"Why isn't she back yet?"
Nearly twenty minutes had passed. While it wasn't a particularly long time, not being able to see how Slowking was doing made Julian a little worried.
The main concern was Slowking's lack of combat ability. If it were Metagross down there, he wouldn't be concerned even if two hours passed.
After ten more minutes, if Slowking still didn't return, Julian planned to send Metagross in.
Even though the water would restrict Metagross's movements, it would still be better than waiting above with nothing to do.
Ten minutes later…
"Metagross, get ready to go down."
Julian pulled out a breathing apparatus, one for himself and one for Metagross. He had already stripped down to his shorts.
Just as Julian was about to dive in, Slowking suddenly surfaced. Luckily, Julian steadied himself and didn't fall in.
"Are you hurt, Slowking?" Julian quickly asked.
Slowking shook her head, holding something that looked like a piece of seaweed.
Using her psychic powers, Slowking floated up to Dragonite, handing the "seaweed" over to Julian.
Julian examined the "seaweed" closely. Its leaves were crescent-shaped, and he immediately recognized what it was.
"This is Water Moon Grass."
Water Moon Grass looked very similar to regular aquatic plants and grew among them, so ninety-nine percent of people would overlook it even if they passed by it.
Now he understood why Slowking had taken so long—it had been searching for the Water Moon Grass among a mass of ordinary water plants.
The Water Moon Grass was even extracted with its roots intact.
Its biggest value lay in improving water quality, which, in turn, would subtly enhance the health of the Pokémon living in it.
For humans, drinking water infused with it could promote increase in life span and prevent illness.
In cases of severe injury or near-death, consuming Water Moon Grass could even save a life.
It was essentially like ancient thousand-year ginseng, a miraculous medicine.
Most treasures could only be used by Pokémon, but Water Moon Grass was beneficial for humans too.
Because of this, it was extremely popular among the upper class. However, despite its high demand, it had been discovered in the wild only a few times.
When someone did find it, they generally kept it rather than selling it due to its rarity and efficacy.
Julian placed the Water Moon Grass in his system storage.
He planned to take it home for his grandfather, John. Out of his family, his grandfather, being the oldest, would benefit the most from it.
In such a large lake, it was likely there were more Water Moon Grass plants.
After recalling Slowking, Julian instructed Dragonite to fly around the lake at 50-kilometer intervals, using a grid-search pattern to find more Water Moon Grass.
Sure enough, he soon found another. This time, Slowking was quicker, locating the Water Moon Grass in just a few minutes.
"Keep going," Julian said excitedly.
They hadn't even explored a tenth of the lake yet, and they had already found two Water Moon Grass plants. If they searched the entire lake, they might find over a dozen or perhaps other treasures as well.
Water Moon Grass was actually a rare mutation of regular aquatic plants, with a one-in-a-billion chance of occurring. The probability was slightly higher in high-quality lakes like this one.
However, the treasure hunt didn't go entirely smoothly. Shortly after finding the second Water Moon Grass, Julian encountered a Pokémon blocking his path.
It was a Feraligatr, glaring at Julian and roaring at him repeatedly.
The message was clear: this was Feraligatr's territory, and Julian's sudden intrusion wasn't welcome. However, it seemed willing to let him go if he offered something in return.
A pseudo-Elite Feraligatr—no wonder it had the confidence to stand in Julian's way, even though he had Metagross and Dragonite by his side.
Most Pokémon wouldn't dare approach them unless they were at least Elite level, with the exception of Magikarp, who weren't exactly known for their sharp mind.
Right at the heart of Feraligatr's territory, there was a red dot—likely another Water Moon Grass.
Julian gave Metagross a look, and Metagross instantly understood. It teleported directly above Feraligatr's head and delivered a powerful Thunder Punch, knocking it out blissfully.
The residual electricity from the punch even managed to stun several other Water-type Pokémon nearby, leaving them floating on the surface, eyes rolling.
Slowking dove into the water and, after a short while, surfaced with another Water Moon Grass. This one was even thicker than the last two.
Now he had three Water Moon Grass plants—one for his grandfather, one for his family, and one to place in the pond at his villa. It was perfect.
A single Water Moon Grass could purify 1200 cubic meters of water, which was almost the size of a swimming pool. Of course, the smaller the area, the stronger the purification effect.
By the time Feraligatr groggily woke up, Julian was long gone. It roared in frustration, but eventually returned home in defeat.
