Chapter 35: Ryuu’s Red Destiny

"Mightyena!"

Takeda Ryo clenched his fists, frustration burning in his eyes.

He had been careless.

He completely underestimated Shelgon's ability to attack from range. Before Mightyena could even land Ice Fang, it had already taken a direct hit.

"Dragon Pulse!"

Ryuu seized the opportunity to finish it off.

A burst of brilliant purple energy surged from Shelgon's mouth.

"Mightyena, dodge!"

Ryo's voice was frantic.

If this Dragon Pulse landed, it was over.

But Mightyena was dazed, struggling to even stand straight.

It had no time to react.

BOOM!

The impact shattered the battlefield's stone tiles, sending a shockwave through the air.

When the dust settled, Mightyena was lying motionless on the ground, completely defeated.

The crowd erupted.

"As expected of Shelgon! That was insane!"

"I'd do anything to have a Pokémon like that…"

Envious voices filled the stadium.

Ryuu smirked.

Quasi-legendary Pokémon had overwhelming advantages—high base stats, incredible potential, and superior battle instincts.

Even if Mightyena had the level advantage, Shelgon's innate strength was simply too much.

---

Ryo knelt beside his defeated Mightyena, gently patting its head.

But his eyes…

His eyes burned with something else.

Greed.

Envy.

Jealousy.

Shelgon hadn't even fully evolved, yet it had crushed his strongest Pokémon.

If he had a Pokémon like that…

If Shelgon were his…

His fate would change forever.

He clenched his fists.

"If I had that Shelgon…"

He would become an Elite Trainer.

No—maybe even a Champion one day.

This thought buried itself deep in his mind, taking root.

And once an idea like that formed…

It was almost impossible to erase.

---

As Ryuu prepared to leave, something caught his attention.

A red thread appeared in his vision, hovering around him.

Red Destiny.

His heart pounded in excitement.

It had been a while since he last saw one.

Without hesitation, Ryuu activated Data Vision.

If Red Destiny had appeared, that meant something important was about to happen.

[Name: Fujiwara Ryuu]

[Red Destiny: Three days from now, in the Ancient Forest Domain, Takeda Ryo will attempt to steal Ryuu's Pokémon but will be defeated. As a result, Ryuu will obtain the Rock Essence that Ryo just acquired.]

Ryuu's eyes narrowed.

Takeda Ryo…

The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it.

Then it clicked.

The guy he just fought.

So this washed-up Gym-level trainer was actually planning to ambush him in three days?

How bold.

A smirk crept onto Ryuu's lips.

"So, I get to beat this guy twice, and take a Rock Essence from him?"

Not bad.

Rock Essence was a rare evolutionary item, perfect for his Aron.

It would significantly boost its growth—maybe even help it evolve faster.

And all he had to do was wait three days for this fool to walk into his own defeat.

Ryuu almost felt bad for Ryo.

Almost.

"What's Wrong, Ryuu?"

Shindou Aio tilted her head, watching Ryuu with concern.

He had been staring off into space, completely lost in thought.

"Did winning make you zone out?" she teased.

Ryuu snapped out of it and grinned.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how lucky I am today."

Aio blinked in confusion.

"Lucky?"

"Yeah." Ryuu stretched lazily.

"Let's head back. I got what I came for."

He had already scored a Red Destiny today. No need to push his luck further.

---

As they left the battle center, Aio suddenly spoke up.

"Ryuu, when did your Bagon evolve? It happened so fast!"

Nearby trainers perked up, eavesdropping hard.

They had been dying to know the answer.

Dragons were notoriously slow to evolve.

So how did Ryuu's Bagon evolve into Shelgon so quickly?

Ryuu casually answered—

"Oh, simple. My grandpa bought me a Dragon Fang, and it evolved instantly."

A hushed silence fell over the area.

Then—

Every single trainer's face darkened.

"...A Dragon Fang? You just bought a Dragon Fang?"

Ryuu nodded, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The crowd's jealousy skyrocketed.

A Dragon Fang was worth billions.

No wonder Ryuu refused to sell Bagon when people offered to buy it.

The guy was loaded.

Some people gritted their teeth in frustration, realizing they could never afford something like that.

Aio, on the other hand, wasn't even surprised.

She knew who Ryuu's grandfather was.

It made perfect sense that he could just casually buy one of the rarest evolutionary items in existence.

The conversation stalled, awkwardness settling in.

Aio fidgeted, trying to think of something else to say.

She just wanted to keep talking to Ryuu.

Before she could, though—

Ryuu suddenly grabbed her hand.

"Come on. Let's check out the Elite-level trainers downstairs."

"Wait—didn't you say we were going home?" Aio blinked in surprise.

"I changed my mind." Ryuu smirked.

"Frogadier hasn't battled yet. Might as well let him have some fun."

And, of course—

If he was lucky, he might trigger another Red Destiny.

One wasn't enough.

The stronger he got, the faster he could reach the Elite level.

And Ryuu wasn't the type to wait around.

====

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