Chapter 312: Blackthorn City's Dragon Feast!

Ah Du's gaze, filled with scrutiny and helplessness, fell upon Luo Mu, who had just crawled out of the hole in the ground.

The clothes that nearly wrapped his body tightly were covered in mud, making it impossible to tell that this person was actually the only Champion-level Trainer the Paldea region had seen in recent years, the hero who saved the Orange Islands.

Two Pokémon that appeared to be Sandslash emerged successively behind Luo Mu, but the steel needles on the backs of these two Sandslash were frozen solid and emitting a chill; could they be the Sandslash of Paldea?

As soon as the Sandslash left the hole, Ah Du could see that there was nothing behind them; most of the cave's space had been sealed off by dirt, and to re-enter, one would have to dig again.

Furthermore, Luo Mu did not emerge carrying a Larvitar sufficient to make Ah Du's heart leap out of his chest, which allowed Ah Du to breathe a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, matters had not escalated into the worst-case scenario he had imagined in his mind.

Ah Du's gaze returned to Luo Mu, meeting his eyes in silence for a moment, as if organizing his words.

Then, Ah Du spoke: "When I just arrived here, what I saw was your Serperior and Dragonite pinning an Archaludon and a Tyranitar to the ground, unable to move; can you explain this?"

Ah Du tried his best to keep his tone from being too stiff, after all, colleagues like Lorelei and Agatha, as well as his cousin Clair, had all said his tone naturally carried a flavor of command and interrogation, making people who spoke with him feel like criminals, while Ah Du was the one interrogating the criminal.

Although a Pokémon like Tyranitar is very precious, the Kanto-Johto League does not monopolize it to prevent others from catching it; as long as Trainers enter Mt. Silver through normal procedures, they can freely catch the Pokémon inside.

Of course, the premise is entering Mt. Silver through normal procedures.

Everyone followed the direction her finger pointed, and upon seeing the figure covered in wind and snow behind the Dragonite, they couldn't help but reveal expressions of shock.

Coupled with Ah Du's fully armed appearance and the gaze he cast upon him—a look containing confusion within scrutiny, and regret within that confusion—what else could Luo Mu understand?

It turned out Ah Du regarded him as someone who had "smuggled" himself into Mt. Silver to "poach" Tyranitar and Archaludon, and even their offspring.

Luo Mu advanced toward the final goal of this journey to the Mt. Silver range—

Stunned by Ah Du's question, Luo Mu looked at his Serperior and Dragonite, asking with his eyes what the current situation was and why they had pinned down the Tyranitar couple and the Archaludon.

After reacting, Ah Du wore an expression of utter bewilderment.

"... Never mind, let's let it go this time; in the future, if you wish to enter the Mt. Silver range, please walk through the front gate openly and squarely; although it takes ten days to half a month for ordinary Trainers to apply for entry into the Mt. Silver range, for someone of your status, applications are prioritized and audited immediately."

Busy confronting Ah Du's Dragon Legion, Serperior and Dragonite returned Luo Mu a baffled glance; wasn't it you who said that if the Tyranitar couple intended to get desperate and use the move Earthquake, we should pin them down?

As a result, just as Serperior used Frenzy Plant, which was thick and hard and impossible for the Tyranitar to chew through no matter how they gnawed, to pin them down, the Archaludon inexplicably went berserk and insisted on attacking Serperior, so naturally, the Dragonite could only hold the Archaludon down.

Watching as Ah Du and his Dragonite's backs gradually turned into a black dot, Luo Mu nudged the Dragonite with his elbow and asked, "Judging by feeling, who do you think is stronger, you or Ah Du's Dragonite?"

The Dragon Feast is an event first hosted by the Dragon Clan, intended to break with rigid conventions and connect the Dragon Clan with Dragon-type Trainers from around the world, allowing them to know each other and improve together.

The pride was because the Dragonite, whom he had practically watched grow up, had become so outstanding.

Ah Du emphasized this to Luo Mu several more times before returning to his own Dragonite, flipping onto its back.

Serperior looked sideways at the Dragonite, a trace of imperceptible pride and longing flowing within its ruby-like snake eyes.

Could it be that he is the unparalleled Dragon Messenger, Ah Du?

What kind of formidable Trainer is this, that after reaching the summit, he still has the energy to dive down from the peak of Mt. Silver in one go?

