https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-438-Naoki-s-Ranch-and-its-Hidden-Trial-Unlocked-Part-2-/12537891/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-440-The-Wise-Slakking-and-Motostoke-s-Emotional-Wound/12537893/
Chapter 439: Weak Fish Swarms in the Ocean Depths, Slowpoke, and Shellder
Chapter 439: Weak Fish Swarms in the Ocean Depths, Slowpoke, and Shellder
On March 21, 200 AL, Naoki saw Aoki again.
"Here is the King's Rock, the Champion's proof, which the boss asked me to give to you. I've delivered it."
Aoki was dressed in a black suit, and his black leather shoes were slightly dusty, no longer pristine. His young face showed a hint of fatigue, and he looked rather listless overall.
As soon as Naoki saw Aoki, he remembered what Yeci had said about Aoki buying their sheep's milk online to stay awake during overtime work.
At this moment, looking at Aoki's tired state, Naoki couldn't help but invite him, "Thank you, Mr. Aoki. Would you like to come in and rest for a while? Have a cup of tea?"
Aoki shook his head wearily. "No, thanks. I've delivered the item, and my work is done. I should head home now."
After completing this task, he was granted three days of paid leave. Aoki planned to use these three days to rest and relax at home.
"Alright then," Naoki nodded, seeing Aoki off with his eyes until he disappeared at the end of the road.
After all, for a hardworking man like Aoki, there was no place more comfortable than home.
Naoki retracted his gaze only after Aoki's figure had vanished from view. He looked down at the crucial item in his hand—the King's Rock, necessary for Slowpoke's evolution into a Slowking.
The King's Rock in reality didn't differ much from its in-game appearance—a golden crown, albeit one that seemed ancient and bore the marks of time's erosion.
This object was likely an ancient king's crown, a symbol of royalty. Perhaps due to being imbued with the aura of a king over a long period, it had gained a fraction of a king's power.
It was this power that Slowpoke and Exeggcute had absorbed, allowing them to transform into kings among their respective species.
Now that he had the King's Rock, all Naoki needed was to find a Shellder willing to coexist with Slowpoke, and Slowking would be born.
Compared to obtaining the King's Rock, finding a Shellder was much easier.
Shellders were quite common, usually inhabiting the vast ocean.
Naoki had checked with his Rotom Phone earlier, and it showed that Shellders could be found along any coastline in the Paldea region.
Fortunately, Pastoria Town was on the western coast of Paldea.
The next step was to head to the beach and search for a Shellder to help Slowpoke evolve into Slowking!
Naoki retrieved Slowpoke's Poke Ball and went to the World Tree to summon it.
"I'm going out for a bit and will be back soon," Naoki said to the Plusle and Minun siblings before he left, wearing the diving equipment he had purchased earlier.
"Ai~" The siblings nodded, indicating they would take care of everything.
"Then I'll leave it to you," Naoki said, patting their heads.
He turned to look around, observing what the other Pokemon were up to.
The Eevees were playing hide-and-seek in the pasture, the Diglett parents were tending to the chickens in the coop, the Leek Duck was exercising in the leek field, and the Dragonite were out on a work assignment.
Most of the remaining Pokemon were playing across the river in the Snorlax Park.
After a quick word with the Plusle and Minun siblings, Naoki set off for the Pastoria Town beach with Golurk in search of Shellder.
In the ranch, Motostoke looked on enviously at Golurk's retreating figure.
Golurk was so reliable, always there to assist Naoki no matter the task.
In comparison, Motostoke felt utterly useless.
No matter how hard he tried to get stronger and practice his moves, he couldn't seem to be of any help to Naoki.
Suddenly, Motostoke felt overwhelmed with sadness.
The more he thought about it, the worse he felt.
In the end, he was consumed by a wave of nameless emotion.
The sky was a brilliant blue, the water crystal clear, and the sun shone brightly.
The vast ocean stretched before them, calm and serene, with the occasional Wingull soaring overhead, wings outstretched, before folding them and landing on the sandy shore.
"Slowpoke, I choose you!"
With a flash of white light, Slowpoke appeared on the beach.
It continued to stare blankly, its eyes wide and unblinking.
After a while, Slowpoke seemed to realize its change in location, and it yawned, revealing its creamy-colored mouth.
"Slow?"
Naoki placed the King's Rock, delivered by Aoki, on Slowpoke's head.
Slowpoke, now crowned, continued to stare vacantly.
Naoki observed it for a moment, feeling that it looked perfect.
The King's Rock suited Slowpoke surprisingly well.
Aside from Slowpoke's wise-looking gaze, everything else seemed just right.
Now, it was time to find a Shellder that resonated with Slowpoke.
Naoki and Golurk scanned the area, but their initial search of the beach yielded no Shellders.
The golden sand was occupied only by a few Sandshrew and resting Wingull, with no other Pokemon in sight.
