For three whole days, Cain and his Pokémon were in the forest between Goldenrod City and Ecruteak City in the Johto region.
Although the Pokémon levels were not very high, their sheer number was overwhelming. Cain and his Pokémon walked for three full days to completely cross this forest.
Of course, saying the levels were not high refers to the average level, as there were many high-level Pokémon in the forest with great potential and considerable strength. These Pokémon often occupied their own territory, and any Pokémon that entered without permission was attacked.
The previously mentioned Ursaring is just a typical example of the attacks Cain and his team faced.
Compared to other Pokémon, Ursaring was relatively easy to handle, as it didn't have complicated thoughts. Even when it was enraged, it acted straightforwardly, allowing Cain to find ways to evade it.
However, some Pokémon were not only powerful but had intelligence almost equal to that of a human. If it weren't for Gastly's "Protect" move and Slowpoke's "Teleport" move, Cain and his team might not have made it out of the forest.
Despite everything, after experiencing different situations and countless battles, Cain's Pokémon saw significant improvement. Gastly, who had started at level 16, reached level 19 by the time they exited the forest.
This was mainly because the forest had many low-level Pokémon, and both Murkrow and Slowpoke showed great teamwork by allowing Gastly to participate in more battles.
In the end, Gastly was the Pokémon that fought the most in the entire team, resulting in an increase of three levels, an impressive growth.
Murkrow and Slowpoke, who had each leveled up in previous battles, did not experience as much of an increase.
However, due to the constant pressure of facing powerful opponents and repeatedly surviving dangerous situations, both managed to level up again.
Now, Murkrow reached level 22, while Slowpoke reached level 24.
Even Miltank, who did not particularly enjoy battles, improved her level by helping her teammates withstand attacks and restore energy. Miltank had now reached level 21.
With this, after completing the journey through the forest, all of Cain's Pokémon, except for Skorupi, who was still very young, experienced significant growth. It could be said that they reaped great rewards.
Additionally, Cain also collected many valuable materials in the forest that could be sold for a good sum on the black market.
Finally, after three days of traveling, Cain and his team arrived at the outskirts of Ecruteak City.
After walking for another two hours, Ecruteak City finally appeared before them.
"We finally made it out. Although it wasn't as exhausting as on the Island, it wasn't easy. We were chased like dogs," Cain thought as he looked at the clearly visible city in front of him, smiling despite the recent experiences.
Ecruteak City is the ancient capital of the northern Johto region, located near Mt. Mortar, between the Western Plains and the Western Coast.
Ecruteak City is known as a historic and cultural city in the Pokémon world, with traditional Japanese architecture as its distinctive feature.
The tallest building in the city is the Bell Tower, which has ten floors and is said to have once been home to the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh.
However, besides the Bell Tower, Ecruteak City also houses the Burned Tower, located in the northwest corner of the city.
It is said that this tower was destroyed by a great fire over a hundred years ago, and that three legendary Pokémon were reborn at its base thanks to Ho-Oh's power.
Another legend says that Lugia, who was comparable to Ho-Oh, once lived atop the Burned Tower, but after the tower was destroyed, it moved to the Whirl Islands.
Another notable building in Ecruteak City is the Dance Theater, built by the city's largest family. Every year, countless people flock to see the performances by the geishas, and many vie for a ticket.
It could be said that the dance performances in Ecruteak City are among the top three in the Johto region. They attract not only people from Johto but also from other regions.
This is a prominent feature of Ecruteak City.
Of course, Ecruteak City is also home to an official Pokémon League Gym.
The Gym here is Ghost-type, and if he had the chance, Cain would like Gastly to interact with them, as it could learn useful techniques. However, his current identity was not suitable for visiting such places.
When Cain entered the city accompanied by Slowpoke, it was already six in the evening.
However, because he had spent a long time in the wild, his clothes were somewhat worn out and emitted an unpleasant smell. Additionally, Cain was a stranger in the city, leading some passersby to point at him and talk about him.
But Cain, being the one in question, paid little attention to it. He didn't care how others judged him; the only thing that truly mattered to him was improving his strength. Only in the company of his Pokémon could he completely open his heart.
Fortunately, people only pointed and did nothing more.
The religion in the Johto region promotes peace, making people generally quite friendly.
Especially in Ecruteak City, which is a religious center in Johto, with the Bell Tower being the core of many religious beliefs.
Another important thing is that the Poké Balls on Cain's belt, along with Slowpoke by his side, clearly indicated that he was a Trainer.
Although his clothes were worn out, it could still be seen that he wore a Trainer League uniform, so the townspeople didn't view him with hostility, only curiosity.
Even so, his presence caused a small commotion, with many people slowly approaching and forming a small circle that followed Cain as he moved forward.
Soon, a young police officer on a motorcycle, accompanied by a Growlithe, appeared in front of Cain.
"Please show me your League ID card. I need to verify your identity. If I've been impolite, I apologize, unknown traveling Trainer," the young man, with a firm attitude, dismounted from the police motorcycle, showing his badge and indicating his identity to Cain.
His sharp eyes reflected a scrutinizing look, and the Growlithe by his side barked authoritatively.
As a police officer in Ecruteak City, the young man had a keen eye for assessing people. He immediately noticed Cain's presence, which only powerful Trainers who had spent a long time surviving in the wild and returned safely had.
That's why the officer was quite polite to Cain, although it was necessary to check his ID card as protocol, to avoid unnecessary disturbances in the city.
"All right, officer. Here is my ID card. Please verify it quickly; I just returned from an excursion and need to rest," Cain took out his League ID card from his ring and handed it to the young officer.
(End of Chapter)