Chapter 708: You Wouldn't Want Groudon to See This Video, Right?

Chapter 708: You Wouldn't Want Groudon to See This Video, Right? (Combined Chapters, Monthly Votes Requested!)

Nighttime, on Melemele Island, in the Pokémon School’s faculty housing.

After dropping off Komala and the Toxtricities on Melemele Island and temporarily entrusting them to Lira, Jinghe returned to his quarters.

“I feel like I could fall asleep the moment I close my eyes.”

Lying in bed, Jinghe could feel his eyelids getting heavy.

Today had been a full day, from morning to night—no, from morning to the wee hours of the night.

Mostly because he had been riding Dratini for too long.

It was nearly three in the morning now.

But after a brief struggle, Jinghe sat up.

“Nine-Tails.”

“Woof?”

Nine-Tails, who was also lying on the bed, lifted its head slightly, its azure eyes filled with a hint of curiosity.

Jinghe fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the “Fairy Tablet,” which had just warmed up.

The pink stone emitted a peculiar life energy, carrying unimaginable power.

“Keep it for now. Experiment with it, and once you figure it out, share it with Forger,” Jinghe said.

“Woof~”

Nine-Tails, seeing the pure and concentrated fairy-type energy, hesitated for a moment before wrapping its tail around the stone and tucking it away.

In non-combat situations, the changes brought by the stone wouldn’t be immediate, given that Nine-Tails was already quite powerful.

However, the benefits would undoubtedly be significant.

“Maybe we can have an internal ranking battle before challenging the ‘Champion’s Path,’” Jinghe thought to himself.

Noticing Gengar, who was peeking at Nine-Tails from the ceiling, Jinghe smiled.

There you go, the purple chubby one feels the “threat” too. With the boost from the “Fairy Tablet,” Nine-Tails’ strength would surely see a significant increase.

This “pressure” might just be the catalyst for Gengar to break through the champion level.

If Gengar’s normal strength could surpass the champion level, then with various enhancements, Gengar could dominate the Hoenn League.

“Come on, Gengar.”

“Geng!”

Gengar playfully made an “OK” gesture.

Jinghe chuckled softly.

He had absolute confidence in Gengar. Ever since he met Gastly, he had never pushed Gengar to work harder; the comment earlier was just a joke.

“Gengar, lights out.”

“Geng!”

Speaking of which, did he forget something?

Ula'ula Island.

Kuzma, looking smug, squatted at the port in Poke Town, enjoying the sea breeze and the moonlight.

“Hey, that teacher Jinghe, is he coming today or not? Does he still want his boat?”

The only officer of Team Skull, Bulbelle, shouted angrily.

A nearby Team Skull member, who seemed more educated, snarked, “Crobat wears pretty feathers.”

“What does that mean?” everyone asked in unison.

“Think he’s something special!”

This drew a chorus of approval.

Kuzma ignored his subordinates, feeling his phone vibrate. He pulled it out and saw it was Lusamine. His expression immediately turned serious.

He stood up, waved his hand to signal two of his men to watch the port, and answered the call as he walked back into Poke Town.

“It’s me.”

The next day.

Akala Island.

“Teacher Jinghe, try this. It’s our restaurant’s specialty and my dad’s proudest creation, the pineapple juice.”

At Aina’s restaurant, Mao Ao enthusiastically served Jinghe the restaurant’s signature dish.

Behind her, the green-haired couple beamed with pride and anticipation.

“Mm, delicious!”

“Geng!”

Gengar gave a thumbs-up, not holding back with his praise.

Seeing this, Mao Ao’s father relaxed and hurried over. “Teacher Jinghe, I’m glad you like it. We entrust our Mao Ao to you.”

“Dad, don’t get too excited,” Mao Ao quickly interjected.

Mao Ao’s father realized he was getting carried away.

But it couldn’t be helped.

While others in Alola might not know much about Teacher Jinghe, since Mao Ao and Sui Lian visited Sinnoh’s Shizue City and met Teacher Jinghe, the whole family had started following him.

