NOVEL WEB Chapter 90: Chapter 90: My Manaphy’s All Grown Up, Athena in the Shadows!
Chapter 90: My Manaphy's All Grown Up, Athena in the Shadows!
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Aboard the Ship
Two trainers were locked in an intense battle.
"Butterfree, use Toxic Powder!"
"Raticate, dodge and use Crunch!"
The Butterfree trainer was a high school student, while the Raticate trainer was a middle-aged man. Their match was evenly matched.
Meanwhile, Hikaru had a chance encounter with Water Elite Aqua Grace on the ship.
Aqua Grace was surprised to see him.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
Noticing Manaphy, she quickly understood. "You're helping Manaphy find the Ocean Temple, aren't you? Admirable!"
"Has news of the Ocean Temple spread?" Hikaru asked, frowning.
"Yes," Aqua Grace replied with a sigh. "Someone leaked the information. Now, people are scrambling to witness the temple, going as far as chartering this cruise ship at great expense."
Aqua Grace's tone carried frustration. She knew exactly who had leaked the information: her estranged sister, Serene Bloom, also known as the Pirate Queen.
In fact, Serene Bloom was likely already aboard this ship, which was why Aqua Grace had boarded in the first place—to prevent any potential disasters.
The ship was currently sailing near the Sakura Nation's waters.
Hikaru's senses sharpened. He had already noticed someone whose gaze had lingered on Manaphy for too long. Her sudden expression of ecstasy when spotting Manaphy was as obvious as a beacon in the dark.
This woman... Could she be the Pirate Queen?
Her resemblance to Aqua Grace was uncanny.
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"Mana~" (I want to play in the ocean!)
Manaphy flew to Latias, pouting and tugging at her affectionately.
The ocean's call was growing stronger by the minute.
"Not yet, Manaphy," Hikaru said, stopping her.
"Mana..." (Okay...)
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Suddenly,a commotion broke out.
A group of people in mismatched uniforms released their Pokémon: Beedrill, Weezing, and Muk among others.
One of the Weezing began releasing a thick smog that spread quickly through the air.
"This is Team Rocket! Hand over your Pokémon, and no one gets hurt!" one of the assailants barked.
The announcement caused confusion and panic.
Seated under a beach umbrella, Athena—an actual high-ranking Rocket Elite—was equally confused.
She had come to this ship after hearing that Hikaru, the champion of the Bodhi Province High School League, would be aboard.
But this?
"When did we start pulling stunts like this?" she muttered, scowling.
"Alright," she thought, feigning compliance as she allowed herself to be captured. "I'll play along for now and see who's trying to frame us."
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Amidst the chaos, Hikaru acted quickly.
He used his Aura of Waves to communicate with Latias, instructing her to teleport Manaphy to safety and disguise her with the Shapeshifting Mask.
Meanwhile, the assailants began rounding up the ship's passengers and their Pokémon.
Resistance was futile—those who tried were swiftly subdued by a Braviary ridden by Serene Bloom herself.
From his vantage point, Hikaru used Scan Eye to check her Braviary's stats.
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[Braviary]
Level: 59
Trainer: Serene Bloom
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She's just shy of Elite-level! Hikaru thought grimly.
Without Mega Evolution, she would be incredibly difficult to defeat.
Serene Bloom's eyes locked onto Hikaru, or more precisely, the spot where Manaphy had been moments ago.
In a flash, her Braviary swooped down.
"Kid, hand over Manaphy!" she demanded.
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So, she was after Manaphy.
Hikaru's heart sank but kept his composure. "Lady, what's a Manaphy?"
Serene Bloom sneered, turning to her sister.
"Aqua Grace, you know as well as I do what Manaphy's appearance means. That egg I left with you all those years ago... You handed it to this brat?"
Aqua Grace's voice turned icy. "Cut the nonsense. If you want a fight, let's take it elsewhere. Or do you want the League to come down on your pirate crew?"
"Tch. Fine," Serene Bloom spat. She then turned to her men.
"Take this kid's Pokémon!"
The would-be Rocket grunts turned to Hikaru, their Pokémon advancing.
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Sitting idly was not Hikaru's style.
With a wave of his aura, he summoned his Pokémon: Gardevoir, Charizard, Greninja, and Lucario.
Gardevoir shielded Hikaru protectively, while the others stood ready to fight.
"This kid has some guts!" one of the grunts snarled.
"Enough talk," Hikaru said coldly. "Let's do this."
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The grunts commanded their Pokémon: Scizor, Muk, Weezing, and Clefable.
"Scizor, Toxic Spikes!"
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
White-hot flames collided with the poisonous needles, incinerating them entirely. The flames continued toward Muk.
"Clefable, Protect!"
Clefable conjured a barrier of light, absorbing the attack.
"Damn," Hikaru muttered. He scanned the area. The passengers who had surrendered were now completely restrained.
This wasn't a standard Pokémon battle; collateral damage was inevitable.
And worse, more pirates were scaling the ship's sides with grappling hooks.
But before they could board, streams of water blasted them off into the ocean.
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"Hikaru, I've got your back!"
Manaphy's telepathic voice rang in Hikaru's mind.
The sound of splashing filled the air as a horde of water Pokémon emerged: Mantine, Wailord, Sharpedo... an entire army led by Manaphy herself, who was riding on a Mantine.
"Mana~" Manaphy cheered, smiling brightly.
Not just Mantine, but countless other water Pokémon had gathered under Manaphy's command.
My Manaphy... She's all grown up! Hikaru thought with pride.
The pirates who had made it onto the ship were dumbfounded.
How had the tides turned so quickly?
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Hikaru seized the opportunity, issuing commands through his aura.
"Gardevoir, use Psychic to restrain the pirates!"
"Charizard, Dragon Claw! Greninja, Quick Attack into Water Shuriken!"
Latias remained in her human form, standing guard over Manaphy.
This wasn't a fair Pokémon battle—it was a tactical skirmish.
And in the shadows, Athena observed it all with great interest.
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To Be Continued...
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