Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Chapter 163

Mike reappeared on the island and immediately exhaled.

"That was terrifying..."

He had been attacked by Sharpedo in the morning and chased by an entire Sharpedo school in the afternoon.

The ocean clearly hated him!

Still—the footage had been excellent.

Definitely worth it.

Manryo was breathing heavily beside him.

"That was intense."

He grinned.

"Way more exciting than this morning. So that’s what being hunted feels like."

Mike stared at him.

The man looked almost disappointed that it was over.

Mike’s mouth twitched.

’People in this world really cannot be judged by normal standards.’

They had just been in genuine danger.

Manryo thought it was fun.

Then again... Mike had to admit he had enjoyed the adrenaline too.

Manryo looked down at the pink pearl Gardevoir was holding.

"Mike, what exactly does this pearl do?"

"That’s a special pearl left behind when Clamperl evolves."

Mike took a moment to catch his breath.

"You could call it a Clamperl pearl. It contains a huge amount of psychic energy."

He looked toward Gardevoir.

"You know Spoink? The pearl it balances on its head is a Clamperl pearl."

Manryo nodded.

"Psychic-type Pokémon can absorb the energy inside to strengthen their own psychic power, or you can sell the pearl for a very high price."

"I see."

Manryo turned the pink pearl over in his hand before returning it to Gardevoir.

"I’ll have someone make it into a pendant for you."

Gardevoir’s expression immediately brightened, and she nodded happily.

Manryo looked back toward Mike.

"But why would a pearl produced during Clamperl’s evolution contain that much psychic energy?"

Mike stared at him.

"To be completely honest, I want to know too."

He shrugged.

"I have no idea."

Then, after thinking about it, he added, "Maybe spending years sealed inside a shell causes all that accumulated solitude to condense into psychic energy."

Manryo considered that explanation.

Then he said, "I’ll transfer you the money later."

Mike looked confused.

"What money?"

"For the pearl."

"Why would you pay me?"

Mike frowned.

"We found it while exploring together. It’s part of what we got from the adventure."

Manryo studied Mike’s genuinely puzzled expression, then smiled.

"In that case, I’ll keep it."

"Just say thank you."

"Thank you."

Mike immediately raised his phone.

"What was that?"

Manryo looked toward him.

Mike was pointing the camera directly at his face with an exaggerated expression of innocence.

Apparently he hadn’t heard clearly.

Manryo took a slow breath.

Then pronounced each word perfectly.

"Go to hell!"

Mike saved the clip and immediately posted it in the fan group.

[GengarStoleMyDrumstick: Video]

[GengarStoleMyDrumstick: Everyone, look. Gholdengo Bro is bullying me.]

[ZhourongHephaestus: Voice message: Go to hell.]

[Mad Silence: Voice message: Go to hell.]

[Juice Bro: Voice message: Go... to hell.]

[...]

Manryo was laughing so hard beside him that tears appeared in his eyes.

Mike stared at the wall of abuse covering his screen.

Then quietly locked his phone.

Out of sight, out of mind.

...

"It’s getting late. Want to go catch some seafood for dinner?"

Mike put his phone away and handed it to Snivy before looking toward Manryo.

"Sure."

The two stood and headed back into the nearby shallows, searching around the reefs for something suitable.

Once they had gathered enough seafood, Mike led everyone back to the island, removed his diving gear, and started cooking.

Manryo sat on the blanket with Sylveon in his arms, playing cards with Gengar and Gardevoir.

Gengar casually threw down four Aces and raised his eyebrows at Manryo.

"Gar—"

[Bomb!]

Manryo’s mouth twitched.

He slowly looked down at the two Aces still sitting in his own hand.

Interesting.

Apparently this deck contained six Aces.

What a fascinating manufacturing defect.

Manryo looked up and gave Gengar an extremely pleasant smile.

Gengar instantly realized his little scheme had been exposed and ran for his life.

Watching him retreat toward Mike to pretend he had been helping with dinner all along, Manryo sighed and tossed his cards onto the blanket.

"So are we staying on this island for the next few days?"

"That’s the plan for now."

Mike kept working without turning around.

"Might as well enjoy fresh seafood while we’re here. Once I continue traveling inland, I could go a long time without getting anything this fresh."

"Where are you heading after this?"

"North. First I’m going to Eterna Forest to visit two friends I met recently and stay there for a while. Then I’ll head to Eterna City, rest for a few days, and afterward go to Celestic Town for the Academic Summit."

"Academic Summit?"

Manryo paused.

"Oh, right. I nearly forgot Wyrdeer came back because of your research."

Then he frowned slightly.

"Are you sure you have enough time?"

"Probably."

