When Ralts rubbed against his palm, Lucas finally made his decision.
He reopened the System Store, paused for a few seconds on the Pokéblock menu, and purchased ten servings at once.
Another 1,000 League Currency vanished.
His savings were disappearing much faster than he had expected.
Taking one light-purple Pokéblock from his pocket, he held it out to Ralts.
The little Pokémon immediately lowered its head and nibbled happily.
Its crimson eyes curved into cheerful crescents as it ate.
When it finished, Lucas removed the remaining nine Pokéblocks from the System Storage and neatly lined them up on the sand.
The sweet aroma drifting from them lingered in the air, while their smooth surfaces shimmered softly under the sunlight.
Ralts’ eyes immediately widened.
Lucas crouched so that they were at eye level.
He pointed to the Pokéblocks.
Then toward the forest.
Finally…
He pointed to himself.
“Ralts.”
He spoke slowly, carefully emphasizing every word.
“Do you know where people like me live?”
He patted his chest.
“People.”
“Towns.”
“Villages.”
“Anywhere humans live.”
Ralts tilted its head.
Its red eyes reflected Lucas’s face.
It seemed to be trying very hard to understand him.
Its tiny brow furrowed slightly, and the two red horns on its head twitched.
Lucas pointed at the Pokéblocks once more.
“Help me find people…”
“…and all of these are yours.”
Silence.
Lucas unconsciously clenched his fists.
He was gambling.
Gambling that Ralts was intelligent enough to understand what he meant.
Gambling that its desire for the Pokéblocks would outweigh its hesitation.
As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Ralts possessed a far greater ability than most Pokémon to sense human emotions and intentions.
If it wanted to understand…
It probably could.
The only question was…
Would it help?
After nearly ten seconds…
Ralts looked directly into Lucas’s eyes…
And nodded.
Lucas let out a long sigh of relief.
The weight pressing against his chest finally disappeared.
Unable to resist, he gently rubbed Ralts’ head once again.
Its hair was just as soft as before.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s get ready.”
“We’ll leave in a moment.”
His preparations were completed quickly.
Lucas reopened the System Store and browsed the Food section.
There he found High-Energy Compressed Rations, priced at 100 League Currency each.
According to the description, one ration provided enough nutrition for an entire day.
He bought three.
He also purchased a flask of fresh water.
Even water cost 50 League Currency, which felt surprisingly expensive.
After eating his fill and drinking enough water…
His savings shrank even further.
Next…
He opened the Weapons section.
There weren’t many choices.
Besides Poké Balls, most of the products consisted of armor and melee weapons.
Ignoring the more extravagant equipment, Lucas selected the cheapest option.
A simple spear.
150 League Currency.
The spear featured a twenty-centimeter iron tip mounted on a sturdy wooden shaft roughly two meters long.
Lucas tested its weight.
It was lighter than expected.
But it felt durable.
He thrust it into the sand several times.
The spear sank deep enough to satisfy him.
At the very least…
It would provide some protection against smaller Pokémon.
He stored the remaining Pokéblocks, rations, and water inside the System Storage.
Having an inventory system certainly made traveling much easier.
Honestly…
He didn’t want to enter the forest.
Ever since arriving in this world, he had remained on the open beach.
There was sunlight.
An unobstructed view.
He could always see the ocean.
See the sky.
Spot danger from a distance.
The forest was completely different.
Its dense canopy blocked most of the sunlight.
The trees stood so closely together that they almost felt suffocating.
Every bush could hide danger.
Unfortunately…
There was no way forward along the beach.
He had already walked its entire length.
Both directions ended in sheer cliffs.
The forest was the only possible escape route.
“Let’s go.”
Ralts led the way.
Lucas followed closely behind, gripping his spear so tightly that his palms began to sweat.
The first day passed peacefully.
Several Wurmple crawled lazily across tree trunks, paying him no attention whatsoever.
A flock of Taillow flew overhead, their wings beating loudly enough to make Lucas instinctively crouch.
Fortunately…
They had no interest in attacking him.
Throughout the journey, Ralts remained quiet.
Occasionally it paused to wait for him.
Sometimes it let out a soft cry, urging him to keep up.
That evening, Lucas bought a tent from the System Store.
According to the description, it could withstand attacks from small Pokémon.
Price:
1,500 League Currency.
If money hadn’t been an issue, he would’ve gladly purchased a sturdier model.
Unfortunately…
After all his spending…
He had only 990 League Currency remaining.
That night…
Ralts quietly stood guard outside the tent.
Lucas was deeply touched.
Besides its usual daily Pokéblocks…
He rewarded it with a few extra.
On the second day…
They ventured even deeper into the forest.
The trees grew taller.
Their trunks became thicker.
The canopy blocked nearly all sunlight.
Only tiny beams of light filtered through the leaves, scattering across the forest floor like golden coins.
The damp scent of decaying leaves filled the air.
Each step sank slightly into the soft earth.
As time passed…
Lucas became increasingly uneasy.
Something felt wrong.
The forest was…
Too quiet.
There were almost no buzzing Bug-type Pokémon.
No birdsong.
Even the wind rustling through the leaves sounded strangely muted.
Ralts slowed its pace as well.
It no longer walked confidently ahead.
Instead, it stopped every few steps.
The horns on its head glowed faintly as though sensing something nearby.
Lucas crouched beside it.
