The Gyarados unleashed its divine might, overturning the enemy's pirate ship directly, and the pirates on the Megalodon sounded the horn of attack.
The enemy was thrown into disarray, and their formation quickly collapsed.
Moreover, with their top fighters being held off by the Gyarados and Swampert, there was no one left to support them.
As the sun set, the red twilight spread across the sea.
Blood stained the deck of the Megalodon, bearing witness to the brutality and glory of the battle between the two pirate crews.
The last enemy pirate was slain, and the remaining pirates aboard the Megalodon erupted in victorious cheers. Without a doubt, they were the winners of this bloodbath.
Countless corpses and Pokémon, endless wealth and treasure.
Only chaos could pave the way to ascension!
Many knelt on the ground in tears, raising their hands above their heads and shouting with joy.
The afterglow of the sunset fell upon them, as if in celebration, adding splendor to their victory.
Sieg heard that the battle outside had finally ended. He quickly wiped the blood from his face and stepped out of his hiding place in the cabin, pretending to be utterly exhausted.
After all, he had taken out an enemy himself.
It never hurts to make yourself seem like you worked hard and took risks.
At this moment, Metako stood at the bow of the ship, holding two bloodied heads in her hands, which belonged to the two first mates of the ship.
Everyone stared in shock at the cold and beautiful woman.
This battle had shocked everyone deeply, not only because of its brutality but also because the usually gentle Metako had shown such ruthless decisiveness.
"The two first mates harbored treachery and had long been plotting to harm the captain. Today, I joined forces with the captain's Pokémon, Gyarados, to execute them and eliminate the threat," Metako declared with a resolute and chilling tone, her eyes exuding a trace of killing intent.
The previously elated crowd fell silent in an instant, all lowering their heads, afraid to respond.
Sieg immediately raised his arm and shouted, "Lady Metako, your strength is unmatched; we pledge our loyalty to you as the new captain."
"Sieg salutes the new captain~~~"
Sieg shouted at the top of his lungs, his young face flushed red.
Those around him, seeing his fervent display, quickly understood that a new ruler meant new followers, and followed suit with resounding calls, "Salute to Lady Metako! Salute to the new captain!"
Metako stood above them, her cold eyes gazing down upon the crew.
Sieg looked up and saw her silhouette overlapping with the setting sun, blending into the twilight and emanating a majestic aura.
Metako slowly raised both arms, feeling the whistling sea breeze. Determination gleamed in her eyes as she loudly proclaimed, "I formally accept your allegiance. From now on, I will make sure the flag of the Megalodon flies even higher over the seas!"
"Long live Lady Metako!"
Sieg, ever the loyal bootlicker, once again played his part.
"Long live the Captain! Long live the Captain! Long live the Captain!"
Seeing this, the others followed suit and cheered as well.
Beneath the setting sun, the sails of the Megalodon flapped in the sea breeze, heralding a new journey.
...
Before night fully fell, the crew hurried to salvage everything from the enemy pirate ship.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.
After all, everyone was eagerly anticipating the distribution of loot tomorrow.
Sieg lay exhausted on the bed in his room, while Spearow stood by the bedside on lookout, a habit it had kept since it was born over a month ago.
The Corphish and Carvanha stayed in a converted bathroom-turned-pool. Though both Pokémon were amphibious, they were far more comfortable in water.
Night gradually descended, and the pirate ship fell silent.
Only then did Sieg slowly rise from bed. Alone with himself, he finally relaxed.
He reached into his waistband and coat pockets, pulling out all the loot he'd gained that day. The items piled up on the table. The first thing that caught his eye was a large stack of League paper currency.
Most pirates were desperadoes, their identities sensitive, and few had bank cards. Cash was the norm.
He gathered the bills into a stack and flipped through them one by one with practiced hands, taking quite some time to finish counting.
"300,000 Pokédollars? As expected, murder and arson pay well," Sieg muttered in surprise.
After all, aside from the enemy he killed in the cabin, he'd only had time to loot a few ordinary pirates.
"If I could go through every corpse," Sieg whispered to himself, eyes gleaming with greed.
A cool sea breeze blew in through a crack by the window, snapping Sieg out of his thoughts. He shook off the absurd ideas and resumed inventorying the items.
