Chapter 6: The Best Ally  

Kashiwagi knew that Shibata was foolish. 

But he hadn't expected him to be this foolish. 

Despite having Pokémon to help him, Shibata was so consumed with petty revenge that he completely ignored his dire situation. Worse still, his companions not only failed to stop him but even became accomplices. 

"Actions have consequences, and he's digging his own grave. It's just a shame for my old comrades caught in the crossfire." 

Hiding around a corner, Kashiwagi sighed. 

Not far ahead, in the remnants of the jade mine's tunnels, a relatively spacious area was now dominated by a crowd of fierce-looking Pokémon. 

Shibata and his cronies were trembling, huddled behind a Rhyhorn, their backs pressed against a cramped corner of the wall. In their terror, they kept pushing backward as though trying to break through the rock itself to escape. 

On the ground lay several severely injured individuals, their conditions unclear. Even in the dim cave, the bloodstains were startlingly vivid, leaving a heavy sense of dread. 

Even in the world of Pokémon, excessive blood loss or severe injuries could still result in death. The Rhyhorn and the other Pokémon were currently at a standoff, but no one could say how long it would last. 

They had to be rescued quickly. 

But who would dare go out there under such circumstances? 

Kashiwagi was stuck. He had a contingency plan, sure, but it wasn't enough to ensure everyone's safety. And on top of that, he still wanted to help his group pass the trial and boost their overall strength. 

*Crawl over? Sneak in without being noticed?* 

Or wait for the fight to break out. 

That would be the perfect opportunity to sneak in. If nothing else, he could at least secure a piece of jade to pass the trial. 

Kashiwagi took a deep, slow breath, waiting for his chance. 

The Rhyhorn wouldn't hold out much longer; eventually, some Pokémon would test the waters and attack, like lions hunting prey. 

"Guh." 

A sharp cry rang out like thunder in his ears. 

For a moment, Kashiwagi's heart nearly stopped. Stiffly, he turned his head to see a small, familiar figure not far away. 

At the same time, in the jade mine tunnel, two Explouds perked up at the sound. Curious, they turned and began moving toward him. 

*You! Me!* 

Kashiwagi exchanged wide-eyed glances with the approaching Aron, his heart full of frustration and regret as he pulled a purple Pokéball from his pocket. 

But before he could make a move, the little troublemaker calmly walked past him, strolling toward the two Explouds as if it were taking a leisurely walk down the street. 

"Guh!" 

"Explou?" 

The Explouds exchanged confused glances, scratched their heads, and turned away. 

They had thought it might be one of the trial participants hiding, but instead, it was just this little creature. How boring. 

Scaring weaklings was much more fun; they were already practically peeing their pants, haha! 

The two Explouds ran back excitedly, shouting cheers for the Pokémon leading the charge. 

Watching their retreating backs, Aron's blue eyes flashed with disdain before it turned and headed back to Kashiwagi's hiding spot. 

"Guh!" 

"..." 

Kashiwagi said nothing, but his expression was odd as he looked at the Aron. 

Was it helping him out just now? 

Why? 

He quietly backed away from the jade mine tunnel and waved at the Aron, testing whether it would follow him. 

—It did! 

Seeing the Aron approach like a little dog, Kashiwagi's heart fluttered. He quickly moved to a corner far from the other Pokémon and crouched down silently. 

He couldn't understand the Aron's intentions, but it didn't seem hostile. Using a Pokéball recklessly now would be foolish. It was better to try communicating first. 

Removing his mask, Kashiwagi said, "Thanks for earlier." 

"Guh." 

The Aron stopped in front of him, tilting its head slightly. Its behavior was increasingly dog-like, except it was covered in a strange suit of armor. 

Kashiwagi thought for a moment, then pulled the ingot from his chest pocket and held it out. "Is this what you want?" 

"Guh?" 

The Aron froze, hesitated for two seconds, and then nodded. 

Its expression seemed to say, "Yeah, I think I want that." 

*Huh?* 

Kashiwagi blinked in surprise. "If you don't actually want this, then why are you following me?" 

"Guh!" 

Aron pointed at the ingot with its tiny paw. 

*Liar!* 

It had looked so confused earlier—this reason was clearly made up on the spot! 

Still, the intelligence of Pokémon in the animated series was often exaggerated. Could this Aron be unusually gifted? 

Kashiwagi wanted to ask more questions, but a commotion suddenly erupted in the direction of the jade mine tunnel, followed by faint explosions. 

*The fight's started!?* 

"Hey, Aron, I need your help with something." 

Quickly, Kashiwagi explained his request, offering the ingot as a reward. He even promised to buy more once they got out. 

Afterward, worried he had spoken too quickly, he carefully repeated himself to make sure Aron understood. 

"Guh..." 

Under Kashiwagi's hopeful gaze, Aron agreed without much hesitation. 

The two of them stealthily returned to the tunnel. 

To Kashiwagi's surprise, the scene inside was strange. A totem stone marked with a red serpent had appeared between the Rhyhorn and the other Pokémon. 

The serpent's head was cracked, and a dark, unidentified substance connected the break, emitting an eerie sound. 

"*Hissss!*" 

*A Runerigus from Galar... Were they negotiating?* 

Kashiwagi exchanged glances with Aron. It nodded and trotted forward, its short legs carrying it toward one of the unconscious people on the ground. Biting the edge of the person's clothing, it started dragging them backward. 

One of the Pokémon glanced at Aron but then turned back, pretending not to see it. 

Attacking unconscious humans was against the rules, and besides, there was no fun in bullying them. Someone would have to haul them out afterward anyway. 

No one cared. 

Just like that, Aron successfully dragged the person back to Kashiwagi. 

"You're amazing!" 

Overcome with emotion, Kashiwagi couldn't help patting Aron on the head. It wasn't until afterward that he realized how bold his action had been. 

Aron seemed startled too, staring at him with wide blue eyes. 

But the moment passed quickly. 

The faint groans of his comrade broke the awkwardness. Kashiwagi rushed to check on him while Aron continued to retrieve the remaining people. 

The situation wasn't good. 

Even in the Pokémon world, where humans were remarkably resilient, Shibata's group had clearly intended to beat these people within an inch of their lives. They were barely conscious and unable to wake up. 

All Kashiwagi could do was monitor their basic vital signs—pulse, breathing—and administer minimal treatment to keep them from dying underground. 

*Let's hope the others aren't in this bad of a state, or things will get really complicated.* 

Kashiwagi sighed deeply. 

Suddenly, he froze. Turning around, he caught sight of a shadowy figure skulking in the darkness. 

Another participant? 

The figure seemed hesitant to approach, its headlamp off, its movements eerie in the dim light. 

Squinting, Kashiwagi tried to make out the figure's identity. After glancing at the tunnel to confirm that no one except Aron was paying attention to him, he flashed his headlamp twice. 

The shadow paused. 

Then it charged silently, almost like a ghost. 

When it got within five meters, its features became clear. 

A bloodied face partially covered by a torn mask, and a pair of bright, determined eyes. 

"Kashiwagi!" 

Naruhiko called out in a trembling voice. 

"Shh!" 

Kashiwagi clamped a hand over Naruhiko's mouth and shook his head sternly.

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