Ariel knew that any sign of unnatural behavior on his part would be caught by this man and interpreted as guilt.
Therefore, he chose to do nothing.
He was just a young man who happened to pass by, happened to save someone, and happened to be invited aboard for a cup of tea.
Yes, exactly.
Just then, the cabin door was pushed open silently.
A massive figure emerged from within, its appearance making the already cramped deck seem even more crowded.
The small boat tilted sharply to one side due to the shift in center of gravity, but was then slowly righted by the waves.
It was Blastoise!
This Blastoise was larger than any other Ariel had ever seen, its shell covered in fine scratches—medals from battles long fought.
The two thick Hydro Pump cannons on its back had dark muzzles, gleaming with a cold metallic light, as if they could unleash a torrent capable of tearing through everything at any moment.
It just stood there, and an invisible pressure enveloped the entire space.
The air seemed to thicken, every breath carrying the salty tang of seawater and a faint scent of gunpowder.
This aura was not intentional; it was an instinct honed from countless battles.
Blastoise walked to the table with heavy steps and placed two steaming cups of coffee on it.
As it set the cups down, its deep eyes swept over Ariel.
Just one glance.
Yet Ariel's heart skipped a beat.
In that instant, he felt as if he were not facing a Pokémon, but an ancient behemoth awakened from the deep sea.
There was no emotion in those eyes, only pure power and scrutiny, as if it were judging whether the creature before it posed a threat.
The intense pressure pressed in from all directions like flowing mercury.
A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Ariel's back, but there was not the slightest change in his expression.
He even twitched the corner of his mouth at the Blastoise, a polite smile.
Then, under Juan's sharp gaze, Ariel reached out and picked up the cup of coffee.
His hand was steady, without the slightest tremor.
The coffee was hot, and the white porcelain cup clearly transmitted the temperature to his fingertips.
He brought the cup to his lips, gently blew on the swirling steam, and took a sip.
The mellow, slightly bitter liquid slid down his throat, bringing a wave of warmth.
"Not bad coffee."
Ariel set the cup down, making a slight clinking sound that broke the deathly silence on the deck.
He acted as if nothing had happened, as if the pressure that could make an ordinary Trainer's legs go weak had been nothing more than a breeze.
But this was just putting on a brave front.
Only Ariel himself knew that in that instant, he had almost instinctively released his own aura to counter it.
But he held back.
Before an old fox like Juan, any overreaction would be foolish.
Feigning weakness or meeting hostility with hostility were neither the best choices.
The best choice was to remain inscrutable to him.
Juan, sitting opposite, took in all of Ariel's reactions.
That composure, that calmness, and even that casual comment about the coffee were beyond what a normal young man should possess.
To be able to taste coffee without changing expression under Blastoise's pressure...
This temperament...
Juan picked up his own cup but did not drink.
He just gently rubbed the warm cup wall with his fingers, his eyes growing deeper.
Normally, a junior being able to remain calm in the face of a senior's pressure would be a commendable plus.
But at this moment, this calmness became the biggest point of suspicion in Juan's eyes.
Too calm; abnormally so.
To have such strength and temperament at such a young age.
Either he is a one-in-a-million talent whose future achievements are limitless.
Or he is a spy who has undergone a series of rigorous training in counter-interrogation, anti-oppression, and the like.
In his heart, Juan leaned more towards the latter.
That bunch of lunatics from Team Aqua and Team Magma would do anything to achieve their goals.
Cultivating talented young people and planting them within the League, or using them to carry out shady tasks, completely fits the style of that group.
Wallace is still too young and simple-minded.
He judges people solely by feeling; if he feels a connection, or if the other person helped him, then they are a good person.
This kindness is a virtue in times of peace, but in the current turbulent Hoenn, it is a fatal weakness.
Juan felt it necessary to vet people clearly for his future successor.
Of course, Ariel was unaware of these thoughts.
He only felt that Juan's gaze towards him was becoming increasingly dangerous.
But he was already prepared; he would meet whatever came his way.
In this stagnant atmosphere, Juan finally spoke.
His voice was calm, like casual small talk.
"Ariel, have you heard the story of the God of the Land and the God of the Sea?"
Here it comes.
Ariel steeled himself.
He knew this was the real topic of today's "afternoon tea".
He met Juan's gaze and replied just as calmly:
"I've heard a little, but surely not as detailed as you, Mr. Juan. I would like to hear it."
Juan seemed satisfied with his answer; he nodded and cast his gaze toward the ocean, dyed red by the setting sun, falling into distant memories.
"A long, long time ago, before humans and Pokémon spread across this Hoenn continent, the world was chaotic."
Juan's voice was not loud, but it carried a peculiar penetrating power, as if it could transport one back to that primordial age.
"Back then, there was only the endless ocean and the churning magma beneath the earth. Until one day, two primal powers awakened from their slumber. One power was born from the scorching magma deep within the earth's core; wherever it went, the land rose, mountains towered, and landmasses ascended from the ocean. People call it Groudon, the God of the Land."
"And the other power came from the deepest, coldest trenches of the ocean. Wherever it went, torrential rain poured, floods raged, and the ocean expanded, swallowing everything. People fearfully call it Kyogre, the God of the Sea."
Juan's speaking pace was slow, every word feeling as if it had been tempered a thousand times, carrying the weight of history.
"Initially, they shaped the world together—one creating land, the other expanding the sea. But soon, the two diametrically opposed powers clashed. Groudon wanted more land for life to inhabit, while Kyogre wished for the entire world to return to the embrace of the ocean."
"Thus, the war broke out."
Juan picked up his coffee and took a sip, as if savoring the memory of that earth-shattering battle.
"It was a war that lasted for countless days and nights. The sky was covered in volcanic ash and torrential rain, with no peace in sight. Every step Groudon took triggered an Earthquake, tearing the newly formed land plates apart; every time Kyogre turned, it raised hundreds of meters of tsunamis, leveling coastal mountains. Magma and floodwaters intertwined, steaming up and destroying everything. The whole of Hoenn, and even the world, trembled under their wrath, on the brink of destruction."
Ariel listened quietly. He had read these stories in books more or less, but hearing them from Juan's mouth felt completely different.
It was not cold text, but like a story witnessed firsthand.
"Ultimately, it was the one in the sky who stepped forward to quell their conflict, causing them to fall into a deep slumber in the depths of the land and sea, respectively. But their energy did not vanish; it merged into this land and ocean."
Juan set down his coffee cup, making a crisp sound,
"That is why Hoenn has such active volcanoes and such unpredictable oceans."
The story seemed to end there.
But Ariel knew the real question was only just beginning.
Sure enough, Juan shifted the topic, his gaze refocusing on Ariel's face, a look even sharper than Blastoise's gaze just moments before.
"Legend has it that as long as one awakens, the other will inevitably sense its presence and wake from its slumber, continuing that endless battle until the world returns to chaos once more."
"And Team Aqua and Team Magma,"
Juan said, enunciating every word, his voice turning cold,
"are the fanatics of these two gods. They will stop at nothing to awaken the gods they worship, never once thinking about the disaster that will bring upon the entire world."
On the deck, the last vestige of the afterglow vanished.
Night fell, and the sea breeze turned cold.
Juan's figure merged into the darkness, with only his eyes shining strikingly in the dim light.
He stared at Ariel, as if scrutinizing an interesting piece of prey, and slowly threw out the question he truly wanted to ask.
"A young man who could escape unscathed from the siege of two Team Aqua Executives, powerful and composed, yet who happens to appear in this most sensitive sea area at this very moment."
"Ariel..."
"What do you think of Team Aqua and Team Magma?"
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