It was coming.
Ariel's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm as he slowly recited the excuse he had long prepared:
"Senior, I was just passing through those waters and happened to run into them hunting a group of innocent Wailmer. Driven by righteous indignation, I intervened. It's just... my strength wasn't enough, which is why I was chased all the way here."
His words were half-truth and half-lie, his expression frank, carrying the exact right amount of the hot-blooded impulsiveness typical of a young man.
After listening, Juan didn't commit to an opinion, simply asking further:
"Ariel, right? Do you know the identities of the two people chasing you?"
"I don't."
Ariel shook his head, his brows slightly furrowed as if he were trying hard to recall,
"But those two were extremely strong, and their Pokémon training level was far beyond that of an ordinary person. I suspect their positions within Team Aqua shouldn't be low."
"Far from just not low."
Juan's tone carried a hint of playfulness,
"Those two are Executives of Team Aqua."
Ariel's pupils contracted at just the right moment, his face revealing an appropriate look of shock.
This reaction, in Juan's eyes, did not cause him to lower his guard.
On the contrary, a deeper seed of suspicion quietly took root in his heart.
Too young.
This youth named Ariel looked only seventeen or eighteen years old; could he really have escaped from the hands of two long-renowned Executives?
This didn't sound like a miracle; it sounded more like a meticulously orchestrated script.
Team Aqua's recent movements had become increasingly strange. It was not impossible that they had sent a talented youth to stage a bitter scheme in order to infiltrate the League.
Juan's gaze turned sharp, as if he wanted to pierce through Ariel's skin and peek at the color of his soul.
"Ariel, to be able to survive under two Executives, your strength is quite extraordinary, isn't it?"
This sentence appeared to be a compliment, but in reality, every word was like a probe, attempting to test the truth of Ariel's situation.
The air seemed to become viscous because of it.
Ariel instantly realized clearly that the other party was doubting his identity.
He could feel the pressure brought by that gaze, like heavy seawater, threatening to submerge him entirely.
But on his face, he revealed a bitter smile, carrying a bit of the relief of having survived a disaster:
"Senior, you're joking. It was just luck."
He paused, appearing to be organizing his words, but in reality, he was quickly constructing an impeccable scenario in his mind.
"Those two Executives didn't appear at the same time. At first, there was only one, and I relied on my Pokémon's speed to maneuver around him. Later, the other one arrived, forming a pincer attack. If not for that, had they joined forces from the start, I would have had absolutely no chance of survival."
This explanation was reasonable and logical. It neither overly exaggerated his own strength nor failed to explain why he managed to survive—it wasn't because he was strong, but because he was lucky and the enemy made a mistake.
Listening to this, the scrutinizing intent in Juan's eyes faded slightly.
This explanation did indeed make sense.
Pursuing in batches had given this kid an opportunity.
He nodded inwardly; although his doubts hadn't vanished, at least they were no longer as sharp as before.
"Wallace."
Juan suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, yet carrying an unquestionable authority.
"Master?"
Wallace, who had been standing quietly to the side, responded.
"Take Ariel's Poké Balls to the ship's healing center and have them thoroughly checked."
Juan instructed, then immediately turned his gaze back to Ariel,
"I have some things I'd like to discuss with this young man alone."
As soon as these words were out, Wallace understood immediately.
Master still didn't trust him!
He was trying to send him away to interrogate him alone!
Wallace felt a sudden surge of resentment.
From the moment he first saw Ariel, to later hearing his close friend Steven's description of Ariel, he could in no way connect this youth with clear eyes to the scum of Team Aqua.
Master was overthinking it!
He was just about to open his mouth to say something and defend Ariel.
"Wallace."
Juan called his name again, his voice sinking.
Wallace felt a shiver in his heart, knowing his master's patience had reached its limit.
He looked at Ariel helplessly, his eyes carrying a hint of apology, and finally reached out to take the few Poké Balls Ariel handed over.
They felt somewhat heavy in his hand; he could feel the residual warmth of battle and faint energy fluctuations remaining on the spheres.
Wallace gripped the Poké Balls tightly, said nothing, and turned to walk toward the small healing area inside the cabin.
On the deck, only Ariel and Juan remained.
The sea breeze blew, whipping up the hem of Juan's clothes.
The old man stood at the bow, his back to the sunset's afterglow, his figure stretched very long, the shadow cast almost entirely enveloping Ariel.
The atmosphere suddenly dropped to freezing point.
On the deck, only Ariel and Juan remained.
Wallace's figure disappeared at the cabin door, taking Ariel's Pokémon away, and with them, the last bit of relaxed air on the deck.
The sea breeze seemed to stagnate at this moment; there was only the creaking sound of the small boat rising and falling slightly with the waves, and the occasional cry of seabirds in the distance.
The sunset's afterglow dyed the sea surface into a sheet of broken gilded gold. The light hit Juan's body at an angle, stretching his shadow thin and long, like a black javelin with its tip pointing directly at Ariel.
The shadow almost completely swallowed Ariel, bringing a physical sense of oppression.
The atmosphere was cold enough to scrape off ice shards.
Juan didn't turn back, simply raising his hand to point casually to the side.
It was a gesture of invitation, yet it carried an undeniable tone of command.
Ariel took a look.
Under the sun canopy at the stern, a set of exquisite white rattan tables and chairs sat quietly.
The rattan-woven canopy mimicked the shape of a tree crown, the filtered sunlight casting dappled shadows on the tabletop; there was even a small potted plant nearby.
This should have been a cozy scene for enjoying afternoon tea, but at this moment, it felt like a meticulously prepared interrogation room.
Ariel didn't hesitate; he strode over, pulled out a chair, and sat down calmly.
The cushion was soft, but his spine was straight, his muscles taut, ready at any moment to deal with any unexpected situation.
Juan then slowly turned around, paced over, and sat down opposite Ariel.
His movement of sitting down was very slow, every joint's movement revealing a unique composure, but Ariel could feel that beneath that composure was a long-accumulated power, like a dormant volcano.
The two sat in silence, facing each other.
Ariel's gaze crossed over Juan's shoulder, looking toward the distant horizon.
He could feel Juan's gaze, like a scalpel, dissecting him inch by inch, from his relaxed shoulders, to his hands placed on the table, and finally to his calm, unruffled face.
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