June 30th, 7:00 AM.

No, let alone poachers; even ordinary Trainers who choose to smuggle themselves into the Mt. Silver range do so for the rare Pokémon inside.

Who would believe it if this were told? A dignified Champion-level Trainer going to great lengths to smuggle himself into Mt. Silver just to fight a newly born Larvitar for the soil that serves as its food.

Luo Mu, who had roughly understood the meaning behind Serperior and Dragonite's gazes, fell silent.

"Regarding the matter of those poachers, I still have to deal with it, so I must take my leave here."

Feeling the energy within his body grow stronger day by day, his perception of the wind, and that new move gradually taking shape, the Dragonite at this moment was full of confidence.

According to Luo Mu's account, when he saw the Tyranitar's cub, the Larvitar, he hadn't even had the thought of wanting to catch it.

"I have already had my subordinates submit a supplementary application for you regarding this entry; it should have been approved by now, so you can now freely explore and catch Pokémon within the Mt. Silver range."

A team of Trainers who had just passed the audit at the Indigo Plateau arrived at the foot of Mt. Silver's main peak intending to undergo training.

Within the small team, someone with sharp eyes pointed at the back of that Dragonite and said in surprise, "Hey, look over there, isn't there someone on the back of that Dragonite?"

Made uneasy by Ah Du's staring gaze, Luo Mu, who had already taken a bath and changed clothes, knew what Ah Du was thinking and said dissatisfiedly, "Don't look at me like that; I exchanged many Energy Cubes with the Larvitar fairly!"

Under Luo Mu's explanation, which took considerable effort, and coupled with Luo Mu's bulging sack that was truly almost filled to the brim of his space backpack, Ah Du could only believe, with an expression as if his worldview had collapsed, that Luo Mu had really come here just to dig for soil.

"By the way, please arrive on time tomorrow according to the time on the invitation letter for the 'Dragon Feast' hosted by the Dragon Clan; at that time, many Dragon-type Pokémon users from all over the world will also arrive, and it certainly won't disappoint you."

As for the longing, it was that Serperior also wanted, on some future day, to tell Luo Mu with its usual arrogant posture that even though it was temporarily weaker than those League Champions' aces right now, it would surpass them in the near future!

At 9:00 PM, watching the Archaludon leave the territory of the Tyranitar couple, the Tyranitar couple continued to guard the rocky mountain that held their offspring underground.

Luo Mu wanted to press his forehead and sigh, but hindered by the dirty mud on his body making it difficult to operate, he could only look up at Ah Du, shrug his shoulders, and say, "... If I said I was just here to dig for soil, would you believe me?"

If it were before, the Dragonite would hesitate for a moment and then reluctantly admit that it was still a bit lacking compared to that Dragonite, but now, the Dragonite very boldly patted its chest, lifted its head, and spoke.

There must be a limit to how abstract things can get.

That was unmistakably the extremely rare Pokémon—Dragonite.

"Huh?"

It was entirely a series of misunderstandings that caused this situation.

This fully armed small team had just arrived at the foot of the main peak when they discovered that from the banner clouds that perennially shrouded the summit of Mt. Silver's main peak, an orange-yellow figure dove down, stirring up a wild wind.

After reciting the social formalities that the elders in the family had forcibly required him to memorize to Luo Mu once, and receiving the other party's nod of approval, Ah Du rode the Dragonite, whipped up a wild wind, and flew in the direction of the Indigo Plateau.

"Bo-wu~!" (Even though it is stronger right now, in the future, I will surpass it!)

Ah Du: "..."

Reach the summit of Mt. Silver once, and then, confirm certain matters.

This is a very common occurrence; due to limited capabilities, in order to ensure safety during training, even many who have already become Elite Trainers will still choose to form teams to lower risks and increase their resistance to danger.

As for why Ah Du appeared near here, Luo Mu recalled a message he had sent to Lorelei earlier; presumably, Lorelei had directly contacted Ah Du, who was currently in Blackthorn City, as that city is relatively close to the Mt. Silver range.

Luo Mu had contacted the contact information left on the invitation letter as soon as he arrived in Blackthorn City; after confirming the time of the event, he found an inn and fell asleep immediately, until the alarm clock at 3:00 PM woke him, at which point he hurriedly tidied himself up and boarded the sedan car sent by the Dragon Clan.

