Silas frowned.
The dragon's cry they had just heard was unlike that of any Dragon-type Pokémon he knew.
If he had to describe it, it was sharper and carried a strange quality that made anyone hearing it feel vaguely uncomfortable.
"Salamence, go have a look."
The Dragon Elder instructed the Salamence resting nearby.
Although it had recovered enough to stand after fighting Dragonite in its Outrage state, it had actually suffered considerable injuries.
After all, those had been attacks from a Pokémon with the power of a Tier 3 Legendary.
Fortunately, Dragon-types possessed extraordinary vitality and recovery abilities. Salamence's condition was visibly improving by the second.
Silas suspected the Dragon Sanctuary itself also played a role.
Back in the Dragon's Den, Salamence certainly hadn't looked nearly this comfortable.
With a flap of its wings, Salamence soared toward the direction from which the mysterious dragon cry had come.
"Shouldn't we go take a look as well?"
Silas asked instinctively.
"No need."
The Dragon Elder shook her head.
"Salamence can handle it. Besides, there are Pokémon guarding that area already, so there's nothing to worry about."
A Champion-level Pokémon didn't need a Trainer's commands to defeat multiple Elite Four-level opponents or even Pokémon approaching Champion level.
If something truly went wrong, one roar was all it would take.
With Dragonite's speed, reinforcements would arrive in moments.
And the Pokémon guarding that place were anything but weak.
Silas nodded.
Since the owner of the place wasn't worried, there was no reason for him to insist.
Still he remained curious about that unfamiliar roar.
Gigalith's repair work progressed smoothly.
Mainly because the poachers hadn't shattered the stone into countless fragments.
Thinking about it, what kind of person would deliberately pulverize an ordinary rock blocking their path into dust?
Anyone who did that probably had something wrong with them.
In any case, it took Gigalith less than fifteen minutes to restore the stone to its original appearance.
Only a Rock-type Pokémon could accurately sense the subtle internal patterns within the stone.
Otherwise, the repaired rock might have ended up looking completely bizarre.
"Roo~"
Looking at the restored stone, Dragonite let out a delighted cry.
It carefully walked over and gently poked the stone with one claw.
"Gigalith!"
Gigalith called out from the side.
Anyone, whether human or Pokémon, could hear the helplessness in its voice.
Dragonite gave a sheepish grin and patted its own belly.
After glancing between Gigalith and Silas, it flapped its tiny wings and flew toward another one of its nests.
About thirty seconds later, it returned with a single yellow Dragon Scale tightly clutched in its claws.
The Garchomp leader's eyes nearly popped out of its head.
"It seems Dragonite really likes you."
The Dragon Elder smiled.
"Clair's Dragonite was the same way. You really do seem suited to understanding the power of dragons and becoming a Dragon Tamer."
Since the scale belonged to Dragonite, it had every right to decide what to do with it.
What surprised her was how readily Dragonite handed it over to the young Trainer before them.
After all this wasn't just any Dragon Scale.
It was one naturally shed by a Dragonite whose normal strength stood at Champion level, and who could even reach the Legendary tier while in its Outrage state.
Its value far exceeded that of most Dragon Fangs.
Although it couldn't directly boost a Pokémon's power, it was an incredible nurturing material for Dragon-type Pokémon, especially hatchlings.
Used correctly, a young Dragon Pokémon could shorten its growth period by as much as six months with this single scale.
"Is this really for me?"
Silas hesitated.
The gift was simply too valuable.
Dragonite happily narrowed its eyes and nodded.
To it, the scale no longer served any purpose.
Unlike most Dragon Pokémon, the guardian Dragonite had never been interested in leaving descendants.
Sooner or later, the scale would have been given away anyway.
The only question had been whether it would go to one of the younger dragons in the sanctuary or to this human Trainer.
This Trainer had left a very good impression.
He had even repaired the stone left behind by Dragonite's Trainer.
Giving him a Dragon Scale was hardly a big deal.
The Garchomp leader blinked enviously.
Then it thought things over.
Even if Silas accepted it, he'd probably use it on its own grandson someday.
That was a good thing.
After all, most dragons that left the Dragon's Den eventually returned.
When that time came, perhaps the youngster would strengthen the entire clan alongside its older brothers and sisters.
