On the way back to the hotel, Julian found a secluded spot and stored the stone sphere that Magearna had bee into his system space.

  Since Magearna without its Soul-Heart was essentially lifeless, it could be pced into ste.

  "This is what it feels like to be the protagonist"

  Julian muttered, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. Though he usually acted like he had terrible lud avoided trying his luck a sed time, moments like this proved otherwise.

  Sometimes, when luck struothing could stop it. Who would have thought he'd stumble upon a dormant Magearna, transformed into a stone sphere, orading street of South Lake Uy?

  A Mythical Steel- and Fairy-type Pokémon for just one million? This was a massive win for him.

  Meanwhile, the seller, Zack, felt like he'd hit the jackpot too. Selling a useless stone sphere for a million?

  He was already pnning to stock up on simir "stone spheres" for his batch.

  Lucario g Julian, who ractically radiating happiness. Though it didn't uand the reason, Luohtened as well, and it let out a cheerful "Luca! Luca!"

  As fearna's missing Soul-Heart, Julian wasn't in a rush. He po wait until his Metagross reached the Elite level before venturing into the a kingdom's ruins.

  Given the difficulty of such ruins, only ae-level Pokémon could ensure meaningful gains while also providing enough strength to hahe dangers within.

  At its current pace of gathering energy—even with the item 'Heart of Arceus' in its core—Juliaimated it would take at least six months to over a year for Metagross to break through to the Elite level.

  In terms of time, this was remarkably short.

  After all, Metagross had been born just over a year ago and was already a peak pseudo-Elite Pokémon, with battle strength approag the te Elite level.

  Raising a Metagross to this level in just over a year was unparalleled—not just in the Drakoria region, but across the entire world.

  "Jigglypuff... jiggly..."

  The ph. Julian took it out and saw Wade's name on the s. He immediately pressed the answer button.

  "Hello, Professor Wade."

  "Julian, I heard from Frank that you've taken a leave of absence."

  "Yes, I had some matters to attend to, so I took a five-day leave."

  "Is there something you need, Professor?"

  Julian asked. Wade wouldn't have called just to discuss his leave.

  "If you're free, stop by the Drake family estate in the few days. This is the period when the 'Dragon's De Realm is at its peak fon-type energy."

  Wade didn't eborate further, but Julian uood.

  "Uood. I'll e by tomorrow," Julian replied.

  With that, the call ended.

  The energy levels of high-level secret realms fluctuate annually, with certain periods experieng exceptionally low energy while others reach a peak.

  The timing and duration of these fluctuations are uable.

  When a secret realm's energy reaches its peak, Pokémohroughs bee signifitly easier pared to normal times; versely, during low-energy periods, breakthroughs are much harder.

  Julia a quick message to both Chase and Taylor, inf them that he had an urgent matter requiring his return to the Imperial Capital.

  Since South Lake City didn't have an airport and high-speed train tickets to Imperial Capital were sold out for the few days, Julian had no choice but to ride his Dragohere.

  With plenty of time before he o arrive in the evening, Julia Dragonite's speed moderate, maintaining a leisurely 100 kilometers per hour.

  ---

  Meanwhile, back at South Lake Uy, Chase was still waiting for Julian to return from his hotel. Instead, she received a message saying he wouldn't be ing bad had to leave for the Imperial Capital.

  Though Chase said nothing, the disappoi on her face was impossible to hide.

  Taylor, oher hand, breathed a deep sigh of relief when she saw the message.

  'That jerk finally left. Now I don't have to worry about him messing with my bestie,' Cra thought to herself.

  Seeing Chase stariedly at her phoaylor snatched it away.

  "Stop looking at it. He rushed back to the Imperial Capital—who knows whiahere called him back!" Cra said, her tone dripping with disdain.

  "I know these so-called heirs way too well. They might seem all proper on the surface, but who knows how many girls they've messed around with? Some might have even been forced to... you know."

  Julian: 'The misuanding here is really over the top'

  Chase shook her head. "Julian isn't like that. He's different from the other heirs. If it weren't for him, Cloyster and I might have died in a secret realm."

  She vividly remembered the desperate moment in the secret realm. Holding her weakened Shellder, feeling utterly helpless and panicked, Julian had suddenly appeared.

  He had given her a high-grade Water Stohout hesitation.

  That Water Stone saved Shellder, enabling it to evolve into Cloyster and recover from the debilitating effects of excess Ice-type energy.

  For Julian, it might have been a small, insequential act. But for Chase and Cloyster, it had ged their destinies.

  Seeing the ferveion in Chase's eyes, Taylor was caught off guard. She hadn't realized there was such a story between her and Julian.

  If that was the case, knowing Chase's personality, she would remember Julian's kindness for the rest of her life. The likelihood of her being pletely devoted to him? Almost 100%.

  ---

  Around five in the evening, Julian arrived in the Imperial Capital.

  Havily earned his flight lise, he passed the iion by the city's aerial patrol and rode Dragonite directly into the city airspace.

  Gohe days when he had to nd oskirts of a city aer by foot or other means of transportation.

  The ban oering city airspace without a flight lise rimarily for safety reasons, ensuring a reguted and secure enviro.

  Julian had arrao visit Professor Wade the following m, so he opted to stay in a hotel for the night.

  Naturally, the hotel he chose was the Gardevoir Hotel, owned by his family.

  With the Asian Games currently being held in the Imperial Capital, the city was flooded with both domestid iional tourists. This influx expined why train and pickets to the city had been nearly impossible to secure i days.

  Most of the hotels in the capital were fully booked, and finding an avaible room—especially during such a busy time—was no easy feat.

  Even high-end hotels were at capacity, as there was never a she of wealthy travelers.

  The Gardevoir Hotel was no exception; all its rooms were officially occupied, even the most expensive presidential suites. One of those suites had been booked for over two weeks by a single guest.

  However, high-eablishments like the Gardevoir Hotel always kept certain rooms unlisted, reserved for special circumstances or VIP guests.

  For instance, while the hotel officially had three presidential suites, only two were avaible fur booking. The third was strictly reserved for individuals of exceptional status and was never publicly advertised.

  Julian was given this exclusive third suite. Its interior was even more vishly desighaher two, a true showcase of luxury.