Clink... ding-ling-ling!!
Sieg rolled to a stop just outside the gambling quarter on his rugged mountain bike. With a swift swing of his leg, he hopped off and jogged a few steps forward, parking it neatly.
"So lively... looks like everyone's off exploring the Verdant Cavern."
The entire quarter buzzed with noise. People came in and out constantly, many with pickaxes and shovels strapped to their backs.
Sieg's sharp eyes quickly noticed something odd, everyone's equipment looked different. They wore thick, heavy-duty boots, and their tools gleamed with a black-gold finish, clearly different from what you'd find in ordinary markets.
"No rush to jump into the Cavern just yet. I'll take a stroll through the quarter first... and maybe pick up a map."
After folding his bike and storing it inside his spatial backpack, Sieg recalled his Murkrow and changed out of his tattered exploration gear. He slipped into fresh clothes, smoothed out his messy long hair, and wiped his face down with a wet tissue. Only then did he stride leisurely into the bustling quarter.
From a glance, the gambling quarter stretched endlessly into the distance. Sieg had barely stepped past the gate, and already, he couldn't see the end.
The stalls along the way were littered with rocks, large, small, oddly shaped, some even resembling Pokémon. Others were so tiny they looked no bigger than an egg.
Next to each stall, people hunched over the stones with flashlights and magnifying glasses, inspecting every crevice. When they finally made a decision, they'd bite the bullet and purchase a stone.
Under the curious gazes of the surrounding crowd, the stones would be slowly fed into cutting machines.
With a loud "vrrrrr," the blades would slice through the rock. As they say, one cut for riches, another for ruin.
A stone worth tens of thousands of Pokédollars might reveal worthless rubble... or it might yield treasures that turn someone into a millionaire overnight.
This was a heaven for the lucky, and a hell for gamblers.
Some walked out wealthy beyond imagination, others left in shambles, having lost everything.
But Sieg had no interest in stone gambling. Not because of self-discipline, but because he knew, this entire business was a scam.
Did the League or those in high places really have no way of knowing what's inside a stone?
Sieg had already seen the League's advanced technology firsthand. And in a world where Pokémon could do the miraculous, he found it hard to believe.
Could Psychic-types truly not detect what lay within?
Could Rock-types not sense rare minerals?
Once Sieg understood the forces at play, he lost all interest in gambling. And as for the poor souls who ruined themselves chasing luck? He had no intention of warning them.
Sometimes, people never learn from words. But one painful lesson? That'll stay for life.
Besides, what did their fates have to do with Sieg?
Everyone walks their own path and chooses their own destiny.
"If you interfere with someone's cause, then be ready to suffer their effect."
After strolling through a small part of the quarter, He began questioning vendors and passersby, eventually locating the area where maps were sold.
"Yo, you want a map? 5000 Pokédollars, no haggling," grunted a short map vendor with a huge satchel. He pulled out a crisp, freshly-printed map.
Sieg skimmed through it and noticed that it was hand-drawn and printed, suggesting a sophisticated operation behind it.
"Don't worry, this one was just updated a few days ago. As long as you don't wander into the deepest part of the Verdant Cavern, you'll be fine," the vendor assured him, patting his chest confidently.
Sieg thought to himself, Just as I suspected.
There was clearly a chain of professionals, some who scouted the terrain, others who drew the maps, and people like this vendor, who sold them.
After handing over 5000 Pokédollars, Sieg received the map. But rather than rushing into the cavern, he sought out several other vendors.
"Though each map had subtle differences in the details, the general layout was roughly the same."
Satisfied with their accuracy, Sieg visited a nearby shop and bought a pair of exploration boots and an alloy shovel.
"Sure, I'm mainly going in to train my Pokémon... but if I happen to find some rare minerals, I'm not passing them up."
Even if he found nothing of value, the gear could be reused. It wasn't a waste.
He joined the slow-moving stream of adventurers headed inside, following a rocky mountain path into the foggy depths of the cavern.
At the tunnel entrance, a large crowd was holding up various signs, catching Sieg's attention.
[Looking for a mining team. I have a Damp Ability Pokémon to prevent explosions.]
[Veteran exploration team with 3+ years' experience seeking a Flying-type Trainer to clear fog.]
Sieg observed quietly. The tunnel was known online for two things:
First, the abundance of rare Pokémon, Machop, Whismur, and others.
Second, the constant mist that filled the cavern, obscuring the vision.
Even now, visibility was barely five meters. Without a Flying-type or a good headlamp, getting lost was inevitable.
Just as Sieg prepared to enter, a sudden uproar erupted behind him.
"What happened?! What's going on?!"
"No way, someone in the gambling quarter just cut open a high-grade Thunder Stone!"
"For real? That's a fortune right there!"
Soon, people rushed back to see the commotion. Many dropped their gear and dashed away to join the crowd.
High-grade mineral stones like that weren't found every day. Everyone wanted to bathe in the good luck, to pay homage to whoever unearthed the Thunder Stone.
It was human nature to be drawn to excitement.
Even the guarding officers couldn't help but leave their posts.
Sieg stood with one foot on a rock, glancing back at the quarter. For it to be called high-grade, the Thunder Stone's purity must be over 90%. That alone's worth over a million.
And that's just 90%. Any higher and the price would soar again.
Even if Thunder Stones weren't as hot as Fire or Water Stones, they were still incredibly valuable.
Especially since the Rustboro Gym had openly announced over a month ago that they were seeking Thunder Stones. After all, Roxanne had her signature Pokémon, Nosepass, which evolved using them.
Most of her apprentices also trained Nosepasses.
Sieg had no interest in the commotion. He turned and entered the dark tunnel, adjusting his explorer's helmet as a beam of light shot out from its headlamp.
On his shoulder, Murkrow flapped its wings, clearing the mist. Slowly, Sieg's silhouette vanished into the shadows.
The tunnel entrance was now empty.
At that moment, two figures emerged from the darkness, one clad in red, the other in blue. They sneered at the crowd lured away by the Thunder Stone.
The red-clothed man, chubby and gruff, scoffed, "The League's getting more pathetic by the day. Look how easy it was to distract the guards."
The woman beside him, dark-skinned and striking in her blue uniform, replied coldly, "Enough talk. Don't forget, our target lies deep within the Verdant Cavern."
The red-clad man, apparently named Tabitha, seemed annoyed by her tone. "Tch, Shelly, don't forget this is just a temporary alliance. We're only here for the newly developed data and the cavern's terrain map."
"What's that supposed to mean? I already gave you both the data and the map, you'd better come clean about the Verdant Cavern's hidden secret!" Shelly growled, her hands drifting toward her belt, eyes full of caution.
Tabitha raised his hands in mock surrender. "Now, now... don't forget, our organizations are working in secret. Are you sure you want to start a fight here?"
His words made Shelly pause.
The two glanced down the shadowy tunnel once more. Their eyes gleamed with mutual wariness.
Soon after they entered, more figures followed, dozens of people dressed in red and blue entering the Verdant Cavern in waves.
Though the two groups were clearly at odds, they spoke of "cooperation."
What secrets awaited in the depths of Verdant Cavern?
Only time would tell.