"Damn it!"
Tucker's frustration boiled over as he witnessed the trap he had meticulously set up get destroyed by the sudden appearance of an Ekans. Rage surged through him, making his blood rush to his forehead.
It was as if he were haunted; he had clearly instructed Fearow to chase away any surrounding Pokémon. How did this Ekans manage to slip past?.
It seemed nearly impossible for a Pokémon to fall from the sky.
But in reality, this Ekans had indeed been thrown from above by Julian, from a kilometer away, no less.
Tucker had buried numerous explosives within his traps.
While the Ekans wasn't killed outright, it was now battered and bruised, clearly suffering from the aftermath of the blast.
"I will spare your life!"
Tucker shot a furious glance at the struggling Ekans. He wanted nothing more than to finish it off, but the explosion would surely attract the attention of the woman who was after him.
He had originally set up traps to increase his chances of escaping. With those gone, his odds of winning a direct fight had significantly decreased. He needed to get out of there quickly.
"Fearow, let's go!"
His words rang out as he mounted Fearow. The explosion had already caught Lin Lin's attention, and she was rushing toward the sound, determined to find him.
"Bullet Punch"
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past the back of his head, sending chills down his spine. Instinctively, Tucker lurched forward to avoid it.
He felt the rush of air from a powerful punch that narrowly grazed the back of his head, leaving him cold with sweat.
This was the closest he had ever come to death since becoming a Pokémon hunter.
Before Tucker could give any orders, Fearow instinctively dove to protect him, its sharp beak aiming for the attacker.
"Meteor Mash!"
Metagross stood firm, its massive metal claws glowing with vibrant colors as it prepared to counterattack.
The clash of their moves echoed through the forest as the two attacks collided. Fearow flapped its wings, shielding Tucker with its body.
If it hadn't been for Fearow, Tucker would have certainly met his end in that close-range explosion.
However, Fearow also took damage; its wing was injured, blood staining its feathers as they fell to the ground.
"Hypno!"
Tucker wasted no time and released his second Pokémon.
Fearow was at level 65, while Hypno was at level 67. The strength of the target was no simple matter; it was close to the peak of the pseudo-Elite rank.
Yet, Hypno's condition was far from optimal. It flickered erratically, a clear sign that it had been affected by paralysis, likely due to previous battles.
It seemed that someone else had also been trying to capture Tucker, but Julian had interfered at just the right moment.
Realizing that he had to act quickly before that chaser arrived, Julian put aside any hesitation.
With no hint of guilt for taking someone else's prey, he focused on completing his system task before the other party arrived.
"Silver Metagross, you are someone from the Walker family!"
Tucker quickly recognized Julian's identity upon seeing the silver Metagross. Yet, he felt no fear; rather, his excitement grew.
There were very few who could intimidate him, especially not a boy like Julian.
If he could catch Julian and use him to threaten Lin Lin, she would undoubtedly fear for Julian's safety and let him go.
Tucker and Julian both had the same goal: they needed to deal with each other quickly before Lin Lin arrived.
'Although he has a pseudo-legendary Pokemon, it has not reached the pseudo-Elite level yet, and I am already approaching the peak of the pseudo-Elite.'
In the eyes of most Trainers, pseudo-legendaries were powerful and feared, capable of taking down opponents well above their level.
But for experienced Trainers, there were ways to overcome them.
'I surpass him in level, have more combat experience, and even if Hypno is not in optimal Condition right now, it's not something this kid can stop right now.'
"Hypno, Psybeam!"
"Fearow, Hyper Beam!"
In the chaos of wild battles, there were no rules at all. Fighting unfairly was commonplace; unless the attacker ran out of ammunition, anything went.
Metagross stood firm, using Protect to shield Julian from the combined attacks.
"This is impossible!!"
Tucker shouted, his face twisting in disbelief.
He had encountered pseudo-legendaries before and even defeated them, but this Metagross was defying all logic.
