After breakfast, Bai Chen had just managed to calm Nergigante down when the sound of churning rotors filled the courtyard.
A sleek, snow-white helicopter slowly descended onto the villa's helipad, its blades slicing the air with sharp, rhythmic thwaps.
Both Bai Chen and Lillie looked up, startled.
They made their way to the helipad just as the cabin door opened—
—and Lusamine burst out like a gust of perfume and designer fabric.
"Lillie! My sweet girl!"
She swept her daughter into a tight embrace, rubbing her cheek into Lillie's soft blonde hair.
"Half a month apart and you've become even more adorable!"
"M-Mother?!"
Lillie froze. She hadn't received so much as a message—let alone expected her to show up in person.
She gently pushed her away.
"Mother, what are you doing here?"
"Why, today's the day of Bai Chen's Island Challenge! How could I not attend?"
Before Lillie could reply, Lusamine turned and reached for Bai Chen—
clearly intending to pull him into one of those overly familiar hugs too.
He stepped back smoothly, dodging with the precision of a seasoned warrior.
Lusamine lunged again playfully—
But Bai Chen sidestepped, catching her by the collar to prevent his employer from crashing face-first into the landing pad.
Realizing her "attack" had failed, Lusamine sighed dramatically.
"So cold… You could at least call me Mother like Lillie does, you know."
"President," Bai Chen said flatly. "Let's not joke around."
"No sense of humor! You'll never charm any girls like that."
"Mother!" Lillie blurted out, unable to take it anymore.
Lusamine smiled innocently, hands raised.
"Alright, alright! You two looked so serious—I just wanted to lighten the mood."
Composure returned to her face, the poise of the Aether Foundation's president sliding neatly back into place.
She turned to Bai Chen.
"So—how's the preparation going? I came to celebrate, you know."
"I'm in peak condition," Bai Chen said. "From here on, it's all about performance."
"Hmm. Sounds like you're confident in the outcome."
Her tone was teasing, but her eyes—sharp and experienced—picked up the quiet certainty in his words.
The instincts of a lifelong leader never dulled.
"Who knows?" Bai Chen smiled faintly.
Lusamine laughed, checking her watch.
"If we leave now, we should make it in time. But Hala's home isn't exactly nearby. We shouldn't be late for something this important."
Lillie glanced at her own timepiece—8 a.m.
They didn't have much time.
The three quickly gathered their things, heading for the car—
and immediately ran into a problem.
The weight.
The moment Bai Chen's armor and swords were loaded into the vehicle, the car's frame sank. The suspension groaned. The chassis nearly kissed the ground.
Lusamine chuckled.
"How on earth are you even moving around in that?"
Bai Chen didn't answer.
Lillie whispered beside him.
"Maybe… we should switch to a truck?"
Bai Chen cleared his throat.
"Why don't you two go ahead? Nergigante and I can fly there."
It was a practical suggestion—
The car couldn't handle the load, but Nergigante certainly could.
"No need for that."
Lusamine waved a manicured hand, already pulling out her phone.
"Save your energy for the challenge."
Within minutes, another aircraft arrived—
this time, a personal jet, compact but luxurious, capable of vertical takeoff.
Bai Chen stared, half impressed, half exasperated.
"She really just… has one of those lying around."
"Consider it a gift," Lusamine said cheerfully. "Leave it here at the estate. If you ever want to go sightseeing, just take it."
Bai Chen could only laugh under his breath.
"How many Jameses would it take to buy one of these…?"
He shook his head. Asking about other people's wealth felt just as rude as being asked about his own strength. Both were private matters.
He followed the two aboard.
By the time they arrived at Hala's home, the jet had cut the expected travel time by nearly half an hour.
They landed on an open field not far from the elder's residence.
A large man with a snow-white beard approached to greet them, his presence commanding yet warm.
"Well, well… I didn't expect President Lusamine to visit personally."
"It's been too long, Hala."
Lusamine and Hala exchanged pleasantries, followed by Lillie's polite greeting.
Finally, Hala's eyes turned toward Bai Chen.
For a brief moment, his squint relaxed—revealing a glint of sharpness that belied his genial smile.
"And this must be the young man you mentioned…"
His gaze narrowed, and a spark of awe crossed his face.
"You found quite the monster, President. His strength is remarkable."
Like Lusamine, Hala was a man of experience. He'd seen countless trainers, warriors, and champions.
He didn't need a battle to know—just one glance at the faintly cracked ground beneath Bai Chen's feet told the story.
A walking powerhouse.
"Bai Chen," he said simply, bowing slightly. "Knight. An honor to meet you."
"Hala. Kahuna of this island. The honor's mine."
Hala's thoughts flickered briefly.
A knight? In this world?
A smile tugged at his lips.
"Truly… the world never runs out of surprises."
He gestured toward the house.
"There's still time before the Island Challenge begins. Come—sit, have some tea."
The group followed him inside.
Nergigante, still in miniature form, rested quietly in Bai Chen's pack—
a sleeping storm hidden in plain sight.
The wooden interior was bright and airy, typical of the tropical homes of Alola.
But when Bai Chen stepped in, the floorboards creaked sharply under his weight.
A brief pause. Then—
They all decided to move the table outside instead.
It was safer that way.
While they sat in the open, Hala's Hariyama served tea with surprising gentleness.
But the Kahuna's eyes shifted toward the nearby forest.
There, half-hidden behind the trees, glimmered a pair of electric-yellow eyes.
A small, masked figure—its shell-like arms humming faintly with energy.
Bai Chen noticed immediately.
The moment their gazes met, the figure vanished.
"You saw it too, didn't you?" Hala murmured.
"That was the guardian deity of Melemele Island—Tapu Koko, wasn't it?"
Hala nodded.
In the Alola region, there were four islands—
and four guardian deities.
Each deity chose a Kahuna to represent their island, selecting only those worthy enough to protect both people and Pokémon.
"Indeed," Hala said, stroking his beard. "I didn't expect him to appear this soon. It seems there's something about you that caught his attention."
Something of interest…
Bai Chen didn't need to ask what that meant.
Of course—it was Nergigante.
An Elder Dragon from another world…
Even a guardian god would be cautious before such a being.
If it came down to raw statistics, Tapu Koko wasn't even on the level of a pseudo-legendary like Tyranitar.
"If I get the chance," Bai Chen said quietly, "I'd like to fight him."
No hesitation.
No bravado.
Just a simple truth, spoken by a warrior who sought challenge—not glory.
Hala smiled faintly, a spark of amusement lighting his old eyes.
The knight and the guardian deity—
That would be a battle the island itself would remember.
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