"Oricorio—use Revelation Dance!"
"Doreee!"
Lightning burst from the twin tufts of fluff around Oricorio's head, forming a blinding arc that struck the Persian dead-on.
The alpha cat screeched, sparks scattering in the air. That attack was the final straw. The leader collapsed, defeated.
James, the butler, turned to assist Bai Chen—only to freeze at the sight before him.
The young man stood motionless amid the chaos, his katana—nearly three meters long—sheathed at his side.
But the blade was glowing.
A deep, crimson light pulsed along its length.
James's breath caught.
Bai Chen's voice was calm but sharp as steel.
"Spirit Blade Style Secret Art—Iaido: Draw Slash."
In an instant, he vanished.
The next heartbeat—steel sang.
The katana flashed from its sheath, trailing a red arc of energy that carved a perfect circle around him.
A single, ringing sound cut through the air.
Shiiing!
The crimson light flared, then faded.
Every Meowth surrounding him dropped to the ground almost simultaneously.
[EXP +12]
[EXP +11]
[EXP +8]
Bai Chen exhaled, flicked the blade clean, and slid it back into its scabbard in one smooth motion.
Then he looked around.
Every remaining Meowth that met his gaze trembled, their ears flattening. One by one, the survivors turned and fled into the hills, dragging their unconscious companions with them.
Bai Chen brushed the cat fur from his sleeve and muttered, almost amused,
"All done. Job's finished."
James could only stare.
The ground around the car was cratered—dozens of shallow pits gouged out by sheer force.
Each one was caused by the same boy, now calmly resheathing his sword.
"Is he… a Pokémon in human form?" James whispered, stunned. "That kind of power… from strength alone?"
The car door swung open. A young girl hurried out, clutching a medical kit. She ran to Bai Chen's side, her pale hair fluttering in the wind.
"Are you all right, sir? You were surrounded—I need to treat your wounds!"
Bai Chen blinked in surprise. The girl crouched beside him, pulling out bandages—but froze halfway.
Her eyes widened.
There wasn't a single scratch on him. The places where claws and fangs had struck were completely healed, his skin flawless.
"Impossible…" she murmured.
James approached quickly, bowing slightly.
"You saved us, young man. I owe you our lives. My name is James, and this is my young lady, Lillie."
Lillie.
Bai Chen recognized the name immediately—the heiress of the Aether Foundation, one of the main heroines of the Pokémon Sun and Moon timeline.
A literal rich girl.
He smiled politely.
"Bai Chen. Just arrived from… another region."
Both James and Lillie took a good look at him—his enormous pack, armor-like clothing, and the katana longer than he was tall.
Honestly, if he said he was from another world, they'd probably believe it.
Lillie bowed deeply, her hands folded in front of her.
"Mr. Bai, thank you so much for saving us. If it weren't for you, I… I don't know what would've happened."
Bai Chen waved off her thanks, slinging his massive pack back onto his shoulders.
"It was nothing. Just passing by. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. I still need to find somewhere to stay."
Lillie blinked.
"You don't have a place to stay yet?"
He shook his head.
"I just arrived in this region. Haven't found an inn yet."
Her eyes brightened immediately.
"Then please—come stay at our estate! It's the least we can do to repay you."
Bai Chen hesitated for a moment, glancing at James.
The butler smiled knowingly.
"If it's the young lady's wish, then you're more than welcome."
Bai Chen's grin returned.
"Then… I'll graciously accept."
He wasn't about to decline an invitation from a wealthy heiress—especially one whose life he'd just saved.
The car's suspension creaked noticeably when he climbed in, tilting under his weight and the mass of his gear. Both Lillie and James exchanged startled looks.
On the drive back, Lillie's curiosity bubbled over.
"Mr. Bai, which region are you from?"
"A very distant place," he answered vaguely, smiling. "One you probably haven't heard of."
She was sharp enough to recognize he didn't want to elaborate, so she politely changed the subject.
"Then… are you a martial artist? Your strength is incredible! You even fought Pokémon directly!"
"A martial artist?" Bai Chen chuckled. "You could say that. My goal… is to one day fight Groudon one-on-one."
Both Lillie and James froze, staring at him.
Surely he was joking.
A human challenging a Legendary Pokémon?
That wasn't bravery—that was madness.
Bai Chen didn't clarify, only smiled faintly, and watched the scenery roll by.
During the ride, he asked a few questions of his own—about the world, the time period, and local events.
Lillie explained that she attended the Pokémon School in Melemele Island daily. She hadn't yet met any "new transfer students" or an excitable young trainer named Ash Ketchum.
"So it's before the Alola saga," Bai Chen thought. "Early timeline, huh? Maybe someday I'll get to meet that 'Super Rookie' myself. I'd love to see if that body-strengthening skill of his is real…"
He still remembered the videos—Ash lifting a whole tree trunk and hurling it like a javelin.
No normal human could do that.
When the car finally arrived, Bai Chen's jaw slackened.
The Aether family estate wasn't just big—it was colossal. Rolling gardens, marble fountains, and a private mountain rising behind the mansion.
"If I eat and live here for free," he thought, "does that make me some kind of freeloader?"
A pause.
"Nah. Small-minded thinking. Even if I freeload for a month, what's that to a family this rich?"
His guilt evaporated instantly.
"Besides, I did save their lives. A month of free meals doesn't even begin to cover that."
The car pulled up in front of the manor. A line of maids was already waiting, bowing in perfect synchronization.
One hurried forward to open his door.
"Welcome, sir."
Bai Chen stepped out. Immediately, several maids reached for his massive pack.
"Allow us to carry your luggage, sir."
But the moment one of them touched it, a low, menacing growl rolled from inside.
A pair of glowing golden eyes glinted through the seam of the pack.
The maid shrieked, stumbling back.
"M-Monster! There's something alive in there!"
Lillie's eyes widened. She hadn't heard or seen anything unusual during the entire car ride. Was something really inside that bag?
Bai Chen set the pack down and raised his hands calmly.
"Easy, everyone. It's all right. She's with me."
He unzipped the top.
The small black dragon inside unfurled her wings and leapt out gracefully.
Sunlight hit her scales—dark as obsidian, lined with razor spines that shimmered like ivory.
Nergigante stood proudly, wings half-spread, horns gleaming, exuding the primal authority of an apex predator.
The courtyard fell silent.
"An unknown Pokémon!" someone gasped.
Every maid and guard instinctively took a step back, awed and afraid.
Nergigante climbed onto Bai Chen's back, talons resting lightly on his shoulders, her chin settling atop his head. Her golden eyes swept the crowd, a low growl vibrating from her throat.
Bai Chen sighed and patted her cheek.
"Don't scare them, girl. These are friends."
Then he looked up at the stunned household staff.
"Everyone, this is my partner—Nergigante."
Just the name alone sent a chill down their spines.
No one here knew what kind of Pokémon that was, but one thing was certain—
It wasn't ordinary.