Once back, it felt something was wrong—the comfortable feeling its home usually had was gone. It felt like an ordinary place now, much like the Blastoise's territory nearby, with no special appeal.
If it weren't for the unchanged surroundings, it would have thought it was in Blastoise's home, not its own.
'Is it just an Illusion? Or did that silver creature mess up my brain?'
--
"Dragonite, be careful. We're entering that Gyarados's territory now."
As an Elite Pokémon, Gyarados commanded a large territory, which also happened to be densely populated with Magikarp.
From above, the lake appeared red, thanks to the countless Magikarp crowding the waters, giving the entire lake a crimson hue.
Anyone with a phobia of densely packed things would likely faint at the sight.
Julian preferred to avoid fighting that Gyarados if possible. His time in this high-level Secret Realm was limited to just a month, and he didn't want to waste it on unnecessary battles.
Besides, there wasn't anything of real value in Gyarados's territory. The red dots were small and not worth the effort.
In the past, Gyarados's territory must have held many treasures, but any capable Trainer who entered this Secret Realm would have scoured it thoroughly.
Trainers knew well that strong Pokémon's territories often held treasures.
So, in these realms, the stronger the Pokémon, the poorer its territory tended to be—most of the good stuff had already been taken by Trainers.
Unless a Pokémon was strong enough to defend its treasures and consistently repel incoming Trainers, its territory would end up barren.
Thinking about it this way, this Gyarados was rather pitiful. Despite being at mid-Elite strength, it was constantly harassed by Trainers passing through.
Not only do they rob it, but they also beat it up.
Underwater, the Elite-level Gyarados, was happily looking at a high-tier Water Stone, he had just snatched from a Starmie.
Counting this one, it now had four high-tier Water Stones and one top-tier Water Stone in its collection.
As an Elite Pokémon, it was a bit undignified to be so proud of such a small stash of treasures, but who could understand the hardships it had endured?
"Roar!"
Gyarados, who was kicked by Julian and forced to evolve, only to be knocked out by Metagross immediately afterward, came rushing from afar.
That Magikarp was a descendant of this Elite Gyarados, and it should have been a happy thing that it evolved.
But it's evolution lacked any dignity, so it was here now, looking for its 'old man' to help it settle the score.
Gyarados were highly prolific, and as an Elite Pokémon, this Gyarados had countless offspring. Even with a vast 'family,' there were never too many mates.
In this lake alone, about a quarter of the millions of Magikarp were its descendants.
Even though it didn't know the approaching Gyarados personally, the Elite Gyarados could still sense the familiar bloodline Aura from it.
Gyarados: "Dad, a human kicked me, and his Pokémon knocked me out!"
Elite Gyarados: "Damn it, more humans again."
The young Gyarados watched as its father hastily dug a pit, burying the all the high quality water stones in it.
Elite Gyarados: I better hide my treasures quickly. Humans are notorious for taking anything shiny. Even if I get beaten up again, they can't take my treasures this time.
The young Gyarados stared in disbelief as its once-fearless father hurriedly hid his prized possessions.
Once it was all buried and secured with rocks, the older Gyarados gave a satisfied flick of his two whiskers.
"From now on, if you see humans, just pretend they're not there"
The Elite Gyarados advised his young descendant. He had suffered enough at the hands of humans and didn't want his offspring to experience the same fate.
"But why? That human kicked me! Is there no dignity left for the Gyarados tribe?"
The young Gyarados couldn't believe its father' words. The proud, fearless image it had always held of him, shattered.
Well, truthfully, this 'fearless image' was mainly from what its mother had told it.
"Child, you're still young. One day you'll understand."
The Elite Gyarados sighed, as if remembering a string of unfortunate events.
Every time a human came, his treasures would disappear. At first, he tried to fight back—only to be knocked out. When he woke up, his treasures would be gone.
Later, he learned not to resist, but some shameless humans still beat him anyway, taking away his hard-earned treasures every time.
Now, this Gyarados had become a "laid-back warrior," embracing its hard-won wisdom.
It decided it was time to pass on this "knowledge" to its offspring.
"You know, Dad, I really thought highly of you. You're an Elite Gyarados, and yet you're afraid of a pseudo-Elite human"
The younger Gyarados was deeply disappointed; clearly, there was no hope of its father standing up for it.
