To tell the truth, back when he was hanging around Viridian Forest, Hisoka had raided more than a few Pokémon dens.
Pokémon possessed intelligence and emotional depth that far exceeded ordinary animals. When it came to the natural treasures birthed by the world, humans weren't the only ones who coveted them; Pokémon would also claim the wonders found within their territories for themselves.
This behavior was a natural instinct for any creature with a certain level of wisdom. Possession! As the saying goes: "Where there is a treasure, there is a beast guarding it."
Switching on his flashlight, Hisoka carefully climbed down the entrance. He wasn't sure if this giant Rhydon was the only one on the island, or if this massive underground lair held its kin.
Theoretically, that was impossible. Even the possibility of a male and female pair was non-existent. When they were Rhyhorn, they tended to live in social groups because their individual strength was low. However, once they evolved into Rhydon, their strength skyrocketed, and they preferred to act alone.
Furthermore, a small, uninhabited island like this would struggle to sustain even one giant Rhydon. Otherwise, the big guy wouldn't have had to swim into the ocean to find food!
The underground cave was deep and dark, but it was dry and lacked any stagnant water.
After descending a forty-five-degree slope, a new cavern appeared before Hisoka. The entrance was about five meters high, and the path was incredibly smoothclearly a rock tunnel formed by the passage of a heavy weight over a long period.
What kind of treasures would be hidden in the lair of such a giant Rhydon? Reaching the mouth of the inner cave, Hisoka was filled with anticipation.
He was truly broke right now. The sinking of the S.S. Anne meant he wouldn't receive a single penny of his escort fee. As for the three conditions promised by that Investigator Kurama, they remained an unknown factor for the time being.
The only money he had on him was the 20,000 Poke Dollar allowance the Pokémon League had granted him after he passed his Elite Trainer exam at the Trainer Certification Center.
While an Elite Trainer's license guaranteed a monthly stipend of 20,000, such a small amount was practically nothing to Hisoka. It was barely enough to cover a week's worth of daily expenses for him and Lulu.
His basic monthly living costs alone were around 100,000, and that didn't even account for other investments.
If you wanted to raise Pokémon well and train them to be strong, it didn't matter how talented you were as a trainerwithout money, everything was an illusion. Of course, it was a different story if you just wanted to keep them as casual pets.
This was exactly why, in the century since the Pokémon League's founding, not a single Regional Champion or Elite Four member had come from a commoner background.
Naturally, some people would disagree. How could there be no commoners among the Elite Four? Wasn't Master Bruno of the Kanto region a commoner?
It was true. Bruno was not only a commoner but an orphan. Reaching the position of Elite Four member was a testament to his talent and potential.
However, what people didn't tell you was that Agathathe oldest member of the Kanto Elite Four and the current Ghost-type specialisthad been sponsoring Bruno since he was a child, and had even trained him personally for a time.
This was no secret within the League. Shortly after becoming the Fighting-type specialist, Bruno had mentioned Agatha's sponsorship in a television interview, stating that she was the person he respected most in his life.
Master Bruno was straightforward and generous, showing kindness to ordinary people. Because of his commoner roots, he was the most respected and beloved member of the Elite Four in the hearts of the Kanto public.
As for Lance, the Dragon-type specialist, although he was called the strongest of the Elite Four, his background as a member of a top-tier noble clan created a clear divide between him and the common folk. People worshipped him, but they also feared him.
Even the deepest cave had an end. Hisoka estimated he had ventured about a thousand meters deep when a light appeared ahead.
Seeing the glow, Hisoka didn't rush over. Instead, he pulled out his laptop to check the data from the tracking chip. Nearly an hour had passed since he left the beach, but fortunately, the giant Rhydon showed no signs of moving.
Relieved, Hisoka quickened his pace toward the light. He was certain it wasn't sunlight; it looked more like the faint shimmer emitted by some kind of ore or gemstone.
Thoughts of cat's eyes, beryl, and corundum flashed through his mind, making him feel a bit lightheaded. Heaven was truly on his sideit was finally time to strike it rich.
Hisoka had experienced a similar surprise before while raiding a den. He had found a piece of blue corundumor as people preferred to call it, a sapphire.
The sapphire he found back then had been of excellent quality. He had eventually sold it at an underground auction in Viridian City for a staggering price. Getting that much for an uncut, raw sapphire was incredible. If it had been a ruby of the same quality, it might have been worth even more.
Filled with expectation, Hisoka jogged toward the source of the glow. But when he turned the corner... he was left speechless by the scene before him.
"Holy... you've got to be kidding me!"
Hisoka couldn't help but curse. There were no precious gemstones in sight. The things emitting the faint light were indeed minerals, but they were the most worthless kind: Fluorite.
Picking up a piece of the faintly glowing white stone from the ground, Hisoka gave a bitter smile. It was true that many Pokémon liked shiny things, and Rhydon was no exception. He had only been thinking of the best-case scenario while ignoring the worst.
Fluorite was an associated mineral found everywhere if you dug into a mountain. It was as worthless as the stones by the roadside, serving no purpose other than provide a bit of light in the dark.
However, Hisoka didn't let himself get too discouraged. He calmed his mind and began digging through the piles of ore.
Even if the cave was full of Fluorite, there might still be some treasure hidden in a corner.
The Rhydon might not know the difference, only caring for the shine, but Hisoka was an expert. Raiding a cave this size without finding something valuable would be a disgrace to his profession as a Bounty Hunter.
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