"...Nergigante. Nergigante."
Lillie murmured the name a few times under her breath, as if tasting it.
Her curious gaze lingered on the small black dragon crouched beside Bai Chen. Though she clearly wanted to reach out and touch the creature, her long-standing fear of Pokémon kept her frozen in place.
Bai Chen turned toward the butler.
"Mr. James, do you happen to have a spare Poké Ball? My partner's was… damaged. I've been keeping her in my pack ever since."
James, ever composed, nodded immediately.
"Of course, sir."
He reached into his coat and produced a red-and-white Poké Ball, offering it respectfully.
Bai Chen accepted it with a polite smile but didn't use it right away.
If it failed to contain Nergigante, that would be… embarrassing.
"Thank you," he said simply, pocketing the ball.
James gestured toward the interior of the mansion.
"If you'll follow me, sir, we've prepared some refreshments."
Inside, the estate was every bit as grand as Bai Chen had expected.
Crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and paintings worth more than an entire guild district hung on the walls.
As they entered, James spoke again, his tone careful.
"Forgive me, sir, but would you mind leaving your partner in the courtyard? The young lady has… difficulty being near Pokémon."
Before Bai Chen could reply, Lillie shook her head firmly.
"That won't be necessary. Mr. Bai saved my life. There's no need to follow that rule today."
She glanced at Nergigante—her fear clear in her eyes—but she still forced herself to smile. She knew separating them might cause trouble.
The dining hall was already prepared.
A long table gleamed beneath the light, set with dishes so beautifully arranged they looked like art pieces—tiny portions, delicately garnished.
Bai Chen stared at the plates, then chuckled helplessly.
"I, uh… might need a slightly larger portion. My constitution burns through energy fast."
Lillie blinked, then quickly nodded.
"Of course! I'll have the staff prepare more right away."
She turned to the maids.
"Also, make something for Nergigante. Perhaps there's a specific diet she follows?"
Bai Chen smiled.
"No need to overthink it. Just give her raw meat."
That earned more than a few startled looks, but Lillie nodded politely.
When the food arrived, the maids could hardly keep up.
Plate after plate vanished before their eyes.
By the end of the meal, half the kitchen's supplies were gone.
Lillie sat there, wide-eyed, staring at the mountain of empty dishes.
"Even a Snorlax couldn't eat that much… H-how does he even fit all that in his stomach?"
Bai Chen set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth.
"Thank you for the meal."
After eating nearly nonstop for a day, his body felt alive—energy coursing through every cell. He could feel his strength climbing by the minute.
Then, smiling faintly, he reached into his pack.
"I feel a bit bad after eating so much… so let me offer you something in return—a small gift from my homeland."
Lillie waved her hands quickly.
"Oh, no! You've already done so much for us, Mr. Bai. A meal is hardly repayment for saving our lives."
"Don't worry," he said, grinning. "It's nothing rare."
He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a gleaming stone the size of a fist. It shone with a golden luster, scattering reflections across the table.
"This is called Kulve Ore. It's a mineral far stronger than steel—tough enough to forge high-grade blades. This piece isn't much, but it could make a good dagger for self-defense."
In truth, it was a Kulve Taroth shard, a rarity in his own world—Rank 4 ore, normally used for crafting weapons of Rank 5 and above.
He'd found it once while foraging mushrooms, too small to use for serious forging. He'd kept it ever since, thinking it might be useful one day.
Lillie blinked in disbelief.
"It looks like… gold?"
She shook her head firmly.
"Mr. Bai, I can't accept something like that."
"It's fine," he insisted. "It's not real gold—just looks like it. Hardly worth much. Besides, after eating that much of your family's food, I'd feel shameless if I didn't give something back."
He gave her a teasing look.
"If you don't take it, I'll feel too guilty to sleep here tonight."
Lillie hesitated, then sighed softly.
"Then… thank you, Mr. Bai. I'll treasure it."
She reached out to take the ore—only for her arms to drop under the sudden weight.
"W-what!? It's so heavy!"
She nearly lost her balance before passing it quickly to James, her hands trembling.
James's brows furrowed as he tested its heft.
"This mineral's density… it's at least three times heavier than gold! A piece this size of gold would weigh barely seven or eight pounds—but this… this must be over twenty!"
Lillie's curiosity deepened.
Everything about Bai Chen—his weapon, his strength, his companion, and now even his "gift"—was completely beyond common sense.
After dinner, Bai Chen stretched lazily.
"Miss Lillie, do you have a place to exercise around here? I'd like to work off some of that meal."
"Of course. I'll take you there."
She led him downstairs to the mansion's basement gym. It was immaculate—state-of-the-art equipment, polished weights, and a full array of machines, all in perfect condition thanks to constant maintenance.
Bai Chen stopped at a cable rack and tested the weight stack—about fifty kilograms. He gave it a single pull and frowned.
Far too light.
The strength flowing through his body made normal human limits meaningless. The ninety-pound iron katana he wielded like a twig earlier proved that.
He glanced around, found a 1.8-meter barbell, and began stacking plates—100 kilograms per side, then another, until the total hit 300 kilograms.
He gripped the bar, gave it an experimental curl, and nodded.
"Perfect for a warm-up."
With one hand, he lifted the entire weight and began curling it smoothly, his arm flexing like a coiled dragon.
To him, it felt like an amateur's 20kg dumbbell—light at first, but tiring after several sets.
James and Lillie watched in utter disbelief.
The barbell bent slightly under its own mass, and Bai Chen was using it like a dumbbell—with one hand.
Even professional weightlifters couldn't clean that much, let alone use it casually.
Lillie murmured under her breath,
"He's… not human."
James nodded grimly.
"More like a… humanoid Legendary."
They weren't entirely wrong.
Because Bai Chen was no longer human at all.
He had inherited the blood and gifts of Nergigante—a human-shaped Elder Dragon.
Bai Chen set the bar down gently and glanced at the pair.
"I'll be here training for a while. You two go ahead with your evening. No need to stay and watch."
Lillie smiled politely and bowed.
"Then I'll leave you to your training, Mr. Bai. If you need anything, please ask James."
James nodded respectfully.
"Anything you require, sir—just call."
Bai Chen waved them off and turned back to the barbell.
He tightened his grip and began his workout.
Thirty days in this world.
Every minute, every second—he intended to make them count.