"Hello~ Is this, Lucas?"
The very instant the call was connected, Steven's voice came through the receiver.
"Yes, Mr. Steven. From the sound of it, you seem to be in a particularly good mood today?"
Lucas responded with a faint chuckle. It was clear from Steven's tone that he was indeed in high spirits; his voice carried a playful humor that was hard to miss.
What had happened to make him so cheerful, though, Lucas could not guess.
"Hahaha~ Last night my father finally told me that I don't have to go on blind dates—at least for the time being!"
Steven's voice was brimming with joy. One could almost picture him grinning ear to ear. To know why he was so happy, you only had to understand one thing: he was barely in his early twenties, and the thought of being forced into arranged meetings with women of noble families was, to him, completely unbearable.
Fortunately, he had sat down with his father and had a proper discussion last night. After they laid down a few conditions and reached a compromise, his father finally agreed to spare him—at least temporarily from the ordeal of arranged marriage.
To Steven, this was nothing short of a liberation.
Women?
Hah, women would only slow down the speed at which he could dig up rare stones!
"Pfft—"
Hearing the unmistakable joy and excitement in Steven's voice, Green couldn't suppress her laughter.
This former Champion of Hoenn was turning out to be unexpectedly amusing.
By all appearances, Steven was the epitome of the perfect "tall, rich, and handsome" young man, the type who should have every advantage in life. Yet here he was, fretting about such things. Ehhh… so in the end, did that mean rocks and gemstones were actually Steven's one true love?
"Well then, congratulations are in order, Mr. Steven," Lucas said with a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"These things are just trivial matters. Anyway, Mr. Lucas, what are your plans for today? Will you be staying in Rustboro a bit longer?" Steven laughed lightly, brushing aside the topic of blind dates and steering the conversation elsewhere.
"No, we plan to head out and take a look at other places."
"Oh? If it's Hoenn we're talking about, then I must say I know the region extremely well. Where exactly do you plan to visit, Mr. Lucas?"
Though his voice remained as gentle and mild as ever, a faint glimmer flashed across Steven's eyes.
"Mt. Pyre or Meteor Falls," Lucas replied honestly without hesitation.
Meteor Falls, after all, was the hidden dwelling place of the mysterious Draconid people. At the same time, it was also one of the most famous and storied outdoor adventure locations in all of Hoenn. Its reputation was on par with Mt. Silver of Kanto and Mt. Coronet of Sinnoh.
Furthermore, there had always been long-standing rumors—whispered among trainers—that the base evolutionary form of the pseudo-legendary Salamence, Bagon, could be found living within Meteor Falls.
Of course, such rumors weren't unique to Hoenn. Mt. Silver had similar stories about Larvitar, while Mt. Coronet was said to harbor Gible.
As for Kanto's other sacred site, the Dragon's Den… well, that was firmly under the control of the Blackthorn Clan. It was filled with countless rare and powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, including Dragonite itself. But the Blackthorn Clan would never allow just anyone to step into their ancestral grounds. That was their inheritance, their heritage.
"Meteor Falls and Mt. Pyre, hmm…"
Hearing this, Steven's brows furrowed slightly. He could understand Meteor Falls—it was a renowned place that attracted many—but why Mt. Pyre?
As a native of Hoenn, Steven was of course familiar with Mt. Pyre. It was known far and wide as Hoenn's most sacred Pokémon burial ground, a place where the spirits of departed Pokémon were laid to rest.
It was Hoenn's counterpart to Kanto's Pokémon Tower, Sinnoh's Lost Tower, and Unova's Celestial Tower—solemn, sacred, and filled with quiet reverence.
But still… why would Lucas want to go there?
"This time, I'll be staying in Hoenn for quite a while," Steven said at last. "If Mr. Lucas doesn't mind, I could serve as your guide. When it comes to knowledge of Hoenn, I daresay there are few people in this world who know it better than I do."
He chuckled, adding with a touch of humor, "And don't worry—it won't cost you a single Pokédollar."
Unable to deduce Lucas's intentions, Steven had decided on the simplest approach: if he couldn't figure it out, then he would just stay by his side and observe.
"To have the heir of the Devon Corporation personally act as our guide? That's more than we could ever hope for. Then I must trouble Mr. Steven for the favor."
Lucas arched a brow, lips curling into a faint, inscrutable smile.
Too hasty. Steven was showing his eagerness far too clearly. By being this overtly enthusiastic, he had practically announced his true motives.
But Lucas did not mind. In fact, having Steven by his side could prove to be convenient.
"Let's meet at the city gates of Rustboro at noon."
They exchanged a few more light words before the call ended. In his luxurious manor, Steven lowered the receiver and frowned deeply in thought.
"Steven, you're being careless. Your enthusiasm was too blatant. That man will surely suspect you have hidden motives."
Seated opposite him was a man in his fifties, dressed impeccably in a business suit. His sharp eyes regarded Steven sternly.
This was none other than Steven's father, the president of the Devon Corporation Joseph Stone.
He had overheard every word of the conversation and could only sigh inwardly at his son's lack of subtlety.
"I apologize, Father, but this person…"
Steven clenched his fists lightly, his expression earnest. He knew he had been impatient, but how could he help it?
