Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Auction

"First, you can handle the angry Whalords and the Whalord King yourself; second, our League can resolve it for you, though you would bear the costs afterwards. Third, if you neither intend to solve it yourself nor compensate, and even plan to escape, then we'll have to detain you and let the League's judge try your case. Which will you choose?" The staff member offered three solutions with a warm smile, his manner exceedingly polite.

"I... I..." The man's face was somewhat pale. Although three options were presented, in truth, only the second was viable for him.

The first was out of the question—he simply lacked the strength. And if he did possess it, he wouldn't be short a Whalord. The third would set him against the League, whose authority he knew all too well; he had no desire to risk years behind bars for a matter of money.

After the man, pale and trembling, paid the sum, Zhao Fang saw a figure leap from the top of the cruise ship.

It was a man dressed as a captain, wearing a captain's hat. His appearance and attire struck Zhao Fang as familiar, especially as he wore only a cloak and no shirt beneath—this feeling of déjà vu grew stronger.

The man produced a Poké Ball and threw it forcefully. Instantly, Zhao Fang saw a Kingdra appear in the water, its powerful dragon-type aura spreading in all directions.

"Kingdra, communicate with the Whalord Kings. As for the injured Whalord, we'll treat it." The man waved his hand, issuing his command.

Kingdra nodded and dove underwater. A moment later, the Whalord Kings uttered sounds whose meaning was unclear, then parted to open a path. The wounded Whalord swam through with difficulty.

The man in the cloak jumped straight down, landing atop a Whalord King and walking across its back. He applied a potion to the injured Whalord, and from his pocket, he took a small Water Stone, placing it in its mouth. The Whalord immediately became joyful, calling out in delight.

"Unlucky little one, there you go—grow well." The man laughed heartily, then had Kingdra carry him back to the ship.

Afterward, the Whalords and Whalord Kings called out once and continued swimming onward. The troublemaker's face grew even worse, for he saw the staff member approaching with a bright smile and a bill in hand.

Zhao Fang glanced at the man with sympathy. For the sake of just one Whalord, he would have to pay such a heavy price. Though Zhao Fang didn't know the exact fee for hiring that powerful trainer, he did know the Water Stone was far from cheap.

"That's Captain Haimu, disciple of Champion Genji, isn't it?" Nearby tourists were abuzz with conversation, and Zhao Fang caught a crucial detail.

Champion Genji? Zhao Fang certainly knew the name—the foremost of the Hoenn region's Elite Four, the Dragon-type Champion. Unlike the Flying-type Champion, Genji's Pokémon were almost all dragons, and his strength was formidable. Thinking back, Captain Haimu's attire indeed seemed modeled after Genji.

"Champion..." Zhao Fang smacked his lips. His own dream was to become a Champion, but the road was not easy. Still, Zhao Fang had patience—after all, Ash traveled for many years before winning a championship. Zhao Fang wanted to see if this year he could claim the Hoenn League title, earning the right to enter the Masters Tournament next year.

Winning the Hoenn League grants the privilege to challenge the Masters, and although the top three can challenge, the champion's status carries the most weight. To defeat the Elite Four or challenge the champion, one must participate in the Masters Tournament, as only its records are officially recognized by the League.

Zhao Fang scratched his head, suddenly recalling something. When he played the Ruby and Sapphire series, he had looked up the Elite Four's stories. He remembered that Champion Genji became a trainer to repay a certain Pokémon, which was a dragon-type, though he couldn't recall exactly which Pokémon it was.

Once the Whalord Kings departed, the cruise ship resumed its journey. Zhao Fang went to the dining hall for a casual meal; ordinary fare on the ship was self-serve and free, but if one wanted something finer, payment was required. Zhao Fang had no such desire.

"Have you heard there's going to be an auction in Slateport City?" As Zhao Fang ate, the table beside him was deep in conversation.

"Of course I've heard. There are plenty of good items at this auction—I heard the highlight is a Dragonite egg." Zhao Fang overheard their discussion, but it didn't interest him. Auctions were auctions; without money, one could hardly buy anything. Though Zhao Fang had earned a little lately, it would still be tough to purchase anything at such an event.

"Yes, a Dragonite egg. With that, winning a tournament would hardly be difficult... It's a pity I'm too old for it, and my son isn't interested in being a trainer. My wife, however, has her eye on a gemstone—she wants me to buy it for her to play with," said a gentlemanly middle-aged man with a smile. Though he spoke of the Dragonite egg, Zhao Fang felt the man was bragging about his wealth.

Still, Zhao Fang was intrigued by the mention of the gemstone. He recalled his visit to the mansion in Petalburg Woods, where he had encountered the giant Gengar. It had told him to look for a gemstone, promising a great reward if he found one.

The conversation soon shifted from the auction to making more money, then to how men should care for themselves, and finally to the mysterious locations in Slateport City. By then, their voices had dropped, and Zhao Fang could no longer make out what they were saying.

"An auction, huh?" Zhao Fang was somewhat interested, but his attention was more focused on the progress of the messaging app Miss Mayumi was developing.

Earlier, when Zhao Fang contacted Mayumi, she had told him that finalizing and testing the app would take about a week, and now that time was nearly up.

After Zhao Fang sent Miss Mayumi a message, a software file was transmitted to his Pokédex.

Excitedly, Zhao Fang opened it—it was indeed the messaging app, and much improved. The opening screen featured a Poké Ball icon, and all the usual features like the friend circle were present.

Zhao Fang was satisfied—at last, he could communicate with others conveniently. With this in mind, he sent the app link to everyone he had connected with, including a description of its purpose.