And the more they followed, the more they realized how incredible Teacher Jinghe was!

Not only was he an exceptionally strong trainer, having taken down several Mythical Beasts, but he was also a genuine teacher with the title of “Pokémon Psychologist” and the accolades of “Tactical Master” and “Mind Master.”

Being a strong battler doesn’t necessarily make one a good teacher, but a strong and capable teacher is rare in the Pokémon world.

With such an accomplished teacher at the Alola Pokémon School, Mao Ao’s parents couldn’t help but be excited.

When they learned Teacher Jinghe was coming for a home visit, they prepared well in advance.

But Jinghe wasn’t a strict teacher, and he quickly fell into a friendly conversation with Mao Ao’s parents.

“Mao Ao is a very lively and energetic girl.”

“It’s all thanks to Teacher Jinghe.”

In Ohana Town, Akala Island, at Ohana Ranch.

This was Kachi’s family ranch, the largest on Akala Island.

The vast plains were lush and verdant, with golden rays of light filtering through the clouds, casting shimmering lines on the grass, creating a clear contrast between light and shadow.

Herds of Tauros galloped freely across the fields, showcasing their natural talents.

In Alola, Tauros were not only used as transportation but also as the stars of the “Tauros Race,” similar to horse races in other regions.

Kachi’s family ranch housed over three hundred Tauros, including several stars of the “Tauros Race.”

“Alola’s Tauros are much gentler and more stable compared to those in other regions,” Jinghe observed as he walked along the fence.

Beside him were Kachi’s parents, Hibiki and Amara, both with tanned skin.

Kachi’s father, Hibiki, smiled. “That’s probably due to Alola’s climate.”

As the owner of a large ranch, Hibiki was surprisingly refined, wearing a blue shirt and narrow-rimmed glasses.

In contrast, Kachi’s mother, Amara, was robust and dressed practically, exuding a strong and open demeanor.

Similar to Mao Ao’s parents, Hibiki and Amara were also familiar with Teacher Jinghe.

As large ranch owners, they had to deal with product sales in other regions, which naturally led to their knowledge of him.

Jinghe nodded. “While every region has a history of riding Tauros, Alola seems to be the earliest.”

“Teacher Jinghe is familiar with this?” Hibiki pushed his glasses up in surprise.

“I’ve always had a heart for ranching and have exchanged ideas with a rancher in Sinnoh,” Jinghe said with a self-deprecating smile.

“Does Teacher Jinghe have a ranch?” Amara asked curiously.

“Uh, sort of,” Jinghe rubbed his chin, jokingly adding, “If having two riding goats counts, hahaha.”

Hibiki and Amara exchanged a glance, seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes.

Hibiki immediately said, “If Teacher Jinghe isn’t opposed, we could collaborate.”

Collaborate?

Amara quickly added, “While Tauros are famous, our ranch is best known for Blissey and Mudbray. Especially Blissey’s Moomoo Milk, which always sells out.”

Blissey could be seen everywhere on the ranch, and Jinghe estimated there were over five hundred of them!

These weren’t cows; Blissey produced Moomoo Milk in much larger quantities than cows.

This ranch was one of the largest Blissey ranches in the Pokémon world, second only to the Golden Ranch in Johto.

As for Mudbray, while they didn’t produce anything like Moomoo Milk, both Mudbray and its evolved form, Muley, were renowned for their strength and endurance, making them excellent cargo haulers.

In Alola, Mudbray and Muley were essential helpers for every farmer.

With Mudbray and Muley handling transportation and hauling, a lot of labor could be saved.

In the end, despite Kachi’s family being in the livestock business, in terms of “industry,” they were the wealthiest in Alola, aside from Lillie.

“We can provide you with some Blissey and Mudbray, and once your ranch is established, you can return them,” Hibiki offered.

What he meant was “loaning” them.

Blissey, being a purely female Pokémon, was difficult to find in the wild without a male counterpart.

