To pirates who roam the vast seas, time is a vague concept. Without alarms and calendars, they'd probably have forgotten what day it is.
"Fatso, is this really necessary? Money is filthy, yet you sniff it all day," Sieg said, looking at Hiroki with disbelief.
Instead of stopping, the chubby Hiroki brought more bills to his nose, breathing in the unique scent of money.
Sieg sighed. "Those Pokédollars were taken off a corpse. Be careful, they might be infected with bacteria. You might end up dying from some disease one day."
"Heh, instead of empty concern, why not give me a hefty tip?" Hiroki said with a cheeky grin.
Sieg rolled his eyes. "Isn't a 5% cut enough? All you're doing is running errands."
Still, despite what he said, Sieg held Hiroki in high regard. Anyone who could sell items far above their original value was worth a higher commission.
After all, he made quite a bit more money that way himself.
"Boss, when will the next batch of Pokéblocks be ready?" Hiroki asked, his plump face filled with anticipation.
He clearly couldn't wait.
"You think I'm some tireless machine? At least half a month," Sieg replied with irritation, then turned to leave the dining hall.
Unlike the little glutton who only thought about food, Sieg had other things to do. Hiroki, meanwhile, resumed devouring a giant roast chicken.
Out on the deck, Sieg opened his arms wide, letting the salty sea breeze wash over him. This was the scent of the ocean.
"Go, Spearow."
Sieg tossed a Poké Ball. With a flash of white light:
"Speaaaaarow!"
The red-winged bird flapped in circles through the air before gently landing on the ship's railing.
Sieg admired the bird's elegant flight. It had clearly adapted well to flying over the sea.
If it could handle this harsh environment, then flying over land would be a breeze.
"Same as always, Spearow. Hunt for wild Pokémon out on the sea," Sieg instructed.
This was part of his unique training method. Spearow had the Keen Eye ability, which technically meant its accuracy couldn't be lowered.
But according to researchers, Pokémon with this trait often had superior eyesight, a hidden gift.
Spearow's sharp eyes locked onto the calm surface of the water. Sieg didn't rush it. He simply stood by and waited patiently.
Then, in a sudden burst of motion, Spearow launched itself from the railing like a missile.
"Spearow, use Fury Attack!"
After extensive training, Spearow had learned a variety of moves. Fury Attack was one of its specialties.
White light gleamed from every part of Spearow's body as it struck, beak pecking, claws slashing, wings occasionally battering in a rapid but rhythmic assault.
Moments later, a Pokémon corpse floated to the surface. Red scales, long yellow whiskers, a Magikarp, even a child could recognize it.
It could survive in the dirtiest waters. A tough little Pokémon, and great at jumping.
"Not bad. I'll give you a little extra food," Sieg praised Spearow, which showed no signs of fatigue after the battle.
Magikarp had very little meat, its body mostly scales and bones, but there was always just enough to make a decent snack.
"Keep going, Spearow."
At Sieg's command, Spearow quickly finished off the Magikarp, its sharp beak stained faintly with blood.
Hours passed, and the day's training came to an end. It had been a productive one.
They had encountered dozens of wild Pokémon, most of them Magikarp. However, they did catch one Goldeen as a bonus.
Though low-level and of average quality, it had an adorable appearance, something girls would love.
Sieg had no intention of keeping it for himself and passed it on to Hiroki to sell to the pirates onboard.
As Sieg was heading back to the dining hall for dinner, Spearow suddenly glowed with a brilliant white light, slowly enveloping its entire body. Against the sunset, it was dazzling.
Sieg's eyes widened. This was a sign: Spearow was evolving!
He had long expected this day to come, but it was still a surprise. Right after training, just as he was about to leave, what a moment.
Eyes gleaming with anticipation, Sieg stared at the evolving form.
The light faded, revealing a much larger bird, its entire body brown, with a razor-sharp beak and a comb-like crest on its head.
Fearow!
"Yes! Fearow, you finally evolved! Can you fly with me now?" Sieg exclaimed with joy.
He had been looking forward to this moment, flight, the ultimate human dream. Sieg was no exception.
"FEEEEEAAAROW!!"
Fearow let out an excited screech. Its beak could pierce prey with ease. Its savage expression matched its fierce nature.
But it was gentle toward Sieg, its trainer, after all, Sieg had raised it from the beginning.
Using Fearow's supportive wing, Sieg slowly climbed onto its back, feeling the warmth of its feathers.
He pulled out his Pokédex.
Beep beep beep-
"Fearow, the Beak Pokémon. Normal and Flying-type. Level 20. Height: 1.3 meters. Weight: 40 kilograms. Above average growth, excellent development...
Moves learned: Leer, Growl, Peck, Pursuit, Pluck, Drill Run, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace, Mimic."
As the entry finished, Sieg lit up with surprise.
"It already learned Drill Run? That's a signature Ground-type move, with 80 power in the Pokédex!"
Realizing what this meant, Sieg's eyes burned with excitement. "Fearow, can you take me flying?"
"FEEEAAROW!!"
Fearow shrieked again, lowering one wing to let Sieg mount.
Whoosh-
As soon as Sieg was seated, Fearow launched skyward. Its flying speed and altitude weren't top-tier among Pokémon, but its takeoff was impressively quick.
On Fearow's back, Sieg nervously looked down at the shrinking Megalodon. As the distance grew, his tension faded away.
Wind roared past his ears, a symphony of excitement filling the air.
Sieg couldn't hold it in and shouted with joy, "Wahoooo!"
In that moment, he felt utterly free. All his worries and pressure vanished.
Flying through the sky, he experienced an unmatched thrill, intoxicating and impossible to resist.
He basked in the moment, soaking in the beauty and wonder of nature.
Clouds shifted unpredictably, sometimes light as veils, sometimes as turbulent as waves, an ever-changing masterpiece.
Occasionally, Flying-type Pokémon soared past, their silhouettes glimmering in the sunlight, forming a breathtaking scene against the blue sky and white clouds.
Sieg quietly took it all in, feeling incredibly at peace.
This was the most relaxed he had felt since arriving in this world, no burdens, no worries, just pure joy and tranquility.
Back on the Megalodon's deck, Lady Metako stood at the window, gazing at the figure flying in the sky, lost in thought.
"Maybe you were never meant to be like me, trapped at sea for life. Freedom on land is where you belong. Chairman Furuta's reforms in the League are in full swing. With your talent as a breeder, maybe you could soar to the highest skies."
Watching the cheering silhouette, Lady Metako's eyes turned moist.
She had taken Sieg in not only for his talent, but also because his quick wit reminded her of her own son, who died young.
After a year of living together, teaching him with care day and night, she had come to see Sieg as family.
Even stone eventually grows feelings. How could a person not?
Metako's beautiful face showed a trace of self-mockery as she muttered, "For a ruthless pirate, I'm starting to grow soft... I must be losing my edge."