After breakfast, Xinhai bid farewell one by one to the ranger captain, Old Wu, Xiao Zhou, and Little Li, who had cared for him last night. Then he slung on his backpack and left the rest area.
He let Eevee and Gardevoir out. Eevee lay sprawled across his shoulder while Gardevoir walked at his side.
Morning Sun filtered through the canopy, scattering mottled patches of light. The air in the forest was especially fresh, carrying the damp scent of grass, wood, and dew.
Pokémon cries drifted from afar, some clear and bright, others low and deep, weaving together into the forest's unique morning symphony.
"Vee~" (Let's go!) Eevee stretched lazily, its fluffy tail brushing against Xinhai's neck.
Xinhai smiled, rubbed its little head, and continued northeast along the forest path.
Over the next four days, Xinhai encountered no further mishaps.
He and his companions traveled through the dense woodland along the route indicated by the ranger captain.
They traveled during the day, found suitable places to camp at dusk, and set off again at dawn.
There were still plenty of wild Pokémon along the way, but with his earlier experience, Xinhai chose his opponents more cautiously.
Axew and Charmander took turns battling, building experience through real combat.
Weedle occasionally joined battles against evenly matched opponents as well. It became increasingly proficient with String Shot, Poison Sting, and Fell Stinger, and a hint of a fighter's sharpness began to appear in its black-bean eyes.
Blaziken's injuries had completely healed by the second day.
Over the following days, it maintained its steady rhythm, leading its companions through training. Yet its blue eyes had become even deeper than before—the head-on clash with that Elite-level Pidgeot seemed to have deepened its understanding of Flying-type energy.
Gardevoir continued her deep Calm Mind practice every