Before the secret realm opened, Chen Shi stayed at home the entire time.
He didn't go anywhere.
Occasionally, he would supervise his Pokémon's training, tease Phoebe a little, and spend time learning Breeder knowledge from his grandparents.
Unfortunately, the two elders were fully immersed in researching top-tier Fairy-type energy cubes and didn't have much time for him.
So Chen Shi could only watch and listen from the side.
Still—
He gained quite a lot.
Many things he hadn't understood before were now becoming clear.
And then there was Victini.
This little guy had given him plenty of surprises over the past few days.
Its growth speed was simply terrifying.
Normally, a Pokémon that had just hatched would be very sleepy.
It would need plenty of nutrition to get through its early stage.
Only after gradually leveling up would it become more active and capable of battling.
But Victini was completely different.
It was energetic all day long—
And extremely clingy.
Out of 24 hours, it spent nearly 10 hours eating.
MooMoo Milk, top-tier energy cubes, premium Combee honey—
Even elemental energy gems—
It accepted everything without hesitation.
And its level skyrocketed.
Now—
It had already reached Elite peak, on the verge of breaking into Gym-level.
In just a few days—
It had achieved what many Pokémon could never reach in a lifetime.
Chen Shi had even asked Mew whether this kind of growth would cause any issues.
But Mew showed no concern at all—
In fact, it even thought Victini was growing too slowly.
From Mew, Chen Shi learned something shocking.
For Mythical Pokémon like them—
Their early growth speed was extremely fast.
As long as they consumed enough energy and nutrients, they could break through without restraint.
Only after reaching the Champion level would their growth begin to slow down.
In other words—
For Victini…
Champion level was merely the starting point.
When Chen Shi realized this, he fell silent.
He didn't even know what to say.
In this world, countless talented Pokémon were stuck below the Champion level.
Take his grandparents' Garchomp and Salamence, for example—
Before using Dragon Blood Crystals, they had been stuck at peak Elite Four level for over a decade.
Only after using those crystals did they break through to Champion level.
And they weren't the only ones.
Sceptile, Venusaur, Swampert—
Many Pokémon in the Chen family were the same.
Even his own family was like this.
So outside?
There were surely countless more Pokémon stuck at that barrier.
Yet—
The level they could never reach in a lifetime…
Was merely Victini's starting point.
"…How ironic."
Chen Shi sighed.
No matter how hard you worked—
No matter how long you struggled—
What you chased your entire life…
Might simply be someone else's beginning.
Mew yawned lazily and glanced at Victini.
"Mew~"
(If you take little V somewhere with lots of battles and let it absorb enough Victory Energy… by your human standards, it would already be at least Elite Four level.)
Chen Shi: "…"
So I'm the one holding it back, huh…
He gently rubbed Victini's head.
Of course, he knew—
Victory Energy was Victini's true nourishment.
But with the secret realm about to open, he didn't want to leave home again.
Better safe than sorry.
"Little V, we're heading into the secret realm soon."
"There'll be plenty of battles there. You can absorb all the Victory Energy you want."
"Vee!"
Victini nodded excitedly, nuzzling against his cheek.
Over the past few days, it had occasionally absorbed some Victory Energy from sparring sessions between Cynthia and Chen Shi's Pokémon.
It could clearly feel—
Victory Energy was its best food.
The most beneficial.
But—
There was one problem.
Victory Energy had no taste.
Compared to that—
Energy cubes were far more enjoyable.
Even if they weren't as effective—
They were delicious.
So naturally, Victini still preferred energy cubes.
Of course—
There was no need to choose.
It could have both.
That was why, when Chen Shi mentioned going to the secret realm for battles—
Victini was thrilled.
…
"I'm about to head to the secret realm of Groudon and Kyogre. Do you want to come with me?"
Chen Shi asked Mew.
"Mew~"
(Of course I'm going! How could I miss something like that?)
Mew replied matter-of-factly.
Its reasoning was simple—
It just wanted to watch the excitement.
If Groudon and Kyogre really fought—
Maybe it could pick up something valuable afterward.
If not—
It would just treat it as a trip.
After all, staying home alone was boring.
Chen Shi nodded calmly.
If it were before—
He might have tried every trick to drag Mew along, just to ensure his safety.
But now—
With Jirachi no longer bound to its thousand-year sleep—
That thought had faded.
After all—
Jirachi was a being beyond Legendary Pokémon.
And a Psychic-type at that.
If something went wrong—
It could protect him.
Not to mention—
Jirachi was closer to him.
And far more obedient.
So why rely on that mischievous little cat?
"Alright, let's go. Pack up—we're heading to Sootopolis City now!"
"Mew?"
(Right now?)
Mew looked up in surprise.
"Yeah. Grandpa told me yesterday—if I'm going, I need to leave today."
As he spoke, Chen Shi gently shook Jirachi awake from the bed.
"Jirachi, wake up. We're heading out today~"
"Mmm…"
Jirachi opened its eyes sleepily, its little face full of confusion—adorably so.
"Come on, no more sleeping. We're leaving."
"Okay… Jirachi's up!"
Seeing it awake, Chen Shi turned back to his preparations.
He checked through everything he had packed the night before.
Entering a secret realm was no different from heading into the wild.
Supplies were essential.
Fortunately, with a year of travel experience, he was well-prepared.
Once everything was confirmed—
He slung the spatial backpack over his shoulders.
Jirachi rested in his arms.
Mew sat on one shoulder.
Victini perched on the other.
If anyone who recognized them saw this scene—
They'd probably faint on the spot.
It wasn't that Chen Shi wanted to show off—
It was just that Poké Balls couldn't contain Jirachi or Mew.
Even when Jirachi tried to cooperate—
The Poké Ball would still explode upon contact.
Chen Shi suspected—
Only something like a Master Ball could hold them.
As for Victini—
It could be stored.
But having just been born, it didn't like being inside a ball.
And since it could turn invisible—
There was no real issue.
…
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