"Good, let's keep up the momentum and break through to the Champion level!"
Eyes shining with determination, Nathan clenched his fists and spoke resolutely.
Another week passed.
But Nathan was starting to question reality.
Because although his Volcarona had reached the peak of Level 60, it simply couldn't level up anymore.
Only now did the strange nature of this mystic realm become glaringly obvious to Nathan.
No matter how talented a Pokémon was, it wouldn't allow them to break through to the Champion level!
It was as if some evil mastermind was laughing at all the struggling Pokémon, taking delight in their suffering.
"Should I leave the mystic realm?"
Sitting atop a cliff, Nathan let the wild wind brush against his cheeks, deep in thought.
This mystic realm was just too abnormal!
Wait!
Suddenly, Nathan thought of Torterra!
He had battled so many Pokémon, yet none seemed to understand this mystic realm better than Torterra.
Maybe some Pokémon were stronger than Torterra, but most of them just wandered near the edges of the realm, carving out territory and waiting aimlessly.
Thinking of this, Nathan leapt off the cliff without hesitation!
"Flyy!"
Flygon caught Nathan precisely, and they flew swiftly towards Torterra's location.
After training with Metagross for some time, Nathan's psychic abilities had improved significantly.
Although he couldn't compare to someone like Gym Leader Serene, who had trained for years,
by stacking his Viridian Power and maintaining a "synchronized" state with his Pokémon, he could establish a heart-link connection.
Don't think of this as a useless skill—
If this were the Naruto world, it would basically be the equivalent of mastering hand-seal-free instant technique!
The most crucial part—
This pure heart-link dramatically boosted the bond and intimacy between Nathan and his Pokémon.
If "Bond Evolution" also existed in this world,
then Nathan had essentially found its key!
Not just the key, but the entire deed, property ownership, and assets were right in front of him for the taking.
Flygon had now reached Level 46, flying faster and more steadily,
even beginning to utilize Dragon-type energy to aid its flight.
Thanks to Flygon's full-speed flight, Nathan soon found Torterra.
This time, Torterra wasn't sleeping but rather chewing dry grass,
acting as if he was savoring a gourmet meal compared to the ordinary carrots and wild vegetables he used to eat.
When Torterra saw Nathan, his eyes lit up like a light bulb.
He almost rushed forward like an excited puppy to give Nathan a hug!
"Terra..."
Torterra's raspy voice still made it hard to imagine how he originally sounded.
But thanks to Viridian Power, the meaning behind his growl came through clearly:
"Handsome young Trainer, could you give this old one more of those delicious Pokéblocks?"
Yes, Torterra was willing to throw away his dignity for the sake of good food.
What was dignity worth compared to a tasty Pokéblock?
"I have some, Torterra, just eat slowly."
"In the future, once the mystic realm opens to the public, many Trainers will come. You can ask them for Pokéblocks too,"
Nathan said with a chuckle, handing over his stockpile.
Torterra would collect Pokéblocks as protection fees—Trainers would buy Pokéblocks—word would spread naturally…
Without realizing it, Nathan had found himself another clever way to score free advertising.
He was truly a little genius!
But just then, Torterra's body stiffened, and he let out a few low growls:
"Young one, if it's not necessary, humans shouldn't enter this mystic realm."
"Why?"
Hearing this, Nathan knew the real story was coming, and immediately asked.
But Torterra didn't answer right away, only continuing to silently chew his Pokéblocks.
The gourmet food he once craved so much didn't seem as delicious now.
After quite some time—long enough that Nathan almost fell asleep—Torterra finally began to explain:
Originally, this mystic realm had only been a B-rank zone.
But at some point, Pokémon here began growing stronger at an abnormal rate.
More and more Pokémon reached the Elite level.
It seemed like any Pokémon with potential could fully realize it rapidly here!
But this was not a good thing.
Because after the first and second Pokémon reached the Elite pinnacle,
even after many years, not a single Pokémon had broken through to Champion level.
It was like livestock being fattened up: eating well, playing well, growing well—
Because only such pigs, sheep, cows, and chickens fetch a good price...
"And the cause of this strange phenomenon likely lies at the very center of the mystic realm."
"Thus, the stronger a Pokémon becomes, the more its instincts drive it to migrate toward the outer edges."
After listening to Torterra, Nathan's eyes filled with deep thought.
This strange power—no legendary Pokémon he knew of possessed something quite like this.
So now came the real question:
Should he go to the center and seek the root cause of this strange realm?
…
After thinking for a long time, Nathan realized he really had no choice.
Because the place where he had first entered the mystic realm—the way back to reality—was located at the center!
"If that's the case, leave it to me, Torterra!"
"I'll solve the source of this strangeness. If you can break through from Elite to Champion, your lifespan will increase, right?"
Patting his chest confidently, Nathan smiled.
"Yes! Young one, thank you for your bravery! Even if you fail, I will remember you forever!"
Moved by Nathan's courage, Torterra let out a series of solemn growls.
Ever since the mystic realm became abnormal, none of the Elite-level Pokémon had dared explore the center.
It was as if an instinct deep within them told them to stay away—like ostriches burying their heads in the sand.
Seeing Nathan's unwavering determination now, Torterra finally understood why this boy, despite his young age, was already so strong.
Not only had he trained Volcarona up to Elite-level, but the bond between the two was also unprecedented!
"If you're going to remember me, then remember this—I'm Nathan Vesper! The man destined to become a legend!"
Waving as he flew off on Flygon, Nathan's voice drifted away with the wind,
but that scene burned itself into Torterra's memory forever.
Half an hour later—
Riding on Flygon, now even faster than before,
Nathan finally returned to the place where he had first arrived.
From here, he could see forests, grasslands, and endless mountains...
But compared to all that, something else caught Nathan's sharp senses: weakness.
Take the Rhydon he encountered, for instance—
Compared to the Pokémon he had met deeper in the forest,
this Rhydon wasn't just low-leveled, but weak even among Pokémon of the same level!
No wonder it had been driven to the fringes.
"Wait, Rhydon has such a bad temper... could it be something to do with geography?"
Suddenly thinking of a possibility, Nathan quickly expanded his Viridian Power—
merging it with his psychic abilities to scan the surroundings.
It was somewhat like Aura Power, but fundamentally different.
"Found it!"
Nathan's eyes snapped open.
"Flygon, fly that way!"
Pointing in a certain direction, he commanded without hesitation.
"Flyy~!"
With a cry, Flygon accelerated.
As they flew deeper, they passed a seemingly normal-looking forest—
but inside, it was swarming with Murkrow!
Perhaps there were other Pokémon hidden within, but Nathan hadn't sensed them yet.
"Flygon, return!"
Calling back Flygon to its Pokéball, Nathan turned his gaze toward the dense forest ahead.
That place alone exuded an overwhelming sense of foreboding.
So… should he go in?
Although he had boldly promised Torterra, Nathan actually could leave right now.
After all, the worst-case scenario he worried about hadn't happened—he could just leave the mystic realm and have the Alliance seal it off.
But as he hesitated—
the Murkrow suddenly parted to create a path,
standing respectfully, as if welcoming their king!
At the same time, Nathan also felt a summons—
calling to him from deep within the forest.