Though Protect could block powerful moves, it was supposed to be effective only if the Pokémon levels were similar. Tucker's Pokémon far surpassed that of Metagross.
Two simultaneous moves blocked by a single Protect? It seemed like a cheat.
"Lucario, use Close Combat on Fearow!"
"Metagross, Shadow Ball for Hypno!"
"Sneak attack on Trainer from behind Gengar"
Tucker knew Gengar was an essential asset for sneak attacks, especially with his stealthy nature. He quickly readied a Poké Ball and glanced back.
But instead of Gengar, he saw a Pokémon he had never encountered before.
"Meltan, Thunder Shock!"
Meltan's small frame was perfect for stealth under the cover of night. Julian had released it earlier, allowing it to sneak behind Tucker unnoticed.
With a sudden burst of electricity, Tucker was hit and instantly stunned. Julian had ordered Meltan to hold back; otherwise, Tucker wouldn't have survived the encounter.
Tucker: The basic trust between people.
Without their Trainer, Fearow and Hypno were quickly subdued by Metagross and Lucario.
After capturing Tucker's unconscious Pokémon into their Poké Balls, Julian began searching Tucker's belongings, eager for some treasure.
As a Pokémon hunter, Tucker likely carried valuable items, and Julian was more than ready to take advantage of that.
The system chimed, indicating that the task was now complete.
Julian found five good quality evolution stones, and there were some resources for Ground and Rock type Pokémon, including soft sand, which was worth an astonishing 100 million.
(T/N: not in dollars)
Although Julian had no shortage of such things, the joy of searching made him unable to stop.
After searching through Tucker's possessions, Julian collected all the valuables before securely tying the unconscious hunter to a sturdy tree.
Hearing footsteps approaching, he assumed it was the person hunting Tucker, arriving at the scene.
"Dragonair, let's go!"
With that, Dragonair took to the skies, swiftly carrying Julian away.
Lin Lin's Electivire gazed up at the night sky, spotting something soaring past.
"What was that, Electivire? The explosion sounded close. We need to be careful," Lin Lin warned.
Before long, she arrived at the site of the explosion and found Tucker tied up to a tree.
Lin Lin: It's so easy to get the 100 million bounty.
The Yale Province High School League had officially concluded, and most participants were already heading home. Julian, too, returned after bidding farewell to Will and the others.
As he approached the house, the door was opened by his mother Tina's longtime caretaker/housekeeper an Indeedee, affectionately known as 'Love.' She was his mother's starter Pokemon.
Julian's face lit up with a smile.
"Love!" he greeted warmly.
Seeing Julian, Indeedee's eyes brightened with joy. She had been like a second mother to him, taking care of him throughout his childhood when his parents were busy.
It had been over ten days since Julian had last been home due to his participation in the league, the longest he'd ever been away from home after he started his 3rd year. Naturally, Love had missed him dearly.
Julian's parents were home, having been informed of his arrival in advance.
"My champion son is back!"
Tina exclaimed proudly as she strode into the room. She had always celebrated Julian's achievements, no matter how big or small.
His father, Jake, sat on the sofa with a more composed expression. The former champion trainer nodded at his son. Tina, unable to bear his lack of enthusiasm, glared at him and scolded, "Didn't you see your son just came back in this heat? Why don't you pour him a glass of water?"
(T/N: he might also have won the championship in his time)
Jake, ever the dutiful husband, muttered under his breath, "But Love already poured him one." Yet, despite his mild complaint, he obediently rose to fetch the water, not daring to voice his dissatisfaction too loudly.
After all, the Walker family had a long-standing tradition—love and respect for their wives.
After taking the water from Love, Julian reached into his backpack and produced three small gifts. "I got these for you from the Commercial Street at the league," he said, smiling.
Although the gifts weren't extravagant, they held sentimental value. He had picked out a stylish hat for his mother, a high-quality fishing rod for his father—one of the few hobbies Jake had maintained for over a decade—and a delicate silk scarf for Love.
