The room was quiet—too quiet for the weight pressing down on them.
Eren slowed the holographic catalog until the rotating eggs drifted almost lazily in front of their eyes. Each one hovered in a translucent cradle of light, its shell marked by patterns that hinted at what slept inside.
Lia didn't rush him.
She knew better.
"This isn't just choosing Pokémon," she said softly. "This is choosing the shape of our future."
Eren nodded. "And how we survive it."
They filtered methodically.
Purely civilian species were ignored first. Not because they were weak, but because the world they lived in didn't forgive kindness without strength. Next went unstable bloodlines—powerful, but notorious for early-stage collapse without enormous support.
Then one egg stopped rotating.
The shell was dark iron-gray, etched with pale white sigils that faded in and out like breath against glass.
Species: HonedgeEvolution Line: Honedge → Doublade → AegislashType: Steel / GhostBloodline Status: PurePotential: Champion+ (Sealed)
Lia leaned closer, eyes sharp.
"Aegislash," she said quietly. "One of the best control-oriented Pokémon ever recorded."
"Defense, stance switching, battlefield suppression," Eren added. "And ghost typing means adaptability inside realms."
He hesitated. "But Honedge bonds are strict. It chooses its master."
The egg pulsed faintly, as if reacting to his words.
Lia smiled. "Then we won't treat it like a weapon."
She placed her hand near the projection, not touching. "We treat it like a partner."
The system chimed softly.
[Compatibility: High.]
Eren exhaled slowly.
"That settles it," he said. "First egg—Honedge."
The selection locked in.
The hologram shifted, the chosen egg marked with a golden ring.
The second choice felt heavier.
They needed power. Not reckless destruction, but authority—the kind that made enemies hesitate before acting.
Lia scrolled until a deep crimson glow caught her eye.
The egg's shell was layered, almost scaled, with faint golden cracks that leaked warmth into the air.
Species: Charmander (Variant Lineage)Evolution Line: Charmander → Charmeleon → CharizardSecondary Type: Dragon (Suppressed)Bloodline Status: Ancient VariantPotential: Apex Champion (Sealed)
Eren stared.
"A dragon-typed Charizard…" he murmured. "That's almost unheard of."
"Not legendary," Lia said immediately, scanning the restrictions. "But it grows into something that rivals them."
He frowned. "Charmander lines are aggressive. Prideful. And dragon blood amplifies that."
"Which is why," Lia replied calmly, "it needs us early."
She met his eyes. "Power like this, raised wrong, burns everything. Raised right… it protects."
The egg radiated heat—but steady, controlled.
Eren nodded.
"Second egg," he said. "Charmander."
[Selection Confirmed.][Twin Authority Binding Complete.]
Reality answered.
Two physical eggs settled gently onto the bed.
The Honedge egg was cool, metallic, faintly vibrating—as if listening.
The Charmander egg was warm, alive, a slow heartbeat pulsing through the shell.
Lia sat beside them, resting one hand near each.
"We're responsible for them," she said quietly. "Whatever they become… starts with us."
Eren swallowed. "I know."
The system moved on without sentiment.
[Secret Treasures Assigned.]
Two treasures manifested as floating sigils.
For Honedge:
Phantom Alloy CoreEnhances spectral stability, accelerates defensive growth, unlocks stance efficiency early.
For Charmander:
Draconic Ember SeedStabilizes dragon bloodline, prevents early-stage overload, increases flame control.
"These aren't power-ups," Lia observed. "They're safeguards."
"Which means," Eren said, "without them, these Pokémon would've been dangerous even to us."
They accepted both.
The treasures dissolved into light, sinking directly into the eggs. The Honedge egg's vibrations steadied. The Charmander egg flared briefly—then calmed.
Perfect absorption.
No backlash.
No resistance.
Lia let out a slow breath. "System privilege really is unfair."
Eren didn't smile. "Only if we waste it."
That night, long after the city lights dimmed, Eren opened the realm interface again.
The Sovereign Genesis Realm hovered, waiting.
Lia glanced at the eggs, then at him. "Tomorrow."
Eren agreed.
But as he lay awake, staring at the ceiling, a realization settled into his bones.
They hadn't chosen Pokémon.
They had chosen responsibility that would follow them to the top—or the grave.
Chapter 3: The Realm That Answers
The transition was seamless.
One step forward—and Linhai City vanished like a discarded skin.
Eren and Lia stood on smooth obsidian ground threaded with golden lines that pulsed gently beneath their feet. The air felt dense with energy, yet calm—like a deep ocean that didn't resist, but demanded respect.
Above them, the sky layered itself in slow-moving colors, each band shifting with quiet purpose.
"This place…" Lia whispered. "It doesn't feel wild."
"No," Eren said. "It feels… aware."
The system confirmed it instantly.
[Sovereign Genesis Realm Activated.][Primary Authority: Eren Vale.][Bound Kin Recognized: Lia Vale.][Fatal Risk Suppression: Active.]
The ground reshaped itself ahead of them, forming paths without being commanded.
To their left rose a metallic forest—trees of crystalized steel leaves humming with low-grade spectral energy.
To their right stretched an open training plain where gravity subtly fluctuated, bending but never breaking balance.
Farther still—sealed regions, wrapped in sigils so dense Eren could feel pressure just looking at them.
"Those are higher-tier zones," Lia said. "Locked until we're ready."
"And until the realm decides we're ready," Eren added.
Something moved.
A figure emerged from between two crystalline trunks.
It resembled a fox, but its body shimmered between solidity and transparency, metallic veins running beneath spectral fur. Its eyes were sharp, ancient despite its size.
"A Pokémon?" Lia asked quietly.
"Not exactly," Eren replied.
The system identified it.
[Realm Denizen: Genesis Warden (Type: Steel / Ghost).][Threat Level: Low.][Disposition: Neutral.]
The creature studied them for several seconds.
Then it bowed.
Actually bowed.
Lia inhaled sharply. "It recognizes authority."
"Or ownership," Eren said grimly.
The Warden straightened, then stepped aside, clearing the path forward.
"This realm doesn't just protect us," Lia said slowly. "It cooperates."
They moved carefully, not testing limits, not provoking reactions. When Lia stepped onto unstable ground, gravity softened to keep her upright. When Eren pushed his endurance, an invisible pressure gently warned him back.
No pain.
No punishment.
Only correction.
They gathered low-tier materials—spectral fragments, metallic sap, condensed energy crystals. Nothing extraordinary yet, but everything pure.
"This place is teaching us," Lia said. "How to move. How to survive."
"And how to grow without dying," Eren replied.
After hours of cautious exploration, they returned.
Back in their apartment, the eggs reacted instantly.
The Honedge egg hummed more clearly now, resonance stronger.The Charmander egg pulsed warmly, flames stabilizing within.
Lia sat down hard on the floor. "If anyone learns about this realm…"
"They'll try to take it," Eren finished.
"Or kill us for it."
He looked at the eggs.
"At this pace," he said quietly, "we won't just catch up."
Lia met his gaze, unwavering.
"We'll outrun the world."
Far above, beyond realms and cities, Heaven's Rule observed the disturbance.
And for the first time in a long while—
It paid attention.