After the deafening crash, a cloud of dust rose into the air, scattering gravel in all directions.
The Beedrill Leader had been slammed into the ground by Onix, forming a deep crater in the earth.
But Onix hadn't escaped unscathed either—a diagonal crack now ran across its rocky head, left behind by the Beedrill's double stingers. Both Pokémon collapsed.
"Onix!!"
Ethan rushed over, heart pounding.
Damn it… that was Assurance!
Assurance—a Dark-type move. If the target has already taken damage this turn, its power doubles.
In other words, even though Poison Jab only dealt half damage due to type resistance, the power of Assurance was still calculated based on the move's full base power—80 doubled to 160.
And that was after the Poison Jab landed. Onix had taken a massive hit.
Of course, this is all a theoretical explanation. In real battle, there aren't numbers flying around. Strong moves just hit harder—and the real damage comes from performance, force, and energy application.
And now, seeing their leader fall, the remaining swarm grew more aggressive instead of retreating.
Venomoth unleashed Paralyze Powder, and the Beedrill swarmed with Poison Sting!
Golden-orange powder sparkled under the sunlight as it filled Ethan's vision. He felt his limbs going numb. His consciousness blurred. His final thoughts as he looked toward Onix were filled with guilt.
This is all my fault… Onix…
"Dragonite! Twister!"
Dragonite…?
Who…?
Everything went black.
He collapsed beside Onix.
"Hey! Kid? You there?"
Kid? Kid?! Damn it, I'm not a kid…!
"Ding! Battle over.Result: Draw.Onix and the wild Beedrill Leader both fell.Reward: 3 Trainer Points + 10 bonus for defeating a Leader-tier Pokémon.Onix gained a large amount of experience.Onix leveled up to Lv. 20!"
Good… It leveled up… it's gonna be okay… right?
Littleroot Town—the quietest town in the Hoenn region.
Surrounded by forests on three sides and facing the sea to the south, it was isolated from the bustle of the outside world. The only road in or out was Route 101, which led north to Oldale Town.
To the northwest was a train station still under construction, now paused.
In his previous life, Ethan remembered a line describing Littleroot from Team Rocket's Jessie: "A backwater town with no color—but full of pure nature."
As the designated starting town for new Trainers in Hoenn, Littleroot was also home to an Alliance Professor.
That Professor was Dr. Birch—a stout man with a thick beard, known for his research on Pokémon Habitats and Distribution. He often wandered deep into the wilderness for fieldwork... and often came back beaten up by wild Pokémon.
Inside the medical room of his lab—a large, arched building in southern Littleroot—Dr. Birch and another middle-aged man stood examining the monitor.
Dr. Birch wore his white lab coat, his big beard giving him an air of rugged warmth. The man beside him, dressed in a gray Alliance uniform, had an equally burly build and stern eyes.
The monitor displayed a health scan of Onix.
On the nearby medical bed, Ethan slowly opened his eyes.
"Hhhiss!"
He tried to sit up but was immediately hit with a tingling pain. His limbs felt heavy.
"Don't move," Dr. Birch said, walking over with calm authority. "You need rest."
"You were hit by Venomoth's Paralyze Powder and Beedrill's Poison Sting... You're lucky."
He turned to the man beside him.
"If it weren't for Search Officer Yamashima, who happened to be nearby and brought you here in time…"
Ethan's eyes widened.
So it was him… The Dragonite-riding officer from Oldale Center!
"Thank you, Officer Yamashima!"
He bowed his head, filled with gratitude.
If no one had found me, I'd be dead by now…
"It's nothing, kid," Yamashima said, voice deep and gruff but reassuring. "You did well. Most new Trainers wouldn't last long against a wild swarm—especially not a Leader-class Pokémon."
Heh… Did well, huh… Oh!
"Doctor! Where's Onix? And what about Nuzleaf?!"
Ethan shot up instinctively—then winced.
Dr. Birch smiled gently and pointed to the side.
On a treatment platform, Nuzleaf lay curled up, bandaged and resting peacefully. A short distance away, Onix was coiled silently, its massive body hooked up to monitoring devices.
"Relax. I've already cleansed the poison from both of them. Nuzleaf was mostly frightened and exhausted," Dr. Birch explained.
He typed on the keyboard and brought up Onix's results.
"As for Onix, I've scanned for internal damage. Aside from that head injury… everything else looks good."
Ethan exhaled in relief.
But then—
"…However…"
"Huh? However what!?"
Dr. Birch chuckled.
"Don't worry—it's nothing life-threatening. But Onix may have a permanent scar on its head. The crack might never fully heal. Still, it won't affect its abilities."
Ethan blinked.
A scar, huh…
He looked over at his partner.
Then that scar will be Onix's medal of honor. It'll make you look even tougher… I just hope Onix doesn't mind it.
"Thank you again, Officer Yamashima. Dr. Birch!"
"Haha! You're too polite, kid!" the Search Officer laughed, his voice like gravel but full of warmth.