Elite Gyarados: "So what if I'm an Elite?-Wait... did you say that human is only a pseudo-Elite?"
Gyarados: "Yeah!"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, definitely a pseudo-Elite"
"ROAR!!"
"A mere pseudo-Elite dared to attack my child? Today, I'll make sure that human never leaves this lake!"
The Elite Gyarados's roar shook the lake, sending waves rippling across the surface.
Its intense presence caused the surrounding Pokémon to tremble. At that moment, it truly felt unstoppable.
"Dad, that human's aura is just nearby," the younger Gyarados pointed out.
"Hah, Sure enough, it's just a pseudo-Elite. Watch closely, son—today, your old man is going to avenge you!"
Above the lake, Julian was already within the Elite Gyarados's territory. Glancing at the Dowsing Machine, he noticed five red dots—one slightly bigger than the others and the rest rather unimpressive.
"Really poor" he muttered to himself.
Just then, a Hydro Pump suddenly shot up from the lake's surface. Dragonite, seeing it, came to an immediate stop.
Without a seatbelt, Julian, seated in the flying saddle, was thrown forward by the sudden halt.
This moment served as a reminder: seatbelts are very important.
Thankfully, Metagross quickly caught Julian with Psychic, saving him from falling into the lake.
Back on Dragonite's back, Julian frowned as he looked below.
On the lake's surface, a dark shadow was growing larger, and in the next moment, a fierce-looking head burst through the water—then another right beside it.
Two Gyarados, one of them clearly the Elite one. As for the other…
Looking at the second Gyarados, Julian subconsciously glanced down at his right foot.
The younger Gyarados noticed this small movement immediately, feeling mocked.
'He's doing it on purpose! This human is absolutely doing it on purpose!'
Gyarados: "Dad, it's him! He kicked me with his right foot!"
The Elite Gyarados looked at the Dragonite and Metagross beside Julian. 'Hmm, they are both pseudo-Elite'. Confident now, he shot his offspring a reassuring look.
"Human, hand over all your treasures and let my child beat you up, and I'll let you leave in one piece." After saying this, Gyarados, who had been depressed for many years, felt his body and mind were sublimated at this moment.
All its life, humans had always taken its treasures. But now, finally, finally, it was its turn to take treasures from a human.
"You really are brave," Julian remarked.
This was his first time being "robbed" by a Pokémon. Looking at this Elite Gyarados, Julian felt that it didn't seem fierce at all. If anything, it resembled someone who had been bullied for years, finally finding an easier target to pick on.
'It must think I'm an easy target, something it can squish like a soft fruit'
Seeing that the human looked ready to resist, the Elite Gyarados felt a thrill. This was perfect! If the human handed over his treasures too easily, it wouldn't help release its pent-up frustration.
Elite Gyarados: "If you don't agree, I'll just keep beating you until you do!"
Julian gave Metagross a look, and it moved to face off against the Gyarados.
"Bang!"
At that moment, the Poké Ball at Julian's waist suddenly opened.
In a flash, Melmetal appeared in mid-air, striking a bodybuilding pose—before promptly going;
"splash"
Julian watched in exasperation as Melmetal plunged into the water, a dark expression crossing his face. Had Melmetal's intelligence dropped after evolving?
Could it not tell this was a lake? As a Steel-type, the only thing it could do in water was sink faster than a Rock- or Ground-type.
As bubbles started popping on the lake's surface, the scene became awkwardly animated.
Julian covered his face, trying to hide his embarrassment.
The two Gyarados: What just fell in? It's…huge!
Poké Balls had two types of closed states: standard close and locked close.
In the standard close state, the Pokémon inside could come out on its own.
In the locked close state, the Pokémon inside couldn't exit on its own.
Most of the time, trainers kept their Poké Balls in the standard close state, so in unexpected situations, the Pokémon could come out on its own, saving the trainer the trouble of manually opening the Poké Ball.
All of Julian's Poké Balls were in the standard close state, which was why Melmetal could come out on its own.
But couldn't this foolish thing check the battle environment from inside the Poké Ball before coming out? It plunged straight to the bottom as soon as it appeared.
They say evolution changes a Pokémon's personality, but who knew it could lower their IQ too?
Even though the two Gyarados had their mouths open, Julian had the feeling they were laughing.
"Slowking, get Melmetal out of there!"
Better to pull Melmetal up before the fight actually starts—no need for it to become the first Mythical Pokémon to drown. That'd be quite the "honor."
