A faint smile crossed Erick's lips as his gaze settled on Jacob. He let out a quiet, inward sigh.
The "God's Coffin" organization had a poor reputation — known throughout the underground world for being ruthless and calculating. But whatever its faults, there was no denying the raw strength of the people within it. The man standing before him, "Preist-6," hadn't even sent out his ace Mythical Pokémon, and yet he had dismantled Bryant in a completely one-sided battle.
With both internal and external threats pressing down on them, the Qi Family had managed, at least for now, to settle the internal struggle within the underground world and secure the position of rotating chairman. But that was only the first step. If anything, the external threats looming over the family were far more dangerous.
There were powerful families circling the Qi Family like Mandibuzz over a wounded Pokémon. Some of them had long coveted Black Dragon City's underground world — a golden bowl, as the saying went — but had never found the right opening to force their way in. Now, with the Qi Family weakened, that opening had arrived. They would press hard, apply every kind of pressure they could, and the days ahead would be brutal. But if the family could hold on, they could rise again.
Erick's gaze drifted back to Jacob. If they could form a lasting partnership with an organization as powerful as "God's Coffin"... with that kind of backing, the Qi Family could genuinely make a comeback.
Of course, "God's Coffin" never gave anything away for free. Cooperating with them was like handling a Seviper — one careless move and the fangs were in your throat. But did he have any other choice?
"You've done well tonight," Erick said as Jacob drew closer.
He was genuinely satisfied with Jacob's performance. The one thing that nagged at him was that Jacob hadn't finished the job — hadn't had Metagross end Aerodactyl then and there. Letting Bryant escape was a loose end he didn't like.
"I've held up my end," Jacob replied, his voice flat and cool as he met Erick's gaze. "Now it's your turn."
Erick felt the quiet pressure in those words. "You have my word," he said. "I'll tell you everything I know."
The two left the auditorium together and made their way to a private room tucked away from the noise of the evening.
"You can speak now," Jacob said, settling into a chair. His eyes stayed fixed on Erick. Everything he had done tonight — every calculated move, every risk taken — had led to this moment. He needed the information about the Dark Stone and the Dragon Spiral Tower, and Erick was the one who had it.
Erick was quiet for a moment, then began to speak.
"The trouble between our family and Giovanni started at an auction..."
He laid it out slowly, piece by piece.
"Giovanni purchased an item at the auction. My nephew, Emilio, recognized it — or thought he did. It matched the description of something recorded in our family's oldest documents."
Erick paused, as though the words cost him something.
"The Dark Stone. The legendary stone said to contain the dormant form of Zekrom."
"We still don't fully understand how Giovanni identified it for what it was. But once he did... Emilio confronted him over it." He exhaled quietly. "Emilio didn't survive that confrontation. And the stone — the one we believe to be the Dark Stone — is now in Giovanni's possession."
"The Dark Stone? Zekrom?" Jacob let a note of surprise enter his voice, then paused as if turning the information over in his mind. "You're certain?"
"I was about seventy percent sure before tonight," Erick said. "But if a man like Giovanni is willing to kill for that stone, then I'd put it closer to ninety." He looked at Jacob steadily. "According to our family records, the Dark Stone is what remained of Zekrom after its body was destroyed. It is said to be waiting — waiting for a hero worthy enough to awaken it."
He leaned forward slightly. "If you bring the Dark Stone to the Dragon Spiral Tower Secret Realm and reach the summit, Zekrom's body can be restored."
Jacob gave a slow nod, then shifted the conversation to the question that mattered most. "If Giovanni has the Dark Stone, his next move will be the Dragon Spiral Tower. Do you know where it is?"
Erick met his gaze, then shook his head with a quiet sigh. "I don't know the exact location."
"The only record our family has is a single passage." He recited it carefully, as though he had long since memorized every word:
"The Dragon Spiral Tower exists within an ancient ruin. Only those who carry the Dark Stone or the Light Stone — or those chosen as heroes by the legendary dragons — may open the way to the Secret Realm.
There are Fusang Divine Trees that cover the sky, with burning Corona Wheels hanging among them.
Ancient Bronzong and giant Claydol stand as the most devoted guardians of the ideal and the truth.
Relicanth roam in Moon Bay.
Fierce Hydreigon circle overhead.
The blazing sun will ultimately scatter the darkness, burning away all evil, and every blasphemer shall be reduced to ash."
"Our family has been searching for the Dragon Spiral Tower for generations," Erick said, something heavy settling into his voice. "We searched for the Dark Stone and the Light Stone based on everything those records contained, and after all those years, we found nothing. And then, finally, we found what we believed to be the Dark Stone..." He trailed off. "And Emilio died for it."
Jacob sat in silence, his brows drawn together. He had gone through considerable effort to reach this point, and still the location of the Dragon Spiral Tower remained out of reach. Only that one cryptic passage to work from.
Relicanth was clear enough — but where was Moon Bay? Ancient Bronzong and giant Claydol were straightforward references to those Pokémon species, but the rest of the passage was harder to parse. Hydreigon circling overhead — that fit. But the mention of the burning Corona Wheels and the Fusang Divine Trees still needed answers.
He forced himself to stay still and think.
"Is that everything?" Jacob asked, not quite ready to let it go.
"Yes." Erick nodded. Then he hesitated. "Though... there is one more thing."
Jacob looked at him. "Then say it."
"We can't pinpoint the exact location," Erick said, his tone becoming more measured and deliberate, "but our best assessment is that the Dragon Spiral Tower is most likely somewhere within Frosthollow Province. In ancient times, people couldn't travel across regions the way they can today. It's probable that whoever wrote those records never left Frosthollow Province. I'd put it at ninety percent — the Dragon Spiral Tower is within Frosthollow Province."
He let that land, then continued.
"And if you genuinely intend to move against Giovanni, there's another path worth considering." He looked at Jacob carefully. "Giovanni has the Dark Stone. Whether or not he knows exactly where the Dragon Spiral Tower is, he will try to find it. Once he enters the tower, stopping him becomes nearly impossible."
"So — we move first. We bring the matter of the Dark Stone to the Pokémon Association directly. We tell them that Giovanni holds the Dark Stone, and that our family's conflict with him was a direct result of it. Then we release that passage about the tower's location and cut off his ability to operate quietly."
"The Association has resources and talent we can't match. They would locate the Dragon Spiral Tower before Giovanni does. Even if he holds the Dark Stone, it becomes meaningless — because the tower itself will be under the Association's control. Giovanni gains nothing."
Silence settled over the room.
Jacob breathed in slowly through his nose. A ruthless plan. Clean and effective, and it would have worked perfectly — on him, if he hadn't known about it in advance. He felt the faint edge of something cold beneath the professional calm he was projecting.
Fortunately, the mask on his face hid any trace of the reaction.
"There's no need to rush on that front," Jacob said, keeping his voice even. "For now — how many people know about the Dark Stone and the Dragon Spiral Tower?"
"A small number," Erick replied. "Only close members of the Qi Family. No one outside the family."
Jacob stood slowly from his chair. "Good. Keep it that way. Don't say a word to anyone else until we speak again after tonight." He gave Erick a steady look. "Go back to your family and wait. I still have other matters to see to."
Erick understood at once. The rainbow feather — the centerpiece of the annual auction — was still in play. He nodded. "Understood."