Keiko proved to be reliable. After following the direction she pointed for more than half an hour, the group finally arrived at their destination.
The Desert Ruins.
The structure resembled a stone cavern, built entirely of rock and covered with patches of moss. It was hard to imagine how moss could survive in such a dry desert environment.
The entire place looked dark and gloomy, yet it gave off a cool, refreshing feeling.
"Let's go in and take a look," Keiko said excitedly.
Looking at the pitch-black entrance, Sam frowned slightly and suggested, "Let's release our Pokémon first. There could be wild Pokémon inside. It's safer this way."
"That makes sense." Keiko nodded and sent out Flygon.
The others followed, summoning their own Pokémon.
As for Sam, he made a quick decision. Lapras wasn't suitable for this environment, Dratini was still too young, and Tyranitar was reserved for dealing with Regirock. That left only one choice.
"Come out, Charizard."
The moment they stepped into the ruins, the temperature dropped sharply. Compared to the scorching desert outside, the inside was cool, barely over twenty degrees.
Sam couldn't help but shiver.
Fortunately, everyone had prepared in advance and quickly put on their coats.
As the leader, Keiko walked in front, holding a flashlight to guide the way. The beam of light cut through the darkness, giving everyone a sense of security as they followed behind her.
"Eevee…"
In Millie's arms, Eevee trembled uncontrollably, too afraid to move.
Seeing this, everyone felt a mix of tension and excitement. The more frightened Eevee was, the more likely it meant Regirock was somewhere inside the ruins.
As they continued deeper, Sam paid close attention to Keiko's actions. Every so often, she would stop and sprinkle Bright Powder on the ground to mark their path. It was a simple but effective method to avoid getting lost.
Sam couldn't help but think—if he had been this careful before, he wouldn't have gotten lost so often in the wild.
"Whoosh!"
Several shadows suddenly darted past them, startling everyone. Some nearly ordered their Pokémon to attack.
"Stay calm," Keiko said, raising her hand. "It's just Sandshrew. Keep moving."
Sam let out a breath, realizing he had been tense as well. At that moment, he missed having Clefable or Gengar by his side. Charizard was powerful in battle, but not ideal for close protection.
They pressed on despite the occasional disturbance. The dim environment, coupled with wild Pokémon appearing from time to time, made the ruins feel more like a haunted maze than an ancient structure.
After another half hour, Keiko suddenly stopped.
Before Sam could ask why, she shone her flashlight ahead and said with a troubled expression, "What should we do?"
Following the light, Sam immediately understood.
A group of Baltoy stood ahead, neatly lined up and completely blocking the path.
Baltoy were not uncommon in ruins, but they were notoriously troublesome. Their temper was fierce, and when gathered in groups, their combat strength was formidable.
Most explorers would choose to retreat upon encountering them.
Keiko hesitated. They had come this far—turning back now was hard to accept.
But she also understood the danger. Inside the ruins, this was Baltoy's territory. If they were provoked and used Earthquake together, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Why don't you leave them to me?" Sam stepped forward.
He had no intention of retreating. Regirock might be just ahead—there was no way he would give up now.
Keiko wanted to say something, but seeing the confidence in Sam's eyes, she held back and simply said, "Be careful."
"Don't worry," Sam replied calmly.
For Keiko, this was a major obstacle.
For Sam, it was a minor inconvenience.
Problems that could be solved with strength weren't problems at all.
"Then… come out, Tyranitar."
With a flash of light, the massive figure of Tyranitar appeared, its overwhelming aura instantly filling the space.
"Tyranitar!" Keiko exclaimed in shock. "Xiaohui, hurry—start recording!"
Even at a moment like this, their instincts as content creators kicked in.
The moment Tyranitar appeared, the previously noisy Baltoy fell silent.
They stared at it—
Then quietly moved aside.
Their temper might be fierce, but they weren't foolish.
The terrifying presence of Tyranitar made it clear that this was an opponent far beyond them.
Backing down was the only sensible choice.
Just like that, the obstacle that had troubled Keiko was resolved instantly.
"Let's go," Sam said, glancing at the stunned group.
Only then did they snap out of it and quickly move forward, following behind him.
---------------Author---------------
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