Yamashima laughed heartily, and Dr. Birch gave a casual wave as he returned to his chair.
"You're here to register as a League Trainer, right? Come on, just tell me your info!"
"Ah—yes! I'm Ethan Stone from Dewford Town, 10 years old, and my starter Pokémon is Onix..."
Dr. Birch typed rapidly into his computer.
"Hmmm, Ethan Stone from Dewford… Father: Troy Stone, mother: Ava Stone… Looks good. You qualify!"
He stood up, walked back to the bedside, and gave Ethan a proud smile.
"Then—congratulations, you're now officially a registered Trainer, Ethan!"
"That's great, kid!"
Why does Officer Yamashima seem more excited than I am…?
Ethan scratched his head, but he couldn't help smiling. He was thrilled too.
"Thank you, Doctor!"
Dr. Birch waved his hand.
"Now take some time to rest. Once you've fully recovered, come see me to receive your new Trainer gear and benefits."
With a nod to Yamashima, he turned and left the medical room.
"Rest up, kid," Yamashima said warmly before following the professor out.
Now alone, Ethan finally lay back on the hospital bed, sinking into its softness.
He thought about the battle again and let out a breath.
His eyes moved to Onix, sleeping quietly nearby.
That scar… it really does make you look more impressive. I just hope you're okay with it, partner.
With that final thought, the residual numbness from the Paralyze Powder returned, and Ethan drifted off to sleep.
The sun was high in the sky. By the time he woke again, it was already noon the next day.
He stretched and felt sensation return to his limbs—he was fully recovered!
"Roar!"
"Kuro~"
He turned and saw Onix and Nuzleaf wide awake and looking energetic.
"You're both okay?! That's awesome!"
Ethan rushed forward and hugged Onix's rough body tightly.
"Onix… I'm so glad you're alright!"
"Roar!"
Onix smiled and nodded its massive head.
"But that scar on your head…"
Ethan stared at the jagged line with a complicated expression. It looked powerful—but he was a Trainer, and his partner's feelings came first. He couldn't just impose his own ideas.
"Roar."
Onix shook its head, then gently nuzzled Ethan.
"You really don't mind?"
"Roar!"
This time, Onix nodded firmly. Their eyes met—and both Trainer and Pokémon burst into laughter.
They had grown up together. They trusted each other.
"Okay then! Just don't take it back later!"
"Roar!"
"Kuro!"
Nuzleaf tilted its head curiously at the joyful exchange.
Ethan picked up Nuzleaf, let Onix rest a bit longer, and stepped into the main lobby of the research lab.
To his surprise, it was much larger than expected.
Research equipment lined both walls, wires sprawled across the floor. Lab assistants were hard at work.
In the center stood a long, table-like mechanical platform. A container in the middle held three Poké Balls, red and white gleaming under the lights.
To the left was a scanning console and a computer terminal. To the right was a switchboard. Dr. Birch and Yamashima stood nearby, chatting with several parent-child pairs.
Besides the research staff, many families were present—mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, even entire households. All had come to help register their children as new League Trainers.
"Yo! You're up, kid!"
Yamashima was the first to spot him and waved.
Dr. Birch turned as well and smiled.
"You look much better, Ethan!"
"I'm all better now, Mr. Yamashima!"
Ethan responded cheerfully.
His eyes widened as Dr. Birch picked up a Poké Ball and released a Treecko.
Its grass-green body shimmered in the light, with a bold rose-red belly. Large golden eyes with vertical pupils gave it a fierce gaze.
It had three round fingers on each hand and foot, lined with small gripping thorns—perfect for climbing and hanging from trees.
A thick, curled dark green tail resembled a broad leaf.
"Pokémon: TreeckoLevel: 5Species: Wood Gecko PokémonDescription: Treecko can climb vertical walls. It attacks with its strong tail and is said to bring long life to any tree it nests in.
Gender: MaleType: GrassNature: LonelyAbility: Overgrow – When HP is low, Grass-type move power increases.
Moves:– Pound (Beginner)– Glare (Beginner)– Leafage (Beginner)
Egg Moves:– Endure (Beginner)– Iron Tail (Beginner)– Seed Bomb (Beginner)
TMs: None"
Treecko! Its final evolution is Sceptile… and it can even Mega Evolve into a Dragon-type!
Ethan's heart stirred. But…
He clenched his fists, suppressing his urge.
The young boy being registered reached out excitedly, received Treecko's Poké Ball and his Pokédex, then bowed and thanked Dr. Birch before leaving with his family.
"Alright, your turn now, Ethan."
Dr. Birch picked up a small package—a Pokédex and six standard Poké Balls—and handed it to him.
"From this moment, you're officially a League Trainer. Now, tell me—which Pokémon will you choose?"
The initial Pokémon weren't limited to only three at a time. Since Trainers arrived at different times, a stock of starter Pokémon was always prepared—but not too many. Most were pre-reserved.
Dr. Birch smiled as he noticed Ethan's serious expression.
"Well? Have you made your decision?"
Ethan lowered his gaze, thinking silently.