Taking over the Flygon's territory, Julian pulled out his lunch from the system spad quickly took a few bites, while Dragonite was happily mung on energy cubes.

  There was o worry about attacks from other Dragon-type Pokémon.

  Adult Dragon Pokémon all had their owories. If a stranger intruded, the territory's owner would see it as a provocation.

  The midday sun shone down, but Julian didn't feel hot. In fact, the temperature in the Dragon's De Realm stayed around 20°C year-round.

  There were no distinct seasons of extreme heat or cold, making it an ideal enviro for most Dragon-types.

  "Let's go—time to climb Dragon Mountain"

  Julian said, mounting Dragonite and pointing toward the massive peak ahead. The mountain's summit was so tall that nearly two-thirds of it disappeared into the clouds.

  This t mountain stood at the ter of the Dragon's De Realm. While the number on-type Pokémon living there was retively low, their strength was unparalleled.

  Anyone who ehe Dragon's De Realm would eventually make their way ton Mountain.

  Because at its summit y the most prized treasure of the entire secret realm—the Dragon Pool.

  The Dragon Pool was the core treasure of this secret realm.

  Any Dragon-type Pokémon that bathed in its waters would undergo a profound transformation, as if reborn.

  However, reag the Dragon Pool was no easy task. The difficulty was nothing short of hellish.

  Eveing close ton Mountain was a challenge.

  Mid-flight, a Samence appeared, blog Dragonite's path.

  Julian and Dragonite were still about 100 kilometers away fron Mountain. This Samence was the third Pokémon to challehem.

  The previous two challengers had been an Altaria and a Noivern. All three were at the early Elite level, including this Samence.

  Ihan a day, along with the gatekeeper Tyrantrum, Julian had entered four Elite-level Pokémon.

  Elite-level Pokémon were rare sights iside world, yet the Dragon's De Realm made Julian feel like they were as on as weeds.

  Iy, the Dragon's De Realm had the highest number of Elite-level Pokémon among the 18 advanced special secret realms of Drakoria.

  This was rgely because most pseudo-legendary Pokémon were Dragon-types, and Dragon Pokémon generally lived much lohan most other types.

  Many Dragon Pokémon could easily live for several hundred years, and it wasn't unon to find those over a thousand years old.

  This long lifespan was leagues beyond short-lived types like Bug Pokémon.

  With such long lifespans, Dragon Pokémon naturally grew powerful.

  Anything tied to time would improve as the years passed. Even the weakest Pokémon could bee exceptional with enough time.

  Samence: 'I just waher to beat yet beaten by you.'

  Dragonite: 'Hold on.'

  As Dragonite nded, Julian climbed off its back. Staying on during battle would not only hinder Dragonite's performa also put Julian's safety at serious risk.

  The moment Julian's feet touched the ground, Samence opes mouth and unleashed a Hydro Pump, targeting both Dragonite and Julian.

  "Extreme Speed, now!"

  Dragonite vanished in an instant, leaving the spot just as the Hydro Pump bsted through it. However, while Dragonite was gone, Julian was still standing right where the attack was aimed.

  Although the Hydro Pump didn't hit him directly, even its shockwave could be fatal for a human.

  A flicker of hesitation crossed Samence's eyes—it hadn't inteo kill the human.

  At that moment, Dragonite suddenly reappeared on Samence's left side, its fist crag with electricity.

  With a loud "boom", Dragohunder Punbsp;nded squarely on Samence's face, sending its body flying over a hundred meters.

  The trajectory of Samence's Hydro Pump shifted as it was knocked away, cutting down dozens of trees and leaving a trench several meters wide and tens of meters deep in the ground.

  Julian looked at the trench, less than half a meter from where he stood, a a cold sweat trickle down his face.

  "Damn, that was too close," he muttered.

  Without the prote of a Pokémon by his side, even with his Mega Pallet Town physique, he wouldn't survive su attack.

  And he wasn't about to test that theory—trying it out would mean dying.

  "ROAR!"

  Samence shook its head, the aftermath ohunder Punbsp;leaving its jaw numb. Fpping its wings, it darted toward Dragos cws glowing a vibrant green.

  Dragon bsp;tore through the air, produg a sharp, whistling sound.

  Dragonite, unwilling to back dow Samence's Dragon bsp;with one of its own.

  The two Pokémon cshed mid-air, their cws colliding in a series of explosive strikes. The overwhelming Dragon energy radiating from their battle created shockwaves that bent the trees below them.

  Samence was different from the Tyrantrum, Altaria, and Noivern Julian had entered earlier. Although it was also an early Elite-level Pokémon, Samence seudo-legendary.

  Among Dragon-types, pseudo-legendaries had the purest bloodlines, allowing them to unleash strength far beyond that of other non-pseudon Pokémon.

  With a loud "boom", their Dragon Cws collided in a final explosive csh. her side seemed to gain the upper hand.

  As the explosion rippled outward, Samence quickly retreated, avoiding the explosion and debris. But Dragonite pressed forward instead of pulling back.

  With a powerful fp of its wings, Dragonite executed Dragon Rush, its form being a blur as it surged through the explosion toward Samence.

  The fiery aftermath of their earlier csh was scattered by Dragonite's Dragon Rush.

  Samence's vision was obscured by the lingering smoke and fmes, and it hadn't anticipated that Dragonite would choose to attack rather thareat.

  'Doesn't it realize that su aggressive move risks injury as well?'

  Dragon Rush couldn't pletely shield Dragonite from the damage caused by the explosion, but it didn't care.

  In the blink of an eye, Dragon Rush struck Samence head-on. The immense impad the overwhelming Dragon energy forced a pained scream from Samence.

  It felt as if its bones had shattered uhe blow.

  The intense pain robbed it of trol over its body, sending it plummeting from hundreds of meters in the air.

  But Dragonite wasn't finished yet.

  Its body bore dark scorch marks, remnants of damage from the explosion it had just powered through.

  Despite its seemingly bulky frame, its speed was jaw-dropping.

  In a single breath, Dragonite positioself above Samence, raising its shimmering silver tail before smming it down.

  Though Samence's body was immobilized, it could still move its mouth.

  With a desperate effort, it fired a Dragon Pulse, aiming to intercept Dragonite's Iron Tail.

  But Dragonite's Iron Tail sliced through the Dragon Pulse like a sharp scalpel, splitting the energy atta half under Samence's horrified gaze.

  Without losing momentum, the Iron Tail struck Samence squarely on the head.

  "Boom!"

  Samence's body plummeted to the ground, the impact causing a massive crater several hundred meters wide.

  The surroundih fractured and crumbled, and at the ter of the crater ression dozens of meters deep.

  Even after enduring such a devastating blow, Samence had not lost its will to fight. Slowly, it began to rise from the pit.

  But its fate was already sealed.

  What awaited Samence wasn't the dawn of victory but Dragonite's chilling Ice Beam.