Dragon's Nest
The arrival of John and Saul caused quite a commotion.
Lugia's quick but powerful dark aura and Garchomp's familiar yet fierce presence made all the Dragon Pokemon in the Dragon's Nest pay close attention.
As John and Saul walked the path to the Dragon's Nest center, Dragonite, Garchomp, and other Dragon-types frequently flew in to observe the situation, while John's Garchomp fought with them one after another.
By the time John and Saul reached the Dragon's Nest center, the three Dragon Kings who ruled the nest had already gathered.
Led by the Garchomp King, the three rulers, Garchomp, Dragonite, and Goodra, brought various Dragon-types and thousands of Dragon Pokemon who had been waiting for John and Garchomp's arrival.
"Garchomp!" John's Garchomp roared and flew toward its mother.
'Family reunion time~'
"Garch." The Garchomp Queen rubbed her cheek against her child to express affection and welcome.
It didn't last long. Since John lived on Riverstone University's Trial Island, Garchomp often returned to the Dragon's Nest to visit.
Garchomp quickly returned to John and took a battle stance. Before coming here, John had already explained what they'd be doing today.
John stepped forward to state his intentions.
"Hello, Garchomp Queen. Today I'm here to have your son challenge you for the throne!" John said directly.
Pokemon weren't humans, there was no need for politeness, especially regarding throne battles.
The Garchomp King's fierce face didn't show the fighting spirit John had expected. She just nodded slightly, then turned and walked away.
"Garchomp!" she roared, causing the other Dragon Pokemon to scatter.
John immediately followed with Garchomp.
The Garchomp Queen was probably taking them to find a suitable battlefield.
The Dragon's Nest wasn't just a Dragon Pokemon haven, it was also the Whale God's body. It truly wasn't an appropriate place for battle.
But the Garchomp Queen seemed to have no intention of taking John and the others outside the Dragon's Nest.
She led everyone to the highest peak of the Dragon's Nest, then into a hidden cave in a valley.
"Is there a suitable fighting area in this cave?" John was confused but patiently followed the Garchomp Queen inside.
They walked about two to three hundred meters.
The cave path slowly narrowed.
But John and Saul immediately felt intense pressure.
It was force created by Dragon-type Pokemon's unique aura.
However, this pressure wasn't enough to stop John and Saul.
John frowned slightly. Although this aura wasn't enough to stop them now, as they approached step by step, the aura's pressure would grow stronger.
John guessed the Pokemon giving off this aura might be comparable to legendary Pokemon.
"Is there a legendary Dragon Pokemon living here? Or some powerful Dragon Pokemon?"
But John soon dismissed both theories.
"No, the aura is mixed, not one, but many!"
A minute later, the cave space suddenly opened up.
John and Saul entered a massive underground chamber.
In the space's center, a beam of light fell from above, shining directly on a huge Dragon Pokemon skeleton. On the skeleton's head, a golden crown floated quietly, gleaming.
"Where is this?" Saul observed the surrounding scene curiously.
"Gardevoir, Flash," John snapped his fingers.
Gardevoir made a light orb and sent it skyward.
Right away, the entire underground space was lit up.
The huge underground space was as large as two football fields, filled with bone piles—all Dragon-type Pokemon skeletons.
"Is this the Dragon Clan Cemetery in the Dragon's Nest?" Saul couldn't help but exclaim. Even as Riverstone University's principal, this was his first time seeing this place.
Seeing this scenery, John couldn't help but think of the "Onix Graveyard" he'd discovered when first arriving in this world.
"I'll use the Treasure Hunter to scan the surroundings later," John muttered.
"Garchomp!" The Garchomp Queen roared.
"Gar!" John's Garchomp echoed.
Soon, through conversations with his Garchomp, John understood why his mother had brought them here.
Garchomp's mother, the Garchomp Queen of the Dragon's Nest, wasn't the true Garchomp clan king. The real Garchomp clan patriarch was John's Garchomp's father, the dragon skeleton now lying in the dragon cemetery's center.
After the death of this Garchomp who had never given up the throne, the crown symbolizing "kingship" was also "buried" with him in the Dragon's Nest cemetery.
Over the years, many Garchomp had wanted that crown, seeking to become the new generation Garchomp King, but without exception, all had failed.
As a result, the Garchomp clan throne had remained empty for a long time.
Hearing that John wanted to have his child inherit the Garchomp clan throne, Garchomp's mother had brought them here.
If Garchomp could withstand the dragon cemetery's pressure to get the crown symbolizing "kingship," then he would become the new Garchomp clan leader!
This situation was unexpected.
John had originally thought Garchomp's father was a legendary Pokemon.
After all, Garchomp's mother had a massive secret treasure-level Dragon Fang ten times larger than ordinary ones.
[Sky Dragon Fang: Dragon-type move power increased by 40%, 30% chance of reducing opponent's Defense during physical attacks, weather-related boosts enhanced.]
Judging from this effect, John had once guessed that Garchomp's father might be Rayquaza.
Now it seemed his father was just a Garchomp, but with strength comparable to legendary Pokemon, a powerful Pokemon ten times the size of ordinary Garchomp!
However, he'd never expected it would become a pile of bones.
"This shouldn't be difficult," John thought, showing his Z-Power bracelet.
Just legendary Pokemon-level pressure, his Garchomp often fought under pressure of this level, so it shouldn't be challenging.
But the next second, when Garchomp went through MEGA evolution and John connected with it, his expression grew tense.
"Why is this pressure ten times stronger against Garchomp specifically!"