Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 476: The Scent of the Ocean?

Whoosh—

The sea surged, as if something was about to emerge from the depths.

To be honest, Johan was no stranger to "Encounter Power."

Back in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, he used it all the time to farm wild Iron Hands and Iron Thorns.

But in real life...

If you're so capable, why don't you make Kyogre appear?!

"Bloop—!!"

The water churned violently, even spilling onto the sandy shore.

Then, within the swirling waves, the Pokémon drawn in by the enticing aroma finally surfaced.

A smooth, deep-blue body, sponge-like pale blue lips and fins, and two long, curling golden whiskers...

Whiscash!

"It's a Whiscash, Roto!"

"The Whiskers Pokémon—Water/Ground-type. It has an extremely strong territorial instinct and eats just about anything!"

Rotom swallowed its mouthful of curry before eagerly providing the explanation.

A Water/Ground-type Pokémon...

Not many Pokémon had this typing—only Swampert, Quagsire, Seismitoad, and Whiscash shared it.

But this type combination was incredibly powerful, with only one weakness—Grass.

Though, to be fair, that one weakness was quadruple damage.

"Ka-kaah~!"

Gengar stood right in front of the curry pot, bowl in hand, devouring large spoonfuls while making its stance clear.

This is ours!

"Bloop!"

The Whiscash eyed the steaming curry hungrily, gulping as water surged around them.

They weren't here to negotiate—they were here to take it.

"Rotom." Johan unfastened his apron.

These Whiscash were no pushovers.

"Lawnmower form."

Gengar quickly dug into its pocket dimension, pulling out a lawnmower—Rotom's usual tool for yard work at home.

"Huh? Huh??" Rotom blinked in confusion but obediently zapped out of the Pokédex and dove into the machine.

As soon as it merged with the device, the lawnmower transformed into Mow Rotom!

"Leaf Storm!"

Mow Rotom froze.

W-Wait, you want me to fight all these angry Whiscash?!

Rotom gulped.

But despite its hesitation, Johan's steady gaze left no room for refusal.

Hopefully... hopefully they'd retreat peacefully.

Whirrr—

The motor roared to life, green energy surging at its cutting blades, forming a glowing emerald sphere.

A moment later—

A massive storm of razor-sharp leaves erupted from the light, spiraling toward the Whiscash like a tornado.

Between the sea and the shore, countless whirling leaves danced in the air.

One by one, the Whiscash were forced back, some even fainting on the spot.

"Yoji!!"

Larvitar, gripping a small wooden stick (normally used as a teething toy), stared in awe.

So strong!

Its eyes sparkled with admiration as it gazed at Rotom.

It had never imagined that Rotom, who usually just took pictures and videos, could be this powerful—and the transformation was so cool!

Sensing Larvitar's admiration, Rotom puffed up with pride.

"Stay humble, Roto. Stay humble."

"Bloop!!"

But not all of the Whiscash were defeated.

The leader of the group suddenly whipped its tail, sending a powerful Muddy Water attack surging toward Mow Rotom.

Rotom: Σ(дlll)

"Ninetales, Freeze-Dry."

"Oowoo~~"

Unlike the nervous Rotom, Ninetales remained calm and composed.

Opening its mouth, it exhaled an icy blue mist, releasing a piercing frost beam.

Crack, crack, crack—

The muddy wave froze solid in an instant, layers of ice rapidly spreading outward.

In the blink of an eye—

Even the Whiscash itself was encased in a frozen block.

Freeze-Dry was an Ice-type move, but due to its special mechanics, it dealt double damage to Water-types.

Combined with Ice's natural advantage over Ground-types...

This attack was quadruple super effective!

As the frosty mist gradually faded, Ninetales elegantly tucked in its tails.

The Whiscash were all frozen solid, completely immobilized.

"Yoji!!"

"Hahaha!"

Larvitar cheered, brandishing its wooden stick as it charged forward like a miniature Ceruledge.

In its imagination, it was a cold, ruthless swordsman—

Provided it didn't trip.

Which it did.

"Thud!"

Halfway through its dramatic charge, Larvitar stumbled into a small sandpit and faceplanted into the ground.

"Pfft—"

Gengar nearly spat out its drink, while Urshifu and Tinkaton failed to hold back their laughter.

Dragonite, on the other hand, looked on in sympathy.

It had been just like Larvitar when it was little...

Johan chuckled, shaking his head as he walked over.

