Early the next morning, Su Feng awoke and carefully shifted Ralts, Alolan Vulpix, and Growlithe—who were sprawled across his chest, stomach, and legs—to the side, tucking them under a blanket. He crept out of the tent.
After parting ways with Gardevoir the previous night, he'd managed only a few hours of light sleep. Once Blissey's group followed him out of the secret realm, he'd need to prioritize building the Pokémon Center. The workload ahead loomed large.
Maybe I should hire an assistant… Su Feng pondered.
Livestreaming educational content was Arceus' mandate—a world-changing mission that demanded his focus. But establishing the Pokémon League and Centers was equally critical. Even a "Super Real Human" couldn't juggle both alone. An assistant seemed essential.
But who? The roles required someone trustworthy and capable. Beyond Centers and Leagues, future plans included Pokémon Daycares, Gyms, and Contests. The candidate needed exceptional competence.
Two names came to mind: Jin Ge, whose meticulous dedication Su Feng admired, and Cheng Meng, the young research institute executive whose talent was undeniable. But both had ties to Dragon Nation's government. While Su Feng trusted them, he wanted the Pokémon League to be a global entity, free from national biases.
Another option was Xiao Da's father, a shrewd businessman—but Su Feng doubted he could handle the League's scale.
I'll ask them directly after leaving the secret realm, he decided, shaking off the headache. For now, he focused on cooking breakfast.
Though energy blocks could satiate hunger instantly, Su Feng insisted his team eat proper meals daily—a lesson from his student Yao Tian: Even delicacies grow stale if overeaten.
No longer limited to grilled fish, Su Feng's culinary skills had expanded after studying Pecharunt's cookbook. He tailored dishes to each Pokémon's tastes: spicy for Blaziken, tart for Gengar, light for Greninja, and sweets for the trio.
After breakfast, he packed the trash into his backpack (to dispose of later) and checked the time: 8:00 AM. Blissey's group was late.
Just as he folded his tent, a chorus of "Lucky! Lucky!" echoed nearby. Blissey arrived with 24 Chansey and 5 Happiny in tow, escorted by Dragonite.
"Urgh. (Carrying this many Chansey while flying was impossible,)" Dragonite grumbled.
"No worries," Su Feng said, smiling. He pulled out pre-prepared Luxury Balls. Under Blissey's direction, the Chansey and Happiny entered the balls one by one. Blissey followed last. Su Feng stored the 30 balls in a shockproof metal case—his greatest haul from the secret realm.
"Urgh? (Need a ride?)" Dragonite offered, gesturing to his back.
Su Feng shuddered, recalling the dragon's Mach 2 accelerations. "I'll walk. Enjoy the scenery."
Dragonite shrugged (what scenery?) and flew off.
Hours later, Su Feng reached the secret realm's exit—a canyon guarded today by Swampert, who lay slumped across the portal like a soggy boulder.
"Swampert, I need to leave. Move aside," Su Feng said.
The mudfish Pokémon perked up. "Grargh! (Mr. Su! Please tell Gardevoir to reassign me! I'll patrol borders! Anything but guard duty!!)"
Su Feng sighed. A round trip to negotiate with Gardevoir would waste a day. Time to improvise.
"Swampert, do you really think Gardevoir is punishing you?"
"Grargh? (…Huh?)"
"If she wanted to punish you, she'd assign grueling labor. But instead, she gave you a calm job. This is training!" Su Feng declared solemnly. "When you prove your patience, she'll entrust you with greater responsibilities. So excel at guarding!"
Swampert stared, gears turning. "…Grargh! (Master! I understand now!)"
Works every time, Su Feng thought, stepping through the portal. Behind him, Swampert sat straighter, newfound purpose in its eyes.
Outside the Secret Realm
The metal case of Luxury Balls felt heavier than expected. Su Feng glanced back at the fading canyon.
Time to change the world.