After quickly placing the Petilil with Lila, Raven immediately set off for the mine.
When he arrived, he saw from a distance a group of miners digging clay from the ground with pickaxes and shovels.
Freshly excavated soil was loaded onto carts pulled by Afro-capped Bouffalant and transported back to the territory.
Some wild Geodude could be seen scattered along the mountain paths, but since the miners worked at a distance, they hadn't been attacked.
"Where is that snake beast?" Raven asked, looking at the massive ore vein in front of him.
Morik pointed nervously toward the ridge.
"It's there. The beast came out earlier—the ground shook like an earthquake! But it didn't attack us and quickly disappeared into the mountains."
Listening to the description, Raven thought: it must be Onix.
The mine already had an opening carved out by the miners. Torches burned along the entrance, but inside was still pitch dark.
When Raven entered, he was surprised to find the space extended far deeper.
The interior tunnels branched and connected like a web, some descending into the depths of the earth.
"Did you dig all this?" Raven asked, astonished.
"No, of course not!" Morik shook his head. "Judging by the size and shape of the passages, they were most likely made by that gigantic snake beast."
Raven nodded. Outside, only a few Geodude floated around lazily.
Morik lowered his voice. "Our workers discovered traces of iron ore and coal below, but it's too dark down there. Sometimes we hear terrifying beast cries from the depths… we don't dare to venture further."
Pokémon living underground… Raven thought. Perhaps Dugtrio, Boldore, or even Crustle?
"I'll go take a look," Raven decided.
"Your Highness, no!" Morik blurted out. "If something happened to you, it would be disastrous!"
"Don't worry," Raven reassured him. "I can protect myself."
Iron ore and coal were critical resources. He couldn't ignore them.
"At least let us go with you," Morik offered.
Raven shook his head. "The passage is too narrow. Too many people will only make things worse. Just lend me a torch and wait here."
The miners reluctantly handed him a torch.
Raven descended into the mine with Snivy and Dratini at his side.
The flickering light revealed a hidden ecosystem.
Small Roggenrola clung to the rock walls, sometimes rolling forward. A few Dwebble scuttled between cracks, and a pair of Diglett popped up from the soil before vanishing again.
Further ahead, a nervous Sandshrew froze at the sight of him, then dug rapidly into the earth and disappeared.
"Most Pokémon here aren't aggressive," Raven thought. "As long as they're left alone, it should be safe enough."
But then—
A terrible roar echoed from the depths.
Dratini's body stiffened. Snivy narrowed its eyes.
Raven frowned.
That wasn't the cry of Onix. It was something else. Something familiar.
The shame of the dragon clan—Druddigon.
"From the sound, it's still some distance away," Raven calculated. But Druddigon were ferocious and cunning, known to steal burrows from other Pokémon like Dugtrio and Onix. One day, it might claim this mine and attack miners.
"Snivy?"
Snivy's gaze shifted toward a side passage.
Following its eyes, Raven spotted a massive stone partially buried in earth, strange patterns carved into its surface.
He knelt down. The lines resembled an ancient sun symbol.
Could this be a relic from an earlier civilization? Perhaps even a tribal totem?
As Raven studied the stone, a small Geodude floated out of a nearby tunnel.
It froze upon seeing them, then clenched its fists and charged.
"Snivy, Vine Whip."
With a sharp lash, the vine struck, knocking the Geodude flat in one blow. Grass-type moves were overwhelmingly effective.
The crash stirred the depths.
A thunderous rumble followed—then a massive form rolled rapidly toward them.
Graveler.
Raven's expression hardened. In this narrow tunnel, a rolling Graveler would crush everything in its path.
Graveler's gaze fell on the unconscious Geodude and then shifted furiously toward Raven.
"Dratini, Twister! Snivy, Vine Whip!"
The two Pokémon attacked together, but Graveler's rocky hide absorbed the blows with little effect.
The beast roared and charged even faster, pounding its fists against its chest.
"Retreat!" Raven barked.
They scrambled back up the passage as Graveler barreled behind them, the ground shaking with every roll.
At the last moment, Raven and his Pokémon burst out into the upper mine level. Graveler's enraged roar echoed from below, but it didn't pursue further.
Miners looked on anxiously.
Raven exhaled and said firmly:
"Don't go deeper for now. Focus on the upper ore veins first."