https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-161-Guardian-of-Dragon-Island-Arise-/12537192/
Chapter 162: Beneath Dragon Island
Chapter 162: Beneath Dragon Island
The sight of a massive Dragonite was an intriguing novelty for the group of Dragonite living on the island.
At first, they felt a hint of trepidation, daring only to watch from a distance, too cautious to approach.
However, they soon realized that the giant Dragonite bore no ill will and merely wanted to befriend them.
Thus, a large group of Dragonite began to interact with the giant Dragonite, some climbing onto its body, while others circled it several times, curious to gauge its immense size.
Naoki, accompanied by a group of Dratini, Hakuryu, and several wild Dragonite attracted by the food, sat by the lakeside, observing the spectacle above.
"I bet that giant Dragonite is really happy right now," he couldn't help but think.
The Dragonite had voracious appetites, and soon enough, the mountain of snacks was devoured by the group of Dragonite, Dratini, and Hakuryu.
Hakuryu, still eager for more, looked over with pleading eyes, letting out a soft, heart-melting cry, "Wuu..."
Naoki: "..."
He spread his hands helplessly, "That's all I have. I brought everything edible from home this time."
The group of Dratini and Hakuryu wore disappointed expressions.
Seeing their reactions, Naoki thought for a moment before speaking, "Next time I come, I'll bring more."
True to his words, the little guys let out a cheer, their faces filled with joy and anticipation.
"Wuu~!"
"You bunch of gluttons," Naoki teased as he placed a Hakuryu on his thigh and tickled its belly.
Hakuryu squirmed and wriggled, letting out continuous "wuu wuu" sounds, almost as if it was about to cry.
As soon as it regained its mobility, it scurried away and hid in the lake, leaving only its head visible, determined to keep Naoki from tickling its belly again.
Naoki smiled at the antics but didn't mind. Instead, he reached out and scooped up the timid pink Dratini, who had been a bit fearful of him the last time.
Perhaps the snacks had helped bridge their relationship, for this time, the little Dratini seemed much more comfortable around him.
Naoki's mind drifted to a rumor he had heard in his previous life.
According to the rumor, differently-colored Pokemon were often shunned by their peers. Their unique body colors were considered odd by other Pokemon, who might find them ugly and thus isolate them.
He looked at the other Dratini and Hakuryu and asked,
"Do you guys find it cute?"
At his words, the group of Pokemon turned to look at their unusual companion.
"Wuu~"
One of the Dratini scurried over and affectionately rubbed its face against the shiny Dratini's cheeks; their bond seemed exceptionally strong.
The other Dratini and Hakuryu didn't display any signs of disgust either; instead, they watched them happily.
Witnessing this scene, Naoki felt a surge of emotion.
It was evident that among this group of Dragonite living on the island, that speculation held no water.
Despite their differing personalities, they were all kind, gentle, and helpful.
Naoki took a deep breath and lay down on the grass, gazing through the dense ring of trees at the sky above.
Fluffy clouds floated in the azure sky, and the golden sun was so bright it was hard to keep one's eyes open. The sea breeze brought with it a scorching heat that spread in all directions.
Fortunately, the Dragonite Island was surrounded by tall, lush foliage that perfectly blocked out the high temperatures, making the central Round Moon Lake feel like a secluded paradise.
Shaded by the trees and nourished by fertile soil, perhaps influenced by the energy emitted by the Dragonite, the vegetation on this island thrived, and the fruits were large and plump.
The Dragonite sure knew how to pick a place to live! It made Naoki want to come here for vacations regularly.
As Naoki lay on the grass, the Dratini and Hakuryu around him began to play by themselves.
They chased each other, pounced into the lake with a splash, then emerged and dashed into the dense foliage.
This was probably the everyday life of these Pokemon, and Naoki didn't find it boring at all; instead, he felt a sense of leisure and enjoyment.
Suddenly, a loud splash came from outside the island, as if a massive object had entered the water.
Naoki bolted upright, and along with a group of curious Dragonite and Hakuryu, he rushed to the eastern side of the island, where a steep cliff stood.
All the adult Dragonite on the island, including his own, had gathered here.
Wave after wave crashed against the steep cliff, and the Dragonite stared at the scene in the ocean.
"Roaar!"
The giant Dragonite looked a bit weary, and it let out a melodious roar towards the island's Dragonite before slowly disappearing into the sea, out of sight.
He looked up and called out to his Salamence, and instantly, a multitude of gazes shifted towards him.
Naoki: "..."
"Roar!" Salamence proudly flew to Naoki's side and boasted to its former companions, "Roar! I was the one called, not any of you!"
The Salamences: "..."
"Take me down there!" Naoki mounted his Salamence and immediately dove into the seawater, guided by the massive dragon-type Pokemon.
Fortunately, he had learned how to swim in his previous life, which proved useful in this situation.
The moment he entered the water, all the surrounding sounds seemed to disappear.
Familiar things vanished, and what lay before him was an even more vast cerulean world.
This sea teemed with ordinary fish, which gathered together as if sensing the presence of a predator. They immediately fled further out, scared and scattering in all directions.
Holding onto Salamence's neck, Naoki dove into the sea alongside it.
