Chapter 6
Kashiwagi was well aware of Shibata's stupidity.
But he hadn't expected him to be this foolish.
Even with Pokémon at his disposal, he had let his emotions get the better of him, completely disregarding his current predicament. Worse yet, his companions hadn't stopped him—some had even joined in as accomplices.
"What goes around, comes around. They're reaping what they sowed. It's just a shame for my old comrades."
Hiding behind the corner, Kashiwagi let out a sigh.
Not far away, the remaining passage of the jade mine opened into a spacious chamber, now occupied by a group of fierce-looking Pokémon.
Shibata and his companions huddled together behind a Rhyhorn, their backs pressed tightly against the narrow corner. Their fear was palpable as they frantically tried to push further back, as if they could somehow squeeze through the rock wall and escape.
On the ground, several others lay unconscious, their bodies covered in wounds. The dimly lit cave made the bloodstains stand out all the more, filling the atmosphere with unease.
Even in the Pokémon world, excessive blood loss or severe injuries could still lead to death. At the moment, the Rhyhorn was holding its ground against the opposing Pokémon, but there was no telling how long it would last.
They needed to be rescued—fast.
But who would dare to go out there in this situation?
Kashiwagi was torn. He had a backup plan, but it wasn't enough to get everyone out safely. On top of that, he wanted his entire team to pass the test and grow stronger.
Crawling forward? Sneaking in undetected?
No. The best bet was to wait for the fight to break out.
Once chaos ensued, he could slip in, secure a piece of jade, and at the very least, ensure his own qualification.
Kashiwagi took a deep breath and waited for his opportunity.
Sure enough, Rhyhorn wouldn't be able to hold out forever. Eventually, one of the Pokémon would make a probing attack—just like lions testing their prey before a hunt.
"Guh."
A sharp cry suddenly rang out like a clap of thunder next to his ear.
In that instant, Kashiwagi's heart nearly stopped. He stiffly turned his head and spotted a small, familiar figure nearby.
From the corner of his eye, he also noticed that two Loudred in the mine tunnel had heard the noise. Curious, they turned their heads and began moving toward him.
You! Me!
Kashiwagi and the steadily approaching Aron locked eyes, both filled with mutual helplessness. With a heavy heart, Kashiwagi reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purple Poké Ball.
But before he could do anything, the little troublemaker that had just ruined his plan walked past him, completely unfazed, as if it were casually strolling down the street. It even brushed right past the two approaching Loudred.
"Guh!"
"Womp?"
The Loudred exchanged glances, scratched their heads, and turned back around.
They had thought it was a hidden participant, but it turned out to be just a little critter. How boring.
Scaring those cowards was much more fun—look at them, practically wetting themselves! Hahaha!
The two Loudred eagerly ran back to their group, shouting cheers of encouragement for the frontline Pokémon.
Aron watched them go, a hint of disdain flashing in its bright blue eyes. Then, it turned and trotted back to Kashiwagi's hiding spot.
"Guh!"
"…"
Kashiwagi remained silent, giving Aron a strange look.
Had it just helped him out?
Why?
He cautiously moved away from the jade mine passage and beckoned Aron over, testing whether it would follow.
—It actually did!
Watching the Aron step toward him like an obedient puppy, Kashiwagi's heart trembled. He quickly led it to a more concealed corner before crouching down.
Though he couldn't understand its intentions, it didn't seem hostile. Using a Poké Ball recklessly would be foolish, so it was best to negotiate first.
He removed his mask and said, "Thanks for that just now."
"Guh."
Aron stopped in front of him, lifting its head slightly. Its obedient demeanor made it seem even more like a dog, except clad in a peculiar suit of armor.
After a brief moment of thought, Kashiwagi pulled out an iron ingot from his chest pocket and shook it slightly. "Is this what you want?"
"Guh?"
Aron flinched, hesitated for a couple of seconds, then nodded.
It had the look of someone thinking, "I guess I should want this?"
Huh?
Kashiwagi was stunned and asked, "If you don't really want this, then why are you following me?"
"Guh!"
Aron extended a tiny paw and pointed at the iron ingot.
Liar!
You looked so confused just now—did you just come up with that excuse on the spot?!
But then again, Pokémon in the animated series were absurdly intelligent. It was surprising how quickly this one understood what he was saying.
Or perhaps this Aron was just exceptionally gifted?
Kashiwagi wanted to ask more questions, but suddenly, a commotion erupted from the jade mine passage, accompanied by faint explosions.
The fight had begun!
"Listen, Aron—I need your help."
He quickly explained his request, offering the iron ingot as payment. If that wasn't enough, he promised to buy more for it later.
After finishing, he worried that he had spoken too fast, so he patiently repeated himself.
"…Guh."
Meeting Kashiwagi's expectant gaze, Aron didn't hesitate long before nodding in agreement.
The two of them quietly made their way back to the tunnel.
However, what Kashiwagi saw inside the jade mine passage surprised him. Between Rhyhorn and the group of Pokémon, a totem slab depicting a red serpent had mysteriously appeared.
Its head was broken off, a strange black substance connecting the fractured part, emitting an eerie sound.
"Hisss!"
A Galarian Death Totem… were they negotiating?
Kashiwagi exchanged a glance with Aron. The latter nodded before sprinting in, grabbing hold of an unconscious participant's clothes, and dragging them back.
Some Pokémon glanced at Aron but quickly lost interest.
Attacking unconscious humans was against the rules. It wasn't fun anyway, and they'd have to carry them out after everything was over.
Not their concern.
And just like that, Aron successfully delivered the person to Kashiwagi.
"You're amazing."
Overcome with gratitude, Kashiwagi couldn't resist patting Aron's head. Only after withdrawing his hand did he realize how reckless that was.
Aron, too, seemed startled. It stared at him blankly, its bright blue eyes widening in surprise.
But the moment was fleeting.
A faint groan from the injured participant broke the awkward silence. Kashiwagi hurriedly checked on him, while Aron continued retrieving the others.
The situation was grim.
Even though people in the Pokémon world had strong constitutions, Shibata and his gang had beaten them mercilessly. The victim's consciousness was slipping, leaving them completely unresponsive.
All Kashiwagi could do was monitor their basic vitals—checking their pulse, breathing, and applying minimal first aid to keep them alive underground.
Hopefully, the others weren't in worse shape. Otherwise, this was going to be a nightmare.
Kashiwagi let out a deep sigh.
Suddenly, he stopped what he was doing and turned around, spotting a shadowy figure lurking nearby.
Another participant?
The person seemed hesitant, unsure whether to approach. With their headlamp off, their shifting movements in the dimly lit cave were somewhat eerie.
Narrowing his eyes, Kashiwagi carefully identified them. After glancing at the mine passage and confirming that no one—besides the hardworking Aron—was paying attention to him, he decisively flickered his headlamp twice.
The figure froze.
Then, in an instant, they moved swiftly and silently toward him, their rapid charge resembling that of a ghost.
As they got within five meters, their face became visible.
Blood-streaked and partially obscured by a damaged mask, their eyes shone brightly with excitement.
"Kashiwagi!"
Seiichi gasped in a hushed voice.
"Shh!"
Kashiwagi quickly covered Seiichi's mouth, shaking his head with a serious expression.