Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 460: Prophetic Dream

February 21st, Tuesday, Cloudy.

Hoenn, Rustboro City.

"Garrr?"

Having arrived at a new place, Garganacl's eyes flickered with curiosity, caution, and unease—feelings it failed to fully mask beneath its usual imposing aura.

"Aiiy~~"

The ever-gentle Indeedee sister, who could sense the emotions of Pokémon, was now sporting a newly purchased pink bow on her head. She smiled warmly and offered the newcomer a freshly baked cake as a gesture of comfort.

Her superb baking skills, combined with Alcremie's rich cream topping, made the cake look incredibly tempting.

"Garrr?"

Garganacl swallowed a bit of saliva, pointing at the cake, then at itself.

This... This is for me?

"Aiiy~"

The Indeedee sister nodded gently.

"Garrr!"

Garganacl was deeply moved. After taking a bite, it was instantly won over by the cake's taste. How could such an amazing Pokémon like Indeedee exist in this world?!

Its admiration was written all over its face.

Meanwhile, the Indeedee brother shot it a glance before silently handing another cake—prepared as a welcome gift—to Jigglypuff.

"Puri!"

Jigglypuff, however, wasn't as easy to win over as Garganacl. It turned its head away with a huff, refusing to immediately accept the offering. Yet, the way its eyes kept sneaking glances at the cake completely betrayed its true feelings.

"Sis, I'll leave 'Salt King' in your care from now on."

Lying on a lounge chair, flipping through a book while resting, Johan chuckled.

"Aiiy~!" The Indeedee sister responded sweetly.

"Garrr?"

Garganacl tilted its head in confusion before quickly growing excited.

Having such a gentle Indeedee as its caretaker? This was too good to be true!

It failed to notice the sympathetic gazes from the Indeedee brother, Alcremie, and Gengar.

Johan smirked but didn't bother explaining. In a few days, Garganacl would understand his well-intentioned reasoning.

If it wanted to maintain its act, truly becoming a "Salt King" was the best option.

His gaze swept across the courtyard.

With Garganacl's arrival and both Dragonite and Urshifu having evolved, the yard... was starting to feel cramped.

"Maybe I should buy the land behind the house?" Johan pondered.

That way, he could plant more flowers and greenery.

He could also expand the garden for his Ice Radish and Black Radish crops...

Perhaps even plant some berries.

Not necessarily to save money, but at the very least, the Pokémon would have a larger space to roam.

For buying land, the best option was to consult Devon Corporation—he could ask Steven about it later.

"Since our 'Salt King' is here, let's have a salt-baked feast today!"

After roughing it out in the wild for the past few days, and with the food on the cruise ship and at Professor Elm's lab being just average, Johan was eager to test Garganacl's capabilities.

"Garrr?"

The warmth from Indeedee's kindness faded as Garganacl suddenly had a bad feeling.

Had it come to the wrong place?

A shiver ran down its back. Slowly turning its head, it locked eyes with Larvitar—who was staring at it with intense anticipation.

"Garrr!ヾ(▼▼;)"

Garganacl stiffened, trying to put on a serious expression.

But Larvitar wasn't fazed. Instead, it swallowed hard and continued to gaze at Garganacl, eyes filled with eagerness.

"Garrr(﹏)"

With a resigned sigh, Garganacl reached into its rocky body, pulled out a chunk of pure white rock covered in salt, and stuffed it into Larvitar's mouth.

"Yoji!"

Larvitar was overjoyed, immediately plopping down on the ground and chomping away happily.

Garganacl: (﹏)σ

...Why is its taste preference so extreme?!

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar eagerly raised its hand, volunteering to go buy ingredients for the feast.

But Johan ignored it outright.

Letting Gengar do the grocery shopping?

They'd end up with half the supermarket in their house.

This kind of task was best left to Indeedee sister—much more reliable.

Johan even had an internal "reliability ranking" for his Pokémon.

Top Tier: Indeedee siblings, Alcremie, Ninetales.

Mid Tier (-1): Tinkaton, Dragonite, Urshifu, Charcadet—Pokémon that only occasionally went out of control.

Lower Tier (-2): Larvitar—who had already demonstrated exceptional talent in chaos.

Bottom Tier (-10): Gengar—pure chaos incarnate.

Yes. This ranking was perfectly reasonable.

"By the way, where's Marshadow?" Johan suddenly realized a certain little Pokémon was missing.

Ever since returning last time, Marshadow had stopped following Johan as his "shadow guide" and had instead taken on a new role—"Radish Field Guardian."

It was frequently seen patrolling the Black Radish patch, wielding a small wooden stick to fend off any "thieves."

"Oowoo~~"

The ever-graceful Ninetales, resting beside Johan, lifted its tail and pointed under the camping table.

There—

"Puri?!"

Jigglypuff raised its cream-covered face from inside a cake, looking utterly surprised and innocent.

Next to it, hidden in the shadows, Marshadow was standing with its small wooden stick, watching intently.

"Puri!! (≧皿≦)"

Johan chuckled as he glanced around the courtyard.

