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Next door to the Winstrate family hut, there stood a high-rise building called "Trainer Hill," but its gate was locked.
There were no hints about when it would open.
However, in Chris's past life memory, Trainer Hill would open after defeating the Elite Four. Beating the trainers inside would reward challengers with rare TMs.
"Better check it out after beating the Elite Four," Chris thought.
Continuing onward, after smashing some rocks blocking the path with Rock Smash, Chris arrived at a desert. But due to the intense sandstorms, he couldn't enter at the moment.
Heading left, he reached the foot of Mt. Chimney along Route 112. There, he found members of Team Magma blocking the road and preventing anyone from using the cable car to ascend the mountain.
Instead, Chris entered Fiery Path, a volcanic terrain.
The Pokémon living here included Machop, Grimer, Koffing, Slugma, Numel, and Torkoal.
Among them, two Pokémon caught his attention. Numel, which could Mega Evolve into Camerupt, and Torkoal, known as "Little Groudon," a powerful sun-weather Pokémon.
"If I want to build a sunny weather team in the future, catching a high-IV Torkoal here would be a good move," Chris thought. The other Pokémon didn't interest him much.
A large boulder blocked the path deeper into Fiery Path, requiring the help of "Secret Strength" to move it. Chris figured he could come back after challenging the Lavaridge Gym.
Exiting Fiery Path, Chris found himself back on Route 111, now separated from the previous section by the desert.
Further along, an NPC gave Chris a TM for "Secret Power" and demonstrated its use.
Secret Power allowed Pokémon to create secret bases in special spots like rock walls, trees, or grassy areas.
"A secret base, huh?" Chris mused. "In the game, it's like having a small, customizable home hidden from others. But what about in reality?"
Curious, Chris decided to give it a try.
"Let's see if it works!" he said, handing Kirlia the TM for Secret Power.
Even though it was already midnight, Chris and Kirlia set out to find a place for a secret base, perhaps within Dragon University's grounds.
But before they could even leave the yard, Kirlia paused in front of a large tree. She gently pressed her small hand against it.
Suddenly, a swirling door of light appeared on the tree trunk, spinning as if ready to draw someone in!
"Kirlia!" Kirlia gestured for Chris to enter.
"This tree can be used as a secret base?" Chris was astonished.
The tree wasn't very large, only as thick as two people's arms could stretch around. "How could you fit anything in here? A locker, maybe?"
Skeptical, Chris stepped inside, and to his amazement, the space opened up into an area the size of a basketball court!
"This...!" Chris's eyes widened in disbelief.
There was a space the size of a basketball court hidden inside a tree that two people could barely wrap their arms around. Obviously, that didn't seem possible.
"So... is Secret Power actually a space-manipulating move?" Chris wondered as he stepped inside.
In the middle of the space hung an incandescent lamp, lighting the area as brightly as daylight. And in the corner, to his surprise, stood a computer.
"A computer? Why is there a computer here?" Chris rushed over.
Upon closer inspection, he realized it was identical to the computer from his game—the one used to store items and Pokémon.
Chris was baffled.
The secret base created by Kirlia's Secret Power was exactly like the one in the game! A personal computer, where you could store items and access Pokémon, was right here in this mysterious space.
"Could this secret base be... the same as the one in the game?" Chris rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Let's test it!" He took off his coat and tossed it onto the floor. Then he exited the tree and asked Kirlia to lead him to another spot to try again.
But Kirlia didn't bother searching. She simply pressed her hand on the tree's wall again, and the familiar spiral door of light reappeared.
"Wait, can you open a secret base anywhere using Secret Power?" Chris asked in disbelief.
Kirlia nodded.
A wide grin spread across Chris's face. "This is even more convenient than in the game!"
They entered the light spiral again, and everything inside was unchanged—the lamp, the computer, and even the coat Chris had just left behind.
"It looks like Secret Power isn't just for making a base—it's opening a personal space," Chris pondered.
In the game, when you relocated your secret base, the computer would move too, and any items placed in the previous location would be stored as furniture. But here, nothing had changed. The space was constant, and everything remained exactly as he'd left it.
Kirlia's ability to open the base anywhere confirmed it. Chris realized that the secret base was actually a hidden space, existing in a pocket dimension. Kirlia's Secret Power acted as a key, unlocking that space no matter where they were.
In other words, Chris had access to a portable, independent space that he could carry with him wherever he went.
Wanting to test one more thing, Chris set his phone by the entrance to record and then re-entered the secret base. After a minute, he stepped out.
Checking the phone, the recording showed a continuous minute with no time distortion. The wall had returned to normal after he entered, with no visible trace of the door.
"It really is a secret base!" Chris concluded, excited at the possibilities this new discovery held.