Seafoam Islands
The phrase "clear seas, blue skies, and golden sand" couldn't describe this place more perfectly.
On the shore, tourists sunbathed, played beach volleyball, and playing with their Pokémon. Out in the water, others swam alongside their partners, while some balanced on surfboards, riding the roaring waves.
In a quieter corner far from the crowds, Paul ignored the glances from passersby as he lay on the sand, taking a brief but much-needed rest with his Pokémon.
After all, excess in anything is harmful. Prolonged effort and intensity can leave one mentally drained—it's important to pause, relax, and recharge now and then.
Under the shade of a beach umbrella, Paul reclined in a lounge chair, slowly flipping through the pages of a book. On a small table next to him sat a glass of orange juice.
By his side was his massive Torterra, standing like a vigilant bodyguard. Beneath the bright sun, a rare and relaxed smile spread across its face.
The great tree on Torterra's back shimmered faintly in the sunlight, as if resonating with the natural world itself.
Though this was a vacation-like break, Torterra hadn't completely let its guard down.
Thanks to years of mastery over the Growth Training Method, it could now initiate growth reflexively at any time. Under this perfect sun, growing felt even more natural like basking in a greenhouse.
With its increasing strength and deeper understanding of the Growth technique, Torterra had managed to fuse its formerly separate growth abilities into a unified form. It could now trigger Growth under intense sunlight to sharply boost its offensive power (both Attack and Special Attack) and moderately enhance its defensive stats (Defense and Special Defense).
This development marked solid progress. Even if its baseline boost was still modest under normal conditions, the technique had begun to show exceptional performance in actual battle.
"Ahhh~"
Suddenly, a low groan echoed nearby. Torterra turned instinctively to find Drapion—a recent addition Paul had brought back, practicing its newly learned acupressure massage techniques on Electivire.
Drapion seemed to be enjoying the practice immensely, while Electivire, gritting its teeth and clenching its fists in pain-tinged pleasure, demanded even stronger pressure.
"Raaa…"
Torterra blinked in surprise. Even it found Drapion's acupressure nearly unbearable, but Electivire was not only enduring it, but actively encouraging Drapion to go all out without holding back.
"Mouth's tougher than his whole body." Paul commented offhandedly, not looking up from his book.
"Raaa."
Torterra nodded silently in agreement with its Trainer's remark. Glancing over at Ursaluna and Garchomp, both lying nearby and waiting their turn under Drapion's ruthless 'massage,' Torterra's gaze wandered off into the distance.
Out at sea, far from the people, a dark figure skimmed across the waves, cutting through them with power and grace.
It was none other than Samurott, who had only recently achieved its breakthrough evolution.
Though its expression remained stoic as always, the moment it encountered the ocean again, it couldn't help but leap into the embrace of the sea. In the crashing waves, it stirred up a storm of its own.
Was Hisuian Samurott merely playing? Not entirely.
It was reconciling itself to the ocean's might, the wanes and surge of the tides channeling that primal force to unleash and refine its full array of Water-type techniques.
Surf, Aqua Jet, Razor Shell, Hydro Cannon, Aqua Cutter, Ceaseless Edge…
One by one, the moves flowed seamlessly into one another, evolving through constant practice and synthesis.
Each technique alone might not be devastating, but when combined, interconnected like an unrelenting tide they became truly formidable.
After what seemed like a balanced mix of training and release, Samurott turned to leave the sea. But just then, a towering wave surged in from the horizon, roaring straight toward it.
"Chaah~!"
Instinctively, Samurott now floating atop the water's surface, placed both claws on its foot-blades, ready to extract them and cleave the incoming wave in a single stroke.
Such a wave daunting as it was, posed no real threat to a warrior of its caliber.
"Chaah?"
But in the next instant, it froze.
At the crest of that massive wave stood not just one, but two figures—
A muscular surfer balanced atop his board and next to him, a Pikachu riding effortlessly alongside him. Together, they were slicing through the swell with grace and confidence.
Clearly, the wave had already been tamed.
To Samurott, this wave might not have seemed threatening, but it knew full well that for ordinary humans and non-Water-type Pokémon, such a surge could be fatal.
And yet—
Here they were, man and Pikachu, riding the wave's fury without hesitation. No matter how violently the ocean shifted, their footing never wavered. Their eyes were fierce and their expressions calm, as if this were nothing out of the ordinary.
Seeing this, something inside Samurott stirred.
For some reason, it remained motionless, letting the roaring wave crash down upon it without even trying to dodge.
The impact came fast. The world darkened for a split second. Then, its body was tossed and turned in the churning sea, sharp pain rippling through its limbs.
It could have easily unleashed its power to break free, but this time it chose to endure.
Back in Hisui, it had learned that the strikes of a Hisuian Samurott were meant to be relentless, like a tide that never ceased crashing.
And indeed, it had mastered that art.
But… it had never truly experienced a real storm. Now was the chance.
Tossed and battered within the wave, Samurott began observing, listening to the roar of the tide.
Waves, once stirred, do not stop. They only grow stronger. If they begin to weaken… it means they are approaching their end.
It was so much like the path it walked in battle: never letting up, suppressing its opponent with relentless offense, offering no room for retaliation.
If the foe tried to resist, it would intercept severing their moves, their rhythm, their momentum, drowning them beneath a cascade of merciless strikes.
But…can water alone really achieve this?
Samurott fell once more into deep reflection. Even as the waves calmed and it floated back atop the sea, its mind had yet to fully awaken.
It wasn't until a powerful sea breeze swept in that Samurott snapped back to consciousness.
Lifting its head, it saw the wind stirring the sea spray. In the distance, a new wave had begun to form, and several surfers rushed forward to ride it, cutting through the surge with effortless grace.
Waves are not formed by water alone, they need the wind.
In battle, combining complementary forces could unleash far greater power than any single element on its own.
At that moment, Samurott understood.
Drawing a single sword with practiced motion, its Razor Shell became sharper than ever. In the next instant, a torrent of water surged forth—Aqua Cutter was unleashed. This was a combination move: when needed, the water expelled by Aqua Cutter could be sharpened and launched like a flying slash—a "sword aura" formed from compressed water and air.
This was long-range Aqua Cutter, a blade of water launched from afar.
But… was water the only thing it could wield in its attacks?
Samurott realized it had fallen into a trap of its own making. In the past, it had tried to enhance its ranged attacks, training hard in Air Slash, Air Cutter, Hydro Cannon—but the results were never as impressive as its sword techniques.
Why hadn't it thought to blend those techniques Aqua Cutter, Air Cutter, Air Slash, Razor Shell, and even Night Slash into a personalized, multi-typed style of sword aura?
Water carries the force of Flying.
Wind conceals the sharpness of Dark.
And that hidden sharpness can vanish within water.
A three-typed sword aura—Water, Flying, and Dark fused as one.
No, there was potential to go even further. Samurott could fuse even more refined techniques, creating a full-blown combat style where its swordplay its bladed skills could reach beyond the body and strike from afar.
In that moment, Samurott became immersed in studying the art of projected sword aura, its mind blooming with ever more expansive and bold ideas.
A unique path was unfolding before it.
Time flew by in its state of revelation, and before long, the afternoon sun had begun its descent into the west.
"Chaah~!"
Without lingering sentiment for the ocean, Samurott swam swiftly back toward the shore, seeking out Paul.
But when it found Paul, he was in the middle of something unexpected, he had already recalled his other Pokémon, and now stood motionless, eyes locked in an intense stare with a young woman.
The girl had her hair tied in twin buns, her delicate features refined and adorable. Her long, slender legs and dreamlike proportions made her impossible not to notice.
But that wasn't what caught Samurott's attention.
What drew its gaze was the elegant emerald serpent coiled around her, a Serperior, the final evolution of Snivy, a species native to the Unova region.
As a Unovan-born Pokémon itself, Samurott recognized the Serperior at once. Like others of its kind, this one bore regal iris patterns across its body, radiating nobility and pride. The contempt and arrogance in its eyes were unmasked, its overwhelming sense of superiority seeped into the very air.
But above all, what stood out was its aura.
The Serperior exuded a powerful aura, so potent that it rivaled his own. Based on its presence alone, Paul judged that even if it hadn't quite reached Elite Four caliber, it was undoubtedly close.
If it had been a few weeks ago, his Samurott might not have had a guaranteed edge against this opponent.
But now, Samurott stood tall and composed beside Paul, its confidence rekindled. It didn't say a word to disrupt the moment, just silently stepped forward, blade-sharp gaze fixed on Serperior, exerting an invisible pressure of its own.
"So you're Paul, the Lily of the Valley Conference Champion? I've been looking forward to battling you for a long time!"
After a brief standoff of locked eyes, the girl finally spoke up, clenching her slender fists with an eager grin.
Paul's name might not stir much in casual circles, but among trainers of their generation, those who had recently debuted—it was legendary.
There was something unique about the League Champions of the previous year: every one of them had only started their journeys within the past twelve months.
Naturally, the question everyone asked was: among this new generation of rising stars, who stood at the top?
And the answer, more often than not, was Paul—the one who had brought down six Legendary Pokémon.
You could say that every protagonist and rival trainer alike carried a singular desire in their hearts: to one day defeat Paul and prove their own strength.
"Runner-up of the Aspertia Conference, Rosa… I've been curious about your strength, too."
Paul's tone was calm as he analyzed the confident young woman before him, one who clearly wasn't ordinary.
"I just had a breakthrough recently, this'll be a great opportunity to test my newfound power."
Rosa gave Serperior a light pat and offered a breezy smile.
Just yesterday, she challenged the Battle Palace on Iron Island and defeated Palmer, the Tower Tycoon. During that climactic battle, her longtime partner Serperior had broken through its previous limits and ascended to the rank of an Elite Four-tier battler.
Now, a real match would help Serperior get used to its new strength—win or lose, there would be valuable experience to gain.
"Hisss~!"
With a flicker of movement, Serperior crawled elegantly in front of Rosa, letting out a high arrogant cry toward Samurott. Its eyes gleamed with excitement, not fear.
It could sense that this Samurott's energy was no weaker than its own. But for a creature of noble lineage like Serperior, that only made things more thrilling.
"Chaah~"
Samurott made no move in response, stone still and unfazed. Not because it was intimidated, but because it knew Paul had no intention of sending it out.
Paul reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poké Ball, hurling it forward with practiced precision.
"Ursaluna, prepare for battle."
"Ursaaaaaah!"
With a ground-shaking roar, Ursaluna materialized on the sunlit beach, its massive form drawing gasps and curious stares from tourists in the distance.
"Confident, aren't you? Choosing a slow Pokémon like Ursaluna…"
Rosa chuckled.
She knew this Ursaluna well, powerful in nearly every aspect… except speed.
And her Serperior? It was the fastest of the fast. Its evasion was practically maxed out, ordinary attacks had almost no chance of landing a hit.
"Speed is only one factor in achieving victory." Paul replied coolly.
"Ursaah~"
Ursaluna nodded earnestly. Among the Pokémon on his team, aside from a rooted Torterra, there were few slower than it but its win rate wasn't low by any means.
"Very well, let's begin!"
Rosa gave a confident shout, then commanded, "Serperior, start with Growth!"
She had studied Paul's battle footage as well as the research Professor Oak had published in Paul's name. She understood deeply how crucial it was for Grass-type Pokémon to maintain continuous Growth during battle.
Because of this, Serperior had undergone specialized training and now fully mastered the ability to grow mid-battle without disrupting combat flow.
The moment Rosa gave the order, Serperior began increasing its stats in perfect synchronization with the battle.
"Frenzy Plant!"
"Hisss!!"
Serperior suddenly plunged its tail into the ground. Instantly, countless rugged reinforced vines erupted upward from the earth, striking out toward Ursaluna.
Thanks to its blinding speed, this attack gave Ursaluna no time to dodge.
"Smash through it!"
Paul, untroubled by Serperior or Rosa's offensive, gave his next order with calm composure.
BOOM!
As the wave of hardened plant tendrils crashed down, Ursaluna made no attempt to evade. Instead, a searing heat surged around its body, and a fierce red gleam flashed in its eyes. Rearing up, it slammed its fists directly into the vines.
Burn status. Guts. Belly Drum.
Flare Blitz.
In an instant, all the encroaching vines were pulverized into fragments of shredded plant matter, drifting down like confetti.
"Endure it!"
"Ursaah~!"
Roaring, Ursaluna launched itself full-speed at Serperior in a bull-rush collision.
"Hisss~"
Serperior's eyes flickered with disdain. Its flexible body twisted and slithered effortlessly, weaving past Ursaluna's reckless charge using its signature serpentine footwork.
Then, it sprang into the air and brought its tail down in a slashing Leaf Blade that struck Ursaluna squarely, forcing it back.
"Leaf Storm!"
Taking advantage on the opening, Rosa pressed her attack without hesitation.
"Stone Edge!"
Paul issued his command nearly in the same breath.
From Serperior's body, a tempest of emerald leaves erupted into a raging storm, surging toward Ursaluna in a sweeping barrage.
But this time, Ursaluna had already anticipated the move. Though still regaining its stance, countless sharp stones materialized around its massive body. They began to spin rapidly, forming a whirling shield that fended off the oncoming Leaf Storm with ease.
"Slack Off!"
Thus, while still maintaining its Stone Edge attack, the crimson gleam in Ursaluna's eyes momentarily dimmed. The wounds across its body and the stamina it had expended through Belly Drum began to recover rapidly, restoring more than half of its strength in an instant.
(End of Chapter)
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