Urban Pokémon

There are two kinds of secret realms in this world.

The first kind are permanent.

Well-known examples include the Huangpu River Secret Realm in the Shanghai, the West Lake Realm in H City, the Garden Realm in S City, and the Taihu Realm, among others.

Then there's the other kind—

Temporal secret realms.

These realms appear at uncertain times and places, and their duration is equally unpredictable.

They might appear in bustling city centers or deep in uninhabited forests.

Whether you encounter one comes down to pure luck.

The secret realm Guo Yi had learned about—by purchasing intel—was one of the temporal kind.

...

There hadn't been many wild Pokémon along the way, but inevitably, a few unwary ones attempted surprise attacks.

"Beedrill, [X-Scissor]!"

Skree!

Beedrill crossed its twin stingers in front of its chest, a pale green Bug-type energy surging between them and forming a glowing cross.

Then it dove forward.

The blocking Raticate was sent flying in an instant.

Secret realms place no restrictions on entry or exit for any living creature.

Both humans and Pokémon can freely move in and out through the entrance.

The only difference lies here:

If a wild Pokémon fails to leave before the secret realm disappears, it will remain trapped inside until the next time the realm intersects with reality.

But for humans and their captured Pokémon, they are automatically expelled when the realm fades.

As for why even captured Pokémon can't remain in the secret realm—

That mystery remains unsolved.

The entrance to a secret realm isn't a single portal either, but an area of space.

It's akin to layered dimensions.

Step across that threshold, and you're inside.

To leave the realm, you either retrace your steps back to the original entrance,

Or push forward, all the way to the other side.

Otherwise, your only option is to wait for the realm to disappear on its own.

When the entrance finally appeared, Guo Yi stepped in with Beedrill at his side.

From the lingering memories of his predecessor, he'd entered secret realms before—

But always as part of an expedition team.

This was Guo Yi's first time entering one alone.

The moment he stepped inside, it felt like he'd crossed into a brand new world.

Towering trees blotted out the sky, the ground choked with tangled weeds. In some spots, the undergrowth and brambles grew nearly waist-high. Bugs buzzed past intermittently.

Barren. Desolate.

That was Guo Yi's first impression of this secret realm.

Unlike the permanent realms—

Where the frequent visits of Trainers and adventuring teams had slowly worn paths into the woods—

This temporal realm…

It was entirely possible that Guo Yi was its first-ever visitor.

"Beedrill, from here on out, I'm counting on you to keep me safe."

The dangers inside a secret realm far outweighed those of the outside world.

As Guo Yi's only Pokémon, Beedrill was now also his bodyguard.

Skree! ٩(￣◡￣๑)۶

Don't worry, Trainer! Leave it to me!

Beedrill had clearly sensed the shift in environment. Its attention sharpened to a razor's edge.

Guo Yi opened up his map and got his bearings.

Then, together with Beedrill, he headed deeper into the secret realm.

And so—

A lone man and a Pokémon made their cautious way through the dense forest.

Wild Pokémon were indeed more numerous in the secret realm than outside.

Sure enough—

Barely ten minutes in, an ambush predator—no, an ambush dog—blocked their path.

From within the tangled growth, a black-backed, one-eyed Mightyena emerged, preparing to launch a sneak attack—only to be intercepted by Beedrill's heightened vigilance.

The Mightyena crouched low, lips peeled back in a snarl, emitting a low growl.

Rancid saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth.

It had clearly marked Guo Yi and Beedrill as prey.

"Mightyena!"

The instant Guo Yi saw it, his first reaction was to scan the surroundings with sharp wariness.

Wild Mightyena pack behaviors were strikingly similar to wolves—they usually hunted in groups and maintained strict social hierarchies.

So Guo Yi's first priority was to check for any hidden companions—other Mightyena, or Poochyena perhaps.

When no other signs of movement appeared around them, he turned his full attention to the lone Pokémon blocking the path.

[Mightyena]

[Gender: ♂]

[Level: Lv41 (Elite Tier)]

[Ability: Quick Feet (Speed increases under status conditions)]

[Moves: Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Scary Face, Taunt, Crunch (common usage)]

[Egg Move: Sucker Punch]

[Held Item: Sitrus Berry]

[Potential: Elite Tier]

"An elite-tier Mightyena, and no pack with it..."

"Looks like it lost a fight for leadership and got driven out."

From the looks of the wound over its eye—only just healed—Guo Yi reached a quick conclusion.

That, combined with its strength, made the story all too clear.

With everything analyzed, Guo Yi chose to strike first.

"Beedrill, [Swords Dance]!"

This Mightyena had reached elite tier—stronger than his current Beedrill by a margin.

Naturally, his first move was to boost Beedrill's attack.

Skree!

Backed by template experience, even though this was Beedrill's first time using [Swords Dance], the move came fluidly.

In just a few seconds, the swirling energy coalesced—attack power surged.

By the time the Mightyena moved to interrupt, it was already too late.

Still—

If it couldn't stop the setup,

Mightyena didn't hesitate to strike.

Scarlet flames ignited between its fangs as it bounded forward on powerful limbs, lunging straight for Beedrill—