Mike poured the finished seafood into a serving dish.

"If I start running behind schedule, I can always take a train from Eterna City straight toward Celestic Town. There’s still more than a month left, so I’m not worried yet."

He set the food down.

"All right, everyone. Dinner."

Gengar and the others immediately took their places and picked up their own chopsticks, staring at Mike with eager faces like baby birds waiting to be fed.

Manryo came over with Sylveon still in his arms, while Gardevoir sat beside him and Gimmighoul perched on his shoulder.

After serving everyone soup, Mike glanced toward the tiny Pokémon near Manryo’s neck.

"You still haven’t found Gimmighoul’s chest?"

Manryo shook his head.

"No. I’ve searched everywhere we’ve been lately and found nothing."

He gently addressed the Pokémon on his shoulder.

"We’re still looking. There’s no rush."

Gimmighoul shyly retreated behind Manryo’s neck.

"Ghi~"

Its voice was so faint and whimper-like that someone unfamiliar with the species might barely notice it.

Mike, however, recognized that sound instantly.

Back when he had been collecting all 999 Gimmighoul Coins in Scarlet and Violet, he had combed the entire map listening for exactly that cry.

The moment he heard it, he knew a Gimmighoul had to be somewhere nearby.

The little Pokémon gradually emerged again.

Its body was purple, with two antenna-like protrusions on its head and eyes that looked almost as though they were framed by coin-shaped lenses.

Compared with its Chest Form, Roaming Form Gimmighoul was especially timid, and wild individuals could become so frightened by humans that they would drop a coin and immediately flee.

Mike sat down.

"Do you remember when its chest disappeared?"

Manryo picked up his bowl and thought for a moment.

"Long time ago, I think."

He frowned.

"I honestly don’t remember exactly when."

Mike quietly opened the system Pokédex and focused on the Gimmighoul perched on Manryo.

{Gimmighoul}

{Gender: Male}

{...}

{Profile: A Gimmighoul that wanders after losing its chest. It does not regret giving it up, because it abandoned the large, conspicuous chest for the sake of its dearest friend.}

Mike took a sip of clam soup while reading.

’It abandoned the chest itself?’

’For its dearest friend?’

His gaze shifted toward Manryo.

A large, conspicuous chest...

Mike remembered Manryo saying that when he was a child, Gimmighoul, Eevee, and Ralts had secretly slipped into the house to play with him.

Could Gimmighoul have abandoned the chest back then because it would have made sneaking into the house impossible?

"Maybe..."

Mike hesitated.

"You should search the places where you used to play together when you were kids."

Manryo looked up from the food he had been thoroughly enjoying.

"The places we used to play?"

He thought carefully.

"We barely went anywhere when we were children. Most of the time we played inside my family’s old house. We hardly even went into the yard."

He paused.

"Inside the house..."

Then his eyes sharpened.

"I know."

A smile spread across his face.

"Thanks, Mike. I think I know where the chest is."

Mike waved it off.

"I only made a guess. If it helps you find it, even better."

Manryo’s mood visibly improved.

He had already been enjoying the trip simply because it gave him a rare chance to relax, and now there was a good possibility he had finally figured out where Gimmighoul’s long-lost chest had gone.

He took another bite of Mike’s cooking.

Then another.

"I have to admit, you’re ridiculously good at this."

Manryo sounded genuinely impressed.

"This is better than what my family’s chef makes."

He looked toward Glameow.

"No wonder she barely touched lunch. You’ve spoiled her palate."

"If you like it, eat more. There’s plenty left."

Mike lowered his head and continued his own meal.

...

After dinner, Mike sat on the blanket while Glameow played with her red ball of string near his feet.

The Soothe Bell around her neck jingled constantly, and she was enjoying herself enough to let out small, happy meows.

Sylveon lay in Manryo’s arms watching her with bright eyes.

Gengar, Snivy, and Gardevoir were cleaning the cookware nearby.

Mike checked the time.

Professor Rowan was probably still awake.

He called him.

"Mike?"

Rowan answered almost immediately.

"Good evening, Professor."

Mike greeted him politely.

"Good evening."

Professor Rowan’s normally stern expression softened slightly.

Hearing the sound of waves through Mike’s microphone, he asked, "Are you at the coast?"

"Yes. Manryo and I are on an island not far from Floaroma Town. We’re currently filming Water-type Pokémon for The Wide World of Pokémon."

"I see."

Manryo heard his name and leaned closer to the phone.

"Good evening, Professor Rowan."

Professor Rowan looked at him.

"Oh, you."

He clearly remembered him.

"You’re the one who asked me about Gimmighoul during that livestream. Mike called you... Gholdengo Bro, wasn’t it?"