This man was no ordinary traveler. He was the most dangerous Team Rocket executive, the man who had captured the White Dragon, Reshiram. Someone like that could not be ignored.
And the worst part was that Steven had no idea why Lucas had come to Hoenn, nor what kind of crisis he might bring with him.
If they couldn't uncover his purpose, then Hoenn would be left in a dangerously passive position.
"Have Wallace stand by to provide support at any time. And above all else—be cautious," Joseph said gravely. He wanted to remind Steven that matters like these should be handled by the Hoenn League, not by him personally.
But he knew his son's character all too well. Telling him to step aside was pointless.
He sighed quietly to himself. If only Steven had stayed outside digging for stones, this encounter would never have happened. In truth, it was his fault for pressing his son to return home.
"I understand," Steven said, nodding solemnly.
By noon, Lucas and his companions stood at the gates of Rustboro City. Before long, a figure in a neatly tailored suit approached quickly.
Though he called himself a "miner," Steven's favorite attire was still his sharp, elegant suits.
And one had to admit, with his striking features and tall frame, he fit the image of the perfect young noble to a tee.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," Steven said warmly, offering a slight bow.
"No need to be so polite—we just arrived ourselves."
"So then, Mr. Lucas, which place shall we head to first?"
"Mt. Pyre. There is something about that place which I cannot ignore."
Lucas smiled faintly. He knew full well that Steven had his own reasons for sticking close to him, but he simply didn't care.
Even if Steven figured everything out, what could he do? Not just Steven—even if Wallace joined forces with him, they still would not be able to stop him.
Sorry—but they simply weren't capable of that.
In fact, having Steven around could only benefit him. As the most famous heir in Hoenn, and as a former Champion of the region, Steven was known everywhere. His influence could open doors that Lucas otherwise might not bother with.
"Very well, then please wait a moment."
Steven nodded, pulling out his phone and dialing a number.
Moments later, the low hum of blades cutting through air filled the sky. A sleek helicopter descended slowly and landed before them.
Green and Marnie stared at it in astonishment.
Goodness!
So, this was how Hoenn's number one young master traveled? Not by car, not by boat—simply by helicopter!
"Mt. Pyre is actually quite far from here. A helicopter will be much faster," Steven explained with his usual gentle smile. To him, this was nothing out of the ordinary—it was simply practical.
After all, Mt. Pyre was located south of Lilycove City, a considerable distance away from Rustboro.
"Well then, I must trouble Mr. Steven once again," Lucas said with a lifted brow. Truly, Steven was every bit the extravagantly wealthy young heir.
Not long after, the group boarded the helicopter and set off. After about half a day's journey, they finally arrived at their destination—Mt. Pyre.
As one of Hoenn's most sacred Pokémon graveyards, the atmosphere of Mt. Pyre was anything but comforting.
At a glance, it looked like just another tall mountain. But the entire peak was perpetually shrouded in a thin layer of fog, limiting visibility and casting everything in a ghostly pallor.
"This place feels… unsettling," Marnie murmured, tilting her head back to stare up at the mist-wreathed peak. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that something or someone was watching them from within the fog.
The atmosphere was hushed. Too hushed. The silence itself was eerie.
"To be honest, I'm rather curious," Steven finally said. "Mr. Lucas, what exactly is your reason for coming to Mt. Pyre?"
He wasn't surprised that Lucas had chosen the location, only puzzled. Mt. Pyre might have a reputation for mystery, but at its core, it was nothing more than a vast Pokémon cemetery.
He had even reviewed records and historical notes about the site, but he had never found anything particularly unusual about it.
"If it's you, Mr. Steven, then surely you're familiar with the legends of Hoenn, aren't you?" Lucas's lips curled into a faint smile as he posed the question.
"I know this one! The legends of Hoenn speak of the super-ancient Pokémon! One of them is the Continent Pokémon Groudon, who created the land. Another is the Sea Basin Pokémon Kyogre, who created the oceans. And finally, there's the Sky High Pokémon Rayquaza, the ruler of the skies!"
Before Steven could answer, Green eagerly blurted out her rehearsed knowledge. She had studied Hoenn's lore thoroughly in preparation for their journey.
"Yes, those are indeed the ancient legends passed down through Hoenn," Steven nodded gravely.
"It is said that whenever Groudon and Kyogre awaken, they inevitably bring catastrophic battles that threaten the world itself. And each time, Rayquaza appears from the heavens, forcing the two apart and sending them back into slumber."
Steven's tone was steady, but his eyes grew solemn.
For indeed—Groudon and Kyogre, embodiments of land and sea, would clash uncontrollably every time they stirred from their ages-long sleep. And every time, without fail, Rayquaza would descend from the stratosphere to intervene.
If persuasion failed… well, Rayquaza would simply mediate with its fists.
Yes, that was to say, it would beat them both soundly until they calmed down.
After all, what else could it do? The oversized lizard and that oversized fish just loved to cause trouble.
But why… why was Lucas suddenly bringing up these legends?
Steven's brows knitted tighter. Could Mt. Pyre truly have some hidden connection to Hoenn's ancient myths? But if that were the case, why had he never heard even a whisper of it before?
(End of Chapter)