Pokémon: Starting with a Bound Entry System

Chapter 76: A Gift from Takashi Hayashi and Traveling with Latias!

"Hey, kid, why are you running off so quickly?"

As Hikaru finished packing his belongings and prepared to leave the edge of Water City, a familiar voice called out to him.

Looking up, he saw none other than Takashi Hayashi, perched atop his Dragonite.

"Ah, Master Takashi, greetings," Hikaru replied, a bit surprised but still polite. After all, Takashi was a top-tier Trainer, and courtesy was due.

Still, Hikaru couldn't help but wonder why Takashi had sought him out. Could it be about the disaster in Water City that they had stopped together? Was this some sort of follow-up or commendation?

"You know who I am, don't you?" Takashi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hikaru hesitated for a moment. "Aren't you the Dragon-type Gym Leader...?"

Then his eyes fell on the Dragonite beneath Takashi, and the realization hit him.

"You're related to Sakura, aren't you?"

Takashi grinned. "I'm her brother!"

At this, Hikaru wasn't overly surprised. A Dragonite-riding Trainer with the last name Hayashi who was still relatively young—it wasn't hard to connect the dots. Takashi was easily one of the youngest Elite Trainers in Huaxia Country.

Still, Hikaru couldn't figure out why Takashi had sought him out at this moment. So, he stood there in silence, watching the Dragon Trainer with a mix of curiosity and caution.

For his part, Takashi found no fault in his potential future brother-in-law. In fact, he was quite impressed. However, he couldn't deny that Hikaru was still young and inexperienced, despite his obvious talent. Hikaru needed to grow stronger if he was going to live up to the expectations surrounding him.

"Your Charmeleon is good at Fire-type moves, but its Dragon-type energy isn't sharp enough. It lacks refinement. Here, take this Dragon Crystal—it'll help your Charmeleon evolve sooner. You're too flashy; tone it down."

With that, Takashi tossed a small, crystalline object toward Hikaru. The crystal sparkled with an icy, draconic aura that seemed to cut through the air.

Hikaru instinctively caught it, his eyes widening as he examined the object.

[SS+ Relic: Dragon Crystal – A gemstone nurtured on Dragon Island over centuries, formed purely from condensed Dragon energy. Constant use enhances Dragon-type potential and energy.]

An SS+ Relic! Even for a Trainer of Takashi's caliber, this was a rare and valuable treasure—something even a Dragonite would greatly benefit from. And now, Takashi was offering it to him?

Hikaru couldn't help but wonder if this was some kind of test or even a warning. Was this Takashi's way of saying, "Take this treasure and stay away from my sister"?

"I can't accept this," Hikaru said, his wariness evident in his tone.

"Sakura is practically family to me," he added cautiously.

Takashi burst out laughing. "All the more reason for you to take it! How else are you going to protect Sakura with your current strength?"

Through his Aura Vision, Hikaru quickly realized that he had misunderstood Takashi's intentions.

Still, as he accepted the Dragon Crystal, Takashi's tone turned serious. "If you ever fail to protect Sakura, I'll personally come for you."

"Thank you, Master Takashi," Hikaru said, though the crystal felt much heavier in his hands than it should have.

Takashi grinned and dismounted from his Dragonite, slinging an arm around Hikaru's shoulders like a schoolyard friend. The imposing image of a Dragon Master quickly faded in the younger Trainer's mind.

"Alright, kid, I need a favor," Takashi said, suddenly looking a bit sheepish.

"What kind of favor?" Hikaru asked, intrigued by this uncharacteristic shift in demeanor.

"You mentioned in the underground ruins that Ayame is your teacher...?"

Ah. Hikaru immediately understood. "You want me to ask her for some energy cubes?"

"Yes!" Takashi exclaimed, almost too eagerly. "I'm a Champion level trainer, and yet my Dusknoir is stuck with Expert-tier cubes! It's embarrassing."

Hikaru agreed to help, promising to talk to Ayame about it. The two exchanged contact information and chatted for a while longer, mostly about Hikaru's plans after the provincial league. Hikaru mentioned that he planned to head toward the coastal regions, exploring along the way.

"Good. Don't forget my request. And remember—don't let Sakura down!" Takashi said as his Dragonite spread its wings, ready to take off.

---

Before Takashi could leave, a sudden wave of psychic energy rippled through the air.

Both Hikaru and Takashi, attuned as they were to such forces, immediately sensed its presence.

"Woo~"

A red-haired girl appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was the same mysterious figure who had once gifted Hikaru the Latias scale.

Hikaru was once again struck by her extraordinary psychic abilities. His Aura Vision, which usually picked up even the faintest presences within a kilometer, had completely missed her. The sheer control required for such subtlety was awe-inspiring.

"Dira, you're here for these, right?" Hikaru said, pulling out a box filled with Psychic-type energy cubes he had prepared.

The girl eagerly accepted the box, taking out one cube and savoring it. Her bright orange-yellow eyes sparkled with joy as she held the box close, then moved closer to Hikaru.

Before either of them realized what was happening, Dira leaned in and gently kissed Hikaru on the cheek before returning the box to him.

"Uh…" Hikaru blinked, thoroughly flustered. "Is something wrong with the energy cubes?"

"Woo~" (No, they're delicious!) Dira replied with a cheerful smile.

Watching from his Dragonite, Takashi's jaw dropped. Was this really happening? Did Hikaru have this kind of luck with girls—even Psychic ones?

However, as Takashi's innate Dragon Sense activated, he suddenly realized the truth.

"That's not an ordinary girl…" he muttered. His suspicions were confirmed: Dira was Latias, the legendary Pokémon of Water City.

Seeing the mythical Pokémon show such affection toward Hikaru, Takashi couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Even as an Elite Trainer, he had never experienced anything quite like this.

"Forget it," Takashi said with a sigh, patting Dragonite's neck. "Let them handle their own business."

With that, Dragonite took off, leaving Hikaru and Latias alone.

---

"Woo~"

"You want to come with me on my adventures?" Hikaru asked, staring at the beaming girl.

"Woo~" (Yes, I want to travel with you!)

Hikaru hesitated. "Do you have a Pokémon? The places I explore can be dangerous, especially the secret realms."

"Woo~" (I am a Pokémon!) Dira said proudly, unleashing a wave of psychic energy that stirred the air around them.

Hikaru sighed, realizing there was no arguing with her. "Alright, but stay close to me," he said, already bracing himself for the challenges ahead.

---

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