Setting Off

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Xinhai slung on his spatial backpack. Ralts sat on his shoulder, while Torchic stayed close by his feet.

Xinhai looked at his parents' reluctant expressions and said softly, "Dad, Mom, I'm leaving."

His father, Yantai, patted his shoulder. His mother, Nami, stepped forward to straighten Xinhai's already perfectly neat collar, tears welling in her eyes. "Xiao Hai, be careful on the road. If anything happens, tell us. Don't keep it bottled up. If you miss home, come back right away..."

Looking at his nagging mother, Xinhai felt a little sad too, but he maintained a smile. "Mom, don't worry. Your son's grown up now. I'll take good care of myself. Besides, I have Torchic and Ralts with me!"

"Chamo chamo~" "Ralts ralts~"

Torchic and Ralts stepped forward in response, comforting the sorrowful Nami. Yantai put an arm around Nami's shoulders and consoled her, "All right, don't be sad. Our son has grown up. He'll take care of himself."

Nami nodded and said nothing more.

Xinhai looked at his parents and said, "Then I'm off!" With that, he opened the front door and walked outside.

Yantai and Nami followed him into the yard. Rapidash, Quagsire, Zigzagoon, and Nami's Bellossom were also there to see Xinhai off.

Xinhai looked at his parents' Pokémon, patted their little heads, and bid each of them farewell. Then he said to his parents, "Dad, Mom, I'm leaving. Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself." He waved to them and set off down the road, which looked sunny yet was filled with shade from the trees.

Watching her son's figure gradually shrink into the distance, Nami shouted, "Remember to call when you get there, and make sure you eat properly!"

As she watched her child wave once more in the distance, Nami could no longer hold herself together and burst into tears.

Yantai held her tightly, gently patting her back as he watched Xinhai leave.

As he walked down the road, the familiar streets and shops made him reluctant to leave, but they also made him yearn even more for the unknown journey ahead.

The moment he stepped out of town, a breeze swept past him. Xinhai turned back to look at the place where he had lived for so many years and silently swore, I'll definitely become stronger and become the strongest Pokémon Trainer.

Then he turned around and embarked on a Pokémon journey filled with challenges and surprises. His figure gradually disappeared into the golden morning light, leaving behind only a trail of resolute footprints marking the beginning of his pursuit of dreams.

Rusturf Tunnel was located in the mountains northeast of Rustboro City, connecting Verdanturf Town and Rustboro City.

The roads within Rusturf Tunnel were numerous, extending in all directions and crisscrossing throughout the mountain.

Besides the main road constructed by the League several years ago, there were also several side roads opened up by the Devon Corporation while mining ore, along with countless complicated paths carved out by wild Pokémon.

As the Devon Corporation rose to prominence and continued developing the tunnel, its mineral resources gradually dwindled. This eventually sparked a major conflict between the Pokémon and the Devon Corporation, and not long afterward, the Devon Corporation gradually abandoned development of Rusturf Tunnel.

The abandoned Rusturf Tunnel gradually became occupied by large numbers of Pokémon, drawing many Trainers to explore it in search of resources or Pokémon to catch as partners.

Xinhai looked at the enormous cave entrance before him. The words Rusturf Tunnel were carved beside it, and a clear boundary stood at the entrance—lush flowers and grass on one side, jagged rocks on the other.

Xinhai took a deep breath of Qi and stepped across the boundary that seemed to divide two worlds.

The instant he entered the tunnel, a chill rushed toward him.

Outside, the Hoenn Region's Qi in August and September was scorching. Bright sunlight shone down on him, warm and blazing. Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, and the back of his neck had been heated by the sun. But the moment he entered the tunnel, that warmth vanished.

The coolness of the tunnel brushed over his skin and carried away the heat. He unconsciously let out a breath of Qi and wiped his forehead, the sticky feeling on his body gone.

Torchic, walking at Xinhai's feet, paused in its cheerful steps. Its little head turned left and right, seemingly curious about the sudden coolness.

Ralts sat on Xinhai's shoulder. Its spirits, which had been somewhat sluggish from the heat, now perked up as well.

Xinhai took a deep breath of Qi. The air no longer carried that stifling Qi. In its place was the tunnel's unique coolness, mixed with faint scents of earth and stone. He tightened his backpack straps, took out the flashlight he had prepared in his pocket, and continued onward with his Pokémon.

The flashlight's beam was very bright, giving him a strong sense of security as it lit up the tunnel.

