Inside Mt. Pyre's hidden inner world, the small wooden house at the summit radiated quiet warmth. Every piece of furniture — the hand-carved tables, chairs, and shelves — showed decades of careful use.
At the low wooden table sat an elderly man. Gengar hovered at his side, rambling enthusiastically, while the old man listened with patient fondness.
The moment Chen Shi stepped in, the elder raised a hand.
"You must be Chen Shi. Come — sit."
Chen Shi sat opposite the two elders, steady and respectful.
Floss's grandfather began:
"I contacted Old Chen to ask if he could help me look after my granddaughter for a while."
Floss immediately shot upright.
"Grandpa! Then I can finally go outside!?"
Her grandfather tapped his cane sharply on the floor.
"Sit."
Floss plopped down beside Chen Shi.
But when she caught the amused curl of Chen Shi's lips, she instantly turned her head away in embarrassment.
Her grandfather continued:
"This child grew up here. Her personality is… simple. I hope you can guide her. Teach her how to live among people — and how to tell good from bad."
Chen Shi immediately caught the meaning:
Floss = extremely pure, dangerously unexposed to society.
A scammer's dream.
A guardian's nightmare.
He nodded lightly.
But another thought slid into place.
The Orbs.
The Red Orb and Blue Orb — sacred relics tied to Groudon and Kyogre — were historically guarded by Mt. Pyre's elders.
Which meant…
Chen Shi leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.
"Senior… the outside world isn't peaceful right now. Two criminal groups have appeared — Team Magma and Team Aqua. Rumor has it they're searching for something connected to the gods of land and sea."
He paused, letting the weight sink in.
"They even have Champion-class Pokémon. The League sent Elite Four Murra — and he couldn't fully suppress them."
He looked the elder in the eye.
"Are you sure you want me to take your granddaughter away now?
I don't mind — but I want to be clear."
The room fell silent.
Floss's grandparents exchanged a single, heavy glance.
He understood the subtext perfectly:
Protect the Orbs. The storm is coming. Be prepared.
The old man didn't ask how Chen Shi knew. Wise men no longer questioned every mystery.
After a moment, Floss's grandfather tapped his cane again.
A second Gengar — far stronger than the first — melted out of his shadow.
Pokémon: Gengar
Level:King Peak (Heavenly-tier)
Potential:Unknown
Type: Ghost/Poison
Note: A guardian-level Pokémon — fitting for Mt. Pyre.
Of course.
The guardians of the Orbs would never be weak.
"Bring me the item."
The Gengar disappeared into the darkness.
Moments later, it returned carrying a pitch-black wooden box.
The elderly man set it in front of Chen Shi.
"This is your reward — and a token of trust. I ask you to watch over Floss. And if anything happens here… lend us your strength."
Chen Shi nodded and opened the box.
And froze.
At that exact instant, Dragapult's Poké Ball trembled violently, as though the dragon inside was trying to burst free.
Chen Shi slammed the lid shut.
Dragapult calmed instantly.
His system interface flickered alive.
Item Acquired: Fragment of Giratina's Reverse Scale
A naturally-shed scale belonging to Giratina, the Renegade Pokémon.
Exudes an overwhelming pull toward Dragon-types and Ghost-types.
Contains faint traces of Distortion World energy.
Extremely dangerous — and unimaginably precious.
Chen Shi's breath caught in his throat.
Of course Dragapult reacted — this was a fragment shed naturally by Giratina, a Creation-tier Legendary, a Ghost/Dragon being born of antimatter.
This wasn't just a treasure.
This was a binding oath.
A favor so great it created a future debt — and a future alliance.
Chen Shi gently placed both hands on the box.
"Senior… I accept."
The grandfather nodded gravely.
"It is useless to us. But in your hands… perhaps one day, it will protect this mountain."
Chen Shi's chest tightened.
"If Mt. Pyre needs me — I'll come."
And he meant every word.
Because this Reverse Scale…
If used during Dragapult's final evolution…
It would undergo a metamorphosis unlike anything the world had ever seen.
A shiver ran down Chen Shi's spine.
This could shape a future Champion team.
Maybe even something beyond Champion.
Floss's grandmother wiped her eyes softly.
"Please take care of the child. She knows nothing of human malice."
Chen Shi shrugged lightly.
"I'll let her stay on our farm first.
When she's ready, I'll take her out into the world.
Let her suffer a little — or she'll never learn."
The grandparents hesitated — then sighed.
"You're right," the old man whispered.
"If I'd understood that earlier… my son—"
His wife touched his arm gently.
"Enough."
Chen Shi rose to his feet.
"I'll take her home now."
Floss's excited voice came thundering down the stairs:
"I'm ready! Let's go—!!!"
And thus—
The future Ghost Elite's journey began.
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
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