NOVEL WEB Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Cerulean City
"Phew, finally made it. I hope we're not too late."
After traveling as fast as he could for two days straight, Ron exhaled a sigh of relief as Cerulean City came into view.
Having confirmed that the fossil he obtained was genuine, Ron earned 2,500 contribution points and immediately set off on his journey. Thankfully, none of his Machoke's or other Pokémon's levels required special attention during this period, allowing him to reach the city within his desired time frame.
Upon entering Cerulean City, Ron immediately noticed how different it was from Pewter City.
Pewter City, situated at the base of a massive rocky mountain, had an overall rugged and unrefined architectural style, lending the city a sense of weight and sturdiness.
Cerulean City, on the other hand, was a vibrant seaside city, brimming with energy like flowing water. The presence of a bustling port added to its vitality, making it feel full of life and connections to the outside world.
Using a map, Ron quickly found the Pokémon Center, where he checked in. His first order of business was to inquire about the underground survival battle tournament from Nurse Joy.
Following her directions, Ron easily located the registration area for the tournament.
This tournament, a notable feature of Cerulean City, had a fairly relaxed registration window—participants could sign up until three days before the official matches began.
The tournament followed a one-on-one battle format, requiring trainers to register their participating Pokémon in advance. Competitors were prohibited from exceeding their declared power levels during the competition.
After completing the registration process, Ron received his participant number: 166. "Close to lucky 666," he thought, a bit disappointed.
With the tournament registration out of the way, Ron headed directly to the Cerulean Gym.
The tournament was five days away, so Ron planned to earn the Cerulean Badge first. He figured he could use the remaining time to prepare for the competition.
Currently, the Cerulean Gym's battles were managed by Misty's three sisters.
Their presence as Gym Trainers not only introduced more variety to Gym challenges but also attracted a significant number of male trainers to the Gym.
Unlike them, Ron was singularly focused on earning the Cerulean Badge. Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't take a moment to enjoy the view—it was all about balancing work and leisure, after all.
However, when Ron attempted to schedule his Gym battle, he was surprised to find that he was also assigned the number 166. This meant he would have to wait until the afternoon two days later for his match.
"Are they messing with me? Delaying both my badge and my tournament prep?" he grumbled, glancing at a poster featuring the Gym Leaders. Seeing their captivating images, Ron decided to stay calm and composed.
Having successfully registered for both the tournament and the Gym challenge, Ron relaxed and took the opportunity to explore the scenic spots in Cerulean City. Eventually, he wandered over to the city's shoreline.
Since teaching Machoke the technique Shave (Six Powers: Soru), progress with the move Moonwalk (Six Powers: Geppo) had been minimal. Ron had come to terms with this, recognizing that unlike Shave, Moonwalk required greater finesse and skill to master.
Even Sanji had needed two years of intense training to perfect the technique. Considering this, Ron decided to have Machoke focus on Moonwalk exclusively while waiting for their levels to increase.
Ron's strategy was simple: if they couldn't grasp the technique through practice alone, they would enhance their physical attributes and talents to make mastery more attainable. He believed that once Machoke reached mid-tier Elite level, they would naturally possess the strength to execute Moonwalk.
At that point, learning the other Rokushiki (Six Powers) techniques—or even advanced moves like Life Return—would just be a matter of time. They might even be able to attempt Armament Haki, a skill Ron had meticulously studied. If successful, his Pokémon would find surpassing opponents of higher ranks to be routine.
Even if they couldn't master these advanced techniques, Ron would still be content if they learned the core Rokushiki (Six Powers) moves. These skills would give his Pokémon an undeniable edge over others of the same rank.
Because of this, Ron was steadfast in keeping Rokushiki (Six Powers) a secret. The thought of revealing it—even at the cost of his life—was out of the question.
Taking advantage of Cerulean City's seaside location, Ron planned a special swimming training regimen. Not only would this serve as a break from their usual routines, but it would also allow for effective conditioning.
He chose a secluded section of the coastline and began dividing his Pokémon into training groups.
Unlike the controlled environment of a training room, the ocean posed real risks. Even with his fighting prowess, Ron couldn't guarantee he'd always be able to rescue a struggling Pokémon in time.
For safety, he paired Machoke with Nidoran and Persian with Bellossom, rotating them for sessions in the water.
As their trainer, Ron stayed in the water throughout the training. Thanks to his inner Fighting Aura, he maintained his stamina and ensured his physical condition supported his Pokémon.
Watching his Pokémon attempt Moonwalk filled Ron with envy. When it came to training, he never held back on himself.
Stripping off his shirt and switching to shorts, Ron revealed a physique that could only be described as perfect. His appearance had surpassed what he'd expected to achieve at this stage. The most plausible explanation was the Fighting Aura within him.
Even his facial features had subtly improved, complemented by his striking violet eyes, which gave him a slightly otherworldly charm.
"Could this Fighting Aura be enhancing my looks, too?" he wondered, chuckling to himself. If it had affected his Pokémon in the same way during evolution, maybe they wouldn't have trouble finding partners in the future.
Still, it was hard for Ron to judge their "attractiveness" through human standards. He decided to observe their interactions with other Pokémon of similar species later on.
Clearing his head, Ron dove into the water to begin his weighted swimming drills. Thanks to Team Rocket's weighted gear, even in the water, the training remained challenging. Persian and Bellossom joined him, all wearing similar equipment.
Onshore, Machoke and Nidoran stood watch, ready to assist in case of any emergencies.
For an entire afternoon, except for brief one- or two-minute breaks, Ron stayed submerged, his body surprisingly unaffected by swelling or fatigue. This deepened his curiosity about how the Fighting Aura was remodeling his body.
Without external references, Ron couldn't fully understand the nature of this energy. He resolved to seek guidance from Shadow or perhaps the Pokémon League when the time was right.
Finally, the day of Ron's Gym battle arrived.
Standing in the Cerulean Gym's battle arena, he saw one of the four sisters—her golden hair cascading down her back, dressed in a bold, revealing bikini. Daisy was already waiting for him.
While the sight was undeniably striking, Ron couldn't help but suspect that her outfit was a deliberate attempt to throw him off his game.
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