Yozora gave a humble smile and seized the chance to ask:
"Sailor, may I ask—does anyone on this ship own a Pelipper?"
The sailor froze for a moment, then quickly shook his head.
"There are a hundred, maybe two hundred sailors working aboard this ship. At least ten of them have Wingull, but not a single one has a Pelipper."
Yozora was stunned, then sighed inwardly.
Of course. Sailors were sailors, not professional Trainers. Their strength naturally wasn't very high.
Besides, for a Wingull to evolve into Pelipper, it needed to reach quite a level.
The sailors were always busy with their work, with little time left for training. As a result, they couldn't raise Wingull into Pelipper.
"Oh, right! I recall the captain has a Pelipper."
The sailor gave Yozora a smile, then added:
"But I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, honored guest. The captain never trades his Pokémon with anyone."
Yozora's eyes flickered.
So this sailor had assumed he was looking to exchange for Pelipper?
He didn't bother to explain further. After thanking the sailor, Yozora swiftly left the arena.
"The captain, huh?"
Yozora muttered to himself. Another target had just appeared on his list.
The only question was—did the captain's Pelipper have the ability Drizzle?
If it didn't, then it held no value as a challenge.
Once Yozora advanced, the tournament continued in full swing.
After more than three hours, the first round of preliminaries finally concluded.
Over two hundred battles had been fought.
Of the nearly five hundred contestants, half were eliminated. With a few lucky byes added in, exactly 256 Trainers remained.
All of them advanced to the second round.
The overall level of the second round wasn't particularly high either. Most used ordinary-level Pokémon, with Elite-level ones still rare.
Yozora's second-round opponent was a bright, youthful girl named Momiji.
He showed no mercy. Charmander swept through both her Pokémon in succession, securing his spot in the third round.
By the time the second round ended, it was already 4:40 in the afternoon. The host announced that matches for the day were concluded.
The remaining 128 Trainers would continue tomorrow.
Dinner aboard the cruise was lavish. Yozora and Ritchie, both from humble backgrounds, rarely had such chances. They devoured the feast eagerly.
"Yozora," Ritchie asked through a mouthful of food, "you made that Thunder Stone necklace for your Charmander… are you trying to help it learn Thunder Punch?"
"Mm." Yozora nodded slightly.
Ritchie's eyes brimmed with envy.
He, too, had a Charmander.
But Fire-types were notoriously vulnerable to Water-types—an opponent they often faced.
If Charmander could master Thunder Punch, it would be a perfect countermeasure.
Yet having a Fire-type Pokémon learn an Electric-type move was extremely difficult.
In most cases, it required at least a mid-grade Thunder Stone. The Charmander would need to absorb natural electrical energy day and night, slowly awakening the move.
Low-grade Thunder Stones wouldn't do—their energy was too unstable. Only mid-grade or high-grade stones worked.
And not just Thunder Stones.
In this world, if a Pokémon wanted to learn moves outside its typing, it had to absorb the energy of mid-grade or higher ores of the corresponding type.
But even mid-grade ores cost over a million.
Far beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Ritchie, a pure commoner, lacked Yozora's strength—he didn't even have the gift of Aura to aid him in finding treasures.
Money was tight. Even his cruise ticket had come by chance.
So of course, he envied Yozora. To craft a Thunder Stone necklace for Charmander—such extravagance!
And he knew well: once Yozora's Charmander mastered Thunder Punch, its strength would soar.
Over dinner, Yozora and Ritchie continued chatting.
From their talk, Yozora learned more: to learn cross-type moves, a Pokémon needed mid-grade ores at minimum. Low-grade ores were worthless.
Which meant—training a Pokémon with a broad move pool was extremely costly.
One Pokémon was already expensive. Two or three? Unthinkable.
Clearly, one shouldn't obsess over coverage. It was better to raise different Pokémon of different types, and let each specialize in its own natural moves.
After dinner, Yozora and Ritchie returned to their cabins to rest.
The night passed quietly.
The next morning at nine, the 128 contestants gathered again for the third-round preliminaries.
The overall standard was much higher than the first two rounds.
Half the field were ordinary Pokémon, half Elite-level. And even the ordinary ones were trained to advanced stages, already stepping close to Elite.
The Pokémon moved with speed and precision, their attacks brimming with power. The Trainers' commands, too, were sharp and timely.
The battles were far more exciting than those of the first two rounds.
Yozora's third-round opponent was a blond youth named Denji. His Pokémon: an Elite-level Electabuzz.
Yozora chose Charmander.
"Both Yozora and Denji are undoubtedly among the top of the younger generation. It's truly a pity they've met so early, here in the third round! All the better for us spectators—let's enjoy this spectacular match!"
At the host's passionate cry, the battle began.
"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!" Denji shouted first.
"Electa!"
Electabuzz roared, electricity surging across its body. In an instant, a crackling bolt of lightning struck toward Charmander.
Boom!
Charmander didn't dodge. It took the attack head-on.
Sparks crackled across its body, its face twisting in pain—but then it forced its eyes open and shook off the electricity.
The Thunderbolt had barely scratched it. Charmander had dispersed the energy.
The advantage of its higher level, its superior physique, and the constant absorption of Thunder Stone energy had given Charmander a measure of resistance against electricity.
Stacked together, those factors allowed it to endure and shine with such a performance.
Yes—an excellent performance.
For often, taking an opponent's strongest move head-on dealt a heavy mental blow, stealing their momentum.
And in Pokémon battles, momentum was everything.
"What?! Electabuzz's Thunderbolt—its best move—did nothing?!" Denji gasped. Sweat beaded on his brow, his pupils trembling. Electabuzz, too, faltered.
"Good work, Charmander! Now—use Flame Charge!" Yozora praised, sending his counterattack.
…
…
(End of Chapter)