In a battlefield now riddled with craters—including one particularly massive pit—Brawly handed the Knuckle Badge to Kashiwagi, reflecting on the match.
"I have to commend the synergy between you and Aggron. Type matchups are like a massive, treacherous wave that many Trainers fail to ride, but your performance proved to me that you've successfully conquered it."
"Thank you."
Kashiwagi accepted it with both hands.
True to its name, the Knuckle Badge was designed in the shape of a boxing glove, with a yellow gemstone embedded where the thumb would be. It was quite a striking piece.
The intensity of this Gym battle had been completely disproportionate to the number of badges Kashiwagi held. That Hariyama was clearly one of Brawly's personal aces—it was incredibly tanky. It had taken a Rock Tomb and a Low Kick before even showing signs of fatigue, a testament to its staggering endurance.
Did surfing max out its bulk? Kashiwagi wondered.
As he tucked the badge into his storage box, he began to think about his future Gym challenges.
He knew from his simulator experiences that Gym Leaders often had group chats where they shared info on exceptionally talented or powerful challengers.
From here on out, the difficulty of his battles would likely far exceed the standard expectations for each badge.
"Let's go surfing together next time," Brawly added, interrupting his thoughts. "You've got a great build. Even with a board, I bet you'd be a fast learner."
"I'd take your offer on that."
Kashiwagi nodded.
He genuinely liked this man who couldn't go three sentences without mentioning surfing.
After all, having played through the Hoenn games and ROM hacks countless times—usually stomping Brawly with a fully evolved starter—there was a natural "fan" filter at play.
It also helped that the man was so genuinely friendly.
Shauna, the referee, finally found an opening to speak and chimed in excitedly:
"Your Aggron is seriously amazing! He's way stronger than the Aggron I saw deep inside Granite Cave!"
"There are Aggron in Granite Cave?" Kashiwagi turned to her, curious.
"Yeah! I saw them when I accidentally wandered into the deeper levels!" Shauna nodded vigorously.
Brawly added, "Granite Cave has plenty of great Pokémon, like Makuhita. If you're interested, you could head over to catch some new teammates... it's not far from here."
Wait, was that a subtle recommendation?
"I-I can draw you a map!" Shauna offered enthusiastically, then looked disappointed.
"If the Gym was closed today, I could have guided you... but we have three more scheduled challengers coming in."
Hearing there were three more challengers, Brawly's expression turned somber. He gazed up at the sky. "Why is it cloudy today? Why does it have to be cloudy...?"
Kashiwagi: "..." (this man really....)
-----
After thanking them and saying his goodbyes, Kashiwagi left with Shauna's hand-drawn map. He was actually quite interested in the cave now.
His primary goal? Finding a wild Aggron—specifically one that knew Head Smash.
Head Smash was an Egg Move; it had to be learned from another member of the species. An Aggron would never learn it naturally on its own, which was a real pain for a monster with the Rock Head ability.
To Kashiwagi's frustration, not many Trainers raised Aggron due to their slightly ferocious temperaments. He'd often searched for local Aggron enthusiast groups online but always came up empty-handed. Meanwhile, the Zigzagoon and Linoone fan clubs next door had thousands of members. It was bizarre.
-----
At the Pokémon Center
Kashiwagi handed his three battle-worn Pokémon to Nurse Joy.
The lobby was much more crowded than it had been that morning. Eavesdropping on the conversations, he realized most people were here for the Beach Bonfire Gathering.
Is it really that popular? He felt a spark of anticipation for the bonfire and the Pokémon trade meet happening that evening.
But for the afternoon, he planned to explore Granite Cave. Online reviews of the place were... colorful:
----
"Too complex, watch out for the layout or you'll get lost."
"If you see a Makuhita, don't laugh at its squinty eyes—they get offended easily."
"Don't let the cute Mawile fool you; their bite really hurts."
"Don't carry too much metal, or a swarm of Aron will chase you down."
----
It was a collection of "blood, sweat, and tears" from senior Trainers.
Mawile and Aron, huh...
Kashiwagi figured he wouldn't have much trouble. Wild Pokémon naturally respected stronger individuals; encountering their own kind usually meant they wouldn't attack unprovoked—provided the Trainer's Pokémon had a dominant enough personality. If they were too soft, it wouldn't work.
"Happy~"
A Blissey nurse called him over to retrieve his team.
"Your Pokémon are doing fine now," Nurse Joy said as she returned the Poké Balls.
"However, Galarian Corsola suffered from extreme exhaustion and some shell damage. Please let her rest for a few days. Unless absolutely necessary, don't let her participate in any battles."
"I understand. Thank you."
It made sense, Corsola's "shell" had literally been cracked. She had been "wounded in the line of duty," so letting her enjoy a few days of leisure was the least he could do.
Kashiwagi wasn't a slave driver; he believed in slacking off when the situation allowed for it.
The news that Aggron was perfectly fine was a pleasant surprise, further cementing his resolve to check out the cave.
He ran back to his room, changed into more suitable clothes, streamlined his gear, and set out.
Granite Cave was located near Route 106, just a short walk from town along the coastal road.
The town was buzzing. Compared to yesterday, the number of tourists had surged. You could see people in various outfits everywhere, and some had even started random battles on the streets.
The crowd thinned once he left the town limits. The surroundings became quiet again, with various sea Pokémon visible along the shore—Corphish, Wingull, and the occasional wild Octillery basking on the reefs, staring blankly as he passed.
Kashiwagi briefly considered catching one, but decided getting sprayed with ink wasn't worth the effort. If this were Legends like Arceus, he definitely would have chucked a ball at it he mused.
Soon, Granite Cave loomed before him. Judging by the footprints at the entrance, the place was clearly a hotspot for Trainers; the ground was as flat as if a steamroller had passed over it.
"In a place like this... you're the best one for the job."
Kashiwagi released Deino.
While the cave looked bright and airy in the anime, the reality was that Granite Cave was pitch black.
Only the entrance level had any visibility thanks to the natural light. Deeper inside, it was just like an abandoned mine—utterly and completely dark.