Video sourced from the GAMEAY YouTube channel. © 2026 Pocketpair.
After sinking a massive amount of resources into it, my home was finally finished. With the last defensive fence slotted into place, the base was officially complete.
There was still plenty to do, but I decided to explore the island first—scouting the terrain and hunting for suitable Pals to boost my chances of survival.
Not far into the trek, I stumbled upon a group of poachers in a clearing near a cliff. They had captured and caged a cute, rabbit-like Pal.
Luckily, my trusty Foxparks was right by my side. Working together, we took down the poachers and freed the little one.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and I was just starting to feel confident in my ability to handle whatever the island threw at me, when I ran straight into a group of chubby Tocotocos.
Used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.
They looked harmless enough, but they ran surprisingly fast and self-destructed on contact. I let my guard down for a single second and was instantly blown off my feet.
I thought it was the end, but to my surprise, I respawned right next to a glowing beam of light. It seems these ancient relics really do possess extraordinary power.
My memories were completely intact, though I had dropped my backpack at the site of my death. Fortunately, the location was marked on my map, so I could retrace my steps to recover my gear.
On the way back to retrieve my pack, I even ran into a wanted criminal. The town sheriff had mentioned earlier that there was a bounty on these fugitives.
It turned out to be a blessing in disguise—I managed to apprehend him without much trouble. Still, getting my backpack back was the priority; collecting the bounty would have to wait.
While I haven’t been in any massive battles yet, these small skirmishes revealed a fascinating truth: every Pal possesses unique elements and abilities.
I rely heavily on my little Foxparks—its fire-breathing attacks hit exceptionally hard and have saved my skin more than once. However, I soon ran into the limits of elemental matchups: against another Fire-type Pal, its attacks barely made a dent.
Realizing this, I caught an Ice-type Pengullet to help deal with fire-based threats.
What I’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg, and there are bound to be many more Pal species scattered across the island. The elemental mechanics mentioned in the survival guide were clearly just the beginning.
For now, I’m safe enough as long as I don’t wander into high-level zones; my Pals can handle the rest.
Even so, I’m starting to understand what the woman I met at the beginning meant when she called this island a hellscape. The feeling isn’t overwhelming yet, but staring at the distant volcano with its rivers of glowing lava, my gut tells me far worse threats are lurking out there.
If I want to uncover the secrets of this island, I need to figure out what actually happened here. The village chief told me that to get more clues, I’d have to head to the tower occupied by the enemy.
It was a dangerous trek, so I made sure to prepare thoroughly. Upon entering, I was greeted by a young woman named Zoe. Her Pal was massive and terrifyingly strong, and she attacked without hesitation.
Thankfully, I brought a full party with me. By tagging in my Pals one after another and fighting a grueling battle of attrition, we finally brought her down.
Though bitter in defeat, Zoe shared some critical information: the core region of the island is shielded by a barrier that can only be unlocked by collecting specific artifacts.
The item she held was one of them—a secret passed down from her father. Aside from hers, seven other artifacts are scattered across the land. In the end, she agreed to leave her artifact with us.
It feels like the real adventure is only just beginning. Gathering the remaining artifacts and defeating their guardian bosses will be my next steps.
The road ahead will undoubtedly be tough, but I can’t help feeling a thrill of excitement—having a clear goal gives me a real reason to keep pushing forward.
About the Author