Grabbing the little one by its blunt horn, he lifted it out of the sand.

Its entire face and body were covered in sand, eyes tightly shut as it continued swinging its wooden stick.

Feeling himself being lifted, Larvitar slowly opened its eyes, looking up with a pitiful expression.

It pointed accusingly at the spot where it had tripped.

Johan brushed off the sand, then placed it gently on the ground.

"You're a future 'Tyrant of the Desert.' Shouldn't you know where the sand is uneven?"

"Yoji?"

Larvitar blinked.

Then scratched its head.

Then—realization.

"Oh yeah!"

It looked down at its hands, then dropped the stick and clenched its fists.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

From beneath its feet, grains of sand swirled like tiny serpents, forming a small sandstorm.

Huh?

Johan raised an eyebrow, stepping back to give it space.

"Yoji~~"

Larvitar also seemed surprised.

But after glancing at its small sand vortex, it thought—not big enough.

It kicked up more sand—

Then used its hands to toss even more into the air.

And sure enough—

The more sand it lifted, the larger the sandstorm grew.

"Yoji~~"

Its eyes sparkled with excitement as the swirling storm intensified.

Johan's expression turned strange as he kept stepping back.

The sandstorm was growing way faster than expected.

Before long—

Golden sand filled the air, shrouding everything in a swirling haze.

Within the storm, a shadowy silhouette emerged—

A ferocious, dinosaur-like beast stood tall, roaring into the skies.

Meanwhile, Urshifu and Dragonite had rushed to move the picnic table to the farthest edge of the beach.

The Pokémon gathered there—watching in amazement.

This entire storm... was caused by tiny Larvitar?!

And all because it was... playing in the sand?

Wild Pokémon began retreating, except for the frozen Whiscash.

Even nearby Water-types seemed alarmed.

Some even noticed—the tide had receded slightly.

"Which Pokémon caused this sandstorm?!"

Boom!!

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From the center of the sandstorm, a thunderous roar erupted.

A moment later—

The storm suddenly collapsed, sending a rain of sand falling across the beach.

And in the aftermath—

Little Larvitar stood in the middle, yelling in triumph.

"Yoji—!!"

Johan sighed, brushing sand from his hair.

No doubt about it.

This little Larvitar definitely had the makings of a true 'Tyrant of the Desert.'

If only it didn't look so adorably fierce.

Looking at his Pokédex, Johan noticed—

A new move had appeared in Larvitar's movelist.

Sandstorm.

"So this is the natural talent of a young Tyranitar..."

Johan mused.

Not bad.

At the very least...

It saved him money on a TM.

The sudden appearance of the Whiscash horde and Larvitar learning Sandstorm had turned their little picnic into an unexpected event.

But thanks to the combined efforts of Urshifu and Dragonite, the food and table remained untouched.

Johan and his Pokémon happily finished their meal.

The Rare Candy's effects were evenly distributed among his team, ensuring that every Pokémon benefited in some way.

The most noticeable gains were for Larvitar and Rotom, who had both leveled up directly.

After lunch, they soaked in the sun and enjoyed fresh fruit for dessert.

Tropius, now completely stripped of its bananas: (╥_╥)

Finally, after a quick discussion, the Pokémon agreed—

They should check out Crescent Island.

Not because they were expecting rewards or looking for battles, but...

Rare Candy was delicious.

And if completing Glacia's task meant getting another one, they were all in.

So, after a short break, Johan and his Pokémon set off toward the lush, palm-covered Crescent Island.

"Ka-kaah~"

Gengar held a coconut in one hand, pointing at a group of Exeggutor disguised among the palm trees.

Johan also held a coconut, enjoying the refreshing taste of the coconut water.

The warm sun, the gentle sea breeze, and the swaying palm trees—it almost felt like a vacation in Alola.

Of course, despite the tropical setting, the season wasn't particularly hot.

At Johan's command, Rotom and Ninetales approached an Exeggutor, politely asking if it had seen anything unusual wash up from the ocean recently.

Unfortunately...

Even though Exeggutor were Psychic-types, their three separate heads each had individual thoughts.

To prevent internal arguments, they only thought about themselves.

As a result, they were too focused on their own affairs to notice anything else.

Johan wasn't surprised.

Even the wild Tropius they met earlier had no idea.

If they found something, great.

If not... well, it was still a nice vacation.

That said, Crescent Island was still a dangerous place.

