After making the call, Tian Xin stayed nearby, anxiously waiting. When she saw Rhyperior enter the range of the Secret Realm's suction to rescue people, she immediately recognized it—it was her father's ace Pokémon.
She began scanning the crowd for her father. Only he had the strength to enter the Secret Realm right now and search for Oliver.
But the crowd was far too dense. It wasn't until the Alliance officials arrived and started clearing the area that she finally spotted him.
Chairman Tian turned his head and saw his daughter standing in the distance, covered in dust and looking thoroughly disheveled.
He quickly had someone let her through.
"Why are you here? And what happened to you?" he asked, frowning.
Tian Xin hurriedly said, "There's no time for that, Dad! You have to go in and save Oliver. He was sucked into the Secret Realm because he pushed me out of danger!"
As she spoke, her voice began to tremble.
Chairman Tian's expression changed instantly. "You were here when the Secret Realm descended? What exactly happened? Didn't you say you were going back to school today?"
"Forget all that!" Tian Xin said desperately. "Every extra second he stays in there, it gets more dangerous. Please, go in now!"
Chairman Tian shook his head, his face cold and firm. "Not yet."
Tian Xin turned helplessly toward the woman beside him.
"Director Zhu…"
Gym Leader Zhu Qianwei sighed softly.
"The Secret Realm has only just fused with our world. The spatial passage is still unstable. If our rescue teams enter now, they'll be randomly teleported anywhere inside the realm. That would not only make rescue impossible—it would also put our people in serious danger."
Hearing this, Tian Xin staggered back a step, her voice barely audible.
"How could this happen…"
At that moment, she was overwhelmed by helplessness. If she were stronger, Oliver wouldn't have needed to save her. Even if something happened, she could have gone in herself.
Another hour passed.
The terrifying suction gradually weakened, and the Secret Realm passage finally stabilized.
In cities governed by the Pokémon Alliance, the division of authority was clear: the Alliance Branch Chairman handled logistics and coordination outside, while the Gym Leader led combat operations inside the Secret Realm.
During this time, Chairman Tian learned more about Oliver from his daughter and quietly asked Director Zhu to keep an eye out for the boy.
After all, Oliver had saved Tian Xin. That alone earned Chairman Tian's gratitude.
"Director Zhu… please," Tian Xin said, looking at the fully equipped Gym Leader.
"Don't worry," Zhu Qianwei replied calmly. "You said he has a Kirlia with him. At the very least, he should be able to protect himself."
With that, she led dozens of fully armed rescue personnel and Alliance investigators into the pale-blue Secret Realm passage.
When Oliver opened his eyes, he found himself deep within a dense forest.
Towering trees surrounded him on all sides, their branches interwoven so tightly that barely any light could pass through.
Perhaps because he had entered the Secret Realm, the leaf-shaped mark on the back of his hand felt unusually active.
Following its guidance, Oliver moved swiftly in the indicated direction.
Yet for some reason, despite being in a forest, he felt an intense unease. Ever since receiving Celebi's blessing, his senses had become sharper—and now, something unseen seemed to weigh heavily on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
"Kirlia."
In a Secret Realm untouched by humans, danger could appear at any moment. A Seviper hidden in the grass, an Ariados lurking in the trees, or a swarm of Beedrill or Fearow descending without warning…
To guard against threats hidden in the shadows, Oliver released his Psychic-type partner to travel alongside him.
The canopy above was so thick that even sunlight couldn't penetrate. Instead of vitality, the forest radiated a suffocating gloom.
This was nothing like the Qinglin Secret Realm.
Oliver had no idea how long he had been inside, yet along the way, he hadn't encountered a single Pokémon.
"Kirlia!"
Suddenly, Kirlia stopped and let out a sharp warning cry.
Oliver's expression tightened as he scanned the surroundings.
"Kirlia, what's wrong?"
"Kirlia~"
Following Kirlia's gaze, Oliver focused on a patch of tall grass ahead. She sensed a Pokémon hiding within.
Moments later, the grass rustled, and a Pidgey hopped out.
Oliver let out a small sigh of relief. "So it's just a Pidgey."
Though both Pidgey and Spearow were early-route Flying-types, their temperaments were worlds apart. Spearow were aggressive and often attacked in flocks, while Pidgey were gentle, preferring to avoid conflict and hide in tall grass while hunting bugs.
"It's fine, Kirlia. Pidgey are usually harmless."
But Kirlia didn't relax. Her posture remained tense, eyes locked on the bird.
That was when Oliver noticed something wrong.
The Pidgey was trembling violently.
Slowly, it raised its head—its eyes were completely blood-red.
The moment Oliver met that gaze, a wave of pure malice washed over him.
"Something's wrong—prepare for battle!"
At his command, Kirlia released a Hypnosis.
The Pidgey flapped its wings and lunged forward, twisting midair to dodge the hypnotic rings before diving straight toward Oliver.
But when it came within ten meters, it was seized by pale-blue psychic energy. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't break free from Kirlia's telekinetic grip.
Curious, Oliver used Scan.
Pokémon: Pidgey
Level: Low Tier · Mid Stage
Potential: High Tier · Early Stage
Evaluation: Influenced by an unknown malicious force. Extremely aggressive. Will attack any human or Pokémon on sight.
Oliver frowned.
This Secret Realm was far more complicated than he'd expected. And the danger Celebi had fallen into was likely connected to this mysterious "malice."
He looked around again, and the dark forest suddenly felt like a living beast—its jaws open, ready to devour anyone who strayed inside.
"Hypnosis."
At Oliver's command, Kirlia put the Pidgey to sleep.
Without lingering, Oliver continued forward, following the mark's guidance.
This Secret Realm was filled with unanswered questions.
And only by finding Celebi would he uncover the truth behind this twisted place.
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