Lube had traveled from Cebu City to Arca City, an eight-hour journey.
"Huh… so this is Arca City? Can a place like this really sell Pokémon with senior-level potential?"
Looking around, Lube felt a twinge of doubt. The city was quieter than the one he came from, almost too quiet for such big claims.
Walking with a hint of hesitation, he finally arrived at Brian's shop.
Inside, he saw two people chatting.
"Hello, how can I help you?" one of the men asked.
The voice came from a slightly older man who was now looking at him.
"Oh, hello. I saw on your website that this shop sells Pokémon said to have senior-level potential. Is that true? If so… are they still available?" Lube asked.
"You want to buy one? Jeremy, bring the Weedle from the breeding room," Brian said.
"Yes, sir."
Not long after, Jeremy returned with a Weedle. The little Pokémon was calm—Brian had made sure to teach it every day about living alongside trainers and growing stronger together. As a result, Weedle was unafraid, even curious about meeting new people.
Seeing it, Lube felt a spark of excitement, but a trace of doubt lingered. On his way here, he had read a few comments online casting suspicion on the potential of the Pokémon Brian sold.
"How about it? Do you want to buy it?" Brian asked. "If you're hesitant, our shop can sign a compensation agreement—if it doesn't reach the stated potential within five years, you'll be compensated. You can also come back any time within those five years for a consultation."
Brian knew those online comments well. Many people doubted him—some even called his shop a scam. That was why he had come up with this guarantee. He sighed inwardly. Without a proper potential-measuring device in this world, selling high-potential Pokémon and eggs was no easy task for a newcomer like him.
Hearing this offer, Lube's hesitation melted away. He had nothing to lose.
They finalized the transaction, and Brian felt a rush of joy. He wondered what kind of "gift" the system would grant him this time—but he didn't check immediately. Instead, he waited until the shop closed.
After dinner, he went into his room and opened the reward notifications.
Congratulations! You've received: 10 Normal-Type Rare Candies.Congratulations! You've received: A Small World.
Small World: A world spanning 100,000 square kilometers, divided into four distinct seasons. Contains all types of Pokémon habitats and various minerals to aid Pokémon evolution and growth. Includes a teleportation hub.
Pokémon that stay here for a set time will have their talents increased:
Red → Orange: 2 months
Orange → Yellow: 4 months
Yellow → Green: 6 months
Green → Blue: 1 year
Blue → Purple: 3 years
Purple → Gold: 6 years
Brian's jaw dropped. This was far beyond what he had imagined—an enormous gift. A small world… equipped with teleportation? That actually made sense. With an area this large—almost the size of Java—it would still take one or two hours to cross by flight. But what thrilled him most was the talent progression: with this place, his Pokémon, his parents, Alan, Jeremy, and everyone else could grow endlessly stronger.
The next morning, Brian woke up and headed straight to the forest. The night before, he had already decided to tell his family about the Small World. There was no way he could manage such a vast place alone—not when there were valuable resources to gather inside.
Still, he needed a believable story. In this world, which was originally like Earth before Pokémon appeared, strange phenomena weren't unheard of. If he claimed to have found it in the forest, his family would believe him.
He spent the day wandering leisurely, returning home by dinnertime.
As soon as he stepped inside, questions flew at him.
"Where have you been all day, Brian? You haven't been in your room since morning," his mother, Fiona, asked.
"Yeah, where have you been, brother?" Ann added.
"Yesterday, I made plans with a friend to explore the Awats Forest near Novena City," Brian replied.
"The city of Novena? Near here? What were you looking for there?" his father, Leon, asked.
"There's a new cave ruin there. He invited me to check it out, and I found this."
Brian pulled out a sleek, rectangular object about the size of a smartphone. In reality, there were new ruins in Awats Forest, but only local leaders and police were allowed to explore them—perfect for making his story sound plausible.
"What's this? A smartphone?" Nova asked.
"Haha, of course not. This is something amazing—you'll be shocked when you learn what it can do," Brian said.
"So, what exactly is it?" Leon pressed.
"You'll see tomorrow, Dad. It's getting late." Brian put the Small World away and headed for his room.
"Come on, brother, don't leave us hanging," Alan protested.
"Yeah, Brian," Ann chimed in, "just tell us now! Don't keep us in suspense."
But Brian shook his head. "Tomorrow. It's hard to explain—you'll understand when you see it."
That night, nobody slept well. Even Brian's parents tossed and turned. Every time he brought something home, it was valuable—like the Energy Cube recipe, or the meteorites that had earned them a fortune.
The next morning, everyone came down to breakfast with red eyes.
Brian blinked. "Why are your eyes so red?"
Everyone glared at him.
"If it weren't for you, would we be sleep-deprived? Now tell us what you brought yesterday," Leon demanded.
"Haha, so that's why," Brian chuckled.
"Stop laughing and just tell us," Fiona said, looking slightly annoyed.
Seeing that both his parents had spoken, Brian explained everything about the Small World.
"You mean… it's like this world, but smaller?" Leon asked, shocked. The others looked equally stunned. If such a thing truly existed, it was beyond extraordinary.
"Does something like that really exist, brother?" Alan asked.
"Yes. Now, where should we put it?" Brian asked, glancing at his parents. Leon and Fiona both knew this was something outsiders must never learn about.
"In your room, perhaps? You have strong Pokémon to guard it," Fiona suggested.
"Right, your room would be safer," Leon agreed.
"You don't have to worry," Brian assured them. "Once installed, the door will turn transparent, and only people I authorize can enter."
Hearing this, everyone agreed to set it up in the Pokémon enclosure, which would be guarded by the Golem and Steelix Brian had captured in the hidden garden.