Chapter 266: The Red Changchun Fruit Tree
Chapter 266: The Red Changchun Fruit Tree
"Really?"
Sakura blinked in surprise.
With these Changchun Fruits, the next batch of Energy Cubes would be even better than before?
Hikaru nodded firmly. "Of course. Once I've made them, let your Pokémon try them, and you'll see for yourself."
The girl immediately cheered in excitement. "Alright! Then let's go find some hundred-year-old Changchun Fruits!"
Searching manually would take too long—
So naturally, Latias was the best option for scouting.
The two hopped onto Latias once again.
At Hikaru's command, Latias soared forward at a slow and steady pace.
This time, its flight speed was deliberately reduced—
Because Hikaru needed time to scan the surroundings with his Aura.
Given the size of the secret realm,
Even at Latias's full speed, it would take a while to fly across everything.
And that was assuming they weren't actively searching for something.
Luckily, Hikaru quickly noticed a pattern—
The stronger the Pokémon in an area, the older the Changchun Fruit trees nearby.
That made searching much easier.
Rather than checking each tree one by one,
He could simply sense the energy levels of the Pokémon around them.
It didn't take long for him to find his first red-flowered Changchun tree.
But—
Someone was already there.
---
Unlike clueless freshmen who had to explore blindly,
Many second- and third-year students had already been to the Changchun Secret Realm before.
They knew the terrain well.
Some clever first-years had even asked their seniors for guidance, hoping to learn where the best fruit trees were.
Of course, why those seniors were so "helpful" in sharing information...
Was another matter entirely.
Even Hikaru, who had seen plenty of high-tier treasures in the Qinling Mountains, was interested in the Changchun Fruits here.
So it was easy to imagine how much others coveted them.
This particular tree, which had been growing for nearly seventy years, was one that Shawn Quinn visited every year.
He had first learned about it from a younger student.
As for how he got the information—
Well, he had stolen the kid's 70-year-old Changchun Fruit and then "persuaded" him to find a new one.
And when the kid found this tree, Shawn had indeed kept his word.
He didn't steal the fruit again.
Instead, he simply claimed the entire tree for himself.
To Shawn, there was nothing wrong with this.
The school's rules allowed upperclassmen to take from first-years.
When he was a freshman, he had been robbed the same way.
Now that he was a senior, it was his turn to pass on the "tradition."
The more talented the target, the more satisfying the robbery.
The best time to strike was right before students left the realm—
When it was too late for them to gather more fruit.
After all, that was exactly what had happened to him in his first year.
"This year, there's a Steelix guarding the tree?"
Shawn frowned as he looked at the massive serpent coiled beneath the red-blossomed tree.
Its steel-gray body gleamed under the sunlight.
"A peak-stage elite Steelix… This might be a problem."
He wasn't worried about defeating the Steelix—
But if they fought here, there was a chance the tree would get destroyed in the process.
And that would be a disaster.
Just as he was contemplating his options—
A voice called out from above.
"Need some help?"
Shawn looked up.
A sleek red figure hovered in the air—
Latias.
Then, two figures leapt down from its back.
A boy and a girl.
"Mm~"
Hikaru's voice was soft.
This Steelix was undoubtedly the strongest Pokémon in the area.
And—
It was sound asleep.
"Hm?"
Shawn was surprised to see Hikaru and Sakura arriving.
Just a moment ago, he had been wondering how to track them down.
And now, here they were.
He quickly composed himself and put on a friendly smile.
"Hikaru! Sakura! What a coincidence."
Then, in a very natural tone—
"I could definitely use some help."
"This Steelix is pretty strong. If we start a fight, it might end up damaging the tree. Since you both have Psychic Pokémon, maybe you can help protect it?"
Hikaru nodded and replied casually.
"Sure. But we take two-thirds of the fruit."
Shawn's smile stiffened.
Two-thirds?
Greedy, aren't we?
Still, he quickly forced a grin. "Of course."
But inwardly—
'Idiot. In the end, it's all mine anyway.'
'Still too naïve. Do they not know that at this time of year, upperclassmen and freshmen are enemies?'
Hikaru seemed satisfied with the agreement.
He turned to Latias.
"Alright, Latias. Use Protect to shield the tree."
Latias nodded.
"Mmm~" (Okay~)
It hesitated for a moment, confused as to why Hikaru had asked it to suppress its energy while doing so.
But since Hikaru said so, it complied.
Shawn breathed a sigh of relief.
With the tree secured, he finally released his Pokémon.
A Pokéball opened with a flash.
"Come out, Golduck!"
A sleek, blue Pokémon with razor-sharp claws emerged, standing tall.
Golduck, huh?
Hikaru's eyes flickered.
Despite Shawn's intentions, his strength was undeniable.
This Golduck was at the Master level.
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