What should one do when caught slacking off by their boss?
If this Dragonite lived in Ma En's previous world and had access to a mobile phone or computer, it would undoubtedly post an urgent message online, desperately seeking advice.
The Dragon Elder chuckled as he observed Dragonite frozen in place, its expression mirroring that of a petrified statue. Slowly, he spoke:
"Forget it. I won't blame you this time, but as the guardian of the cave entrance, you can't always be slacking off."
The moment Dragonite heard these words, it snapped out of its frozen state and scratched its head with an awkward grin. It then waved its arms in an exaggerated manner as if swearing that it would never slack off again.
Watching Dragonite's well-rehearsed routine, Ma En immediately understood—this wasn't the first time it had made this promise. The Pokémon had clearly mastered the art of apologizing without truly changing its ways.
The Dragon Elder, seeing no point in pushing the matter further, simply motioned for Ma En to follow him deeper into Dragon's Den.
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As the sacred habitat of Dragon-type Pokémon, Dragon's Den was home to a wide variety of powerful creatures. Pokémon such as Charizard and Gyarados, though not pure Dragon-types, had also made this place their home. In fact, the Charizard that Launce owned had been found here.
However, the den did not house Dragon-type Pokémon from the Alola or Galar regions—at least, not yet. The Pokémon League had not fully explored those regions, meaning their Dragon-types had yet to be introduced into places like Dragon's Den. Otherwise, Ma En might have chosen the formidable Dragapult from Galar instead.
Dragon-type Pokémon were known for their incredible strength, but not all of them shared the same temperament. Some, like Dragonite and Goodra, were gentle and kind-hearted. Others, such as Salamence and Garchomp, were known for their fiery and aggressive natures.
To maintain order, Dragon's Den had been divided into different territories, each inhabited by different species of Dragon-types. This separation prevented unnecessary conflicts and ensured the purity of their bloodlines.
Ma En's target, the Elite-level Deino, resided in the northeastern part of Dragon's Den—far away from the other Dragon-type Pokémon.
As the group journeyed deeper into Hydreigon's territory, the presence of other Pokémon gradually diminished. Within a hundred meters of the area, there were no Pokémon in sight. The absence of life made it clear—this was the domain of the mighty Hydreigon.
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure filled the air.
From above, two dark silhouettes emerged against the sky.
The figures circled once before swiftly descending toward Ma En's group, stopping in midair to inspect the unfamiliar human among them.
As the sunlight illuminated their forms, their identities became clear—two Elite-level Hydreigons.
These two Pokémon ruled over this section of Dragon's Den, and any intruders who dared enter their territory were swiftly dealt with.
However, upon recognizing the Dragon Elder, the two Hydreigons abandoned their aggressive stances. Instead, their piercing red eyes shifted toward Ma En, scrutinizing the unfamiliar presence.
Launce, who had been standing beside Ma En, grew visibly anxious.
Most outsiders were unaware of the true nature of this place, but as someone who had visited Dragon's Den multiple times, Launce knew exactly how things worked.
In addition to his Charizard, Launce had a Dratini, which was a direct descendant of the Dragonite line living in the den. However, Dratini was not his first choice.
Initially, Launce had considered several Dragon-type Pokémon, including Salamence, Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Goodra.
However, obtaining these Pokémon proved to be far more difficult than he had anticipated.
Salamence and Garchomp, while powerful, were unwilling to let their offspring leave without a test. Their parents demanded proof of strength, requiring Launce to meet a certain standard before they would even consider allowing him to take one of their young.
At the time, Launce's Charizard had only reached Gym-level strength, which was not enough to satisfy the proud dragon parents. As a result, he had no choice but to wait until Charizard reached the Quasi-Elite level before attempting again.
But Hydreigon was a completely different story.
If there was a ranking for the most temperamental Dragon-type Pokémon, Hydreigon would easily be in the top three, possibly even number one.
Unlike the others, Hydreigon had no interest in testing potential trainers. It did not care whether someone was a member of the prestigious Yulong family or an ordinary trainer. Instead, it outright rejected anyone who dared approach.
In fact, Launce suspected that if he weren't a direct descendant of the Yulong family, the Hydreigon might have attacked him on sight.
Because of this, no trainer had ever successfully obtained a Deino from Dragon's Den. Every attempt had ended in failure.
Now, seeing the two Hydreigons focusing their gaze on Ma En, Launce couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
He wanted to ask the Dragon Elder for help, but before he could speak, the elder gestured for him to remain silent.
The elder's message was clear—watch and wait.
The two Hydreigons descended further, stopping just before Ma En.
They hovered in place, their eyes locked onto him, silently observing.
Unlike most trainers, Ma En showed no fear.
The darkness within him resonated with the Hydreigons in front of him, and he could sense that they held no hostility toward him.
With this in mind, he slowly extended his hand.
His fingers brushed against the rough, blue-scaled skin of one of the Hydreigons.
Unlike Dragonite, which had a soft, cream-colored belly, Hydreigon's body was covered in coarse scales with deep purple-red markings. Its texture was tough and rugged.
However, instead of reacting with hostility, the Hydreigon seemed to enjoy the sensation.
It let out a deep, satisfied rumble and lowered itself, making it easier for Ma En to continue his touch.
Encouraged, Ma En reached out to touch the fur around Hydreigon's neck.
Unlike its rough scales, the fur was surprisingly soft and silky. Running his fingers through it, he found it strangely comforting.
The Dragon Elder, observing the interaction, showed no sign of surprise. It was as if he had expected this outcome.
Launce, on the other hand, was utterly shocked.
He had never seen these Hydreigons behave so tamely before. In all his visits to Dragon's Den, they had always been aggressive and unapproachable.
Yet here they were, allowing Ma En to pet them as if they were harmless creatures.
Launce couldn't believe his eyes.
Just what kind of power did Ma En possess to earn the trust of such notoriously hostile Pokémon?
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