A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

"Alright, Qixi Bluebird, thank you for your hard work."

Although Zhang Heng's voice was still a little hoarse from weakness, his breathing had become much more steady.

He reached out, with gratitude and comfort, and gently patted the drooping, warm neck of the bluebird, stopping its still-singing, but barely audible, therapeutic song.

He could feel the return of vitality, the deadly crisis had temporarily subsided, but his body felt as if it had been repeatedly struck by a heavy hammer, every muscle and bone was making a sharp protest.

He took a deep breath, trying to stand up straighter, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, making him gasp: "Hiss—!"

The icy air pierced his lungs, making him feel more clearly the wounds all over his body—the tearing pain, the numbness of frostbite, and the dull pain after the impact intertwined, like countless tiny needles moving inside his body.

He gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead, enduring the trembling discomfort, but his gaze remained steadfastly fixed on the distance.

The palm-sized dragon stone slab, flowing with a deep, dreamlike purple light, lay quietly on the blood-stained ice.

The pure dragon energy it emits is like the brightest lighthouse in the night, exuding an indescribable attraction.

Zhang Heng's heart began to race involuntarily, as if some whisper from the depths of his blood was calling to him.

Was it a resonance of the power of dragon taming? Or was this stone slab containing the rules of creation itself choosing something? He was inexplicably certain that this object had an inseparable "fate" with him.

He walked forward slowly, each step aggravating his injuries, leaving shallow footprints on the broken ice.

As he approached the stone slab, he instinctively bent down and extended his right hand.

However, the palms that came into view were covered with congealed dark red bloodstains, melted snow water, and black mud, with tiny ice shards even embedded between the fingers.

As a medical student who holds a scalpel and knows the importance of aseptic technique, this "dirt" made him instinctively uncomfortable.

He frowned, and almost reflexively rubbed his hands together on his trousers several times, trying to wipe away the unsightly stains. Just as he was about to bend down again to pick up the treasure that was so close at hand—

"Zhang Heng! Stop! Don't touch it!" A cry filled with urgency and fear suddenly rang out!

Zhang Heng paused, looking in the direction of the sound. He saw that Tang Guanjun had somehow managed to get close, his face pale, clearly also seriously injured, but his eyes were fixed on Zhang Heng's hand and the stone slab on the ground, filled with lingering fear.

Seeing Zhang Heng stop, Tang Guanjun finally breathed a sigh of relief, his chest heaving: "Phew...that was close! I mustn't have touched the stone slab directly with my bare hands! To get it, I had to have a Dragon-type Pokémon of the same type do it for me!"

"Why?" Zhang Heng straightened up, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with doubt and wariness.

Panting, Tang Guanjun explained in a heavy tone, "This is Old Duan... Duan Guanjun's experience, learned through blood and tears! He personally warned us that the Creator God's stone tablet contains an immense amount of refined attribute energy! If a mortal's flesh and blood comes into direct contact with it, at best, the violent energy torrent will wash over their brain, causing instant brain death! At worst... the entire person will be torn apart and annihilated by that pure power of rules, leaving not even a trace!"

Zhang Heng's pupils contracted slightly, a chill running through him. Although this setting wasn't present in the original anime or game, combined with the stone tablet's status and Tang Guanjun's solemn tone, it sounded extremely reasonable and deadly.

But he immediately spotted a huge contradiction: "Why was the champion able to touch the fighting stone? And even use its power?!"

"That's precisely what makes Lao Duan so admirable!" A hint of admiration for his comrade flashed in Tang Guanjun's eyes. "The key lies in his possession of the 'key' to communicating with the stone slab—that unique and special ability!"

A sudden thought flashed through Zhang Heng's mind, and he almost blurted out, "It's the wave-guiding power that Duan Guanjun possesses?!"

“That’s right!” Tang Guanjun nodded vigorously. “It is the power of Aura! This power, which is closely related to Fighting-type energy, gives Lao Duan the possibility of ‘conversing’ with the Fighting Stone Tablet.”

"Through waveguides, he understood the 'will' of the stone tablet and gained its initial approval, which qualified him to wield that power. Otherwise, the stone tablet would be a super bomb that could explode at any moment for humanity!"

Zhang Heng suddenly realized, his thoughts instantly becoming clear: "So that's how it is... The stone tablets of the Creator God are different from ordinary props; they contain the fundamental rules of the world. If humans want to access or even use them, they must possess a special 'bridge' that can communicate with them."

Such "chosen ones" do indeed exist in the Pokémon world: Duan Suyue and Ash both possess the power of Aura, the "super-effective power" bestowed by Arceus in mythology, and the "power of Viridian" that protects the forest.

Of course, there are many other special abilities that cannot be visualized.

For example, Sabrina's chilling "superpowers" in Saffron City, Galar's "psychic abilities" to communicate with ghosts, and Misty's innate affinity for water...

At this moment, facing the Dragon Slab, Zhang Heng possesses the power most likely to resonate with it—the power to control dragons!

This is the human power that is closest to the origin of the dragon!

A strong impulse and an unprecedented desire for challenge ignited in Zhang Heng's heart.

He raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Tang Guanjun, his eyes filled with both cautiousness towards the unknown and a desperate excitement: "Tang Guanjun! I understand! I... also possess a special ability! I want to try it!"

Tang Guanjun frowned deeply as he looked at the young man before him, who was covered in blood but whose eyes shone with an astonishing brilliance. He acknowledged that Zhang Heng had created too many miracles and was the "ideal person" chosen by Czechoslovakia.

But touching the stone slab directly... that's too risky! It's practically gambling with your life! He instinctively wanted to dissuade him.

