Steven Stone grabbed Chen Shi's sleeve the moment they stepped aside.
"What did you just do?" he whispered urgently. "What power? And how can you 'teach' it?"
Chen Shi kept his voice low.
"Don't ask. I'll explain later."
"I really can't talk about it right now."
Steven Stone wanted to push, but seeing his friend unusually serious, he let it drop.
Still…
If the prophecy was real, if disaster truly returned—wouldn't it be better for Chen Shi to have the power to summon the so-called Dragon God?
Before he could speak, the elder cut in.
"If you can truly teach him, then that is ideal."
"Two people with that power means twice the hope."
She paused.
"And of course, we will not ask for help without offering something in return."
Chen Shi and Steven Stone exchanged a quick glance.
"You may each enter our treasure vault and choose two items."
Chen Shi's eyes lit up immediately.
Treasure? Rewards? YES.
Steven Stone tried to maintain the dignity of a Zvučik family heir…
He lasted about five seconds.
Because when Zinnia opened the inner door and guided them into the underground vault—
Steven Stone forgot all about noble composure.
He didn't even look at the mountains of rare resources.
His gaze snapped straight to the crates of stones.
Rows.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Ancient, glowing, meteor-forged, dragon-charged stones—collected by the Meteor People over generations.
Chen Shi, meanwhile, was stunned by the sheer wealth inside.
There were:
Top-grade herbs
Advanced evolution materials
High-tier attribute gems
Fragments of Champion-level dragon scales
Ancient reverse scales
Meteor-infused relics
A paradise for any dragon tamer.
But…
Both boys walked right past the incredible resources—
—and went straight to the stones.
Zinnia stared blankly.
"...???"
Are outsiders all like this?
Ignoring literal fortunes… to rummage through rocks??
What she didn't know was:
Chen Shi's grandparents were elite breeders; rare herbs did not impress him.
Steven Stone came from a gemstone empire; normal treasures didn't excite him at all.
But Mega Stones?
That was different.
And sure enough—
They found boxes of them.
Over twenty Mega Stones.
Eight Key Stones.
Most were dragon-related—Salamencite, Garchompite, Altarianite—collected across centuries.
But several others were mixed in.
And then—
Chen Shi froze.
His fingers closed around a silver-blue gemstone adorned with a faint cross pattern.
His breath hitched.
Metagross's Mega Stone.
Metagrossite.
After all this time, all his searching—
It was right here.
His heart surged with triumph.
Every Pokémon in his future roster that could Mega Evolve had its stone now.
Across from him, Steven Stone was practically drooling over mineral clusters and energy-reactive formations.
Chen Shi, after steadying himself, selected his second treasure:
A Champion-tier Salamence Reverse Scale.
A gift for his grandfather's Salamence.
If the old dragon could break past its current barrier, the Chen family farm's defenses would rise to another level.
Fewer enemies would dare even look in their direction.
When the boys emerged from the vault, arms full of stones, the old woman examined their choices.
A reverse scale.
And three… random-looking rocks.
She fell silent.
She had offered her vault of priceless treasures…
And they chose those?
She didn't understand that these stones were worth more to the boys than any herb or treasure inside.
The elder sighed.
"Are you certain? You may still choose differently."
"No." ×2
Their voices overlapped without hesitation.
The elder accepted this with a nod.
Her expression turned solemn.
"If the calamity does return, please come back to us."
"When that time comes, the reward will be far greater."
Those last four words carried unmistakable weight.
Chen Shi and Steven Stone understood instantly.
Today's treasures were only a down payment.
If they helped the Meteor People during the real crisis—
the true heritage of the Meteor tribe would be theirs.
"No problem."
They replied together.
Chen Shi no longer resisted the idea.
If the rewards later were truly legendary…
He could cross a few mountains and walk through some fire.
Especially with Steven Stone beside him.
The two bowed politely.
"Then we'll take our leave. Thank you for the hospitality."
The elder smiled warmly.
"Come back anytime, children."
Zinnia and Aida escorted them toward the exit.
Inside the hut, after they left…
Zinnia frowned and whispered:
"Grandmother… do you really believe those two have anything to do with the prophecy?"
"They don't look like heroes at all."
She hesitated.
"And why didn't you ask them how to unlock the power similar to the Dragon God's? If we could learn it ourselves, we wouldn't need outsiders."
The elder cast her a calm, knowing look.
"Child, do not judge people by appearances."
"Sometimes the most unreliable-looking person is the most dependable."
Zinnia instantly pictured Chen Shi.
She was… not convinced.
But the old woman continued:
"As for asking about that power—have you considered this?"
"Why would someone hand over something so precious simply because we ask?"
Zinnia froze.
The elder sighed.
"If we pushed too hard, we would break the bond we just formed."
"Meteor People do not rob nor extort their benefactors."
Zinnia bowed her head.
"…I understand. I still have much to learn."
"Good."
"Prepare yourself. It is time for you to leave the village."
Zinnia's eyes widened.
"You must see the world for yourself."
Zinnia hesitated—then nodded with resolve.
"I understand, Grandmother."
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