Thinking of that, the Garchomp leader broke into a broad grin.
"ROAR!"
Salamence's cry suddenly echoed across the sky.
Silas and the Dragon Elder instinctively looked up.
Thanks to their excellent eyesight, they immediately saw the person dangling helplessly from Salamence's claws.
"Masato."
Silas blurted out the man's name.
The Ghost-type specialist wrapped in black robes had left quite an impression on him.
Especially the entourage of Gengar family Pokémon that constantly surrounded him.
He truly deserved the title of Ghost King.
Unfortunately the difference in strength was overwhelming.
Under Salamence's assault, every one of his Ghost-type Pokémon had vanished from sight.
Silas had little difficulty imagining what had happened.
They had most likely all been knocked unconscious.
Their Trainer wasn't in much better shape.
His black robes had been reduced to tattered rags, and he himself had long since lost consciousness.
Thud!
When they were still seven or eight meters above the ground, Salamence unceremoniously dropped him.
The impact echoed loudly.
Silas twitched at the corner of his mouth.
If he had entered the Dragon Sanctuary the same way this man had.
His fate probably wouldn't have been much different.
The Dragon Elder sighed helplessly.
"Greed really does move people's hearts."
Silas silently nodded.
More than wealth was at stake.
Dragon Pokémon also represented power and status, things that couldn't simply be measured with money.
Still, one question remained.
What exactly had this Ghost-type Trainer come here for?
As far as Silas remembered there weren't any Dragon-type Pokémon that also possessed the Ghost type.
Just as he was thinking that the mysterious dragon's cry echoed once again.
Compared to the earlier cry, this one was far less unsettling. If anything, it sounded strangely cheerful?
Silas scratched his head in confusion.
Gigalith quietly walked over to its Trainer, carrying the Dragon Scale Dragonite had given him.
"Great job."
Setting his questions aside for the moment, Silas patted Gigalith encouragingly.
This kid never really wanted anything in particular, so Silas often had no idea how to reward it. All he could do was praise it a little more.
After all, Gigalith was by far the most dependable Pokémon on his team.
That said, it was probably time to find a way to improve Gigalith's potential.
It was gradually becoming the weakest member of the team.
Of course, a Pokémon's potential wasn't something that could simply be increased on a whim.
Pidgeot and Ampharos were complete exceptions.
Not every Pokémon was lucky enough to receive the favor of a Legendary Pokémon or undergo a mutation after merging with Legendary energy.
Otherwise, Champion-level Trainers would be everywhere.
"A Rock-type Legendary, Regirock or Terrakion?"
Silas frowned as he thought.
A Ground-type Legendary could work too.
But for a pure Rock-type like Gigalith, a Legendary sharing its own typing would naturally be the best match.
Unfortunately, neither of those Pokémon was easy to encounter.
Terrakion wasn't even worth mentioning. It lived far away in the Unova region. Even if Silas wanted to search for it, he'd have to wait until after finishing his Johto League journey.
His current plan was to travel to Hoenn afterward, though changing his itinerary for Gigalith wasn't impossible.
As for Regirock that one was actually somewhere in Hoenn.
The problem was that nobody knew where this member of the Legendary Titans had been sealed during ancient times.
Or rather, where it had sealed itself.
Finding it would be far more difficult than locating Terrakion.
"Forget it. Why am I even thinking this far ahead? Legendary Pokémon aren't something you just run into."
Silas shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.
Maybe meeting so many Legendary Pokémon recently had given him the wrong impression.
In reality, these powerful beings lived in remote places untouched by humanity. Most people could spend their entire lives without ever seeing one.
Besides, Legendary Pokémon weren't the only way to increase a Pokémon's potential. Humans had developed methods as well.
They were simply far more expensive and far less reliable.
Evolution stones, for example, could sometimes be used in special ways.
"Don't worry. I'll definitely find a way for you to catch up with the others, maybe even surpass them."
Silas smiled at Gigalith.
Gigalith nodded silently, its eyes filled with unwavering trust.
It would always believe in its Trainer without hesitation.
"Hmm..."
A faint groan interrupted the moment.
Silas looked up.
Masato had regained consciousness.
"So I got caught."
