Chapter 639: Igniting the Grand Expedition Once More
Back within the heartland of the Dragon Clan.
Kazuya's mind was still deeply immersed in analyzing the mechanics of Primal Reversion.
Historically, this had been an agonizing, unsolvable puzzle. But as things stood now, it wasn't a bottleneck anymore. Even if Kazuya mathematically did absolutely nothing—merely engaging in his basic daily routines of eating, sleeping, and surviving—a day would inevitably arrive where his engine accumulated enough energy to permanently evolve into Mega Charizard X.
The only variable was putting a giant "?" mark over the exact timeline.
Optimistically speaking, a baseline estimate would be at least ten years. Without a doubt, given the Dragon Clan's current production velocity regarding Dragon-type natural energy, it was a pace that bordered on despair-inducing sluggishness.
Kazuya possessed the lifespan to wait it out. But... by the time his engine naturally breached the Mega threshold, he likely wouldn't even require Mega Evolution to dominate his adversaries anymore.
After all, he was fundamentally distinct from an ordinary wild Pokémon. Even when stripped of immediate existential pressure, Kazuya would proactively dedicate himself to rigorous martial cultivation and leveling, rather than simply sleeping and soaking in the sun like the vast majority of the ecosystem.
One only had to look at the Rocky Mountains to validate this logic. Pokémon that spent every waking hour brawling with others invariably stood head and shoulders above their peaceful peers of the exact same age group. Naturally, the percentage of those who actually survived to reach that age was grimly sparse.
Regardless, Kazuya possessed zero intentions of sitting idle and waiting for nature to take its course. His daily cultivation couldn't be suspended, and accelerating his Mega Evolution needed to be elevated onto his immediate agenda.
As the absolute sovereign of the Dragon Clan and the Dragon King of this era, Kazuya mathematically required an overwhelmingly powerful martial baseline to escort and shield his collective, guaranteeing his companions could live out their lives in peace and happiness, while systematically elevating their quality of life step by step.
When it came to his combat ceiling, there was no such concept as "too high."
Furthermore, there was a profoundly vital biological reality to factor in: the natural talent distribution of a Charizard.
The Charizard blueprint heavily skewed its potential toward facets that Kazuya personally didn't favor. A standard Charizard was structurally tailored to operate as a mage—a special attacker. Yet Kazuya had lived as a close-quarters physical warrior across five entirely distinct lifetimes. To this very day, he vastly preferred executing physical melee strikes, even if the numerical yield of those techniques wasn't as efficient as his special attacks.
But this structural discrepancy was a parameter that could be rectified.
The mixed-attacker, dual-blade blueprint commanded by Mega Charizard X meshed incomparably better with Kazuya's innate combat soul than a standard Charizard ever could.
A vast majority of Trainers throughout history forced their Pokémon to adapt their tactical styles to align with their biological blueprints, exclusively developing the innate talents hardwired into their bodies, believing this was the only path to long-term success. While this philosophy wasn't an absolute universal law, it represented the overwhelming consensus.
If one needed a textbook example of the catastrophic consequences of ignoring this rule... look no further than Ash Ketchum.
Ash's personal combat rhythm was defined by blistering, absolute velocity. Across every single one of his lifetimes, his ace partners—if nothing else—were mathematically incapable of being slow. Therefore, when he deliberately forced a biologically slow Turtwig to frantically train its speed, the consequences were devastating. After evolving into Grotle and eventually Torterra, the partner's combat viability plunged to such a pathetic floor that even Paul couldn't bear to watch the execution.
Kazuya's pursuit of Mega Evolution was, at its core, mirroring Ash's desire—he wanted to execute a tactical style he was far more proficient in. But the crucial distinction lay in his method. Instead of forcing his current biological shell to execute a style it mathematically couldn't sustain—an act of defying the heavens, much like Ash—Kazuya was actively transforming the biological talent of his body to match his soul, thereby altering his combat execution.
"If I wish to multiply the production velocity of Dragon-type natural energy... is my only mathematical option to subjugate more 'Dragons'?" Kazuya pinched his chin, lifting his gaze to the sky.
Regarding this operational directive, Kazuya didn't harbor any profound personal bias. The Dragon Clan lacked absolutely nothing; subjugating additional draconian tribes was, historically, a completely optional, non-vital objective for both him and his collective. He simply hadn't possessed a burning desire to execute it. Yet simultaneously, his heart held zero emotional rejection toward the idea either.
However, if he intended to forcefully accelerate his Mega Evolution timeline, this was the exclusive path forward. Consequently, a flicker of genuine martial motivation finally ignited within him.
Perfect. Systematically conquering alternative dragon lineages would inevitably mandate a massive volume of high-level combat, which cleanly doubled as rigorous martial cultivation. Killing two Pidgeys with one stone.
"Flor~" Florges' melodious voice chimed from behind him.
Before Kazuya could even turn his heavy head, a massive collar woven from delicate black blossoms was gently draped over his neck. Kazuya lowered his eyes to inspect the floral arrangement, then turned his snout to meet the warm, smiling eyes of the Florges beside him.