Jinghe had always wanted to raise Blissey, given how much Moomoo Milk his “big babies” consumed daily.

But he had never found a source for Blissey, or simply lacked the energy to deal with it, as he hadn’t even finished planting trees yet.

But...

“Maybe later. There will definitely be an opportunity,” Jinghe politely declined the offer.

Their offer was genuinely well-intentioned.

However, as Kachi’s teacher, Jinghe couldn’t accept it at this time.

Whether it was because of his own inner conflict or his fear of gossip, Jinghe, as a teacher at Da Wu, never accepted the generous gift of precious metals from the school. This was his bottom line as a teacher.

Of course, when he returned in the future, he would try to cooperate with Kachi's family ranch in a more equal manner.

Kachi's parents showed a hint of disappointment, but it quickly turned to admiration.

They understood what Teacher Jinghe meant.

"Genue!"

Jinghe suddenly shouted.

Genue, who had been lying down on the ranch, jumped up in surprise.

"What are you staring at the Blissey for?" Jinghe hurried over.

"Genue." Genue chuckled, poking his fingers, while the Blissey beside him was already breaking out in a cold sweat.

Hibiki and Amara exchanged a glance.

Hibiki sighed, "He really is a great teacher."

Amara agreed, "Kachi needs to learn from him properly!"

On Akala Island, in Konikoni City.

"Teacher Jinghe", Sui Lian greeted politely, "Good afternoon."

Behind her, two girls with blue puffy hair, who looked very similar to Sui Lian, peeked out curiously at Jinghe. They were Sui Lian's younger sisters, Shi Ting and Shi Han.

"Teacher Jinghe." Sui Lian's father, an excellent fisherman who, ironically, rarely caught any fish, had met Jinghe in Shuijing City.

"Do you want to cast a line?"

Sui Lian's father laughed and extended the invitation.

For fellow fishing enthusiasts, such an invitation was like a challenge to play a game.

"Of course!"

Jinghe's eyes lit up, but he quickly asked, "Are there many Magikarp in these waters?"

"Not many!"

Sui Lian answered. Because her father rarely caught fish, he couldn't answer this question.

"Good, not many is good."

Magikarp were too "dominant." In the Pokémon world, except for some special places, they were almost everywhere, which was a headache for Jinghe.

So, Teacher Jinghe and Sui Lian's father, the two "fishing buddies", sat by the rocks and chatted intermittently.

They talked about Sui Lian's studies and personality, as well as fishing techniques.

"Genue."

Genue watched the scene with longing.

"If you don't mind, you can use this set of fishing gear", Sui Lian's mother said gently, handing over a set of fishing equipment she had prepared.

"Genue?"

Genue's eyes widened, thanked her, and eagerly took the fishing rod, running off to find a spot away from Jinghe and the others.

He didn't want to fish with these "eyebrow pencils"!

Meanwhile, Sui Lian, along with her two sisters and their friends Mao Ao and Kachi, prepared to go to Sui Lian's "secret fishing spot."

"Genue~"

Sui Lian waved at Genue.

"Genue~"

Genue immediately understood and followed her with a grin.

"Wow! Teacher Jinghe is having a great day with the fish!"

Seeing Jinghe's taut fishing line, Sui Lian's father couldn't help but comment.

But as Jinghe cast his "Super Rod", a large Magikarp arced through the air and landed with a splash on the rocks, splashing Jinghe with water as it used "Splash."

Jinghe wiped his face and asked expressionlessly, "Didn't you say there weren't many Magikarp?"

How could there not be many?

He felt that if he kept fishing, he could gather seven Magikarp to summon a Gyarados!

Sui Lian's father looked enviously, "Magikarp are great, and they are relatively rare in Alola."

He hadn't caught anything yet.

On the other side.

"Caught one! Caught one!" Mao Ao called out excitedly.

"That's it, Mao Ao, pull it up in one go!" Kachi cheered.