The sedan car wound through the streets of Blackthorn City, driving toward the edge of the city.

That place was not only the ancestral land of the Dragon Clan but also a place that attracted the gaze of countless Dragon-type Trainers, possessing many rare Dragon-type Pokémon, and was on par with Meteor Falls in Hoenn and the Village of Dragons in Unova—the Dragon's Den.

Inside the sedan car, watching the scenery constantly recede outside the window, a somewhat bored Luo Mu discovered that a document lay quietly on his right-hand side.

The driver's respectful voice from the front rang out simultaneously with Luo Mu's discovery of the document.

"Mr. Luo Mu, to prevent conflicts arising from everyone being unfamiliar with one another, the list above details the trainers and factions attending tonight's Dragon Banquet."

"A list?"

Pondering thoughtfully, Luo Mu picked up the document and began flipping through it.

A moment later, Luo Mu closed the file, his expression showing slight surprise.

The Dragon Clan's influence was truly terrifying; had he not seen this list, he would never have known so many big shots would be arriving tonight.

Aside from some Dragon-type trainers and families Luo Mu did not recognize, as well as Lance, who was already scheduled to attend, and Clair, the Dragon-type Gym Leader of Blackthorn City.

There were also quite a few people Luo Mu knew who would be appearing—

One of the Hoenn League's Elite Four, the Dragon Master Drake.

The successor representing the heritage of the Meteor People, Zinnia.

The Champion of the Sinnoh region, the archaeologist Cynthia.

Xia Ka, Gym Leader of Opelucid City's Twinleaf Gym in the Unova region, and his student, Iris, from the Village of Dragons.

Drasna, a member of the Kalos Elite Four, who, like Cynthia, hails from Celestic Town.

It seemed Raihan, a Gym Leader from the Galar region, had also been invited, but he had declined this invitation as he was busy challenging Champion Dan Di.

The dragon-taming families of Paldea had also sent representatives, which made Luo Mu somewhat curious: could it be that the Dragon Clan had issued two invitations?

One sent through the Paldea League to Hassel, and another given directly to the dragon-taming families.

Among them, apart from Cynthia, whose only ace was Garchomp, and Luo Mu, who had replaced Hassel and whose main team contained only Dragonite as a Dragon-type, most were trainers specializing in Dragon types.

This made Luo Mu even more curious about the Dragon Banquet; not only had it gathered so many renowned and powerful trainers, but one could even learn special Extreme Speed techniques.

"Mr. Luo Mu, we have arrived."

The sedan stopped before a massive, luxurious estate, and the driver ahead politely spoke up to remind the distracted Luo Mu.

"Ah, good. Thank you for your trouble."

Having already attended a banquet hosted by Chairman Zhi Mi previously, Luo Mu had long since developed an immunity to such luxurious estates; he merely sighed with emotion that, as a powerful family entrenched in the Johto region, the Dragon Clan's wealth must be incredibly substantial.

Even though the sky had not yet darkened, the vast estate was already brilliantly lit, with many people gathered in the courtyard exchanging words; among them, Luo Mu spotted quite a few familiar figures.

"I have long admired your name, Champion Luo Mu."

Perhaps because the Dragon Clan was a prestigious family with a long heritage right here in the Johto region, their reception was flawless.

The moment Luo Mu stepped out of the car, a woman dressed in a blue uniform and wearing a cape that reached her waist came forward to greet him.

"First, allow me to introduce myself; my name is Clair, and I am the person responsible for receiving you today."

Luo Mu looked at the newcomer; indeed, she was basically the same as the Clair in his memory.

Clair was wearing her most common set of gear, with a cape draped over her shoulders; while it might look like strange attire, it actually demonstrated the Dragon Clan's attentiveness.

Unlike the banquet hosted by Chairman Zhi Mi in Kalos, which required guests to wear formal attire, this Dragon Banquet, considering the arrival of trainers from different regions and cultures, placed no restrictions on clothing style; in fact, wearing clothes that fit the culture of one's own upbringing was even better.

The culture of the Dragon Clan centered on this form-fitting uniform and cape, both of which Lance and Clair loved to wear.

"Hello, Young Lady Clair."

Luo Mu nodded, having no desire to explain again that a Champion-level trainer from the Paldea region was not the same as a League Champion like Lance.

