Inside the restaurant—
"Gengarr!" Gengar waddled over and handed an ice cream cone to Lu Ye.
Lu Ye blinked, then smiled as he took it. "Thanks, buddy~"
"Gengarr~ (≧∀≦)♪"
Man and ghost sat side by side on a bench, licking their ice cream in perfect sync.
"Not bad at all," Lu Ye said, eyes lighting up.
Even someone as picky as Lu Ye—aka a certified Food Wars-level gourmet—couldn't find any real faults.
With ice cream this good, the shop owner could probably go national with a chain!
Lu Ye didn't think much of it.
---
As the tournament was about to start, the group headed for the port.
Out on the azure sea, anglers from all over the world were already in position.
Lapras, Starmie—even someone fishing while riding a massive Sharpedo.
"Can you even catch fish on a Sharpedo…?" Yellow whispered.
"Don't worry," Lu Ye cleared his throat. "Real anglers never get skunked. See that guy over there? Surfing on a Mantine—no problem!"
Following Lu Ye's gaze—Gold had rigged up a glider-like setup using a pool cue and Mantine as a hang-glider wing.
Yellow gave a half-confused, half-understanding nod.
With the referee's whistle, the tournament officially began—anglers launched en masse.
"Wahoo!" Gold slipped on his goggles and rode Mantine into the waves, gliding into midair.
"Big Wing-taro, use Whirlpool on the sea!"
"Woooo~" Mantine flapped its wings, stirring the ocean into a violent swirl that blocked the path of many competitors.
"Ref! Isn't that against the rules?!" a group of angry contestants shouted.
"Just wait till I catch you, punk—you're dead meat!"
On the commentator's platform, the host exclaimed: "Gold from Johto has seriously stirred the pot! We just received word from the committee—since he didn't directly attack any participants, the match continues!"
"Heh!" Gold grinned and waved. "Later, losers!"
Lu Ye blinked, staring at the ultra-dramatic "Johto No. 5."
"Wait, isn't this a fishing tournament? Why does it feel like a surfing speedrun instead?"
"M-Maybe that's just Gold's style," Yellow laughed awkwardly. "Teacher Lu, the fish around here are probably all scared off. Let's split up."
Lu Ye nodded, paddling away with Gengar sitting up front as they left the chaos behind.
---
Thanks to Gold's antics—
Half the competitors had joined the "hunt Gold" task force.
Ironically, the competition thinned out dramatically…
"Uh-oh! Gold has fallen into the water!"
Back on the commentary desk, the host shouted: "Wait—was that a fake-out tactic?! This isn't a wild battle zone, people!"
As the guest commentator, Cerulean Gym's Daisy gave a nervous laugh.
"Let's… maybe shift our focus to the other competitors' scores?"
"Right. At the top of the leaderboard is Yellow from Viridian, with an incredible lead!"
"Oh? Our aerial drone just caught a new highlight!"
On the drone feed, Lu Ye was calmly casting his line from a small boat.
With Fishing Lv.3, each cast had a high chance of hooking something.
However…
On the bow of his boat, yet another Magikarp flopped violently, full of life.
"This makes ten."
Lu Ye sighed and dropped it into a Poké Ball provided by the tournament staff.
+1 point blinked on the scoreboard.
Yellow was already well over 300 points.
Lu Ye? Just Magikarp. Nothing but Magikarp.
"Number eleven." Lu Ye rested his chin in his hand, face numb.
"Twelve…"
"Seriously? Are Magikarp the only fish in this whole ocean?! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻" He roared into the sky.
A passing fisherman pulled up a Shellder clamped firmly on his bait.
"You need help, kid?" the fisherman offered kindly.
"N-No thanks…" Lu Ye replied, crushed.
This fishing skill might be fake…
When the 13th Magikarp bit, the system popped up with a mocking tone:
[Chain x12 – Skill proficiency increasing!]
[Chain x13 – Skill proficiency increasing!]
[Ding! Skill Level Up!]
[Fishing Lv.4: As a master angler, you now understand the habitats and behaviors of various fish. The odds of catching Magikarp are significantly reduced. (Magikarp can be killed, but never defeated.)]
Significantly reduced?!?
Lu Ye blinked and cast again experimentally. Moments later, a tug came on the line.
Magikarp #14.