Although Florges had undergone a monumental evolution, her core psychological disposition hadn't shifted by a single degree. On the surface, her magnificent, regal posture might project a cold, unapproachable aura, but deep within, she remained that exact same gentle, caring little flower.
"I intend to commence operations to subjugate a greater volume of Dragon-type Pokémon," Kazuya rumbled softly.
"Flor?"
"It is mathematically beneficial for me to secure a further elevation in absolute strength."
"Flor." Florges nodded her elegant head, offering a warm hum to encourage Kazuya to completely let go and execute his vision. Whatever choice he made, she would anchor her absolute support behind it.
"I plan to initiate the campaign by targeting the Rocky Mountain range first," Kazuya stated, turning his golden irises toward the northwestern horizon.
Over the past five years, leveraging his overwhelming martial superiority, Kazuya hadn't hesitated to launch deep scouting runs into increasingly distant territories. Whether charting the western perimeter of the Rocky Mountains or plunging into the tropical rainforest situated south of the volcano, he had taken Florges along to meticulously survey the landscapes. Consequently, he possessed a relatively clear database regarding which specific draconian species garrisoned which precise coordinates.
The Rocky Mountain range undeniably housed the densest concentration of Dragon-type Pokémon among all immediately accessible environments. The sheer volume of pseudo-legendary clans alone sat at a staggering four.
Of course, this wasn't the primary parameter pushing Kazuya to target the rocky peaks first.
In truth, his absolute premier priority target historically remained the volcanic mountain range, followed by the tropical rainforest, with the Rocky Mountains ranking third. The volcano was situated immediately next door; the logistical proximity was flawless. Furthermore, if he could successfully subjugate the immensely powerful, Overlord-led Charizard clan, launching campaigns into any subsequent territory would become exceptionally streamlined.
Moreover, absorbing the Charizard clan was a grand ambition Kazuya had harbored since his earliest days in this era. He had even originally envisioned transforming them into the Dragon Clan's premier aerial vanguard. But tactical reality rarely adheres strictly to early blueprints; following the subsequent subjugation of the Altaria and Aerodactyl flocks, that specific desire had naturally faded.
Yet, if he were to officially restart the grand campaign of unifying the draconian species, the Charizard clan fundamentally remained his absolute premier target.
Beyond the Charizard clan, the volcanic mountain range also housed a Turtonator clan. Setting aside their aesthetics and baseline viability, they mathematically possessed the Dragon attribute and belonged to the Dragon Egg Group; integrating them into the Dragon Clan wouldn't pose an issue.
But the critical bottleneck was...
His younger brother had previously spoken to Kazuya in absolute confidence: Do not lay a claw on the volcanic mountain range. Leave this territory entirely to me. Big Brother, you focus your gaze upon the north first.
When he had processed those words back then, Kazuya's heart hadn't rippled with a single shred of hesitation. Because at that specific stage of his progression, he harbored virtually zero tactical interest in the volcano anyway. Even if brother-kun hadn't spoken up, he highly likely wouldn't have launched an offensive against those peaks.
It was only today, having conclusively unearthed the origin mechanics of Dragon-type natural energy, that the ambition to reignite the grand draconian expedition resurfaced.
As for why his younger brother had articulated that specific request, Kazuya deduced it was inextricably linked to their dragon dad; the father and son had highly likely forged a profound, binding pact. For instance, a future cataclysmic duel between father and son, with the victor officially claiming the sovereign throne of the volcano and the absolute leadership of the Charizard clan.
Regarding this trajectory, Kazuya naturally anchored his full approval. Since his younger brother harbored a burning desire to forge a grand "enterprise" of his own, Kazuya would gracefully step aside and let him execute it.
However, since he couldn't presently secure the volcanic mountain range, launching a direct offensive against the tropical rainforest situated further south became a logistical nightmare.
The undisputed Overlords of the tropical rainforest were a massive Noivern clan, and Kazuya had cataloged several other draconian tribes thriving within the jungle. Given the rainforest's sprawling geographic parameters and insanely rich survival resources, it was a flawless sanctuary suitable for almost any Pokémon species. Even though the Dragon Clan currently faced zero resource crises, Kazuya still desired to annex this magnificent utopia to serve as an ultimate strategic reserve.
But right now, the volcanic mountain range sat as a massive geographical buffer directly between the grassland and the jungle. Launching a campaign across that barrier would invite countless logistical bottlenecks and operational frictions; it simply wasn't mathematically efficient.
Consequently, the blueprint to annex the tropical rainforest had to be temporarily suspended. Thus, the operational focus naturally shifted down the hierarchy to his third target—the Rocky Mountain range.
The survival environment across the rocky peaks was objectively mediocre, yet the territorial parameters were vast, the demographic volume of Pokémon was immense, and the average combat intensity was exceptionally high. It was a thoroughly enticing, yet brutally hard bone to chew.