Inside two Poké Balls, one contained a Tentacool, the other a Corphish.
"Tch, as expected, both are high level."
Sieg scanned the Poké Balls with his Pokédex. As expected, the information appeared on the screen.
One Pokémon was level 16, the other level 17.
Sieg set down the Poké Balls and thought to himself, "Together they should fetch just over 100,000. When I return to land, maybe I can sell them on the black market."
As for using them himself, Sieg had no such intention. They might be useful in an emergency, but raising them long-term was out of the question.
Pokémon that already had trainers were notoriously hard to tame. For this reason, few people ever trained such Pokémon seriously.
After sorting out some miscellaneous items, only a small notebook resembling a diary remained on the table. Sieg slowly opened it, finding its contents surprisingly interesting.
"This is actually a training manual for Corphish," Sieg muttered as he flipped through the pages, his brows raising in curiosity.
As he delved deeper, the manual covered everything, from skill training to Pokémon feeding, tactical coordination, and even emotional communication.
It could be said to cover every possible aspect of raising a Corphish. Sieg was gradually drawn in, completely fascinated.
When he finally returned to his senses and reached the last page, six bold characters jumped out at him.
"Produced by the Pokémon League".
Sieg suddenly realized that this was an internal manual from the League. Its value soared in his mind.
"How could such a precious item end up in the hands of a random pirate?"
Sieg guessed that the pirate must have robbed an official trainer from the League to obtain it.
What he didn't know was that the pirate he killed was, in fact, once a direct descendant of the League.
His parents had chosen the wrong side in a political struggle within the League, and both met with "accidents."
To avoid retaliation and ensure his own safety, he left the city.
After a series of twists and accidents, he became a pirate.
And this manual on training Corphish had been purchased with the League's internal merit points by that pirate himself.
Sieg locked the cultivation manual securely in the cabinet. Its contents were the cornerstone of his future plans to raise Corphish for battle, something that could not be risked, no matter what.
After counting the cash and sorting through his spoils of war, he finally peeled off the pirate uniform, collapsed onto the bed, and drifted into a deep, well-earned sleep.
The next morning, the cries of long-winged gulls echoed through the open window.
Sieg, who had slept soundly for several hours, stretched luxuriously as he awoke, feeling completely refreshed from head to toe.
"Good morning, Corphish~"
Still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he opened the cabinet and took out a box of general-purpose food for water-type Pokémon.
He also brought out a precious low-grade Pokéblock. With Corphish's current appetite, just one block was enough to fill half its stomach.
"Making Pokéblocks really is a goldmine," Sieg mused as he watched his Pokémon eat happily. "You can make several blocks from berries worth only a few dozen Pokédollars, and sell each block for hundreds. Incredible."
He couldn't help but feel a spark of determination."One day, I will learn to make Pokéblocks myself."
Being a breeder was a unique path, far more diverse than any other profession.
For instance, breeders could learn massage techniques used by professional Pokémon masseurs. Emergency rescue methods used by Pokémon medics were also part of a breeder's repertoire.
But most importantly, a breeder's responsibilities centered around two core skills: crafting personalized training plans for their Pokémon and mastering the production of Pokéblocks.
As Sieg watched his companions happily devour their food, his own stomach began to rumble. He made his way to the dining hall and ordered a standard curry rice.
Though he now had 300,000 Pokédollars to his name, he didn't feel any urge to splurge. The only upgrade he allowed himself was a few chunks of meat in the dish.
"Mmm~"
The moment the spicy curry touched his tongue, an explosion of flavor filled his mouth, causing Sieg to moan in delight.
Just as he was digging in, a plate suddenly landed on the table across from him. The most eye-catching item was unmistakable: a chunk of Slowpoke tail.
Despite its plain appearance, the rich aroma made it clear this was a rare delicacy.
After all, why else would so many wealthy individuals hunt Slowpokes just for a piece of their tail?
Sieg looked up and saw a rugged, broad-shouldered man sitting across from him, wearing a warm smile. It was Furuta.
"Heh, Sieg, eating so little? I accidentally ordered too much. Come on, help me out," Furuta said, gesturing for him to join the feast.
