Ash had already shared all the information about MEGA Evolution with Lance and the others without holding anything back. As for how to locate Mega Stones and Key Stones, that was now entirely their responsibility.
Even Ash himself, despite his exceptional perception, had relied on Professor Oak to search for a long time before finally obtaining a few from Steven.
Strictly speaking, that process could hardly be called "collecting."It was closer to demanding them outright.
The Mega Stones and Key Stones Steven possessed were items he had discovered only after investing an unknown amount of time, effort, and luck. Trying to locate such things from scratch in a short period was nearly impossible. Even Ash had only succeeded because he already understood the principles behind MEGA Evolution.
Therefore, for Lance and the other Elite Four to find their own Mega Stones, there was still a very long road ahead.
Whoever managed to obtain both a Mega Stone and a Key Stone first would gain a decisive advantage on the Elite path.
Although Lorelei's and Bruno's ace Pokémon could not undergo MEGA Evolution, reaching God Level was still a distant goal for anyone. In the short term, MEGA Evolution's greatest value lay in its ability to provide a temporary but overwhelming boost in combat power.
Lorelei's Slowbro and Bruno's Steelix were both capable of MEGA Evolution. These Pokémon were far from secondary members of their teams, and if either of them obtained the appropriate Mega Stone, their strength would rise dramatically.
Now, everything depended on who could secure their exclusive Mega Stone before the Indigo Plateau Conference.
Whoever succeeded would possess a significantly higher chance of becoming Champion in the Champion battle that followed the conference.
"Thank you, Ash," Lance said sincerely. "You specifically made time to come here for the MEGA Evolution matter. This is just a small token of my gratitude. Please accept it."
As he spoke, Lance handed Ash an ancient-looking fanged tooth.
The tooth was even larger than Lance's palm, clearly belonging to some massive creature, comparable in size to an elephant's tusk.
Ash didn't take it immediately. Instead, he looked at Lance with confusion.
"Mr. Lance, this is…?"
"Didn't I say it was a token of gratitude?" Lance replied calmly. "For you, it may have only been a short explanation. But for us, this information is priceless. If we'd had to uncover everything ourselves, it might have taken years to figure out what you explained in half an hour."
His tone carried genuine appreciation.
After the initial excitement faded, Lance hadn't forgotten the source of this opportunity. He knew exactly who had given him hope of touching that higher realm.
"This is a Dragon Fang," Lance continued. "But it's different from the ones you'll find on the market. It's been tempered by the Dragon Tamer Clan's unique power. It increases Dragon-type damage by twenty-five percent and also enhances the training efficiency of Dragon-type Pokémon."
He paused briefly.
"However, it has one limitation. Its effects diminish significantly once the Pokémon reaches Elite level or above."
This Dragon Fang was similar in nature to Ash's Talisman of Curses. Both were rare items that amplified damage for a specific type. However, this Dragon Fang surpassed ordinary enhancement items in quality.
The upper limit for most standard damage-boosting items was twenty percent. Lance's Dragon Fang exceeded that and even provided an additional training benefit, making it extremely valuable.
But there was one problem.
Ash didn't have any Dragon-type Pokémon.
A Pokémon could normally hold only one item. A case like Mewtwo, who had fused Mega Stones directly into her body, was a complete anomaly.
Charizard already carried the Rainbow Feather, so Ash couldn't give the Dragon Fang to him unless Charizard fully assimilated the Rainbow Feather's power someday.
As for Aerodactyl, despite the "dragon" in its name, it didn't favor Dragon-type moves. Rock and Flying-type techniques were still its specialty.
In short, Ash currently had no Pokémon who could properly use the Dragon Fang.
"What's wrong, Ash?" Lance asked with a smile. "Do you think the gift is too modest?"
"No, no!" Ash hurriedly waved his hands. "It's just that this Dragon Fang is incredibly valuable, and you're giving it to me just because I shared some information. On top of that, I don't even have a Pokémon that can use it right now. Giving it to me feels like a waste."
Without another word, Lance simply stuffed the Dragon Fang into Ash's arms.
"A waste? Don't be ridiculous," he said lightly. "Not being able to use it now doesn't mean you won't be able to in the future. Haven't you heard what the Champion's reward is for this Indigo Plateau Conference?"
"Uh…" Ash froze. "Isn't the Champion's reward, just becoming Champion?"
Lance laughed.
"This year's Indigo Plateau Conference is unusually fierce. Many Trainers with nearly two years of experience are participating. The difficulty is far higher than in previous years."
Then he revealed the reason.
"The Champion gets to choose any Pokémon from Dragon Island."
"Dragon Island?" Ash tilted his head, deep in thought. After a moment, he realized he had never even heard of it.
Lorelei stepped in gently. "Dragon Island is an island inhabited almost entirely by Dragon Pokémon. Whether their type is Dragon, their name contains 'dragon,' or they're closely associated with dragons, they can all be found there."
She paused briefly.
"It's considered the largest Dragon Pokémon habitat in the world."
Ash, Brock, Misty, and Gary all widened their eyes. None of them had known such a place existed.
"Choosing a Pokémon from Dragon Island…" Brock murmured, stroking his chin. "That reward really is extraordinary. If it's the largest Dragon habitat in the world, then God Level Dragon Pokémon must exist there."
