Now that he had confirmed Ursaring's den, Sato didn't want to startle the beast prematurely.
After memorizing the surrounding terrain, he quietly retreated.
On the second day, Ursaring continued its daily routine of foraging for food.
Despite being a bear, its diet mainly consisted of berries and honey.
…Honey?
The moment a Beedrill arrived with its swarm, offering the Totem Ursaring a gleaming, silk-like drop of golden honey, Sato finally understood.
That explained why the only Bug-type Pokémon in this entire forest was Beedrill!
Another day passed.
Sato noticed a clear pattern—aside from food gathering, Ursaring spent the rest of its time inside the den.
However, aside from Ursaring itself, no other Pokémon ever entered or left the cave.
"Was I wrong…?"
Doubt crept into Sato's mind.
Perhaps this Totem Ursaring wasn't protecting a cub at all—maybe it simply hated humans.
Even so, he had to confirm it for himself.
On the third day, Sato secured his belt and tightened his shoelaces, signaling Haunter to remain invisible and follow closely.
The moment Ursaring left for its daily territory patrol, Sato slipped into the cave.
Inside, the air was thick with a pungent, musky bear scent, and the dimly lit cavern wasn't particularly large.
After taking only a few steps, he had already reached the deepest chamber.
There, in the center of a large, circular nest, lay a tiny, orange-furred bear—peacefully curled up and fast asleep.
As Sato stepped forward, the little one's nose twitched—sniffing at the unfamiliar scent.
"Mii?"
Teddiursa wobbled awake, its sleepy, half-lidded eyes meeting Sato's curious gaze.
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Neither human nor Pokémon moved—locked in a silent staring contest.
Eventually, it was Teddiursa's sudden yawn that broke the tension.
"Mii?"
The tiny bear stretched out its stubby paws, rubbing its groggy eyes, as if trying to wake itself up.
Then, it continued staring at Sato with a naïve, fascinated expression.
…
Sato slowly averted his gaze.
For some reason, this little cub thought they were playing a game.
"Mii~uu…"
Apparently, waking up all by itself only to find that its playmate wasn't responding was simply unbearable.
Large, watery tears welled up in its round eyes, ready to fall at any moment.
It was about to cry.
Sato shot a look at Haunter.
…
Maintaining his emotionless stare, Sato had to suppress any sign of impatience while discreetly signaling Haunter with hand gestures.
Target acquired—take down the brat.
After a series of carefully calculated maneuvers, Sato stood in silence, watching the now fast-asleep Teddiursa.
He let out a deep breath, completely abandoning his initial expectations.
This cub… aside from being cuter and more mischievous than the average Teddiursa, was utterly useless.
After thoroughly inspecting the den, Sato only found a single bundle of leaves carefully wrapped around a stash of honey.
Aside from that, there was nothing of value.
This treasure hunt was a complete failure.
Three days wasted, and nothing to show for it.
As for the cub he had been so eager to find…
Forget it…
Teddiursa was a Normal-type Pokémon, meaning Sato's Dark Energy had no effect on it.
Initially, he had hoped that the offspring of the Totem Ursaring might also inherit some of its Totem traits, but judging by what he had seen so far, that seemed highly unlikely.
In the future, he should focus only on Pokémon that Dark Energy could properly assess. Otherwise, even if a mountain of treasure was right in front of him, he wouldn't recognize it.
Having made up his mind, Sato arrived at the den's entrance. Just as he turned his head, a pair of dull, dead-fish-like eyes peeked inside at the exact same moment.
One second… Two seconds… Three seconds…
Sato locked eyes with the suddenly returning Totem Ursaring. Then, in perfect synchronization, both of them snapped into action—Sato frantically sprinting deeper into the den, while Ursaring—blinded by fury—accidentally tripped over a rock and faceplanted into the entrance.
"ROOOAR!"
Ursaring scrambled back to its feet, completely disregarding any chance for an imposing, dramatic roar, and immediately charged inside. Dragging its mountainous body forward with sheer force, it stormed into the depths of the den in relentless pursuit.
"Haunter, disrupt it with Shadow Ball!"
"Kehehe~"
Haunter, the fastest among them, was completely unfazed by the chaotic scene. With a sharp pivot, it launched nine small Shadow Balls in erratic patterns toward Ursaring—a technique it had sneakily copied from Larvitar's modified Rock Slide training.
Boom! Boom! Boom…!
A chain of explosions erupted, dust clouds billowed, and fragments of stone shot through the air. But Ursaring didn't care at all. Completely ignoring the pitifully weak distractions, it charged forward at full speed. After all, this was its home—it knew every inch of the cave, and could navigate it perfectly even with its eyes closed.
So that's exactly what it did. Ursaring barreled through the smoke, eyes shut, and charged straight to the den's deepest chamber. There, it followed the source of the noise… And found a terrified Teddiursa, frozen in place.
"ROOOOOAR!"
Sato had never intended to fight head-on against such an overwhelming opponent. The Shadow Balls had done their job perfectly—serving only to delay the beast. And judging by the rage-filled roar echoing behind him, his plan had worked flawlessly.
For some reason, he found himself grinning. Perhaps this was the simple joy of messing with someone.
After successfully escaping Ursaring's territory, Sato knew that venturing any deeper would only lead to two outcomes—either encountering insignificant weaklings like Caterpie, or running into something even more terrifying than Ursaring.
So, he changed course, backtracked along his planned route, and set out for Ecruteak City. By the time he and his exhausted Pokémon finally arrived, the sun was beginning to set. After heading straight to the Pokémon Center, he had them fully healed and checked for any lingering injuries.
Sato never liked staying overnight at Pokémon Centers, so he opted for a more expensive hotel, prioritizing privacy and security.
The next morning, he wandered through Ecruteak City alone, taking in its historical charm. As he passed by the Ecruteak Gym, he lingered for a long time, ultimately choosing to walk away.
In recent years, the Pokémon League circuit had exploded in popularity, giving rise to a new profession—Pokémon Trainer. Traveling, challenging Gym Leaders, and competing in the League tournaments were now all interconnected. From the League's perspective, this system allowed them to recruit talented trainers efficiently, bolstering their own power.
For trainers, it was a grand stage to prove themselves—the starting point of dreams and ambition. But for Sato, excessive public exposure was nothing but trouble.
First of all, his Larvitar was far too rare. Even in major cities, he avoided letting it out in public, wary of attracting unwanted attention. Secondly, Zorua was another problem. Clearly not native to either Kanto or Johto, it was a Pokémon he had acquired from the Ghost Ship organization. If he showcased it too openly, it would be the same as painting a giant target on his back.
Finally, the modern Pokémon League tournaments were no longer what they had originally been intended to be. Now, they were littered with the influences of wealthy families, corporate interests, political factions within the League, and even underground organizations.
These groups exploited the tournament system to expand their influence and manipulate profits. Sato had no interest in getting involved. In this second life, besides his Pokémon, he had no attachments. At most, his only real goal was to become stronger.
More importantly, the Pokémon League wasn't even the highest level of competitive battling. It only gained so much attention because it attracted the youngest, most passionate competitors and boasted the widest public influence.
But beyond it, far greater battles awaited—The Elite Circuit, the Regional Champions' Cup, and the World Champion Invitational. That was where the true powerhouses fought. And that was where he was headed.
For now, however, Sato found himself standing in front of a massive shopping mall, signing up for a special event. A tournament, with a one-million Pokédollar gift card on the line.