Juan sighed softly in his heart and then stepped forward.
He walked up to Ariel, the air still thick with the unique smell of burnt ozone and salty moisture left behind after the clash of energies.
"Team Aqua has been increasingly active in Sootopolis City lately."
Juan's voice broke the silence.
"Wallace mentioned you'll be moving out with him tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Ariel nodded without saying much.
"Be careful in everything."
Juan's advice was concise; he wasn't one for rambling.
Changing the subject, he took something out from his robe and handed it over.
"By the way, take this."
It was a deep blue, teardrop-shaped pendant. Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, and inside, a faint light seemed to swirl slowly, emitting a cool aura like a gentle sea breeze.
Sea Incense.
Ariel recognized it at a glance. It was an item Water-type Trainers dreamed of, capable of providing a tangible boost to the power of Water-type moves.
"Taking it isn't just about giving you an advantage in battle."
Juan looked into Ariel's eyes and spoke slowly.
"I recommend having your Pokémon wear it during daily training. The Essence of Water within can improve a Pokémon's affinity for and control over Water-type energy. The effect is far better than a simple combat boost."
Ariel's heart skipped a beat.
This method of use wasn't recorded in any textbook.
This was no longer just simple knowledge of items; it was the core heritage of a powerhouse like the Water-type Gym, refined and summarized over countless generations.
Juan sharing such a secret and gifting such a valuable item made his intentions incredibly clear.
This wasn't a hint; it was a blatant recruitment attempt.
An investment.
Ariel didn't feign a refusal, as that would have seemed petty.
He reached out calmly and took the incense, which felt ice-cold to the touch.
"Thank you, Gym Leader Juan."
"Do your best."
Juan patted him on the shoulder and turned to leave, leaving behind only the sight of his tall back.
Only when Juan's figure had completely vanished from sight did Ariel breathe a sigh of relief and carefully place the Sea Incense into his space ring.
A favor from a Gym Leader was not something easily repaid.
He turned around and met Krookodile's somewhat evasive gaze.
This fellow, who usually feared nothing, now looked like a child who had done something wrong. It hung its head, its massive frame appearing somewhat lonely as one claw aimlessly scratched at the ground.
Ariel didn't speak. He simply walked over and sat down beside it, leaning against its rough, hard scales.
Through their telepathic link, he could clearly feel the complex emotions within Krookodile's heart.
There was unwillingness and frustration, but mostly a strong sense of defeat.
As the big brother of the team, it had always protected its companions with its strongest form and had trained the hardest.
Yet Gyarados, whom it could have pinned to the ground not long ago, had now stepped into a realm that felt unreachable to it.
Gyarados had easily crossed the threshold known as 'Gym Leader Level,' while Krookodile was stuck firmly outside the door.
Ariel understood the situation perfectly.
Gyarados had Elite Four Level potential; its growth curve was naturally steep. After accumulating enough strength, it was only natural for it to soar to the heavens.
But Krookodile only had Gym Leader Level potential.
This meant that no matter how hard it fought or how much sweat it shed, its ultimate destination was merely the peak of the Gym Leader Level.
This was the gap in potential—a despair-inducing chasm.
Ariel reached out, but instead of patting its shoulder, he gently stroked the hard scales on top of its head.
"Don't lose heart."
His voice was soft, but through their telepathy, these three words were like a warm current flowing directly into Krookodile's heart.
Krookodile's body shook slightly. It looked up, its crimson eyes filled with confusion.
Ariel looked into its eyes and transmitted his thoughts clearly, word by word.
"Potential is not set in stone."
"Trust me, and trust yourself. You just focus on becoming stronger with all your might. Leave the rest to me; I'll find a way."
These words were less of a comfort and more of a solemn promise.
Krookodile was stunned; it could feel the unquestionable determination in Ariel's words.
Ariel was well aware of how much it defied the natural order to increase a Pokémon's potential.
That required legendary treasures or even touching the domain of Mythical or Legendary Pokémon; it was not something common items could achieve.
To anyone else, this might just be an unreachable dream.
But Ariel's gaze was exceptionally calm.
He looked down at his palm and then slowly clenched it into a fist.
His greatest trump card had never been telepathy, but the fact that he came from another world.
Things that seemed as difficult as climbing to the heavens to people of this world were, in his eyes, merely dungeons to be cleared and opportunities to be sought.
As long as he was strong enough and stood high enough, those legendary things would one day appear before him.
Nearby, Deino was howling, its small body seemingly containing infinite energy.
The intense battle between Krookodile and Crawdaunt just now hadn't scared it; instead, it had ignited the Dragon-type battle instinct in its bones.
That boiling fighting spirit rampaged within its body, searching for an outlet.
Suddenly, an obscure and powerful surge of energy erupted from its small body.
In the air, several dark purple orbs condensed from Dragon-type energy appeared out of thin air. Though small and unstable, Ariel would never mistake that destructive aura.
Draco Meteor!
Even though it was an extremely weakened version—a prototype of a prototype—it was indeed the opening move of the ultimate Dragon-type skill.
A flash of shock crossed Ariel's eyes.
What level was it even at? It had already touched the threshold of Draco Meteor.
Elite Four Level potential truly couldn't be measured by common sense.
"Encore, remember that feeling from just now."
Ariel suppressed the turmoil in his heart and spoke to Deino in a low voice.
Deino gave an excited cry and mobilized the energy in its body once more.
Another unstable ball of energy appeared, then dissipated into the air.
After that, no matter how hard it tried, it could no longer condense even a sliver of Draco Meteor's energy.
The little guy spun around in frustration, letting out whimpers of grievance.
Ariel walked over and stroked its small head reassuringly.
He knew this was the side effect of Draco Meteor manifesting.
The cost of 'harshly lowering Special Attack' was almost devastating for a hatchling that couldn't even release the skill stably.
The Special Attack energy in its body had likely been drained completely after the first successful attempt, making it impossible to reconsolidate in the short term.
However, Ariel wasn't worried.
The potential had been shown; the rest was just a matter of time and proper guidance.
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