At the entrance of the two tunnels, Boldore and Binacle widened their eyes, watching the Pokéblocks being shared around.
Sure, they could eat ores, but how could plain rock ever compare to the rich, irresistible flavor of Pokéblocks?
Fortunately, Haunter had some pity left. It pinched two Pokéblocks in its claws and floated over to toss one to each of the territory guards, like a little bribe.
"Hauuunter~"
With a mischievous laugh, Haunter drifted back to the campfire and raised its claws triumphantly, as if it had just completed a noble deed. But Drakloak and Corvisquire were already fast asleep, and Growlithe was curled up next to Shiro, nearly dozing off as well.
Only Vibrava stared at it with bright, clear eyes, not understanding what the purple, shadowy creature was doing.
"Haunn..."
Bored, Haunter gave a lazy spin before flopping down beside the fire. Within seconds, it was snoring softly, a little drool sliding down its jagged grin.
Shiro watched with a faint smile and finally let his guard down. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Outside, the pitch-black night swallowed everything. Only the steady patter of rain and the occasional rumble of thunder disturbed the silence. Inside the cave, the flickering firelight cast warm, gentle shadows across the stone walls, creating a sense of comfort that felt entirely separate from the storm beyond.
The wild Pokémon, their bellies full from what was likely the most luxurious meal of their lives, curled up along the edges of the cave and quietly fell asleep.
Dug out by Rock-type Pokémon, the cave belonged to no one. Anyone, human or Pokémon, was free to come and take shelter here.
For Shiro, it was the best night of sleep he'd had since arriving in this world. For the first time, he felt completely at ease. The constant tension that usually gripped his mind slowly faded, replaced by a calm, open stillness.
...
Morning came in a blink.
Around six-thirty, Shiro opened his eyes.
In the soft light of dawn, he noticed that the wild Pokémon who had taken shelter in the cave overnight were already gone. A thin mist had risen, blanketing the damp wasteland outside. The air was cool and slightly chilly.
He stood up and packed away the folding chair he'd slept on. Then he walked around, waking his Pokémon one by one.
Corvisquire, already used to the routine, flew straight to his shoulder. Vibrava had been awake for a while. Growlithe, however, was snoring away. Shiro chuckled and recalled both Pokémon into their Poké Balls.
Drakloak gave a low hum and vanished into his shadow along with Dreepy.
"Haun..."
Haunter stirred, stretching sluggishly and rubbing its eyes. But before it could fully wake, it flopped back down and began to snore again.
"This Haunter's way too lazy," Shiro muttered. He grabbed it by the head, holding it up briefly before letting out a sigh and recalling it too.
The best thing about a Poké Ball was how it could serve as a temporary home for a Pokémon anytime, anywhere. Sleeping inside wasn't a problem at all.
Once everything was packed up, Shiro looked down at the little clay stove from the night before. The fire had long gone out, and the inside had hardened into solid clay.
"Let's just leave it here."
He couldn't be bothered to clean up the abandoned clay stove. He slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped out of the cave.
"Whoo."
As the cool morning air brushed against his face, Shiro pulled down his hood and put on his mask.
"A new day begins."
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a thunderous blast echoed across the land. It came from a distant mountaintop, and the shockwave was so strong that even the ground beneath Shiro's feet trembled slightly.
"What was that…" He frowned.
Even through the lingering mist, he could see black smoke rising from that peak. Judging from the force of the tremor, it wasn't a natural landslide. It felt more like explosives being used to blast the mountain.
"Let's go."
Shiro gave it just a glance, uninterested in whatever was happening over there. His goal now was to reach Lake of Outrage and fulfill his promise to Drakloak.
If possible, he wouldn't mind battling a few strong wild Pokémon on the way—or picking up some money from reckless trainers who didn't know better.
Ahead, the Stony Wilderness was shrouded in a layer of white mist. The humidity created a layer of moisture that made Rock-type Pokémon feel uncomfortable. So at this early hour, most of them were still curled up in caves, not ready to come out yet.
Last night's heavy rain had turned most of the plains into a mire. What had once been dry terrain was now a soggy, treacherous landscape. Some areas looked deceptively solid but could swallow a boot up to the knee in an instant.
Shiro moved forward carefully, sending Corvisquire to scout the path.
"Cooor!"
The bird soared into the air. With a few powerful flaps of its wings, it stirred up a breeze that pushed away some of the fog. Then it began scanning the area ahead.
Shiro kept moving, walking another seven to eight hundred meters. He passed through a lot of muddy ground that was nearly swamp-like. Eventually, Corvisquire turned back and flew to him, letting out a warning cry.
"Corv-corv!"
It landed lightly on his shoulder and tilted its head, signaling that there was something up ahead.
"Wild Pokémon?" Shiro asked.
The bird gave a slight nod.
After a brief exchange, he figured it out. There was a small scattered group of wild Pokémon up ahead, three in total. All were around Advanced-level in terms of strength.
"What could they be? In this kind of weather… probably Water or Grass types," Shiro guessed, quickening his pace with curiosity.
It didn't take long before he spotted them. Half-submerged in the swampy mud were three frog-like Pokémon with dark blue skin, their cheeks puffed as they rested quietly.
"Two Croagunk and a Toxicroak…"
Shiro recognized them instantly. Information floated into his mind like a trained reflex:
[Name: Croagunk
Type: Poison/Fighting
Level: 31 (Advanced)
Ability: Dry Skin
Held Item: None]
The second Croagunk was slightly stronger, at level 32, but otherwise the same.
Then came the evolved one:
[Name: Toxicroak
Type: Poison/Fighting
Level: 39 (Advanced)
Ability: Dry Skin
Held Item: None]
After scanning all three, Shiro gave a sharp command to the bird on his shoulder.
"Use Air Cutter."
With a cry, Corvisquire shot upward. It beat its wings hard, unleashing six gleaming blades of compressed air. The blades cut through fog and mud alike, slicing toward the sleeping trio like invisible razors.
Toxicroak sensed the danger first. Years of survival instincts kicked in as it sprang from the mud just in time, narrowly dodging the deadly barrage. Flying-type moves had a clear advantage over its Fighting type. It knew that if any of those blades had hit, it would've likely been knocked out on the spot.
The Croagunk, slower to react, leapt after their evolved kin, but they weren't nearly as fast. Each was struck by at least two of the blades. Crimson gashes opened on their blue bodies, and they fell back into the mud, groaning in pain and unable to rise.
"Crrruk…"
Toxicroak landed with a squelch. Its large red chest sac puffed up high as it growled, eyes sharp and wary as it glanced between the bird in the sky and Shiro slowly approaching from the distance.
"Corvisquire! Quick Attack, then finish it with Drill Peck!"
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