"Could it be that Pidgeot went berserk? But with its personality, it shouldn't act out for no reason. What exactly happened?"
Even the trainers stationed at the entrance of the secret realm noticed the disturbance. Several elite trainers rushed over immediately, among them a quasi-Elite Four–level trainer from the Poplar City Pokémon League branch.
A quasi-Elite Four refers to someone who possesses one to three Elite-level Pokémon. If they have four to six, they're considered Elite Four candidates.
...
"Volcarona, come back," Nathan said to his Volcarona.
"Vol."
Volcarona shook its head and flew to Nathan's side, letting out a cry that he could understand.
It was worried about Nathan. What if he encountered danger again? It wanted to stay out and protect him.
"Don't worry, there won't be any more danger. Besides, I think Pidgeot will protect me." Nathan smiled and gently patted Volcarona on the head. "People will probably be coming to investigate soon. It's better if you don't show yourself right now."
Hearing this, Volcarona glanced at Pidgeot, as if asking if it could really ensure Nathan's safety.
Feeling Volcarona's gaze, Pidgeot quickly nodded its head.
Only then did Volcarona reluctantly bump into its Pokéball and return inside.
"Pidgeot, I helped you take care of that Arbok. I hope you won't go back on our agreement," Nathan said, looking at Pidgeot.
"Pii~"
I'm not that kind of Pokémon. I keep my word.
"Then please lead the way. Oh right, my friend Lily is coming over too." Nathan smiled and waved toward where Lily was hiding.
Lily came running, still with a few leaves stuck on him.
"Nathan, you've been hiding your strength way too well! You actually have an Elite-level Pokémon, and it's a Volcarona no less!" Lily was still visibly shaken and amazed.
"With just that Volcarona, you could definitely win the Trial Tournament. Whether it's Magic University or Imperial University, you can go wherever you want!"
"Volcarona is too rare. I can't reveal it carelessly," Nathan shrugged slightly.
Lily nodded in agreement but then gave a bitter smile. "But now the pressure's on me. My parents have always wanted us to go to the same university, but Magic City and Imperial's entry requirements aren't exactly low…"
"Haha, just do your best."
Nathan couldn't help but laugh. Their families were close and understood each other well. From elementary school all the way to university, both sets of parents had always liked the idea of the two of them attending the same school so they could look out for one another.
Still, there wasn't much he could do to help. But in truth, Lily wasn't weak either. If he put in the effort, getting into Magic City or Imperial University was definitely possible.
"I'll do my best," Lily replied helplessly.
The two of them followed Pidgeot
Pidgeot flapped its wings and rose into the air, then turned its head back and called to them, signaling for them to follow.
The two quickened their pace, with Pancham and Vulpix running along behind them.
Soon, they entered a new area.
Though they were still in the forest, it was clearly different from before. The moment they stepped in, Nathan heard sounds all around.
"Pii~"
"Row"
"Pii~"
Looking up, they saw numerous Pidgeys and Spearows perched on the surrounding trees.
This was clearly Pidgeot's territory.
"Pii!"
Pidgeot let out a sharp cry, and the Pidgeys and Spearows around responded cheerfully. Under Pidgeot's command, they didn't react aggressively to Nathan and Lily. Instead, they made happy sounds, as if welcoming them. A few bold Pidgeys even landed on their shoulders, curiously examining the two.
"If you want to catch a Pidgey, now's your chance." Nathan smiled as he looked at Lily.
The area was filled with nothing but Pidgeys and Spearows—a perfect opportunity for capturing one.
"I should still ask for Pidgeot's permission," Lily replied, shaking his head.
Pidgeot was the king of this place.
Most of the Pidgeys and Spearows here were either its subjects or descendants. Without its permission, they couldn't be captured.
Of course, if a trainer could win one over with charm or strength, Pidgeot wouldn't mind letting one of its own follow them.
In every secret realm, there's usually at least one wild Elite-level Pokémon.
They act as the rulers and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
Those with malicious intent are removed by the Pokémon League.
Those with goodwill are allowed to coexist with humans.
That said, wild Elite-level Pokémon like Pidgeot aren't the type that can be captured. They're responsible for their group and territory.
It's more practical to go after their descendants instead.