Not every Pokémon was as friendly as Exeggutor.

For example, besides the Whiscash horde from earlier, there were also wild Seviper, Arbok, and Venomoth that would attack on sight.

But Johan's Pokémon were more than prepared.

If anything, they were disappointed when enemies didn't attack.

"Goka!"

Holding a coconut in one hand, Ceruledge's eyes flashed.

It casually tossed the coconut into the air—

At the same time, a ghostly blue flame formed in its free hand, transforming into a blade.

In a single fluid motion, it slashed through an incoming glob of Venomous Goo, sending it splattering into the trees.

Without hesitation, it swung again, knocking an Ariados out of its hiding spot.

Then, in a graceful spin, Ceruledge returned to its original position, dismissing its sword in a flourish before catching the falling coconut.

Taking a small sip, it acted as if nothing had happened.

Its teammates immediately gave it a round of thumbs-ups.

"As expected, you're the best at showing off."

"Yoji..."

Larvitar, clutching a coconut as big as its own head, looked up at Ceruledge with pure admiration.

It glanced around, then its eyes lit up.

Dropping the coconut, it grabbed a wooden stick from the ground.

Meanwhile—

A small, fluffy brown head peeked out from behind a palm tree.

Two beady eyes locked onto the abandoned coconut.

Larvitar waved its stick a few times.

Could it, someday, be like Ceruledge—cool, swift, and elegant like a true swordsman?

Above its head, a thought bubble appeared, displaying its fantasy.

A windswept cliffside at sunset—

Larvitar, wearing a tiny straw hat and a tattered cloak, stood against the howling winds.

A short sword was tucked at its side, its gaze calm and unreadable...

Putting aside the fact that it still looked adorably round, it did have the aura of a lone swordsman.

"Ka-kaah."

Gengar, standing nearby with a finger on Larvitar's head, watched the whole fantasy unfold.

Tinkaton, Dragonite, and Urshifu all gathered around, sipping their coconut water with amused smiles.

Larvitar snapped out of its daydream, suddenly realizing—

Why is there a floating bubble above my head?!

Especially after seeing its own fantasy self, its face turned red.

"Yoji! Yoji!"

Gengar chuckled, pulling its hand back.

The thought bubble popped.

"Oowoo~"

"Garruu~"

"Goka~"

Everyone shared a knowing grin—like older siblings who had just discovered their naïve little brother's secret.

Larvitar huffed, face still red.

It threw down the stick and turned to grab its coconut, only to realize—

"Yoji!!"

The coconut was gone!

"Eeeh, eehoo!"

Startled by Larvitar's outburst, a soft sound came from behind a palm tree.

There—

A tiny brown bear Pokémon stood, holding Larvitar's coconut.

"Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pokémon. Normal-type. It loves sweet things like honey and tree sap. When it gets nervous, it licks its paws, Roto!"

Teddiursa?

But before anyone could react—

The entire squad of Pokémon turned toward it.

Gengar—grinning wickedly.

Urshifu—tall and intimidating.

Dragonite—casting a giant shadow.

Tinkaton—casually wielding an enormous hammer.

Thud.

The coconut fell to the ground.

Teddiursa froze, its big eyes filling with tears.

"Eeeh... eehoo..."

Seeing this, Urshifu panicked, and even Dragonite looked flustered.

It wasn't that they weren't affected by the cuteness, but—

If someone saw this scene, wouldn't it look like they were bullying a little kid?!

"Yoji!"

Larvitar stepped forward, picking up the coconut and placing it back into Teddiursa's arms.

Then, in an over-the-top "big brother" gesture, it patted Teddiursa's head.

The Pokémon watched in silence.

Finally, Ninetales approached, wrapping a tail around Teddiursa and offering it a Pokéblock.

With a gentle smile, it even used its tail to wipe Teddiursa's tears.

"Eeehoo..."

Unlike the scary gang of thugs, Ninetales gave off an aura of warmth.

Sniffling, Teddiursa cautiously accepted the Pokéblock.

As it chewed, its eyes sparkled.

"So gentle... so tasty!"

Watching this scene, Johan smiled slightly.

Once upon a time, when Ninetales was still a little Vulpix, it was also timid, shy, and easily brought to tears.

Now, it had grown into a "big sister" figure for younger Pokémon.

That was not only Ninetales' growth... but also his own.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Johan's mind.