Mao Ao took a deep breath and pulled the fishing rod, soon landing a lively Sharpedo on the shore.

"It's a Sharpedo! Very fierce!" Sui Lian said.

"Genue!"

Suddenly, Genue also pulled hard on the fishing rod, and another Sharpedo flew up.

"Wow! A Sharpedo!"

"I'm next, watch this!" Kachi felt a movement on his fishing rod, but when he pulled, it was very light, and then a Mareanie lay on the shore, its eyes shimmering.

"Why is mine a Mareanie?"

Mareanie was known for being weak, but its meat was said to be very delicious, a delicacy that all carnivorous Pokémon in the sea wanted to taste.

Jinghe: "..."

He looked at the large Magikarp beside him.

Indeed, people's sources of joy don't always align.

"Go back!"

Jinghe threw the Magikarp back into the sea.

At the same time.

"Wow! Such a big fish!" Mao Ao suddenly pointed at the sea and exclaimed.

In the ocean, a massive shadow appeared, thrashing its tail in the waters where they were fishing.

A quick glance showed that this "giant fish" was at least eight meters long, possibly even nine or ten meters!

Jinghe's heart skipped a beat.

Sui Lian, a big fish, could it be...

"It can't be."

He stood up and ran toward Sui Lian, preparing to call Genue to take the children away from the shore, but then he stopped.

He patted his head.

"Guess I overreacted."

"It's also a Mareanie!" Sui Lian said calmly, her eyes filled with intense interest.

"A Mareanie?" Kachi looked at the small, weak Mareanie at his feet, then at the huge shadow in the sea.

The size difference was quite significant, right?

"Mareanie are social Pokémon", Jinghe explained, slowing his pace.

"Though they look weak, when they work together, they become very powerful."

The Rotom Dex floated out: "Mareanie, the Tiny Fish Pokémon, Water type. In times of danger, their eyes moisten, resembling tears, but it's actually a signal to call for help. Danger! Danger Rotom!"

"It's a Mareanie swarm, quite rare", Sui Lian's father also came over.

A single Mareanie is very weak, with a maximum length of 20 centimeters and a pitiful base stat total of 175.

But when a large number of Mareanie gather and fuse into a single entity using the "Schooling" ability, they can form a creature over eight meters long, capable of rivaling a Gyarados.

When fused into a single entity, their theoretical base stat total can reach an astonishing 620!

In the Pokémon world, they are one of the rare examples of true "swarm Pokémon", a perfect embodiment of a "Pokémon army."

Similar to the "Ghost Army" of Gym Leader Kusako and the "Genue Army" that Genue formed during the battle with Hoopa.

However, the unity of Mareanie is even more perfect and outstanding.

"Kachi, put the Mareanie back", Mao Ao said, a bit scared.

"Oh, okay!"

Kachi realized and quickly returned the Mareanie to the sea.

After the Mareanie returned to the sea, the massive shadow seemed to be preparing to leave.

At this moment, Sui Lian picked up her fishing rod and bucket, and pulled over the small boat nearby.

"Popplio!"

She and Popplio got into the boat.

"Sui Lian, what are you doing?" Mao Ao asked.

"A rare Mareanie swarm, I want to catch them!"

"Eh?!" Mao Ao and Kachi exclaimed.

"Father, Teacher Jinghe, please allow me to do this!" Sui Lian said seriously to Jinghe and her father.

Before Jinghe could respond, Sui Lian's father laughed and said, "Go ahead! As a daughter of the sea, be brave!"

"Okay!"

Sui Lian immediately set off in the boat, chasing after the Mareanie swarm.

Jinghe looked at Sui Lian's father with a somewhat strange expression. Are you really encouraging her?

But honestly, Jinghe was quite confident.

After all, this was a girl who could catch Groudon, so a Mareanie swarm shouldn't be a problem.

For safety, Jinghe gave Genue a look.

Genue understood, put down his fishing rod, took a deep breath, pinched his nose, and jumped into the sea.

Genue was also curious about how Mareanie worked together.

