"Take them out. It's only a few more steps."
"What? You're going back!?"
"Yes."
"I'll go with—"
"Don't waste time. Once you're out, they won't let you back in. If you don't go, who's going to carry them? Stay strong."
"...I'm sorry, Kashiwagi. I'm so sorry. We're just holding you back. Here—take this with you!"
"Alright. Now go."
As he adjusted the weight of the pickaxe he'd scavenged near the exit, the memory of Narunari's face—a messy blend of frustration and guilt—flickered through Kashiwagi's mind. He switched on his headlamp and focused on keeping his breathing rhythmic.
Logic told him that the Aron might not necessarily lose to that Rhyhorn. Even if it did, a Rhyhorn wouldn't necessarily kill it.
Every calculated prediction suggested he should keep running. There was no practical reason to head back into such a dangerous situation.
And yet, he was back.
Deep down, Kashiwagi always considered himself a selfish person. His kindness was often a calculated mask, a tool used to fit in, find allies, or gain some form of utility.
Therefore, he told himself, returning was simply to secure the Aron's favor and to uphold the principle of repaying a debt...
He repeated these cold motives in his head like a mantra, hypnotizing himself. If he didn't, he wasn't sure he'd have the courage to face that red-eyed Rhyhorn without bolting in the opposite direction.
"Trample him to death!"
Shibata's shriek shattered the silence, followed by the thunderous charge of the Rhyhorn.
Rumble-rumble—
The ground shook with every stride, sending small pebbles dancing and flying through the air. The Rhyhorn just wanted to get its job over with; it was more than happy to follow Shibata's order and plow through the human in front of it, if only to shut Shibata's incessant whining.
In this debris-choked tunnel, there was almost no room to maneuver. Avoiding a full-tilt Take Down from a Rhyhorn seemed impossible.
But he only needed to dodge once. Just once.
Kashiwagi stepped back, positioning himself behind a pile of jagged rubble on the far left. These rocks wouldn't stop a Rhyhorn, but they would obscure its line of sight. Even Ground-type Pokémon couldn't see through solid stone.
Come on.
He took a deep breath, staring down the manic Shibata and the Rhyhorn as it lowered its horn for the kill. There was no middle ground here. Success or total failure.
CRASH!
The moment the beast shattered the rock pile, Kashiwagi clicked his headlamp to its maximum brightness—not caring if he actually blinded the Pokémon—and dove into a roll to the right!
"Ugh!"
A searing pain flared in his left arm and ribs, feeling as though he'd been grazed by a bullet. He had dodged the main impact, but the shrapnel from the shattered rocks proved how terrifying the Rhyhorn's momentum truly was.
As he scrambled to his feet, his scraped elbows and shoulders burned like they were on fire.
Endure it! Hit back now!
Kashiwagi spun around. The Rhyhorn had slammed into the far wall and was struggling to pivot. On its back, Shibata was already screaming for it to turn around for another pass.
"Eat dirt!"
Kashiwagi roared, hurling the heavy pickaxe head with all his strength. Before Shibata could even react, the metal caught him square. He was knocked clean off the Rhyhorn's back, hitting the ground with a sickening thud and a scream of pure agony.
The idiot had never turned off his headlamp. In the dark, he was a perfect target.
"HOOON!"
Feeling its rider suddenly vanish, the Rhyhorn panicked. It took a clumsy step back, its massive hoof coming down hard on Shibata's leg.
"AAAGH—MY LEG!!"
Another scream. The Rhyhorn froze, its simple mind overwhelmed, not knowing whether to attack or check on the human.
Now's the chance!
Kashiwagi sprinted toward the Aron. Pokémon were living creatures, not myths. If you understood their behavior, you could find ways to "fight" them.
Capture the rider to stop the mount. Since the Rhyhorn was Shibata's "helper," it couldn't simply ignore him.
"Let's go!"
Kashiwagi scooped up the semi-conscious Aron. He was surprised to find it wasn't as heavy as it looked. He bolted past the confused Rhyhorn as it sniffed at the sobbing Shibata. Sensing him fleeing, the Rhyhorn let out a warning low.
"HOOOON—"
"Shut up!"
Kashiwagi pulled one final sphere from his pocket and smashed it against the ground.
FLASH!
A blinding, terrifying burst of white light swallowed the entire cavern!
"HOON!?"
The Rhyhorn's eyes were seared by the Flash. Blinded and terrified, it fell into a Thrash, charging blindly in every direction. Shibata's screams became a frantic, disjointed mess.
"No—wait—STAY AWAY—HELP—"
Huff... huff...
Kashiwagi didn't look back. Within seconds, he had put thirty meters between himself and the chaos. When he finally stole a glance, he saw the Rhyhorn rampaging in the distance while Shibata's voice gradually faded into silence. He let out a massive sigh of relief.
Thank god he hadn't wasted that Flash Orb earlier. Narunari had given it to him, and the potency was incredible; it had sent the Rhyhorn into a total state of Confusion. Maybe that was why Narunari had been saving it as a last resort?
Kashiwagi shook his head, clearing the stray thoughts, and ran.
To be honest, it would have been more efficient to just recall the Aron into a Poké Ball for the escape. Even if it was semi-conscious, the chances of it breaking out were low.
But... forget it.
What if his guess was wrong and it belonged to Team Snagem? What if the Aron truly preferred death over the ball? Pokémon were known for their unshakable convictions.
Stop overthinking. Just run faster!
Kashiwagi ripped off his mask, gasping for more oxygen as he pushed his legs to their limit. The upward slope was brutal.
Fortunately, as the white light of the exit appeared ahead, there was no sound of pursuit. The moment he burst out into the open, fresh air flooded his lungs. Even the gritty desert wind felt cool and refreshing.
"Ha... ha..."
Kashiwagi gasped for air, his eyes stinging in the harsh sunlight. It took everything he had not to collapse on the spot. Ignoring the shocked whispers and stares of the crowd, he reached into his pocket and tossed a jade fragment to the middle-aged proctor.
"The token!"
The man caught it, gave it a cursory glance, and then looked at the battered Aron in Kashiwagi's arms. He frowned. "You brought a trial Pokémon out with you?"
"No... it seemed wild..." Kashiwagi managed to wheeze out.
"Nonsense, how could—"
The man stopped mid-sentence. A Galarian Yamask drifted out of the mine and signaled to him, shaking its head.
The proctor's tone changed instantly. "—Get this man and the Aron to the medical tent! Move it!"
A pair of grunts arrived with a stretcher, carefully placing Kashiwagi and the Aron on it before whisking them away. Kashiwagi caught a glimpse of the Yamask and then looked down at the little Pokémon beside him.
"We made it," he whispered softly. "We're safe."
As he spoke, he felt his own body finally begin to relax. The mine trip had been short, but harrowing. Looking back at his decision to go back for the Aron... he really had been reckless.
"Sigh..."