His peripheral vision fell upon himself: a simple short-sleeved shirt and slim-fit trousers, a very ordinary outfit.

Compared to the highly personal styles of dress worn by Clair and Lance, Luo Mu actually felt a notion that he had lost.

After exchanging greetings, Luo Mu entered the Dragon Clan's estate under Clair's guidance.

As they walked, Clair said with a smile, "I didn't expect the representative from the Paldea League side to be you; when we heard that the hero who saved the Orange Islands was visiting in place of Elite Four Member Hassel, even those steady elders were somewhat surprised."

Luo Mu could hardly say he had come just to secretly learn their ancestral secrets, so he could only change the subject: "But I'm not a trainer specializing in Dragon types either; is there really no problem?"

Clair looked slightly odd: "The purpose of holding this Dragon Banquet is to allow Dragon-type Pokémon users from all over the world to exchange experiences and become friends."

"With your feat of defeating the Fire God, and possessing a Dragonite that might be no less impressive than my cousin's ace, how could there be any problem?"

As she finished speaking, an extra intensity appeared in Clair's gaze as she looked at Luo Mu.

Do not misunderstand; that intensity was not romantic affection, but merely the battle desire and fervor unique to trainers when they see someone they wish to battle and challenge.

Being stared at by Clair with such eyes, a vague premonition rose in Luo Mu's heart.

It seemed this so-called Dragon Banquet still followed the same old pattern; there would likely be a battle segment later, after all, the fighting intent in Clair's eyes was already about to overflow.

Under Clair's guidance, Luo Mu arrived at the bustling courtyard.

After all, since the word 'banquet' was part of 'Dragon Banquet,' the Dragon Clan naturally had to set up a feast for guests like Luo Mu who had traveled from afar, treating them to the most characteristic delicacies of the Johto region.

Having brought Luo Mu here, Clair's task was complete; she smiled and said, "I will go receive other guests then; whether you wish to enjoy the food, engage in Pokémon battles, or socialize, feel free to come find me anytime if you have any questions."

Luo Mu nodded, watching Clair leave, then fixed his gaze on the feast where delicious food was still steaming hot and emitting a fragrant aroma, momentarily unable to suppress his surging appetite.

Come to think of it, having slept until now without eating breakfast or lunch, only upon seeing the food did he notice the hunger rumbling in his stomach.

Without much hesitation, Luo Mu took out a Poké Ball, released his Dragonite, who had also barely eaten anything due to being busy flying, and they immediately began to eat and drink heartily.

If this weren't the Dragon Banquet, where releasing Pokémon of other types would be somewhat impolite, Luo Mu would have definitely let his Serperior and the others come taste the delicious, characteristic cuisine cooked by the Dragon Clan's chefs, who boasted a long history in the Johto region.

As Luo Mu and Dragonite ate and drank heartily, many people, due to his arrival, turned their gazes toward him and Dragonite, displaying thoughtful expressions.

Although Luo Mu's name was on the list, actually seeing this powerful trainer, who had recently gained great fame for saving the Orange Islands and suppressing the three Legendary Birds, was still somewhat astonishing.

No one expected the other party to be so young; many people even began to harbor thoughts of wanting to strike up a conversation and socialize with him.

At the edge of the banquet grounds, an older woman with a face full of smiles, wearing a brownish-gray long dress and adorned with dragon-tooth ornaments on her chest, arms, and hair, had noticed Luo Mu the moment Clair brought him over.

Recalling his outstanding performance at her colleague's banquet and remembering that she had even exchanged contact information with Luo Mu, Drasna narrowed her eyes and smiled as she spoke to the person beside her: "Young Lady Cynthia, please excuse me for a moment."

Hearing Drasna's voice, Cynthia, who had been busy enjoying desserts unique to the Johto region, finally lifted her head.

She had a head of smooth blonde hair, and her exquisite face showed a moment of bewilderment.

Today, Cynthia was not wearing the black trench coat she wore as Champion, but had chosen a cooler, more refreshing outfit.

Cynthia directed her gaze toward Luo Mu's direction, revealing a thoughtful expression.

She remembered... that should be the person who, when she participated anonymously in an event previously, made the cream ice cream-flavored Pokéblocks that amazed her so much, right?

(End of Chapter)