Want to read ahead. You know where
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Sam was deeply moved.
Lugias were an incredibly powerful species with imnse potential.
Given ti, Silver would undoubtedly grow into one of his strongest team mbers.
And right now, the little one was still relatively "small" by Lugia standards, only about two ters long.
When he spread his wings, the span was around five ters.
But even at this size, he was more than capable of carrying Sam through the skies.
He was fast. Agile. Powerful. Intelligent.
Everything Sam could ask for in a Flying-type partner.
"Then..." Sam started, pausing slightly.
He glanced at Silver, then back at the mother Lugia.
"I do like Silver," he said honestly.
"But... I need to ask, why? Why are you willing to entrust him to ?"
Especially after what he'd just witnessed, her protective rage, the way she'd defended Silver with every fiber of her being.
There was no question that she loved her child dearly.
Hearing his question, Lugia's expression seed to dim.
Her entire presence shifted.
A quiet loneliness washed over her, the kind that made the sea around them feel heavy with unspoken pain.
"Lili... Lili..."
Silver gave a soft cry, then turned and ran toward her, rubbing his neck gently against her side.
He was comforting her.
Reassuring her.
After a mont of silence, her voice echoed directly into Sam's mind. It was soft... aching.
"Silver's father and I have lived in this sea since we were young. Together, we maintained the ocean currents of this region."
"But ten years ago... my partner..."
"He was deceived by a powerful human."
"His spirit... beca tainted."
"Since then, he's left ... and left Silver."
"I've been raising Silver alone."
"And I haven't had the strength to save him... not yet."
Sam's pupils trembled slightly. His breath caught.
This wasn't just so tragic tale.
The mother Lugia herself is an upper-tier Legendary.
A being of divine oceanic power.
If even she couldn't save her mate...
Then her partner must've been even stronger.
A first-rank Legendary class, at least.
And yet, he'd been corrupted.
Twisted by so unknown human.
What kind of power could do that?
As if sensing his shock, the mother Lugia continued, her telepathic voice growing softer.
"Unbelievable, isn't it...?"
"But it's true. My partner fell into darkness."
"The bond we shared, heart to heart, it broke when he was taken."
Sam's thoughts raced.
Shadow Lugia...!
It clicked. The answer struck him like thunder across the sea.
This was how it happened.
The being known as Shadow Lugia.
Not a separate Pokémon species, but a fallen class.
His gaze slowly returned to Silver.
And then back to the mother Lugia as she spoke again.
"The reason I'm entrusting Silver to you... It's not only because he likes you."
"I can feel it. Your aura is powerful. Unique."
"It will help him grow... perhaps faster than I ever could."
"And ... I need to go search for my mate."
So that was it.
She wasn't abandoning Silver. She was making a choice, a painful, selfless one.
Only a mother could make it.
Sam's lips parted. He wanted to say sothing.
To promise that he'd take good care of Silver.
But just as he opened his mouth, a familiar chi rang in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host. A random system task has been activated.]
[System Task: Subdue little Lugia.]
[Task Reward: Rare Candy ×15]
[Task Penalty: None]
(Note: Rare Candies can increase a Pokémon's level by 1 (usable for Champion-level Pokémon and below).
[Accept this task?]
Sam didn't even hesitate.
"Accept."
"I really do like Silver," Sam said softly.
"A lot."
He paused, letting the words settle before continuing.
"But... you already know what I am. I'm a trainer. That ans there will be battles, real ones. Sotis, things can get dangerous."
He looked up at the mother Lugia, his expression serious, respectful.
"If Silver joins , I won't just train him; I'll have him fight alongside . And during battle, there's always a chance... he might get hurt."
He clenched his fist lightly, then added firmly, "But I can promise you this, I'll protect him with my life. No matter what."
It wasn't just reassurance. It was a vow.
He wasn't saying these words lightly.
He was setting expectations honestly, giving her space to reconsider.
In truth, this was Sam's way of giving Mother Lugia one last chance to back out.
There was a pause. She looked at Sam silently, her luminous eyes clouded with hesitation.
But then,
"I believe in you."
Her voice rang clearly in his mind.
"And I understand. To grow stronger... the path is never smooth."
She wasn't a stranger to hardship.
She had seen what strength demanded.
And she knew better than anyone what it ant to let go, not out of weakness, but because she believed in her child's future.
What Sam didn't know was that she had seen sothing else.
A mark, glowing faintly on his body.
The symbol of Rayquaza, the Lord of the Skies.
The Sky Pillar's guardian. A top-tier god among Pokémon.
And Sam bore its imprint.
He is Rayquaza's inheritor.
With that kind of destiny, who else could be safer to entrust Silver to?
She didn't ntion it. There was no need.
Her instincts, her heart, had already decided.
anwhile, Sam remained unaware.
He had no idea that Rayquaza's aura lingered on him, nor that it had quietly influenced Mother Lugia's choice.
All he saw was a solemn, silent trust in her eyes.
And that was enough.
"Silver," Sam called, holding out his hand.
"Lili~!"
Silver flapped his wings excitedly and rushed to Sam's side.
They were already close, after all; Sam had been the one feeding him tasty treats nonstop.
Sam crouched down and gently stroked the crest on Silver's head.
"Would you like to stay with ?" he asked.
"Travel the world together, grow stronger together?"
Silver's eyes lit up.
"Lili~! Lili~!"
A happy chirp, and a vigorous nod.
'Also, food and shelter? All included?'
He was absolutely in.
Smiling, Sam took out a custom Poké Ball, a Jet Ball he had prepared in advance.
With a light press of the button, it expanded in his palm. He tapped it gently against Silver's head.
A flash of red light enveloped the little Lugia.
Within seconds, the Poké Ball wobbled once... twice...
Click.
Capture successful.
At that mont, Sam felt it, sothing subtle but warm forming in his heart.
An aura bond.
Not just between trainer and Pokémon, but between two beings who had chosen to trust each other, completely.
He tapped the ball once more and released Silver back out.
"Lili~!"
Silver chirped joyfully, rubbing up against Sam affectionately.
The psychic connection between them had already started to grow stronger.
He was even more attached now, as if so invisible thread had tied their fates closer together.
[Congratulations, Host. System random task completed.]
[Reward: Rare Candy ×15 has been delivered to the host's backpack.]
[Please collect it at your convenience.]
Sam didn't waste ti.
He opened his inventory and retrieved one of the Rare Candies.
Unwrapping it like a piece of ordinary sweet, he crouched down again and offered it to Silver.
"Here. Let's start your training right."
"Lili~!"
Silver sniffed curiously, then happily swallowed the treat.
A soft glow enveloped him for a brief mont.
His body shimred slightly, growing just a bit larger.
His wings stretched out wider.
The aura surrounding him beca more focused, more grounded.
His power... was stabilizing.
Even from the side, Mother Lugia noticed it imdiately.
Her eyes widened, astonished by the sudden change.
The strength Silver gained from that one small candy was no illusion.
It was real.
And her gaze lingered on Sam a mont longer.
There was no doubt in her eyes now.
She had made the right choice.
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