This little family of his... was quite large now.

His Pokémon were roughly divided into:

Main Battle Team: Gengar, Ninetales, Tinkaton, Dragonite, Urshifu, Charcadet, and Larvitar—seven in total.

Support Pokémon: Currently just Rotom—but a highly versatile one.

It handled everything: crafting Pokéblocks, collecting reports, navigating, cleaning, and even cooking.

Truly, an essential Pokémon for daily life.

Café Employees: Indeedee siblings, Alcremie, and the newly arrived Garganacl—

...who was temporarily just a decorative statue.

Freeloaders: Marshadow and Jigglypuff.

They might leave someday... or they might just keep mooching forever.

Marshadow had at least taken up the role of Radish Field Guardian, but as for Jigglypuff...

Should he open a 'Pokémon Daycare'?

Ding!!

"Food's ready, Roto!"

Rotom, acting as a portable oven, cheerfully announced.

As the oven door swung open, the rich aroma of salt-baked dishes filled the air.

Johan snapped back to reality, glancing at the neatly arranged, salt-crusted dishes before him.

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"Charcadet, we're good to go."

"Goka~"

Charcadet, who had been meditating near the grill, nodded and extinguished its flames.

"Ka-kaah!!"

Gengar cupped its hands around its mouth and shouted—

Dinner time!!

In an instant—

The Pokémon who had been playing, training, and hiding across the yard all rushed to the new stone dining table.

A table that had just been crafted by Garganacl and Tinkaton.

As for the bite marks on the edges... those could be ignored.

Ninetales gently tied a white napkin around Larvitar's neck, following Johan's instructions to keep it from biting the table.

The Indeedee siblings distributed Pokéblocks—one per Pokémon, no fighting allowed.

After all, regular food alone wouldn't be enough to keep their appetites satisfied. Pokéblocks were a must-have staple.

Meanwhile, Gengar eagerly cracked open the salt crusts, peeling back layers of foil to reveal steaming-hot dishes.

Salt-Baked Chicken, Salt-Baked Shrimp, Salt-Baked Clams, Salt-Baked Fish...

The normal menu items.

Then there were the "specialty" dishes that no one wanted to mention—Salt-Baked Venom, Salt-Baked Minerals, Salt-Baked Batteries...

A true Salt-Baked Feast!

Tears welled up in Garganacl's eyes.

It had a bad feeling.

If news of this meal spread... wouldn't its entire species be in danger?!

All the Pokémon eagerly turned to Johan.

Johan smiled.

"Let's raise our glasses! A toast to Jigglypuff and our 'Salt King'!"

Clink!

Glasses of Berry Juice, Moomoo Milk, and sodas were downed in one gulp.

"Let's eat!"

Laughter filled the air in one corner of Rustboro City.

March 6th, Friday, Light Rain.

Rustboro Pokémon Academy, Pokémon Psychology Consultation Room.

"Thank you, Professor!"

A female student dressed in Rustboro Pokémon Academy's uniform bowed politely to Johan, her eyes filled with admiration.

Johan smiled. "No need to thank me. Just remember—next time you watch a horror movie, don't bring your Spoink along."

The girl blushed, nodding quickly. "O-okay!"

As she left, Johan stretched his body, letting out a small yawn.

"Time to check on the little ones' training."

He stood up and walked toward the door.

"Johan?"

The moment he stepped outside, he heard a familiar voice.

Turning his head, he spotted Professor Cozmo, looking slightly travel-worn, just as he was about to enter the room.

"Professor Cozmo? Long time no see."

"Hahaha—yeah, I've been busy lately," Cozmo said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.

Johan's eyes flickered with curiosity.

"A big meteorite?"

Professor Cozmo blinked, looking puzzled. "No, nothing like that."

Johan exhaled slightly in relief.

Good. No big meteorites meant no big problems.

"I was just asking casually."

Cozmo chuckled. "Nah, nothing major. Just small meteorites here and there. Though... the ones that actually reach the ground are rare."

Of course. Rayquaza eats most of them before they even get a chance to land.

Unless Rayquaza was napping, it was rare for meteorites to actually hit Hoenn.

This made life pretty difficult for meteorite researchers like Professor Cozmo—his work was practically on "Hell Mode."

"If you've got time, let's grab a meal together," Johan suggested.

He figured it would be good to check in on Rayquaza and the "Two Dummies" while keeping an ear on Cozmo's research. If needed, he might have to take precautionary measures.

"I'm just here to pick up something real quick—heading out again soon," Cozmo said apologetically.

Johan waved a hand dismissively. "No worries, next time then."

After all, as long as no big meteorites appeared, there was no rush.

"Alright, sounds good."

—

Sinnoh Region, Celestic Town.

Early spring carried a hint of warmth mixed with lingering cold.

Cynthia nestled comfortably into the soft sofa, her golden hair falling over her face, revealing only the curve of her nose.

Her fingers lazily scrolled through her phone as she skimmed the latest Pokémon League updates.