The silhouette of the colossal Salamence loomed ahead. It resembled an underwater behemoth as it swam towards deeper waters, eventually reaching beneath the island, where it lay down and closed its eyes, drifting into slumber.
The Salamences watched this scene, and after the giant Salamence fell asleep, they gradually returned to the shore.
Although Naoki couldn't understand what the giant Salamence had said, from its interaction with the group, it seemed that it was tired and wanted to get some rest.
Naoki sought confirmation from his Salamence: "Was it telling you that it wanted to go to sleep?"
Salamence nodded its head: "Roar!"
Naoki responded with a knowing "I see."
Salamence added, "Roar, roar!" There's more! It recalled the giant Salamence's words.
It had said, "I'm tired and need to sleep. When I wake up, let's play together again!"
It had also said, "If there are any bad guys hurting you or endangering the island, come and wake me up. I'll teach them a lesson."
The group of Salamences had assumed it would go to the depths of the sea to sleep, but they never expected it to stay right beneath Salamence Island.
Unfortunately, Naoki couldn't understand Salamence's words.
He pondered, "Does the giant Salamence need to eat? Tree fruit? The fish in the sea? Or perhaps, like Groudon and Kyogre, it doesn't need food and can survive solely on natural energy?"
The answer to this question would likely have to wait until the giant Salamence woke up.
With the matter of the giant Salamence resolved, Naoki and his Salamence began bidding farewell to the group of dragons on the island.
The Salamences, Hakuryus, and Minidraco looked reluctant to part, and several even wanted to take a step forward and accompany Naoki home, but they were glared back by Salamence.
Noticing their little movements, Naoki smiled and said, "Alright, we'll come visit again next time. Let's leave it at that for now. See you later!"
Naoki waved goodbye to the group of Salamences as he mounted his own and began the return journey, leaving behind the sad gazes of the dragon-type Pokemon.
The image of Salamence Island gradually faded into the vast sea, and Naoki reminisced about the day's events, thinking that he should now be considered a human friend of Salamence Island. After all, the group of Salamences seemed to like him a lot.
However...
Today's events had been truly terrifying.
The surprise could have easily turned into a shock.
If the giant Salamence had a more aggressive personality and forcibly breached the Patia League's defenses, a brutal battle would have undoubtedly ensued.
He wondered about the strength of the actual Champion, Yeci, and whether she could suppress the giant Salamence.
With the activation of Agility and Extreme Speed, Salamence's speed reached an astonishing level.
Before long, they arrived back in the Patia Region.
Naoki had intended to return directly to the ranch, but he noticed someone waiting for him on the west coast of Patia—the location where the League's defenses had been set up earlier. Miss Junsha, the group of reporters, and Lipu were all gone.
On the empty beach, only a helicopter remained, with Yeci standing beside it, gazing into the sky.
Naoki considered pretending he hadn't seen her and flying away, but from a distance, he spotted Yeci waving at him.
Thus, he had no choice but to land his Salamence nearby.
Yeci scanned the young man before her, noting his clothes were partially wet and partially dry, indicating he had been in the sea.
She spoke up, "It seems the matter has been resolved. On behalf of the Patia League, I would like to express our gratitude. Your efforts have ensured the safety of this region."
After some hesitation, Yeci reluctantly nodded, "If the opportunity arises, I'll give it a try."
The current Yeci was still young and lacked the mature and experienced demeanor she had in the games.
Naoki found this situation amusing but refrained from commenting. Instead, he turned and mounted his Salamence, bidding farewell to Yeci as he began his return journey.
By the time he arrived back at the ranch, it was already 4 pm in the afternoon.
Naoki patted the heads of the welcoming group of Pokemon, including Garchomp and Tropius, intending to head inside for a drink when he noticed the Salandit playing on the grass.
He walked over and asked, "Have you seen your new home yet?"
"Lei?"
The group of Pokemon looked confused, indicating they were unaware of this arrangement.
Naoki couldn't help but facepalm, feeling exasperated. "Alright, then, follow me, and I'll show you."
He led the Salandit and Salazzle into the Salt House and through a downward passage that led to the underground cave.
The spacious cave delighted the four Salandit and Salazzle, and they exclaimed in excitement.
"Yan Yan!"
"Lei~"
"Do you like it?" Naoki asked with a smile.
During the hot summer days, the ground could get unbearably warm, but this cave remained pleasantly cool, making it an ideal habitat for cave-dwelling Pokemon.
He walked over to the underground lake and said, "There's water here, so you can quench your thirst. I'll set up a trough, and from now on, I'll put your favorite rock salt stir-fry and salty feed in it."
With that, Naoki promptly went upstairs and, with Garchomp's help, moved the food trough from the Salt House into the cave. He filled it with stir-fry and salty feed.
The Salandit and Salazzle weren't hungry at the moment, so they explored their new underground home, familiarizing themselves with their surroundings.
Watching them, Naoki suddenly imagined them as little moles building an underground kingdom in a fairy tale.
He yawned, feeling a bit tired, and bid the Salandit and Salazzle goodbye before turning back to the house.
Naoki took a sip of water and glanced at the old-fashioned wall clock. Seeing that it was still early, he lay down on the bed and told Garchomp, who had followed him inside, "I'm going to take a quick nap. Why don't you go outside and play with Salamence and the others?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
