Pokémon: Starting with a Bound Entry System

Chapter 222: The Strong Leading the Weak

"Who's this girl?"

Qin Feng's sharp gaze bore into Hikaru, her suspicion laid bare.

Since the moment they entered, she'd been observing the girl beside him—adorably innocent, with clear, almost naive eyes. It reminded her of her own fresh-faced self when she first started teaching.

And the girl was… stunningly beautiful.

This rascal… he's not some heartbreaker, is he?

Qin Feng's mind drifted to the wealthy girl who had previously sponsored the school, just to get close to Hikaru.

Instinctively, her eyes narrowed further.

No way! Juggling two girls at once? Absolutely not!

Hikaru, oblivious to her thoughts, answered calmly:

"A trainer I met on the road. We're teaming up to challenge some gyms."

For Latias, maintaining her disguise as a "random trainer" was the safest cover in familiar circles.

Catching the cue, Latias nodded vigorously.

Learning about human society means adapting to the role Hikaru gives me!

In other words—whatever Hikaru says, goes.

Qin Feng squinted at them for a moment longer, but eventually sighed and relented.

"Fine. Come with me to pick up your student records. We'll transfer your enrollment while we're at it."

Hikaru breathed a quiet sigh of relief and quickly followed her out of the office.

The record transfer process wasn't complicated.

However, it was a confidential procedure, requiring the student's personal presence.

Once everything was finalized, Hikaru finally held his enrollment documents in hand.

Inside the records room, Qin Feng dusted off her form-fitting skirt and glanced at the boy before her.

"If you're really pressed for time, how about we schedule your speech for tomorrow afternoon?"

"Heh, perfect! The sooner, the better!" Hikaru grinned.

Time was indeed tight.

So tight that he was already planning to explore the secret realm in Chenghua District later that same evening.

"Tch…" Qin Feng rolled her eyes.

"Do you even realize what you're asking for? If we hold the assembly tomorrow, I'll have to work overtime tonight to set everything up!"

Organizing an impromptu school-wide event involved reserving the venue, coordinating notifications, and handling logistics.

And now?

It was already after school hours.

Hikaru, ever the opportunist, grabbed the documents and backed away.

"Thanks, teacher! Good luck with the prep work! I'm off now—see you tomorrow!"

Having seen how Qin Feng had mellowed after just a year of teaching, Hikaru knew better than to linger.

"Get lost, brat!" Qin Feng snapped, waving him away like a fly.

And just like that, Hikaru vanished, Latias trailing after him.

Left alone, Qin Feng chuckled, shaking her head fondly.

"The kid's really going places…"

But neither she nor Hikaru noticed the tiny shadowy figure lurking behind her.

The silhouette, mirroring Qin Feng's stance, silently watched Hikaru's retreating figure.

Moments later, it melted back into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.

By the time Hikaru left the school, dusk had settled.

Most students had already returned home, and the streets were quiet.

Hikaru didn't linger either.

His destination?

The Chenghua District Secret Realm.

At the secret realm entrance, even as the sun dipped below the horizon, law enforcement personnel remained on duty.

These guards rotated day and night, ensuring constant vigilance.

As soon as Hikaru approached, the Growlithe beside the guards tensed up, growling softly in his direction.

"Halt! Who goes there?!"

Hikaru quickly raised his hands, grinning sheepishly.

"Whoa, it's me! Just me—calm down, guys!"

The guards blinked in surprise.

"Hikaru?!"

Recognition dawned instantly.

Of course they knew him—all too well.

There had been a time when Hikaru frequented this very secret realm, almost daily, scavenging resources.

On occasion, he'd even shared minor treasures with the guards—though they had always refused to accept them, bound by duty.

One guard chuckled and stepped forward.

"It's you, huh? Didn't expect to see you back here!"

Even the Growlithe relaxed, sitting down obediently, tail swishing across the ground.

Hikaru glanced down, noticing that both Growlithe were Elite-level—more than sufficient for standard patrols.

"Still standing guard this late, huh? Hard work never ends, does it?" Hikaru joked.

The other guard, scratching his head, laughed.

"Well, someone's gotta do it. What brings you back here, champ? Thought you'd outgrown this place."

"Cough… Can I still enter the secret realm?"

Hikaru flashed his Trainer ID, knowing full well the protocol.

Even if they knew him personally, formal procedures couldn't be skipped.

After all, making things easier for yourself should never come at the expense of others' professionalism.

This was true in any situation—whether dealing with officials, teachers, or fellow trainers.

It was the same reason Hikaru never brushed off inquiries from people like Miwako, who sought information about Latias and Latios.

If the questions were reasonable, he was happy to share whatever he could.

"All clear. You're good to go."

The guards, understanding Hikaru's intent, didn't press for details.

"Thanks, guys! Appreciate it!" Hikaru waved, stepping into the shimmering portal.

As he crossed the threshold, the dusk sky vanished, replaced by a bright, sunlit world.

Outside, it was evening.

Inside?

It was still broad daylight.

This was one of the peculiarities of secret realms—they operated independently of real-world time.

Only when a secret realm fully merged with the real world would time synchronization occur.

And no one—not even top researchers—could predict when such a merger would happen.

"Come out, Latias!"

Before entering, Hikaru had recalled Latias into her Poké Ball for safety.

Now inside, he released her once more.

But he didn't stop there.

"Let's get some training done, too."

With a flick of his wrist, Hikaru summoned Gible, Bulbasaur, Gardevoir, and Greninja.

This particular secret realm was relatively low-risk.

Apart from two Gyarados residing in the central lake, most wild Pokémon here were Ordinary or Elite-level.

Perfect for battle training.

Especially for Gible—who had done nothing but eat since hatching.

Between Hikaru's busy schedule and Gible's infancy, combat practice had been lacking.

"Time to change that."

Hikaru turned to Gardevoir and Greninja, his most reliable partners.

"Guys, could you two lead the training today? Help these little ones get some battle experience."

"Gah-gah?"

Gible cocked its head, jaws wide open, curiosity sparkling in its eyes.

The little shark still didn't realize it had been signed up for combat classes the moment it hatched.

"Seed… seed…"

Bulbasaur, blushing slightly, glanced toward Gardevoir and Greninja, embarrassed but eager.

Greninja, perpetually squinting, evaluated both rookies.

After a long moment, it settled its gaze on Bulbasaur.

"Hmm… This one's a little stronger. Easier to manage."

"Ku-kwa! Ku-kwa!" (Alright, I'll take the Bulbasaur!)

That left Gardevoir with Gible.

"Saa… nai…" (Oh boy…)

Looking down at the tiny land shark, Gardevoir sighed dramatically.

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