"Heavenly King Li."
"Gym Leaders, I rushed here as soon as I got your message." Li Yunyao, with his square jaw and tall, upright frame, wore casual clothes. His expression was grave as he looked at the trio. "Where's Xu Xiu?"
He clearly noticed the devastation around them—three Pokémon dead, a stark testament to the battle's ferocity.
"He just fled," Xia Yong said with difficulty. "We were no match for him. His Tyranitar is incredibly strong."
"As expected." Li Yunyao sighed, then asked in a serious tone, "I need you to recount the battle in detail. Don't leave anything out."
"Alright."
…
Xia Yong described the events thoroughly, explaining that Xu Xiu's goal was the Grass-type Z-Crystal. Despite their best efforts to stop him, they were outmatched. The three Pokémon corpses on the ground were proof enough.
Li Yunyao's expression grew increasingly solemn as he listened. From Xia Yong's account, it was clear Xu Xiu had reached the ranks of Heavenly King trainers. Though he only had one Heavenly King-tier Tyranitar, it didn't diminish his strength.
"The Grass-type Z-Crystal, huh?"
Li Yunyao felt deep regret over the lost Z-Crystal. Since the development of Z-Moves, Z-Crystals had been strategic assets for nations, capable of turning the tide of battle with a single powerful move. Stopping Xu Xiu and securing the Grass-type Z-Crystal would have been a major achievement. The Pokémon Association might even have rewarded the Xia family with a pseudo-legendary Pokémon. What a shame.
Though disappointed, Li Yunyao showed no trace of it on his face. Instead, he comforted Xia Yong and Xia Luo. He knew their strength was no match for Xu Xiu. Some irresponsible Gym Leaders might not have even fought Xu Xiu, so their effort was commendable. "You did your best. This isn't your fault. The Pokémon Association won't forget your sacrifice. For the Pokémon that fell, the Association will do its utmost to compensate you. You'll likely be allowed to select Pokémon eggs."
"Thank you, Heavenly King Li." Xia Yong felt a wave of relief. He had feared the Pokémon Association might hold them accountable despite their heavy losses.
"It's what the Pokémon Association should do. They're sending people to take over this secret realm. You can rest for now. It'll take a few days to stabilize the realm. Though the Grass-type Z-Crystal is gone, the realm itself is still valuable. You've done well. Once the Association evaluates the realm's worth, you'll receive rewards." Li Yunyao reassured them. "For now, go home and get some sleep."
…
Back home, Xia Luo went straight to his room, locking the door behind him.
Xia Yong watched, unsure how to comfort his eldest son. With a sigh, he retreated to his study.
This secret realm expedition had been catastrophic for the Xia family. Having lost two ace Pokémon, Xia Luo no longer had the strength to remain the Fire-type Gym Leader of Honglian City. The Pokémon Association would likely announce his removal soon—a devastating blow for the once-vibrant Xia Luo.
Even with the Association's compensation, training a new near-Heavenly King Pokémon would take at least one to two years, even under ideal conditions.
Those years would be the Xia family's toughest.
Fortunately, Xia Yong's Shiny Scizor was still alive. Otherwise, he too risked losing his Bug-type Gym Leader position. If that happened, the enemies circling the Xia family would pounce, tearing them apart and dividing their assets.
"Sigh. I forgot to ask Xia Yu why he was in the secret realm. That kid."
While his father brooded and his brother reeled from the blow, Xia Yu's secret realm journey had been remarkably fruitful.
Not only had he caught a Treecko, but he'd also obtained a Sceptile Mega Stone—a rare piece of good news.
Lying on his bed, Xia Yu stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. Nearby, Treecko trained on exercise equipment, building its physical strength. Noibat, carefree, flitted about the room like a playful child.
Treecko and Noibat couldn't be more different. Noibat, innocent and spirited despite its draconic blood, was still young and acted like a child around Xia Yu, showing him boundless affection.
Treecko, on the other hand, carried the weight of parting with its Sceptile parents and their expectations. Like a child from the mountains, it was resilient and determined. Its drive to grow stronger surpassed anyone's, fueled by dreams and ambitions. The moment Xia Yu released it from its Poké Ball, it began training.
"Noibat, you should learn from Treecko and train with it." Xia Yu ruffled Noibat's head.
"Noi!" Noibat chirped happily, flapping its wings to join Treecko, mimicking its exercises.
Xia Yu's thoughts drifted to his brother. He was deeply worried. Having lived a second life, he valued family above all. Family meant selfless devotion—rejoicing in your happiness, taking pride in your success.
His brother and parents had always supported him quietly. This time, Xia Yu resolved to do something.
Determined, he grabbed the box containing the S-tier Thunder Stone, clutching it tightly, and headed to Xia Luo's room.
Since his mission to become a Dragon-type Pokémon Master meant he'd likely only train Dragon-types, the S-tier Thunder Stone would probably go unused. Better to give it to his brother.
Xia Yu knocked on Xia Luo's door.
"Who is it?" Xia Luo's weary voice came from inside.
"Brother, it's me."
*Click.* The door opened, revealing Xia Luo's exhausted face.
"What's up, Xia Yu? Something wrong?"
Seeing Xia Luo force a smile, Xia Yu's nose stung. No matter how much pain he was in, Xia Luo always showed his best side to family.
"Brother, the Pokémon Association will compensate you with a Pokémon egg. I want to go with you to pick it." Xia Yu looked at Xia Luo earnestly.
"We'll see. We can go together when the time comes." Xia Luo shrugged, his mind elsewhere.
"Brother." Xia Yu's expression turned serious, his tone sincere. "This time, you have to choose an Electric-type Pokémon. I found this treasure at the underground black market last night. It's for you. I hope you'll pull yourself together."
Handing over the box, Xia Yu's words touched Xia Luo. Even without knowing its contents, Xia Luo felt a warmth in his heart. He ruffled Xia Yu's hair. "Xia Yu, I'm okay. I just need some time. Besides, I've got plenty of money. Since you found this treasure, keep it for yourself. You don't need to give it to me."
"Brother, open it first." Xia Yu grinned mysteriously. "It's something special. I'm giving it up reluctantly."
"What's so mysterious?" Intrigued, Xia Luo opened the box.
Inside was an S-tier Thunder Stone.
"A Thunder Stone?" Xia Luo examined it closely. Its quality was exceptional—likely B-tier or higher, though it would need appraisal to confirm. "Nice quality, at least B-tier. Thanks for the thought, Xia Yu."
A Thunder Stone of this caliber wasn't cheap. Xia Yu had truly found a gem.
"Brother!" Xia Yu laughed, exasperated. "This Thunder Stone is S-tier."
"S-tier?!" Xia Luo, previously despondent, snapped to attention. If this was truly an S-tier Thunder Stone, it was a rare treasure.
An S-tier Thunder Stone had a chance to boost an Electric-type Pokémon's potential!
"For real?"
"For real."
...