Exploring The City

Gordeau Desert, the largest desert in the The United States of Saherta, covering vast area at the outskirt, was the perfect testing ground. Just as he had expected, the moment he stepped into the desert's boundaries, a familiar progress bar appeared in his mind, signaling the start of a new Pokémon breeding process. Larry wasn't surprised, just pleased. Given the sheer size and unique environment of Gordeau Desert, it made perfect sense for a new Pokémon to be born here. 

The only question was—which Pokémon would it be? Despite the vast, arid expanse of sand, the desert was not devoid of life. Many people had made it their home, building an entire tourism industry around the desert's unique landscape and resources.

As Larry approached the city standing at the desert's edge, Mardiya City, he took in the towering black-brown walls that surrounded it. They did a great job of keeping most of the swirling sand and dust at bay, with only a few stray grains making their way through the cracks and settling into forgotten corners of the city.

Once inside, Larry noticed an interesting detail—almost everyone, whether locals or tourists, dressed the same. White, loose-fitting clothing dominated the streets, helping to reduce heat absorption under the scorching sun. Many people wrapped their heads with bandage-like cloths, resembling the traditional Middle Eastern attire back on Earth. The long exposure to the relentless desert sun had also tanned most of the locals' skin to a deep brown shade.

Larry chuckled to himself. If the hip-hop guy from before were here, he'd probably blend in perfectly. Due to the desert's vastness, the locals had domesticated creatures to serve as transportation. Among them, the most common mount was the three-humped camel—a variant of the Earth camel but with an extra hump for increased endurance and water storage.

The additional hump meant it could travel even longer distances without needing to stop, making it the ideal mode of transport for tourists and traders alike. Despite its slow pace, the three-humped camel was a reliable companion, well-suited to the harsh desert climate, and cheap to maintain—qualities that made it the backbone of the local economy.

As Larry watched the camels leisurely plodding along the dusty streets, he recalled what the old man at the rental shop had told him earlier. After riding for a while, he realized the old man was right—the camels were steady, resilient, and comfortable. But there was one major flaw. They were slow. Painfully slow. Riding one felt like accompanying an old man on a casual evening stroll. For sightseeing, it was perfect. But for speed? Absolutely useless.

Still, Larry wasn't in a rush. He was here to take in the sights and observe the Pokémon breeding process, so he let the camel carry him through the city at its leisurely pace while the progress bar in his mind ticked forward bit by bit.

Mardiya City was sprawling, but its buildings were sparse and low. Most structures were simple, squat bungalows with thick, khaki-colored walls designed to combat the intense heat and swirling dust. These earthen buildings were usually no more than one or two stories tall, blending into the landscape like they had risen straight from the desert floor. The thick outer walls were dotted with tiny holes and narrow windows, a clever architectural trick to keep the interiors cool and ventilated.

Aesthetically, the city wasn't much to look at, but Larry's real interest lay in the bustling market district near the city center. Since tourism was the driving force behind Mardiya City's economy, everything here revolved around serving travelers. Hotels, homestays, and camel rental shops were on nearly every street corner. But the true heart of the city was the market.

Arriving at the market district, Larry noticed an immediate change—there were far more people here than anywhere else in the city. Vendors lined both sides of the narrow streets, some operating from proper storefronts, while others simply set up makeshift stalls under large white cloths for shade. The air was filled with the sound of merchants hawking their goods, each shouting louder than the last to draw in potential customers. 

"Freshly grilled sand wall lizard—crispy outside, tender inside! Only 500 Jinis per skewer!"

"Juicy multi-ball cacti—your camel's favorite treat! Buy now and get a discount!"

"The famous Samok sandworm stew! Sweet and delicious, and it's said to boost your... vitality!"

Larry's first impression of the market? Food. Lots and lots of food. Despite most of the offerings being lizards and worms, it didn't bother him in the slightest. On the contrary, he found the unique local cuisine intriguing.

Without hesitation, Larry bought a dried sand wall lizard, gnawing on its crispy exterior as he strolled through the market. In his other hand, he held a piece of sandworm meat, savoring its surprisingly rich, tender flavor. The moment he heard about the sandworm's supposed "vitality-boosting" effects, Larry discreetly bought extra and stuffed it into Gengar's stomach for storage. Just in case. Back on Earth, he would've hesitated to try such exotic foods, but ever since becoming a Nen user, his physical resilience had improved greatly. Plus, with Gardevoir by his side, he wasn't worried about food poisoning.

Money wasn't an issue either. After cashing in the treasures he had collected from the Karym Ruins, Larry was practically swimming in wealth. He indulged himself freely, buying anything that caught his eye without a second thought. Even his camel wasn't left out—Larry generously bought it several multi-ball cacti to munch on during their stroll. Taking a large bite of the dried lizard, he heard a satisfying crunch. The crispy exterior gave way to surprisingly tender, juicy meat inside—reminiscent of beef but even more succulent.

The market had more than just food—there were sparkling yellow stones that resembled gold, desert-themed clothing, and specialized tools for desert exploration. But what intrigued Larry the most was a local specialty: the Gilded Claw Ant Compass.

The Gilded Claw Ants were unique to Gordeau Desert, found nowhere else in the world. Their striking golden bodies were much larger than regular ants, roughly the size of a human knuckle. The most fascinating feature was the sharp antenna on their heads, which secreted and detected pheromones with incredible accuracy. These ants had an extraordinary ability—no matter how far they traveled, they could always find their way back to their original nest, even from thousands of miles away.

This trait made them indispensable to desert travelers. Each colony of ants was tied exclusively to its birthplace, meaning people could use them as reliable navigation tools. The compass itself was simple in design. Five smaller Gilded Claw Ants were placed inside a circular stone plate, covered with a glass dome. The corresponding city the ants originated from was inscribed on the side of the compass. For example, the one Larry now held in his hand pointed towards Esharat, a city hundreds of miles away. It reminded him of the Log Pose from One Piece.