These kinds of Pokémon aren't easily swayed by emotion—they follow strength and logic.
As they walked forward, Pidgeot eventually stopped at a massive ancient tree.
The tree was huge. Though not the tallest in the forest, it had a remarkable presence.
It was clearly Pidgeot's home.
Its branches bore peculiar fruit.
There were about a dozen of them, each green with a spiky shell, resembling cacti.
These were Salac Berry.
The legend goes: "Hidden within the Salac Berry lies the power of the sky."
That refers to a significant boost in speed—if a Pokémon can fully absorb it, even the slowest one can become fast.
That's exactly why Nathan sought them out.
The fruit was incredibly rare.
Either monopolized by powerful families or guarded by wild Pokémon, they couldn't be taken by force.
Even on the market, they were nearly impossible to obtain.
"Pii~"
Pidgeot flapped its wings, sending a gust of wind across the tree.
The Salac berries fell one by one, caught mid-air by the flying Pidgeys, and placed in front of Nathan and Lily.
Ten fruits in total.
Eight for Nathan, two for Lily.
"These... are for me?" Lily asked in surprise, pointing to himself.
"Pii!" Pidgeot nodded.
"But…" Lily hesitated, embarrassed. He hadn't done anything to deserve them.
Nathan just patted him on the shoulder, grinning. "Come on, Lily, don't turn down a free gift!"
"Well, alright." Lily hesitated a moment before nodding and thanking Pidgeot. "Thanks!"
Then she turned to Nathan. "I owe you big time."
Lily understood she probably got the fruits thanks to Nathan.
Nathan didn't mind. He packed the eight Salac Berries into his bag, then turned to Pidgeot with a smile. "Thanks for your generosity, Pidgeot. Here, try this—see if you like it."
He tossed a blue Pokéblock to Pidgeot.
Pidgeot instinctively caught and swallowed it, eyes going wide with delight.
Delicious.
So good!
Pidgeot nodded excitedly at Nathan, showing its approval.
"That's an Pokéblock, a food I developed myself. Next time I come, how about I trade these for more Salac Berries?" Nathan offered loudly.
Pidgeot hesitated.
To it, the Salac Berries weren't that rare—it had already eaten a lot and had developed some resistance to them. But it kept the tree for its offspring.
Still, that delicious food was hard to pass up.
It was sick of eating Caterpies every day.
Besides, the Salar Berry tree bore fruit year-round and produced a good amount. Trading some didn't seem like a bad idea.
As an Elite-level Pokémon, Pidgeot could sense the energy in the food. It was incredibly pure and greatly beneficial.
After thinking it over, Pidgeot nodded in agreement.
"Then here, take two more. I'll bring more next time." Delighted, Nathan tossed it two more Pokéblocks.
Pidgeot gobbled them up without hesitation.
After eating all three, it let out a very human-like burp.
Pidgeot was satisfied—and so was Nathan.
Now, he could reliably obtain Salac Berries, a big help for raising new Pokémon in the future.
They didn't stay long. After getting what he came for, Nathan said goodbye to Pidgeot.
"Pii~"
Pidgeot shrieked, welcoming him back next time.
Nathan waved at Pidgeot, the nearby Pidgeys and Spearows, and left with Lily.
Before leaving, Lily asked Pidgeot for permission to catch a Pidgey.
Pidgeot agreed without hesitation.
Lily then battled a promising Pidgey with his Vulpix and successfully caught it—his second Pokémon.
...
"What was that earlier? Pokémon food?" Lily asked curiously as they walked away.
"Yeah, just something I messed around with in the past," Nathan nodded, not going into detail—it was too complicated to explain right now.
Lily didn't press. Thanks to Nathan, he had already gained a lot from this trip. Just getting the two Salac Berries was more than enough.
But just as they left Pidgeot's territory...
A figure appeared ahead of them.
A middle-aged man in a black suit looked at Nathan with a smile and said, "You two, I'm Shane Cloud, Vice President of the Poplar City Pokémon League branch. May I ask you a few questions?"
Each city had its own branch of the Pokémon League.
Poplar City was no exception.
Though surprised by the man's identity, Nathan still nodded and asked, "Vice President Cloud, what would you like to ask?"