Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Discovering a Pokémon egg within the ruins wasn't entirely surprising for Luo Yuan.

What did catch him off guard, though, was that this egg still held life.

"This egg must be thousands of years old at least," Luo Yuan murmured, scanning the ancient structure before returning his gaze to the egg.

An egg surviving for millennia—such a thing was nothing short of a miracle.

He tried channeling the power of Viridian to help the Pokémon within hatch.

But a quick attempt told him it wouldn't be that simple.

An egg that hadn't hatched after thousands of years wouldn't respond to a mere burst of life energy.

The Viridian power did strengthen the egg's faint life signals somewhat, but it was clear that hatching would still require a lot of time—and luck.

With a sigh, he slipped the egg into Gengar's belly for safekeeping.

Then Luo Yuan turned his attention to the mechanism that had been drawing energy from the Dragon Plate.

After a moment's thought, curiosity got the better of him, and in the spirit of never letting anything go to waste, he instructed Deoxys to slice the entire device from the ground with Psycho Cut.

There was no telling when he might need to use the energy in the Dragon Plate again.

Satisfied, he had Gengar store both the mechanism and the Dragon Plate safely inside its belly.

…

As Luo Yuan emerged from the ruins once more, he felt the faint Dragon-type energy in the air gradually dissipating.

With the Dragon Plate removed, it was only a matter of time before the island's energy levels returned to normal.

"Grr…"

The giant Dragonite, seeing Luo Yuan reappear, let out a soft growl.

It was visibly weakened now.

Without the source of Dragon-type energy it had relied on for so long, a deep fatigue settled over its massive frame.

"Let me see."

Luo Yuan reached out, placing a hand on Dragonite's head, and used his psychic sense along with Viridian power to assess its condition.

To his surprise, Dragonite's body was beginning to undergo a change.

With the Dragon Plate gone, it was slowly shrinking.

Yet… this seemed to be beneficial.

The shrinking didn't harm its vitality; rather, the reduction in size and energy density seemed to alleviate some of the strain it had long endured.

After all, Dragonite had always longed to leave this island and see the world beyond.

Hearing Luo Yuan's assessment, Dragonite tilted its head thoughtfully, sensing the truth in his words.

Luo Yuan didn't just leave it to fend for itself, either.

Extending his hand, he channeled more Viridian power to ease Dragonite's discomfort.

"Grrr…"

After a full hour, Dragonite finally let out a sigh of relief.

Now at nearly half its former size, Dragonite was still about twice as large as an ordinary Dragonite—massive by most standards—but it moved with a newfound agility and strength.

"Grrr!"

Testing out its sleeker form, Dragonite's eyes crinkled in delight, and its whiskers twitched with excitement.

Then it shared its wish with Luo Yuan: it wanted to travel with him.

After all, Luo Yuan was the first to best it, the only human it had ever fully respected.

Sensing Dragonite's heartfelt plea, Luo Yuan looked thoughtful.

"It's about half the size now… the Heavy Ball should work."

A typical Dragonite weighed around 210 kilograms, whereas a Snorlax could tip the scales at a hefty 460, with a Metagross reaching 550.

This Dragonite, even shrunken, still weighed in at around 800 to 900 kilograms, on par with a Gigantamaxed Metagross, according to his psychic estimate.

Still, Luo Yuan trusted Silph Co. technology to be up to the challenge—so long as the Heavy Ball wasn't defective.

"Gengar, come out."

At Luo Yuan's snap, Gengar appeared with its usual grin.

Dragonite tilted its head in curiosity, drawing closer for a better look, only for Gengar to wait until the last moment before pulling a face.

Startled, Dragonite stumbled back, landing on its tail.

"Kehehe~" Gengar cackled mischievously.

"Alright, cut it out. Get my Heavy Ball, will you?" Luo Yuan sent the request telepathically.

In his collection, he remembered having an assortment of Poké Balls—Heavy Balls included.

Gengar rummaged through the items in its belly, eventually pulling out a black Heavy Ball.

It had a satisfyingly hefty feel to it, perfect for a Pokémon of Dragonite's size.

Luo Yuan tapped the ball lightly against Dragonite's side.

With a flash of red light, the massive Dragonite was drawn inside.

The Heavy Ball shook momentarily.

And then, with a soft ding, it locked.

"Looks like the Heavy Ball wasn't even close to its limit." Luo Yuan smiled, satisfied, and released Dragonite again.

Then, pulling more Dragon-type food from Gengar's storage, he gave Dragonite a hearty meal.

Finally, he decided it was a good time to release all his Pokémon for a bit of rest and play.

In Kanto, he kept his status as a Rocket Executive strictly under wraps, so releasing all of his Pokémon in one go was a rare treat.

Here on the island, away from prying eyes, his team could finally enjoy some downtime together.

His Pokémon appeared around him, adjusting to their unfamiliar surroundings and soon playing happily together.

Ditto found a new inspiration, transforming into one of the unconscious Unown scattered across the ground.

Slowpoke, looking around to make sure no battles were taking place, heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down in a sunlit patch to doze.

Meanwhile, Dragapult and Dragonair continued absorbing the last traces of Dragon energy lingering in the air.

Dragonite, sensing the strength radiating from Dragapult and Mimikyu, grew more confident that following Luo Yuan was the right choice.

"Grrr…"

Grinning, Dragonite reached into a stash nearby and began pulling out items related to dragons.

Most were dragon scales and Dragon Gems that Luo Yuan had noticed earlier within the ruins.

"You're giving these to me?"

Luo Yuan chuckled, accepting Dragonite's "offerings" without hesitation.

---

Ahem! Gather close, esteemed audience! Do you comprehend the privilege of basking in my radiance? Truly, you're witnessing history in the making—a performance unparalleled in the annals of Fontaine!

Ah, but don't get distracted! Let me be clear: this brilliance isn't conjured from thin air. No, no, no! It requires effort, dedication, and… well, a touch of your generosity. If you fancy being part of something truly extraordinary, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

Oh, but wait! You're probably wondering, "Furina, how can someone as magnificent as you need assistance?" To that, I say: why deny mortals the honor of contributing to such greatness? Supporting me is supporting art, and who doesn't want to say they were instrumental in a legend's rise?

Now, off you go. Make your offerings, and perhaps, perhaps, I'll acknowledge you in my next soliloquy!

— Furina ✨