Ruins

The official second round of the tournament didn't immediately follow the first round, much like the preliminaries, there was a day's gap between them.

The first round of matches had lasted a full day, testing endurance and perseverance. To prepare the participants for the upcoming challenges, there was a one-day break between the first and second rounds, allowing them to adjust their condition.

So, on the second day after the conclusion of the first round of the official tournament, Yuga found himself with some free time.

After having breakfast, Yuga returned to his room, pondering how to pass the day. Just then, he heard a knock at his door.

Opening the door, he found Roxie and Marlon standing there.

Yuga was puzzled, as he couldn't recall having any significant interactions with these two.

"Do you need something? If not, you can come into my room," Yuga suggested.

Marlon smiled and replied, "We do have something. You'll find out when you come with us. Your teammate Brawly is there too."

Upon hearing that Brawly was involved, Yuga grew curious about why Marlon and Roxie had sought him out.

"All right, let's go," Yuga said, closing his room door behind him before heading off with Marlon and Roxie.

The living quarters of the participants from the Unova Region were separated from those of the participants from Hoenn Region by the residence area of the participants from the Sinnoh Region. Along the way, they encountered several people who found it rather odd to see Yuga walking alongside Marlon and Roxie.

Currently, Yuga, Marlon, and Roxie were quite well-known among all the participants and were considered popular contenders in this tournament. People had some knowledge of their performances in the first two rounds.

When Yuga, Marlon, Roxie, and Brawly entered Marlon's room, they were surprised to find Sora from the Johto Region there as well.

Brawly and Sora acknowledged Yuga with nods upon his arrival.

While Yuga recognized Sora, they weren't particularly acquainted, and they hadn't exchanged many words before. Therefore, they simply nodded at each other without engaging in further conversation.

Marlon said, "Feel free to make yourselves comfortable. Have a seat."

"Okay," Yuga replied, nodding to Marlon, and he found a seat near Brawly.

Once everyone was seated, Marlon explained, "Originally, I was planning to invite Miss Viola and Mr. Grant as well, but it seems they had some other matters to attend to and left early."

Yuga and the others were curious about why Marlon and Roxie had gathered them here, and Brawly, being direct, voiced the question that was on their minds.

"Could you please tell us the reason you've called us here?"

Marlon responded, "Certainly. Roxie and I would like to invite you all to explore a set of ruins today, since there are no matches for you."

Upon hearing Marlon's words, Yuga and the others finally understood.

The Pokémon world had many ruins, including well-known large-scale ruins that had been discovered and preserved by the League. However, every year, numerous small or unknown ruins were also uncovered. For example, the underground world Yuga had previously encountered with the Gligar family and the Flygon family could be considered an unknown ruin.

These ruins, if they don't involve too many or significant secrets, are usually explored by their discoverers. If the discoverers decide not to explore them, they can simply report the discovery to the League.

However, many discoverers of ruins prefer to explore them themselves. They explore the ruins until they find what they need or until they're unable to proceed, then they report the ruins to the League. This practice is in accordance with League laws.

As the initial discoverers of the ruins, they have the first right to explore them. After they finish their exploration, the League takes over the ruins, and they are no longer associated with individuals.

In the Pokémon world, where civilization has reached a high level, personal property is highly valued. What they discover belongs to them. This is quite different from the social norms of Yuga's previous life, where historical and cultural artifacts were considered a shared heritage and were handed over to the state.

In the Pokémon world, many artifacts serve a practical purpose for trainers, such as the King's Rock. Therefore, the focus is often on their practical value rather than their archaeological significance.

These customs are shaped by the unique circumstances of different worlds.

Speaking of ruins in the Pokémon world, they are remnants of ancient civilizations. Despite the brutal and bloody nature of these ancient civilizations, they left behind many unknown artifacts that modern society can't comprehend. This is one reason why many trainers are passionate about exploring ruins.

For example, the previous trainer of Chatot and his circus split up because of their exploration of the ruins of the People of the Water. They became obsessed with the mysterious connection between the People of the Water and the Mythical Pokémon Manaphy and coveted the enigmatic power of the Sea Crown. These were powerful forces that modern humans couldn't fathom.

"Exploring ruins? But we have a match tomorrow. Won't exploring the ruins potentially delay our return? What if we don't make it back in time?" expressed Sora, voicing his concerns.

"No need to worry. It's not a large-scale ruin, and it's not far from Castelia City. We'll have enough time to return in a day," reassured Marlon.

"That's right. We discovered this place a long time ago when we were not as strong. Back then, we couldn't venture deep inside, so we just observed the outside and left," added Marlon.

"But now that you've become more powerful, and it's a small ruin, why don't you explore it yourselves? Why invite us?" Yuga asked, puzzled.

Marlon sighed and explained, "While it's a small ruin, the Pokémon inside are quite formidable. When Roxie and I left, we saw a Volcarona flashing by, and it looked incredibly strong. It might be challenging for just Roxie and me."

Upon hearing Marlon's explanation, Yuga and the others finally understood. However, Yuga was surprised that a small ruin like this would have a Pokémon as powerful as Volcarona.

In ancient times in the Unova Region, Volcarona had even been worshiped as a deity. This Pokémon's rarity and strength were comparable to Hydreigon, the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon of the Unova Region. In modern times, information spread more quickly, and the mystique surrounding Volcarona gradually waned as more instances of its discovery were reported.