Chapter 3
The Quicksand Team was a second-rate force.
It was nowhere near the level of a massive criminal organization spanning multiple regions, like Team Rocket.
Because of that, their recruitment process was far from as well-prepared as Team Rocket's. In fact, it was quite crude.
It was also far more dangerous than Team Rocket's entrance exam.
"Your task is simple. Deep inside the mine, there are scattered jade deposits. Find a piece of jade, regardless of its shape, and bring it to me. The time limit is until sunrise tomorrow."
A burly, rugged man held up a piece of white jade and shouted at the group of gathered thugs. Beside him stood a heavily armored Donphan, which let out a low growl.
Not far away, several abandoned mine shafts yawned open like endless black pits, exuding a chilling and claustrophobic aura. The stench of dust and decay filled the air, stinging everyone's nostrils.
"Another abandoned mine? People are going to die in there, right?"
"If no one maintains the place, of course, people are gonna die. What are you thinking? Didn't two guys die last year?"
"What if I can't find any jade deep inside?"
"Can I just dig one up near the entrance?"
"You should worry about getting out alive first. I heard there are wild Pokémon that attack intruders."
"No way…"
In the middle of the crowd, Kagome clutched the metal ingot hidden inside his jacket.
This stuff was easy to get in Ironstone Town. As a low-ranking member of the Quicksand Team, all he had to do was say a word at the smelting plant, and he could get one without a hassle.
What intrigued him more was how this ingot would come into play later on.
During yesterday's second simulation, his fixed talent hadn't changed, but his selection of skills had. He lost the "Hot-Blooded Youth" option and gained "Loyal to the End (Will never abandon a Pokémon)."
After suffering a major loss from the "Peach Blossom Curse," he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. Instead, he chose "Clumsy Hands (Poor Pokémon health management)."
Managing Pokémon health poorly was something he could improve over time while traveling. Most trainers started from nothing. But getting dragged down by another failed romance? That was out of the question.
In the anime, from Champions to the Elite Four and even Gym Leaders—how many of the younger generation had relationships?
It wasn't until Kukui, who was already well past his prime, that someone finally got into a relationship and married.
That said a lot.
The classic shorts-wearing youngster from Pewter City, who started with a Rattata, came to mind. His journey was as rough as that of a Bug Catcher. He had to rely on luck and passion to get through gyms. The only difference was that he caught a lot of the same Pokémon—
Like multiple Rattatas and Pidgeys.
You might think he was selecting the strongest individuals, but the kid let all of them battle equally, training them without any real focus. As a result, his overall strength barely improved, making progress painfully slow.
Even without a romance dragging him down, he barely reached the sixth gym before being utterly crushed in eight consecutive battles.
Even in pixelated form, Kagome could see the kid's morale crumbling. By the time the League tournament began, he was still stuck at the sixth gym.
Never even seeing the doors of the Indigo Plateau left Kagome speechless. He chose a level 30 Pokémon experience boost and the "Reckless Attack" skill, then went to sleep.
The next day, he woke up feeling refreshed.
Becoming an official member of the Quicksand Team wasn't just about getting a free Pokémon. The benefits and treatment were far superior to those of the outer members. While it did come with more restrictions, the advantages outweighed the drawbacks.
It was worth fighting for.
"Kagome, aren't you nervous at all?"
A colleague's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Kagome turned his head and glanced at the guy, who was dressed oddly, like a mountaineer. "You're carrying way too much. That'll make it hard to move."
"I think I'll be fine…" The guy hopped twice in place, looking relaxed.
For now, maybe.
Kagome adjusted the miner's helmet on his head. To stay mobile, he had packed light: a miner's helmet, a dust mask, a manganese steel pickaxe, and some essential water and compressed food.
The Quicksand Team's entrance exam was no secret. They loved to set up obstacles—releasing Pokémon to attack participants, setting up traps, and other surprises.
That made agility incredibly important.
While they waited, a commotion broke out nearby.
"You? A penniless rat like you wants to pass the exam? That's hilarious!"
The sharp laughter made Kagome frown.
He exchanged glances with his familiar colleagues before heading toward the noise.
Where there were people, there was conflict. The Quicksand Team, which relied on strength to gain status, was full of internal disputes.
People like Kagome—poor and without connections—were everywhere in the Quicksand Team. On the other hand, there were those with a bit of money and background. Each side formed its own cliques, eyeing each other with hostility.
That's why sticking together was crucial.
As they approached, Kagome saw a group of relatively clean-looking thugs who carried themselves differently from the usual riffraff.
They were shoving a thin young man around, laughing and sneering. Occasionally, they glanced at the surrounding onlookers, who avoided eye contact, before smirking smugly.
"Oh, look! The king of the broke losers is here! What's up? Gonna stand up for your fellow beggars? Think you got the strength for that?"
The lead thug swaggered forward, hands in his pockets, targeting Kagome—the tallest and most composed of the group.
Unfortunately for him, he was almost a head shorter than Kagome and had to crane his neck to meet his gaze, wearing a provocative smirk.
The other thugs let go of the thin young man and turned their attention to Kagome and his group.
Both sides stared each other down, ready to throw hands at any moment.
"You'll find out during the exam," Kagome said as he pulled the thin young man behind him, his gaze sweeping over the thugs. He slightly raised his hand.
The thugs flinched, instinctively stepping back.
The leader, embarrassed by his gang's reaction, sneered, "Think you're tough? So what? In this world, strength means nothing. It's about connections. Just wait, you little nobody. You'll see!"
With that, he led his group to the other side.
The tension eased, and Kagome's group comforted the young man.
"Don't worry. They don't have the power to mess with the exam. Just stay calm."
An older member spoke up, trying to ease their concerns.
The troublemaker's name was Shibata. His uncle was a mid-level officer in the Quicksand Team—a squad captain. While he still had to take the dangerous entrance exam, that connection was significant for those at the bottom.
That meant Shibata might receive certain advantages during the test.
Would he try to take them out? That was the real question.
"Exam starts now! First batch, step forward for inspection! If you have jade on you, hand it over now! Donphan can sniff it out, so don't say I didn't warn you!"
The examiner's shout mixed with Donphan's deep growl.