"This is a small gift as an apology for Rattata."
Gu Qiu placed a Normal-type Energy Cube on the counter.
"When it wakes up, please give this to it."
Nurse Joy's expression softened immediately.
"Don't worry."
"I'll pass it on."
"Thank you."
Gu Qiu nodded slightly and left the Pokémon Center.
After he disappeared from sight, Nurse Joy murmured quietly to herself.
"What a kind young man…"
"A genius like that deserves protection."
She picked up a secure communication line.
The call went directly to the Joy Family headquarters.
A few minutes later—
The official Joy Family account posted a single message.
"Gu Qiu is a friend of the Joy Family."
Just one sentence.
Simple.
But the entire nation shook.
The Joy Family.
A true titan.
An ancient leviathan of influence.
Most people subconsciously overlooked them.
Why?
Because they had no interest in power struggles.
They didn't seek dominance.
But that didn't mean they were weak.
In fact—
No one.
Absolutely no one—
Ignored their real power.
Several major organizations that had been preparing to approach Gu Qiu by force—
Immediately canceled their plans.
—
Meanwhile.
Inside the underground warehouse.
Gu Qiu checked the time.
"Almost three hours…"
"Time to bring Pikachu back."
Pikachu had already reached home earlier than expected.
Just two and a half hours.
Inside Gu Qiu's room—
Pikachu suddenly sensed a faint ripple in space.
Its ears twitched.
Its eyes sharpened instantly.
Then—
They brightened.
That aura…
Gu Qiu.
A golden flash appeared.
Gu Qiu stepped out of space.
"Pikachu, I'm here."
"Pika!"
Pikachu jumped straight onto his shoulder.
Its tail wagged happily.
"Wait a moment."
"I need to arrange something first."
Gu Qiu's expression became serious.
He had already considered the possibility of retaliation.
Targeting him was one thing.
But targeting his family—
That was unacceptable.
Normally such things were rare.
But Gu Qiu refused to gamble.
He took out four jade pendants he had purchased earlier from the Pokémon Center.
One by one—
He engraved Flying Thunder God seals onto them.
These pendants were meant for:
His father
• His mother
• His younger sister
• Serena
Gu Qiu checked the time.
His sister was still at school.
So he went directly to the family convenience store.
After handing the pendants to his parents, he emphasized several times:
"Wear them at all times."
"And make sure my sister and Serena get theirs."
His parents were confused but trusted him.
Gu Qiu didn't explain too much.
After making sure they accepted the pendants—
He left immediately.
Time was precious.
This world had countless geniuses.
Countless powerhouses.
Gu Qiu had no intention of spending his life relying on Flying Thunder God just to escape danger.
Instead—
He would rise.
Together with his Pokémon.
To the very peak.
The Champion's throne.
—
Just then—
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
Gu Qiu answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
"Gu Qiu."
"I didn't expect you to have such deep ties with the Joy Family."
"If I had known, we wouldn't have needed that deal."
Lorelei.
Gu Qiu blinked.
"You mean…?"
"You don't know?"
"Know what?"
Lorelei paused.
"You haven't seen the news?"
"I only checked briefly this morning."
"Haven't had time since."
Gu Qiu had a habit of checking headlines every morning.
But during his training in Viridian Forest, signal had been terrible.
Today he had only skimmed quickly.
Lorelei chuckled softly.
"Go take a look."
"The entire Dragon Nation is talking about you."
"And the main character doesn't even know."
She wasn't suspicious.
In her eyes—
Gu Qiu was obsessively focused on training.
That kind of dedication explained why a commoner like him could rise so quickly.
He wasn't the strongest yet.
But many people had already begun betting on him.
Why?
Because of his background.
Clean.
Ordinary.
Unattached to any major faction.
Gu Qiu opened his phone.
The news headlines flooded the screen.
"Shocking! A Viridian youth gains support from both the Joy Family and Elite Four Lorelei!"
"Revolutionary Pokémon power system—or reckless overdraft of potential?"
"Who exactly is Gu Qiu?"
"Breaking News! Gu Qiu's trainer journey began only ten days ago…"
Gu Qiu calmly locked his phone.
This development…
Was better than expected.
With Lorelei and the Joy Family backing him—
His short-term safety was guaranteed.
After thinking for a moment—
He called Lorelei back.
"You saw it?"
"Yes."
Gu Qiu spoke sincerely.
"Thank you, Lady Lorelei."
There was a brief silence.
Then—
A soft laugh.
"That's enough for me."
The call ended.
Gu Qiu saved her number properly.
As for the Joy Family—
He decided not to visit immediately.
He understood Joy's personality.
She wouldn't appreciate excessive formality.
To her—
Helping someone was simply the right thing to do.
If he rushed over with grand gratitude—
It might feel insincere.
The Joy Family was fundamentally different from Lorelei.
They sought nothing.
Expected nothing.
Power structures meant little to them.
Even Elite Four.
Even Champions.
To the Joy Family—
They were simply patients passing through.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.
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