At this, Naoki instructed Golurk to switch to its Jet Form.
Instantly, Golurk, which had been in its Ride Form, transformed once more.
It opened its palms, adapting them for swimming, and extended its previously coiled tail. The tire on its chest functioned as a flotation device.
In its Jet Form, Golurk resembled a rideable water motorcycle as it approached the ocean.
Naoki hopped on Golurk's back, holding Slowpoke, and they sped toward the open sea.
After putting some distance between them and the coastline, Naoki brought Golurk to a halt.
"Agas!"
Gurdurr knew it couldn't help much, so it nodded its large head.
Naoki put on his diving suit and then descended into the depths with Slowpoke.
The ocean floor was a stunning expanse of blue, with sunlight filtering through the surface to create a shimmering spectacle.
Various corals and seagrasses dotted the seabed, and countless Water-type Pokemon leisurely swam through them.
There were heart-shaped Luvdiscs, schools of tiny Wishiwashi, white Sandshrew, and glowing Prismails...
Naoki's gaze swept across the underwater landscape.
Drowzee, the Pokemon in question, often inhabited the ocean floor near the shore. It skillfully used its constantly extended tongue to dig through the sand, searching for food.
And at night, they would hide in the holes they dug, sleeping safely inside.
So, to find Drowzee, one should pay attention to the sand on the ocean floor.
Naoki carried Slowpoke on his back as he continued his descent.
Along the way, he passed by a spectacular swarm of Wishiwashi.
The Wishiwashi, sensing a strange presence, scattered as if they were startled.
Though numerous, their numbers weren't enough to form a "Sea Monster." Thus, when faced with danger, these tiny Pokemon would still choose to flee.
Speaking of Wishiwashi, they were indeed intriguing Pokemon.
Individually, they were incredibly weak and were often preyed upon by other Pokemon, such as Wailord, which was said to consume thirty tons of Wishiwashi daily.
But when their numbers were sufficient, they would unite to form a formidable force against enemies.
It was said that when Wishiwashi worked together and transformed into this form, they possessed the power akin to a "Sea Monster."
Even naturally aggressive Pokemon like Gyarados would flee from this formidable school of Wishiwashi.
Naoki took out his Rotom Phone and began filming the Wishiwashi swarm as they gracefully swam through the azure waters.
After a while, the Wishiwashi seemed to realize there was no danger and slowly returned, drifting aimlessly in the surrounding waters.
"Rotom, ask these Wishiwashi if there are any Drowzee living around here," Naoki instructed his Rotom.
The Rotom Tech Company had specifically added a waterproof feature when developing the Rotom Phone, so even in deep water, it could still be used normally.
"Received, Rotom!"
Rotom responded and flew forward to find a Wishiwashi. It conveyed Naoki's question to the tiny Pokemon.
The Wishiwashi were initially fearful, but after hearing Rotom's words, they carefully examined the human before cautiously replying, "&%@..."
Rotom Phone auto-translated: 【There are Drowzee here. They're in the sand, Rotom...】
Drowzee usually didn't harm Wishiwashi, as the two Pokemon weren't natural enemies and maintained a relatively harmonious relationship. Thus, the Wishiwashi were somewhat familiar with the Drowzee living on the ocean floor.
"In the sand?" Naoki looked down at the sandy ocean floor and nodded. "I understand. Thank you."
He took out two raw eggs from his pocket and cracked them open.
The translucent egg whites immediately dispersed in the water.
Several Wishiwashi caught a whiff and cautiously swam forward to eat the egg whites and yolks.
Soon, more Wishiwashi were attracted by the scent.
Two eggs weren't enough for them, so Naoki took out a small bottle of milk and let the Wishiwashi drink it.
Now, the Wishiwashi were no longer afraid of Naoki.
They crowded around the bottle's mouth, drinking the milk that floated out.
"Go ahead and eat!" Naoki watched this scene with a smile.
The Wishiwashi, who usually survived on plankton and seaweed, had never tasted such delicious food before, and their eyes lit up.
After finishing the bottle of milk, the Wishiwashi looked at Naoki with newfound admiration.
This time, several clever Wishiwashi even took the initiative to lead the way.
The rest of the Wishiwashi followed suit, forming a massive school and gesturing for Naoki to follow them.
Naoki was astonished by this turn of events. "Are you going to guide me?"
The Wishiwashi swarm created a sound like stirring seawater.
Rotom: 【Yes, Rotom!】
Naoki hadn't expected such a development, and his face showed his surprise.
He followed the Wishiwashi swarm as they led him deeper into the ocean. They finally reached the ocean floor, which was covered in white sand, with dappled light creating a surreal scene.
Some Sandshrew lived here, their long, slender white bodies resembling sea eels.
As Naoki approached, the Sandshrew timidly retreated into the rocks where they hid.
