Everyone has their own passions.
For the bearded old man, his days of burning enthusiasm for trainer battles had long passed. Compared to Pokémon and combat, his heart now leaned more toward fossils. With a carefree laugh, he strode off in search of like-minded companions.
Meanwhile, Yozora headed straight for the battle arena at the center of the square.
"That Dratini is incredible! So strong!"
"Yeah! It's already on an eighteen-win streak. Judging by the way this match is going, it'll probably secure another victory. I've never seen such a powerful Dratini before!"
"Of course. Dratini are notoriously difficult to raise. Most are extremely weak… Any Dratini that grows strong enough usually evolves into Dragonair long before this stage. Ryūnan's Dratini is clearly on the verge of evolution—could happen any time now!"
"Wait—Ryūnan? You mean that blue-haired boy commanding Dratini is a direct descendant of the prestigious Dragon Clan of Kanto?!"
"That's right. Haven't you heard? Ryūnan is the sole direct heir of the Dragon Clan to debut this year…"
The crowd buzzed with excitement, their voices overlapping in awe.
Yozora turned his gaze toward the arena. Ryūnan looked about fifteen, his face still youthful and inexperienced, clearly not long since his debut as a trainer.
His flowing blue hair framed sharp, handsome features—but his eyes carried a fierce arrogance, an expression that seemed to declare himself above all others. Unlike the likes of Giselle or Everett from Pokémon Tech, whose arrogance came from ignorance, Ryūnan's pride was born from something deeper.
His bearing radiated dominance and untamed wildness, as though to say: He alone stood at the peak of heaven and earth.
And truth be told, as one of the few direct heirs of the Dragon Clan, he had every right to be arrogant. Even without considering his personal talent, his bloodline alone was enough to make others tremble.
After all—Ryūnan's uncle was none other than Lance, one of the Kanto Elite Four, and the region's greatest Dragon-type Master. That alone said it all.
Pokémon: Dratini
Type: Dragon
Rank: Senior Level
Potential: Champion
Notes: A prodigy Dratini, nurtured from birth under the Dragon Clan's power. Having shed its skin many times, it is now only a step away from evolving.
Ryūnan's Dratini was unlike any other.
Ordinary Dratini were thought of as tiny and adorable—petite little serpents. But his Dratini was massive, nearly 1.8 meters long by Yozora's quick estimation.
Its body was still slender, elegant rather than bulky, exuding a sense of nobility that captivated the eye.
On the field, its opponent was a Pinsir.
No matter how hard Pinsir pressed, it couldn't keep up with Dratini's agile movements. After repeated failed charges, Pinsir was left panting and exhausted.
"Pinsir, try again—use Take Down!" its trainer shouted desperately, throwing everything into one last gamble.
"Raaagh!"
Pinsir bellowed, its massive pincers gleaming as it lunged forward with a gust of force.
But Dratini flicked its tail, springing back with graceful ease. The attack missed entirely.
Another failed strike, another wave of fatigue. Pinsir's trainer clenched his fists helplessly.
By contrast, Ryūnan and his Dratini stood calm and composed, exuding effortless superiority.
"Dratini—Flamethrower."
With a flourish of his hand, Ryūnan gave the command. Dratini coiled, tail propelling it into the air, before releasing a torrent of scorching fire.
The flames engulfed Pinsir. Fire against Bug—it was super effective.
Pinsir, drained of its last strength, collapsed. The match was over.
The trainer quickly recalled his fainted partner and slunk off in defeat.
"So strong! Unbelievably strong!"
"That was Flamethrower just now, right? And earlier we saw it use Water Gun and even Thunderbolt… That Dratini knows so many moves!"
"Well, Dratini is a pseudo-legendary Pokémon of Kanto. They're rare and hard to raise, but if you manage it, their power is unmatched!"
"Nineteen straight wins! Who could've imagined a Dratini pulling off a streak like this? One more, and it's twenty in a row!"
"Ryūnan's incredible. He only debuted as a rookie trainer, yet he's already this powerful? As expected of the Dragon Clan's heir!"
Cheers filled the square. Ryūnan and his Dratini were lifted to near-mythic status in the eyes of the crowd.
Though not truly legendary, Dratini were still pseudo-legendaries—rare, mysterious, and each one brimming with potential.
Yozora silently evaluated. Any Dratini's potential is at least on par with an Elite Four Pokémon… And this one, nurtured under the Dragon Clan's aura, is destined for even greater heights—Champion-level at minimum.
And if Ryūnan himself wielded the Dragon Clan's inherited power… then Dratini, having bathed in it since birth, might grow even stronger than that.
"Who's next? Hurry up! I'd like to hit my goal of twenty consecutive victories."
With nineteen wins secured, Ryūnan cradled Dratini in his arms and looked down arrogantly at the crowd.
But time passed, and no challenger stepped forward.
Ryūnan let out a mocking laugh.
"Really? After nineteen battles, my Dratini's stamina must be drained. And still, none of you dare face me?"
Arrogant beyond reason, his words rubbed many the wrong way. Yet none in the crowd met his gaze. Instead, some went so far as to heap empty praise upon him.
Yozora shook his head. Since no one else moved, he stepped onto the stage himself.
Ryūnan's eyes lit with haughty amusement.
"Ah, the sacrifice for my twentieth win has arrived."
His gaze flicked to Charmander at Yozora's side. With a slight nod, he added,
"Not bad. That Charmander's been raised well. You're worthy enough to be my stepping stone."
"Charrrr!"
Infuriated by his arrogance, Charmander roared, glaring at him.
Yozora quickly placed a calming hand on its head, shaking his own.
"No. I don't intend to use Charmander in this match."
Ryūnan shrugged, smirking.
"Doesn't matter. Whatever Pokémon you use, none can stand against my Dratini."
With a wave of his hand, Dratini slithered gracefully onto the battlefield—its eyes gleaming with the same arrogance as its master.
End of Chapter