However, when his gaze met Zhang Heng's, he saw a burning flame within it—a pure, unwavering determination, an unyielding belief in his own path.

He had only seen this kind of look in the eyes of those legendary top Chinese champions, and even... the young man in front of him seemed to have an even younger and more fearless spirit in his eyes!

'Maybe... he really can?' A thought rose uncontrollably in Tang Guanjun's mind.

If he succeeds... China will have a top champion with immeasurable potential in the future, and it's not impossible for him to even reach the supreme "China Championship" throne!

"Fine!" Tang Guanjun gritted his teeth and made a decision. "You can try! But!"

His tone was extremely serious, "You must have your dragon companions providing full assistance! They are your last line of defense should the situation get out of control! Understand?"

As he spoke, he retreated several meters without hesitation, his movements so swift and agile that he didn't seem like someone who was seriously injured. He was clearly afraid of being affected by the possible energy outburst.

Seeing Tang Guanjun retreat so decisively, Zhang Heng's lips twitched involuntarily: "No... Tang Guanjun, aren't you going to lend a hand? What if..."

Tang Guanjun simply spread his hands, a helpless yet self-righteous expression on his face: "You know, young man, look at my condition? My old buddies are either injured or out of shape, how am I supposed to help you?"

"Besides, I'm a Bug-type trainer! Have you ever seen me train a Dragon-type Pokémon? A Bug/Dragon-type Pokémon? Does such a thing even exist? Right?" He tried to ease the tension with a bit of humor, but the worry in his eyes didn't lessen.

Zhang Heng was taken aback, then smiled wryly. Indeed, Tang Guanjun's lineup consisted entirely of Bug-type mainstays, and they had all been either dead or injured earlier, so they couldn't be relied on now.

Without further hesitation, he pulled out a diving ball from his waist—his original partner, and also the mythical beast partner in the best condition at this moment (although only relatively).

He took a deep breath and, with utmost solemnity, gently tossed the ball into the air.

"Oh!"

A flash of white light appeared, and the battered, rippling water emerged from the ice. Its body was covered in ice shards, its once majestic mane was now dull and matted, covered with scars from battle, and its breathing was heavy.

Forced to emerge from its severely injured state, it was clearly in immense pain, but the moment its deep blue dragon eyes appeared, they locked onto Zhang Heng and the purple stone slab that exuded a deadly attraction.

Without needing to say a word, it understood the trainer's intention.

“Bo Dang Shui, I’m counting on you…” Zhang Heng’s voice was deep and full of trust.

Although Aluminos and Altaria are also Dragon-type Pokémon, Ripple is not only a legendary Pokémon, but also his original partner, having gone through countless trials and tribulations with him, and their hearts are already connected.

At this moment, only it can provide him with the strongest support at this level!

The rippling water made no sound, but endured the pain, took a step forward, and stood steadily beside Zhang Heng.

It lowered its body slightly, and pale blue water vapor began to rise from its body, within which faint indigo dragon-type energy light flowed and boiled!

It was declaring its existence to the Dragon Slab and using its dragon might to build an invisible barrier for Zhang Heng!

Zhang Heng closed his eyes, no longer suppressing the power originating from his body.

The power of the dragon was like a dormant volcano, which he frantically activated and activated!

A faint indigo light flickered on his body, as if countless tiny dragon-shaped runes were running across his skin.

Om-!

Just as the power of the dragon was fully activated, the dragon stone slab on the ground seemed to be strongly stimulated and suddenly emitted a low hum!

It was no longer still, but began to tremble violently, and the purple light flowing on its surface suddenly became bright and active!

"Holy crap... an ideal person with the power to control dragons? This kid can't... afford to make a mistake!"

Having seen countless people, Tang Guanjun clearly discerned the abilities that Zhang Heng was displaying.

"Buzz..."

Immediately afterwards, to the astonishment of Zhang Heng and Tang Guanjun, the palm-sized stone slab defied gravity and slowly floated up on its own!

It hovered steadily at the same height as Zhang Heng's heart, about a meter away from him, and remained there quietly, its purple light flickering, like a living being scrutinizing him.

Zhang Heng could clearly feel an indescribable attraction, originating from the same source, between them!

It was as if invisible threads made of pure dragon energy were extending from the stone slab, gently yet domineeringly wrapping around the surging dragon-controlling power within his body!

These threads are not constraints, but rather a tentative connection, an attempt to communicate across the boundaries of rules!

As he slowly raised his relatively cleaner right hand, with unwavering determination, he reached inch by inch toward the suspended, deadly purple stone slab...

The dragon-type energy around the rippling water boiled even more violently. The pale blue water vapor intertwined with the dragon-type energy, forming a protective vortex that tightly surrounded Zhang Heng's outstretched arm, as if to share the unknown impact with him.

As Zhang Heng's palm drew closer to the stone slab, his consciousness began to blur and drift.

The real icy plains, the biting cold wind, the excruciating pain in my body, the protection of the rippling water... all my senses are rapidly fading away and fading.

Instead, there was a boundless, chaotic void filled with purple light.

He felt as if he had lost his physical form, yet also as if he were omnipresent.

The purple light, like a living galaxy, flowed and swirled slowly before his eyes, forming incomprehensible and mysterious patterns. Each turn contained a power that made his soul tremble.

In the very center of this vast, silent purple chaos, a will whose existence cannot be described in words awakened.

Without a source of sound, without a defined direction, a thought, like the first ray of light at the dawn of the universe, was directly imprinted into the deepest part of Zhang Heng's consciousness:

"Why would someone from another world dare to lay their hands on the very foundation of this world's creation?"