Crouching down, he asked, "Teddiursa, have you seen anything that washed up from the ocean recently?"

"Eeeh, eehoo?"

Teddiursa tilted its head, thinking for a moment.

Then—its eyes lit up.

It jumped excitedly and pointed toward the distance.

"Eeehoo! Eeehoo!"

It gestured wildly as it spoke.

"Golden! Golden! Like a big blob of honey! And... a bunch of 'Bzzzz Bzzzz' took it away! Over there, Roto!"

Rotom translated.

Johan frowned slightly.

"Bzzzz Bzzzz?"

What kind of Pokémon was "Bzzzz Bzzzz"?

"I... I don't know, Roto."

Neither Rotom nor the other Pokémon understood.

But—

"ROARR!!"

A furious howl erupted from the forest, followed by heavy footsteps.

"Eeehoo!!"

Teddiursa turned excitedly toward the sound.

A shadow loomed—

A massive group of Ursaring was approaching.

Johan remained calm, ruffling Teddiursa's fluffy head with a smile.

"Thanks for your help, Teddiursa."

He tossed it a few more Pokéblocks, then gave his Pokémon a knowing glance.

Time to run.

Before the Ursaring could see their "baby" surrounded by a bunch of thugs...

They disappeared into the trees.

The sudden appearance of the Whiscash horde and Larvitar learning Sandstorm had turned their little picnic into an unexpected event.

But thanks to the combined efforts of Urshifu and Dragonite, the food and table remained untouched.

Johan and his Pokémon happily finished their meal.

The Rare Candy's effects were evenly distributed among his team, ensuring that every Pokémon benefited in some way.

The most noticeable gains were for Larvitar and Rotom, who had both leveled up directly.

After lunch, they soaked in the sun and enjoyed fresh fruit for dessert.

Tropius, now completely stripped of its bananas: (╥_╥)

Finally, after a quick discussion, the Pokémon agreed—

They should check out Crescent Island.

Not because they were expecting rewards or looking for battles, but...

Rare Candy was delicious.

And if completing Glacia's task meant getting another one, they were all in.

So, after a short break, Johan and his Pokémon set off toward the lush, palm-covered Crescent Island.

"Ka-kaah~"

Gengar held a coconut in one hand, pointing at a group of Exeggutor disguised among the palm trees.

Johan also held a coconut, enjoying the refreshing taste of the coconut water.

The warm sun, the gentle sea breeze, and the swaying palm trees—it almost felt like a vacation in Alola.

Of course, despite the tropical setting, the season wasn't particularly hot.

At Johan's command, Rotom and Ninetales approached an Exeggutor, politely asking if it had seen anything unusual wash up from the ocean recently.

Unfortunately...

Even though Exeggutor were Psychic-types, their three separate heads each had individual thoughts.

To prevent internal arguments, they only thought about themselves.

As a result, they were too focused on their own affairs to notice anything else.

Johan wasn't surprised.

Even the wild Tropius they met earlier had no idea.

If they found something, great.

If not... well, it was still a nice vacation.

That said, Crescent Island was still a dangerous place.

Not every Pokémon was as friendly as Exeggutor.

For example, besides the Whiscash horde from earlier, there were also wild Seviper, Arbok, and Venomoth that would attack on sight.

But Johan's Pokémon were more than prepared.

If anything, they were disappointed when enemies didn't attack.

"Goka!"

Holding a coconut in one hand, Ceruledge's eyes flashed.

It casually tossed the coconut into the air—

At the same time, a ghostly blue flame formed in its free hand, transforming into a blade.

In a single fluid motion, it slashed through an incoming glob of Venomous Goo, sending it splattering into the trees.

Without hesitation, it swung again, knocking an Ariados out of its hiding spot.

Then, in a graceful spin, Ceruledge returned to its original position, dismissing its sword in a flourish before catching the falling coconut.

Taking a small sip, it acted as if nothing had happened.

Its teammates immediately gave it a round of thumbs-ups.

"As expected, you're the best at showing off."

"Yoji..."

Larvitar, clutching a coconut as big as its own head, looked up at Ceruledge with pure admiration.

It glanced around, then its eyes lit up.

Dropping the coconut, it grabbed a wooden stick from the ground.

Meanwhile—

A small, fluffy brown head peeked out from behind a palm tree.

Two beady eyes locked onto the abandoned coconut.

Larvitar waved its stick a few times.

