"Ethan, everyone's tied up properly now."
"They won't be escaping."
"I've also recalled all of their Pokémon into Poké Balls—everything's stored in this storage ball."
Inside the forest camp, Qin Yingying reported while standing beside Ethan.
Ethan looked at the group of western academy students who had been tightly bound like dumplings and nodded in satisfaction.
"How's my knot work?" Qin Yingying said shyly, scratching her head.
"Back home, people always said I was the best at tying pigs."
Ethan laughed and gave her a thumbs-up.
During the battle, Qin Yingying hadn't been able to contribute much—but when it came to tying people up, this was absolutely her specialty.
And she felt zero guilt.
After all, if Ethan hadn't won, they would've been the ones tied up.
At that moment, Ye Kui walked over as well.
"I checked them all," she said calmly.
"No one is seriously injured."
"Though some are… mentally shaken."
"Especially that one."
She pointed toward a trembling student who couldn't stop staring at Ethan.
It was the Yutong Academy student who had ordered Golem to attack earlier.
Now, all his arrogance was gone—he looked like he'd seen a living nightmare.
Ethan nodded. "Got it."
Then he turned toward the gorgeously dressed young man lying on the ground.
"Swampert," Ethan said, "wake him up."
"Swamp!"
A jet of cold water blasted straight into Silius Morgan's face.
Silius jolted awake.
The moment he realized his hands and feet were bound—and that Ethan was calmly looking down at him like livestock—fear surged through his chest.
"Y-you… what do you want?!"
Ethan smiled.
"What do I want?"
"The same thing you wanted to do."
"Rob you."
From that moment on, Ethan's attitude toward western academies had completely changed.
These people weren't "students."
They were bandits—no different from the invaders who had once ravaged Donghuang land.
When friends come, there's wine. When wolves come—there are guns.
Neither Qin Yingying nor Ye Kui objected.
One came from the rugged northwest, where toughness was a virtue.
The other from the southwest, where punishment for wrongdoing was far harsher than Donghuang law.
Kindness didn't mean foolish mercy.
As Silius heard the word rob, his pride flared.
"Do you even know who I am?!"
"Robbing me—do you understand what that means?!"
SMACK.
A clean, sharp slap echoed through the camp.
"Bri~"
Hatterene had struck him.
Her expression was calm—but murderous intent simmered beneath.
Hatterene tolerated many things.
But anyone who dared threaten Ethan?
That was unforgivable.
Silius froze.
Before he could curse, a deep growl sounded nearby.
Tyrantrum stared at him with murderous eyes.
Above, Gliscor flexed its massive pincers.
Gabite sharpened its claws.
Hydreigon's two heads began arguing over who'd get to eat him.
Even the calm Swampert and Skeledirge looked… expectant.
And in Ethan's arms, the juvenile Entei was shouting angrily, demanding Silius be killed.
Ethan finally spoke, voice calm but icy.
"Sky Eagle Alliance boy."
"I suggest you swallow whatever you were about to say."
"Because I can't stop them if they decide to kill you."
Silius fell silent.
After a long moment, he forced out:
"…What do you want?"
Ethan smiled.
"Everything valuable you have."
Silius hesitated—then spoke bitterly.
"A fragment of a Steel Plate."
"It's an heirloom."
"Let me go, and it's yours."
Ding.
[Detected: Purple Opportunity — Steel Plate Fragment]
The Steel Plate—one of the elemental plates created by Arceus itself.
Even a fragment could massively enhance Steel-type Pokémon.
Ethan nodded. "Reasonable."
"Hatterene, check."
Psychic power lifted Silius's clothing, revealing a transparent case.
Inside lay a fragment the size of a fingernail—metallic, heavy with Steel-type energy.
The moment it touched Ethan's hand—
Ding!
[Purple Opportunity acquired: Steel Plate Fragment]
[Opportunity Critical triggered]
[×666 multiplier]
[Golden Opportunity obtained: Steel Plate]
The fragment instantly transformed into a complete Steel Plate.
The surge of Steel energy made a certain Pokémon snap its eyes open.
Metagross.
Ethan gave it a subtle look—wait.
Metagross reluctantly settled back down, though it clearly couldn't sleep anymore.
Ethan kept his word and released Silius.
His Pokémon, however, stayed confiscated.
Better safe than sorry.
The rest of the western students were processed the same way.
Gold, relics, resources—freedom was bought item by item.
By afternoon's end:
35 people → 49 opportunities.
After distributing suitable rewards, the team's strength rose again:
Entei — 1.33Gabite — 1.42Hatterene — 1.45Gliscor — 1.46Swampert — 1.46Skeledirge — 1.50Hydreigon — 1.55Tyrantrum — 1.55
Finally, Ethan turned to Metagross.
"Come on."
"You've been waiting."
The Steel Plate was swallowed whole.
A terrifying Steel-type aura erupted.
Metagross's body doubled—then tripled—until it stood five meters tall, like a walking fortress.
ROOOOAR—!
The roar echoed across Sea Cliff Island.
Then—
Its body shrank.
Smaller.
Smaller.
Until it was barely larger than Entei.
Using Magnet Rise, Metagross floated onto Ethan's shoulder and rubbed its cold body against his face.
"Gross~"
Ethan laughed.
"So you learn Minimize just for this?"
Metagross proudly hummed.
For the first time, the giant no longer had to hold back.
A Totem-Late Pokémon—
Clinging to its trainer like a child.
That warmth…
That trust…
This was the true bond between trainer and Pokémon.
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