With the Gatekeeper Dragon defeated, Julian and Dragonite could finally leave the tunnel without encountering any other Dragon-type Pokémon along the way.
The tunnel was very long. Julian walked for over half an hour before spotting the white light at the far end.
As he continued forward, stepping out of the tunnel, the blinding light caused him to squint slightly. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept through. If Dragonite hadn't grabbed hold of Julian in time, the wind might have carried him away.
The tunnel's exit was actually situated midway up a mountain. The tunnel itself cut straight through the mountain, which stood over 5,000 meters tall.
Though a height of 5,000 meters qualified it as a towering peak, there were even taller mountains nearby.
Julian counted at least seven or eight mountains in the distance that were higher than the one he stood on.
Below the mountain lay a sprawling forest and serene lakes.
The Dragon's Den Secret Realm spanned about 600,000 square kilometers. While not the largest among the special secret realms, it was undoubtedly the most dangerous.
After all, Dragon-type Pokémon were notoriously powerful. Once they reached adulthood, they were kicked out of their home to establish their own territories elsewhere.
"Let's go check it out"
Julian said as he pulled out the Dowsing Machine and mounted Dragonite.
The device displayed ten red dots, each representing something significant in size.
As expected of a special secret realm, the quality of its treasures far exceeded that of ordinary high-level secret realms.
The Dragon-type energy saturating the Dragon's Den Secret Realm filled Dragonite with excitement. It was clearly excited by the environment, feeling as though it had boundless energy.
In its enthusiasm, Dragonite suddenly dove downward, forgetting that Julian was on its back.
When they landed, Julian, now wearing an impassive expression, straightened his hair, which had been blown back during the dive. Dragonite, however, showed no trace of remorse. Instead, it seemed almost amused by the situation.
"If you pull that stunt again, I'll have Metagross teach you a lesson when we're out of here," Julian scolded.
"Let's go and check it out."
Without waiting for Dragonite's response, Julian walked in the direction of the nearest red dot, holding the Dowsing Machine.
This dot was about five or six hundred meters away—close to the tunnel exit.
Julian couldn't help but feel curious. How could a treasure remain undiscovered at such a short distance from the exit?
Unless, perhaps, this treasure had only recently appeared.
Few people could enter special secret realms, and the treasures in these realms also emerged faster than in ordinary high-level secret realms.
As a result, the quantity and quality of treasures in special secret realms were superior to those found in regular ones.
The danger level of the Dragon's Den Secret Realm was undoubtedly much higher as well.
Take this place for example—right at the start, you're forced to face a Gatekeeper Dragon at the early Elite level.
If you didn't have the skills to back it up, that Tyrantrum from earlier could have easily killed you.
When Julian arrived at the location indicated by the Dowsing Machine, he didn't see any Dragon-type Pokémon. The path leading there was equally quiet.
Dragon-type Pokémon were known for their low reproductive rates and long growth periods, especially pseudo-legendary Dragon-types. As a result, almost every adult Dragon Pokémon controlled a sizable territory.
The whole area practically had a "vast land, sparse dragons" vibe.
"Dragoneye Berries"
Julian muttered, spotting the treasure. These berries were a special type of fruit, found only in secret realms brimming with Dragon-type energy.
In fact, Dragoneye Berries were the most common treasure in the Dragon's Den Secret Realm.
Julian suspected that many of the red dots on the detector were likely marking these berries.
There wasn't a Dragon Pokémon alive that didn't love eating them.
Dragoneye Berries had a unique trait: each tree produced only four berries per year.
"Why are there no Dragon types here?"
Julian wondered aloud, scanning the area.
Wherever there were Dragoneye Berries, there should have been Dragon Pokémon guarding them.
This fruit was their favorite food; they wouldn't leave it unprotected.
The lack of a guardian suggested either the Dragon Pokémon wasn't home, or it had died for some reason, and no new one had claimed the territory yet.
Dragonite had already snatched up the Dragoneye Berry and eaten it in one gulp. But the next moment, it spat it out with a loud ptooey.
Dragonite: 'What the heck? Why does this taste so awful?'
It had eaten Dragoneye Berries before, but none had ever tasted this bad.
Julian: 'System goods are always premium quality'
Having been spoiled by the Dragoneye Berries purchased from the system's store, tasting the wild version felt like going from gourmet cuisine to cafeteria slop.
Dragonite nearly vomited.
"ROAR!"
Just as Dragonite was showing its disdain, an angry roar echoed from above. A vivid green Dragon Pulse shot down toward Dragonite from the sky.
Julian looked up to see a Flygon glaring down at Dragonite, its face filled with rage.
Flygon: 'You little punk! I didn't even dare eat it myself, and not only did you eat it, but you spat it out too!'
Feeling the Flygon's aura brimming with anger and resentment, Julian couldn't help but think that Dragonite might have gone a little too far.
As the Dragon Pulse barreled toward it, Dragonite didn't even flinch. With a single Mega Punch, the air around it rippled violently, scattering the Dragon Pulse with a deafening boom.
Flygon froze midair, staring at the dissipating Dragon Pulse and Dragonite's casual demeanor.
Flygon: 'I might have overreacted earlier. My apologies'
A mid-Elite level Flygon might have been impressive in most cases, but to Dragonite, it was no more than a minor nuisance.
Dragonite shot a glare at the Flygon, and the latter didn't dare continue its attack. Instead, it slunk away in defeat.
The law of the jungle—survival of the fittest—was the natural order among Pokémon. This principle was especially prevalent among Dragon-types.
Dragons understood this law better than any other.
'If you're stronger than me, if you outclass me, then fine—you can take my territory, my food, even my mate. I'll accept it.'
'But just you wait. The moment I surpass you, I'll come back and settle the score.'
The pride of Dragon Pokémon made them disdain the idea of ruthlessly killing a defeated foe.
Watching the retreating Flygon, Dragonite picked up the Dragoneye Berry it had spat out earlier. This time, it carefully wiped off the saliva and dust before offering it to Julian.
Julian: 'If you're trying to offer that for me to eat, I swear I'll give you a good smack'
Dragonite: 'It can be sold for money'
"Just toss it"
Julian said flatly.
Dragoneye Berries could indeed fetch a good price in the outside world. They were valuable for making Dragon-type Pokéblocks and nutritional supplements.
For most trainers, this fruit was a prized treasure worth fighting over—maybe even stabbing a friend in the back for it.
Unfortunately, Julian wasn't exactly strapped for cash.
Dragonite: 'Throw it away? What a waste'
After a moment's hesitation, Dragonite gulped down the Dragoneye Berry in one big bite—without even chewing.
"I never realized you had such a thrifty nature"
Julian remarked, patting Dragonite's round belly.
It didn't even like the taste but still forced itself to eat it. No wonder its belly wasn't shrinking—in fact, it looked a little bigger now.
Hearing Julian's words, Dragonite's goofy face broke into an embarrassed smile.