The only thing keeping Hiroyuki going, despite his near-total exhaustion,
was the promise of a better life.
Ayato understood. At times like this, nothing motivated more than the tangible rewards just within reach. So whenever Hiroyuki's pace began to falter, Ayato would hit him with another round of motivational bait.
The more often he did it, the more annoyed Hiroyuki looked—but his legs moved faster all the same.
And yet—
As if cursed by fate, their journey continued to be filled with hardship and danger.
Just as they reached the fork where they'd first encountered the Graveler, crisis struck again!
From the left tunnel burst a tank-like, dirt-gray quadruped Pokémon, charging forward in panic. On its back, a young man screamed in agony—his right arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
The moment their eyes met, Ayato's brows furrowed. Hiroyuki's gaze filled with dread, while Shibata's expression quickly shifted from pain and panic to something far worse—glee and malice.
"Hahaha! You think I wouldn't recognize you just 'cause of a mask? Rhyhorn! Kill him!!"
His furious bellow echoed through the cave.
"Run! Keep moving!"
Ayato managed to free one hand and quickly flung a purple ball to the ground.
Pop!
A thick cloud of violet smoke exploded outward, swallowing the entire fork in mist.
A Smoke Ball—a tool that confuses Pokémon by obscuring their sight and smell. Not cheap, but worth every PokéDollar right now.
The Rhyhorn, already disinterested in this chase, grew even more sluggish once it lost sight of its target.
Shibata, infuriated, roared in frustration.
Within the haze, Hiroyuki—previously dragging his feet—suddenly surged ahead, a burst of desperate energy propelling him past Ayato in a blur.
"Save your own damn life first! Just drop the guy!"
Ayato whispered harshly. At this point, trying to carry someone else was a death sentence. You couldn't help others if you were dead.
"You drop yours first! I'll follow suit!" Hiroyuki barked back without even glancing behind. But his words betrayed his certainty—he knew Ayato was still carrying both.
Idiot.
Was this really the time for pride?
Ayato gritted his teeth. He could already feel the vibrations behind them—Rhyhorn had picked up their trail.
With their blood and sweat-soaked bodies giving off strong scents, it wasn't hard to track them down.
And when it ran in a straight line, a Rhyhorn was fast. Ayato wouldn't bet on outrunning it even in peak condition—and right now, he was lugging two people.
"Keep running, Ayato! Let's see how far you think you'll get!"
Shibata's venomous voice echoed after them.
The bastard had turned pain into hatred—probably cooked up some imaginary grudge to justify his obsession. Getting fixated on someone like that was truly a curse.
What a waste.
Ayato sighed inwardly and made his decision. He heaved one of the unconscious people to the edge of the cave wall. The exit was only about five hundred meters away—if he just carried one, it'd take a minute, tops.
The two of you… good luck.
Maybe Shibata would be so obsessed with the chase that he'd ignore them. That might be their best shot at surviving.
"I dropped one! You should too!"
He shouted back while quickly loosening the ropes that held the other.
And then, suddenly—Shibata screamed.
"AHHH! What the hell—what IS that thing?! Where'd it come from?!"
Ayato had just tossed the second person down. Still running, he turned his head and caught a split-second flash of silver—brilliant and blinding!
Then came the Pokémon's howls:
"Guu!!"
"Rrrraaa!!"
—Aron!
Ayato would never forget that cry. It had scared the life out of him twice already.
It had come back?
And now it was fighting Shibata and the Rhyhorn?
Aron…
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!
A quake shook the ground. Stones crashed down from above, snapping Ayato's thoughts back to the present. He turned to see the tunnel collapsing behind him, rocks slamming down to seal the path shut.
Shibata's screams. The Pokémon's cries.
All gone, buried under tons of stone—like a steel gate had dropped between them.
A gate called safety.
Ayato: "…"
He stopped in his tracks.
Then, without hesitation, he spun back around, sprinted toward the first person he'd dropped, grabbed them up—and snatched the second as well.
Hiroyuki had just been about to drop his burden when he saw what Ayato was doing. He froze, stunned.
"Wait, you actually dropped them?! Then why are you picking them up again?!"
"Shut up. Keep running."
Ayato didn't explain. His gaze was locked forward.
Hiroyuki wanted to ask more, but when he saw the serious look in Ayato's eyes, he shut his mouth and followed.
But then—
Ayato kept getting faster.
