Chapter 183: Goodbye Gary

A Mysterious Gathering

"Wow… there are so many people here."

Ash looked around in surprise.

Although only about a hundred people remained, it was still shocking to see such a large crowd gathered in the middle of nowhere.

Misty nodded. "I wasn't expecting this many people in a place like this."

"Believe it or not, this is nothing," a deep voice said from behind them.

Ash, Misty, and Brock turned to see a middle-aged man wearing a rugged jacket and boots, casually smoking a cigarette.

"There were over four hundred people here when the news first broke," he continued.

Brock, noticing the man's confident posture, suspected he might be someone important.

"Excuse me, sir, but who are you?" Brock asked politely.

The man smirked, taking a puff of his cigarette.

"Me? I'm the one who runs this place. I make sure things stay under control."

His voice carried a gruff but calm authority.

Then, with a knowing grin, he added—

"You three are here to try your luck, aren't you?"

Misty blinked in confusion. "Luck? What do you mean?"

The man gestured toward the valley ahead.

"See those people digging over there?" he said, pointing to a large group hunched over the ground, shovels in hand.

"They're here for fossils."

Ash's eyes widened. "Fossils? You mean… Pokémon fossils?"

The man nodded. "That's right. This area is famous for them."

Brock frowned. "Then why aren't we seeing more people digging?"

The man chuckled.

"Because the League stepped in. They blocked off the central area. Now, only trainers at the 'Poké Ball level' or higher can enter."

Misty crossed her arms. "Poké Ball level? That's a pretty strict requirement."

"It's necessary," the man said seriously.

"The area is crawling with wild Pokémon."

---

A Dangerous Territory

The three trainers followed the man over a wooden bridge spanning a small stream.

As they walked, he explained further.

"The Pokémon in that area aren't individually strong," he admitted. "Most of them are just normal level."

Misty exhaled in relief. "Oh, that's not so bad."

"But," the man continued, "they travel in massive swarms."

Brock's eyes widened. "Swarms?"

The man nodded. "Hundreds of them. They're incredibly territorial. Even experienced trainers struggle to make it through."

Ash clenched his fists.

"So that's why the League restricted access."

It all made sense now. A single weak Pokémon might not be a threat, but if an entire swarm attacked at once—

That would be a real challenge.

"This is why you need to be at least a Poké Ball level trainer," the man explained.

"It doesn't mean you'll be safe, but it at least means you have a fighting chance."

The group nodded in understanding.

Ash smirked, feeling excitement bubbling up. "Sounds like my kind of challenge."

---

The Campsite

After crossing the bridge, the man led them into a valley surrounded by cliffs on three sides.

Inside, dozens of colorful tents were set up, and trainers moved around, chatting and preparing supplies.

"This is where you'll be staying," the man said. "You can set up your tent anywhere you like."

Misty sighed in relief. "Finally, we can rest—"

"But," the man interrupted, "you'll have to pay 100 per tent, per night."

"What?!" Misty nearly tripped over a rock.

"You're charging us to sleep outside?"

The man chuckled. "Of course. You're paying for safety, not just space."

Ash frowned. "Safety?"

The man gestured toward two uniformed guards patrolling nearby.

They both nodded in respect as they passed.

"These are my men," he explained. "We protect this place from wild Pokémon. Haven't you noticed?"

Misty's eyes widened. "Wait… now that you mention it, I haven't seen a single wild Pokémon here."

"Exactly," the man smirked. "We keep the valley safe."

---

A Familiar Rival

As Ash and his friends set up their tent, they heard a familiar voice.

"Hmph. Took you long enough to get here, Ash."

Ash's eyes narrowed.

He turned around—

And sure enough, standing arms crossed and smirking was Gary Oak.

"Gary!"

Misty blinked. "You're here too?"

Gary smirked. "Of course. Unlike you, I don't waste time getting lost."

Ash clenched his fists. "You wanna say that again?"

Gary laughed. "Relax, Ash. I'm just messing with you."

Then, his smirk faded slightly.

"I'm actually leaving soon."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Leaving?"

Gary nodded. "Yeah. I already got what I came for."

"Wait—you found a fossil?!" Ash asked, surprised.

Gary pulled a small, dirt-covered rock from his pocket.

"This little thing? Yep. The League confirmed it's a Dome Fossil."

Misty gasped. "That means you could revive a Kabuto!"

Gary smirked. "Exactly."

Ash stared at the fossil, feeling a spark of determination.

"Then I guess I'll have to find one too."

Gary chuckled. "Good luck, Ash. You're gonna need it."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Ash watched his rival go, feeling more determined than ever.

"I won't let you beat me this time, Gary."

---

To Be Continued…