Carl was momentarily speechless. Well, being a top-tier legendary Pokémon must be nice, treating the entire planet as your backyard, huh?
"So, who's the closest around here?" he asked, trying to keep his patience intact.
"Mew~ Rayquaza!" Mew pointed upwards towards the ceiling. "It flew over once the secret realm appeared."
Rayquaza? Carl pondered. Could it be responsible? Unlikely. Rayquaza's style would be to shut down the entire realm with no hesitation. Sealing just the signs and leaving the realm untouched seemed more like avoiding someone.
What could be the purpose of a top-tier legendary doing this? The plot was thickening.
"Besides Rayquaza, who else is nearby?" he continued.
"Groudon and Kyogre aren't far either," Mew replied.
Carl almost laughed aloud. This secret realm is linked to three top-tier legends, and they're all heading this way. Anyone unaware might think there's a tea party planned... He stopped abruptly.
"Wait a minute! Could it be..."
He quickly asked, "Are Groudon and Kyogre asleep right now?" holding on to a sliver of hope.
"Nope, they're heading back and forth," Mew responded honestly.
Carl's face went pale, feeling a sinking sensation. Rayquaza and the others must be drawn by the Buried Tower's secret realm. With those temperaments, there might be chaos.
Hopefully, Rayquaza can intervene in time, or I'll have to rely on Mew for help, he calculated. Worst case, I'll lure those troublemakers into the domain to teach them a lesson.
Turning to the group, Carl steadied himself, "I need to head to the site. Are you all coming?"
The four girls exchanged glances and replied in unison, "Of course!"
Meanwhile, ten miles upstream from the Summit Gym, the sky was dark with clouds, thunder roared, and lightning flashed. On the beach, a crowd had gathered—local journalists and many professional trainers. Ordinary citizens had been moved to safety zones.
The most notable were five trainers standing by a stone monument at the shore, each mounted on a flying Pokémon. Leading them was Daniel, the Flying-type Master of Westvale, his Bloodwing Dragon standing out.
To his left was Matt Titanium with his steel-armored Corviknight, and Water-type Master Wayne Ryder on a Gyarados. To the right was Ground-type Master Duke Stone with his Flygon, and Electric-type Master Ray Blitz stood on his Electrode.
The four masters of Westvale were evenly matched, but Daniel and Matt Titanium clearly held the edge. Wayne excelled against Duke, who in turn could suppress Ray, while Ray struggled against Wayne.
The five stood at the forefront, scrutinizing the energy-emitting stone monument.
"Do all gym leaders have procrastination issues?" Ray Blitz abruptly commented.
Daniel and Matt Titanium exchanged amused glances, knowing Ray was superficially referring to Carl, the gym leader of the Summit Gym, while actually teasing Wayne.
The five shared a good rapport, but Ray loved to poke fun at Wayne. Despite having the upper hand in type advantage, Wayne often ended up losing, making him the unofficial underdog. Winning even once could've shifted the narrative to type dynamics.
"Ray, watch your words," Wayne said, his expression unusually stern.
This reaction caught Ray and Duke off guard. Wayne, a specialist in Water-types, usually used gentle-natured Pokémon and was known for his good temper. When provoked, he might just challenge you to a match, not call you out directly.
Ray was left speechless.
Daniel and Duke exchanged a knowing look, and Daniel spoke up, "Joking with Wayne is fine, but don't drag Carl into it."
Both held multiple roles within the league and had insider knowledge that Ray and the others, less experienced, were unaware of.
"I..." Ray flushed with embarrassment.
Wayne sighed, "Carl isn't as simple as you think. A misunderstanding could be detrimental for you."
They all understood Ray's jab was friendly banter, but outsiders wouldn't know that. If Carl overheard and took it to heart, it could spell trouble.
Beyond Carl's prowess, his company, XY, was formidable. After Professor Oak's endorsement, it swiftly conquered Asian markets, and the Team Rocket incident brought international attention. Mewtwo and Articuno showing up seven days ago, plus the major battle in Kanto, catapulted XY to global fame.
Carl, with years of accumulated wealth and connections, was well-established in the field, even earning respect from figures like Daniel.
As a newcomer, Ray, with his undeniable talent, was insignificant in the face of true power.
"Just a nineteen-year-old genius trainer, how formidable can he be?" Ray retorted, still defiant, though a hint of realization crept in.
Daniel and the others shook their heads with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Duke, perceptive as ever, sensed deeper implications, cautiously asking, "Is there more to Carl's identity?"
Wayne exchanged a glance with his companions and whispered, "XY."
Duke was momentarily taken aback, then his eyes widened with understanding.
As a local, he'd heard of XY's reputation and had speculated about the enigmatic figure behind it, never expecting the truth to reveal itself this way. Ray, realizing he'd spoken out of turn, felt his face turn an unpleasant shade. Though impulsive, he was astute enough to quickly grasp the potential ramifications.
Duke gave him a thoughtful glance, and they exchanged a knowing look. Clearly, they were both on the same page about the mysterious figure behind XY.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, a sudden whistling sound broke through the sky. Everyone looked up to see an orange figure descending rapidly.
"It's Dragonite!" someone gasped.
A large Dragon-type Pokémon landed, carrying a figure on its back. Daniel and the other trainers exchanged surprised glances—this Dragonite was at a Champion level.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." A gentle voice greeted them.
As Dragonite landed, the young man standing atop it came into view. His handsome features and sunny smile left a lasting impression.
"It's Carl, the gym leader!" A local trainer recognized him, though disbelief tinged their voice, "When did he capture a Dragonite?"
The crowd began to buzz with whispers:
"This Dragonite's aura is so strong!"
"It seems to rival the Pokémon of the masters."
"Could it be Champion-level too?"
Someone interjected, "You're so out of the loop. The Summit Gym has recently been challenged by an eighteen-year-old apprentice with elite-level top-tier strength. What do you think the gym leader's level is?"
The crowd was abuzz with realization, acknowledging that the young gym leader's strength might far exceed their expectations.
Above, the trainers didn't mind the chatter. Daniel smiled and replied, "You arrived just in time."
Carl, caught off guard by Ray's sudden enthusiasm, was a bit taken aback but returned a polite smile. "Glad I made it. Though my strength might be limited, I'll do my best to help."