"Kingdra?"
After carefully examining the newspaper, Darius Foster couldn't help but show a trace of surprise.
He hadn't expected that, after so long, someone would once again discover a new Dragon-type Pokémon.
"Ethan Black?"
But when he saw the name of the one who had discovered Kingdra, his eyes narrowed.
"Yes, he's the boy who won first place in the competition for the starter Pokémon slot—and the one who took Leo's Charizard descendant," said the Master of Dragon Valley, nodding toward Darius.
"I see, so it was him."
"In fact, Lucien participated in that very competition precisely to obtain the descendant of Leo's Charizard..." Darius nodded, and as he recalled that little Charmander, his brow furrowed slightly.
It should be known that the League of the country of Daleron had four Champion-level trainers and thirty of the best Elite-level trainers in the nation, and Leo Cross was one of those four Champions—charged with protecting one of the League's four great cities: Solaris City.
That was why that little Charmander, as a descendant of a Champion-level Pokémon, was undoubtedly the most valuable of all. Moreover, it had inherited part of Leo Cross's Charizard's abilities, making its potential immense.
So when Darius learned that Lucien hadn't taken first place—and thus had lost the chance to obtain such a precious Charmander—he had been truly frustrated.
"Darius, according to the rules of Dragon Valley, there are three ways to earn the right to enter the valley," said the Master of Dragon Valley.
"The first is by inheritance. Any trainer who has completed the Dragon King Ritual may recommend a successor to enter the valley. Lucien entered that way."
"The second is by passing the Dragon Trial. Anyone who clears the twelve stages earns the right of entry—you fall into this category."
"And the third is for researchers who have made outstanding contributions to the study of Dragon-type Pokémon. Ethan, having discovered a new evolutionary form of a Dragon-type Pokémon, clearly meets this condition."
The Master of Dragon Valley spoke after thinking for a moment.
"I understand. The affairs of the younger generation are not something I should meddle in," Darius said, shaking his head with a faint laugh. "Besides, Ethan is also a trainer from our League. If he enters Dragon Valley, for the Dragon King Ritual to be held in two years, we'll gain an additional slot. From any angle, it benefits us."
"Indeed. The western League has been growing far too quickly these past years. In the last two years, they've even discovered a new mysterious continent full of previously unseen Pokémon. That puts us at a disadvantage," said the Master of Dragon Valley with a sigh.
Although he was one of the Masters of Dragon Valley, he wasn't the only one—there were five in total, each representing a different faction. Normally, they coexisted peacefully, but if a conflict of interests arose, in the end, everything was decided by strength.
Therefore, if Ethan obtained the right to enter Dragon Valley, it would be entirely to their benefit.
"Understood, I'll have Lucien handle this," Darius replied.
"Victory and defeat are both part of a warrior's path. Losing a competition doesn't make them enemies."
The Master of Dragon Valley nodded, satisfied with the answer.
"Good. But procedures must still be followed. Have Lucien bring Ethan to the Secret Kingdom; once he receives approval, the matter will be settled."
Darius nodded silently.
...
Meanwhile, at the secret base, Ethan and his Pokémon were undergoing their daily training.
Amid the mountainous forest, Sandslash, Cacturne, Slowking, and Charmander stood in the field.
"Ready?"
From a distance, Ethan watched them, while five more Pokémon stood beside him.
Upon hearing his voice, the four on the field let out energized roars.
"Alright then—let's begin!"
As soon as his order rang out, the four Pokémon began to move simultaneously.
Sandslash spun rapidly in place, unleashing Sand Spin Whirl, whipping up a powerful surge of dust that enveloped the entire field.
At the same time, Cacturne used Ingrain, letting the sand strike him without moving an inch thanks to his Sand Veil ability. Roots sprouted from his feet, absorbing moisture from the ground, drying the soil and gradually turning it into an arid terrain.
Slowking and Shellder, seeing the storm grow, used Psychic to control the winds with their mental power, keeping the small Charmander from being harmed.
"Chaaarr!"
Charmander roared gratefully at Slowking, and the flame on his tail burned even more fiercely. His body began to glow red, releasing an intense heat that caused steam to rise around him.
The ground beneath his feet cracked from the temperature, and together with the moisture drained by Cacturne, the terrain quickly began to turn into dry sand.
The storm howled violently, spreading layer after layer of sand across the field, transforming the grassy plain into a desert in mere seconds.
The wind whistled fiercely, sand whipped through the air, and the storm's power grew stronger—more violent, more blinding.
"Absol, it's your turn," Ethan said, looking at the white Pokémon beside him.
"Abssss!"
Absol nodded firmly and stepped forward into the raging sandstorm.
"Alright, that's enough. Everyone, stop!"
After about thirty seconds, Ethan gave the command to halt.
The wind gradually died down, and when the storm finally cleared, before them stretched a true desert field. In the middle of the sand, half-buried, was Absol.
"Abssss!"
Absol shook off the dust and sand, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"What do you think?" Ethan asked with a grin.
Absol nodded seriously—the storm's power had increased drastically, far beyond before.
"Good work," Ethan said with satisfaction, nodding with a smile.
Sandslash, Cacturne, and Charmander cried out happily.
Their desert field was complete!
(End of chapter)