Dragonite clearly inteo protect Celebi, and it also seemed to know Luis. Despite the overwhelming pressure of its Elte-level aura, Professor Allen somehow mao e, though his body was visibly struggling.

  He stared intensely at Celebi perched onite’s back, his eyes filled with obsession.

  However, his expressiorayed the toll the pressure was taking on him—he looked like he would colpse at any moment.

  “Dragohat’s enough!”

  Luis quickly stepped in, urging Dragoo withdraw its aura. If this tinued, Professor Allen’s body wouldn’t hold out. Stubborn as he had been during the journey, he wasn’t a bad person.

  Dragonite g Luis and, seeing how close Professor Allen was to breaking, relented and withdrew its oppressive aura.

  Without giving anyone a ce to react, Dragonite soared into the sky with Celebi in tow.

  “Gasp… gasp!”

  The sudden release of the pressure left Professor Allen and his team gasping for air.

  When they finally posed themselves, they realized that Celebi had disappeared with Dragonite. Panic set in. After all the hardships they had eo find Celebi, it had slipped away right before their eyes. All their efforts would be for nothing.

  “Chase it! Quickly, follow them!”

  Professor Allen shouted anxiously, breaking into a run toward the dire where Dragonite had vahe rest of the survey team scrambled to keep up.

  “There’s o chase,” Luis said, stepping in to block Professor Allen’s path. “Dragonite will returually. We just o wait here.”

  Luis knew Dragonite beloo Julian. If Dragonite had flown off now, it wouldn’t be long before Julian himself arrived. The only question was whether Dalton and Shen were with him.

  “That Dragonite came here to find us!”

  Professor Allen paused, and as Luis’s expnation sank in, he realized the truth. Their prolonged absence must have raised s, prompting someoo e looking for them.

  “Yes, and the person who sent Dragonite is very powerful, so you’d better not anger him over Celebi,” Luis warned.

  Professor Allen frowned but remained silent. Beside him, his student, Bill, voiced his dissatisfa. “But we discovered Celebi first! If we unlock the secret to time travel, it would undoubtedly be worthy of the Arceus award!”

  “You?”

  Luis snorted dismissively.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Bill’s face turned red with anger. It was clear Luis didn’t think highly of him.

  “Arceus Award? Do you think you’re Quinn Walker or something?”

  “Enough, Bill,” Professor Allen interrupted, stopping his student before the argument could escate. “The one who sent Dragonite is ae-level Trainer. Starting a flict would only put us at a disadvantage.”

  While both Pokémon Trainers and Pokémon researchers held simir social standing in society, there were undeniable differences in their roles. Trainers anded power, while researchers sought knowledge.

  In situations like this, power oftehe upper hand.

  In the hierarchy of the Pokémon world, ae-level Trainer held a higher status than a Senior Researcher.

  There are tens of thousands of Senior Researchers in the try, but only around 500 Elite-level Trainers.

  However, top-tier researchers like Quinn Walker, who have won the Arceus Award, are sidered to have even higher status thae Trainers.

  Such researchers are regarded as strategiational treasures, their value parable to a Champion-level Trainer.

  Professor Allen was a Senior Researcher. His task to iigate the Pokémoy oskirts of the White Mountain Range didn't initially require his direvolvement—it was supposed to be handled by his student, Bill.

  But after spending half a year in the b, Professor Allehe urge to go out and volunteered for the mission himself.

  ---

  About three hours ter, a sound from the distance drew everyone's attention. Shortly after, Julian, Shen, and Dalton appeared in front of Luis and the rest of the survey team.

  To everyone’s astonishment, Celebi, the Pokémon they had been desperately searg for, erched on Julian’s head.

  Thanks to Julian’s advanced Aura abilities, Celebi had developed a strong sense of trust and friendlioward him. Once Dragonite brought it back, Celebi immediately flew onto Julian’s head.

  Its adorable appearance made Shen want to reach out a, but Celebi dodged every attempt, leaving Shen stomping her foot in frustration.

  “Brother Julian!”

  Luis was overjoyed to see Julian and rao him.

  “Everyone’s okay?”

  Julian sed Luis and the survey team. Everyone was ated for—apart from looking a little worse for wear, they were unhurt.

  “We’re fine, we’re fine! With me around, how could anything g?” Luis replied with a grin.

  “Good. If that’s the case, you should all leave this area now,” Julian said.

  Luis looked surprised. “Brother Julian, aren’t you ing with us?”

  “I’ve got something to take care of.”

  Julian reached up, lightly patting the Celebi on his head.

  'You little green thing, don’t you know how spicuous you are sitting on my head? If you weren’t so cute, I’d have tossed you off by now'

  " we discuss about-"

  Before Professor Allen could finish his sentence, Julian cut him off.

  “Celebi isn’t yours to take, so don’t even think about it.”

  Shaking his head, he mounted Dragonite and flew deeper into the mountains, taking Celebi with him.

  Professor Allen and the survey team:

  'He left—just like that. Aook Celebi with him!!!'

  Even Luis was stunned. He couldn’t uand why Julian had decided to leave.

  “Celebi must have told Julian something important, and it’s probably dangerous, which is why he didn’t bring us along,” Shen expined.

  During their jouro find Luis and the survey team, Celebi had been unig with Juliaire time. While none of them kly what Celebi had said, Julian’s expression had grown increasingly serious as the versation tinued.

  On the way, Julian had made it clear that ohey found Luis and the team, they were to leave the White Mountain Range immediately. He had even provided them with plenty of supplies to eheir safe departure.

  From his small looking backpack, Julian had pulled out enough supplies to feed over a dozen people and their Pokémon for more than a month.

  "I uand if he didn't take the two of you, but Why didn’t he take me? I'm much better than you two!” Luis said unwillingly.

  Julian and Celebi were obviously preparing for some kind of dangerous adventure. Luis, with his love for excitement, couldn’t stand bei out of something so thrilling.

  Shen’s face darke Luis’s words. As one of the weaker members of their css, she couldn’t argue—Luis wasn’t wrong—but still…

  Thud!

  The moment, Luis was on the ground clutg his stomach, having paid the price for his words.

  Meanwhile, Bill ag angrily, his face twisted with frustration.

  “No! We ’t let him take Celebi away. What’s that guy’s name? I’m going to file a formal pint!”

  Professor Allen sighed, his tone weary. “Fet it, let's go back first, Celebi probably has an urgent matter that only he handle.”

  “Professor, we ’t just let this slide! We must report him to the authorities and make sure he’s punished!” Bill argued.

  Before he could say another word, Dalton strode over, delivering a sharp sp that sent Bill sprawling to the ground.

  “Boss Walker saved your sorry asses. Without him, if you’d ventured any further, you wouldn’t be ing back at all. And you want to 'pin' about him? You ungrateful wretch.”

  ---

  Above the White Mountain Range, Dragonite flew swiftly, the wind rushing past. Celebi perched on Julian’s head, pointiedly toward a specific area in the distance.

  “Cel! Cel! Cel!~”

  Celebi: "The Sealed Grounds are just ahead."

  This area was at the heart of the White Mountain Range, a pown as the true forbidden zone of the region.

  *****

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