Dark Ruins.
According to archaeologists' conjectures, this is a structure from an ancient civilization dating back over ten thousand years.
Why ancient civilizations vanished has always been a major puzzle in the field of archaeology.
However, as these ancient civilization ruins are gradually excavated by the League, glimpses of ancient civilizations slowly emerge in the League's view.
Records show that Dark Ruins were a place where ancient Pokémon were raised, and the League has unearthed many ancient fossils and collected numerous ancient documents about Pokémon from here.
Of course, such things will not be publicly disclosed.
After all, the way humans interacted with Pokémon in ancient times surely differs significantly from the current mode of coexistence between Pokémon and humans.
Some methods may be too extreme and unsuitable for public disclosure.
"Ka-Xi~~"
Abra looked at the dark cave, which resembled a gaping mouth, feeling a trace of fear.
Natsuhiko slightly comforted Abra, then spoke solemnly to Flint and Hilona, "Let's start with a small-scale exploration. It's likely been a long time since any League personnel or Trainers visited here, and wild Pokémon might be rampant."
Flint nodded, "Usually, we shouldn't encounter anything unexpected, but I suggest we leave a special mark just in case we get lost due to unforeseen circumstances. It'll also help us confirm each other's presence."
After experiencing difficulties along the way, Flint approached this exploration with caution.
Indeed.
Just upon entering the ruins, a group of wild Sandshrew showed hostility.
"Metang, Comet Fist."
"Eevee, Shadow Ball."
"Beedrill, Cross Cut."
With the full force of the three main Pokémon, Beedrill stopped holding back, quickly driving away the Sandshrew.
Finally, they could observe the interior of the ruins for the first time.
Flint curiously took out a delicate little hammer and began tapping on the walls of the ruins carved with strange patterns, intending to find some unseen stones.
Natsuhiko looked at the tangled holes on the ground, furrowing his brow unavoidably.
"What's wrong?" Hilona noticed Natsuhiko's reaction and asked softly.
"Nothing. If the Dark Ruins were to be presented as a three-dimensional image, it could be seen as an inverted pyramid. The tunneling behavior of these Sandshrew could potentially cause some unpredictable damages to the already unstable structure."
Hilona thoughtfully nodded upon hearing this.
"So?"
"So we need to hurry up, and leave when we must," Natsuhiko said.
"Okay."
Hilona called Flint from his "immersive mode."
"Still continuing?"
Flint pursed his lips, "Continuing."
If they were to leave, they could've done so earlier. Since they've reached the ruins now, going back would feel a bit foolish.
"A friend of mine once said he saw strange stones under the ruins. Due to certain reasons, he couldn't mine them. I want to take a look."
Natsuhiko and Hilona didn't object.
"Eevee, Prayer."
"Buyi~~"
Eevee understood.
Sitting with its front paws in front of its chest, it looked up and hummed softly, radiant halos emerging around it, accompanied by starry glows.
The power of Prayer gradually enveloped it, Beedrill, the Shiny Metal Monster, and Abra.
This is a long-lasting supportive technique, able to restore the Pokémon's state and stamina when swapped out or over time.
None of the three had brought supportive Pokémon, so Eevee's Prayer technique effectively compensated for this.
"Let's go."
The Prayer technique needs a while to take effect; although it's not as immediate as quick recovery, it is certainly a useful supportive technique in the wild.
The three of them took a brief rest and ventured deeper into the ruins.
As Natsuhiko had said, the Dark Ruins are essentially an inverted pyramid, and their journey was a constant descent.
Moreover, as they delved deeper, the light around them gradually diminished, drastically reducing visibility.
"Metang, Flash."
Fortunately, Flint, with his abundant exploration experience, had methods.
With a soft white glow emanating from the Shiny Metal Monster, their vision improved once again.
Natsuhiko silently put away his pre-prepared flashlight.
With Flint and Hilona around, many tasks were less burdensome for him.
The first level of the ruins was relatively safe, but upon entering the second level, although traces of wild Pokémon decreased, those appearing were notably stronger.
It wasn't until three Sandslash, accompanied by several Sandshrew previously driven away by Natsuhiko and his team, appeared before them, signaling an increase in exploration difficulty.
Under the dim aura, the three Sandslash glittered with red eyes.
Several Sandshrew frantically conveyed their earlier encounters to them.
"Senior Level Sandslash," Natsuhiko assessed through observation.
All three Sandslash possessed Senior Level strength, it seems they frequently demanded the Sandshrew clan to gather resources underground for them.
"One each," Hilona directed, immediately sending Eevee charging forward.
"Alright," responded Flint, as the Shiny Metal Monster swiftly followed.
Natsuhiko did not issue a direct attack command to Beedrill, but hesitated, glancing at the hole from which the Sandshrew emerged.
Still larger than the one seen previously on the first level.
"Buzz!"
Beedrill chirped softly, warily watching the Sandslash charging straight at him.
Natsuhiko had to set aside some unfavorable thoughts momentarily and commanded, "Shadow Clone, Qi Gathering Triple."
Instantly, Beedrill quivered, several identical Beedrill appeared beside it, all heading towards the incoming Sandslash.
Seeing numerous Beedrill appearing all at once, Sandslash hesitated briefly, quickly deciding to charge at one, its sharp claws wrapped in cold glints, slicing down through the technique.
Puff——
Only to see Beedrill turn into a bubble under attack and dissipate.
Simultaneously, Beedrill dodged Sandslash's attack and generated a Tailwind around itself, swiftly accelerating, while a hint of mockery flashed through its needle eyes.
Taking a deep breath, it quickly completed Tailwind, Sharpening, and Qi Gathering.
With a sudden flash, it appeared beside Sandslash, merging its long needles in a cross slashing motion, sending out a vivid green Cross Cut.
Boom!
Avoiding the spikes on Sandslash's back, the attack sent it rolling across the ground several dozen times.
Sandslash curled into a ball during the roll, preventing Beedrill from pursuing further.
Standing firm, Sandslash glared hatefully at Beedrill, quickly clawing the ground with its paws, disappearing from sight.
Natsuhiko furrowed his brow.
"Pay attention to the ground's changes, fly higher."
While directing, Natsuhiko took a few steps back with Abra, to prevent Sandslash from targeting himself.
Abra's face was full of seriousness. It knew it had to assume the role of protecting Natsuhiko, focusing intensely, always ready to use Instant Movement to evade.
"Buzz!"
Beedrill's crimson compound eyes scanned rapidly.
Suddenly.
"Behind you." Natsuhiko timely warned, noticing changes on the ground.
Boom!!
From behind Beedrill, the ground suddenly split open, as the fierce Sandslash emerged, hurling a shattered boulder at Beedrill.
Receiving Natsuhiko's alert, Beedrill chose not to attack directly, rapidly flapping its wings, body spinning swiftly, Tailwind surged.
Shield of Retribution!
The roaring and fierce airflow hindered the rockslide's advance.
Seizing the opportunity, Beedrill folded its form and flashed beside Sandslash before it landed, delivering a lightning-speed Deadly Needle Stab to Sandslash's soft abdomen.
"Koo!!"
Accompanied by a pitiful cry from Sandslash, it fell to the ground, losing its combat abilities.
Yet this cry seemed like some command, causing the panic-stricken Sandshrew to flee, each trying to escape through burrowing.
But their heedless actions provoked exceedingly adverse changes.
Crash——
The ground abruptly collapsed, broad crack marks explosively developing.
Natsuhiko's expression changed dramatically, shouting to Flint and Hilona, "Watch out! This place is going to collapse!"