"Mew~ (If you apologize and restore my full powers, I'll tell you all about the secret realm and how to handle it.)"
Feeling a bit annoyed, Carl suddenly heard Mew's voice next to him.
Mew could fly and speak now, but its skills were still sealed. Carl was in a good mood today, having had a fruitful day, so he granted Mew this tiny bit of freedom.
However, Lillie was quite startled, still not recovered from the shock. After all, she'd been teasing a legendary Pokémon for a full week!
Oh no...
Nessa and Caitlyn shared the same thought. Their current situation felt like hostages who had seen their captor's face — the odds weren't in their favor.
"Huh?"
Carl glanced at Mew and waved his hand casually. In the next moment, Mew turned back into a plush toy, flying back into Lillie's arms.
Huh? Lillie looked confused.
"If it doesn't want to talk, then let it be." Carl said nonchalantly.
Mew: "..."
Why was he being so unreasonable? Couldn't they communicate properly? Was he just a sore loser?
"The Buried Tower?"
Hearing Mew's response, Carl paused mid-bite. An S-Class secret realm appearing in Fairfield, was it a blessing or a curse? For Fairfield, Havenport, and potentially all of Westvale, it might be an opportunity. But for his leisurely life, it was indeed a disaster!
Sighing softly, Carl couldn't help but lament. Was he destined never to have peace?
He realized he couldn't avoid getting involved with this secret realm.
"Mew~ (You know about it?)"
Mew, regaining some freedom, looked at Carl with a haughty expression, waiting for him to seek its counsel. It dared not threaten Carl again but felt it was still permissible to showcase its vast knowledge as the ancestor of Pokémon.
But how did Carl know?
The Buried Tower was classified as a top-level SSS secret realm in the human world, heavily guarded. This tower was originally a sky-piercing tower with a thousand-year history in the Pokémon world, later buried for reasons unknown, becoming the secret realm it is today. Apart from a few ancient Pokémon, no one should know its origins.
The sound of a gasp swept through the room as Caitlyn and the others looked at Carl expectantly. Having witnessed his vast knowledge, they were eager for his explanation.
"I know a bit," Carl said, casually picking up a boiled egg Serena had peeled, and popped it into his mouth. "It's essentially a tower built by the Meteorite Clan to worship Rayquaza after they migrated to other continents to continue their bloodline."
Mew's eyes widened in realization. Although it knew the tower's purpose, it didn't know its origin, unlike those who are passionate about archaeology.
Carl glanced at Mew with a hint of helplessness. As a living Pokémon history book, it didn't even know this, yet dared to flaunt in front of him?
"Meteorite Clan?" Caitlyn softly repeated the name.
Nessa, perceptive as ever, noticed her reaction. "Have you heard of them?"
Caitlyn nodded thoughtfully. "The name sounds familiar." She turned her gaze to Carl, signaling him to continue.
Carl understood and explained succinctly, "They are an ancient tribe from the Hoenn region. They received special abilities from Rayquaza, allowing them to sense airflow changes and have a unique advantage in commanding Flying-type Pokémon."
"The tribe living under the Meteor Falls?" Caitlyn suddenly recalled. "What's their connection to the Sky Clan?"
"Exactly," Carl confirmed.
Only then did Nessa and the others understand that this mysterious family, much like the renowned Dragon Tamer clan, had ties to legendary Pokémon, though they operated more discreetly.
"So, is the Buried Tower related to Rayquaza?" Lillie asked excitedly. She remembered her mother mentioning that the Sky Pillar, where Rayquaza resided, was located in near a Mountain.
"Not just that," Carl said with a serious expression. "Its real name should be the Sky Tower, akin to the legendary Sky Pillar."
Seeing the puzzled expressions, he continued, "A thousand years ago, the Meteorite Clan foresaw a meteor crisis. They sent people to the Kanto region to build this sacrificial tower, hoping to gain Rayquaza's protection."
Everyone realized that this tower might have been modeled after the Sky Pillar. For the Meteorite Clan, adept at controlling airflow, such a structure could indeed serve a greater purpose.
"Then why is it called the Buried Tower now?" Serena couldn't help but ask.
Even Mew perked up its ears, intrigued by this piece of history.
"Because the crisis was quickly averted by Rayquaza. The builders returned to the Hoenn region, and the tower was gradually forgotten." Carl explained calmly.
The originally towering Sky Tower used for Rayquaza worship sank a third into the sea, embedded itself a third into a cliff, and the remaining part was covered by forest, turning it into the current Buried Tower. Who would have thought the Sky Tower was connected with the three legendary titans?
"The sea, the cliff, the sky, each taking a third?" Carl's words left Serena and the others deep in thought.
Lillie suddenly realized, "Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza! Don't they correspond to the sea, land, and sky rulers?"
Nessa and the others finally understood. Serena asked in surprise, "Carl, is the Buried Tower related to these three legendary Pokémon? Originally, I thought it was just related to Rayquaza, which was shocking enough, but it also involves the three primary legendary beasts."
Carl nodded in confirmation. With the secret realm emerging, this basic information would soon be public, so there was no harm in telling them. However, he had no intention of revealing the true secret of the indigo, crimson, and verdant orbs yet.
"Does this count as a relic-type secret realm?" Lillie asked excitedly.
"One could also call it a temple-type secret realm," Carl added. The four exchanged glances, immediately understanding his implication. If it truly involved the three rulers, as was customary, those entering might receive special blessings, most likely the Cloud Power inherited from the Meteorite Clan.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from afar, and the ground trembled. Carl knew this was the sign of the secret realm's monument appearing and immediately stood to head to the scene.
More intrigued by the legendary Pokémon that preemptively sealed the secret realm's signs and its reasons, he wondered who could seal an SSS-level secret realm, indicating it was definitely a primary legendary Pokémon.
Carl suddenly smacked his forehead, chiding himself for overlooking the obvious. With a readily available helper right beside him, why take the long route?
"Mew, do you sense any legendary Pokémon nearby?" he asked.
"Mew~ Of course!" Mew responded happily.
"Who is it?" Carl asked eagerly.
"Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Lugia, Ho-oh..." Mew rattled off a list of names.
Carl's forehead creased with lines. "I meant nearby!"
"Mew?" Mew tilted its head, "They're all around me, you can go whenever you like, is there a problem?"