After walking for roughly ten minutes, the path ahead was completely blocked.
Under the flickering light of the torches, a massive "wall" formed from countless irregular boulders mixed with compacted earth stood squarely in the middle of the tunnel.
The rocks were jagged and uneven, with thick layers of silt packed into every gap. The collapse stretched all the way up to the ceiling, sealing off the passage ahead entirely without leaving the slightest opening.
Lin Xia's heart sank sharply. A chill shot straight from his feet to the top of his head, instantly overwhelming the cold of the mine itself.
Almost immediately, Lin Xia turned toward his teacher, his voice unconsciously tense.
"Teacher… this place… was there a mining accident here?"
Lou Gao held the torch aloft. The dim yellow light outlined the profile of his face, making it appear especially resolute, yet weighed down by heaviness.
After a long pause, he let out a sigh and slowly nodded. His gaze lingered on the cold stone wall, deep sorrow and pain surging in his eyes, emotions that had never truly faded.
Lou Gao's voice was low and heavy, as though every word carried an immense burden.
"Yes. It happened many years ago… a large-scale geological disturbance. It happened in an instant… sigh. Afterward, during the cleanup and rescue efforts, only those closer to the entrance could be saved. Deeper inside…"
He did not continue. Instead, he let out a deep sigh, which echoed through the silent mine, long and oppressive.
"That's why I said—before you have absolute strength and sufficient knowledge, you must never recklessly explore underground. One mistake, and disaster can strike."
Lou Gao paused, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart. His gaze became firm and sharp once more as he turned to Lin Xia and the now-quiet Larvitar at his feet.
"However, you can rest assured. After that disaster, the association and the city guard conducted repeated surveys. This area's strata have remained stable for many years now."
"Other than the blocked section ahead, no additional dangers were found. It's just that clearing a collapsed passage over a hundred meters long would require an enormous amount of manpower and resources."
"And after evaluation, the remaining value of the mineral veins simply wasn't worth such an investment. So this place was completely abandoned and sealed."
Lou Gao pointed at the daunting pile of rubble ahead, a complex glimmer of sorrow and anticipation flashing in his eyes.
"Now, instead, this has become the safest testing ground—no unknown dangers, only the most real and tangible obstacle."
"Lin Xia, let this teacher see just how far Larvitar's 'Dig' soul skill can truly go!"
"Let this little one show its abilities! I'll stay right behind you the entire time, not leaving your side."
Lou Gao emphasized again, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Remember! If anything feels wrong—whether it's discomfort in your body, any abnormal behavior from Larvitar, or any unusual vibrations, sounds, or changes in airflow—stop immediately and retreat at once!"
"Safety always comes first. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Teacher!"
Sensing the seriousness in his teacher's words, Lin Xia nodded solemnly.
Taking a deep breath of the mine's cold, dust-laden air, Lin Xia suppressed the lingering chill and unease brought on by the memories of the mining disaster. He bent down and patted Larvitar on the head, pointing toward the massive wall of rubble, his voice filled with encouragement and trust.
"Larvitar, it's up to you! Dig through it!"
"Larvitar—!!!"
Larvitar's fighting spirit instantly ignited!
After letting out a short yet powerful cry, excitement blazed in its crimson eyes. An astonishing momentum erupted from its small body.
Without the slightest hesitation, it pushed off with all four limbs, charging toward the rubble like a gray-green cannonball!
Just a few steps from the stone wall, Larvitar suddenly lowered its body. Its short forelimbs and the small head covered in hardened armor instantly lit up with a dense, heavy earth-yellow glow!
The light was almost tangible, carrying the profound weight and strength of the earth itself as it enveloped its body.
The very next moment—
Pshh—crash!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a dull sound of rock being instantly softened, compressed, and forced aside by an overwhelming power.
The moment Larvitar's earth-yellow-glowing head and claws made contact with the rubble, the seemingly indestructible, sharp-edged boulders—each weighing thousands of pounds—met their natural nemesis!
Under the shroud of that earthen glow, the rocks at the point of contact were like butter meeting a hot knife, or quicksand drawn into a vortex—effortlessly melting, breaking apart, and being pushed aside!
Rubble and soil were swept away as if parted by invisible giant hands, scattering and sliding off to both sides.
A perfectly smooth circular tunnel, over two meters in diameter, rapidly took shape before Larvitar's eyes, forming at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Clearly, such a spacious passage was deliberately excavated by Larvitar with Lin Xia and Lou Gao in mind.
At this moment, Larvitar's small body was completely enveloped in that earth-yellow glow, resembling an efficient and precise drill. It rotated and advanced relentlessly—wherever it passed, rock retreated and the tunnel naturally formed!
The speed was astonishing, the efficiency overwhelming—far surpassing the demonstration Lin Xia had seen back in the courtyard!
These underground rocks seemed to be the true stage where it could unleash its full power!
Broken stone and dust rustled down behind it, only to be quickly compressed and stabilized against the tunnel walls by an invisible force.
In just a few breaths, a deep and shadowy passage had already extended several meters behind Larvitar, with a faint earth-yellow halo still lingering around the tunnel's edge.
Lin Xia stared in stunned silence. Even though he had been mentally prepared, he was still shaken by the sheer speed and smoothness of this subterranean movement.
This was far more efficient than he had imagined!
Lou Gao's eyes shone brilliantly. The heaviness and sorrow from earlier were completely swept away, replaced by immense astonishment and barely restrained excitement. He gripped the torch tightly, his knuckles turning pale, and muttered:
"Incredible… This—this is practically a divine skill born for the underground! A divine skill!"
"Teacher, let's go!"
Lin Xia snapped out of his daze, suppressing his excitement as he called out and immediately stepped into the newly opened tunnel, which still radiated the fresh scent of earth and stone.
The tunnel walls were extraordinarily smooth, as if polished by hand, carrying a lingering warmth from Larvitar's power.
Lou Gao took a deep breath and followed closely behind. His tall frame felt slightly cramped within the narrow passage as he held the torch high, carefully and intently observing the freshly excavated rock walls and the small figure ahead—Larvitar, its earth-yellow glow still flickering as it advanced like a tireless pathfinder through the darkness.
The orange-red torchlight danced, casting the shadows of one man, one teacher, and one Pokémon onto the smooth, damp tunnel walls.
Within this enclosed space, only the soft pshh, pshh sounds of Larvitar breaking through rock and the faint footsteps of Lin Xia and Lou Gao echoed gently through the passage.
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