Tina beamed with excitement and, taking Love by the hand, whisked her upstairs to try on the new accessories in front of the mirror.
Meanwhile, Jake examined the fishing rod, his eyes widening in astonishment. "A Kyogre "66" fishing rod... and you found this at the high street?"
The fishing rod was a rare item, one that any top angler would dream of owning.
Only 100 of these rods had ever been produced, each engraved with its unique number and Kyogre's head on the handle.
Legend had it that Kyogre itself could be caught with such a rod—an ultimate goal for all avid fishermen.
(T/N: yeah sure go catch one and it might destroy your whole country)
"I didn't just find it," Julian replied casually.
"I had to convince the shopkeeper to sell it, so I ended up paying ten times the listed price."
Jake's expression was a mix of disbelief and awe. His son had gone above and beyond to get him something so meaningful.
As they settled back in, Julian dropped another piece of news, "Oh, by the way, I've already been accepted early by Imperial University."
At the same time, he also talked about the conditions offered by the other party.
Jake nodded, acknowledging the impressive feat. "That's much better than what they offered me back in the day, sure enough having Aura really makes a difference," he said, his tone betraying a hint of envy.
Julian smirked, knowing his next revelation would stir an even bigger reaction. "I've also awakened Psychic powers."
Jake, who had been calmly lounging on the sofa, suddenly sat bolt upright. His voice grew louder in disbelief. "Wait, you did *what*?"
"Yeah," Julian replied, waving a hand nonchalantly. "I woke up and found out I had Psychic powers."
Jake stared at his son in stunned silence, his mind racing. While there were various ways for someone to awaken Psychic abilities—often triggered by intense emotions or even during sleep—it was still incredibly rare, especially to awaken such power at an intermediate level from the start.
"Show me," Jake demanded, still trying to process the news.
Julian raised his hand, and the objects on the coffee table floated effortlessly into the air, confirming his claim.
Jake could only shake his head in disbelief.
"Intermediate level already?" he muttered. "Unbelievable."
"Well, if you weren't as handsome as me, I'd be questioning if you were really my kid!" Walker joked, though a trace of genuine amazement lingered in his voice.
"Mom, Dad just said..."
"What did I say, don't talk nonsense, kid"
Jake's eyes widened and he interrupted Julian's words directly. He turned his head and said flatteringly, "Wife, Julian was jus...."
"Boy, is it so fun to make a fool of your father"
There was no one behind him, it was obviously a trick by Julian.
"Ding Dong"
Just as the banter continued, the doorbell rang.
Julian went to answer it, finding a courier standing at the door beside a large crate.
"Hello, I'm from Pidgeot Express. There's a delivery for a 'Julian,'" the courier said.
Julian produced his ID card, confirming his identity.
After receiving the parcel, Julian took a look at the Flying saddle on Pidgeot's back. If he wanted one for Dragonair, it would have to be customized. There was no Dragonair Flying saddle on the market.
"You bought something?" Tina asked as she and Love came downstairs.
"Yeah, a cyan-qualified Shellder," Julian responded.
Shellder, a Water-type Pokémon, had cost him a small fortune—300 million in the trading section of the Drakorian trainer app.
It was a rare find, and its evolutionary form, Cloyster,a Water/Ice type was a feared opponent, especially known for its prowess in taking down Dragon-types in the hands of the Ice Elites.
"Shellder, huh? I thought you'd pick Dragon as your second type. Is your plan to go with Ice?"
Jake frowned, he saw that Julian got a Dratini out of nowhere, and thought that his second type would be a dragon, but now he bought a Shellder.
Julian shook his head, smirking mischievously. "Nah, you'll find out soon enough. Let's keep that a secret for now."
Jake nodded but couldn't resist offering advice.
