After confirming it was the Team Rocket trio, a meaningful smirk tugged at the corners of Yuuto's lips.
*Giovanni's bail efficiency really is impressive.*
It had only been a few days, yet the three of them were already back out and "freely active" again.
"This way," Yuuto said quietly, taking the lead. "I sense movement up ahead."
The four of them lightened their steps and crept forward along the winding mine tunnel.
After rounding a few bends, the faint sounds of "clink-clank" digging and familiar complaining voices drifted toward them.
"Meow! How long are we gonna keep digging like this, meow?!" Meowth's voice echoed.
"Cut the chatter!" Jessie snapped, full of her usual energy. "Since we know there's a Moon Stone down here, dig harder! All our future activity funds depend on this!"
"But… I'm so tired…" James whined weakly. "And didn't we just get out of the police station? Shouldn't we keep a low profile for a while…?"
"Shut up!" Jessie barked. "It's *because* we just got out that we need to pull off something big to redeem ourselves in the Boss's eyes! Now hurry up and dig!"
Yuuto and the others approached silently, hiding behind a large rock to observe.
Jessie, James, and Meowth—faces smeared with dirt—were vigorously hacking at the rock wall with shovels and pickaxes. Several empty sacks lay nearby, clearly meant for the loot. Koffing and Ekans had been released but were also being forced into manual labor.
Seeing the destruction, Researcher Li Ke trembled with rage and jumped out immediately.
"Stop! Please stop destroying Mt. Moon's ecology!"
The mining trio turned around.
The moment they spotted Yuuto, their eyes widened.
It was that same brat who had ruined their plans in Viridian City and gotten them arrested by Officer Jenny!
Jessie's pupils constricted. A surge of fury rushed to her head.
When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred.
"It's you, brat!" the three of them shouted in unison, instantly forgetting their digging.
Jessie hurled her shovel aside and pointed aggressively. "Brat! You actually dare show your face here! Perfect—let's settle both the old and new scores at once. This time, we'll show you how formidable Team Rocket is!"
"That's right!" James added. "We'll settle everything right here!"
Meowth bared his claws. "Meow! It's all because of you that we suffered so much, meow! We absolutely can't let you off, meow!"
"I really do run into you guys everywhere," Yuuto said calmly, glancing at the ruined rock wall. "So it really *was* you three destroying Mt. Moon."
"So what if it is?!" Jessie planted her hands on her hips, completely unapologetic. "Team Rocket has our eyes on the Moon Stones here! If you know what's good for you, get lost and stay out of our way!"
"Looks like you didn't stay in the police station long enough," Yuuto replied flatly. He didn't waste any more words. "Butterfree, Gust! Drive them out!"
Butterfree flapped its wings, sending a powerful current of air surging toward the trio. Gravel and dust pelted their faces, throwing them off balance.
"Damn it! You dare strike first?!" Jessie shielded her face in disarray and screamed, "Koffing, show him what for! Use Poison Gas!"
"Koffing~!"
Koffing floated forward, its body swelling as it spewed a thick cloud of purple toxic mist that rolled toward Yuuto's group.
The Poison Gas was not only toxic but carried a pungent odor, making it especially dangerous in the enclosed cave.
"Butterfree, use Gust to blow the Poison Gas back!" Yuuto commanded calmly.
Butterfree flapped its wings again. The strong wind pushed against the toxic cloud, but Koffing kept spewing. The two forces reached a stalemate in the middle of the tunnel, forming a roiling zone of poisonous mist.
Thankfully, Butterfree's Gust kept the toxic zone closer to Team Rocket.
Yuuto told Delia and Misty to step back, then immediately ordered Pikachu, "Thunderbolt!"
Electric sparks flew and ignited the gas.
**BOOM!**
A violent explosion rocked the tunnel. Flames and a powerful shockwave swept forward.
"Waaaaah…!"
"What a bad feeling!!!"
The Team Rocket trio's screams were swallowed by the blast. The explosion not only launched them skyward but also blew a massive hole in the already weakened rock wall behind them.
Beyond the hole lay the steep outer slope of Mt. Moon and open sky.
Jessie, James, Meowth, Koffing, and Ekans turned into several black shooting stars, rocketing straight out of the tunnel and vanishing over the horizon.
Faint shouts still drifted back on the wind, growing fainter:
"I'll definitely be back!!!"
Silence gradually returned to the cave, broken only by the faint smoke from the explosion and the newly created, gaping hole in the wall.
"Cough, cough…" Researcher Li Ke waved the dust from his face and looked at Yuuto with clear awe. "Yuuto, you really are an incredible Trainer."
Yuuto recalled Butterfree and glanced at the hole.
That explosive blast-off would keep the trio out of commission for a while. Knowing how "tenacious" they were, they'd probably be back in three to five days—but at least there would be no more trouble from them today.
[Ding! Protect Mt. Moon mission complete.]
[Friend of Nature Halo loaded.]
[Officer Jenny Family Favorability +10. Current Total: 20.]
As the rewards settled, a warm, indescribable sensation quietly spread through Yuuto's entire body.
He could faintly sense that a small cluster of ferns growing stubbornly in a nearby rock crevice seemed to radiate a gentle sense of affinity toward him. Even the distant rustling sounds of unknown Pokémon deep in the cave felt noticeably less wary.
*A good ability.*
Yuuto was satisfied.
In a world where wilderness travel was the norm, this halo would drastically reduce the chance of random wild Pokémon attacks, indirectly boosting safety during journeys.
As for the increased Officer Jenny favorability… Yuuto thought of the heroic and valiant Jenny back in Viridian City, and the corner of his mouth curved into a deeper smile.
It would surely prove useful in the future.
"Mr. Yuuto," Researcher Li Ke stepped forward, clearly wanting to hug him again, but Yuuto calmly stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. "Thank you so much for your help! If you hadn't stepped in, Mt. Moon's ecology might have…"
"It was nothing," Yuuto replied, waving it off. "I also dislike this kind of reckless environmental destruction."
"Yes!" Researcher Li Ke nodded vigorously. He then pulled a small cloth bag from his backpack.
"This is a high-quality Moon Stone fragment I picked up earlier while patrolling. It's not a complete Moon Stone, but it's still enough to stimulate the potential of certain Pokémon… Please, you must accept it! Don't worry, I've already applied for it through official channels."
Yuuto opened the bag and took a look. Inside lay a fingernail-sized stone fragment glowing with a soft, moon-white luster. While the energy inside wasn't overwhelming, it was more than enough to guarantee one evolution—just without the massive combat boost a full Moon Stone would provide.
Still, even if he didn't use it for evolution, it could be traded for a good amount of money.
"Then thank you," Yuuto accepted the gift without hesitation.
With the culprits dealt with, Yuuto didn't linger. After saying goodbye to Researcher Li Ke, he continued onward with Delia and Misty.
Mt. Moon was only a minor stop on their journey. The best things here were Moon Stones and Clefairy. He had already obtained a Moon Stone fragment, and a whole mineral vein wasn't something he could carry or needed right now. As for Clefairy—those cute, pink, elusive Fairy-types had low combat value. Even if caught, it would just become a backyard pet.
What Yuuto needed now was immediate combat power—partners who could help him clear Gyms and build strength quickly.
There was no need to waste time waiting around.
"Let's go. We should try to get out of the mountains before evening," Yuuto said, glancing at the sky.
"Okay~"
Delia replied obediently. Misty, still a little dazed from the explosion, muttered under her breath as she walked, "Directly detonating a Koffing… that's way too reckless…"
"As long as it works," Yuuto answered without looking back.
The three of them quickly left the Mt. Moon area through the tunnel's far exit.
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