Just as Slowking was about to dive in, a fist suddenly broke through the water and struck Gyarados's jaw, sending it flying.
As the fist began to retract back underwater, Metagross grabbed it and, with a firm pull, lifted Melmetal from the lake.
Seeing its child get sent flying in front of it, the Elite Gyarados felt a surge of rage.
"Melmetal!~"
Even as Metagross held it in mid-air, Melmetal didn't settle down. Its fist, crackling with electricity, swung toward the Elite Gyarados.
Gyarados leapt into the air, meeting the Thunder Punch with an Iron Tail to block it.
Seeing this, Slowking unleashed an Ice Beam that froze the surrounding lake surface solid.
Gyarados landed on the ice, glancing at Slowking, then at Melmetal, Metagross, and Dragonite.
- Are they planning to gang up on me? -
Its fighting spirit, fired up by rage, was suddenly dampened.
"Melmetal!~"
Melmetal also landed on the ice. Fortunately, the ice was thick enough; otherwise, with its 800kg weight, it would have broken through immediately.
"Alright, it's up to you"
Julian said, seeing Melmetal's eagerness to fight. This was its first battle since hatching and evolving, and its opponent was an Elite-level Pokémon.
For a Mythical Pokémon, having an Elite-level opponent as its first battle was certainly fitting.
"Gyarados, one-on-one! If you lose, I'm taking all your treasures. If I lose, I'll give you this."
Julian took out a Water Gem. This item was worth more than ten top-grade Water Stones and, when carried over time, could enhance a Water-type Pokémon's essence.
Upon seeing the Water Gem in Julian's hand, Gyarados's expression instantly turned depressed.
It once had a Water Gem just like that, but it was stolen by a wretched human who not only beat it up but also captured one of its harem—a beautiful white Magikarp.
Julian: (?_?)?
'What's going on? How am I sensing waves of depression from a Pokémon?'
Julian had no idea that the Water Gem had stirred up Gyarados's painful memories.
"ROAR!!"
Gyarados suddenly raised its head.
Those bitter memories and the trampling of its pride finally ignited its fury. It wanted payback; it was going to take down the Pokémon in front of it and snatch all of this human's Pokémon.
Its Intimidate ability activated, but aside from Slowking looking a bit scared, neither Metagross, Dragonite, nor Melmetal showed any signs of fear.
With the level difference between Slowking and Gyarados, it was natural for Slowking to be affected by Intimidate.
Julian recalled Slowking back into its Poké Ball to keep it from getting caught up in the upcoming battle.
The Gyarados before him was level 75, a mid-tier Elite Pokémon. Melmetal, on the other hand, was level 61, at the early pseudo-Elite stage—a full tier below.
However, as a Mythical Pokémon, Melmetal's life force was on par with Elites and even surpassed many Elite-level Pokémon.
"Melmetal!~"
Melmetal taunted Gyarados by bending forward and lowering its head to his crotch to look at it.
Gyarados couldn't tolerate this.
With a mighty Hydro Pump, Gyarados unleashed a powerful blast of water. Even though they were on the ice, the surrounding lake gave Water-type moves a natural power boost.
Melmetal wasn't exactly a fast Pokémon.
In fact, most Steel-types were heavy, tank-like Pokémon; only a few, like Lucario, Escavalier, and Bisharp, etc, fall into the agile category.
Melmetal met the Hydro Pump with a Dynamic Punch. With its Iron Fist ability, the power of its punching moves was increased by 20%, and white energy swirled around its fist.
"BOOM!!"
The two attacks collided, and Melmetal was pushed back three or four meters.
Gyarados then went for a Fire Fang, its fangs blazing as it lunged at Melmetal.
Being able to learn Fire-type moves, this Gyarados had even better talent than expected.
Melmetal blocked with its arm, and though Gyarados was a Water type, its Elite-level status meant that even Fire-type moves were still potent.
Melmetal's body had a unique feature—it was fluid, composed of liquid metal. When Gyarados's fangs clamped down on its arm, Melmetal took damage, but it quickly controlled the liquid metal in its arm, creating a gap in the area being bitten.
Gyarados felt as though its mouth was suddenly empty and was momentarily confused. Just then, a crackling sound of electricity buzzed near its ear.
A Thunder Punch struck Gyarados square on the chin with a loud "bang," sending its body airborne. But as soon as it left the ice surface, Gyarados twisted in midair, using the momentum to whirl around and channel a swirling stream of water along its tail.
