Chapter 22: Departure, Delay, and Competition

Chapter 22: Departure, Delay, and Competition

Early the next morning, Genma departed with Jessica. To the north of Cerulean City lay a river mouth leading to the sea, with a bustling port where they would board a ship heading toward the Orange Archipelago.

Traveling with a wealthy companion was undoubtedly a luxury. Jessica had booked first-class tickets on a luxury cruise ship, combining comfort and speed for their journey.

With Jessica, a skilled Pokémon breeder, accompanying him, Genma naturally retrieved his Magikarp from the Cerulean Gym and entrusted it to her care. Perhaps due to its failed evolution, Magikarp had broken past its species' limits, learning moves like Bubble Beam, Aqua Tail, and Waterfall. If their trip proved successful, the evolving Magikarp could skip the intermediate and advanced levels, directly entering the elite stage.

Jessica mentioned their destination was in the Orange Islands, which reminded Genma of an episode from the Pokémon anime in his past life, where Magikarp gathered on an island to evolve into Gyarados. However, his memory of the island's name was vague, and from what he recalled, the place only increased the chances of evolution. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Genma silently filed this information away.

---

The luxury cruise's first-class cabin was a new experience for Genma, being spacious and comfortable, even equipped with special machines for Pokémon care.

"Come out, everyone," Genma called out his Pokémon. "This room is great. Let's all relax together." He gestured toward the machines designed for massages, baths, and grooming, speaking to his Pokémon. They curiously examined the devices, which they had never seen before. Genma assisted them in using the machines, finding them surprisingly effective for relaxation, though more for enjoyment than practicality.

A knock at the door interrupted their peaceful moment. Genma realized much time had passed as he went to answer it.

Standing outside was Jessica. After leaving Cerulean City, she had swapped her elegant dresses for a casual outfit of shorts and a T-shirt, highlighting her slender arms and legs and her natural beauty.

"Miss Jessica, what can I do for you?"

"Nothing urgent, but I wanted to invite you to lunch. Is that alright?"

"Of course. I'm honored by your invitation."

"By the way, since we're now traveling companions, let's drop the formalities. You can just call me Jessica, and I'll call you Genma. Is that okay?"

"Sure!" Genma agreed, finding it simpler to be less formal during their long journey together.

---

Following Jessica to the dining area, Genma found a lavish meal already prepared, with even the Pokémon catered to with specially tailored dishes. It was also an opportunity for Genma to meet Jessica's Pokémon: aside from the familiar Squirtle, she also had a Chinchou and a Horsea. Genma released his four Pokémon, and attendants promptly brought food suited to each of them.

"This is my first time seeing a Charmander! So cute!" Jessica admired the small Pokémon as it ate.

"Are you also interested in non-water Pokémon, Jessica?" Genma asked, recalling how Misty in the anime had little interest in non-water types unless they were aesthetically pleasing.

"Of course," Jessica nodded. "I've read the travel journals passed down through my family for generations and learned a lot about various Pokémon. I adore them all!"

"That's amazing. I'm sure you'll become an outstanding breeder."

"Unfortunately, what my family needs is a top-tier trainer," Jessica sighed.

"Why? Isn't an excellent breeder more valuable than a trainer?" Genma didn't understand. Using terms from online games in his past life, trainers were like basic templates. On top of that, one could branch into breeders, researchers, performers, and more. These roles might distract from training but provided unique skills. A breeder, for example, could create elite trainers in bulk, potentially outnumbering champions.

"It's because of the League," Jessica shrugged, seemingly unwilling to elaborate. She changed the subject. "Our cruise will stop at Hasa Island. After that, we'll use Pokémon like Lapras provided by my family to continue. Is that okay?"

"No problem," Genma replied. While cruises were comfortable, the journey was dull. Traveling on Pokémon sounded much more exciting.

---

Just as they resumed their meal, the ship suddenly jolted, and a sharp alarm blared. Genma instinctively grabbed his Poké Balls, internally lamenting: Is the ship going to sink? Why do I always encounter such cliché situations?

"What's happening?" Jessica demanded of a nearby attendant, her tone laced with displeasure.

"My apologies, Miss Jessica. I'll contact the captain immediately." The attendant, visibly nervous, knew better than to upset such a distinguished guest.

The attendant quickly contacted the captain via intercom and relayed the explanation.

"Miss, the ship accidentally collided with a Wailord, triggering the alarm. Please rest assured, the ship is very sturdy and suffered no damage. However, our planned route has been blocked by a migrating pod of Wailord, and the League has instructed us to wait until their migration is complete before continuing."

"Wailord? How did such Pokémon end up in Kanto?" Jessica, with her extensive knowledge, immediately recognized the species.

"I'm not sure," the attendant admitted.

Jessica let it go, knowing the attendant wasn't likely to have answers, and turned to Genma. "It looks like our journey will be delayed."

"What bad luck," Jessica grumbled.

Genma, however, quietly sighed in relief. Compared to those people whose mere presence caused disasters, this was far more manageable. But with a delay of an entire day and limited onboard activities of interest, it seemed like it would be a boring wait.

Fortunately, the ship's captain soon announced a Pokémon battle tournament to lift everyone's spirits.

Hearing this, Genma realized the delay might not be so bad. The tournament offered a Pokémon egg and a sizable cash prize to the winner.

It was too tempting for Genma to resist. If this were held on land, strong trainers would flock, and with his current strength, Genma would only be a participant. But onboard, the pool of trainers was smaller, and even if some were strong, they might not have their best Pokémon with them. This was a golden opportunity.

Without hesitation, Genma signed up for the competition.

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**NOTE**

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