"Enter the Dragon's Den? Ah, Kael, although you are now already the Pokémon Gym Leader, and according to our family's rules, you do have the qualification to take someone into the true Dragon's Den, you must know the responsibility you have to assume!"
A considerable weight could clearly be heard in the elder's words.
"Elder, I am no longer that child from before. I know what I am doing. Everything can follow the rules," Kael said respectfully.
"Since that is the case, then I will have to trouble your friend to undergo a small test."
As he spoke, the elder took out a fist-sized stone from his sleeve.
"I will have to ask this friend of yours to hold this Dragon-Testing Stone for one minute," the elder continued.
Kael looked at Cain. This was the final test he had spoken of.
Cain nodded, without hesitation, and held that milky-white stone. He felt that it was slightly warm, with a sensation similar to top-quality jadeite.
After all, he originally had no intention of harming the Drako family. Even his relationship with Lance was quite good.
Little by little, the temperature of the jadeite in his hand rose higher and higher. Its color also changed from the original milky white to showing a faint reddish flush, and that flush became more and more intense.
Seeing the change in the Dragon-Testing Stone, both Kael and the elder of the Drako family showed somewhat strange expressions, even somewhat incredulous.
The two unconsciously looked at each other, and both saw surprise in the other's eyes. The difference was that Kael quickly hid it, while the surprise in the elder's eyes became more and more evident.
"Enough. Young friend, you may enter the Dragon's Den."
As he said this, the elder received the Dragon-Testing Stone back from Cain's hand, feeling that the temperature of the stone really was not low.
Then Kael led Cain, who still did not fully understand the situation, toward the Dragon's Den. The elder simply acted as if he did not see either of them.
"Tell me, that stone, what function exactly did it have? Why were the looks from you two so strange?" Cain could not help asking.
Kael stopped, looked directly into Cain's eyes, and observed him silently for a while. In the end, he failed to see anything and smiled helplessly.
"That is the Dragon-Testing Stone. It is said that when the Drako family was founded, our ancestors asked a Legendary Pokémon with special abilities to help create this stone. Perhaps it was a Legendary Pokémon or a Mythical Pokémon."
"Its function is unique, but also very effective: to check whether a person will bring harm or benefit to my family in the future. If they are harmful, the stone becomes extremely cold. But if they bring benefits, it becomes very hot."
"When you just held the stone, you yourself also saw the change. The stone became burning hot, even turning red. Did it need to be said what that represented?"
"Although this stone does not have too many functions, from the appearance of my family until today, it has never been wrong. So..."
Kael gave Cain a "you understand" look.
Cain really did understand, and he could not help feeling somewhat surprised.
"Then, do you or do you not have a relationship with my family?" Kael now truly no longer showed too much rejection toward Cain.
But Cain did not give him any answer. He only remained thoughtful inside.
He remembered that back then, his master, Drake, the Dragon-type Elite Four, when he took him to that Dragon Space, told him that the Drako family's Dragon's Den actually had a great relationship with the Dragon Space. It could even be said that it was a branch of the Drakoite family within the Dragon Space.
He did not know whether the heating of the Dragon-Testing Stone today had any relationship with the Dragon Space.
As for Lance, Cain admitted that he had no ill intentions toward him, but there was not too much help involved either. He did not know exactly what that Dragon-Testing Stone relied on to make its test.
In any case, now he had truly entered the Drako family's Dragon's Den.
Feeling the Dragon-type energy around him growing denser and denser, it was comparable to the Dragon Space.
Only, the Dragon Space had an enormous expanse, while the Dragon's Den here, at most, could be considered a reduced version.
"I will remind you of one last thing. Do not look at the Dragon's Den as if it were a quiet and peaceful place. Inside here, there are still several Dragon-type Pokémon with extremely powerful strength, and they are not comparable to my Dragonite. So, if you encounter those Dragon-type Pokémon, do not provoke them. Do not hesitate: simply run."
"Generally speaking, as long as you do not actively provoke them, they will not come chasing after you."
After a brief pause, Kael continued, "In addition, if you want to capture Pokémon from this place, especially Dragon-type hatchlings, it is best to do so with the consent of their parents. Otherwise, you will cause unnecessary trouble."
"And lastly, do not try to forcibly capture Pokémon that show a clear intention to resist!"
Cain nodded, indicating that he knew.
Seeing Kael's expression, which seemed to want to speak but was holding back, Cain smiled faintly and touched his forehead again with one finger.
Everything he wanted to know was contained in that touch.
Up to now, Cain had sent into Kael's mind information about Giratina, the Dragon of the Underworld, as well as some methods for training and using psychic power.
Moreover, in order to have enough time to explore the Dragon's Den alone, Cain deliberately increased the amount of information.
But within that information were also the methods for using psychic power that he had once obtained from the members of the Sacred Church.
Suddenly, Cain's entire body trembled.
It seemed that he had finally understood a little why Celebi had made him cross time and arrive at this moment and this place.
Cain originally thought his objective was the Dragon's Den, but now he suddenly felt that perhaps it was because of... Kael?
The awakening of psychic power, Giratina, the Dragon of the Underworld, and even some special methods and techniques for using psychic power...
Was all of this a coincidence?
(End of chapter)