Chapter 22: The Unexpected

After claiming the Evolution Stone prize, N headed straight to the Pokémon Center with his Timburr. Once they had received a full medical check-up, he wasted no time packing his gear and setting off toward the Nichiyo Forest.

Unlike his previous visits, he wasn't planning on training deep within the woods this time. Instead, his goal was to trek through the Nichiyo Forest to reach the neighboring city, Nagatsuki (Long Moon/Month) City, where he intended to challenge the local Gym.

In reality, Gym Leaders are incredibly formidable. Most are experts with over a decade, sometimes decades, of combat experience. Many were once elite trainers who had fought their way into the Top 8, Top 4, or even the finals of a regional Pokémon League Conference. They often took up Gym Leader positions only because they couldn't quite seize a seat among the Elite Four, meaning their strength was not to be underestimated.

This was exactly why, barring exceptional circumstances, it was rare to see young people serving as Gym Leaders.

With N's current strength, he would likely need to raise Zorua to at least quasi-Elite Four level before he could reliably secure a badge. Attempting a Gym challenge with only Alpha-level Pokémon was a gamble at best; as for those at the Elite level, they usually only received a badge if the Leader took a personal liking to them.

As for why he wasn't challenging the Nichiyo Gym, the reason was simple: the Leader there was exceptionally powerful, and N wasn't entirely confident he could win yet. Furthermore, the Nichiyo Gym Leader had recently flown to the Sinnoh region on business, leaving the Gym temporarily closed.

While a substitute Leader from another region was expected to fill in eventually, N couldn't afford to wait. Thus, Nagatsuki City became his next best target. The journey would also provide the perfect opportunity to drill Zorua and the others, ensuring they were fully prepared before they stepped onto the Nagatsuki Gym battlefield.

"Yeah, slipping away under the cover of night was the right call."

If he had told Hilda he was heading out alone to challenge Gyms, she undoubtedly would have insisted on coming along. However, to focus entirely on growing stronger, and considering the potential dangers ahead, he preferred to travel solo.

The sky had already darkened. At this hour, a wild forest was anything but safe; predatory, nocturnal Pokémon were beginning to stir. Moreover, the Nichiyo Forest was vast. Even knowing the route, a standard trek across it took at least two to three days. This meant camping out in the wilderness and being prepared for wild Pokémon ambushes at any moment.

Most trainers wouldn't dream of entering the forest at this hour, but N was the exception.

Thanks to his Viridian Power, the vast majority of Pokémon felt a natural affinity toward him. Entering the Nichiyo Forest at night was manageable for him; he only had to watch out for the few exceptionally vicious Pokémon that harbored a hatred for humans or viewed them as prey.

"Hm...?"

A flicker of unease crossed N's eyes beneath the brim of his cap. He knelt down, pressing his right hand lightly against the soil. Even in the dim light of the nocturnal forest, footprints were faintly visible on the ground.

These weren't the tracks of a single person. There were at least five individuals. For a group to enter the Nichiyo Forest collectively at night... something felt wrong.

"Aipom over there! Excuse me, did a group of people just pass through here?"

"Aipom!"

The purple monkey hanging upside down from a tree blinked. It flashed a wide, toothy grin, swung through the branches a few times, and dropped down in front of N, nodding its head earnestly.

"Humans in matching black clothes! They went deeper into the forest!"

"I see. Thank you."

N smiled and pulled a pink, succulent Pecha Berry from his pocket, handing it to the Aipom. To a Pokémon that loved berries, this was a high-quality "reward."

Aipom blinked in surprise, then reached out with its hand-like tail to gently take the berry.

"They look dangerous. Don't go near them," the Aipom warned, frowning slightly. It felt a strong sense of goodwill toward this green-haired youth, who possessed a scent as soothing as sweet grass, a stark contrast to other humans it had encountered.

"I understand. Thank you for the warning."

N exhaled softly. It seemed his suspicions were likely correct. The group was most likely a band of poachers or similar criminals. Entering the Nichiyo Forest in force at night usually meant one thing: the illegal poaching of wild Pokémon.

While the Nichiyo Forest wasn't a formal Pokémon Preserve, meaning trainers could catch Pokémon through legitimate means, coordinated group attacks and the use of illegal capture gear constituted poaching.

Pokémon fetched high prices on the black market, and the bounties for rare species were astronomical. A pseudo-legendary Pokémon could command a literal fortune, which had given rise to a specialized criminal profession: Pokémon Hunters.

These were criminal syndicates that trespassed into nature reserves and used illegal, high-efficiency methods to capture Pokémon in bulk. N didn't know which specific group had entered the forest, but he was certain they weren't there for anything good.

"Zorua, if we run into anyone, I'll need you to hide us with your Illusions."

N released Zorua ahead of time to stay adaptable. Pokémon inside Poké Balls couldn't always react instantly to an ambush, so it was better to have his partner out.

"Zua!"

Zorua bared its fangs in a playful grin, scrambled up a thick tree trunk, and leaped onto N's shoulder. Despite being a small fox, it weighed a solid twenty pounds. If N didn't possess the heightened physical stamina typical of a Pallet Town native, carrying it would have been quite the chore.