The city at night was awash with all kinds of neon lights, glowing in vibrant reds and greens. With the Junior Breeder assessment scheduled for the day after tomorrow, the number of people pouring into Goldenrod City continued to rise.
Goldenrod City was already the largest and most populous city in the Johto region, but the upcoming assessment had made it even more crowded. Eichi walked alone through the streets. Watching the bustle of the crowds, he felt as if he were back in his previous life, wandering through a shopping district.
There were many places in Goldenrod City worth visiting, particularly the Pokéathlon Dome and the National Park. Every year, the National Park hosted a Bug-Catching Contest. The contestant who caught the strongest Bug-type Pokémon would be crowned the champion.
There were even rewards for the winners. Eichi walked to the main entrance of the National Park and saw a notice posted on the gate. It stated that today's Bug-Catching Contest had successfully concluded, and the next one would not take place for another three months. Eichi felt a pang of regret; he had actually missed out on the competition.
Next, he headed to the nearby battle arena to take a look. The Pokéathlon Dome was shaped like a giant egg, hence its name. Outside the dome was a small plaza where it was said that many Pokémon Trainers practiced for Pokéathlon events. At the moment, there were only a few scattered people enjoying the breeze or taking a walk.
The Dome had not closed yet. Stepping inside, Eichi found the interior to be quite vast. The building was divided into three levels: the first floor was the lobby, the second floor contained the spectator seats, and the basement housed a museum. In the lobby, one could purchase or exchange items or register for competitions at the front desk. Eichi wandered around the lobby for a bit but found it uninteresting and decided to head back.
Walking along the streets, even without doing or playing anything specific, it felt nice just to observe the lively atmosphere. After walking for a while, Eichi reached the most prosperous commercial street. It was cramped and packed with people.
Suddenly, Eichi noticed something unusual. Someone's hand had slipped into his pocket and made off with his wallet. Although the crowd was thick and people bumping into each other was common, this thief's technique was very high-level. If not for Eichi's sharp perception, he might truly have failed to notice.
After stealing the wallet, the thief blended into the crowd and quickly disappeared. However, every single move was clear to Eichi. He used his Bug Force to place a small mark on the thief and then followed him.
Nearby, a beautiful young girl was enjoying some freshly bought food, her attention entirely focused on her meal. She was completely unaware of a hand reaching into her bag behind her, silently lifting her wallet. Of course, the owner of that hand didn't expect his actions to be seen by anyone.
To his back right, a spirited-looking boy with red hair had witnessed the act. He looked to be about the same age as Eichi. After the thief succeeded, he quickly left the scene. The red-haired boy saw this and stealthily followed. Eichi saw all of this, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he vanished into the crowd.
The thief was dressed in black clothes and a baseball cap. His appearance was plain—the kind of face that would be impossible to find once lost in a crowd. He had already realized someone was following him, so he intentionally led the way into a small alley. The red-haired boy, still unaware that he had been spotted, followed the thief using what he thought was a very clever tracking method.
After walking through the dark alley for several minutes, the thief stopped. Two men emerged from the shadows beside him, dressed similarly to the thief. One was fat, and the other was tall. Both were ugly.
"How was the haul?" the fat one asked.
The thief pulled several wallets from his pockets. "Not bad," he said. Then he added, "But we need to deal with the tail behind us."
As soon as he said that, the expressions of his two accomplices changed, and they glared fiercely toward the path behind them. The thief turned his head, looked at a building, and said, "Come out. I noticed you a long time ago."
After a few seconds, the red-haired boy stepped out from the darkness of the building. With a determined look, he shouted at the three of them, "You three, return those wallets to their owners right now, or I'll call the police!"
The thief and his two accomplices looked at each other and burst into wild laughter.
"Do you think I'll return them?" the thief laughed. "I spotted you ages ago."
"What? Then why didn't you say anything?" the red-haired boy asked in shock.
"I lured you here so you wouldn't be able to report us," the thief said. "Since you saw everything, we can't let you leave."
"Get him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the three began to release their Pokémon. Three Pokémon emerged from their Poké Balls. The fat man had an Arbok, the tall man had a Golbat, and the thief had a Houndoom.
Seeing this, the red-haired boy also began to release his Pokémon. A small figure appeared on the ground—a mouse-like Pokémon with fire erupting from its back. It was a Cyndaquil. However, the Cyndaquil looked quite small, and its level seemed very low.
Nevertheless, the red-haired boy showed no fear. Even though the three opposing Pokémon looked strong, as a hot-blooded youth, he would not retreat. He wasn't stupid and decided to strike first.
"Cyndaquil, use Scratch!"
Upon hearing the command, Cyndaquil kicked off with its small legs and charged at the Houndoom. Seeing the Cyndaquil rush over, the thief didn't panic at all and immediately issued an attack order.
"Houndoom, show this little Cyndaquil what we're made of."
Beside him, the fat man said to the tall one, "Hey, look, a Cyndaquil. That's pretty rare. Once we deal with this kid and sell this Cyndaquil, we can make a tidy little profit."
Hearing the fat man's words, the tall one wasn't surprised at all. It felt as though they had done this sort of thing many times before. They intended to kill the red-haired boy and then sell the Cyndaquil.
On the other side, the Cyndaquil rushed forward and jumped, aiming for the Houndoom's head. It extended a claw, targeting its opponent's face. The Houndoom kept its eyes fixed on the Cyndaquil, remaining motionless until the Cyndaquil leapt. Its eyes narrowed as it struck, opening its mouth.
In an instant, it clamped its teeth down on the Cyndaquil's arm. The red-haired boy's face paled as he cried out, "Cyndaquil!"
The Houndoom cruelly bit down hard on the Cyndaquil's arm. Cyndaquil let out a scream of pain, sending the red-haired boy into a sudden rage. With a forceful swing, the Houndoom threw the Cyndaquil heavily against a wall.
Cyndaquil took damage instantly. The red-haired boy was deeply worried, but the Cyndaquil struggled to climb back up from the ground, staring fiercely at the Houndoom.
"That's the spirit, Cyndaquil!" the red-haired boy shouted.