Melmetal was about to block with its arms when Julian's voice rang out.
"Protect!"
The battlefield was on ice, and if Melmetal tried to block Aqua Tail with its arms, the impact would shatter the ice beneath, causing it to sink once again.
Protect shielded against the Aqua Tail, and Gyarados landed heavily back on the ice. In that instant, a silver-white beam shot toward it.
Flash Cannon
The attack hit its mark, pushing Gyarados back several meters.
Immediately, Melmetal swung its fist, its liquid metal body allowing for extreme reach, extending Dynamic Punch over a wide span of several meters.
"ROAR!!"
Gyarados unleashed a Hyper Beam, blasting the Dynamic Punch away.
"Protect" Julian called out again, though his tone sounded a bit uncertain.
Melmetal tried to use Protect once more… but it failed this time.
Julian's luck seemed to have run out.
Unlucky King Julian was back.
The first use of Protect is guaranteed to succeed, but each consecutive use has a lower chance of success: around 50% on the second try and 25% on the third.
A lucky trainer might get three consecutive Protects, while an unlucky one may fail after the first attempt.
Whether you're lucky or unlucky, just using Protect will make it clear.
Unlucky King Julian didn't believe in this curse, but poor Melmetal had to suffer for it.
When Protect failed, Melmetal took a direct Hyper Beam, and, wincing from the pain, it turned back to Julian with a look of frustration.
How could it not know its trainer's luck? Every time Metagross used Meteor Mash, it had to be right in the opponent's face to even hope for a hit—otherwise, the accuracy was hopeless.
"Focus on the battle; it's coming"
Julian said sternly, giving Melmetal a quick reprimand.
It was Melmetal that used Protect, and if it failed, how could that be Julian's fault? Clearly, it was just unlucky itself.
Gyarados, seizing the opportunity, shot a burst of Scald from its open mouth, as for the Hyper Beam's recovery time, that barely slowed it down.
The boiling water caused the air around it to heat up noticeably.
Though Scald is a Water-type move, it has a chance of inflicting a burn status on its target.
"Flash Cannon!"
There was no point in trying Protect again, though Julian felt a bit disappointed.
If the second try didn't work, maybe the third attempt would miraculously have a better chance, he thought.
The silver Flash Cannon collided with Scald, and after a moment of struggle, Flash Cannon broke through the water.
Seeing this, Gyarados immediately whipped up a Twister, using the powerful winds to block the Flash Cannon.
"This Gyarados sure has impressive battle experience," Julian muttered.
It even knew this alternative use of Twister; clearly, this Gyarados had faced many trainers in battle. Those defeats hadn't been in vain—it had learned from each one.
Each time a trainer defeated it and took its treasures, Gyarados would wake up feeling even stronger than before.
The Twister tore up the icy ground, spinning up sharp shards of ice that swirled like blades.
Dragonite flapped its wings, carrying Julian out of the Twister's range.
Melmetal stood still as the Twister approached, letting itself get swallowed by the vortex. Even with its immense weight, the Twister lifted it from the ice.
As it was spun around, sharp ice shards continuously struck its metallic body, drawing silver liquid with each hit.
Gyarados knew the Twister alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Melmetal.
"Raaaargh!!"
Within the Twister, Gyarados roared, a fierce energy surging from its body, its voice filled with pain.
With its roar, the entire Twister turned blood-red, filled with a frenzied energy that shattered the ice beneath it and pulled in water from the lake below.
After using Outrage, Gyarados gained an even greater surge of power.
"Melmetal, Giga Impact!"
Julian's voice echoed directly into Melmetal's mind through Psychic.
An endless white light burst from Melmetal, not as an evolution but as the release of all its inner energy.
The force of its energy was so intense that it even stalled the Twister for a moment.
"Raaaargh!!"
Despite the Outrage, Gyarados retained some control and dissipated the Twister. Its body was wrapped in a blood-red aura as it, too, prepared a Giga Impact.
One beam of white light shot down from above, while a blood-red beam surged up from below. Like two meteors, they collided mid-air.
"BOOM!!"
The instant they clashed, a massive wave of energy rippled out in all directions, and the water below sank, forming a crater hundreds of meters deep.
The resulting waves expanded outward in a chain, leaving many Pokémon in the lake scrambling.
