"Are you indicating that Vespiqueen is within?" Yuga inquired in astonishment.
The cave-in appeared dire. Yuga harbored grave doubts about Vespiqueen's survival if she were indeed inside.
Observing the hopeful gazes of Combee, Yuga had no recourse but to allow Ninetales to employ Dig.
After a brief period, a golden liquid began seeping through the gaps in the rocks. The entire chamber filled with a sweet, fragrant aroma.
"Is this all Sweet Honey?" Yuga queried.
Combee all nodded in unison.
Yuga couldn't help but feel it was an immense waste. It seemed that the hive of Combee had been utterly obliterated; otherwise, such a copious flow of Sweet Honey would not have occurred.
As Ninetales delved deeper, an ever-increasing quantity of Sweet Honey emerged, transforming the brown rocks into glistening gold. Yuga's heart ached at witnessing such a loss.
At this moment, Yuga suddenly remembered that he had brought along his Snorlax. Why not let it out to consume all this oozing Sweet Honey, preventing waste? After all, the benefits of the land should go to its owner.
With this thought in mind, Yuga released Snorlax from its Poké Ball.
Initially dozing with its eyes closed, Snorlax was enticed by the sweet aroma in the air. It began to twitch its nose and eventually opened its eyes.
"Snorlax, all of this Sweet Honey is yours; eat as much as you want!" Yuga told Snorlax, whose mouth was already watering.
Upon hearing this, Snorlax cheered and happily began scooping up the flowing Sweet Honey, not minding that it was mixed with bits of rock. It licked even the rocks clean, showing no restraint.
And so, while Ninetales continued to dig, Snorlax feasted along the way. Yuga was amazed by Combee' hive's astonishing reserves of Sweet Honey. Yuga made a rough estimate that the Sweet Honey they had encountered so far was close to a ton, and Snorlax was still eating!
However, Snorlax couldn't finish it all, and a significant portion flowed into the crevices between the rocks, wasted.
Finally, with Ninetales' unwavering efforts, they successfully cleared the obstructed entrance, allowing Yuga and the others to enter Vespiqueen's chamber.
Upon entering, what they saw was a floor covered in rubble and the lifeless bodies of Combee, creating a gruesome scene.
In addition to this, Yuga was stunned by the golden world before him. Within the cave, aside from the fallen rocks from the cave-in, the rest of the space was composed of large pieces of beeswax, forming a world literally made of Sweet Honey.
This was undoubtedly the legendary Amber City of Vespiqueen.
However, regrettably, this Amber City was now shattered. It was not only littered with Combee corpses but also vast areas of Pokémon eggs had been crushed. The Sweet Honey storage pools had collapsed, and Sweet Honey had flowed everywhere.
Combee following Yuga, upon witnessing this dire sight, began to wail, creating a cacophony that left Yuga's head throbbing.
Meanwhile, Snorlax, completely ignoring the atmosphere, continued to devour Sweet Honey, its eyes squinted in pure bliss.
"Let's first find Vespiqueen!" Yuga instructed Combee amidst their mourning.
Hearing Yuga's words, Combee immediately ceased their weeping and scattered, searching for Vespiqueen's whereabouts.
Finally, a few Combee discovered the unconscious Vepiqueen beneath a heap of rubble in the nursery.
As Yuga carefully lifted Vespiqueen out of the pile of rocks, he noticed that she was still protecting several Pokémon eggs beneath her. Sadly, in her unconscious state, these eggs had shattered.
Yuga examined Vespiqueen's injuries and found that she was on the brink of death. She had multiple fatal wounds all over her body, and even with the Heal Pulse of Chimecho and the Grassy Terrain from Florges, there was little hope of her recovery.
Seeing Vespiqueen's condition, Combee wailed once more and began to circle around Yuga and Vespiqueen, performing what seemed to be a mysterious ritual.
Yuga didn't understand what they were doing, but as they flew faster and faster, he lost sight of their individual forms, only witnessing streaks of motion left behind by their rapid flight.
The massive airflow generated by the multitude of Combee swirling at high speeds tore at Yuga's clothing, creating a loud rustling sound. In the midst of this spectacle, Yuga was treated to a scene of wonder and astonishment.
Yuga observed that as Combee flew rapidly, they simultaneously emitted a peculiar, melodic chant. Accompanied by this chanting, their bodies began to slowly melt and merge into a multitude of golden, swirling lights.
When these golden lights ascended to the top of the cave, they abruptly transformed into a stream of light that descended onto Vespiqueen and enveloped both her and Yuga.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone