Silas stood at the ship's railing, gazing down at the fat boy below, his face swollen and bruised from a savage beating. 'I also need to cultivate my own confidants aboard the Great Shark', he thought to himself. This boy might actually be useful.
At that thought, the corners of Silas's lips tugged upward into the faintest of smiles.
With steady steps, he descended from the towering deck tower to the wide-open deck, where pirates were barking insults and striking the group of newcomers.
"That's enough," Silas said in a low, commanding voice. "Take the rest of the newcomers inside and settle them. Leave this one here."
Immediately, the pirates who had been ready to continue their punishment froze. Their fierce expressions melted into obedience, and they quickly ordered a few sailors to escort the new recruits into the cabins.
The fat boy, still groaning on the floor, sensed the sudden shift in atmosphere. Struggling to his feet, his round belly jiggled awkwardly as he pushed himself up with trembling arms. He stared at Silas with doubt and fear flickering in his eyes.
"Uh… are you the boss of this ship?" he asked cautiously, his tone dripping with forced flattery.
The beating had stripped him of arrogance. What Silas didn't know, however, was that this pampered child had never encountered anyone who radiated such sharp, lethal pressure. Though Silas was only sixteen, the aura of someone who had survived countless brushes with death rolled off him. It was enough to silence the spoiled boy's tongue.
"What's your name?" Silas asked flatly.
The boy forced a grin onto his chubby face. "M-My name is Julian Hart."
.....
Three days passed quickly. The new recruits were already pressed into grueling labor. With the crew still short on manpower, every hand was made to work.
Complaints and misery filled the air, but the memory of what happened to one lazy recruit who was tossed overboard to feed the Sharpedo ,this kept the others' mouths shut. No one wanted to join him in the sea.
....
In the ship's mess hall, Silas sat watching Julian eat.
"Are you sure he's only twelve?" Silas asked one of the pirates who was tallying headcounts.
"Sir, I swear I'm not lying!" the pirate groaned, staring at the mountain of empty plates. "I didn't know he could eat this much!"
Julian's mouth glistened with oil as he shoveled down yet another plate of fried noodles. Silas's lips twitched. 'This kid eats enough for seven or eight adults…'
"Chef! Another plate of pasta!" Julian bellowed, completely ignoring their stares.
Silas shook his head but finally said, "Enough. From now on, you'll follow me. Run errands, and I won't let anyone bully you on this ship."
Julian patted his swollen belly with satisfaction, but behind the silly grin, his mind spun rapidly. 'If I play dumb, I'll be sent back to grueling work. No way. Better stick with this guy.'
As Silas was about to leave, Julian suddenly spoke up.
"Sir, I… I'm from the Hart family. We're one of the investors behind the Battle Frontier."
Silas's expression didn't change, though his eyes flickered faintly. The Battle Frontier? That's one of the hottest facilities in Hoenn right now…
"I see," Silas said casually. "Then how did you end up here?"
Julian's voice dropped, carrying a rare loneliness. "Because of factional struggles inside the Frontier… our lineage was abandoned, cast aside like exiles. I… ended up in the black market."
Silas muttered under his breath, "Where there are people, there are conflicts. Where there are conflicts, there's betrayal."
He looked at Julian with a hint of pity, but kept listening quietly.
"Boss," Julian said, bowing his head. "I recognize you as my leader. Please, let me stay by your side on this ship. I'll follow your orders to the end!"
Silas paused, staring at the pitiful figure before him. Not a bad choice. He could serve as my spokesman, the one to handle petty dealings and draw eyes away from me. And with the Hart family's background… he could become a valuable chess piece for the future.
From that day onward, the pirates noticed something new: a chubby boy was always following behind Silas. Whether greeting others, handling exchanges, or selling Pokéblocks, Julian Hart was the one taking charge.
Silas had elevated him from a bullied newcomer into a familiar, influential face on the ship.
....
"Cor-phish!!"
Corphish waved its sharp claws excitedly, eyes narrowed with focus.
Every snap of its pincers burst a floating bubble in midair -pop, pop, pop - until all of them were gone.
This wasn't just a game, but a daily training drill. As a crustacean Pokémon, its claws were its greatest pride, and Silas knew that well. That's why he devised this exercise to refine Corphish's reflexes and precision.
Through countless repetitions, Corphish's reaction speed had improved dramatically.
"Well done, Corphish!" Silas praised. "You burst all twenty bubbles before they hit the ground."
"Corrrr-phish!!" the little Pokémon crowed proudly.
Silas tossed a small white Pokéblock. "Here's your reward."
Snapping it midair, Corphish crunched it happily, eyes glowing with joy as it savored the taste.
Silas chuckled. "Haha, when it comes to catching food, you never miss."
During this time, all of Silas's menial errands were handled by Julian, freeing him for study and training. With that extra time, Silas dove into breeder manuals, practiced Pokéblock crafting, and sharpened his Pokémon's strength.
Day by day, his progress soared.
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(End of chapter)