"Since you've awakened Psychic powers, you might want to consider the Psychic type as your second specialization. It would maximize your abilities, especially with a Pokémon like Metagross by your side."
Julian was about to respond when Tina suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, what? You've awakened Psychic powers?"
There was a moment of silence as everyone turned to face her. Only two dual-ability Trainers existed in the world:
One is in Vilhonis, the strongest champion in the nation of Vilhonis.
And the other is in Daventry, the country with the smallest population in the world, but it has a dual-ability trainer, and he is praised by the people of the nation of Daventry as the legendary Light of the world.
(T/N: not sure but from what I could find the first one is Singapore and second is Vatican City... until I find something that says otherwise)
Drakoria didn't have any, but Julian's appearance made him the first person with dual-ability in Drakoria.
"Let's keep this quiet for now," Walker said seriously. "No need to attract unnecessary attention until you've reached the pseudo-Elite level."
Julian nodded. The Walker family's high status in Drakoria had its benefits, but also its share of rivals.
For now, it was better to keep this newfound talent under wraps.
Julian's Pokémon in the backyard were now all present, and it had been more than ten days since he returned home from the high school league. For these ten days, Julian had become a true homebody, rarely stepping outside.
Yet, unlike most people his age who might waste time glued to their phones or playing video games, Julian spent most of his hours with his Pokémon.
Each afternoon, at a fixed time, he would engage in a battle with his father, Jake. In terms of commanding ability and combat experience, Julian was far from Jake's Rival.
While Julian's Pokémon were undeniably powerful thanks to the system that boosted their strength, the system couldn't train him as a trainer.
His father, a Elite-level Trainer, had years of battle experience and unmatched command skills that Julian was still far from mastering. Every day, during their battles, Jake's superior tactics and in-the-moment adaptability made it clear how much more Julian had to learn.
Although Julian could go toe-to-toe with most trainers of the same level due to his Pokémon's strength, true Elite-level trainers like his father exposed the gaps in his knowledge. Against them, Julian's weaknesses in strategy became apparent.
Julian had also noticed a slight change in the way his father battled him lately. Gone were the days when Jake would hold back during their matches. Now, his father went all out, often using Metagross, Lucario, and other powerful Pokémon until Julian's team was on the brink of defeat before stopping.
The reason, Jake said, was to push Julian to his limits—to help him improve. But Julian couldn't help but think his father was also a bit jealous that he'd awakened Psychic powers, making him the first dual-ability person in Drakoria.
In the backyard, the Pokémon were busy training themselves. Even Shellder, the newest addition, was engaged in its own exercises.
At Julian's feet stood a small figure, watching the others in awe.
"Don't worry, Aron, you'll be training with them soon enough," Julian said with a gentle smile, kneeling down to rub the cold, smooth head of the young Steel-type. "But first, you've got to eat lots and grow strong!"
Aron, who was only a couple of days old, had just hatched from an egg given to Julian by his father upon his return home. The egg had come from an Aggron in the Oreburgh secret realm, with the father being Jake's very own Aggron.
When the egg finally hatched, it revealed a bright-eyed little Aron.
Pokémon: Aron (Steel/Rock)
Level: 2
Qualification: Blue
Ability: Heavy Metal
Gender: Male
Moves: Tackle, Harden
Disc Moves: None
Genetic Moves: Stomp, Heavy Slam, Endeavor, Dragon Rush
Aron's lineage was impressive. Both its parents were cyan-qualified Pokémon, and to everyone's delight, Aron had been born with a rare breakthrough to blue qualification—a significant step above most Pokémon.
This fact only deepened Jake's playful jealousy. His own son was already getting blessed with stronger Pokémon at such a young age!
Julian also noted that Aron's ability was the hidden ability Heavy Metal, which doubles the weight of a Pokémon, which is the opposite of Metagross' Light Metal Ability.
This would prove invaluable when it eventually learned moves like Heavy Slam and Body Slam, which relied on its sheer mass.
Think about it with the potential to evolve into Aggron, a Pokémon that already weighed a staggering 360 kilograms, Aron's final form would double that to a whopping 720 kilograms.
For context, the famous heavyweight Pokémon Snorlax only weighed 460 kilograms.
Julian imagined Aggron slamming into opponents with the force of a mountain—a terrifying thought.
Julian took out a special item, the Soul of Totem, from the system and used it on Aron.
He watched as the essence merged into Aron's tiny body. The Steel-type paused mid-bite on an iron ore, prompting Julian to lean in with concern. "You alright, Aron? Do you feel okay?"
In the system introduction, there was no side effect mentioned of using Totem Soul.
"Aron~"
After a brief pause, Aron nodded and resumed munching on the ore, determined to eat as much as possible. It knew, instinctively, that the more iron it consumed, the stronger its shell would become.
Aron didn't eat typical Pokémon food or power cubes. Its diet consisted of iron-rich ores and various metals. This wasn't just for sustenance—eating these materials helped reinforce its already tough body, making it even more resilient in battle.
The fifty kilograms of iron ore that Julian had prepared were disappearing quickly, and Aron had already moved on to gnawing through a stack of steel bars as if they were candy.
In addition to Aron, Julian now had six Pokémon under his care. However, Shellder wasn't a long-term member of his team. Julian's goal was to evolve Shellder into a Slowking, which meant he needed to find a Slowpoke to pair with it.
The minimum requirement was that the Slowpoke had to have cyan qualifications, ensuring that when it evolved with Shellder using a King's Rock, the Slowking's qualifications wouldn't drop below cyan.
While Julian could use the system to buy qualification potions, they were prohibitively expensive, and he preferred to find a suitable Slowpoke through other means. His family was already helping him track one down, and given that Slowpokes were relatively common in certain regions, it was only a matter of time before they found one.
In the coastal Haitian City, located in the Central South Province, there was even a dedicated Slowpoke Park with nearly 10,000 of them.
Slowpoke had become a symbol of the city, especially after they played a critical role in protecting the city during a high-level secret realm riot two decades ago. Since then, they were regarded as the city's guardians. Many trainers in Haitian City specialized in Water or Psychic-type Pokémon, with Slowpoke being a popular choice.
Suddenly, Julian noticed Aron slowing down. The steel bars were no match for Aron's appetite, but exhaustion had started to set in. Yawning, the little Pokémon began to droop.
"Looks like it's time for a rest, buddy," Julian said, effortlessly picking up the 120-kilogram Aron as if it were a feather. Now that Julian had developed his strength further, carrying even the heavy Steel-type was easy. "Let's get you to the Rest Garden in the Mimic Room."
The Mimic Room was a specialized chamber designed to replicate the unique energy of Pokémon secret realms, helping young Pokémon grow stronger in a short time. According to research, the Pokémon in the secret realms were generally stronger than the outside world. The reason was that the secret realm has special energies suitable for the growth of Pokémon.
The higher the level of the secret realm, the higher the energy present.
Therefore, the Mimic Room appeared. An advanced Mimic Room had equivalent energy to an Advanced Secret Realm, but the cost was sky-high.
A new Pokémon like Aron, it's best for it to stay in the Mimic Room and get stronger after a good night's sleep.
As Julian made his way to the Mimic Room, his mother Tina glanced at her husband, jake.
"What's with that look on your face?"
"I just saw Julian walking into the Mimic Room with Aron... that little guy has the Heavy Metal ability," Jake muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
Tina chuckled, resting a hand on her husband's arm. "Our son is really something, isn't he?"
Jake sighed, but a proud smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Yeah... he really is."
"There's a space crack at a farmhouse in the eastern suburbs of Lake City, and intermediate-level intensive energy is emerging from the rift. It's speculated that a new intermediate-level secret realm will appear in three days."
This was the most talked-about news in Lake City over the past few days. People couldn't stop buzzing about it.
New secret realms appear every day in different regions of various countries, and there were quite a few of them. But most of the new secret realms are elementary and unstable, and they may suddenly disappear one day.
An intermediate-level secret realm, however, was much rarer. And now, after five long years, Lake City was on the brink of getting one.
Intermediate-level secret realms were far more stable, and fewer than 30% of them disappeared within the first three years. That made this discovery a significant event.
On the internet, discussions were already heating up:
"A new intermediate secret realm! I wonder if it'll have any undiscovered Pokémon in it."
"Anyone forming a team to explore this new realm? Sign me up if you are!"
"Secret realm teams? Hah! The fastest way to your death!"
"You can go ahead, I will raise your wife and daughter."
Even though entering as part of a team provided some safety, trust between members was always shaky.
Faced with the allure of treasures and rare Pokémon, bonds between even the closest of partners—husbands, wives, brothers, fathers, and sons—could be broken with a single backstab.
Julian was extremely interested in this new intermediate-level secret realm. He had been to other intermediate-level secret realms before, but they had all been explored thoroughly. The best treasures were always long gone by the time he got there.
Even with his trusty Dowsing Machine, the treasures he could locate in a well-explored secret realm were quite limited.
But this one? A brand-new, untouched realm? There were sure to be plenty of treasures waiting inside, ready to be found.
The so-called "treasures of the secret realm" were the most valuable things within such spaces.
They could range from rare items, evolutionary stones, and even powerful Pokémon. While being the first to enter didn't guarantee finding the best treasure, it certainly increased the odds.
During dinner, Julian seized the opportunity.
"Dad, I want one of the first slots to enter the new intermediate secret realm," he said casually while biting into a fragrant rib.
Jake, who was sipping his wine, raised an eyebrow at his son's request.
Julian had outgrown the elementary secret realms; they no longer served as a challenge or a way to improve his skills. The intermediate secret realm was just right for him now. And with his Dowsing Machine, he had a good chance of discovering the most valuable treasures hidden inside.
"Alright," Jake replied, a little surprised. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't be interested. I was actually about to give your slot away."
When a new secret realm emerged, the most elite families and wealthiest trainers were always given first access.
The Walker family was one of the most respected in Drakoria, but with only a few family members and Jake himself not particularly excited about this specific realm, they had been granted five initial entry slots but only needed two.
Had Julian not asked, Jake had been planning to give away the remaining two slots to friends or allies.
Tina, who was eating quietly beside them, spoke up, her voice laced with concern. "Are you sure about this, Julian? Entering a new secret realm can be dangerous."
Although she knew her son's strength, as a mother, she still worried.
The unknown dangers lurking in a new secret realm were different from those in ones already explored. In established secret realms, trainers knew where the threats were and how to avoid them. In a fresh one, every step could lead to death.
Jake, however, was much more confident in his son.
"Don't worry, Tina. At his level, no one below the Elite tier could even think of threatening him."
Besides, Julian had Alakazam, his trusted bodyguard, with him. As an Elite-tier Pokémon at its peak, Alakazam was capable of defending Julian from nearly any threat. It wasn't Julian who needed to worry. The real danger lay in others who might be eyeing Julian or his Pokémon.
While Tina was a senior Pokémon breeder, she didn't fully grasp just how much stronger her son had become. Jake, on the other hand, trained with Julian frequently and understood the vast potential hidden in him.
As Jake observed Julian munching on ribs, he found it hard to believe his own eyes. This was his son, yet he was already nearing the Elite tier himself.
A pseudo-Elite trainer at such a young age! And his Pokémon? Metagross was one of the most powerful pseudo-Elites he had ever seen. If not for his years of experience, even he might struggle to keep up.
It was even stranger to think that Metagross was split from the very same Metagross his own had come from(John's). So why, then, was Julian's Metagross so much stronger than his own?
"My son's already this strong," Jake muttered, "It won't be long before even I'm no match for him."
Tina, always one to support her son, smiled and added more ribs to Julian's plate. "That's right. My son's number one, and his father's at the bottom."
Faced with his wife's teasing, Jake could only smile and stay silent. Like any father, he wanted his son to surpass him, and with Julian's talents, it wouldn't take long.
For a brief moment, he glanced at Julian with a mix of pride and awe.
"Dad, what's with that look?" Julian asked, feeling uncomfortable under his father's strange gaze.
Jake chuckled. "I'm just admiring my son."
Julian pulled a face of mock disgust. "You're gross."
Finishing his dinner quickly, Julian stood up and made his way to the backyard, where his six Pokémon were waiting. They surrounded him instantly, their eyes gleaming with anticipation and their bowls ready.
"Alright, alright, here you go."
Julian placed top-tier Steel and Dragon type energy cubes into the bowls of Metagross, Lucario, Meltan, and Dragonair.
Since they had grown up eating the finest energy cubes, their palates had become so refined that they barely acknowledged regular cubes anymore. Only the top-quality cubes from Julian's system would do.
For Shellder, who had recently leveled up to 10, Julian gave him high-level Water type energy cube. Since there hadn't been any recent mission rewards for top-level water cubes, this would have to do for now.
Aron, still young, ate a mix of iron ore and energy cubes, the ore providing valuable minerals to help toughen his shell. Julian bought the ore directly from the system, and its price was comparable to high-tier energy cubes.
The energy in the ore was more easily absorbed by Aron. If his aptitude was lower than that of cyan, eating these ore could also improve his aptitude.
When the Pokémon finished their meal, their bowls were so clean they could've been used as mirrors.
Julian smiled as he watched Aron contentedly gnawing on a steel rod, with Meltan eyeing the stainless steel bowl with barely-contained restraint. If not for his better judgment, Meltan might have eaten the bowl by now.
Sighing, Julian glanced at his points. The rate at which his Pokémon ate was quickly depleting his points.
He was lucky that his daily tasks rewarded him with advanced energy cubes occasionally. Although they weren't top-tier, the difference was small—though the taste was what his Pokémon seemed to care about most.
Three days later, at East Farm on the outskirts of Lake City, a blinding white light flashed as the intermediate-level secret realm fully formed. A portal appeared before Julian and the others.
The first group to enter this secret realm, totaling 50 people, was composed of members from notable families in Lake City. Some were seasoned elders, while others, like Julian, were younger generation members.
Julian wasn't alone; his father, Jake, accompanied him. Jake had been chatting with some others but came over when the portal formed.
"Be careful inside. Don't trust any of these people," Jake warned.
The reason why the aristocratic families could exist for a long time, in addition to their collected resources, was also using underhanded means when necessary.
Every aristocratic family, including the Walkers, has used such methods—though Julian was unaware of this part of their family history.
Originally this was a farm, but now because of the emergence of a new intermediate-level secret realm, the entire farm was quickly purchased by the government.
Secret realms often emerge in isolated areas, but why that happens remains a mystery.
"Got it," Julian nodded.
He had no intention of sticking around with these people for long.
"Alright, off you go"
Jake said as Julian waved goodbye and stepped through the portal.
The limit for exploring an intermediate secret realm is ten days. After that, no matter who they are, everyone has to leave.
Primary secret realms have a seven-day limit, while advanced ones allow for a month.
The reason for setting the limit was naturally to control the secret realm from being hollowed out by those who enter it. Although the secret realm was dangerous, there was food and water in it, and people with motives can stay in it for a year or two.
They can give the things obtained in the secret realm to their companion, let them go out, and then another one comes in, and so on.
As Julian entered, he noticed three people—a man and two women, likely in their twenties—who had entered before him.
Just as he was about to pull out his Dowsing Machine from his system's storage, the trio walked over.
"Is something wrong?" Julian asked.
The man spoke first, a grin on his face. "Young Master Walker, it's an honor. I'm Logan from the Carter family. And these are the Miller sisters—Emma and Ava."
The Carter and Miller families were both local families in Lake City, they had certain influence in Lake City, but compared with the Walker family, they were nothing.
Julian raised an eyebrow. The names were familiar, but he wasn't interested in making small talk.
"If you'll excuse me, I've got to get going," Julian said, turning to leave.
"Wait," Logan called out quickly. "Young Master Walker it's like this. We were hoping to join you. All three of us are pseudo-Elite trainers, and we promise not to slow you down."
As far as he knew, Julian was only an Advanced level trainer, so he probably won't refuse the company of three pseudo-Elites.
Julian frowned, knowing what they were after. He had no time for distractions. Though, to be fair, the Miller twins were quite striking, and the fact that they were twins only added to their appeal for some.
"No thanks," Julian said curtly.
"Metagross, let's go."
In an instant, he summoned his Metagross, mounted it, and flew off, leaving the trio behind.
"Well, that was rude, such a person will never have a girlfriend in the future" Ava said, folding her arms in frustration. She was clearly unused to being brushed off like that.
She was confident that her age and appearance were very attractive to a boy like Julian who had just come of age, not to mention they were twin sister.
"Maybe the rumors are true, They say the Walker heir isn't easily impressed by women" Logan said, his voice laced with disappointment but also secretly happy.
After all, Julian might not have liked these two women, but he liked them.
"He must like men, then," Ava muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Logan's face stiffened, unsure of how to respond.
"Enough, Ava," Emma cut in. "Let's get moving."
The three reluctantly continued on their way, leaving behind their failed attempt to join forces with Julian.
They were waiting for Julian at the entrance, because of the instructions from the elders of their family. After all, no family in Drakoria will miss the opportunity to get close to the Walker family.
-
Meanwhile, Julian, who had left the three, had already taken out the Dowsing Machine. At present, he had already flown several kilometers into the secret realm. He found himself over a vast, poisonous swamp.
There were a large number of Grimer, Koffing, and a small number of their evolved forms, Muk and Weezing living here.
The air was thick with toxic gas, creating a no-go zone for most other Pokémon types.
Julian donned a protective mask while his Metagross, immune to poison, hovered steadily.
The effective distance of the Dowsing Machine was 50 kilometers. According to the value of the treasures, the displayed red dots will be distinguished by size. This intermediate secret realm was indeed just emerging.
As soon as he entered here, the Dowsing Machine displayed eight red dots, which was the maximum it could display at once.
"The biggest treasure is somewhere in this swamp," Julian thought, glancing at the largest red dot on his Dowsing Machine.
As he flew closer, the number of Muk and Weezing increased, and the air grew more toxic. He was just five hundred meters away from the treasure when he had to stop—dozens of Muk and Weezing were blocking the path ahead.
A barrage of Sludge Bombs and poison gas shot towards him.
"Steel Beam," Julian commanded.
Metagross effortlessly cut through the sludge and gas, but more Muk and Weezing soon appeared.
"Fly higher, avoid them"
Julian ordered, frowning. The poison types were amassing in large numbers more than a 100 each, and while Metagross was powerful, the sheer quantity of enemies was a problem.
Plus, with him being on the back of Metagross, it will affect many of Metagross' moves, or it might not be able to use some at all.
Metagross quickly ascended, leaving the threat of most of the Muk behind. Though Weezing could fly, they were no match for Metagross's speed.
Metagross directly left Weezing behind, soon enough, Julian reached the area where the treasure was located.
Hovering above, Julian couldn't see anything from such a height. But as Metagross descended, the outlines of several Weezing and Muk became visible—more than ten of each.
Among them, Julian spotted many with levels between 50 to 60 while a particularly powerful Muk and Weezing, each at level 68.