Dawn arrived quietly.
Shunya stood at the town gate before the sun fully rose, coin pouch secured at his waist, spatial bag resting lightly against his side. The air carried the chill of early morning, and the road beyond the gate stretched forward like a blank scroll waiting for ink.
Pikachu stood beside him—not on his shoulder today.
On equal ground.
For a long moment, Shunya didn't move.
He turned once, looking back at the town that had shaped his first days. The Pokémon Center's roof caught the first hint of sunlight. The library windows reflected pale gold. Even the notice board stood still, as if aware that one less name would linger there.
"…We learned enough," Shunya said quietly.
Pikachu's tail swayed once.
Not in excitement.
In agreement.
Shunya stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold of the gate, something subtle shifted. Not a notification. Not a sound.
A boundary.
The town no longer sheltered him.
The road accepted him.
---
The path toward the next town was longer than the routes near his starting point. The trees were taller. The ground less familiar. The air carried scents he couldn't immediately recognize.
Shunya didn't rush.
Each step was measured. His breathing steady.
Pikachu moved slightly ahead at times, scouting naturally before returning. There was no need for commands. The thread between them—formed days ago—remained intact.
They passed other trainers occasionally.
Some hurried past without looking.
Some glanced at Pikachu and nodded.
None lingered.
The road filtered people according to their pace.
By midday, the terrain began to incline gently. The forest thinned into rocky slopes dotted with shrubs and wind-bent grass.
Shunya paused near a ridge.
From there, he could see far ahead.
In the distance, barely visible, stood the outline of another town—smaller than the one he left, nestled between low hills.
"…So that's the next step," he murmured.
Pikachu followed his gaze.
Neither of them felt excitement.
They felt awareness.
Reaching the town would not change them.
How they reached it would.
---
Halfway down the slope, the wind shifted.
Stronger.
Sharper.
It carried something else—an unfamiliar presence.
Pikachu froze first.
Its ears lifted. Its body lowered slightly—not in fear, but in caution.
Shunya stopped.
The path ahead curved around a rocky outcrop. Footprints marked the dust—fresh ones.
Not wild Pokémon.
Human.
Shunya exhaled slowly.
He didn't avoid the curve.
He walked it.
On the other side stood a lone trainer, leaning casually against a stone. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was focused directly on Shunya.
Not curious.
Expectant.
"…You made it this far," the trainer said.
Shunya recognized him after a heartbeat.
Ren.
"You've been following?" Shunya asked calmly.
Ren shrugged. "Observing."
Pikachu's tail flicked once.
Ren's eyes shifted briefly to it, then back to Shunya. "Most beginners take the safer trade road. You chose the ridge."
"It's shorter," Shunya replied.
"It's harder," Ren corrected.
Silence lingered between them.
Wind moved across the rocks.
"You're leaving your starting town already," Ren continued. "Confident."
Shunya shook his head. "Prepared."
Ren's expression shifted slightly at that word.
"…There's a difference," Ren admitted.
For a moment, it seemed like he might challenge Shunya.
Instead, he stepped aside.
"Then go," Ren said. "Let's see if your pace holds."
Shunya didn't respond.
He walked forward.
Pikachu followed.
When they passed Ren, Shunya felt it—the weight of someone measuring him. Not strength. Not levels.
Direction.
He didn't look back.
---
As the sun began to descend, the second town grew clearer.
Smoke rose from chimneys. Fields stretched along its edges. The road widened, smoother from heavier traffic.
Shunya slowed near the final bend.
He looked down at Pikachu.
"We're not the same as when we started," he said quietly.
Pikachu looked back, eyes steady.
No sparks.
No noise.
Just presence.
Shunya nodded.
"Good."
They took the final steps together.
Behind them, the road did not close.
Ahead, it did not promise.
It simply extended.
And as Shunya crossed into new ground, the world did not cheer.
It acknowledged.
The second town awaited.
And the path had only just begun to unfold.