At the peak of the giant waves, the man's agile figure seemed to merge with the sea as he soared through the towering wall of water raised by five Gyarados.
As the final spray fell, Fujiki steadily glided onto the beach on his surfboard, kicking up a cloud of white foam.
"Whoosh—!"
Thunderous applause and cheers instantly drowned out the entire beach.
The festival's atmosphere reached its climax.
With the finale over, the bonfires on the beach were all lit, their warm orange glow reflecting off every excited face.
Melodic and cheerful music played as people spontaneously danced around the bonfires; the air was thick with the aroma of grilled meat and the saltiness of the sea, blending into the unique scent of Slateport City's Ocean Festival.
Jiang Han leaned against a coconut tree with a glass of juice, watching it all with cold indifference.
His heart, however, was not as calm as his appearance suggested.
He was waiting.
Waiting for a chaos he had long foreseen.
"Jiang Han!"
A hearty voice cut through the noisy crowd as Fujiki, shirtless with a towel around his neck, walked toward him with a laugh.
He still carried the dampness of the sea, his bronze skin glistening with a healthy sheen under the firelight.
Before Fujiki could even get close, a small figure darted out from behind him like a fired cannonball, lunging straight into Jiang Han's arms.
"Big Brother Jiang Han!"
Teng Zhai's crisp voice was filled with undisguised joy as she clung tightly to Jiang Han's arm, looking up with bright, sparkling eyes full of admiration.
Jiang Han's body stiffened for a moment; this sudden, unguarded intimacy made him somewhat uncomfortable.
But the feeling was fleeting. He quickly relaxed, put on a gentle smile, and reached out to rub Teng Zhai's head.
"You little girl, what are you doing here?"
"I followed my brother, of course!" Teng Zhai said with a giggle. "Big Brother Jiang Han, you have no idea how cool my brother looked up there just now!"
Fujiki walked over and playfully punched Jiang Han. "You kid, you didn't even tell me you were coming to Slateport City. Are you here for the Ocean Festival?"
"Just passing through, taking in the festival atmosphere," Jiang Han answered succinctly, then added, "And to prepare for my upcoming Gym challenges."
He naturally glossed over his experiences of killing, looting, and mingling with dark organizations, leaving only the image of a positive, hardworking Trainer traveling for his dreams.
"Oh? Got a target in mind?" Fujiki became interested.
"Not yet. The Hoenn region's Gyms are all very unique, so I want to explore a bit more," Jiang Han replied flawlessly.
Fujiki nodded in agreement.
He was here not only as a special guest but also to promote Dewford Town.
As a small island in southwest Hoenn, Dewford Town already had countless ties to Slateport City—the largest port city in the south—in terms of shipping and trade.
Just then, a well-dressed Middle-aged Man walked over with a glass of red wine.
"Gym Leader Teng Shu, tonight's performance was truly magnificent and eye-opening."
The newcomer was none other than Curator Nan Mu.
Jiang Han glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his heart unmoved.
Curator Nan Mu was not just the curator of the Ocean Science Museum.
He was also the owner of Slateport City's largest shipyard, Namu Shipyard, a powerful entrepreneur in the business world whose company often collaborated with large conglomerates like the Devon Corporation.
At this moment, he wore a businessman's characteristic warm smile as he raised his glass to Fujiki.
"Curator Nan Mu, you flatter me. It was just a few tricks to liven up the atmosphere," Fujiki replied modestly, also raising his drink.
Namu's gaze swept between Fujiki and Jiang Han. When he realized the person beside Fujiki was Jiang Han, a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes.
The young man he had been secretly wary of in the museum a few days ago was actually this close to the famous Gym Leader of Dewford Town?
Curator Nan Mu instantly had an idea.
Although Dewford Town's development was currently far behind Slateport City's, its rich mineral resources and beautiful island environment made it a prime location for future tourism development.
His keen business sense told him that building a good relationship with this young Gym Leader would bring nothing but benefits.
And this young man named Jiang Han seemed like a good bridge.
"And this is...?" Curator Nan Mu asked as if casually, though his gaze was locked onto Jiang Han.
"My friend, Jiang Han," Fujiki introduced.
"So it's little brother Jiang Han."
Curator Nan Mu's smile became a bit more sincere as he proactively extended his hand to Jiang Han.
"Please forgive my lack of hospitality at the museum the other day. Let me reintroduce myself: I am Namu, the curator of the Slateport City Ocean Science Museum."
Jiang Han looked at the extended hand and sneered inwardly.
Lack of hospitality? It was clearly scrutiny and wariness.
Now that he saw his good relationship with Fujiki, he immediately changed his tune.
A pure businessman indeed.
Jiang Han's expression remained unchanged as he smiled and shook hands. "Curator Nan Mu, you are too kind."
The handshake was brief.
Curator Nan Mu's attitude toward Jiang Han became significantly warmer. He inquired about the relationship between Jiang Han and Fujiki with great interest, his words filled with flattery and goodwill.
Jiang Han responded half-heartedly, while mentally counting down the time.
Those idiots from Team Aqua should be making their move soon.
Just as Curator Nan Mu was warmly inviting Fujiki and Jiang Han to visit his shipyard when they had time...
"Boom—!!!"
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the nearby crowd!
This sound was definitely not festival fireworks; it was dull, violent, and carried a destructive aura that tore through everything.
The entire beach seemed to tremble.
The cheerful music came to an abrupt halt.
The crowd's noise froze instantly. Everyone stared in shock toward the source of the explosion, where a massive ball of orange-red fire surged into the sky, turning the night as pale as death.
After a brief silence came heart-wrenching screams and total chaos!
"Ah! An explosion!"
"People are dead!"
"Run!"
The crowd was like a school of startled fish, scattering in total disorder. Cries, screams, and the sound of crashing tables and chairs mixed together; the once-joyous festival grounds instantly turned into a living hell.
Fujiki's expression changed. He tightly covered Teng Zhai's eyes, his gaze sharp as he looked toward the fire.
The wine glass in Curator Nan Mu's hand fell to the sand with a "clink," spilling red wine everywhere. His face was deathly pale, clearly terrified by the sudden turn of events.
Jiang Han also wore an expression of being frightened by the sudden scene.
But looking at the blood flowing and the scattered flesh at the explosion site, his heart remained unmoved.
It has finally begun.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn luffy1898