Morning light spread across the Aether estate.
The courtyard still carried faint scars from the previous night's training.
Bai Chen stood in the middle of it, arms crossed, deep in thought.
"Hmm… to help Nergigante control her bloodlust,"
he murmured,
"I'll need to trigger it first."
He looked up at the sky, thinking aloud.
"But where on earth am I supposed to find a Pokémon that knows Zen Headbutt?"
He rubbed his chin.
"Maybe… it doesn't have to be Zen Headbutt.
Anything that disrupts the mind — Confusion, Hypnosis, anything psychic-related — might work."
A pause.
Then a sigh.
"…Yeah, no. That kind of move isn't exactly easy to find right now."
He ruffled his hair in mild frustration.
"Forget it. I'll think of something later.
Worst case, I'll just borrow Lusamine's Bewear and make her help."
After a light breakfast, Bai Chen returned to the training yard.
Nergigante was already waiting — wings folded, golden eyes gleaming with excitement.
Her tail swayed slowly behind her, crushing the grass beneath each movement.
Bai Chen adjusted his gloves and gave a sharp nod.
"Alright, partner.
Full strength. Don't hold back."
Nergigante gave a low rumble.
Then, with a roar, she lunged forward —
Her right claw was shrouded in dark energy.
Extinction Smash!
The impact came fast.
Bai Chen inhaled once, aura tightening through his limbs.
"Move — Protect!"
A white barrier burst into existence around him.
The blow landed like thunder.
Dust exploded outward, but when it cleared—
Bai Chen was still standing, unharmed, inside the glowing field.
He exhaled slowly.
"Good. That's the rhythm."
The last battle with Team Skull hadn't just given him experience.
It had also rewarded him with two very practical moves.
[Quick Strike (★2)]
Harnesses fighting aura to accelerate the user's body beyond human reaction.
The faster the base speed, the faster the burst.
[Protect (★3)]
Condenses aura into a full-body barrier that blocks most attacks.
Using it repeatedly lowers the success rate.
Of course, reality wasn't as forgiving as the game.
The barrier wasn't invincible — it depended on precision, stamina, and sheer focus.
And Bai Chen was determined to master it.
"Again!"
Nergigante roared and charged, claws flashing.
Bai Chen raised his arm, aura flaring.
"Protect!"
The barrier held — barely.
It flickered under pressure.
"Again!"
The third strike hit —
And this time, the shield shattered like glass.
The black spines tore through the fading energy and pierced his shoulder.
Bai Chen gritted his teeth and ripped the spine out, blood dripping down his arm before the wound sealed on its own.
He winced but smiled faintly.
"Alright… now we're getting somewhere."
He'd been testing the move since yesterday.
First use: 100% success.
Second use: roughly 40%.
Third use: less than 1%.
It lined up with the data from the original world — Protect wasn't meant for spam.
He clenched his fists.
"If I can raise the skill's mastery, maybe I can push it past the third barrier."
He reset his stance.
"Ready?"
Nergigante crouched again, wings flaring wide.
"Then come at me!"
The courtyard echoed with blows — the clash of claw and steel, of aura against aura.
Each exchange brought improvement.
Each impact refined his control.
Through trial and pain, both hunter and dragon were sharpening each other like blades.
By the time dawn touched the horizon again, Bai Chen had finally stopped.
Sweat clung to his back; his arm still throbbed faintly from overuse.
But he smiled.
Progress — slow, painful, but real.
The next morning, his first day of work began.
He dressed neatly for once — black slacks, pressed shirt, a tailored vest over his usual undershirt.
The iron sword hung at his waist, clean and polished.
Lusamine had officially hired him the night before.
A generous salary, minimal duties — just one core task.
Protect Lillie.
Breakfast came and went.
Lillie seemed in high spirits as she entered the car, her bag neatly pressed on her lap.
Bai Chen followed, mounting his sword to the roof rack before sliding into the seat beside her.
The drive was peaceful — morning sun reflecting off Alola's blue coastlines, the faint call of Wingulls echoing above.
When they finally stopped outside the school gates, Bai Chen opened the door for her.
"Have a good day."
He was just about to turn back when—
"Alola! Good morning, Lillie!"
The cheerful voice came from a distance.
A green-haired girl jogged over, waving brightly.
"Alola, Mallow."
The two smiled warmly.
Bai Chen watched from the side, amused.
He already knew who she was — Lillie's close friend, a lively girl full of curiosity.
"Alola," he greeted, nodding politely.
Mallow blinked, then returned the greeting with a grin.
"Alola! And who might you be?"
Before he could answer, Lillie stepped in quickly.
"This is Mr. Bai — the one I told you about before. The person who saved me."
"Ahh… that one!"
Mallow's eyes widened, teasing playfully.
"The hero you mentioned—"
Lillie's face turned scarlet in an instant.
"S-stop! Those were just… girl talk! Don't say it out loud!"
Mallow laughed, hands raised in surrender.
"Alright, alright, I won't!"
Bai Chen just smiled awkwardly and extended a hand.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Bai Chen."
"Mallow," she replied, shaking it lightly. "Pleasure's mine."
Her curiosity didn't fade.
"Mr. Bai, where are you from? You don't look like you're from around Alola."
Lillie stepped in again, saving him.
"Mr. Bai's from a faraway continent. He's… my bodyguard for now."
"Bodyguard, huh?" Mallow's grin grew mischievous.
"Well, that's interesting."
Lillie puffed her cheeks and looked away.
The school bell rang, cutting through their chatter.
Mallow waved.
"See you after class!"
Lillie turned back with a bright smile.
"Mr. Bai, we'll go catch Pokémon after school — don't forget!"
Bai Chen chuckled.
"Got it. I'll be ready."
Mallow's eyes sparkled.
"Catch Pokémon? Can I come too?"
"Of course," Bai Chen replied easily. "The more, the merrier."
He watched the two girls disappear into the school gates.
The courtyard quieted again.
Then he turned and got into the car, the driver already waiting to take him back.
When Bai Chen returned home, Lusamine was already there — surrounded by machines.
Several Aether Foundation staff were assembling scanners and cables around the open yard.
"Perfect timing," she greeted, excitement flashing in her eyes.
"I'm about to start the examination."
Nergigante was lying on the grass, curiously sniffing at the instruments.
Bai Chen arched an eyebrow.
"You're doing it yourself?"
"Of course." Lusamine smiled proudly.
"Something this fascinating — I wouldn't trust anyone else."
The day flew by in a blur of scanning lights and humming devices.
By the end of it, Lusamine looked positively ecstatic — eyes shining with childlike wonder.
No one in this world had ever studied a creature quite like Nergigante before.
A living, breathing elder dragon.
And now, the data was hers to analyze.
When evening fell, she turned to Bai Chen.
"Give me twenty days," she said, voice brimming with confidence.
"I'll craft the special Poké Ball you need — one strong enough to hold a monster."
"And your training equipment?"
"Already ordered. Three days, and they'll be ready."
Bai Chen smiled.
"Then I'll hold you to it."
After Lusamine left, dusk fell over the Aether estate.
The car pulled up once more — time to fetch Lillie from school.
And as Bai Chen climbed in, he couldn't help but think—
Another day, another step closer.
To strengthen.
To control.
To the hunt that would one day shake both worlds.
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