He knows Pokémon better than me.

Chapter 4235 The Forest of Slumber!

Early the next morning.

Sonia packed her bags and headed straight to Hammerlocke City in north-central Galar, where she planned to meet with Guild Master Loz.

Motogakure is Kibana's territory, and she has a good personal relationship with this popular gym leader, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

On the other side, after saying goodbye to Professor Magnolia, Ash and Yu officially headed to the Forest of Slumber.

Of course, although Mugan Town is adjacent to this forest, there is actually a town called "Hualang" in between.

The town is so small that it is almost negligible and has long been considered part of the town of Mugan.

It wasn't until Dan Di became the champion and gained fame that he was separated and officially given a name.

Before long, the two had left Mugan Town and walked along the country lanes to Highway 1.

The grass and shrubs on both sides rustled.

"Chirp—!"

Suddenly, a tiny titmouse, no bigger than a palm, poked its head out. Seeing someone, it flapped its wings and immediately darted into the deeper grass.

High up on the nearby leaves, several caterpillar-like scout beetles held their heads high, as if receiving some kind of signal.

However, as soon as the two got close, they quickly retreated back to the leaf and hid.

Route 1 is mostly populated by Pokémon that are very common in Galar and are at very low levels, making it a great first stop for beginners on their journey.

The road wasn't long; after walking for ten minutes, Ash could already see the house.

The two slowed their pace and scanned the surrounding area with their eyes.

"The environment here is quite nice!"

He couldn't help but sigh. Beside him, Pikachu had already plunged headfirst into the farmland, its tail swishing and kicking up a few fallen leaves.

"Piccoo~!"

Victini immediately flew in after her, letting out a crisp laugh.

The area is surrounded by several open farmlands with almost no obstruction to the view, interspersed with lawns and pastures separated by wooden fences.

The pastures here mainly raise woolly sheep.

"Bravo—" "Bravo—"

A group of woolly sheep huddled together, their fluffy wool resembling clumps of white cotton.

Xiao You also stopped, taking in the relaxed and peaceful atmosphere around her, and couldn't help but smile:

"It really is a nice place!"

She still remembers "herself" in the world of her dreams, whose hometown is in Hualang Town.

He and Hop were from the same hometown; they both got their Pokémon on the same day and became rookie trainers, frequently beating up Hop during their journey.

However, her hometown is not Hualang Town.

The two continued walking forward.

There aren't many houses in Hualang Town, only seven or eight in total, even fewer than in my hometown, Zhenxin Town.

They were all two-story brick and tile houses, with identical shantytowns attached to the side.

Each house is spaced apart, scattered among farmland and pastures.

The two walked along the path, glancing at the houses next to them from time to time. What they were looking for was, of course, the house of Champion D'Antoni and Hop.

However, even if it is not specifically marked on the map, the target can still be recognized at a glance.

On the side of one of the houses, in the open space in front of the wooden shed, a small battlefield, only half the size of a field, was specially set up.

The ground was paved flat, the boundaries were marked with white lines, and you could even see some traces of battles.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhi couldn't help but smile.

"Looks like Hop has been sparring with his older brother a lot since he was a kid~" He remembered that Hop's starter Pokémon wasn't one of the Galar starter Pokémon, but rather Wooloo, which he had since he was a child.

Xiao Zhi couldn't help but crane his neck to look at the two-story house next to him.

There was no movement.

At this time of day, these two brothers are probably not home, right?

The two of them naturally didn't suddenly go up to knock on the door to visit.

As the house of champions, Dan's family must have been bombarded with visits and knocks on the door by enthusiastic fans long ago.

Soon, the two arrived at the southwestern end of Hualang Town.

Further ahead, the view was completely blocked by a dense forest, and the path extended right to the edge of the forest, as if it had been abruptly cut off.

The bushes were so dense that from the outside, you couldn't see anything inside at all.

However, at the end of this path, there is a jungle entrance.

Xiao Zhi curiously went closer and peered inside—

The shadows of the trees overlapped, and the light was suppressed.

It was still broad daylight, yet the interior was dimly lit, as if night had fallen early.

"It's somewhat similar to the Mystic Forest, isn't it?"

Ash muttered to himself that the Glitterwood next to MapleStory was the same; it was always pitch black, day or night.

However, the other side is even more outrageous; it turns completely dark, and without the glowing mushrooms, you can't see your hand in front of your face.

The jungle in front of us was only dimly lit at dusk. Although the visibility was low, we could still pass through it normally without using Flash.

A wooden sign also stands next to the entrance:

[The Misty Forest lies ahead, teeming with dangerous wild Pokémon. Do not venture further!]

Xiao You, however, seemed to have something to say about this place, and began to introduce it with a smile:

"The Misty Forest is covered by dense forest and is often shrouded in thick fog, so visibility is extremely poor."

"As for the Pokémon that inhabit the area, there is a river that divides the forest into two areas."

The area near the entrance is mostly populated by low-level Pokémon, so even novice trainers won't face any danger.

"Like Route 1, it's a beginner's paradise~"

However, once you cross that river, the level of the wild Pokémon living on the other side will increase dramatically!

"Yeah, they're about the same level as those 'bullies' who roam the wilderness!"

Ash nodded. A hierarchical jungle, huh? That's a bit like the Evergreen Forest in his hometown. The main roads are mostly infested with small insects like Caterpie and Weedle.

But once you venture deeper into the jungle, you'll find flying mantises, beetles, and the like.

At this point, Xiaoyou suddenly smiled, opened her palm, and threw out a Poké Ball.

boom!

As the red light fell, a double-gas tube wearing a top hat resembling a chimney appeared.

"Hehe, I caught this Double Koffing in the area across the river!"

Its level is not low; it was an immediate combatant when it was captured.

Returning to this familiar place, it's a perfect opportunity to let him lead the way!

"Hiss—"

The double-gauge gas emitted a low hum and slowly floated beside Xiaoyou.

Its gray-black body undulated gently, its eyes drooping, and smoke slowly billowing from the chimney above.

It glanced towards the woods, then returned to familiar surroundings, its mood noticeably more relaxed.

However, there was something strange about the Misty Forest. She explored many places there and discovered that the high-level Pokémon all lived strictly on the other side of the river.

"It's like it's being restricted by something, preventing it from ever joining the ranks of the newbies?"

Xiaoyou stroked her chin and couldn't help but look at her Pokémon.

She hadn't asked about this with the double-gauge gas yet. (End of Chapter)