The Secret Realm.
At the lake.
A small figure crept out of the bushes beside the water.
Next to the shrubs, a narrow stream — less than a meter wide — flowed into the lake.
A tiny voice called out:
"Seed… seed?"
It was a frog-like quadruped Pokémon, with an unopened bud on its back.
"Bulbasaur… sorry, but you saw it too. The closer we get to the lake, the richer the Light Water Stones are.
My Goldeen needs them!"
Cha Wanwan gently tugged her Bulbasaur, which scurried timidly behind her.
This was the girl Lin Yu had mentioned — the one with a Lord-tier Bulbasaur.
Cha Wanwan glanced around cautiously.
When she saw the calm, unbroken surface of the lake, she exhaled in relief.
Light Water Stones were C‑rank treasures brimming with Water-type energy.
Placed in a tank, they greatly boosted the growth of Water-type Pokémon.
Cha Wanwan wasn't from a wealthy family.
But she was brave.
Her Bulbasaur hadn't been bought at a lab —
she'd found it in the Green Maple Secret Realm by pure chance.
To her,
this expedition was a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity.
She knew the lake was dangerous…
but she couldn't resist.
"Yes! Another one!"
She bent down and picked up a glistening stone where the stream met the lake, beaming.
Meanwhile, Bulbasaur — having lived in the human world so long it forgot the wild's dangers — splashed playfully in the water.
But Cha Wanwan had no idea…
several pairs of eyes were already locked onto her.
By the stream.
Lin Yu stared at the stone in his hand, stunned.
"No way… an A‑rank Water Stone?!"
He'd only come to grab some Light Water Stones, since the stream was full of them.
He never expected to find something this rare.
His luck was insane!
On the market, this would sell for at least a million.
"Ralts, how many did you collect?"
"Ral~"
Ralts levitated a pile of several dozen Light Water Stones with Telekinesis.
"Telekinesis really is the best." Lin Yu sighed.
A faint sound of fighting suddenly reached his ears.
He followed the noise…
and immediately understood what was happening.
A group of thugs were robbing a girl.
And she was from his school team.
No matter what, he had to help.
But Lin Yu didn't rush in blindly.
First, he used Inspection Eye to check their levels.
In an undeveloped Secret Realm, the law meant nothing.
This was a lawless zone.
He had to stay safe.
Soon, he relaxed.
Their Pokémon weren't strong at all.
"One Gloom, level 23. One Pidgeotto, level 21. The rest are just small fries around 15 or 16."
"Charmeleon, I'll cast the Invisibility Entry on you. Charge out and oneshot Gloom immediately.
Ralts, the second Charmeleon strikes, hit Pidgeotto with Mind Spire — then drag it into the water."
"Got it?"
(●'◡'●) "Ral~" (Got it, Lin Yu!)
"Charr!" (Piece of cake!)
Charmeleon thumped its chest, totally confident.
Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.
Lin Yu wasn't giving these punks any chance to turn the tables.
At the lake shore.
"Little girl, hand over the Light Water Stones in your bag."
"Never! Goldeen, Water Gun!"
Cha Wanwan shouted in panic.
While collecting stones,
she'd been ambushed by a Salandit.
She'd beaten it in the end…
but Bulbasaur had been poisoned.
Normally, a Poison-type like Bulbasaur would resist poisoning.
But that Salandit had the Corrosion Ability —
it could poison Steel and Poison types.
And her Goldeen had only just entered the Normal tier.
There was no way it could win.
A sleek figure leaped from the stream,
a powerful Water Gun blasting from Goldeen's mouth.
"Have it your way. Gloom, Razor Leaf!"
Several glowing green blades sliced straight through the Water Gun
and slashed toward the airborne Goldeen.
Mid‑air, Goldeen had nowhere to dodge.
It could only watch as the blades tore into its body, ripping away scales.
"Come back, Goldeen!"
Tears welled in Cha Wanwan's eyes as she glared at the thugs.
Why couldn't they find their own treasures? Why rob others?
Her hand hovered over the signal flare.
Once she pulled it, help would arrive in three minutes —
but her Secret Realm trip would be over immediately.
"Don't let her fire the flare! Gloom, Vine—"
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
His command was cut off by a sharp shout.
The next second,
a massive column of fire — thick as a barrel — erupted right in front of Gloom.
[White Entry (Invisibility)]: Target (up to 10) becomes invisible. Breaks upon attacking or being hit. Cooldown: 24 hours.
One of the best entries Lin Yu had saved lately.
It was only white-rarity…
but it was perfect in the wild.
Gloom had barely raised its vines when flames swallowed it whole.
It didn't even understand what hit it.
High in the sky, Pidgeotto had no idea what was going on either —
until a splitting headache exploded in its brain.
It lost control and plummeted toward the water.
One move.
Two Elite-tier Pokémon were knocked out in an instant, eyes spiraling.
To everyone watching,
Charmeleon and Ralts had appeared out of nowhere.
"L–Lin Yu… senior?"
Cha Wanwan looked toward the voice, shocked and overjoyed.
Those were Elite-tier Pokémon!
And Lin Yu's team took them out in a single blow?
"Who are you?!"
The Gloom's Trainer stammered, spotting his school uniform.
"You're just a student?!"
"Cut the chatter. Empty your space backpacks — all the treasures you stole, now."
Lin Yu smiled coldly, taking control.
The two biggest threats were gone. The rest were nothing.
The tables had turned completely.
"No way! We worked hard for these—"
Half an hour later.
Lin Yu watched the robbers flee, stripped of their shirts and all their loot.
He grinned in satisfaction.
"C'mon, senior. Let's split these."
He stared at the mountain of treasures.
Now he understood why people loved robbing so much.
It was way faster than earning it.
The pile was worth at least several hundred thousand.
"M–me too?" Cha Wanwan blinked in surprise.
"Finders keepers! Besides, I gotta drag you into this too." Lin Yu laughed.
But his smile froze instantly.
Behind him, the lake boiled violently.
A gigantic dragon head burst from the water.