Even though they had fled far during the battle, it still wasn't far enough.
The younger Gyarados, previously knocked out during the battle, had just woken up and was trying to swim toward its father. It hadn't gotten far before a wave crashed into its face, knocking it out cold again.
Poor thing—fainted three times in a single day.
Even a Snorlax, watching nearby, would have applauded the resilience.
As the blinding lights faded, both Gyarados and Melmetal began to fall from the sky.
Metagross immediately caught Melmetal with Psychic, while Gyarados was left to fend for itself.
With a splash, Gyarados hit the water, resurfacing only after several seconds, clearly unable to continue fighting.
Meanwhile, Melmetal, though exhausted, still had its eyes open, showing it had won.
"Well done"
Julian said, patting Melmetal's head. To defeat a mid-level Elite Gyarados as an entry-level pseudo-Elite—it had more than lived up to its status as a Mythical Pokémon and to the resources Julian had invested in it.
"Mel!~"
Despite its fatigue, Melmetal's eyes shone brightly, thrilled by the exhilarating battle that had stirred its fighting spirit and desire for victory.
This was only the beginning. It would bring its trainer many more victories in the future.
Sensing Melmetal's fiery Aura, Julian smiled.
"Slowking, go dig up its treasure for me"
Julian said, sending out his Slowking and handing it the Dowsing Machine.
He had made an agreement with Gyarados earlier: if it lost, all its treasures would belong to him.
Julian was kind enough not to wake it up to witness him digging up its treasure.
After a full twenty minutes, Slowking finally surfaced. Julian had thought there'd be a trove of treasures, but all he saw were a few Water Stones.
"Slow…~"
It turned out that Gyarados had buried these Water Stones dozens of meters deep, even weighed them down with several large rocks. Slowking had to put in a lot of effort just to dig them up.
Even a clever Pokémon like Slowking was left speechless by Gyarados's antics.
Gyarados had actually woken up within the first few minutes after Slowking went down.
Elite-level Pokémon sure had impressive resilience.
Seeing the handful of Water Stones in Slowking's grasp, Gyarados opened its mouth in dismay, looking as though it were on the verge of tears.
As a Gyarados who valued its word, it had no choice but to let go, despite the heartbreak.
'Why do my eyes glisten with tears? It's because I love my Water Stones so deeply'
Those were all its life savings! It had hoped that even if it were defeated, its opponent might not find them. But now, everything was taken in one fell swoop.
Gyarados: Next time, I'm hiding them in separate places
With Gyarados glaring at him with red eyes, Julian pocketed the four high-quality Water Stones and one top-grade Water Stone.
"Thanks! I'll be sure to visit again"
He said with a grin before riding Dragonite to make a quick getaway.
"Roar, roar, roar!"
Behind him, Julian could hear Gyarados's furious, sorrowful, and helpless roars.
Meanwhile, out on the lake, the younger Gyarados that had recently been knocked out by the waves began to regain consciousness, shaking its head. But before it could fully come to, a silver fist appeared right in front of it.
"Bam!"
Once again, the poor Gyarados fainted.
Metagross: If you can't win, you call for your parents—huh, you deserve it.
After four full days of effort, Julian finally managed to completely explore the lake that covered a quarter of the secret realm.
While he didn't find the realm's ultimate treasure, he did come across quite a few valuable items.
He found three more Water Moon Grass plants and four top-grade Water Stones.
Top-grade Water Stones can also purify water, but this purified water only benefits Pokémon, not humans. In contrast, water purified by Water Moon Grass is beneficial for both humans and Pokémon.
In addition to these, he found a Crystal Shell, which can boost a Pokémon's special defense. Julian gave it to his Metagross as a snack.
Finally, he came across a Soul Dew, which took him by surprise. The Soul Dew is a rare item, but only one type of Pokémon can use it: Latios and Latias.
When they hold this item, it boosts the power of their Psychic and Dragon moves by 20%, which is quite substantial.
Latios and Latias have already been discovered by humans, and they aren't unique beings. They've been sighted in multiple countries.
Three years ago, both Pokémon appeared in Drakoria's Seaport city and calmed a once-in-50-years massive tidal wave.
There are statues of them in Seaport as a tribute.
Latios and Latias have helped several coastal cities avert disasters, and so they are regarded as guardians in some places.
Seaport in Drakoria is one such city.
