"Holy crap."
"Why are there so many people here?"
"And Mr. Marcus... why are you here too?"
The person who spoke was none other than Aaron, the trainer who had just cleared the ninth floor of the Hidden Dragon Tower.
At that moment, he was the absolute center of attention in the square.
When Aaron saw the massive crowd packed into the square, and then saw Champion Marcus standing among them, he was so startled that the curse slipped out before he could stop himself.
Only then did the crowd seem to snap back to reality.
Countless eyes locked onto Aaron, who was standing at the entrance of the tower with a Pokémon Egg in his arms.
The students from ordinary backgrounds were so excited that their faces flushed red. They raised their fists and shouted at the top of their lungs.
"Aaron!"
"Aaron!"
In an instant, deafening cheers erupted across the square.
The jubilant shouts rolled through the surrounding streets like a wave.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
Immediately after, the Hidden Dragon Tower rang out nine times in succession. Each chime was as heavy as thunder, resounding throughout Crown City.
...
The Cassian Family, the most powerful family in Hualis.
As the country's leading family, the Cassian estate stood in the heart of Crown City, occupying an enormous stretch of land that had belonged to the family for generations.
At that moment, inside one of the estate's private rooms, a white-haired old man sat across from another man over a chessboard.
The old man moved a piece and smiled faintly.
"That's mate, Quentin."
The man sitting across from him was none other than Quentin, the Dark-type Champion.
Quentin's expression did not change. His voice remained low and hoarse.
"Another loss, Commander."
The old man was about to reply when nine earth-shaking bell chimes suddenly rang out from the direction of the tower.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
His expression changed at once.
He stood up quickly and turned toward the Hidden Dragon Tower, shock flashing across his face.
"The ancient bell of the Hidden Dragon Tower..."
His voice lowered.
"It only rings when a true dragon reaches the summit."
Quentin's eyes sharpened. He came to the old man's side and looked in the same direction.
"Commander, are you saying someone cleared the ninth floor?"
His voice carried open disbelief.
"That should be impossible."
The old man did not answer immediately.
His face darkened as he stared toward the tower.
"A Hidden Dragon is still only a Hidden Dragon," he murmured. "Whether it can truly become a dragon... that remains to be seen."
...
Crown City, Edward's office.
Edward sat behind his desk, his black-and-white hair catching the light as he reviewed a stack of documents. His brows were tightly furrowed, as though weighed down by a worry that refused to fade.
Then the nine bell chimes rang out from the horizon.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The pen in Edward's hand slipped free and clattered onto the floor.
He did not even notice.
He stood up at once and walked to the window, staring toward the Hidden Dragon Tower with shock and excitement in his eyes.
His entire body trembled slightly.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Urgent knocking came from the door. A moment later, it opened, and his secretary hurried inside, unable to hide the excitement on his face.
"Director Edward, latest report!"
"Aaron has cleared the ninth floor of the Hidden Dragon Tower."
"The tower that no one has conquered in thousands of years of recorded history has been cleared!"
Edward took a deep breath and forced down the surge of emotion in his chest.
His eyes were bright with excitement, but also heavy with helplessness.
"There's no hiding Aaron anymore."
His voice became firm.
"Soon, that name will be known across the world. Notify the Dragon Protectors immediately and assign more people to his family. Their safety is now a top priority."
The secretary straightened.
"Yes, Director."
"Also, tighten inspections at every major port of entry. Foreign forces will definitely move against him. They'll want to eliminate this hidden dragon before he has time to grow."
Edward paused for a moment.
"And keep a close eye on Champion Quentin."
The secretary's expression turned solemn.
"Understood. I'll handle it immediately."
He quickly left the office.
Edward watched the door close, then slowly turned his gaze back toward the Hidden Dragon Tower.
For a long time, the emotions in his heart refused to settle.
...
Across Crown City, the nine chimes reached every great family: Dragon, Fae, Flame, Lin, and Shaw.
One after another, the powers standing at the top of Hualis turned their attention toward the Hidden Dragon Tower.
...
At almost the same time, every great family in Crown City heard the nine deafening bell chimes.
The city, already restless beneath the surface, erupted completely.
A young Trainer named Aaron had cleared the ninth floor of the Hidden Dragon Tower.
He had shattered a legend that had stood for thousands of years.
The news spread at terrifying speed, reaching powerful families, corporations, League factions, and foreign intelligence networks.
For a time, Hualis became the center of the world's attention.
And the forces hostile to Hualis could no longer sit still.
Their hands stretched toward Crown City from the shadows.
Assassins began moving toward Hualis, all for one purpose.
To kill Aaron before the hidden dragon could truly rise.
...
Crown City, inside a mysterious space.
The Protector of Hualis was there, along with Cresselia.
Naturally, they had also heard the deafening bell toll.
Cresselia's eyes shimmered with rainbow light, and her gentle voice slowly echoed through the space.
"That child cleared the ninth floor of the Hidden Dragon Tower."
A faint ripple passed through her voice.
"And he brought out a Pokémon Egg. Judging by its aura, it should be Zeraora's Egg."
...