Night had fallen completely, and silence blanketed the world.
The lights of the Kudo family estate cast warm halos into the thick darkness.
At the soft click of a key turning in the lock, the figure sitting silently in the living room tensed instantly.
"Shiba, you're back!"
Hanae's voice carried an urgency she could no longer restrain. She stood up from the sofa the very moment the door opened. In quick steps she walked forward, her gaze sweeping over her son from head to toe as if afraid even a single strand of hair might be missing.
"Dad, Mom—I'm fine."
Shiba's face showed traces of exhaustion, but the light in his eyes was astonishingly bright. He gave his mother a firm hug, soaking in that familiar warmth that always put his heart at ease.
On the main sofa, Kaito did not stand, but the eyes he cast toward his son were deep and sharp, filled with a weight of concern no words could express.
"Let Mom take a look. You must've suffered a lot out there."
Hanae grasped his hand. Her fingertips brushed against the faint chill of his skin, and the pain in her voice was impossible to hide.
"No. I gained a lot."
Shiba smiled lightly. He gently freed his hand, flipped his wrist, and two Poké Balls popped into his palm.
A flash of white light.
"Roooh!"
A clear dragon's cry reverberated through the spacious living room, carrying far more majesty and pressure than before. Now evolved into Dragonair, Dratini's elegant form stretched gracefully across the air, its sapphire scales gleaming. The aura rippling around its body unmistakably touched the absolute peak of the Elite tier.
Kaito's pupils contracted slightly.
He could sense it clearly—this aura was only a hair away from quasi–Ace rank.
This speed of growth was terrifying.
But this was only the beginning.
In a second flash of white light, another energetic Pokémon appeared on the carpet. Small in size, deep blue all over, engine-like organs on both sides of its head, and vivid golden eyes scanning the surroundings with lively curiosity.
Gible!
A pseudo-legendary hatchling!
Hanae's breath faltered, while Kaito's gaze locked firmly onto the little creature.
As a Dragon-type Ace-class powerhouse of the Kudo clan, his sensitivity to Dragon-types had already reached perfection.
He could feel it—within this Gible surged a vast, boundless life essence! An innate nobility, a kingly potential destined to tread upon the highest realm!
"Good boy!"
Kaito finally spoke. His voice was low, but it trembled with emotion.
"You were only out for a few days, and you already captured another pseudo-legendary… and even pushed Dragonair's strength this far!"
Pride and exhilaration filled the family.
Seeing his parents' shock, Shiba felt a warm tide rise inside him. He cherished this feeling—using his own power to bring honor to his family.
But he knew the real scene was only about to begin.
Shiba smiled mysteriously and reached into his tactical backpack, pulling out a simple, old-fashioned wooden box.
It wasn't large, but it carried the weight of years.
"Dad. This… is for you."
He held the box out toward Kaito.
A hint of doubt flickered in Kaito's eyes. Taking the box, he felt a gentle warmth through the wood. His movements were steady as always—unshakeable, like a mountain.
He slowly lifted the lid.
In that instant, time froze.
The bright lights of the living room reflected off the silk lining inside the box, illuminating the silhouette of the item resting within.
A fang-shaped relic, ancient-ivory in color, covered in profound dragon-pattern carvings. A pure, overwhelming Dragon-type essence pulsed faintly from within it.
Kaito's body stiffened.
The eyes that had weathered countless storms and commanded earth-shaking battles locked on the treasure with absolute fixation.
The calm, authority, and composure in his gaze shattered in that instant—replaced by disbelief, mania, and…
Ecstasy.
His breathing turned rough, rapid.
The hand holding the box bulged with veins; his knuckles whitened from the pressure. His fingers trembled uncontrollably.
"Dra… Dragon Fang!"
His Adam's apple bobbed violently as he forced out the words through clenched teeth.
The voice was hoarse, dry—warped by sheer emotional impact.
"It's actually Dragon Fang!"
With both trembling hands, he lifted the relic. His movements were reverent, almost sacred, as though holding not an item but the supreme faith of all Dragon-types—the most precious treasure in the world.
Hanae and Shiba were both stunned.
In their memories, their father was the unbreakable pillar of the clan—the Ace-class warrior who never flinched even when facing overwhelming foes.
They had never seen him lose composure like this.
Kaito's chest heaved violently. He closed his eyes, then snapped them open again, confirming he wasn't dreaming. The raging Dragon-type essence coursed through his fingers, telling him this was real.
He looked toward Shiba—his tiger-like eyes swirling with shock, gratitude, excitement… countless emotions tangled together until only one remained:
"Good son!"
"You… you're truly my good son!"
His voice still trembled.
"Do you know?"
"My ace—my Bloodwing Wyvern—has been stuck at the peak of Ace rank… for five years!"
"Five years!"
He practically roared the number, packed with bitterness and frustration.
"I've never touched the threshold of Champion rank because I lacked the final catalyst! I've searched for 'Dragon Fang' for years—spent resources, favors, connections—nothing! I had already resigned myself to dying at this bottleneck…"
"And yet… you found it!"
This Dragon Fang was the one and only key that could break his shackles and let him strike at the Champion realm.
At that moment, as he looked at his son—still youthful in appearance, but with eyes steady and resolute—what surged in his heart was no longer just pride.
It was the overwhelming shock of being surpassed by the next generation.
It was witnessing the birth of a limitless future.
He could already see it—under the leadership of his son, blessed with monstrous talent and unprecedented fortune, the centuries-old Dragon-taming Kudo clan would step into an era so brilliant that every other family would tremble.
Shiba's status within the clan could no longer be defined by "eldest grandson."
He was now—the absolute core of the clan's future.
(End of Chapter)
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