The Wishiwashi didn't stop, and Naoki continued to follow them.
After passing through this white sand area, they reached a coral reef composed of rocks and coral.
Finally, on top of a large underwater rock, Naoki spotted the Drowzee he sought.
"I found it! Now Slowking can be born!" Excited, Naoki turned to look at Slowpoke, who was still perched on his back, and prepared to approach the Drowzee to ask its opinion.
This "symbiotic evolution" could be undone at any time.
All one needed to do was remove the Shellder from the Slowpoke's body, and Slowking or Slowbro would devolve back into Slowpoke and Shellder.
The weak fish swarm stopped some distance away.
They neither approached nor left, instead staying put to curiously observe the human's behavior.
Naoki, with Slowpoke on his back, swam forward.
The Shellder had its shell half-open, revealing a pair of eyes within the dark shell, and a pink tongue protruding from within.
However, before Naoki could get close, the vigilant Shellder spotted him.
With a dull "pa" sound, the Shellder quickly clamped its shell shut and began to swim away, its shell opening and closing as it moved.
And as it fled, it seemed to spit something out.
Naoki stared, and saw that it was a beautiful pearl!
Naoki: "..."
Looks like the Pokedex entry was right after all... Shellder will spit out its pearl if it finds it bothersome.
That Shellder escaped, so Naoki turned his attention to the other Shellder.
Just then, Naoki suddenly felt the Slowpoke on his back stir.
He turned around in confusion and saw Slowpoke jump down by itself. Its originally blank eyes seemed to be drawn by something, and it slowly moved its limbs, swimming towards a target.
Naoki followed Slowpoke's gaze and spotted a Shellder blowing bubbles on a protruding rock.
The pearl that the previous Shellder had discarded had landed right on this bubble-blowing Shellder's shell.
Slowpoke swam up to the Shellder and stopped, its eyes moving up to stare blankly at the beautiful pearl.
The Shellder, which had been sleeping with its shell closed, seemed to sense the unusual situation.
It slowly opened its shell, and as soon as it opened its eyes, it saw an unfamiliar pink Pokemon suddenly appearing before it.
!!!
The Shellder was startled and, driven by instinct, used Shell Side Arm on Slowpoke.
Slowpoke's head was instantly bitten by the Shellder.
The next second, countless bubbles rose in the seawater, and a dazzling light erupted from the point where the two Pokemon were joined.
The light of evolution instantly engulfed both Pokemon, and within the radiance, their bodies gradually merged.
When the light faded, a brand-new Pokemon appeared before Naoki and the weak fish swarm.
It was a king among Pokemon, standing on two feet, with an orange and white umbrella-like structure around its neck, and a Shellder crown on its head.
Its eyes were filled with wisdom, yet it still looked rather dopey.
Naoki: "..."
Is this Slowking? Why does it still look so unintelligent?
Slowking turned its gaze to Naoki, opened its mouth, and spoke in a string of bubbles.
"&@%."
Naoki was slightly taken aback. Did Slowking just speak?
"Rotom, can you translate?" he asked his Rotom Phone.
However, the Rotom Phone just spat out gibberish: "Unable to translate, Rotom!"
"Scan Slowking," Naoki asked, changing the question.
Rotom: "Slowking, known as the Sage of the Sea, always remains calm and composed.
In some regions, there's a saying, 'If you're lost, ask Slowking,' which shows how well-known it is for its wisdom.
Although Slowking will help solve any difficult problem you present to it, no one can understand its language, Rotom!"
Naoki: "..."
So, after evolving, Slowking created its own language system?
Anyway, it's good that Slowking's evolution was successful.
Although the evolution method was a bit odd, Slowking seemed to be getting along well with the Shellder.
Probably?
"Slowking, do you still recognize me?" Naoki swam up to Slowking, pointed at himself, and asked.
Slowking looked at him with wise eyes and then gently nodded.
Of course, it remembered. This human, Naoki, had brought it here and helped it evolve into Slowking.
But...
Who was it? Where was it? Why did this world exist?
Slowking didn't understand, and it fell into deep thought about the world.
Naoki looked up and said to Slowking, "Let's leave this place first. We can talk more back at the ranch."
Slowking thought of everything on the World Tree and nodded. It then spoke in a language Naoki couldn't understand.
As Naoki swam upward with Slowking, he recalled the plotlines involving Slowking in the Pokemon anime.
If he remembered correctly, in the movie "Birth of Lugia," there was a Slowking living on Shamouti Island.
That Slowking was very special; it could not only predict the future but also speak human languages.
This raised a question: Could all Slowking learn to speak, or was that particular Slowking unique in its ability to communicate with humans?
Naoki wasn't sure, so he decided to have a good chat with this Slowking once they returned to the ranch.
Since the Rotom Phone couldn't translate, he would try using the translation walnut cookies.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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