Another example is the famous tourist city of Vivis in Vidalia. If it weren't for Latios and Latias, the city would have been destroyed by the giant waves from the Kyogre and Groudon battle a century ago.
(T/N: couldn't find which country in real world, so just assume whichever you like)
During Vivis's annual Guardian Festival, Latios and Latias always make an appearance, drawing countless people who flock there just to catch a glimpse of these legendary Pokémon.
Julian looked at the Soul Dew, feeling a bit frustrated. This item took up a quarter of his Dowsing Machine's space.
Though it was rare, it wasn't exactly useful to him—unless he somehow managed to capture Latios or Latias.
But the chances of that happening were extremely low. Whether it's legendary Pokémon, mythical Pokémon, or other legendary birds like Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos.
If they aren't willing to follow you, any attempt to forcibly capture them would lead to the power of their aura shattering the Poké Ball from the inside.
Instead of forcing them to submit, winning them over through personal charm is what truly matters.
Or, you could raise one from a young age, like Melmetal—now that would be ideal.
"Let's go to the Shadowed Forest," Julian said.
With the lake fully explored, there was no reason to linger. He had a month to explore this advanced realm, and seven days had already passed.
So far, things had gone smoothly, aside from the encounter with the Elite Gyarados along the way and a few other Pokémon that had tried to interfere, attempting to defend their treasures, but Metagross and Dragonite had quickly taught them a lesson.
The Shadowed Forest wasn't on the surface; instead, it lay within a vast underground cavern. Though it was technically a cave, it spanned 8,277 square kilometers, about the size of a small city.
This area was also the most dangerous part of the secret realm, home to many Ghost-type Pokémon. Other Dark-loving Pokémon also resided there, but Ghost-types were by far the majority.
Of the eighteen Pokémon types, Ghost-types are easily among the most dangerous.
They can appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. If you only have a Pikachu at your side for protection, you might find yourself in real trouble with a Ghost-type aiming for a sneak attack.
In areas full of Ghost-types, it's best to have Psychic-type or other Ghost-type Pokémon with you for protection.
These two types have the highest detection abilities.
The Shadowed Forest was home to two Elite-level Pokémon: a Gengar and a Trevenant.
After three hours of traveling, Julian reached the cave entrance to the Shadowed Forest. Just standing at the entrance, he could feel a chilly aura seeping out.
"I'm here, ghosties"
He muttered, leading Metagross and Dragonite inside.
Since it was an underground cavern, there was no natural light. However, faint green glows came from the stones and trees, providing just enough illumination to make out the surroundings.
As soon as they entered, an eerie cold washed over him, causing goosebumps to rise. It really did feel like walking into a ghost's den.
Julian released Lucario to stay alert. Its Aura-sensing abilities would detect any Ghost-type Pokémon lurking to sneak attack.
Julian himself had Aura abilities, but Lucario's endurance with Aura definitely surpassed his.
Then, he brought out Melmetal too.
With Metagross, Dragonite, and Melmetal—three pseudo-Elite Pokémon standing guard—and Lucario's Aura radar, Julian felt entirely secure.
If it weren't for Steelix's size making it cumbersome in tight spaces, he would have brought it out too.
Now fully equipped for safety, he took a high-powered flashlight from his pack.
A powerful beam of light cut through the darkness, illuminating the surroundings like a miniature sun in this shadowy underworld.
"That's much better"
He said, relaxing as his view became as clear as daylight. The difference was like night and day.
However—
"Hello there"
Julian greeted, his expression stiffening slightly as he looked ahead at the dozens of Ghost-type Pokémon gathered in the flashlight's beam.
This flashlight did make it easier to see, but in a place as dark as this, using a strong beam was like telling every Pokémon nearby: There's someone here
Ghost-types were known to be able to increase their power by feeding on the life force—or even the souls—of others, which was one of the main reasons many Trainers were wary of these Pokémon.
Among the dozens of Pokémon in front of him, Julian noticed two that resembled tiny candles, each with a purple flame flickering atop its head.
Litwick, These Pokémon could absorb the life force of both humans and other Pokémon. That eerie flame? It actually burned using the energy drawn from them.
Normally, the flame remained extinguished. But once it started drawing in life energy, it would burn brightly.
The younger the life force it absorbed, the stronger and more ominous the flame would glow.
Trainers who captured Pokémon like Litwick often found themselves the first victims—unless they were skilled enough to teach the Pokémon to control its energy-draining powers.