A grueling campaign. But currently, there wasn't a superior operational alternative available.
Further south of the tropical rainforest lay an endless, scorching desert. For a barren, godforsaken wasteland like that, Kazuya didn't even wish to spare a second glance; a few years prior, he had swept past its perimeter, taken one look, and immediately altered his trajectory.
That left only two remaining biomes across the known map: the ocean, and the snowfields.
The former required zero elaboration. Outside of Kazuya, who commanded a genetic cheat, the entirety of the Dragon Clan possessed a mere singular, sparsely populated Dragalge lineage capable of executing underwater combat. They held absolutely zero martial capital to launch a campaign of conquest beneath the waves. Unless he deliberately sought out and subjugated the isolated Dragonite clan—but Kazuya harbored zero desire to shatter the peaceful, idyllic existence of those endearing, simple-minded dragons.
As for the latter—the snowfields.
Evaluating purely on environmental viability, the frozen wastes were a lethal, mathematically unsurvivable habitat for the vast majority of Dragon-type Pokémon, offering conditions hardly superior to the southern desert.
Furthermore, the snowfields only housed two draconian lineages: the Overlord-tier Aurorus clan, and the ghost dragons, the Dragapult line.
If Dragon-type Pokémon marched into the snowfields, their raw combat output would instantly suffer a minimum degradation of fifty percent due to the sheer elemental suppression. Whether they would still retain sufficient mathematical firepower to wage a war against the Aurorus clan under those conditions was a massive variable that demanded meticulous calculation.
As for the Dragapult line's absolute velocity... outside of Kazuya commanding Extreme Speed and the Mega Aerodactyl, virtually zero Pokémon within their ranks possessed the capacity to track them down. Not to mention, those ghost dragons commanded the biological mechanics to phase through solid matter and render their frames semi-ethereal.
In summary, launching an invasion against the snowfields was a venture where the tactical losses would catastrophically outweigh the gains. Unless an absolutely flawless, serendipitous operational window manifested, Kazuya possessed zero desire to squander his time and energy there.
"Flor?" Florges furrowed her elegant brow, tilting her head in slight confusion.
"There is zero necessity to mobilize the landlocked members of the Dragon Clan. Deploying alongside the Aerodactyl and Altaria vanguards already stationed up there will provide me with more than enough martial capital. In any case, there is no frantic rush," Kazuya rumbled, shaking his head gently. He turned his golden irises toward Florges and stated, "For the foreseeable operational window, I will likely establish a semi-permanent presence within the Rocky Mountain range. The daily logistics and overarching jurisdiction of the grassland will have to be entirely entrusted to your claws."
Florges absolutely could not be removed from the heartland.
Kazuya was departing. Brother-kun was absent. If Florges were to mobilize alongside him, leaving the home completely stripped of an absolute, commanding authority... the Dragon Clan would mathematically fracture and dissolve into complete chaos within a single month. They might even splinter and go their separate ways entirely.
If that timeline manifested, an entire army of Elite Four-tier dragons running rampant, slaughtering and competing across the grassland, would unleash a cataclysmic disaster.
After all, the dragons anchoring the collective remained profoundly, fundamentally arrogant within their bones. Aside from the three absolute leaders, not a single one of them genuinely respected or submitted to their peers. This reality was flawlessly documented by the constant, petty domestic frictions that sparked on a daily basis.
The general psychological consensus was: I accept the Alpha disciplining me, but what mathematical right do you have to bark orders at me? Are your parameters superior to mine?
With a sovereign dragon firmly pressing down from above, the tribes could interact with joyful, chaotic harmony, as they all shared the identical status of subordinates. But strip away that absolute sovereign presence, and they would instantly be forced to brawl to establish an interim proxy leader; otherwise, absolute insubordination would reign.
Therefore, Florges was structurally required to remain stationed at the heartland, maintaining an absolute watch over the Dragon Clan to brutally crush any internal conflicts or insurrections before they sparked.
Given the immense prestige and flawless goodwill she had meticulously accumulated across the Dragon Clan over these past dozen or so years, Kazuya calculated that enforcing order wouldn't be a grueling task for her. There was virtually not a single dragon across the collective who wouldn't respectfully honor her authority.
Furthermore, it wasn't as if he was permanently vanishing. He fully intended to escort the Aerodactyl and Altaria vanguards back to the grassland heartland roughly once every three days to personally audit the parameters.
"Flor." Florges felt zero anxiety or trepidation, merely nodding her head with serene absolute certainty.
This wasn't born of an arrogant confidence in her own parameters, but rather an absolute, unyielding faith in the members of the Dragon Clan. She lacked Kazuya's capacity to meticulously calculate and dissect all those complex political variables. Therefore, she had never once entertained the dark hypothesis of what catastrophic chaos might unfold if the three leaders were absent for a prolonged window.
Florges merely anchored a singular, absolute vow deep within her heart:
Once Kazuya departs, I must flawlessly protect the Dragon Clan.
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