If he could learn it...

Maybe he could form a "Genue Giga" in the future!

The thought was exhilarating.

"Sui Lian looks gentle, but she has a very strong will, and she is very confident in her fishing skills", Jinghe said.

A gentle exterior but a strong will, that's how it is.

In this aspect, she is a bit like our little Cabbage, and her future achievements will likely be significant.

"Ha ha ha—" Sui Lian's father laughed proudly.

"Hope Teacher Jinghe can continue to guide Sui Lian in the future", Sui Lian's mother added.

They could see that Teacher Jinghe liked or admired Sui Lian, which was a cause for joy.

"I can do this!"

Sui Lian, sitting in a small boat, kept encouraging herself in her heart as she baited the hook and cast the line, her movements smooth and seamless.

Under the water.

Jinghe, through Gengue's "perspective", saw a large group of Mareanie.

Gengue, with a mischievous grin, rolled his eyes. Suddenly, his crimson eyes flashed, and a small Mareanie at the tail end of the school stopped, looking confused and detaching from the group.

Gengue immediately transformed into the appearance of a Mareanie, "gurgle gurgle", and followed, taking the place of the small Mareanie.

Skill swap!

Mareanie's exclusive ability: Schooling!

The small Mareanie: "???"

A question mark appeared over its head, just like a Bidoof's.

Jinghe's lips twitched.

You never fail to amaze me, Gengue.

Successfully blending into the "enemy" ranks without being detected.

However,

From the surface, the originally perfect shape of the Mareanie school suddenly bulged at the tail, as if something had intruded.

Unfortunately, Gengue had only "replaced" a Mareanie at the tail. If he had replaced one at the head, he might have helped bite the hook.

"Gen-gue~"

I'm just a fish~ I'm just a fish~

Meanwhile.

Deep in a certain part of the sea near Akala Island, Alola, a massive Pokémon, the undisputed ruler of these waters, opened its eyes.

Thinking back to when it swam from the desert to Alola, it had thought it was temporarily avoiding trouble in a remote place.

But upon arriving, it realized—

This place wasn't a backwater at all; it was a paradise!

Abundant resources, plentiful seafood, delicious food, and no rivals to challenge its status!

Why leave this blissful place?

Indeed.

This awakened sea lord was none other than the Legendary Sea God, the ancient Pokémon, Groudon!

Hoenn? Who needs it? Not even a dog would go there!

The newly awakened Groudon caught the scent of delicious Mareanie, and they were conveniently gathered together.

A perfect buffet!

Groudon, happily wiggling its now fatter body, swam toward the Mareanie school.

"Clouds! It's going to rain!"

Mao Ao, with his sharp eyes, noticed the dark clouds approaching from a distance.

"Another group of Mareanie!"

Kachi also spotted another large, dark shadow on the surface, heading toward Sui Lian, or rather, toward the Mareanie school that had already bitten the hook.

"Their shape seems a bit different", Kachi added.

Huh?

Jinghe, who had just sat down to try his luck at Sui Lian's "secret fishing spot", followed their gaze and was taken aback.

The outline of this second "Mareanie school" looked strangely familiar.

It looked a bit like our old friend, Groudon?

The first thought that came to Jinghe's mind was the image of Mareanie schools forming the shape of Groudon.

This wasn't uncommon.

Not just "Mareanie-Groudon", but "Mareanie-Rayquaza", "Mareanie-Groudon", "Mareanie-Gigalith", and even Necrozma and Arceus had their Mareanie versions.

Anything could be formed.

The second thought was—

Sui Lian's bait must be really effective, attracting one group and then another.

It wasn't until the third thought that he realized—

No way!

This can't be the real Groudon, can it?

"Gengue!"

Through the Waveguide, connected to Gengue's "view", Jinghe "saw" the massive sea god, Groudon, swiftly swimming toward them.

It really is you, chubby fish!

The Mareanie school, now aware of Groudon's presence, quickly scattered.