Could it, someday, be like Ceruledge—cool, swift, and elegant like a true swordsman?

Above its head, a thought bubble appeared, displaying its fantasy.

A windswept cliffside at sunset—

Larvitar, wearing a tiny straw hat and a tattered cloak, stood against the howling winds.

A short sword was tucked at its side, its gaze calm and unreadable...

Putting aside the fact that it still looked adorably round, it did have the aura of a lone swordsman.

"Ka-kaah."

Gengar, standing nearby with a finger on Larvitar's head, watched the whole fantasy unfold.

Tinkaton, Dragonite, and Urshifu all gathered around, sipping their coconut water with amused smiles.

Larvitar snapped out of its daydream, suddenly realizing—

Why is there a floating bubble above my head?!

Especially after seeing its own fantasy self, its face turned red.

"Yoji! Yoji!"

Gengar chuckled, pulling its hand back.

The thought bubble popped.

"Oowoo~"

"Garruu~"

"Goka~"

Everyone shared a knowing grin—like older siblings who had just discovered their naïve little brother's secret.

Larvitar huffed, face still red.

It threw down the stick and turned to grab its coconut, only to realize—

"Yoji!!"

The coconut was gone!

"Eeeh, eehoo!"

Startled by Larvitar's outburst, a soft sound came from behind a palm tree.

There—

A tiny brown bear Pokémon stood, holding Larvitar's coconut.

"Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pokémon. Normal-type. It loves sweet things like honey and tree sap. When it gets nervous, it licks its paws, Roto!"

Teddiursa?

But before anyone could react—

The entire squad of Pokémon turned toward it.

Gengar—grinning wickedly.

Urshifu—tall and intimidating.

Dragonite—casting a giant shadow.

Tinkaton—casually wielding an enormous hammer.

Thud.

The coconut fell to the ground.

Teddiursa froze, its big eyes filling with tears.

"Eeeh... eehoo..."

Seeing this, Urshifu panicked, and even Dragonite looked flustered.

It wasn't that they weren't affected by the cuteness, but—

If someone saw this scene, wouldn't it look like they were bullying a little kid?!

"Yoji!"

Larvitar stepped forward, picking up the coconut and placing it back into Teddiursa's arms.

Then, in an over-the-top "big brother" gesture, it patted Teddiursa's head.

The Pokémon watched in silence.

Finally, Ninetales approached, wrapping a tail around Teddiursa and offering it a Pokéblock.

With a gentle smile, it even used its tail to wipe Teddiursa's tears.

"Eeehoo..."

Unlike the scary gang of thugs, Ninetales gave off an aura of warmth.

Sniffling, Teddiursa cautiously accepted the Pokéblock.

As it chewed, its eyes sparkled.

"So gentle... so tasty!"

Watching this scene, Johan smiled slightly.

Once upon a time, when Ninetales was still a little Vulpix, it was also timid, shy, and easily brought to tears.

Now, it had grown into a "big sister" figure for younger Pokémon.

That was not only Ninetales' growth... but also his own.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Johan's mind.

Crouching down, he asked, "Teddiursa, have you seen anything that washed up from the ocean recently?"

"Eeeh, eehoo?"

Teddiursa tilted its head, thinking for a moment.

Then—its eyes lit up.

It jumped excitedly and pointed toward the distance.

"Eeehoo! Eeehoo!"

It gestured wildly as it spoke.

"Golden! Golden! Like a big blob of honey! And... a bunch of 'Bzzzz Bzzzz' took it away! Over there, Roto!"

Rotom translated.

Johan frowned slightly.

"Bzzzz Bzzzz?"

What kind of Pokémon was "Bzzzz Bzzzz"?

"I... I don't know, Roto."

Neither Rotom nor the other Pokémon understood.

But—

"ROARR!!"

A furious howl erupted from the forest, followed by heavy footsteps.

"Eeehoo!!"

Teddiursa turned excitedly toward the sound.

A shadow loomed—

A massive group of Ursaring was approaching.

Johan remained calm, ruffling Teddiursa's fluffy head with a smile.

"Thanks for your help, Teddiursa."

He tossed it a few more Pokéblocks, then gave his Pokémon a knowing glance.

Time to run.

Before the Ursaring could see their "baby" surrounded by a bunch of thugs...

They disappeared into the trees.

Johan opened his eyes, a hint of confusion in his gaze.

The scent of the ocean?

----------

Powerstones?

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