Her lips pressed together slightly as she read the words—

"Youth Master Invitational Tournament."

Beside her, Caitlin was dressed in a white nightgown, leaning against Cynthia while hugging her knees. Her breathing was soft and rhythmic.

Then suddenly—

Caitlin trembled and shot upright, eyes slightly red, as if she had just woken from a nightmare.

Her voice was shaky, carrying a faint trace of tears as she called out—

"Cynthia..."

Cynthia put her phone down immediately.

Gently pulling Caitlin into her embrace, she stroked her head softly, speaking in a soothing voice—

"What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

"Mm..." Caitlin murmured in response, her voice as small as a whisper.

She buried her face in Cynthia's scent, trying to calm herself down.

"Let me guess... you dreamed about losing the Youth Master Tournament?" Cynthia teased lightly, her fingers running through Caitlin's fluffy hair.

"As if I'd ever lose to him!" Caitlin huffed, scrunching her nose in irritation.

Him.

Cynthia chuckled softly.

She still didn't understand why Caitlin had such a grudge against Johan.

"But yeah... I really did have a nightmare."

"Tell me about it?"

"Mm..."

Caitlin took a deep breath, as if trying to recall the details. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke—

"I dreamt... of meteorites raining down like a storm... a lonely being searching for its companion... but its partner seemed to be asleep, unable to awaken..."

She paused for a moment before continuing—

"The god of the sky was provoked... and in its fury, it unleashed its wrath upon the earth... triggering tsunamis and bringing forth endless calamity..."

"Hm?" Cynthia furrowed her brows slightly.

She couldn't help but ask—

"Was that... a prophetic dream?"

"Maybe..." Caitlin mumbled, snuggling deeper into Cynthia's arms as though she was drifting back to sleep.

"Where did it happen?"

But Caitlin didn't seem to hear the question anymore.

Instead, she continued murmuring—

"Ancient grudges awaken from distant lands... shaking the world... Its awakening brings forth a series of chain reactions...

This isn't the end.

This is only... the beginning..."

Cynthia's expression turned grim.

She knew Caitlin's abilities well.

As a powerful psychic, her prophetic dreams were rarely wrong.

If her vision was accurate... then trouble was coming.

One problem after another.

Taking a deep breath, Cynthia steadied herself.

Her gaze became sharp and resolute.

"This is our generation's responsibility."

—

Johan carried Larvitar out of the training room, just in time to hear a familiar voice.

"Professor!"

He turned his head.

And there he was—his student, the handsome, strong, and filthy rich Steven.

"Just finished training? What about Roxanne and Flannery?"

It had been a few days since he last saw them.

Steven nodded, smiling. "They've been training really hard lately."

Since classes had ended, the two walked toward the school gate.

"They're training that hard?"

Johan raised an eyebrow.

Roxanne made sense—she was currently acting as a substitute Gym Leader, so she had to keep up appearances.

But Flannery?

She wasn't due to inherit her Gym just yet, and she wasn't the type to train non-stop.

"Professor, you don't know?"

"Know what?" Johan blinked.

Steven pulled out his phone, swiping the screen a few times before showing Johan the display.

"Youth Master Invitational Tournament."

Johan read the title aloud.

...Huh?

...HUH?!

Steven simply nodded in confirmation.

So that flyer Bertha had seen wasn't just some flashy clickbait.

The Youth Master Invitational Tournament was exactly what it sounded like—a tournament exclusively for young trainers who had reached the Master rank.

Unlike the regional Pokémon League Championships, which only required eight Gym Badges (and had wildly varying skill levels), this was a true high-level competition.

Johan's eye twitched.

This wasn't just another tournament.

This was basically a mini Champion's League.

Look at Steven.

He never cared about the Pokémon League... but for this tournament?

He was definitely planning to participate.

And if Steven was competing...

It meant other top-tier trainers were likely entering as well.

If Lance, Cynthia, Palmer, or even Bertha decided to join...

This was turning into a battle royale for the next generation's strongest trainer.

Nope.

Not interested.

Steven casually added, "The champion gets 50 million Pokédollars and some rare, exclusive battle items—ones you can't buy anywhere."

"How much?"

Johan's voice instantly rose in pitch.

Steven blinked. "50 million Pokédollars. But honestly, the money isn't the point—it's the rare items that are—"

Johan coughed.

50 million Pokédollars, huh...

He'd think about it.

Later.

Right now, it was just an announcement.

"By the way, Professor, are you free this weekend?"

Steven put his phone away, his expression turning even more excited than when talking about the tournament.

"The company's exploration team just detected a rare mineral deposit. Since it's the weekend, why don't we—"

Rare minerals?

No wonder Steven was so excited.

So the real reason for his enthusiasm wasn't the tournament—

It was mining.

Johan glanced at Larvitar, still nibbling on its last piece of ore.

"Yoji! Yoji!"

Larvitar flailed its tiny feet in excitement.

"Where?" Johan asked.

If they could dig up something valuable...

Maybe even a Mega Stone or two...

Steven grinned.

"Slateport City."

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Powerstones?

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