Walking down the quiet corridor toward the third-floor lounge, Chen Shi couldn't help feeling a subtle mix of emotions.
"The world moves for profit — it always has, and it always will."
People chase opportunity, power, recognition—all wrapped in polite smiles and well-worded intentions.
And funny enough…
Wasn't that exactly what he planned when he first collected Mega Stones and revealed Mega Evolution at the World Championship?
Yet now that everything was finally happening, a strange unreality lingered in his chest.
Those terms Professor Oak proposed…
Maybe the title of Doctor would be debated—but entry to the First Vault and multiple picks from the Second?
Those were practically guaranteed now.
But none of that—none of the security or leverage—came from Mega Evolution alone.
Without Professor Oak…
Without his grandparents behind him…
Mega Evolution wouldn't have brought him respect.
It would've brought disaster.
Without them, would the Alliance leaders be sitting calmly discussing terms with him?
Would influential families hesitate?
Would anyone negotiate?
No.
If he didn't have those shields, someone like Suzuki Imei wouldn't have knocked politely—
—he would have taken.
Chen Shi exhaled softly and brushed his fingers across the Poké Balls on his belt.
"…Good thing I have all of you."
Seven Poké Balls trembled lightly—almost as if answering.
Official League rules dictated that Trainers could only carry six Pokémon at a time. Anything beyond that would be automatically transferred.
But Charizard's ball wasn't a registered standard capsule—it was a black custom ball.
A loophole.
A harmless one—but one he refused to give up.
He wouldn't leave any of them behind.
A familiar voice cut into his thoughts.
"Oi, Old Chen—what are you doing out here?"
Steven stepped out of the elevator, expression puzzled.
Chen Shi turned.
"Nothing. I stepped out with my teacher earlier. Just got back."
"Your match is done?"
Steven nodded, exhaling.
"Yeah. And let me tell you—Milotic is a menace. I almost flipped my own match."
Coming from Steven of all people, that meant something.
Chen Shi chuckled and opened the lounge door.
"Come in first. Talk inside."
The moment he walked in—
"Chen Shi-nii! / Shishu!!"
Two little rockets—Ash and Gary—launched straight at him.
As always.
He caught both, ruffled their hair, then sat down with them beside him.
Cynthia glanced his way, concern flickering in her eyes.
"Nothing happened… right?"
Professor Oak dragging him away without warning—anyone with a brain could guess why.
Even if she knew he wouldn't be bullied with Oak behind him…
Worry wasn't something feelings obeyed.
Chen Shi smiled.
"What can happen to me?"
"Just a room full of important people asking about Mega Evolution. They want me to publish the existence formally and release a paper. My teacher's handling negotiations."
Hearing that, Cynthia finally relaxed, nodding slightly.
Then Chen Shi turned to Steven.
"Once the Championship ends, Mega Evolution will be public knowledge."
"You won't need to hide anymore. Start collecting Mega Stones and Key Stones properly—now's the time."
"This is a friend's warning."
Steven originally planned to speak, but those last six words stopped him cold.
A friend's warning.
Not a trade.
Not leverage.
Not an exchange.
A gift.
Steven swallowed the words he was going to say—then quietly made a mental decision:
He would repay this favor.
One way or another.
After a pause, Chen Shi suddenly remembered something and pulled a small black velvet box from his pocket. He casually tossed it to Phoebe.
"Here. Yours."
Phoebe blinked, confused—then slowly opened the box.
She froze.
Then her eyes widened.
"…This is a Key Stone."
"And… a Gengarite?!"
She looked up sharply.
Chen Shi nodded.
"Yes. A Key Stone and a Mega Stone for Gengar. Take them."
He didn't explain—but he didn't need to.
The elders of Mount Pyre had once given him a priceless shard of Giratina's Reverse-Scale—a treasure far beyond value.
He had accepted it—because his Dragapult needed it.
And since they had offered something real, not empty favors…
He owed them a return—not a debt, but balance.
Something his heart could settle with.
Phoebe clutched the box, eyes bright.
"Thank you, Chen Shi-nii!"
…And yes, she thought smugly,
Helping him and Cynthia hold hands that night paid off beautifully.
"Alright," Cynthia said, shifting her attention back to the screen. "The final match is starting."
This round:
Lance vs. Diantha.
Chen Shi leaned back.
He didn't have high hopes for Diantha—not in this era.
Lance had started competing earlier than most of them, and his team was generally a level above.
And with Fairy-typing not yet discovered, Diantha's Gardevoir simply wasn't at its full potential.
Against a seasoned Dragon Master?
The gap was inevitable.
But in the future?
If Gardevoir awakened its Fairy typing…
And if Diantha mastered Mega Evolution?
Then a fight against Lance's Dragonite at equal tier… wouldn't just be possible—
—it would be terrifyingly one-sided.
Not father beating son…
But definitely upperclassman bullying freshman level.
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