The highest peak of the Raizen Mountains, Mount Tensei.
This was the dwelling place of the Legendary Pokemon Ho-Oh, and the territory of Ho-Oh's Guard.
Most of the time, they wandered the world, only gathering at Mount Tensei when something out of the ordinary happened.
Of course, one Pokemon was the exception.
Entei carried Fuyuki on its back, steadily climbing the jagged mountain path. It lifted its head and scanned the area ahead, but didn't sense Ho-Oh's presence anywhere nearby.
That could only mean one thing. Ho-Oh wasn't on Mount Tensei right now, probably off traveling again.
Lowering its gaze, Entei glanced back and found that the Little One had already fallen asleep on its back.
Humans probably needed plenty of sleep when they were young. At least, that was what it believed.
It slowed its pace, careful and unhurried. Before long, it reached the middle of the mountain, where an empty cave lay hidden among the rocks. It was uninhabited, spacious enough, and perfect for sheltering the child from wind and rain.
The cave wasn't especially large or small. It was dry, warm, and surprisingly comfortable.
Entei found a suitable spot, then gently lowered itself, intending to let the Little One slide down from its back.
It moved carefully, trying not to wake him, but even so, the motion stirred Fuyuki awake.
…Are we home?
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked around, only then realizing Entei had brought him into a mountain cave.
The space was wide and bare, with only a few scattered stones. There was almost nothing else inside.
So this is where Entei lives?
Curiosity flickered through him as he looked around.
"Little One, this is where we'll be living from now on."
As if sensing his thoughts, Entei's voice echoed in his mind the next moment.
Fuyuki immediately turned to look at it.
Entei continued through telepathy, "This is Mount Tensei. It's the base for me and Ho-Oh. From now on, this is your home too."
Even though the Little One couldn't speak yet, Entei could feel that he understood.
Sure enough, a trace of shock appeared on Fuyuki's face.
Mount Tensei!
This was Mount Tensei!
The main stage of the movie I Choose You! where Ash and Pikachu would undergo their trial to become the Rainbow Hero!
Everything clicked at once.
No wonder he had run into Raikou earlier. This was the territory of the Legendary Beasts and Ho-Oh!
Did that mean he might meet Suicune, Marshadow, or even Ho-Oh someday?
Seeing that the Little One was awake, Entei judged from experience that he was probably hungry by now.
It stood up and said, "I'll go find you some food. Stay here and don't wander off."
This was their territory. There was no danger here. It was safe.
With that, Entei turned and quickly left the cave.
Fuyuki's emotions were complicated.
A Pokemon wanting to be his dad sounded way too strange, even if Entei treated him well.
Still, looking at things now, Entei was the only one he could rely on.
No. Not just Entei.
With a thought, a translucent panel slowly unfolded in front of him.
The display was packed with items that could be exchanged using Shock Points.
Basic food and water, clothes and bedding, Trainer supplies like Poke Balls and medicine. Even Rare Candy, something that could boost a Pokemon's strength, was listed as a basic item.
What caught his attention most was the Dream Renovator function.
As long as he had enough Shock Points, he could transform this cave into a proper home in an instant.
For example, he could exchange for Secret Power to carve deeper into the mountain and turn the cave into a Secret Base.
Then, he could use Space Technology to compress space and expand the interior.
Finally, he could decorate it to his liking by exchanging for wallpaper and furniture.
There was even something called a Large Spatial Ecology Park in the shop.
[Large Spatial Ecology Park: Developed using Palkia's spatial power, this independent space includes an artificial sun, climate simulation, terrain adjustment, seasonal changes, and more, sufficient for all Pokemon's daily needs.]
Fuyuki was seriously tempted.
If he had that, wouldn't he be able to bring all the Pokemon he liked home and raise them himself?
Unfortunately, exchanging for any of this required an enormous amount of Shock Points.
Right now, even counting everything, he only had ten points. Enough for just two bottles of Moomoo Milk.
Sigh… until he grew up, he'd have to rely on Entei.
Still, even with an adult soul, he really couldn't see Entei as his father.
"…"
Forget it. One step at a time.
At that moment, Entei returned, carrying several round Berries in its mouth.
It walked over and set them in front of Fuyuki, then circled behind him and lay down, acting as a backrest while using its body heat to keep the child warm.
Fuyuki had been eating Berries for almost a week straight, and he was honestly numb to it by now.
Thankfully, humans in the Pokemon world had unusually sturdy bodies, and Berries contained the nutrients needed for daily survival. Otherwise, Entei might have accidentally raised him to death already.
Staring at the endless selection of food in the system shop, his cravings finally snapped. He spent five Shock Points and exchanged for a bottle of Moomoo Milk.
The next second, a bottle appeared out of thin air in front of him.
Entei froze, instantly going on alert.
[Entei is extremely shocked by the sudden appearance of Moomoo Milk. Where did this come from?]
[This is… the Little One's power? Shock points from Entei +10!]
Oh? A bonus?
Just as Fuyuki picked up the bottle, the notification popped up, and his eyes lit up.
Seeing the Little One happily drinking, his face full of satisfaction, Entei slowly relaxed.
As expected, this had something to do with the child.
Still… what it hadn't expected was that the Little One carried such power within him.
For a moment, Entei didn't know how to react.
Then it noticed another bottle of milky white liquid appear beside the child.
The Little One held it with both hands and offered it to it eagerly, as if it had been prepared just for it.
Entei paused, stunned.
It shook its head and said through telepathy, "I don't need it. You should keep it for yourself."
Something this precious would be wasted on it.
Besides, it looked far too valuable. It couldn't bring itself to drink it.