One morning, half a month later.
David, who should have been in school for classes that day, was instead traveling alone by high-speed train, heading out of Imperial City. Looking at the direction the train was going, it was clear it was leaving the city behind.
This was not David skipping class. At such a critical point in his final semester, he would never skip class without good reason.
He was out for something truly important.
Since the destination was close to Imperial City, David arrived at its outskirts within an hour of the train departing. After getting off and walking for about twenty minutes, he spotted the entrance to the Secret Realm ahead of him and knew he had reached the right place.
He took out his pre-booked qualification card. After passing the guards' authentication check, David stepped inside.
Following the usual procedure, he was randomly teleported to a spot along the outer edge of the Secret Realm the moment he entered.
The instant David landed, he felt it — a rush of howling wind pressing against him from all sides.
He stood there for a moment, letting the strong gusts wash over him. He could feel the complex environment around him, with countless surging air currents colliding and weaving back and forth through the air.
I really didn't choose the wrong place, he thought, and gave a quiet nod.
Having now experienced the environment firsthand, David felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
It truly lived up to its name — the Thousand Winds Secret Realm, widely regarded as the first milestone for the Alliance's Flying-type masters. The conditions here were simply perfect for Shelgon to evolve.
The Thousand Winds Secret Realm was an unranked Secret Realm, which set it apart from the standard S-to-E ranking system.
Unranked Secret Realms generally fall into one of two categories: resource Secret Realms, used specifically for gathering materials, or effect Secret Realms, which have a special benefit for Pokémon training.
The Thousand Winds Secret Realm was of the latter kind — a special environment prepared specifically for Flying-type Pokémon. It held an abundance of Flying-type energy, and its natural terrain was ideally suited for flight training.
It was worth noting that, despite being unranked, the security level inside the Thousand Winds Secret Realm was comparable to that of a standard B-rank Secret Realm, and even some of the weaker A-rank ones.
This made it a rare and valuable place for Flying-type Pokémon. Whether for training, achieving breakthroughs, or triggering evolution, the Realm offered real benefits. It was no surprise that many Trainers across the Alliance who raised Flying-type Pokémon sought access here, which only raised the Secret Realm's value further.
David had made this trip specifically so his Shelgon could have the best possible conditions for its evolution.
Looking at the steady stream of Trainers already moving through the area ahead of him, David nodded to himself.
The effect here really is as good as advertised. This trip wasn't wasted. Dad was right.
That was the reason David had taken time off from school and made the journey here — to give Shelgon everything it needed for a clean, successful evolution.
After half a month of gradual physical transformation aided by the Breath of the Sea God, Shelgon had completed all the necessary changes to its body. It was now just one step away from evolving. All it needed was the right catalyst.
The Thousand Winds Secret Realm had been recommended to him by his father. David suspected his old man had trained here himself at some point — three of his father's six main Pokémon had the Flying-type, after all.
After landing, David did what he always did: he surveyed the area around him.
By lining up the position of Thousand Winds Mountain at the center of the Secret Realm with the angle of the sun overhead, he was able to confirm his approximate location.
He pulled out the map he had prepared in advance and, using his current position as the center point, traced out several possible routes in different directions.
He had done his research thoroughly before coming. Once Shelgon reached a suitable location, the evolution could begin. For now, all he had to do was get there.
According to the map, he was currently on the eastern edge of the Secret Realm.
Under normal circumstances, a Trainer entering a Secret Realm would keep at least one Pokémon out for protection. However, the Thousand Winds Secret Realm was one of the rare exceptions — no wild Pokémon lived within its boundaries, so there was no need for a guard. Even so, David kept his Zorua perched on his shoulder out of habit.
No wild Pokémon and no real danger, but it never hurt to be cautious.
Once he had his bearings, David climbed the nearest high point to confirm the direction, then set off without hesitation. He had spent several days planning the route before leaving home. There was nothing left to think through — he just needed to walk.
The Thousand Winds Secret Realm was not particularly large in area, which explained the reservation system and the long queues that formed at its entrance.
Thousand Winds Mountain stood at the center of the Realm, and the surrounding regions each had their own distinct character.
To the west lay Death Valley, the most treacherous stretch of the entire Realm. Strange rocks jutted up from the ground at odd angles, and the area was dotted with wormholes and hidden caves. It was easy to become disoriented and lost if one was not paying close attention.
To the east — where David currently stood — was the Headwind Corridor. Powerful air currents poured outward from Thousand Winds Mountain and swept through this region. The closer one moved toward the mountain's base, the stronger the headwinds became. It was an outstanding training ground for any Pokémon with flying capabilities.
At the southernmost end of the Realm was the Land of Sandstorms. Dust hung in the air constantly, and Twisters appeared without warning, easily stirring up sandstorm conditions. Dangerous, but still far milder than a true natural sandstorm — and for the right Trainer, a solid training ground.
To the north was the Fiery Wind Cave, shaped by vast deposits of flowing magma deep underground. Heat Wave gusts rolled through regularly, and hot steam vented from cracks in the cave floor without notice. It was the harshest environment in the entire Realm for Flying-type Pokémon to endure. But those who pushed through and persevered found it easier afterward to master Heat Wave and build a strong resistance to Fire-type moves. Because of this, many experienced Trainers made a point of bringing their Pokémon here to train.
All of those areas would be worth visiting another time. For now, David had only one destination in mind.
The summit of Thousand Winds Mountain.
The concentration of Flying-type energy there was unmatched anywhere else in the Realm. The sheer cliffs and the mountain's two-thousand-meter altitude suited Salamence's preferences perfectly — and by extension, made it the ideal evolution spot for Shelgon.
That was where David was headed.