Lu Ye: 'How the hell is this "reduced"?! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻'
The fisherman watched in awe as Lu Ye skillfully reeled in catch after catch, his deck littered with Poké Balls.
Even if it was just Magikarp—catching this many in under half an hour was wild!
"I'm Mizugamo from Alola."
The deep-blue-haired fisherman smiled. "May I get to know you, sir?"
"I'm just a passing angler," Lu Ye waved him off. "Gonna try my luck elsewhere."
"Leave a number, at least! Come to Alola sometime—I'll host you at my place!" Mizugamo shouted.
The breeze rippled across the water.
Rivers flow eastward, waves wash away heroes.
Squirtle stared into the vast river and churning waves, something awakening in its heart.
He brought me here… perhaps Master meant for me to grasp a new Water-type technique.
Its eyes lit up, and it sank into contemplation…
Lu Ye had now caught his 20th Magikarp, putting him dead last on the scoreboard with 20 points.
Even Brock, despite his notorious bad luck, had managed a higher score.
At the top, Yellow was nearing 500 points.
As for Gold… he'd long forgotten about competing and was just surfing the waves with Mantine like a kid on vacation.
Having completely given up on winning, Lu Ye sighed and laid down his rod.
"Tchugki-briee!" Togepi tugged on his sleeve.
"You wanna give it a try?"
Lu Ye blinked and handed the rod to Togepi, "Careful not to get pulled overboard."
"Briee~ ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ"
Togepi gripped the rod with all its strength—and suddenly, the bobber dipped hard.
"You actually hooked something?!" Lu Ye was stunned and helped Togepi reel it in.
An ugly gray fish leapt from the surface.
"Oh my!" The announcer cried, "Lu Ye has reeled in a Feebas—an extremely rare catch!"
The crowd stirred with excitement.
Hearing the booming loudspeaker—Yellow smiled softly.
---
For someone like Teacher Lu, that level of play is nothing surprising.
"Well done, Togepi!"
Lu Ye swung his arm, tossing a Poké Ball with textbook form.
The ball flashed brightly—a Critical Catch!
Critical Catch meant the Poké Ball didn't even shake—instant capture.
A Feebas catch followed by a critical throw?
Everyone watching turned to the big screen, stunned.
This guy… that's some next-level luck!
But just as the Poké Ball sealed shut—Feebas burst out, giving Lu Ye a dismissive look before diving back into the sea.
"Wasn't that a Critical Catch?! You can break out of those too?!"
Lu Ye howled. "You mean I exploded for nothing?!"
The crowd went silent, exchanging confused looks.
Technically, yes—even Critical Catches had a very slim chance to fail…
But this low? It was nearly impossible!
"Briee~" (Sorry… nothing I can do either~) Togepi spread its tiny arms helplessly.
If Lu Ye had caught Feebas, he might've cracked the top three.
But with odds like these, who could say?
"Whatever, at least we caught a ton of Magikarp."
Lu Ye rubbed his temples. "Gengar, let's call it a day."
"Gengarr!" Gengar poked the rod—one last cast, it seemed to say.
"You gonna reel in a Gyarados or something?"
Just as Lu Ye was joking—
A towering waterspout exploded before his eyes.
A monstrous black shape burst from the sea, roaring skyward.
Fifteen meters long—a massive Gyarados loomed like Godzilla, glaring at the world.
Lu Ye barely clung to the boat, soaked and stunned.
This Gyarados… looks kind of like a robot…
Inside the giant Gyarados—Team Rocket's trio were in a panic.
"Why is the Mentor here?!"
"Is this part of some bigger plan?!"
"Should we activate the self-destruct, nya?!"
As they hesitated, the host shouted: "Lu Ye has reeled in a colossal Gyarados! A record-breaking size! Lu Ye's score has skyrocketed to first place!"
As the crowd erupted—Squirtle leapt onto the deck, eyes sharp.
This was the perfect time to test its new move!
"Squirtlee!!"
Like a mighty beast inhaling the sea, Squirtle sucked in a deep breath—even the water around the boat surged toward its mouth.
Wave after wave of aura surged—it was like the sea itself trembled.
Lu Ye stared, eyes wide, and glanced at Squirtle's Pokédex entry, 'Holy sh*—when did you learn that?!'
"Squirtle… Hydro Cannon?!"
"Squirtlee!!"
The silence broke like thunder—Dark clouds roared above as a deafening wave surged.