He looked up slowly.
"No wonder this Indigo Plateau Conference is so fiercely contested."
The rarity of God Level Dragon-type Pokémon hardly needed explanation.
Although there were many Pokémon that had reached the God Domain, Dragon-types were universally regarded as among the most coveted. The power of dragons was acknowledged across every region.
Within the same tier, Dragon-type Pokémon generally possessed superior overall stats, exceptional durability, and overwhelming offensive power. Even more importantly, there were very few types that could truly counter them.
If not for the unprecedented global upheaval that occurred years ago, when a massive planetary disturbance caused countless Pokémon to awaken an entirely new type, the Fairy type, Dragon-type Pokémon would have remained virtually unmatched.
Originally, only Ice-type and Dragon-type moves were super effective against Dragon-types, and even then, Dragon Pokémon possessed resistances so strong that these weaknesses were often negligible in practice.
But the emergence of the Fairy type changed everything.
Fairy-types not only countered Dragon-types, they completely nullified Dragon-type attacks, delivering a crushing blow to what had once been the most dominant type in the world.
This development disrupted the absolute supremacy of Dragon Pokémon and introduced a necessary balance. However, balance did not mean decline.
If given the choice, Dragon-types would still be the preferred option for most Trainers.
Their base stats alone ensured that, as long as they did not encounter Fairy-types, Dragon Pokémon remained overwhelmingly powerful.
As such, God Level Dragon-type Pokémon continued to be revered and sought after.
Many Trainers who had traveled for ten or even twenty years might never encounter a single one. Their rarity was second only to Legendary Pokémon themselves.
And now, simply by winning the Indigo Plateau Conference, a Trainer could earn the right to visit Dragon Island.
Although there was no guarantee of finding a God Level Dragon Pokémon there, the probability was incomparably higher than wandering the world at random.
"Brock is correct," Lance said calmly. "Dragon Island does indeed house God Domain Level Pokémon, and not just one or two."
He continued, revealing information few outsiders knew.
"More importantly, Dragon Island is territory governed by the Dragon Tamer Clan. Our Dragon Tamer Power continuously envelops the island. Dragon-type Pokémon living there, as well as Pokémon with latent Dragon-type potential, are constantly nurtured by this power."
"Over generations, this has caused both the Pokémon and their offspring to develop extraordinary talent. Even if you don't encounter a God Level Pokémon, catching an ordinary Dragon-type from Dragon Island is already worth the journey."
This revelation explained everything.
Beyond high-level Pokémon, Dragon Island offered exceptional potential.
Simply put, Pokémon raised under Dragon Tamer Power were fundamentally different from those found elsewhere.
With benefits like that, it was no surprise that this year's Indigo Plateau Conference had attracted so many experienced Trainers.
"How did I not know any of this?!" Ash suddenly shouted, spinning toward the doorway. "Gary! Did you know and just not tell me?!"
Gary poked his head out, irritated.
"What nonsense are you talking about? If I knew, I'd have told you. Why would I hide something you'd find out anyway?"
He crossed his arms.
"I was wondering why so many veterans were joining a rookie tournament. Turns out it's because of Dragon Island."
Gary had only just learned of Dragon Island himself. Like Ash, he hadn't even known it existed, let alone that it was tied to the Champion's reward.
"Wait," Gary asked suddenly, frowning. "Only the Champion gets to go?"
If that were the case, then Dragon Island would have nothing to do with him.
No matter how confident Gary was, he knew the truth. He couldn't defeat Ash.
After the New Island incident, he finally understood the gap between them. At present, they weren't even standing on the same plane.
Defeating Ash felt about as realistic as defeating the Elite Four.
Unless Ash intentionally fielded his secondary team, and even then, that team would likely still be filled with elites.
And if Ash used even one of his main Pokémon?
Gary's entire lineup would be wiped out effortlessly.
Charizard alone would be enough.
"So no," Gary admitted internally. "Champion is impossible."
But if Dragon Island wasn't exclusive to first place…
"Not only the Champion," Lance replied, answering his question.
"The top three all qualify to visit Dragon Island."
Gary's eyes lit up.
"However," Lance continued, "the Champion receives a special map created by the Dragon Tamer Clan. It precisely marks the locations of high-potential Pokémon."
"For second place, the searchable area is smaller. For third place, there is no guidance at all."
Gary exhaled in relief.
Top three was achievable.
As long as he didn't encounter Ash before the semifinals, he still had a chance.
If they met in the semifinals, he could fight through the placement match.
But if he ran into Ash earlier than that…
Then it would be over.
In the end, Dragon Island also depended on luck of the draw.
"So, Ash," Lance said, turning back to him, "even though you don't have a Dragon-type Pokémon now, once you reach Dragon Island, you'll definitely find one that satisfies you."
"As for whether you can reach the top three…" Lance smiled. "I'm quite confident."
"What about you?"
Ash didn't hesitate.
"Of course I'm confident," he said firmly. "Not just top three, I'm winning the Indigo Plateau Conference."
This was his first major League competition.
He had no intention of leaving without making his mark.
Ash looked down at the Dragon Fang in his hand, his gaze sharpening.
Then he bowed deeply to Lance.
"Thank you, Mr. Lance," he said seriously. "I'll accept this Dragon Fang."
...
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