Chapter 468: Entering the Fossil Mine
Following the guidance of the instrument made by Professor Sycamore.
Will and Cynthia headed southwest all the way from Lumiose City.
Until they arrived at Ambrette Town, located right next to the sea, did they stop.
"Originally, Ambrette Town only had a relatively famous aquarium, and actually very few people who come here come to see the aquarium, but to see the sea."
Cynthia, holding a travel brochure, acted like a little tour guide introducing it to Will. "But later, many fossils were discovered in the nearby mines, so a Fossil Lab that tourists can visit was established here, and Ambrette Town gradually developed because of this."
"Ah~"
Will yawned.
"Lucario~ are you listening to me?"
"I am, I am."
"Then tell me, what was Ambrette Town most famous for in the past?"
"Don't know."
"..."
Even Cynthia, who had become increasingly gentle over the past two years, was getting a bit heated.
Although there was still a smile hanging on her face, her cheek muscles couldn't help twitching.
"So, the location marked on that machine is?"
"Don't know, anyway it's near Ambrette Town. I suppose it's that mine where many fossils were discovered? After all, both are stones..."
Cynthia reached out a finger and tapped her lip.
Will had already told her Xerneas's location.
So Cynthia knew, even if they went to the place marked on this machine, they wouldn't find Xerneas, at most they could only find some colored stones.
Although feeling somewhat disappointed about not being able to look for Xerneas, she quickly accepted this situation and changed her target.
The Kalos region doesn't only have one Xerneas.
Besides, Cynthia had also met Yveltal face to face before.
Meeting the latter was much riskier and harder than meeting the former.
Now the Allearth Forest has been heavily surrounded by the Kalos League; unless she becomes a Gym Leader or Elite Four-level figure, she definitely won't be able to get in.
Might as well just give up, saving mental energy.
The current Cynthia's target is exploring those places in the Kalos region that look full of historical traces.
These fossil caves near Ambrette Town count as one.
Can also collect some rainbow stones by the way to bring back for grandma and Professor Rowan to study.
They entered Ambrette Town.
First booked a room in a nearby hotel for three days.
Then after dining at a nearby restaurant, they headed towards the Pokémon Center.
A town's Pokémon Center.
Its status is comparable to an information exchange office in a village.
They don't know the location of those fossil caves right now.
But just walking around the Pokémon Center, they would know.
It took five minutes from the hotel to the Pokémon Center.
It took one minute from entering the Pokémon Center to coming out.
"Go directly?"
Will turned his head looking at Blonde-kun beside him.
"No, go to the Poké Mart first to buy items like climbing ropes, flashlights, and pickaxes."
Cynthia used the Pokédex to record the items to buy.
Will nodded gratifyingly.
Not bad.
Worthy of being the meticulous Cynthia.
Although having some aboulomania (difficulty making choices), she is never ambiguous about making plans.
In his previous life.
The one making plans and preparing items was basically him.
Or else they just wouldn't make plans at all.
And directly act recklessly with Lorelei.
Another half an hour passed.
Will had an extra mountaineering bag on his body.
There are really many mines located near Ambrette Town.
In ancient times, the terrain around here was probably very flat, suitable for the survival of ancient Pokémon, or maybe this was a large hunting ground.
Anyway, according to Nurse Joy.
The existence of fossils could be discovered in any of the mines.
But what remains now are basically some fragmented ores; impossible to resurrect complete and healthy Pokémon based on these few ores.
Various regional Leagues are currently trying to restore these fragmented ores, or discover as many partial ores of the same species as possible to splice together.
Hearing this, Will pretty much understood.
How those weird-looking Pokémon like Dracovish and Dracozolt were born.
The time to make a choice has come.
Cynthia started acting up again.
"Emmm, this mine by the sea looks good, but will it be very damp inside?"
"There are many mines at the foot of the rocky mountain, and they are all connected; going to one is equivalent to going to many."
"But Nurse Joy said the deepest one is in the forest; if wanting to make discoveries, going there is better..."
"Sigh."
The dog sighed.
Will took out the machine Sycamore gave from Cynthia's backpack.
Compared it with Cynthia's map.
"Let's go, the one in the forest, only there has rainbow ores."
Will stuffed the map in Cynthia's hand back into the bag, pulling Blonde-kun to hit the road directly.
"Lucario is so domineering, completely different from Mom's Lucario."
Cynthia curled the corners of her mouth.
To be accurate.
Her Lucario is different from all Lucarios.
He is the best, most special, and most charming Lucario in the world.
Will ignored her.
Until they arrived at the mine entrance marked on the map.
"Put on your protective gear, hold the flashlight properly, and let Garchomp out."