Sieg smirked. "Mr. Furuta, you must've struck it rich this time. That Slowpoke tail... not exactly cheap, huh?"
He didn't stand on ceremony. With practiced ease, he picked up a slice and popped it into his mouth. A soft, sweet flavor spread across his tongue, the texture tender, the taste exquisite. It melted almost immediately and slipped down his throat before he could fully savor it.
"Still," Furuta said offhandedly, "we owe it all to the captain turning the tide yesterday. If not for her, we wouldn't be here enjoying this."
Sieg understood the subtext immediately. Furuta was trying to win favor.
Without hesitation, he continued sampling the fine dishes, perfectly willing to accept the gesture.
With both first mates of the ship now dead, Metako, the new captain, would need to solidify her position. For the sake of the Megalodon's future, she had to appoint new first mates, and many seasoned pirates were already eyeing those empty seats.
"Furuta, to be honest," Sieg said between bites, "I've been struggling with Corphish's training lately."
He didn't even need to finish the sentence. Furuta reached into his pocket and pulled out a small booklet, sliding it across the table.
"Brother, I may not have much to offer, but this is everything I've learned from raising Crawdaunt. If your Corphish ever runs into something it can't figure out, don't hesitate to ask my Crawdaunt for guidance."
He thumped his chest with pride.
Sieg slipped the booklet into his coat and smiled with a glint in his eye. "Furuta, you've worked hard for the Megalodon's future. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you with my teacher."
Though Sieg was still just an apprentice and hadn't formally become Metako's disciple, he shamelessly referred to her as his teacher.
He'd learned how to play the game: say what people want to hear, and leverage whatever advantages you have.
He had already tasted the sweetness of borrowed power, and with such a formidable backer, why let it go to waste?
Of course, he knew where the lines were. He would never speak this way in front of Metako, nor would he ever overstep his bounds in her presence.
"Thanks, brother."
Satisfied, Furuta ordered several more exquisite dishes for Sieg's table before finally taking his leave.
After the meal, Sieg headed to the deck for a stroll. Unlike the other pirates, he enjoyed a certain level of freedom.
"Sigh, so many are gone," he murmured. "Only two of the rookies from my intake are still alive."
He wandered the Megalodon, passing through every corner of the ship. Many posts were now unmanned.
Most of the fresh recruits who had joined with him had died in yesterday's brutal battle.
"Being a pirate is too risky. One day, I'll return to the mainland and clear my name."
For now, Sieg remained aboard the Megalodon for two reasons: his concealed identity and his goal of becoming a breeder.
As he reached the upper deck, he noticed a crowd of pirates gathered around. Curious, he approached and saw they were exchanging spoils.
When two pirate crews clashed, any loot claimed by a pirate who scored the kill became personal property; even the captain couldn't interfere.
But ship-wide resources and valuable treasures were shared, distributed according to merit.
Naturally, situations arose where pirates had items they couldn't use. These small trade markets sprang up as a result.
"A Taillow with a stubborn temperament, almost ready to evolve. Just needs a bit of training and it'll become a Swellow," one young-looking pirate announced to the group.
"And it already knows Aerial Ace!" he added proudly.
Sieg watched from the side as murmurs spread. The pirates seemed interested, quickly calling out their offers.
"Maybe because of yesterday's battle," Sieg thought, "a lot of them lost their Pokémon and are desperate to rebuild their teams."
He stepped into the crowd. Several pirates quickly offered him a seat. With a polite smile, Sieg sat down, acknowledging their gesture.
It was clear, no one wanted to offend someone in Metako's inner circle.
Eventually, the Taillow was sold for 112,000 Pokédollars to one of the pirates.
The price seemed a little low. After all, the bird was already level 20. With just a bit more training, it could evolve at level 22 into a powerful Swellow.
But then again, it wasn't that unreasonable. Before raising it, the buyer would still need to tame it, and taming someone else's Pokémon was no simple task.
One misstep and the entire 112,000 Pokédollars could be wasted. No wonder the price was discounted.
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20 Advanced chapters : [email protected]/Liederfall (currently not available due to issues with P@treon. I don't know why, though. Anyway, enjoy till it has been resolved ^^)