Before Hiroyuki knew it, he was over ten meters behind. And the distance was still growing.
"Wha—wait, what?!"
Only now did Hiroyuki realize: if Ayato hadn't been slowing down for him, he would've made it out long ago.
——
"AAAAHHH! WHAT IS THIS THING?! KILL IT!!"
Shibata's enraged screams echoed through the collapsing mine.
Aron looked up at the Rhyhorn snorting steam from its nostrils. There was clear caution in its stance.
But its thoughts were elsewhere.
Had that boy made it out?
It hoped so.
When it first laid eyes on him, Aron had been shocked beyond words. It hadn't expected… to ever see him again. But then it realized—same eyes and hairstyle, yes, but the face was completely different.
Of course.
It had been abandoned, left behind in this strange place. There was no doubt.
There was no way he'd come back.
It had dreamed—maybe, one day, that person would return. But dreams fade. In the end, the clearest memory that remained… was the back of someone walking away without hesitation.
Hatred?
Maybe a little.
But more than anything… it didn't understand.
Why?
What reason had there been to throw it away?
Because it was weak? Slow? Disobedient?
No.
It couldn't recall anyone ever describing it with those words.
Besides—
"It's the Trainer's job to make a weak Pokémon strong."
You were the one who said that.
So why?
Why?!
"I don't get it!!"
"Guu!!"
A surge of fire lit in Aron's chest. No longer willing to stand still, it roared, silver light flaring around its head—and charged!
But Rhyhorn had been waiting.
Its eyes glinted with vicious glee. It reared back, both hooves lifted high, and slammed them down.
"RRAAA!!"
BOOM!
The blow struck Aron squarely in the face. Like twin sledgehammers, it crushed the small body beneath it.
The silver flash of Iron Head exploded in a burst of dust—but quickly dissipated.
"Is it dead? What a waste of time! Smash those rocks! I'm not letting Ayato escape!! I'm going to kill him!!"
Shibata's face twisted in rage as he screamed atop Rhyhorn's back.
But the Pokémon wasn't listening. Its eyes remained fixed on the Aron beneath its hooves.
It was trying to get back up.
This little nobody thought it could challenge it?
Please.
Rhyhorn decided to give it a real lesson. It reared back again—but then suddenly stumbled.
Beneath its feet… a hole?
Aron was gone.
"RRAAA?!"
Fury surged through Rhyhorn. Its legs glowed with a brown-red aura. Ignoring Shibata's startled scream, it slammed down again.
BOOM!!
The cave floor split open, rails snapping, rocks flying.
The quake revealed Aron, buried below.
Its eyes flashed from shock to fear in an instant.
Then—
BOOOOM—!!
The chasm closed violently. A dirty yellow shockwave burst forth, launching Aron like a volcanic eruption.
Crack!
It crashed to the ground, armor dented and caved in, one side of its face blackened. Its eyes dazed, body trembling.
Rhyhorn approached slowly.
Aron tried to focus, but its consciousness was fading. Flashes flickered through its mind.
How long had it lasted? A minute? Had the boy made it out?
It hoped so.
If it survived this, then maybe… maybe this was it. Time to say goodbye to the past.
As its blurry gaze drifted past Rhyhorn, something stirred in the darkness.
A silhouette.
It was waving at it.
But the image was vague. Fading. Blurring as Aron slipped away—
"Aron!! Where are you!!"
Blinding light burst into view.
A voice, raw and hoarse, roared through the cave. The shadow became solid, coalescing into the blinding glow of a headlamp.
Beneath that light—Ayato's face, clear as day.
Ah.
Why… why did you come back?
Aron's eyes flew open. Its limbs twitched wildly. Where had this strength come from?
"Guu——!!"
Run!
Why did you come back!? Get out of here!
It saw Rhyhorn begin to turn, saw the twisted joy contorting Shibata's face on its back. Aron struggled to rise.
But crushed by Earth Power, it had nothing left.
From across the space, their eyes met.
So many emotions passed between them—
Clouded and clear.
Resentful… and relieved.
And all of it became a single sentence:
"Don't worry. I've come to get you."
Ayato didn't even glance at the Rhyhorn or Shibata.
Hammer in hand, he smiled—bright as the rising sun.
"Let's go home. Together."
"I've come to get you."
Such a simple thing to say.
But Aron—beaten and broken—just stared in silence, unable to make a sound.
In its shimmering blue eyes, there was only one figure left.