Dr. Kain's face flushed with excitement.
He had to get his hands on that Beedrill. A specimen like that could yield tremendous value for his research.
Sting hesitated before speaking, clearly uneasy.
"Doctor… I'm not his match. That Beedrill is far stronger than it looks."
Dr. Kain's expression darkened.
"Useless. You can't even handle a teenager?"
"Find out who he is. I'll send someone to deal with him—and bring that Beedrill back."
"Stay in Sealine Forest and keep watch. There was a dimensional wormhole there before."
"If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately."
"Yes… Dr. Kain."
Sting lowered his head.
The call ended, and the forest fell silent once more.
...
On the way back, a system notification sounded in Aaron's ear.
"Ding~ Mission complete: Teach the Bug Catcher a Lesson!"
"Ding~ Reward obtained: Key Stone x1, Pokémon Candy (Elite) x1…"
Aaron let out a small, satisfied breath.
After a brief moment of consideration, he gave the Pokémon Candy to his main frog.
Its strength rose to Elite (Late Stage), while the rest of his team remained at Elite (Mid Stage).
If he could push one of his Pokémon to Mega Evolution first…
Mega Beedrill.
That alone made the future worth anticipating.
With its extreme speed and lethal offensive power—combined with the Suzumebachi ability—Beedrill's potential was on another level.
Aaron leaned back slightly, watching the scenery pass by outside the window.
All of his Pokémon were exceptional.
…Which, in its own way, was a problem.
...
At the same time, in Crown City…
Inside the highest leadership compound, a spacious conference room lay under heavy silence. A long table stretched across the center, every seat already filled.
The people gathered here stood at the very top of Hualis.
Psychic Champion, Lilith.
Fighting Champion, Brutus.
Flying Champion—and President of Pokémon Crown University, Edmund.
Steel Champion—and President of the Pokémon Elite Defense Academy, Marcus.
...
The strongest among the Ten Great Champions of Hualis were present.
At the head of the table sat an elderly man in a formal suit. His face bore the weight of age, yet the quiet authority he carried made the entire room tense without a single word.
He was the supreme leader of Hualis—
Chairman Edward Bain.
To his left sat a handsome man in a cape, his short white hair sharply defined.
He was the strongest among them—Hualis's greatest prodigy.
Drake.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Even someone as rough as Brutus sat upright, wordless, waiting.
Chairman Edward's gaze swept across the table, pausing briefly on Brutus's severed arm before he spoke.
"I believe you all know why this meeting was called."
"We have confirmed that the Symbiosis Society's invasion of Tidecrest was not incidental—it was a coordinated, premeditated operation by Auroria to seize territory from Hualis."
A cold light flickered in his eyes.
The atmosphere in the room instantly tightened.
"This incident resulted in over five thousand deaths and more than ten thousand injured. Even Brutus lost two Pokémon… and an arm."
He paused.
"This is a blood debt."
"And it will be repaid."
His voice was calm—but absolute.
"The one piece of good news is that all examinees in the Tidecrest are safe."
"That is thanks to the Protector of Hualis… and one more individual."
Chairman Edward took a slow breath before continuing.
"A young man managed to secure the aid of the Nightmare Pokémon, Darkrai. His name is Aaron, a senior at Sealine First Academy."
"He arrived in time, and with Darkrai's help, Dr. Dov was defeated. Had he been even a moment late, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"The Champions might have fallen, and the millions of students behind them could have been slaughtered."
"The Protector of Hualis has already evaluated him. His potential is… limitless. At the very least, he may become a Legendary Pokémon Master… and perhaps even beyond that."
"You all understand what that means."
Chairman Edward's gaze swept slowly across the room.
Everyone present had already heard of Aaron—a boy capable of commanding a Legendary Pokémon. It sounded unbelievable, yet now no one doubted it.
When Edmund and Marcus first heard his name, they were stunned. After confirming he was the same Aaron from Sealine Academy—the one they had once tried to recruit—their regret cut deep.
If they had known, they would have done anything to bring him into their schools.
Chairman Edward turned his gaze toward Brutus and continued.
"Therefore, I have made my decision. Aaron will be awarded the Highest National Honor and designated as Hidden Dragon — Rank 1."
"All information related to him will be classified at SSS-Level. The Dragon Protectors will be deployed immediately to ensure the safety of all his immediate family members."
In the spacious conference room, his words landed one after another, leaving everyone stunned.