“What’s wrong?”
Ralts didn’t answer.
It merely looked ahead…
Then back at Lucas.
Its expression carried a warning he couldn’t quite understand.
Even so…
He continued following it.
Eventually…
They reached a small clearing.
It wasn’t truly open.
The trees simply grew farther apart, allowing an irregular patch of blue sky to peek through above.
Sunlight poured onto the thick carpet of dead leaves covering the ground.
The moment Lucas stepped into the clearing…
Every hair on his body stood on end.
He froze.
Cold sweat covered his palms.
His instincts screamed at him.
This place…
Was dangerous.
He lowered his voice to barely more than a whisper.
“Ralts…”
“Take us out of here.”
“Quickly.”
Without hesitation…
Ralts turned and sprinted toward the opposite side of the clearing.
Lucas immediately chased after it.
His spear remained tightly clenched in his hands.
He deliberately stepped wherever Ralts had stepped, trying to make as little noise as possible.
The clearing wasn’t very large.
Crossing it should have taken only two minutes.
They hadn’t even reached the halfway point.
It happened instantly.
Lucas never even saw the attacker.
A tremendous force slammed into his side.
The ground beneath his feet seemed to vanish.
He lost his balance and crashed hard to the left.
His spear flew from his hands, landing several meters away with a dull thud.
Then…
He heard it.
A terrifying hiss.
Right beside his ear.
Lucas forced himself to focus.
Standing before him was a massive Arbok.
Its body was as thick as his thigh.
Purple-black scales covered its entire body.
The yellow markings on its hood stood out eerily in the dim light.
Its neck expanded wide.
Its enormous fangs were easily large enough to bite straight through his arm.
It’s going to kill me.
The thought had barely crossed his mind…
When Arbok suddenly froze.
For less than half a second.
But it was enough.
Three steps away…
Ralts stood trembling violently.
Its crimson eyes blazed with brilliant blue light.
The horns on its head glowed intensely.
Confusion.
Lucas didn’t waste the opportunity.
His body moved before his mind could catch up.
Rolling desperately across the ground, he tumbled twice before crashing shoulder-first into a tree.
Ignoring the sharp pain…
He grabbed the trunk, forced himself upright, and stretched desperately toward the fallen spear.
His fingertips barely reached it.
He dragged it back.
“Ralts!”
His voice cracked into a desperate scream.
The moment Ralts released Confusion…
It sprinted toward him.
Freed from the psychic restraint…
Arbok lunged forward like a coiled spring.
Its enormous jaws snapped directly toward Ralts.
Lucas reacted instinctively.
He swung the spear sideways.
The wooden shaft slammed against Arbok’s head.
The blow caused no real damage.
But it shifted the snake’s aim just enough.
Its bite missed Ralts by mere centimeters.
The tiny Pokémon slipped through the narrow gap between Arbok’s jaws and the ground before leaping straight onto Lucas’s shoulder.
Lucas ran.
He had no idea how long.
Or how far.
Arbok’s terrifying hissing echoed behind him for what felt like an eternity.
Gradually…
The sound faded.
Eventually…
It disappeared completely.
Trees blurred past.
Branches whipped across his face, arms, and bare legs, leaving countless burning scratches.
He couldn’t remember how many times he fell.
Nor how many times he forced himself back to his feet.
He knew only one thing.
Stopping meant death.
By the time he finally collapsed…
His legs no longer felt like they belonged to him.
Leaning against a tree…
His exhausted body slowly slid to the ground.
His clothes were torn in several places.
One arm bled from a long scratch.
His ankle had begun swelling.
Whether from a sprain or simple overexertion…
He couldn’t tell.
Ralts quietly climbed down from his shoulder and sat beside him, panting softly.
Lucas smiled weakly.
“Thank you.”
His voice was so hoarse that even he barely recognized it.
Ralts looked up at him and gave a gentle cry.
They didn’t remain there for long.
After resting for about ten minutes…
Lucas drank several mouthfuls of water.
Then he spent 500 League Currency on a Potion.
The third day proved much calmer.
Even so…
His encounter with Arbok had left a permanent scar on his nerves.
Every rustling leaf…
Every snapping twig…
Made him tense instinctively.
Around noon…
They crossed a small ridge.
Beyond it…
The terrain gradually flattened.
Then…
Lucas noticed something unusual.
Tree stumps.
Their cuts were smooth.
Far too clean to have been made by Pokémon.
Nearby…
Several stones had been stacked together.
Crooked…
But unmistakably arranged by human hands.
Someone had been here.
His heartbeat quickened.
He unconsciously increased his pace.
That evening…
As dusk settled over the forest…
Lucas finally saw it.
A thin wisp of smoke.
It rose gently into the darkening sky ahead.
It wasn’t a wildfire.
Nor a natural phenomenon.
Someone…
Was cooking.
Lucas stopped walking.
For several long seconds…
He simply stared.
Then he lowered his gaze toward Ralts.
The little Pokémon looked back at him.
The fading light of the setting sun reflected beautifully in its crimson eyes.
Lucas suddenly felt his nose sting.
He took a deep breath and forced back the tears threatening to surface.
Ralts quietly followed beside him.
Its tiny footsteps crunched softly over the gravel.
Three days.
After three days of struggling to survive…
He had finally found signs of people.
The smoke grew closer.
And Lucas quickened his pace.