Chapter 271: The Child Has Grown Up
Chapter 271: The Child Has Grown Up
At this moment.
Flying through the sky, Hikaru quickly noticed an interesting phenomenon.
As time went on, more and more students and seniors entered the secret realm.
With his Aura Sense activated, Hikaru could occasionally detect groups of freshmen battling the Pokémon guarding the trees, while seniors and upperclassmen quietly observed from the shadows, just waiting for them to defeat the guardians before making a move.
Such situations were all too common.
Hikaru couldn't help but smile faintly at the scene.
Of course, there were also seniors who felt that the freshmen weren't ready to be harvested yet, so they personally took on the guardian Pokémon of the high-grade fruit trees.
To be honest, ever since he "robbed" Shawn Quinn, Hikaru found himself quite tempted to engage in some robbery himself.
However, since the targets were seniors, it wouldn't be great for his reputation if word got out.
So, Hikaru hoped that the seniors would come to him instead.
Just a not-so-mature little idea.
But Hikaru knew it wasn't realistic.
Seniors like Shawn Quinn, who were bold enough to fight head-on, were definitely in the minority.
Most seniors and upperclassmen would either consider Sakura's background or be cautious of his strength.
Therefore, relying on the idea of "being robbed to get rich" was quickly dismissed by Hikaru.
And that wasn't the only interesting phenomenon he noticed.
He found that when seniors discovered Changchun Fruit trees, they tended to be higher in age.
A thought flashed through his mind.
Those most familiar with the secret realm would naturally know the distribution of high-age trees better than anyone else.
So, who would know the secret realm best?
Without a doubt!
The Guardians!
Understanding this point, Hikaru instructed Latias to speed up their search.
Finding the guardians would be much more efficient than scouring each region one by one for red-flowered trees.
On Latias's back, Sakura stretched out her arms, feeling the wind blowing past.
"Wow, the wind is so strong~"
Then, as if remembering something, she pouted a little. "When will my Dragonair evolve? I really want to have a Pokémon like this..."
Hikaru replied without looking back, "Soon, soon."
Her Dragonair was already at level 48, so evolution was just around the corner.
Sakura leaned forward a bit, wrapping her arms around Hikaru's neck. "Hikaru, I really love Latias."
Hikaru responded casually, "It doesn't mind you petting it."
"Hehe, the Dragon Island's Dragonite mama should be giving birth soon. When are we going to visit?"
Hikaru was intrigued by her words, turning his head slightly. "The Dratini are about to hatch?"
Sakura counted on her fingers. "Yep, probably within the next few days. There should be about three of them~"
"Great! After this freshman training is over, I'll get my Master Trainer certification and head to Dragon Island!"
Thinking about Dragon Island made Hikaru recall the giant Dragonite there.
Had it surpassed level 99? If it crossed that threshold, it might even rival legendary Pokémon.
Just thinking about the power of Kyogre's Origin Pulse, which seemed to tear through the sky, was enough to make him shiver.
If Kyogre was that strong, what about Rayquaza, the Sky God?
Sakura nodded and moved a bit closer. "There's one more thing, though..."
"Hm?"
Hikaru stayed motionless, feeling a softness pressing against his back despite Sakura wearing a thick white hoodie.
Sakura tilted her head, resting a slender finger on her chin, looking slightly troubled. "It's a bit hard to explain to you right now. You'll know when we get there."
"Alright... huh?"
Hikaru suddenly noticed something unusual. "Latias, stop for a moment."
"Mm?"
Latias slowed down.
"Go back a bit... I think I found something."
Latias obediently moved backward a bit, while Hikaru fully activated his Aura Sense.
Quickly, he sensed a spot where energy fluctuations were especially intense.
After examining it carefully, Hikaru's expression became surprised.
"Sceptile?"
But that wasn't the important part.
What really caught his attention was that this Sceptile seemed familiar.
Wasn't this the same Sceptile that belonged to Qing Fei?
More importantly, Hikaru sensed another familiar presence.
It was Yamato, the guardian!
The scene that played out in his mind through his Aura Sense was quite interesting.
A Master-level Sceptile was fighting a Dragonite, weaving through the Changchun Fruit trees with incredible agility. Its Leaf Blade cut through the air, scattering leaves everywhere.
Fortunately, most of the surrounding trees bore white flowers.
The Dragonite was clearly more restrained in its movements, wary of damaging the fruit trees, making it unable to pin down the Sceptile.
Above them, riding on the Dragonite's back, was a scruffy man with long, unkempt hair tied back with a rough string. Despite his disheveled appearance, he exuded a carefree and unrestrained aura.
There was no doubt—this was one of the guardians of the secret realm.
Hikaru patted Latias's head gently. "Let's go check it out."
"Mm-hmm~" Latias chirped happily.
———————
Yamato kept his eyes on the battle between Dragonite and Sceptile, his mind slightly at ease but still vigilant.
The area they were fighting in was surrounded by white-flowered trees, and the main danger was to the hundred-year-old Changchun Fruit trees nearby, especially a rare 200-year-old tree.
If too many white-flowered trees were destroyed, it would still be a considerable loss.
Every year during freshman training, guardians like him were the busiest.
They had to constantly watch out for students accidentally damaging the precious trees while battling wild Pokémon.
Maintaining the delicate balance of the Changchun Secret Realm was not an easy task.
Looking down at the focused and calm Sakura, who was commanding Dragonite without panicking, Yamato's eyes softened with a hint of pride.
"The child has grown up..."
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