There was regret in his eyes.
Only regret.
It seemed he'd already accepted the possibility of being captured before coming here.
"Who sent you...?"
The Dragon Elder immediately began questioning him.
She refused to believe an ordinary Trainer could have discovered the existence of those Pokémon on his own.
"Team Rocket."
Masato answered without the slightest hesitation.
"They approached me and told me that beyond the Dragon's Den was the Dragon Sanctuary. They also said there was a Dragon Graveyard inside, home to a group of Pokémon that possess both Dragon and Ghost typing."
Noticing Silas's surprised expression, he continued calmly.
"They disguised themselves very well. Unfortunately for them, Ghost-type Pokémon make excellent scouts. They couldn't hide from my Ghost Pokémon, so I discovered who they really were."
Ghost and Psychic Pokémon were among the best choices for surveillance.
Whether through psychic detection or the invisibility Ghost Pokémon possessed, most humans and Pokémon had no means of detecting them.
"Team Rocket..."
Silas sighed softly.
The Dragon Elder immediately noticed.
"You already knew?"
She wasn't implying Silas had any connection to Team Rocket. She was simply asking.
Silas nodded and briefly explained everything that had happened recently, including his speculation about the two-headed Legendary birds.
Given the Dragon Elder's status, she certainly had clearance to know such information. She had likely just been too occupied preparing for the Dragon Ancension to keep up with recent events.
"I see..."
The Dragon Elder tapped her cane against the ground and fell silent.
Masato looked curiously at Silas.
"So their real objective was the Legendary Birds. Looks like I was nothing more than a pawn."
Despite realizing he'd been used, there wasn't the slightest trace of resentment on his face.
Because he was the weaker party.
To him, that was simply how the world worked.
He had long since accepted such rules.
"If possible could you at least tell me the names of those Dragon and Ghost-type Pokémon?"
he asked the Dragon Elder earnestly.
She glanced at him.
"Dreepy. Drakloak. And Dragapult."
"Thank you very much."
Masato replied excitedly.
He seemed to have completely forgotten he was a prisoner.
Perhaps it was precisely because he loved Ghost Pokémon so deeply that he had been willing to risk his life by entering the Dragon Sanctuary.
Hearing these three Pokémon names for the first time, Silas's eyes also lit up with interest.
He was just about to ask whether he could meet them when.
"They're here."
The Dragon Elder raised her cane and pointed into the distance.
Silas looked up.
Sure enough, a group of Pokémon he had never seen before was leisurely flying toward them.
The smallest were clearly Dreepy.
They had wide, flat heads, large protruding eyes, pointed snouts, and long slender bodies.
Each had two tiny arms and a pair of horns, with two smaller horn-like protrusions beneath them. Their tails connected to their bodies through a darker-colored section marked by three small spikes.
The slightly larger Drakloak looked like enlarged versions of Dreepy, with clearer body markings and partially transparent tails.
The largest, Dragapult, possessed much sharper heads. Their horn-like extensions stretched out to both sides, each containing four launcher-like openings, while the ends of their tails had become completely transparent.
Most interesting of all, the Dreepy were either perched atop Drakloak's heads or resting comfortably inside the launch ports on Dragapult's horns.
It was obvious they were an exceptionally close-knit Dragon Pokémon family.
Each of them carried unconscious members of the Gastly evolutionary line in their arms or feet.
Lying on the ground, Masato immediately became nervous.
Sensing his emotions, the Dragon Elder spoke reassuringly.
"Don't worry. We of the Dragon Clan don't treat Pokémon the way Team Rocket does."
Her words carried unmistakable disdain.
They also visibly relaxed Masato.
Meanwhile, Silas watched the newly arrived Pokémon with fascination.
The tiny Dreepy were just as curious.
They had never seen anyone other than the Dragon Elder before.
"Dree..."
One after another, the Dreepy hopped down from the backs of Drakloak and Dragapult.
They circled around Silas curiously.
Unlike most Ghost-type Pokémon, they didn't give him the slightest feeling of discomfort.
Dragonite cheerfully picked up one of the Dreepy and gently patted its head.
Whatever the two Pokémon said to each other, the little Dreepy immediately flew back into the sky and happily returned to its parents.
..
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