Leaning against the ship's railing, Ron stared expressionlessly at the vast, endless sea.
It wasn't that he regretted attacking the rangers—on the contrary, he was simply pondering whether his third voyage would also end in an ambush.
His previous two voyages had been eventful: one encounter with pirates and another with Team Aqua. If there was another attack this time, who would it be?
Thinking about it, Ron couldn't help but feel a bit curious.
Stretching lazily, he decided to cast aside unnecessary thoughts and headed back to his cabin.
The ship's destination was Sootopolis City, home to the Water-type Gym. More importantly, it was also the residence of a future Champion—Wallace—who would eventually succeed the current Champion, Steven Stone, as the Hoenn League's next ruler!
Ron chose Sootopolis City with the intention of witnessing firsthand the power of a Champion.
It wasn't that he arrogantly believed he could challenge Wallace, but rather he wanted to understand what set a Champion's battle command apart from that of ordinary Trainers.
Upon returning to his cabin, Ron first checked the Attribute Plates in his backpack.
Even though he always carried them with him, he felt that when it came to such valuable items, one could never be too careful.
After dealing with the rangers, Ron had also taken care of two Pokémon Hunters, successfully accumulating enough hunter points.
This time, however, he was more cautious—choosing to redeem his points using another hunter's identity to avoid drawing the Hunter Guild's attention to himself.
Two Normal-type Attribute Plates wouldn't raise suspicion, but if he exchanged two more Grass-type Attribute Plates, the guild could gradually narrow down the true identity of the Dark King.
Perhaps in the short term, this wouldn't be a problem. But if one day, the Dark King appeared in the Kanto region and the guild happened to notice Ron using Normal- and Grass-type Pokémon, it would inevitably lead to some unwanted connections.
Though such minor details were hard to link together, Ron was unwilling to take any risks before his plans came to fruition.
"Attention all passengers: A storm has been detected approaching. Please return to your rooms or take shelter inside the ship's interior."
A man's voice echoed through the ship's speakers, yet Ron sensed something amiss.
"No, that's impossible."
"This ship has been sailing for a long time, experiencing countless storms. There's no reason for one to be an issue now."
Trying to reassure himself, Ron abandoned his plan to head to the training room, deciding to wait until the storm passed.
After all, with Gardevoir's psychic detection abilities, he wasn't particularly worried about unexpected dangers.
...
Beneath the deep sea, dozens of dark shadows flashed by swiftly. They didn't appear to be moving with purpose—instead, they seemed to be fleeing.
As they left the depths, the dark figures split apart, dispersing across the vast ocean. Two of them, however, happened to flee in the direction of the ship.
"Status report?"
Inside the captain's quarters, Kuro turned to his first mate.
"This storm isn't too severe. Based on our estimates, we should clear the rain clouds in about half an hour."
"Well done. Keep an eye on the ship and its surroundings. We need to be wary of anyone trying to take advantage of the situation.
Team Aqua has been quieter lately, but who knows if they're plotting something in the shadows."
"Yes, sir."
Following Kuro's orders, the first mate quickly took action.
Rubbing his temples, Kuro couldn't shake the feeling of unease, as if something major was about to happen.
And yet, everything—both within and around the ship—appeared normal, leaving him unable to pinpoint the source of his concern.
Meanwhile, Ron's psychic power surged within him, enhanced by the effects of Lotus Seeds, allowing his abilities to improve at a rapid pace. However, he still hadn't reached the threshold of an Intermediate Psychic.
Based on his estimates, if the Lotus Seeds maintained their current effect, he would likely break through in four to five months.
If he lost them midway, it was uncertain how long it would take—but even at the slowest pace, Ron was confident he could reach the Intermediate level within a year.
"Ron, an unidentified Pokémon is approaching. Estimated strength: Elite Four level. Exact identification currently unavailable."
Just as Ron had begun to relax, Gardevoir's voice echoed in his mind.
Strangely, instead of heightening his vigilance, Ron felt an odd sense of familiarity.
"Got it. Stay on guard. If the ship's defenses fail, we must be ready to intervene at any moment."
Given his current identity, Ron naturally wouldn't warn the captain directly. He would wait until the ship's forces could no longer hold out before deciding whether to take action.
"Captain, an unidentified Pokémon has been detected approaching. Estimated to be at Elite Four level!"
The first mate re-entered the captain's quarters, bearing bad news. And yet, strangely, he could sense a hint of excitement from Kuro.
"Inform all passengers to return to their rooms for safety. Have all sailors and crew remain on high alert to defend the ship.
At the same time, report this incident to the League and have them prepare a rescue operation."
Issuing his orders calmly and efficiently, Kuro then stepped out of the captain's quarters, ready to face the approaching Elite Four-level Pokémon.
After spending so much time at sea and honing his natural talent, Kuro had long since ascended to the rank of an Elite Four-level Trainer.
Now, at last, he had encountered a Pokémon of equal caliber—one that reignited the long-dormant flames of battle within him.
"Come out, Swampert! Let's start with a greeting—use Surf!"
Stepping onto the deck amidst the torrential downpour, Kuro released his Swampert.
Around him, the ship's sailors swiftly took their positions, ensuring they were prepared in case wild Pokémon attacked from other directions.
Meanwhile, the first mate remained below deck, safeguarding the passengers while also keeping a sharp eye out for any potential criminals lurking among them.
The moment Swampert hit the water, it began channeling Water-type energy. The combined effects of the stormy weather and the open sea granted it an immense boost. In the blink of an eye, it summoned a massive tidal wave that surged toward the front of the ship.
"ROAR!"
A thunderous bellow erupted from the vast ocean.
Through the veil of rain, a colossal silhouette slowly emerged from the depths.
Suddenly, a blazing orange-yellow beam shot forth, tearing through the tidal wave and surging toward Swampert in retaliation.
"Swampert, counter with another wave!"
Using Surf as its primary attack and reinforcing it with other Water-type moves, Swampert summoned an even greater, towering wave that loomed over the battlefield.
Kuro narrowed his eyes.
"Its strength is close to my Swampert's… but let's see just how powerful it truly is."
From that brief exchange, he had already gauged the Gyarados's approximate level.
But in battle, level alone wasn't everything—a Pokémon's true strength depended on its own potential and mastery of its power.
As if enraged by Swampert's relentless assault, Gyarados let out another furious roar, then charged head-on toward the surging wave.
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