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Two days later.
Jacob requested a six-month leave from school. At the same time, Aria from the Flame Secret Realm called to inform them that the Darumaka and Charmander eggs were expected to hatch within a day. If they wanted to witness the hatching firsthand, Asher and Jacob needed to hurry to the Flame Secret Realm immediately.
The brothers naturally set off without delay. Because of their previous accident, this time they and their mother Zoe opted not to fly on a Pokémon to the Fire Secret Realm, instead taking a high-speed train with better safety guarantees.
About an hour later, the three arrived in Embermere City and took a car to the Flame Secret Realm. When they reached their destination, Aria was already standing at the entrance to greet them. Today she had applied exquisite makeup and styled her hair in soft waves. She had clearly dressed with care. Spotting Jacob and the others from a distance, she immediately waved and welcomed them.
"Sister, let us help with your luggage," Aria said as she approached Zoe. The familiar term made Zoe smile. Aria then asked the staff on duty to assist with their bags. "Your rooms have been prepared—three in total. The staff will deliver your luggage. Don't worry, I'll take you to see the Pokémon eggs first."
"You're such a sweet girl. I'm much older than you. You can just call me Mrs. Zoe. What's your name?" Zoe said to Aria with a warm smile.
"Mrs. Zoe, are you their mother? I thought you were their sister! You look so young. I'd better call you Sister Zoe. I'm Aria. You can call me Aria," she replied with a charming smile. On their way to the incubation room, she chatted affectionately with Zoe. "Sister Zoe, what skincare products do you use? You look incredibly youthful."
Jacob and Asher both frowned, walking silently ahead and whispering to each other: "Brother, you still have one selection spot left. Would you like me to help you choose?"
"Of course. I haven't been here for half a month. I don't know if there are any new Pokémon eggs in the Flame Secret Realm."
...
Upon reaching the incubation room, Jacob noticed that most of the Pokémon from his previous visit had been replaced. There were some eggs with Quasi-King level potential among them, but not a single one with King-level potential. It seemed he had been fortunate to find the Darumaka egg during his last visit.
"These two Pokémon eggs are yours," Aria explained to the brothers. "They're expected to hatch sometime today. Both eggs have excellent qualities and have absorbed much more energy fluid than ordinary Pokémon eggs. Our supervisor mentioned that hatching these two eggs would actually be a loss-making proposition for us."
"We added all the Fire energy fluid to the Darumaka egg as requested. It's absorbed it remarkably well."
"For the Charmander egg, we added the mixed energy fluids of Fire, Flying, and Dragon in a 2:1:1 ratio as per your instructions. Then we adjusted according to its response. The final ratio was fixed at 3:2:5."
While listening to Aria's explanation, they suddenly heard familiar voices from behind. Jacob and Asher turned around, both frowning simultaneously. They hadn't expected to encounter Tobias and Jay here again.
Apparently, they had also placed a Growlithe egg in the Fire Secret Realm. Since both parties had selected their eggs at the same time and incubated them together, it was natural they would hatch around the same time.
Compared to their previous encounter, Tobias and Jay were much more subdued. Upon seeing Asher and Jacob, their expressions froze, and Tobias's eyes revealed a hint of hatred.
Tobias clenched his fists tightly, his hatred driving his fingernails into his palms. Ever since Ryan had visited the Zhao family that night, Tobias had been severely reprimanded by Archer, the head of the Zhao family. His allowance had been suspended for six months, leaving him with only basic living expenses. He was ordered to reflect on his behavior behind closed doors and warned not to cause trouble. Archer had strictly forbidden them from antagonizing the Xia family again and provoking a Champion-level trainer against their family.
Ryan's strength had frightened Archer. Even when facing the Four Elite Trainers of the Southwest region, he hadn't felt as much pressure as he did when confronting Ryan.
Tobias had been obedient initially, staying home and avoiding trouble except for handling minor matters. But as his funds were cut off, his patience wore thin. His financial restrictions made him resent Asher deeply. If not for Asher, his allowance wouldn't have been suspended for half a year. It was all Asher's fault!
Although Tobias didn't dare cause trouble in the Flame Secret Realm, he couldn't resist taunting Asher.
"Aren't these the two young masters of the Xia family? Are your Pokémon eggs from last time about to hatch? Let me see what Pokémon you chose and how impressive their potential is," Tobias said sarcastically.
When Zoe heard Tobias's comment, she frowned. Aria whispered to Zoe about the two young men's identities and what had transpired during their previous encounter.
After learning about their background and the incident, Zoe was furious, but before she could respond, Asher had already stepped forward. He looked at Tobias, who was strutting around like a peacock, and sneered, "You seem to be living quite comfortably. I heard my eldest brother Ryan paid the Zhao family a visit recently. Unfortunately, I was busy at the time and couldn't join him. When I have time, I'll visit the Zhao family again with my brother."
When Tobias heard Asher mention Ryan, his hatred intensified, but he didn't dare provoke Asher further. He could only turn around and pretend to discuss the eggs with Jay: "The Growlithe we selected last time is about to hatch. I had an expert examine the egg. Its potential is at least Quasi-King level. Fortunately, we encountered it and claimed it first; otherwise, someone else would have snatched it up."
"Some Pokémon eggs may have a beautiful exterior but are rotten inside. They might look impressive on the outside, but their quality might not match those we selected," Jacob responded indifferently to Tobias's boastful remarks. "We often mistake things we don't understand as treasures."
Tobias was very angry with Jacob but didn't dare take action. Instead, he focused his attention on the Growlithe egg he had chosen.
The Zhao family's Growlithe egg had begun to shake slightly, and cracks gradually appeared on the shell—a sign that it was about to hatch.
The cracks continued to deepen. The two Zhao family members held their breath, watching the cracks spread like a network across the surface. The egg's movements intensified, and finally, as the shell at the top shattered, a bright light emanated from the opening.
The Growlithe emerged from the eggshell. The newly hatched Pokémon was still very small, with brilliant flames adorning its body. It was immediately apparent that it possessed extraordinary potential.
Tobias and Jay both smiled, clearly satisfied with this Growlithe. With this Pokémon, Jay's future path would be much smoother.
"This Growlithe has excellent form. It has at least Quasi-King level potential. Jay, train it well!" Tobias said condescendingly, then cast a provocative glance at the Xia brothers.
"Yeah," Jay replied, his face full of excitement. He reached out and gently stroked the furry head of the Fire-type Pokémon.
At that moment, the Charmander egg also began to shake gently.