Mission 4: The Kidnapped Professor
Welcome, Ranger! Your next mission is a critical one: Professor Hastings has gone missing, and it's up to you to find him. This mission will test your capturing skills and your ability to navigate new environments.
Starting the Mission
Report to the Ranger Base in Vien Forest. You'll be briefed on the situation: Professor Hastings was last seen heading towards the Chroma Road area. Your objective is to follow his trail and rescue him.
Navigating Chroma Road
Chroma Road is a winding path with several wild Pokémon. Be prepared for encounters and utilize your Partner Pokémon's abilities to clear obstacles.
- Initial Path: As you enter Chroma Road, you'll immediately encounter a few Starly and Bidoof. These are excellent targets for building your Capture Styler's experience.
- Rocky Obstacles: Further along the path, you'll find large rocks blocking your way. You'll need a Pokémon with the Field Move Crush (1) to clear these. A good option is to capture a Geodude, which can often be found in the rocky sections of Chroma Road.
- Tall Grass Encounters: Be mindful of the tall grass patches. They often hide Pokémon like Budew and Shinx. Capturing a Shinx can be beneficial as its Electric-type attacks can be useful later.
The First Clue: Team Dim Sun Encounter
As you progress deeper into Chroma Road, you'll stumble upon a suspicious scene: a couple of Team Dim Sun Grunts. They're likely involved in the Professor's disappearance.
- Grunt Battle 1: The first Grunt will send out a Poochyena. This is a relatively straightforward capture. Focus on quick loops to minimize damage to your Styler.
- Grunt Battle 2: The second Grunt will challenge you with a Zubat. Zubat can be tricky due to its erratic flying patterns. Try to anticipate its movements and draw tight loops when it pauses.
After defeating the Grunts, they'll drop a cryptic clue, hinting that Professor Hastings was taken towards the Union Road.
Proceeding to Union Road
Continue through Chroma Road until you reach the exit leading to Union Road. This area is more rugged and introduces new Pokémon.
- Forest Path: Union Road begins with a forested section. Look out for Hoothoot and Sentret. Capturing a Hoothoot can provide the Field Move Fly (1), which might be useful for shortcuts later, though not strictly necessary for this mission.
- River Crossing: You'll encounter a small river that requires a Pokémon with the Field Move Swim (1) to cross. A Wooper can be found near the riverbanks and is an easy capture for this purpose.
The Professor's Location
Once you've crossed the river, you'll find a secluded area. Here, you'll finally locate Professor Hastings, but he's being guarded by more Team Dim Sun members.
- Final Grunt Encounter: Two Grunts will block your path to the Professor.
- Grunt 1: This Grunt will deploy a Machop. Machop's attacks are powerful but slow. Use this to your advantage to draw multiple loops between its attacks.
- Grunt 2: The second Grunt will send out a Croagunk. Croagunk can poison your Styler, so try to capture it quickly to avoid status effects.
Rescuing Professor Hastings
After successfully capturing both Pokémon and dealing with the Grunts, you'll be able to reach Professor Hastings. He'll explain that Team Dim Sun was trying to extract information from him. With the Professor safe, the mission is complete!
Return to the Ranger Base in Vien Forest to report your success and receive your mission rewards. Congratulations, Ranger!