[Multifunctional Mountain Bike: A bicycle capable of traversing mountainous terrain as smoothly as flat ground.]
"This is it?"
Nozomi stared at the system's brief description, utterly speechless.
What kind of introduction is this? At least give a proper breakdown of its features!
But, with no manual provided by the system, there was nothing Nozomi could do.
He found a quiet, secluded spot and pulled the multifunctional mountain bike out.
At the instant it appeared, Nozomi couldn't help but admit that he was immediately drawn to its sleek appearance.
The matte black frame, the red-painted rims, tires made of some unknown material, and the oddly stylish design all gave it a mysteriously impressive aura.
"Not bad at all," Nozomi murmured, running his hand over the frame, which felt smooth and satisfying to the touch.
Suddenly, he noticed a small booklet attached to the bike.
"This… is this the manual?"
Flipping through it, Nozomi finally understood what the multifunctional aspect of this bike truly entailed.
First, the bike could climb any slope less than seventy degrees, boasting top-tier shock absorption—no bump would disturb the rider.
Second, and most importantly, it featured Poké Ball expansion slots on the handlebars.
After all, when riding in the wild, encounters with Pokémon were inevitable.
According to league statistics, roughly 90% of cycling-related trainer deaths occurred because a trainer encountered a wild Pokémon in the field, unable to retrieve their Poké Balls or evade the danger, resulting in both the trainer and bike being destroyed.
The expansion slots solved this problem perfectly.
A built-in compact Pokémon radar could detect any Pokémon within 150 meters, automatically assess its threat level, and alert Nozomi.
A simple twist of the handle would release a Pokémon for battle, and another twist would retract it safely after the fight.
Additional features included high-powered lights for night travel and a frame strong enough to withstand a Snorlax Body Slam.
If this was a Silver-tier reward, it didn't seem too bad at all, Nozomi told himself.
Of course, he suspected that the Silver-tier designation mostly referred to the Pokémon radar.
The technical sophistication packed into such a compact and portable device was extraordinary.
Nozomi was confident that even the current technological giant of Kanto, Silf Corporation, could not produce such a device.
He didn't dwell on it further, mounting the bike and heading quickly toward Mt. Moon.
According to the intel Butch had provided, Team Rocket's operation was set for today.
Mt. Moon
At the tunnel connecting Cerulean City and Pewter City, a group of trainers was being blocked by several staff members wearing uniforms from the Pokémon Mining Association.
"What's going on?"
Riding up to the tunnel, Nozomi asked one of the trainers nearby.
The trainer was initially impatient but froze upon seeing who had spoken. "Whoa! It's you?"
Nozomi felt a pang of familiarity. Looking closer, his expression darkened slightly.
This guy… he was the trainer Nozomi had caught questioning at the Pewter Gym entrance earlier.
This world really was small.
Suppressing a faint smile, Nozomi said, "Since we're all familiar with each other, fill me in."
He gestured toward the cluster of trainers ahead.
Hearing the word "familiar," the trainer seemed elated. He was a typical weakling, a trainer in name only—someone pretending to travel while hoping to luck his way into earning a couple of badges.
Never did he expect to be remembered by a top-tier trainer.
He practically buzzed with energy. "I'm Yūji! Here's the deal: The tunnel was completely clear, but just now, the Mining Association claimed dangerous Pokémon were inside, causing a 'collapse.' But none of the trainers who went in have come out, so clearly the tunnel wasn't blocked. The Association is obviously lying! That's why we're arguing with them now."
"I see…"
Nozomi now understood the situation.
The Mining Association had blocked the tunnel, and passing trainers suspected a lie and confronted the staff.
"This Association is shady," Nozomi thought, mentally marking them with a red flag.
If he hadn't known Team Rocket was operating at Mt. Moon today, he might have genuinely believed the tunnel collapse was caused by dangerous Pokémon.
But knowing Team Rocket was active here today—and coincidentally, the Association blocked the tunnel at the same time—combined with the bad feeling he had from the Association's president earlier, Nozomi could confidently suspect that the Mining Association had a high likelihood of colluding with Team Rocket.
He didn't yet know the extent of the collusion—whether it was just a matter of shared interests or if the entire Association had been infiltrated.
With that thought, he felt the matter growing increasingly intriguing.
After a brief pause, he looked up and smiled. "Alright, I've got it. I'll take care of this."
Before Yūji could react, Nozomi weaved past the cluster of trainers and approached the staff blocking the tunnel entrance.
"Since the tunnel is blocked, leave it to me. I believe my abilities are more than enough to clear it and deal with the so-called 'dangerous' Pokémon."
"Kid, who are you?" The staff, ordered to block any trainer from entering, now glared at him.
"Just a passing, helpful trainer," Nozomi replied.
"Move along! We don't have time to play games with you! Do you even know how dangerous the Pokémon inside are? If anything happens, who's responsible?" The staff waved dismissively when they saw his age.
"Dangerous? Is it stronger than my Onix?"
At that, Nozomi tossed a Poké Ball, and Onix immediately appeared on the open ground beside him.
Its massive head loomed above him, its fierce eyes still wild, staring down the staff members.
"Now," Nozomi said, "do you still think I can't handle that so-called 'dangerous' Pokémon?"
The staff gulped audibly, eyes fixed on the intimidating Onix.
Yūji, behind Nozomi, couldn't help but shout in excitement: "Big boss, you're amazing!"