The morning sunlight spilled across the ground, waking the sleeping city.
Pedestrians began to appear on the streets.
For once, Yong got up bright and early. After washing up, he slung on his backpack and left the Pokémon Center.
A faint smell of coal ash hung in the air of Oreburgh City. Clearly, work in the mining district had continued late into the night. As the Sinnoh Region's largest industrial city, Oreburgh City supported many other places and industries. Compared to the other cities, Yong felt this place was more like the cities he remembered from his previous life.
He followed the crowds toward Oreburgh Mine. Among them, he could make out plenty of curious faces watching him, but he paid them no mind. Most were Trainers who had watched yesterday's battle.
The rumble of machinery reached him from far away. The bustle of the mining district almost gave the impression that its workers had never rested at all.
With no sign of Roark, Yong headed straight for his own space in the Central Area.
Along the way, the Trainers all stepped aside for him, until...
"Hey! Yong! You're finally here!"
The chubby Yuanzhi jogged over.
"I waited ages yesterday, but you never came back."
Hearing the faint resentment in his voice, Yong shuddered and hurriedly replied with a smile,
"I went to get the things I needed for training. It got too late, so I decided to come back today! Sorry for the trouble, Yuanzhi!"
"Hehe!"
The chubby boy waved a hand.
"It's no trouble! You have no idea how high-quality the lapis lazuli in here is! Out on the edges, my Munchlax could break a piece with a move. Here, even using a move only leaves scratches!"
"So the improvement in training really is that big?"
Yong looked