Chapter 357: Arbok? The Giant Dragonite?
Kenji's Arbok was more than just a Shiny Pokémon. It was a biological masterpiece—the final result of a secret gene-fusion project conducted by Team Rocket.
Its potential reached a staggering S-Rank. Beyond its secondary Dragon typing, it possessed Multiscale, the legendary Hidden Ability of the Dragonite line.
Until now, Kenji had simply assumed it was a high-tier fusion. But Namgung Xi's words changed everything. If she felt the specific aura of the Guardian Deity within Arbok's transformed state...
Is it possible? Kenji wondered. Is the Dragon DNA inside my Arbok actually harvested from the Giant Dragonite itself?
The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine.
"What's with that face?"
Namgung Xi waved a small hand in front of Kenji's eyes. Her expression was a mix of confusion and tipsy concern. She probably thought Kenji had finally hit his limit with the wine and was zoning out.
Kenji blinked, slowly pulling himself back to reality. He shook his head. "Nothing. Just thinking."
He paused, then asked in a low, casual tone, "By the way, Namgung Xi... have you ever heard of Team Rocket?"
"Team Rocket?"
Namgung Xi's brow furrowed instantly. A flash of pure loathing and resentment crossed her face. She bit her lip, her eyes narrowing with a ferocity Kenji hadn't seen from her before. "Of course I know those bastards. They're a plague."
Seeing her reaction, Kenji's theory felt more solid than ever.
"Why the sudden question?" she asked.
"Just remembered something I heard," Kenji replied vaguely. "You seem to really hate them, though."
Namgung Xi snorted, her voice rising with the heat of the alcohol. "Of course! Team Rocket is a massive criminal syndicate wanted by the Global League. Their favorite hobby is hunting down rare and powerful Pokémon.
And naturally... Dragonite has always been at the top of their list."
Kenji leaned in. "Did they actually try to make a move on Dragon Island?"
Namgung Xi nodded, making no effort to deny it. "It happened about six years ago. Suddenly, a swarm of suspicious people started lingering in the waters near our home. Day and night, their ships circled the perimeter.
They were cowards. They didn't have much raw power, but they were experts at slipping away whenever our people tried to drive them off. But eventually... I don't know how they did it, but they found a way through the fog. They actually located the island."
"Did they manage to catch anything?" Kenji pressed.
Namgung Xi puffed out her chest, her voice thick with pride. "Hmph! Of course not. Dragon Island has stayed safe for centuries for a reason. It's not just the mist; we have the Guardian Deity."
"The moment they tried to stage a landing, the Deity sensed them. They sent dozens of armored transport ships... and the Deity sank every single one of them. Not a single person set foot on our soil."
Kenji's heart hammered against his ribs. Dozens of ships.
Team Rocket would have sent their absolute elite for a high-value mission like that. To imagine a literal army of trainers and Pokémon being wiped out by a single entity was a terrifying thought.
But Namgung Xi's story also provided the missing link. Team Rocket had engaged the Giant Dragonite in a massive battle. Even if they were defeated, they weren't the type to leave empty-handed. A single shed scale, a few drops of blood recovered from the water—that was all a mad scientist like Dr. Fang would need.
The DNA of a being comparable to a God had been stolen and woven into the experiment that became his Arbok.
"Anyway, you didn't answer me," Namgung Xi said, refocusing on Kenji. "Why does your snake smell like our Deity when it transforms?"
Kenji let out a light laugh, forced and casual. "My Arbok is an anomaly. It was born with a trace of ancient Dragon blood. When it transforms, that bloodline probably triggers a 'Genetic Throwback' effect. Since your Guardian Deity is a primordial Dragon-type, their auras probably just share the same ancient origin. It's a coincidence."
He couldn't tell her the Arbok was a Team Rocket lab-grown monster fueled by her family's god. She'd probably try to kill it out of religious indignation.
Namgung Xi considered his explanation. It sounded plausible enough, especially to someone a bit buzzed. She nodded and dropped the subject.
But for Kenji, the "coincidence" was a call to action. He was more determined than ever to visit Dragon Island and see the original source of his partner's power.
However, he knew Namgung Xi hoped he'd stay on the mainland a while longer to enjoy their travels.
Kenji had his own reasons to stay. He had just won the tournament, but he wasn't the Master of Huaxia yet.
The Road to the Championship awaited him.
Unlike the games, the Elite Four gauntlet wasn't a mandatory "all-in-one-go" event. A challenger could schedule their matches over the course of a full year.
Kenji's plan was to take out the Elite Four first. As for Zhurong Yun, he wasn't going to rush it.
The Champion was a monster beyond even Grandma Liu. Kenji's Mega Beedrill had nearly lost to her Gengar; against the Champion's Blaziken, he simply didn't have the data to feel confident.
But during that final clash with Mega Gengar, Beedrill had achieved a breakthrough—a "Dimensional Enlightenment." Kenji knew that with a few months of specialized training to refine that power, his partner would undergo a qualitative leap in strength.
A year was plenty of time. By the time he faced Zhurong Yun, he wouldn't be a challenger.
He would be a conqueror.
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