Strike at the Heart

A Treasure Hoarders member whimpered, "At least leave someone with us! We're afraid of the dark!"

"Mom, I'll never dig tunnels again!"

Shinya fumed, "It took me forever to get a photo of the goddess Seina, and they dared steal it."

"If I see even a scratch on it, I'll give them the Thirty-Six Military Combos!"

"Liu Xin, get over here and use Dig. Go after them!"

Liu Xin sent out his Pokémon. "I'm not the one digging. It depends on whether these three are willing."

"Onix usually handles all the digging, but he's injured, so these three will have to do it."

Ito Hei sighed. "Forget it. They only know how to smash holes. I've never seen them dig a tunnel."

Cubone idly played with his bone club, occasionally tapping it against the ground.

Gabite picked at his teeth, looking every bit like a lord.

Phanpy snorted through his trunk, brimming with fighting spirit as though searching for an opponent.

Not one of them wanted to dig. All they could do was watch Sandslash leave.

Was there anything they could do?

Not a thing. The three of them were all little lords, and none was easy to please.

"Sandslash!"

But everything changed with Sandslash's final cry.

The three Pokémon's expressions shifted at once. Suddenly, they had a common enemy.

Dig!

The tunnel ahead was breached in an instant. All three sprang into action, digging at a ridiculous speed.

What had just happened!?

Everyone was stunned. Dazhi asked curiously, "Weren't they acting all high and mighty when they came out? Why are they suddenly so fired up, like nothing could stop them?"

Liu Xin smiled bitterly. "We really have Sandslash to thank for that. The one that called out at the end."

"He dared taunt them. Said they couldn't catch up, that they were losers and trash. Something like that."

All it took was a mocking, contemptuous tone to set his hotheaded Pokémon off.

They couldn't hold back!

Now all they could think about was catching that loudmouthed Sandslash and beating him up.

They didn't slow down. Their speed frightened the Sandslash into digging faster.

Sen Anxiang was thrilled. Anything new and unknown excited her.

"Quick, quick! Let's catch up before we get lost."

"Liu Xin, hurry up, or your Pokémon will disappear!"

She grabbed Liu Xin's hand and ran forward.

Ito Hei stared at the empty space beside him and couldn't help asking, "What am I lacking?"

"Why won't she hold my hand? Weren't we supposed to be each other's wings?"

Shinya walked up to Ito Hei and looked him over. "You're really not as handsome as he is. And—"

Dazhi immediately covered Shinya's mouth. "Nope, he has nothing else to say. We need to catch up."

"Why won't you let me finish? You have to be honest!" Shinya was a little stubborn, but Dazhi knew nothing good would come from letting this brutally blunt man speak.

Dazhi took a deep breath. "Seina's photo! Every second we waste is another second it spends getting ruined!"

"Oh, right! Damn that Sandslash!"

"Give Seina back to me!"

Ito Hei watched them vanish, then hurried after them. "And what? Finish what you were saying!"

They split into four groups in pursuit, their lively shouting echoing through the tunnel.

The Sandslash were scared stiff. Were these the same three bumbling fools they had just seen?

How did they look even better at digging than Sandslash? How was that fair?

There was light ahead.

Were they finally reaching the exit?

Thud!

It had closed. They were trapped in here.

Liu Xin and Sen Anxiang reached the tunnel exit just as it shut, leaving them unable to get out.

They shoved hard at the door, but it didn't budge.

"It's made of high-density metal. A Pokémon definitely didn't make this. It was built by a person."

"Looks like someone's pulling the strings behind these Sandslash!"

Liu Xin quickly reached that conclusion. Sen Anxiang shook her head helplessly. "Even Croconaw and the others can't open it. It seems to absorb Pokémon attacks."

"And Cubone, Phanpy, and Gabite chased after the Sandslash. They're separated from us."

Only then did Liu Xin realize those three had followed the Sandslash out.

Now they were the only ones locked in here.

He had miscalculated.

He had badly overestimated his speed. He hadn't kept up with those three at all.

"Huh? Why did you stop here? What's with this door?"

"Whoa, it's sturdy. I can't open it at all."

Dazhi stepped forward to inspect it, his expression grim. "This door is made from a very unusual material. There's no way we can open it from this side unless someone outside opens it."

"Whoever's behind this is no ordinary opponent."

Ito Hei glanced at the door and declared boldly, "What's there to be afraid of? If we attack together, won't we blast it open?"

"Good idea. I'm with you."

Shinya immediately agreed with Ito Hei. The two were about to bring out all their Pokémon to attack it together.

Dazhi and Liu Xin stopped them at the same time. With a sigh, Dazhi said, "Think about the consequences before you act."

"Look where we are. We're inside a tunnel."

"The ground here is unstable. A heavy impact could easily cause a cave-in, and then none of us would get out."

Sen Anxiang looked around anxiously. "Then what do we do now?"

"We can't stay trapped here forever, can we?"

"Only Liu Xin's Onix is left to use Dig. We'd need him to make another passage, but unfortunately, he's injured."

They couldn't make another passage, and they couldn't break through from here. That left only two options.

One was to wait here for the Sandslash to make another move, but that wasn't realistic.

After all, the Sandslash knew someone was waiting here. They would take another route.

The second option was to go back the way they came, but that was too dangerous.

If they ran into a blocked passage or unstable ground, they would be in serious danger without a Pokémon that could use Dig.

Just as they were at a loss, the system's voice sounded in Liu Xin's mind.

Ding! Super Gible defeated Sandslash with Dragon Claw. Experience gained. Points +26.

Ding! Shiny Cubone defeated Sandslash with Knock Off. Experience gained. Points +25.

Ding! Mutant Phanpy defeated Sandslash with Flame Burst. Experience gained. Points +26.

Hope had arrived. So had their chance.

Those three had never been obedient or stayed put. Without waiting for his orders, they had gone straight to the enemy's lair and torn through it.

That's my Pokémon for you.

Liu Xin's grin widened. "Just wait. It won't be long before this door opens."

Sure enough, the door soon opened slowly, and screams came from the other side.