"Ralts, stay alert with your Telepathy. Torchic, take the lead. Be careful."

Xinhai reminded Ralts and Torchic.

"Ralts~" "Chamo~"

Ralts nodded from Xinhai's shoulder, and Torchic answered before moving to the front.

There aren't many Pokémon on the main road, but I still need to stay vigilant, Xinhai thought.

Looking at the cave openings branching off from the main road, Xinhai did not risk entering any of them. His main goal right now was still to reach Rustboro City, and the side paths within those openings were too numerous. It would be easy to lose his sense of direction.

After reaching Rustboro City, Xinhai could buy the latest Rusturf Tunnel map to keep from getting lost. Or he could team up with other Trainers to explore, which would greatly reduce the danger.

As they walked, Ralts sent him a warning through Telepathy: A Pokémon is coming. Xinhai and Torchic stopped and warily stared at a cave opening ahead.

Before long, a Sandshrew darted out of the opening. It nervously poked its head around, paused to look at Xinhai and the others, then ran toward another tunnel and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Xinhai watched the direction Sandshrew had disappeared in, and his taut nerves relaxed slightly. Smiling, he patted Ralts's head. "Good job, Ralts. Thanks to your warning." Pleased by the praise, Ralts happily rubbed against Xinhai's hand.

They continued along the main road, occasionally encountering one or two wild Pokémon. With his initial experience, Xinhai was no longer as nervous. Maintaining a certain level of vigilance, he continued toward Rustboro City.

As they walked, Xinhai noticed strange marks on the road ahead, as though some large Pokémon had dragged itself through there.

Xinhai examined them and said, "Looks like an Onix passed through here. We should leave quickly in case we run into it and end up in a conflict."

Xinhai did not hesitate any longer and quickly led Torchic and Ralts away from the area.

Along the way, Xinhai and the others were not attacked by any Pokémon, though that was normal. After all, the mission center released tasks every week to drive away Pokémon near Rusturf Tunnel's main road.

The Trainers who accepted those tasks had their Pokémon leave their own marks throughout the tunnel to warn off other Pokémon. That was why Rusturf Tunnel's main road remained relatively safe.

Even as he neared Rusturf Tunnel's exit, Xinhai had not encountered any troublesome Pokémon. The one or two he did meet quickly ran away, and no conflicts occurred.

That allowed Xinhai to relax quite a bit. Soon, he reached a spot not far from Rusturf Tunnel's exit, but there he encountered a middle-aged man wearing hiking gear.

"Young man, how about a one-on-one Pokémon battle? The wager is 200 League Coins."

The man in hiking gear looked at Xinhai's Torchic and Ralts and smiled.

Hearing Ralts's voice in his mind, Xinhai considered it and looked toward Torchic. Torchic nodded.

"Chamo~" (No problem at all.)

Seeing that, Xinhai replied, "All right. My Pokémon is Torchic. Please go easy on me."

"Good. Go, Sandshrew!"

"Kuja!"

"Sandshrew?" Xinhai considered Sandshrew's moves.

"Torchic, Flame Charge!" "Use Defense Curl, then Rollout."

"Chamo!" "Kuja!"

Torchic spread its wings, flames wrapping around its entire body as it charged toward Sandshrew. Sandshrew curled into a ball, then rolled toward Torchic.

Xinhai looked at the man in hiking gear and thought, I didn't expect it, old man. You look so upright, yet you're this underhanded too.

"Quick Attack, interrupt it!"

The flames around Torchic swiftly vanished, and a flash of white light appeared around its body as it charged at Sandshrew with extreme speed.

"Change direction and dodge it," the man in hiking gear quickly ordered.

However, Sandshrew had only just started rolling, and its speed was nowhere near comparable to Torchic's Quick Attack. In the end, just as Sandshrew changed direction, Torchic slammed straight into it.

A flash of regret crossed the hiking man's eyes. He had not expected the other side's Torchic to be so fast. As a result, Sandshrew had been stopped just after beginning its Rollout!

Moreover, when Torchic charged in, he should not have ordered Sandshrew to change direction. Torchic should originally have taken more damage.

But because Sandshrew changed the direction of its roll, Torchic struck directly into Sandshrew's side. As a result, most of Rollout's force did not hit Torchic.

He should have held the advantage in an exchange of damage, but his mistaken order had instead put him at a disadvantage.

However, he quickly adjusted and immediately ordered, "Sandshrew, use Mud Shot!"