"Alright! The battle is over!"

  Seeing Rookidee still trying to nd a final blow, Shiro quickly stopped it.

  After f Rookidee in his arms, Shiro took out a few light blue Pokéblocks ahem to it to restore its stamina.

  Although both Pokémon in this battle were inexperienced and weak, Shiro was very satisfied with the result.

  Rookidee was naturally a hard-w Pokémon. It had made some progress during the battle, and after resting and digesting the Pokéblocks, it would likely reach Beginner level.

  As fastly, although it was a bit mischievous, its talent was excellent. It had mastered many high-level moves and Shiro was sure there were still some moves it could use that he wasn’t aware of.

  Shiro pced several Pokéblocks into Gastly's mouth, retur to its Poké Ball and po train it slowly o woke up.

  The battle had taken quite a bit of time, and now it was evening. There were no more League trainers he Route 9 Tunnel.

  Two security guards in blue uniform were leaning on a brown cart outside the tunnel, chatting.

  Shiro walked down the slope and crouched in the grass, thinking about how to get through.

  If he tried to rush in while the two security guards weren’t paying attention, the risk was too high. He had no idea what the situation was oher side of the tunnel, and it would be easy to get caught.

  But if he dider through the Route 9 Tunnel and chose to go around...

  This area art of a very rge mountain rahe League had built the tunnel here to make passing through more ve. If Shiro tried to climb over the mountain, the danger was ohing, but the time it would take was a definitely wouldn’t be solved in just an evening.

  Standing at the foot of the mountain, Shiro looked up and saw the endless slope.

  How to get through roblem.

  But Shiro atient.

  There were definitely many others like him, who o avoid the League trainers. How had those people made it through here?

  Shiro had inally po wait and see, learning from their methods.

  During the battle between Gastly and Rookidee, when Shiro didn’t have time to observe, someone like that had probably already passed by.

  He quietly waited in the grass.

  Around twenty mier, a disheveled middle-aged man appeared, walking along the side of the mountaihe tunnel. His olive-green outdear was covered in dirt.

  He walked along the wall until he reached the edge of the Route 9 Tuhere, he immediately pulled out two Pokédolrs bills and hahem to the two security guards. The guards then took a bck cloak from their brown cart and draped it over the man.

  The man tio press against the wall, moving along the side of the tunnel.

  Shiro had good eyesight, but he couldn't make out the exact amount of the Pokédolrs.

  He then pced Rookidee from his coat in the grass and took out several different denominations of Pokédolrs from his bag, letting Rookidee identify them.

  "Rook!"

  Rookidee pois beak at the Pokédolr with a value of ohousand.

  ‘A two thousand Pokédolrs toll?’

  Shiro hen put the money and Rookidee away.

  He stood up and headed for the tunnel.

  However, he remembered the strange way the man had entered, by staying close to the wall.

  Though fused, for safety’s sake, Shiro decided to mimic the man's approach. He first moved to the side of the tunnel, closely following the wall.

  He edged along the wall toward the tunrahe two blue-uniformed security guards noticed him and came closer.

  After expertly taking the Pokédolrs from Shiro, they pulled a bck cloak from the cart and draped it over him, then gave him a warning.

  “Kid, remember to stay quiet. If you e across a trainer, act like a piece of wood. Don’t speak, don’t move. Got it?”

  Shiro nodded repeatedly, hiding his fader the bck cloak and following the man’s earlier movements, edging along the wall toward the tunnel.

  The two guards tio lean zily against the small cart, casually the surroundings.

  Ihe tunnel, it itch bck, with no lights in sight.

  The tunnel floor was a smooth dirt path, with two tracks running down the ter.

  Shiro had not walked far when he saw a short-haired boy darting out from the nearby forest, wearing a brown coat and running straight toward him.

  Seeing another person approag, the two security guards, who had been casually standing around, immediately straightened up, taking their positions like gatekeepers, one on each side to greet the newer.

  However, when the boy got closer, he gave a fttering smile and reached into his coat with a dirty hand, pulling out some Pokédolrs. He said, "Hehe, gentlemen, please show some leniency..."

  "Damn it, I thought you were a Trainer!" The younger security guard immediately cursed, snatg the money from the boy's hand. After a quice at the amount, his expression softened slightly.

  The older security guard hahe boy a bck cloak, expining and giving instrus, "Those without proper identification have to stick to the wall to enter. What would happen if an official Trainer sees people like you? Besides, we still o identify everyone..." he said, putting the money into his pocket.

  The short-haired boy quickly put on the cloak, stantly nodding in agreement.

  Shiro, however, noticed the amount on the Pokédolrs. Eae was five thousand.

  ‘This guy looks dirty, has no identity, and is spending money so vishly... Could I rob him along the way?’

  The thought briefly crossed Shiro's mind but was quickly dismissed.

  He would ake such a risky a without knowing the other person's strength.

  So, Shiro tiig to the wall, moving further into the pitch-bck tunnel. After walking roughly another 20 meters, the light from the tunrance had bee faint.

  Suddenly, Rookidee in his oved, its beak pointing sharply in one dire—the tunnel ahead.

  Shiro immediately stopped.

  In the darkness ahead, just beyond the reach of his eyes, a figure stood still.

  "Did you find me?" a faint, hoarse voice came closer.

  Shiro didn't step back. Instead, he reached for his knife.

  "Looks like it's your first time, huh? Did you e to get in?" The voice stopped about a meter away from Shiro.

  He could barely make out the figure now. It was the same disheveled man who had entered before him.

  The man had long, dirty hair that covered his eyes and a stubbled . A foul smell emanated from him.

  "Kid..." The man Shiro. "Shouldn't you pay a tuition fee? Not much, just two thousand Pokédolrs. I’ll take you in and out, how about it?"

  ‘Two thousand Pokédolrs?’

  That seemed like a small amount, and paying a newer’s fee to gain information seemed worth it.

  He didn’t hesitate or think twice. He immediately agreed.

  "Alright! But you o tell me what's ahead iunnel first."

  Shiro slightly raised his hand, pointing towards the tunnel's end.

  "Hmm?" The disheveled man didn't move, his eyes locked onto Shiro's raised arm.

  The moment, Shiro struck with his knife, aiming for the man's throat.

  **

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