Auron Vale looked at Zhuge Ziyu's still-cautious expression and couldn't help but continue: "We could've started the next phase long ago. The Mega Evolution stones are being produced inside the Mystery Zones anyway — what matters is the Key Stone. As long as we buy up all of those, they won't be able to use any Mega Evolution stones they get their hands on even if they acquire some."
Zhuge Ziyu made no objection, merely smiling faintly: "Either way, we're buying them all together anyway. It's no trouble."
"Fair enough." Auron Vale couldn't quite wrap his head around the logic of someone with deep pockets, and pressed on: "So how many Mystery Zones are currently producing Key Stones?"
"Two. One's here in the Dragon Kingdom — over in Changan. The other is over in America. But right now, very few people realize what those iridescent stones are good for."
Zhuge Ziyu paused. "Though from what we're hearing internationally, America has already caught on to the Key Stone — and they've started researching its relationship to Mega Evolution."
Auron Vale broke into a grin at that. "No worries. Let them research all they want."
Auron Vale wasn't worried in the slightest. The conditions for Mega Evolution were far too numerous. Here in the Dragon Kingdom, they'd taken shortcuts only because Auron Vale was essentially a walking bug in the system.
Over in America, without a bug like Auron Vale pulling strings, they'd probably take just as long as in the anime to figure it out.
"Then you think we should just leave them to it?"
Zhuge Ziyu asked, still sounding a little uncertain.
"Relax." Auron Vale waved a hand. "Just leave them be. The only thing that matters is making sure nothing about our side leaks out."
"Consider it done."
A cold glint flashed in Zhuge Ziyu's eyes. The last time Auron Vale had been in trouble, it had been an inside job. Zhuge Ziyu had been investigating ever since, and he was already close to identifying the traitor.
But now wasn't the time to drag him out — he had people above him. This time, since they'd made their move, Zhuge Ziyu was going to reel in a big fish.
"Oh, and Uncle Ziyu — what about the match with Rayquaza we talked about last time?"
Zhuge Ziyu had been lost in thought when Auron Vale spoke up, and he startled visibly. "Wait — you actually want to fight Rayquaza?"
"Of course." Auron Vale nodded. "Didn't I tell you? I captured a legendary."
"You actually captured a legendary?!?!"
"Dead serious."
Zhuge Ziyu looked stunned. He'd assumed Auron Vale had been joking.
"Course I did. Why else would I dare challenge Rayquaza to a match?"
Auron Vale was at a loss. Tell the truth and nobody believes you these days.
"I'd show you, except he isn't here right now. If you really want to see, I'd have to take you to Mom's shop."
Auron Vale shrugged helplessly. His mom had taken Mini Draco away with her, and Deoxys had followed after her too. So if Zhuge Ziyu really wanted to see, Auron Vale had no choice but to bring him to the shop.
"Xiao Ze, get over here!"
Auron Vale was still processing Zhuge Ziyu's reaction when he heard Grandpa Lu Xingguo calling Auron Vale over.
"Coming, right away."
Auron Vale gave an acknowledgment and turned back to Zhuge Ziyu: "Uncle Ziyu, I'm not joking. I really do have a legendary, and I really do want to battle Rayquaza."
Auron Vale finished and walked over to where Grandpa Lu Xingguo was, leaving Zhuge Ziyu standing there lost in thought.
"Grandpa, what's up?"
"Quick, quick — I'd forgotten you have a special ability too."
Grandpa Lu Xingguo pulled Auron Vale over, shooing Ashen Vale aside, and spoke directly to Auron Vale.
Ashen Vale: (_)⌒●~*
"Quick, use your special ability to help us find fossils that can be revived. I don't know if your Aura needs any special conditions — if it does, just say so."
"Sure thing."
Auron Vale nodded. He didn't need any special conditions at all. He knew his own situation — what he had wasn't actually an Aura ability.
By now, some fossil Pokémon had already been revived nearby, and Grandpa Lu Xingguo had already figured out the difference between fossils that could produce a revived Pokémon and those that couldn't.
He was currently directing the team as they moved the fossils one by one.
Fossils that could revive a Pokémon were the minority. Most of them couldn't.
And practically all of the revivable ones were still just these three species — nothing new had turned up.
After all, these fossils were similar to the ones from America — they all came from roughly the same pit.
There were some fossils from other pits too, but not many.
Auron Vale now began using his System to appraise them.
Item: Regular Fossil.
…
Item: Regular Fossil.
…
Item: Regular Fossil.
…
Auron Vale went through a dozen or so in a row. All Regular Fossils. Not a single one that could revive a Pokémon.
But Auron Vale didn't feel anything from that. It was completely normal — hadn't Grandpa already cleared out a whole section next to him? Those were all Regular Fossils.
Item: Regular Fossil.
…
Item: Regular Fossil.
…
Item: Feather Fossil.
Use: Via fossil revival technology, can revive the Fossil Pokémon Aerodactyl.
"There we go — first one. Hey, someone, come carry this over!"
After searching for a while longer, Auron Vale finally found a fossil that could be revived. His excitement spiked immediately, and he called a nearby researcher over to carry it over.
"Xiao Ze?"
"Yeah? What's up?"
Auron Vale was still examining fossils when Zhuge Ziyu appeared at his side and spoke quietly.
"I'll go ask Rayquaza about it. If it's possible, I'll let you know the time."
"Awesome!" Auron Vale nodded eagerly. "Hopefully within the next couple of days, since I'm about to go back to school."
"Relax, I've got it figured."
Zhuge Ziyu nodded, gave Auron Vale's shoulder a pat, and then went over to Grandpa Lu Xingguo.
When Grandpa waved him off impatiently, Zhuge Ziyu left.
Auron Vale watched Zhuge Ziyu's retreating figure and gave a helpless laugh. He knew exactly why Grandpa had been in such a foul mood toward him today.
It was because yesterday's fossils hadn't arrived on time, which had ruined his night's sleep.
At breakfast this morning, Grandpa Lu Xingguo had been grumbling that he was going to report Zhuge Ziyu to Zhuge Jing — that his son wasn't good enough.
But even as he said it, Grandpa Lu Xingguo wouldn't actually do it. Zhuge Ziyu was a grown man — how embarrassing would it be for him to get scolded by his own old man?
Still, even if he wouldn't actually complain, the irritability from his bad sleep had to go somewhere, so it all got vented on Zhuge Ziyu.
Auron Vale shook his head and put their drama out of his mind. He went back to sifting through the fossils.
While the people at the testing grounds were all hard at work, Auron Vale's mom was also extremely busy.
Zhuge Ziyu had never expected that casually adding Auron Vale's mom's shop address would bring so much foot traffic to her store.
(Chapter complete.)
———
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