Sui Lian, feeling the line lighten, blinked in surprise.

"Huh?"

Groudon, seeing the opportunity, immediately opened its mouth to bite.

"Gengue!"

Jinghe sprang up, throwing a Poké Ball and summoning Dratini, while using the Waveguide to command Gengue.

"Poison Jab!"

With such a big mouth, it would be rude not to give it a taste of poison.

"Gen-gue!"

Gengue, who was having fun, was annoyed by Groudon's interruption. Seeing the scattered school, it angrily shot a sticky, purple Poison Jab into Groudon's mouth.

Groudon, about to swallow the remaining Mareanie, was caught off guard by the Poison Jab and nearly vomited.

The inertia prevented it from eating the Mareanie, and instead, it bit down on the fish hook.

Sui Lian, still lamenting the dispersal of the Mareanie school, was startled by the sudden, powerful tug on her line.

"Huge one!"

Jinghe, riding Dratini, had a peculiar expression.

How—

Is Groudon destined to be caught no matter what?

"Rotom."

"Rotom?"

"Ahem." Jinghe adjusted his glasses. "Start recording, prepare to document."

If we catch it, this video will keep Groudon in check forever!

Groudon, you wouldn't want this video to be seen, would you?

"Got it, Rotom! Recording started!" Rotom, confused but obedient, activated the camera.

Meanwhile.

Under the water.

Groudon and Gengue were staring at each other, eye to eye.

What's going on?

I've already fled to Alola, and you're still chasing me?

Is it really necessary to hunt me down?

And to use a group of Mareanie to lure me?

Did you call in more Mythical Beasts?

Groudon's body floated slightly, its eyes rising above the water. If it saw Groudon or Rayquaza, it would turn and run.

But Groudon was puzzled.

There was no one!

No Groudon, no Rayquaza, not even Darkrai!

Huh?

No one?

Then I'm game!

"G-Groudon?!"

Sui Lian finally realized that the one biting the hook wasn't a Mareanie school but the Groudon she had always dreamed of catching!

Mao Ao, Kachi, and the others on the shore also reacted.

"Groudon?!"

"How could Groudon be here?"

Anyone who followed Teacher Jinghe knew about the sea god Groudon.

After all, it almost devastated the entire Hoenn region.

But no one could have imagined that the Mythical Beast from Johto, Groudon, would appear in Alola.

This was mainly because Alola's primary deities, Solgaleo, Lunala, and even Necrozma, were all absent from Alola.

With no threats or beings to drive it away.

"Sui Lian!"

Jinghe threw another Poké Ball, and Nine-Tails gracefully landed, instantly creating an ice platform on the sea for them to stand on. Dratini followed.

"Teacher Jinghe!" Sui Lian, now panicking and tense, felt a sense of reassurance with Jinghe by her side, her anxiety and pressure easing.

"Don't worry, I'm here", Jinghe reassured her.

"Okay!!"

Sui Lian nodded firmly.

After the brief moment of fear, excitement took over.

Groudon!

"I will do my best to catch it!"

Jinghe was surprised by Sui Lian's determination.

She truly had the courage of a young bull.

Jinghe looked at Groudon, still biting the hook, and smiled curiously.

"Groudon, you've gotten fat."

Groudon: "???"

"Grrr—!!"

Suddenly, the sea began to churn, and its massive body swayed, creating a towering wave. The rain in the sky turned into a heavy downpour.

Jinghe, while "teasing" Groudon, did not underestimate it.

Chubby fish—

A perfect test for Gengue and Nine-Tails' recent progress!

As a "touchstone", it might be a turning point.

And to see how Nine-Tails has improved after obtaining the "Fairy Tablet."

Jinghe himself didn't realize it, but this was the first time he faced the sea god Groudon, a "primary deity", without the help of Mythical Beasts, and he felt no fear, only a desire to challenge and battle.

This confidence, perhaps, was a result of his and his Pokémon's hard work and growth.

Groudon?

Let's battle!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end