Shiro followed Corvisquire as they weaved through the dense forest.
Unlike the wilderness outside, this place was filled with Pokémon rarely seen elsewhere—massive Onix and Diglett from Kanto, as well as Sobble and Scorbunny, the regional starters.
Strangely, the Onix and Diglett lay motionless, seemingly asleep. Even when trapped between towering trees, the Onix remained completely still. It blended seamlessly into the forest, resembling a chain of boulders scattered throughout the area.
From above, the sight of multiple Onix sprawled across the crimson-hued woods made it seem as if the undergrowth was littered with enormous stones.
As for the Sobble and Scorbunny, they vanished the moment Shiro spotted them. They moved so fast that his eyes couldn't even keep up.
These small creatures were clearly familiar with the terrain and experts at hiding. Even with Corvisquire circling overhead, they remained undetected.
Shiro wasn't the only one searching the forest. Several other trainers also wandered through the dense woods, searching for resources and Pokémon. However, they all shared an unspoken agreement—no one disturbed the resting Onix.
Wherever these Onix had come from, even the weakest among them possessed the strength of a Gym-level Pokémon. Waking one could trigger a chain reaction, stirring the others as well. If that happened, no one would escape unscathed.
For now, everyone could only rely on their own methods to explore the forest.
"Gaaasss!"
Gastly suddenly floated in front of Shiro, circling him once before nudging its smoky body in a specific direction. There was something ahead.
Following its cue, Shiro glanced over. Amidst the twisted, shadowy trees, a strange patch of darkness stood out—shifting slightly, as if it were a living creature.
"Cooor!"
Before Shiro could get a closer look, Corvisquire swooped through the forest with quick, agile movements, returning from another direction with a fiery red stone clutched in its beak.
"A Fire Stone?" Shiro took the stone from Corvisquire, running his fingers through the bird's deep blue feathers in approval. "Not bad. Good work, Corvisquire."
Corvisquire closed its eyes in delight, flapping its wings excitedly.
"Gaassss!"
Gastly, clearly envious, urged Shiro again, its eagerness intensifying as it nudged in the same direction.
"Alright, alright..." Shiro sighed, amused.
Just as he agreed to move forward, Corvisquire darted off toward the same area.
Pushing through layers of thick vegetation and rounding the base of a massive, gnarled tree, Shiro finally reached a spot where he could see what lay ahead.
A massive black figure loomed like a wall, blocking the gaps between a dozen trees. Its sheer size was overwhelming. Judging by its shape, it almost looked like the back of a Pokémon.
Shiro narrowed his eyes. "What...?"
He could hardly believe what he was seeing. Even the largest Snorlax couldn't possibly block this many trees at once.
"Corvi!"
Corvisquire fluttered around the rough surface of the dark mass, then abruptly flew back to Shiro, flustered.
Shiro stopped in his tracks, choosing not to move forward.
There was no doubt—this was a Dynamax Pokémon, and very likely the source of this Dynamax den. But with what little he could see, he still had no idea what Pokémon it was.
"Shhh..."
Raising a finger to his lips, Shiro signaled Corvisquire and Gastly to stay quiet. They both nodded in understanding and followed closely as he carefully stepped back.
Suddenly—
"Razor Leaf!"
A sharp sound rang out from nearby, instantly triggering Shiro's tense nerves.
He rolled to the side, taking cover behind a large tree. A barrage of small green leaves tore through the air toward him.
Before they could reach their target, Corvisquire reacted with lightning speed. It flapped its wings, unleashing an Air Cutter that sliced through the projectiles, scattering the attack before it could reach him.
"Gaasstly!"
Confirming that Shiro was unharmed, Gastly let out a furious hiss. A dark, twisted shadow rose behind it.
Night Shade blended seamlessly into the dim surroundings, making it nearly invisible as it lashed out toward the source of the Bullet Seed.
Looking out from behind the tree, Shiro spotted a green-furred monkey-like Pokémon about ten meters away—Thwackey.
The Grass-type staggered as Gastly's Night Shade struck, its body half-immersed in the ghostly energy. Just as it was about to collapse, a beam of red light recalled it into its Poké Ball.
"Tough opponent! Let's go!" A trainer in a red T-shirt and black pants shouted toward someone behind him before quickly retreating.
Seeing this, Shiro frowned. 'Seriously? Attacking me with just a Beginner-level Thwackey?'
Like hell he was letting them get away.
"Corvisquire! Gastly! After him!" Shiro pushed off the ground, sprinting in pursuit.
It had been a while since he caught a decent Pokémon, but the fleeing trainer ahead had one on hand. Since he wanted a fight, Shiro would take his Pokémon instead. It made no difference whether he caught one in the wild or stole it from someone else.
Either way, they fetched a good price on the black market.
"Corvisquire! Tailwind!"
At his command, Corvisquire flapped its wings, channeling Flying-type energy and whipping up a powerful gust. Shiro and Gastly instantly felt lighter as their speed surged.
With Tailwind boosting their speed, the gap between Shiro and the man in red quickly began to close.
"Gastly! Shadow Ball!"
The moment they were within range, Gastly formed six shadowy spheres, each spinning violently in the air before shooting forward like a barrage of arrows aimed straight at the fleeing trainer.
But the man was quick. He rolled forward, dodging the attack just as he tumbled out of the forest.
Once outside, he stopped running. Instead, he stood still, his voice chilling.
"The prey has arrived!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, two bursts of light—one blue, one green—flashed on either side of Shiro. A powerful stream of water and a series of colored leaves lashed out simultaneously.
Shiro had anticipated a trap, but their strength was nothing special—Advanced-level trainers at best.
The moment he saw the trainer opposite stop running, he reacted. Without hesitation, he pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it forward, his voice sharp.
"Rhyperior! Block it!"
"Rhyyy…"
With a dull roar, Rhyperior materialized before him, its massive stone-like arms rising just in time to intercept both attacks. Even though they were super-effective moves, Rhyperior's sheer durability allowed it to withstand the blows without much harm.
While retreating, Shiro quickly assessed the situation. To his left stood Inteleon, a sleek, upright lizard—one of Galar's starter Pokémon. To his right, Steenee, a bipedal, plantlike Pokémon with a humanoid build.
Wasting no time, he gave his next command.
"Rhyperior! Hammer Arm! Crush that Pokémon on the left!"
At the same time, he issued orders to Corvisquire and Gastly.
"Corvisquire, use Quick Attack! Aim for the trainers! Gastly, Night Shade! Do the same!"
At his order, Rhyperior's massive body lunged forward, its arm glowing with a dull brownish-yellow light. Like a gigantic hammer, it swung down toward Inteleon.
Faced with the monstrous Pokémon's attack, Inteleon froze in place, completely overwhelmed.
Just before impact, a flash of red light withdrew it into its Poké Ball.
"Damn it! A Pokémon at the Gym level!" A man in a blue t-shirt clutched Inteleon's Poké Ball tightly before turning to flee in panic.
Rhyperior crashed down behind him, missing its target but shaking the ground violently. The shockwave sent the fleeing trainer stumbling over a tree root, making him crash face-first into the dirt.
Corvisquire, already closing in with Quick Attack, seized the opportunity. Before the man could recover, its metallic beak pierced straight through his throat, killing him instantly.
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