Listening to his little sister chirping away like a skylark, Kael responded with a smile.
As he looked at the sunset dyeing half the sky crimson, an indescribable sense of comfort filled his heart.
At the same time, his thoughts drifted to Corviknight's breakthrough to the Gym Tier.
A faint blue light flashed through his pitch-black eyes, and all the relevant information appeared before him.
"Level 39… just one more level and it'll reach Gym Tier. With a Gym-tier Pokémon, I'd already be considered mid-tier among Trainers," Kael thought quietly as he examined Corviknight's stats.
After all, across the entire world, there were only about a hundred Champion-tier Trainers. Quasi-Champions numbered just over three hundred, Heavenly Kings around five hundred, followed by Quasi–Heavenly Kings, and so on…
Those at Champion and Quasi-Champion level stood at the very pinnacle of the Trainer world.
Moreover, such figures were all national trump cards for their respective countries.
They were usually stationed at critical locations, and ordinary matters would never require their intervention. As a result, most of the real work fell to Heavenly Kings, Quasi–Heavenly Kings, and Gym-tier Trainers.
So once Corviknight reached Gym Tier, Kael would no longer be considered weak.
...
At the same time, in a small courtyard, the atmosphere was lively and warm.
"Uncle Corin, help me wash the vegetables."
"Meng'an, Mengxin, you two set out the bowls. Once Kael and Lyra get back, we'll eat."
An elderly man in his sixties bustled about in the kitchen. Even as he worked, he stuck his head out the window to give instructions.
"Dad, I bought what you asked for. Where should I put it?"
A middle-aged man in a suit walked in and asked.
"Haowen, help me deal with the shrimp veins. Kael loves shrimp," an elderly woman said with a gentle smile as she walked over.
"Alright, Mom. I'll get to it right away," the middle-aged man replied cheerfully.
"Grandma, I like shrimp too!"
A little boy of seven or eight ran over, pouting cutely.
"Alright, alright—our Taro will have some too," the old woman said with a laugh.
"Mom, look how happy you are," a beautiful woman in her thirties said with a smile as she walked over.
She had a gentle, graceful temperament—clearly the type of virtuous wife and loving mother.
"Of course I'm happy. That's my precious eldest grandson," the elderly woman replied proudly.
At that moment, a slightly younger beautiful woman approached as well, teasing,
"Go on, go on—you two girls just love ganging up on your mother."
This younger woman carried a strong, elegant big-sister aura.
"Shoo, shoo! You two troublemakers—always picking on your mom," the old woman scolded with a glare.
"Kael has suffered for a whole month in the Secret Realm. Of course I have to help him replenish himself properly."
"Mom, if you're so worried about Kael suffering, why didn't you stop him from becoming a Trainer?" one of them asked.
"If I could've stopped him, I would've long ago," the old woman sighed.
"Kael has had his own mind since he was little. Once he decides something, I can't stop him."
This family was Kael's family in this life.
They were: his grandfather (Father Orion), grandmother (Mother Faye); his two uncles by marriage (Uncle Corin and Uncle Darius); his two aunts—eldest aunt Aunt Maris, younger aunt Aunt Liora; and his cousin Taro.
In truth, Kael had been adopted by Father Orion and Mother Faye.
Back then, both of their daughters had already married, and the old couple felt lonely. So they went to an orphanage and adopted Kael, who was only two years old at the time, giving the Xu family an heir.
As for why Kael still carried the surname Zhao—that was because the two elders couldn't bear to make him change even his last name. After discussing it, they decided to let him keep it.
At the time, Aunt Maris and Aunt Liora had been puzzled by the decision, but they respected their parents' choice.
After all, they were already married with families of their own. If their parents felt lonely and wanted to adopt a child, that was perfectly reasonable.
And their family was well-off enough to raise another child without difficulty.
To Kael, this family meant everything.
He cherished them deeply—after all, he had almost ended up an orphan in two lifetimes.
If not for Father Orion and Mother Faye, he would never have experienced the warmth of a family.
"Wow!!! Grandma!! Mom!! Look! It's Corviknight!! Big Brother's back!!"
Just as the whole family was chatting and laughing, Taro's childish, excited voice rang out.
Everyone immediately looked up and saw a massive bird Pokémon—like a small fighter jet—swoop over the courtyard, casting a huge shadow on the ground.
"It really is Corviknight. Kael is back," Aunt Maris said happily.
She cared deeply for Kael as well.
"Kael's finally home. Thank Buddha," Mother Faye murmured, pressing her palms together.
Even though she knew Kael had returned safely, until she saw him with her own eyes, her heart couldn't truly settle.
"Old woman, I told you—Kael is blessed with good fortune. How could anything happen to him?" Father Orion laughed.
"This isn't even his first time entering a Secret Realm."
"Exactly, Mom," Uncle Darius added with a smile.
"With Kael's Elite-tier strength and Corviknight by his side, as long as he doesn't run into something that completely overwhelms both of them, escaping is easy."
"That's right—our Kael is the best," Mother Faye said proudly.
"Whooo… whooo…"
As Corviknight flew lower and lower, the wind from its nearly seven-meter wings grew stronger, forcing everyone to raise their hands to shield their eyes.
"Gah…"
Moments later, Corviknight landed in the open space of the courtyard, letting out a joyful cry.
"Wow!!! Corviknight!! So cool!! I want to ride Corviknight too!!"
Taro ran over excitedly, completely unafraid of the mountain-like Pokémon. Instead, he shouted that he wanted to ride it.
"Ride what, you little rascal! Get out of the way and let your cousin come down!"
Aunt Maris pulled the bouncing Taro aside, scolding him lightly.
By now, Father Orion, Mother Faye, and the others had all walked over as well.
Uncle Corin and Uncle Darius—the two grown men—stared at Corviknight's mountain-like form with undisguised envy.
After all, no man could resist a handsome giant beast.
No matter the age.
Just like a Gundam.