BOOM!!
Even without direct contact—The rampaging Hydro Cannon tore through the giant Gyarados' body!
Inside, wires sparked—BOOM!
The explosion launched Team Rocket into the sky—but they were oddly relieved.
At least the officer's plans hadn't been thwarted.
They vanished into the sky like a shooting star.
"What a wonderful feeling~~!"
"Wobbuffet!!"
Ding.
Lu Ye stared at the falling stars.
'Wait… was that really them again? You guys can build giant Gundams now?!' He blinked. "With their durability, they should be fine… right?"
The giant Gyarados caused a stir, but the trio had been blown away before revealing themselves.
Officer Jenny approached, cheeks flushed, "Seems like it was just a group of poachers. Thanks to you, no major panic occurred."
Technically, the trio worked under Lu Ye.
But since he didn't micromanage, they occasionally pulled off these stunts.
'I'll need to straighten them out later…' Lu Ye thought.
The tournament organizer soon arrived.
"Mr. Lu Ye, thanks to your quick thinking, we were able to continue the tournament." He smiled with relief.
"Regardless, your points are valid—you're the champion of this year's fishing tournament!"
Lu Ye froze, then smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't possibly… So, uh, can the Super Rod be exchanged for cash? Just curious, no pressure!"
---
At the awards ceremony, Yellow stood to Lu Ye's right, grinning.
Brock crossed his arms on Lu Ye's left.
The top three had been completely swept by the trio.
Gold… still hadn't made it back yet.
Cerulean Gym's Daisy, the presenter, smiled as she shook Lu Ye's hand.
"It's an honor to meet you, Teacher Lu."
"You know me?"
"My younger sister, Misty, mentioned you when she wrote from Cerulean Gym."
Daisy giggled. "Didn't think we'd run into each other like this."
Lu Ye felt something was off.
"She said she'd like to battle you herself—but I'm not much good at Pokémon battling," Daisy sighed.
"No need, really!" Lu Ye said quickly.
"You're so thoughtful," Daisy chuckled, handing him a tray.
"Here's the Mystic Water, the trophy… Congratulations, Teacher Lu!"
This Mystic Water… Lu Ye thought. Let's save it for Squirtle—one less thing to buy later.
As for the Super Rod…
If it was just gonna catch Magikarp, it really didn't matter.
"And this," Daisy extended her fist, still smiling, "is part of the prize too."
Lu Ye reached out curiously and felt cold metal.
[Ding! Mission Progress Updated]
[Objective: Badge Collection (3/8)]
Lu Ye: ???!, 'Didn't I say I wasn't challenging Gyms?!'
"That's right," Daisy said, winking. "So I'm just giving you the badge."
"How does that sound? Happy?"
Lu Ye suddenly felt a pang in his chest.
Right… Misty's sisters were infamous for this kind of thing!
Disguising a Gym Badge… as a fishing prize?!
'So sneaky! I'll remember this, Daisy!'
---
As the sun dipped lower, the fishing tournament came to a close.
Lu Ye gave Team Rocket a call, "Your only target is Pikachu. Don't go after anything else. Got it?"
Knowing their officer had plans, the trio nodded furiously.
"Don't worry—we'll get that Pikachu, for sure!"
Yeah, right. Like that'll ever happen…
Still, they did help win him the championship this time…
"Go have a nice meal tonight," Lu Ye said softly. "My treat."
Having spent every last cent building their robot, the trio had been living on steamed buns and pickles.
Tears filled their eyes.
"Thank you!!"
Everything had finally wrapped up.
Except for that unexpected Cerulean Badge, which left Lu Ye emotionally drained.
And then there was Squirtle's Hydro Cannon…
You call that "Hydro Cannon"?!
Aside from the garbage accuracy—
That thing was basically Mega Cannon Blast 2.0!
Still, for Lu Ye, the hit rate was just too tragic.
"Let's stick with Water Gun next time," he sighed, "Hydro Cannon never hits anyway…"
Gold finally showed up, oblivious as ever.
"Man, what a shame—I almost won!"
You didn't even catch a single Magikarp!!
After saying goodbye, Lu Ye returned home.
He solemnly handed Squirtle its second Mystic Water.
Still not enough—but it was a gift from Master.
"Squirtlee!" (For Master's sake… I've gotta keep developing steadily!).
Its eyes burned with resolve.