Route 122; the sea breeze, carrying salty and wet moisture, blew against his face.
The humid heat unique to the Hoenn region made the air feel somewhat viscous.
In the distance, Mt. Pyre was like a silent giant beast, lying quietly between the sea and the sky; most of the mountain was shrouded in year-round mist, exuding a mysterious 'keep away' vibe.
The waterway wasn't entirely covered by seawater; scattered along the way were rocky islands and sandbars of various sizes.
At this moment, on the largest sandbar, quite a few people had already gathered.
Without exception, these people were accompanied by Pokémon with extraordinary presence.
A faint sense of tension permeated the air; each team maintained a subtle distance from one another, and the crossing of their gazes involved scrutiny, vigilance, and appraisal.
Mt. Pyre wasn't a starting zone; those who dared to come here were at least Elite Level Trainers, and everyone carried a sharp, weathered aura.
Ariel's gaze swept over the crowd, pausing briefly in one direction.
There was a five-person team whose Pokémon—a glossy-furred Houndoom, a burly Rhydon, and a sharp-eyed Skarmory—all radiated a sense of pressure far exceeding that of their peers.
Other surrounding teams intentionally or unintentionally avoided the area they occupied, as if there were an invisible barrier there.
A bit interesting.
Ariel withdrew his gaze and didn't pay too much attention.
His purpose for coming this time was clear: first, to accompany Steven for experience, and second, to supplement his Team Evil with some high-level 'new members'.
He strolled to a quiet corner of the reefs, far from the hustle and bustle of the crowd, with lush trees that could be used to block his line of sight.
After confirming no one was around, Ariel flipped his wrist and threw three Poké Balls.
Flashes of red light appeared as the figures of Malamar, Weavile, and Gyarados emerged one after another.
As soon as the three Pokémon landed, they vigilantly looked around, their powerful auras causing the surrounding air to stagnate.
Ariel didn't waste words and directly took out three TMs shimmering with a silver-white luster.
"Malamar, Trick Room."
"Weavile, Throat Chop."
"Gyarados, Protect."
The three disks were placed on the foreheads of the three Pokémon, turning into data streams that surged into their minds.
These were high-value resources that could only be exchanged within Team Rockets; each skill could bring a qualitative change to a Pokémon's tactical system.
A flash of understanding crossed Malamar's eyes as its perception of space reached a new level;
Weavile's claws sliced through the air, creating a barely audible whistle;
Gyarados let out a low growl, and a thin energy shield surfaced on its body before vanishing in an instant.
Ariel nodded with satisfaction and looked up at the sky. There was still some time before his noon appointment with Steven.
With a thought, he released another Pokémon.
"Come out, Greninja."
Unlike the domineering auras of the previous three Pokémon, Greninja landed silently, like a shadow blending into the environment.
Ariel took out an exquisite wooden box and opened the lid; a crisp and deep oceanic scent instantly spread out.
Sea Incense!
This was a treasure gifted by Juan, the Sootopolis City Water-type Gym Leader, back then.
According to Juan, this item had miraculous effects on the training of Water-type Pokémon.
"Greninja, calm your mind and feel the energy within your body."
Greninja sat cross-legged as instructed, eyes tightly closed, entering a state of Calm Mind.
Ariel placed the Sea Incense in front of it.
In the next second, a wonderful sight occurred.
That incense, which looked like blue amber, ignited without fire; what drifted out was no longer ethereal fragrance, but wisps of blue mist that were as solid as substance.
These mists seemed to have a life of their own, actively gathering toward Greninja, entering its body through its nose, mouth, and even its skin pores.
Greninja's body trembled slightly, its long pink scarf moved without wind, and the Water-type energy on its body became active, surged, and climbed at an unprecedented speed!
Click.
With a soft sound, the Sea Incense in the wooden box turned into a handful of ash.
At the same time, Greninja suddenly opened its eyes, and an aura far stronger than before soared into the sky, then was perfectly retracted into its body.
Ariel clearly perceived that its energy level had risen by two ranks!
Level 49!
"Good grief..."
Ariel couldn't help but sigh softly.
This effect was even more exaggerated than eating Exp. Candies.
The gift from Gym Leader Juan was of immeasurable value.
Recalling the satisfied Pokémon back into their balls, Ariel found a coconut tree, leaned against the trunk, and closed his eyes to wait for Steven's arrival.
Time passed minute by minute.
...
About half an hour later, before Steven arrived, Ariel's mental power, which far exceeded that of ordinary people, caught a hint of movement first.
A group of five was walking toward his secluded corner.
The target... was him?
Ariel didn't open his eyes, continuing to pretend to be asleep, his breathing steady, like an ordinary youth waiting for his companions.
"Captain, look over there, there's a guy on his own."
A slightly frivolous female voice sounded, breaking the silence of the place.
"He doesn't even have a Pokémon by his side; he's probably a rookie who got separated from his team."
Ariel's ears twitched.
No Pokémon?
He had simply recalled them.
This woman's observation skills were truly... unique.
The footsteps stopped in front of him.
A shadow blocked the sunlight hitting his face.
"Ahem, little brother."
A man's voice, pretending to be steady, rang out.
"Excuse me."
Only then did Ariel slowly open his eyes, looking at the newcomers with a face full of 'just woke up' confusion.
Leading them was a tall man with dark skin and a look of scrutiny in his eyes.
Behind him were two men and two women; counting him, there were five people in total—exactly the powerful team Ariel had glimpsed earlier.
"Hello, we are the Black Fire Exploration Team, a professional Mt. Pyre exploration team."
The leading man had a professional smile on his face as he pointed to himself and the team members behind him.
"My name is Alex, and I'm the captain of this team."
He paused, his gaze sizing Ariel up as if evaluating the quality of goods.
"It's like this: our team is heading into the mountain this time, and we're still short of a support member. You'll mainly be responsible for carrying some spare supplies and doing some odd jobs at the camp. I see you're alone, little brother, and your stamina should be decent. Are you interested in joining us? Don't worry, the pay is negotiable. We'll give you 50,000 Pokedollars after we come down the mountain, how about it?"
Alex's tone carried a sense of condescending superiority.
In his view, for a lone youth who didn't even have a Pokémon, being able to rely on a powerful team like theirs and get paid was like a pie falling from the sky.
The confusion on Ariel's face gradually faded, replaced by a strange expression.
Support?
Carrying supplies?
Doing odd jobs?
He looked down at himself; in his casual clothes, he indeed didn't look like those fully-equipped professional explorers.
But... do I really look that weak?
Ariel almost burst out laughing.
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