"Mm."
Cynthia nodded obediently, like a little girl honestly following her mother's instructions.
Garchomp debuted.
But rarely didn't slash Will twice upon coming out, instead stretching her neck sniffing the aura coming out from the mine.
"You smell it too?"
Will turned his head looking at the big mother shark.
A faint smell of poop came from the mine.
With human sense of smell, it couldn't be smelled.
But with a dog's sense of smell, this smell was very strong.
"Roar."
Garchomp narrowed her eyes.
She said it's the aura of her own kind.
"Mm, looks like this mine is the territory of a Garchomp."
Will nodded.
Leaving a pile of poop at the door.
This is not defecating anywhere.
But one of the means some Pokémon use to intimidate weak creatures to stay away from here.
It's the same principle as a tiger urinating to mark its territory.
"Let's go in, not a big problem."
Will led them inside.
Since there has been more than one group of people entering here to mine.
That means that Garchomp has no objection to humans coming, might turn a blind eye.
Or his strength is not very strong, might be on the borderline of just evolving, ordinary veteran trainers could deal with it.
The reason why he called Garchomp in.
Is because Garchomp is more sensitive to changes in this kind of terrain.
For example, if the earth shakes.
Garchomp can perceive it a step before Will.
Continuing deeper.
"There are really many fossils."
Cynthia saw quite a few weird stones stuck in the corners.
There wasn't much difference from the fossils they had seen before.
If there's anything to say.
It's that the size of these fossils is too small.
So small it's not even enough to let people see what part this is, let alone see what kind of Pokémon it is.
"Mm, want to bring some back as souvenirs?"
"Good idea."
Cynthia nodded gently, taking out a small shovel.
Digging the fossils out and putting them into the backpack for safekeeping.
They moved forward along the only road all the way, and the altitude they were at gradually decreased.
Along the way, they would also encounter some Pokémon, just very few in number.
And basically, they were all some very weak guys; seeing Will and Garchomp, they immediately hid or lay on the ground pretending to be dead.
Will estimated.
They had been walking this way for over thirty minutes, probably still in the outermost area of the mine.
When they could see a Pokémon clan living in the mine.
That would probably be considered entering the area slightly closer to the middle.
"There's a fork ahead..."
Will muttered a sentence.
At a depth of over three hundred meters underground.
They finally encountered the first fork.
And this fork actually branched out into seven roads directly.
It was time to choose again.
"Um..."
"Go this way."
Will made a choice before Cynthia started to hesitate.
"Why?"
Cynthia looked at that pitch-black tunnel doubtfully.
She wanted to know the reason Lucario chose here.
Because she couldn't see anything strangely different from these roads; perhaps Lucario could impart some experience to her.
"Look at the ground."
Will extended his finger, pointing to the ground.
Cynthia and Garchomp lowered their heads, shining the flashlight, and found footprints on the ground.
The vision in the mine was dim.
Without lighting, human naked eyes couldn't see the condition of the ground clearly.
But Will's night vision ability is very good.
So he could perceive the traces left on the ground and even the surrounding walls.
"Someone walked this road?"
"Mm, looking at the footprints it might be not long ago, maybe an old hand; we can follow him."
Will nodded.
Rather than wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly in the mine relying on luck.
Might as well follow those old seniors who often go down the mine and see.
No matter what.
They definitely know the ropes better than this group of rookies who are not even half-baked.
"Mm, then let's set off."
In front of this road Will and the others chose.
A teenager holding a pickaxe was fleeing outward at full speed with his Shieldon.
Unfortunately.
No matter how fast the little guy's four short legs churned, the running speed really couldn't be called fast.
But even if already out of breath.
He still couldn't stop.
"Damn it, how come so many Kabuto and Kabutops suddenly popped out."
The teenager casually wiped the sweat and dirt mixed together on his face, taking a glance behind him; only saw bursts of dust rising at the end of his vision.
Over twenty Pokémon surged out from the dust.
Looking closely, they were actually all Pokémon that should have lived in ancient times—Kabuto and Kabutops.
This is clearly a still surviving Kabutops clan!
The Kabutops family are ancient Pokémon with cruel personalities.
Their brain capacity doesn't seem to be very broad, so they can't remember much, and rarely think usually.
Every day is just hunting and sleeping.
Anything they see and can beat will basically be classified as prey.
"Shieldon, come on! As long as we run to the fork, we have a chance to escape!"
The teenager said to the Shieldon struggling to follow beside his leg.
"Cough... cough..."
Shieldon had the heart to respond, but truly no strength.
His two front legs suddenly went soft, falling forward.
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