Naturally, Julian took the meteorite containing Jirachi with him. However, since it housed a living being, it couldn't be stored in his system space, nor could it be put inside Gengar's belly.
So Julian released Lucario and had it carry the meteorite for him.
"This research facility should have other things too, right?" Julian asked.
There was no way all these people had been working just on cracking open that meteorite.
"There's also a small breeding area," Joseph quickly replied.
"Take me there."
Joseph immediately led Julian toward the breeding house. As he walked alongside Lucario carrying the meteorite, he couldn't help but ask, "May I ask… do you have a way to open it?"
"Nope."
Julian shook his head. He had no intention of forcing it open anyway—in just over six hundred days, Jirachi would wake up on its own.
Before long, they arrived at the breeding house.
Inside were a dozen or so Pokémon, all with Cyan-grade potential, as they were the offspring of the Elite-level Pokémon stationed at the base.
Their levels weren't particularly high either—with the highest only at Level 40.
Julian captured all of them, though there wasn't a single one he really needed for himself. He could always trade them for resources later.
The research facility's other major research project was a "Berserk Potion" for Pokémon.
In simple terms, it was a drug that temporarily boosted a Pokémon's strength.
Similar potions existed on the market, but they usually offered only a slight boost and came with severe side effects—often requiring half a month of rest for the Pokémon to recover.
If used too often, they could even cause permanent damage.
However, the Berserk Potion developed here had significantly reduced side effects. It could enhance the power of Pokémon below Elite-level, and even repeated use wouldn't cause major harm—though continuous consumption was still prohibited.
The potion was still in the testing phase, with plans to release it soon.
It was guaranteed to be a best-selling product.
Now it was Julian's windfall instead.
Using Metagross's supercomputer-like mind, he copied all the research data before destroying the original records.
Once all that was done, Julian left the research facility.
Seeing their terrifying enemy finally leave, the surviving researchers let out a collective sigh of relief. They had genuinely feared Julian would kill them all—but thankfully, he hadn't.
"Geeehehe~"
A white Gengar slowly materialized in front of them.
Outside, Julian heard the faint screams, pleas, and curses echoing from the facility, but his expression remained unmoved.
These researchers were all elite minds of an enemy nation. If left alive, they'd just keep serving their nation—so Julian couldn't let them go.
By some measure, they were innocent.
But in the conflict between nations, there was no such thing as innocence.
A few minutes later, Gengar returned, slipping back into Julian's shadow as if nothing had happened.
This time, it had truly feasted to its heart's content—countless human and Pokémon souls had been devoured.
If Gengar hadn't broken through to the Elite-level, Julian wouldn't have allowed such gluttony. But now that its strength had risen, digesting these souls posed no issue.
If it was a Pokémon that specialized in devouring souls, like Chandelure, an Elite-tier specimen could swallow tens to hundreds of thousands of ordinary souls in one go. Of course, higher-quality souls would reduce that capacity.
Julian slowly made his way out of the ruined military base, stepping into the sunlight.
At the entrance, Steelix and Aggron were still locked in a standoff with the Wyvernian military forces surrounding the base.
As soon as Julian appeared, a voice rang out—
"Julian! Where is Chief Stephen?!"
It was a Wyvernian general—he stared at Julian, eyes burning with tension.
"Of course he's dead." Julian sneered.
Though he'd already guessed as much, hearing it confirmed made the general's heart sink like a stone.
"FIRE! KILL HIM AT ALL COSTS!" the general roared.
Since Stephen was dead, it meant everyone inside the base was probably dead too.
At his order, a storm of artillery and gunfire immediately rained down toward Julian's position.
But every shot missed—with a flash of psychic energy, Metagross teleported Julian, Lucario, Aggron, and Steelix straight into the heart of the enemy formation.
Instantly, the heavy weapons became useless.
Under the rampage of Aggron and Steelix—two titanic metal beasts—every tank, artillery piece, and fortified position was reduced to scrap. And, naturally, many soldiers died in the process.
"SELF-DESTRUCT! ALL POKÉMON, USE SELF-DESTRUCT!"
The general, watching his forces get massacred, snapped. He wanted to drag Julian down with him in a blaze of mutual destruction.
But the gap in power was simply too great.
With a single Psychic from Metagross, every Pokémon preparing to Self-Destruct was seized mid-explosion—then crushed into nothingness.
"Dragonite—Draco Meteor! Aggron, Steelix—Earthquake!"
Julian and Lucario leapt onto Metagross's back as a Pokéball opened mid-air.
Dragonite appeared, soaring into the sky, gathering intense Dragon-type energy in its mouth before blasting it out with a roar.
The energy detonated midair, splitting into hundreds of meteor-like projectiles that rained down like divine punishment.
Meanwhile, Steelix and Aggron slammed the ground with Earthquake.
The earth cracked wide open, hills crumbled, rivers changed course—all while massive, truck-sized meteors smashed down from the sky.
Draco Meteor and Earthquake were the ultimate combo for wiping the battlefield.
Under this dual assault, only a handful of Wyvernian soldiers survived—and those who did were purely the luckiest of them all.
But with a few well-aimed Aura Spheres from Lucario, even their luck ran out—their lives ended right then and there.
Julian took out his phone and powered it on.
Dozens of missed calls and text messages flooded the screen.
Most were from his grandfather and father, followed by Pierce and the others.
He called his grandfather and father first, letting them know he was safe—and briefly explaining what had happened.
When John heard that his grandson had taken out a Pseudo-Champion, he immediately vowed to kill Andrew—Wyvernia's Champion—as well.
Meanwhile, Jake had already wiped out an entire Wyvernian Air Force unit on his own.
After that, Julian called Rowan.
As soon as the call connected, Rowan's voice came through:
"Hey! You better release Julian right now, or I swear I'll—"
His voice was furious—clearly, Rowan still thought Julian was being held hostage.
"It's me. I'm already safe," Julian said flatly.
Silence fell on the other end for a moment.
"Julian… I know they're forcing you to say this. It's okay, I understand."
Julian: 'What the hell is this guy imagining?'
"Do you have anything… you want me to pass on to Champion Walker?"
Julian: 'Is this bastard trying to get me to say my last words?!'
Since Rowan was putting in so much effort, Julian decided to play along.
"Help me relay a message to Nicole."
"Oh? You want her to forget you and marry someone better, huh? Didn't take you for such a noble guy—"
"No."
"Then what do you want to say?"
"If I die, tell her to join me in the afterlife."
Rowan: (⊙﹏⊙).
*****
Upto 30 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/ReduxMagister