The timing wasn't on Link's side, not giving him enough time to grind on the simulator.
Under the moonlight, amidst the sound of waves, as the Team Aqua members led him onto the armored platform, he couldn't help but wonder which "timeline" he was in: Was it the source and starting point of everything, the only one with the ultimate right to interpret, the most authoritative game worldview?
Was it the anime worldview, unchanged for twenty years, with a time chaos comparable to Bleach?
Or perhaps it eShiosted in the Sengoku period, with Akechi, Takeda, Nobunaga, and even the latter possessing Black Rayquaza, leading to a series of derivative works?
Or was it a series of fanfictions, with power levels and settings both hopelessly broken, exemplified by Pipi's Tale and special episodes?
It can't be a fantasy Pokémon world where you can become stronger just by spending money, spouting nonsensical nonsense, or using commonplace Power Cubes to effortlessly dominate...
Although Link has always criticized the TV series where TPC treats Ash as a money-making tool, if he were to actually travel to another world, he would definitely prefer to be transported to the anime's world.
Thinking of this, he looked at the members of Team Aqua (the dog trainer) beside him, who were accompanied by a group of hyenas.
These criminal gangs, dressed in modified sailor shirts and operating under the guise of "ocean protection," are rampant with their tyranny over Fengyuan's vast (too much) waters, attempting to further expand the already excessively high ocean area in the region. They are an overly radical and extreme environmental protection organization.
Water is indeed the source of life, but Link simply doesn't understand: if the entire landmass of this planet were covered by ocean, where would humans and land spirits survive?
A bunch of madmen who think they can control the power of nature.
A moment later, all the kidnapped passengers were blasted onto the deck.
A tall, dark-skinned woman in a Team Aqua women's uniform, guarded by a large German Shepherd, was smiling at the crowd.
Behind her, a middle-aged man with a bruised and swollen face was being restrained by four Team Aqua members; judging from his attire, he appeared to be a crew member.
"Alright, passengers, let me introduce myself. I'm Shio from Team Aqua. I regret to inform you—this cruise ship has been requisitioned by us."
Before she could finish speaking, a businessman in the crowd shouted angrily, "How could you do this? Do you know how many Pokémon my company will lose if the cruise ship arrives a minute late?!"
There are always fools who can't see the situation trying to reason with a madman. Hearing this, Shio gestured to her teammate.
The latter immediately walked towards the businessman who had been furious just a moment ago, his face turning hostile.
"You... what do you want to do... this is illegal..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Aqua team member punched the man in the stomach, and the latter immediately knelt down, gagging and falling silent.
At the same time, the large wolfhound behind Shio let out a very majestic bark, causing everyone to tremble and tremble with fear.
"Hehehe, you see? The ocean is just that ruthless. Are you really prepared to set foot on the sea?"
Seeing that everyone finally realized their status as "hostages," Shio continued, "But after all, the Aqua Team isn't some evil criminal gang. We're a righteous organization dedicated to protecting the beautiful ocean from the defilement of human parasites like the Great Violet Holdings Company, which recklessly discharges pollutants. So, we simply ask all passengers to disembark at the next stop and let the Alliance handle your subsequent troubles."
After saying that, she gave the captain a provocative wink: "Of course, the captain and crew can't disembark."
The latter glared at the Aqua Team members, but was powerless due to his restraint.
Ignoring the conflict between the Marines and the crew, the passengers, who thought they were going to be eaten by the sea, felt a huge sense of relief when they learned they could disembark at the next stop—Twilight Town.
After all, being alive was a good thing!
Link, however, wasn't immediately overwhelmed with joy. He was stunned, frozen in place as if struck by lightning.
Because he had just understood the gist of the Great Hound's threatening roar!
"A bunch of idiots who boarded a pirate ship and were about to be sold into forced labor—don't they even know it!"
He couldn't understand the Great Wolfhound's words, but for some reason, he could vaguely grasp its profound emotions!
Link wondered if he was some one-in-a-million Aura genius?
But he quickly realized with regret that his ability to understand the emotions contained in the elves' words was likely thanks to the system.
[④~Language Analysis: You can speak, read, and write the language of this world without difficulty. (Enabled)]
The language analysis function included elves, granting him the ability to communicate with them without barriers.
Realizing this, his opinion of the Marine Team, this criminal gang, changed somewhat—they were a group of madmen who would fight off pirate dogs fighting each other.
Yes, the Aqua Team aims to maintain the purity of the ocean; industrial pollution and piracy (including their own) are both defilements of the sea.
Link thought to himself that the world he had transmigrated into was probably an anime world...
However, his joy turned to sorrow.
"Hahahaha! You bunch of bastards think you can catch me?"
Suddenly, a powerful voice rang out from the pool area above everyone's heads: "The sea, the slaves, the goods, and your Ocean Team's bounty, all of them are mine!"
Hearing this, Shio and the Aqua Team members were startled and subconsciously looked up.
A figure exactly like the captain beside her, bound hand and foot, was mocking them under the moonlight.
Oh no! It's a trap!
As they reacted, the "captain" beside them also began to exude a dangerous aura.
Losing its disguise, it reverted to its original form—a "Stand" made from a mixture of ice and water!
Then—a flash of blue light, followed by a violent explosion, the Stand formed from a fairy attack blasted into a ball of cold energy.
"It's a 'Stand' attack..."
The four Marines members, along with Shio and their fairy, were the first to be hit, frozen into crystal-clear ice sculptures.
Next, the passengers standing near the front were caught off guard and attacked by the fairy, causing ordinary people who had only ever seen fairy battles on television or off-site to scream in agony.
The dramatic turn of events left the passengers in a state of commotion and confusion.
Was the captain alright? But
what did he mean by what he just said?
Seeing this, Link frowned, and with his already sharp... [Learning Crystal] He ripped the rope just one step away from breaking free, and while the smoke and dust from the explosion blurred the view below and the passengers were in disarray, he plunged into the cabin.
The pirates and the Marines were locked in a dogfight; he wasn't going to entrust his life to either side.
Sure enough, shortly after he left the crowd, some kind of sprite unleashed "Water Play" and "Fine Snow" from the sky, freezing ninety percent of the passengers—nearly realizing the gravity of the situation—into a daze.
Meanwhile, Link immediately took advantage of the nearly deserted aisles to traverse the cruise ship, trying to find where the Marines had stored the sprites they'd stolen from the passengers, or a place where he could call the police and hide.
Since reality can't simulate it, Link will try his best to complete the game in one life!
(End of Chapter)