"Ugh..."
Inside the Ten Thousand Dragons Nest Secret Realm, David had just arrived and was leaning against a large tree, feeling dizzy and a little unsteady on his feet.
Getting into the Ten Thousand Dragons Nest had been far rougher than his first trip to the beginner Secret Realm back in Imperial City. His head was spinning, and he found it almost funny. Before the world had changed, he used to get carsick easily. That problem had gone away on its own, only to be replaced by something he never expected — portal sickness. He wasn't sure who to complain to about that.
Uncle Zayn, who was standing nearby, gave him a calm smile and explained that it was perfectly normal to feel this way on a first visit to a Secret Realm of this size. He assured David that once his body got used to it, future entries would be much easier.
Super-large Secret Realms like the Ten Thousand Dragons Nest did not share the same close bond with the outside world — Blue Star — that smaller Secret Realms did. They kept a strong sense of independence from the outside, which was exactly why the body reacted so strongly upon entering for the first time.
The F-rank beginner Secret Realm David had visited in Imperial City was the smallest kind possible, one that was almost fully merged with Blue Star. Stepping into it felt no different from stepping outside. This place was nothing like that.
After hearing Uncle Zayn's explanation, things made a lot more sense to David.
He rested for a short while, and once he felt steady again, he stood up and looked out at the world around him.
Big. Very big. Incredibly big. That was the only word for it. The Ten Thousand Dragons Nest stretched out before him in every direction, and its sheer size was something he had never experienced before.
They had landed on what appeared to be the tallest peak in the area. From where David stood, he could see mountain range after mountain range, stretching endlessly into the distance. Even with his enhanced vision as someone with the Heavenly Aura Physique, he could not make out where the mountains ended. It was the kind of sight that made you feel very small.
The natural environment was just as striking. The forests and shrubs here were enormous, with individual trees rising anywhere from tens to hundreds of meters into the sky. Strange plants that David had never seen anywhere before grew freely all around. His Aura sense could pick up the rich flow of elemental energy throughout the Secret Realm.
Dragon-type energy in particular was remarkably active here. Pokémon of the Dragon type that lived in this place long-term would likely see a natural improvement in their innate potential over time. It was easy to understand why high-level Secret Realms so often housed large numbers of powerful wild Pokémon.
Looking up, there was a sun in the sky of the Secret Realm, but it looked different from the one outside. It appeared softer, almost like a projection rather than something solid and real.
When they had arrived at the Sky Pillar earlier, it had been around three in the afternoon, with the sun high overhead at its peak. But here inside the Secret Realm, the sun had only just risen. Soft morning light fell gently across the landscape, giving the whole place a quiet, early-day feel. David found himself wondering if the sun here was simply a reflection of the one outside.
"Young Master," Uncle Zayn began, looking out at the horizon, "the Ten Thousand Dragons Nest is a true top-tier Secret Realm. By the Alliance's official ranking system, it holds the highest classification — S-rank."
"Its total area exceeds two hundred thousand square kilometers. Many of the smaller nations on Blue Star are not even that large." He paused, then added, "Keep in mind that Blue Star in our world is far larger than an ordinary Star would be, due to the many Secret Realms that have merged with it over time."
Uncle Zayn scanned the surroundings, then pointed off into the distance.
"Beyond that mountain range, there is a vast ocean. That is where Dragonite, Milotic, Gyarados, and Dragalge make their homes."
It was worth noting — Milotic and Gyarados were not Dragon-type Pokémon by strict classification, but they were widely considered to carry Dragon lineage. After all, both could learn Dragon Dance, a move that even certain pseudo-legendary Dragon-types were unable to master. Tapu Lele came to mind as a notable example of one that could not.
David looked out in the direction Uncle Zayn had pointed, but all he could see were more mountains. The sea was nowhere in sight.
He had read about S-rank Secret Realms in books before, and he knew they were described as being close to the size of small nations. But reading about something and actually standing inside it were two very different things. Standing here, looking out at this vast and ancient world that existed alongside the real one, David felt a genuine sense of awe.
"How many Pokémon must live in a place this large?" he asked.
"Probably no one knows the exact number," Uncle Zayn replied. "Over countless years, this place has become an ideal environment for Dragon-type Pokémon. How many generations have been born and raised here is impossible to say."
"The Moore family generally only keeps careful records of the pseudo-legendary species living here. For the rest, a broad understanding of the major groups is enough."
"That said, the overall Pokémon density here is actually lower than you might find outside. Dragon-type Pokémon naturally require much larger territories than most species. And unless a Dragon-type is one that lives in groups, it will drive out other Dragon-types from its territory — all except its mate and offspring. A territory has only one ruler."
Uncle Zayn explained all of this patiently. It was the kind of knowledge that only came from spending real time inside a Secret Realm like this.
Once he could see that David had mostly recovered, Uncle Zayn reached for a Poké Ball and released his Tropius with a burst of light.
"Let's get moving, Young Master. When we came through, I made sure to set the transfer point closest to the Dragon Tomb. We should head there now."
"The Dragon Tomb?" David blinked. "Shouldn't we be finding a Pokémon for me first?"
He was confused. The Dragon Tomb was where Dragon-type Pokémon were laid to rest, and where the Guardian Deity slept. It was the site for tomorrow's Dragon Festival, yes — but he hadn't bonded with a Pokémon yet.
Even members of the Moore family rarely went near that place unless the Dragon Festival required it.
"Ha, Young Master," Uncle Zayn said with a chuckle, "the Dragon-type Pokémon cubs that are old enough and willing to leave the Secret Realm have already been brought to the area near the Dragon Tomb by their parents."
"The Dragon Festival is not just for humans to choose Pokémon — it's for Pokémon to choose humans as well. We only allow those who are willing to leave to meet the Trainers who arrive. Both sides get to make a choice."
"Besides," he continued, "these Pokémon live scattered across the entire Secret Realm. If we sent Trainers out to search for them on their own, it would take close to a year just to find them all. There would be no Dragon Festival to speak of. Come on — let's not keep them waiting."
With that, Uncle Zayn guided Tropius into the air and set course for the Dragon Tomb.