Chapter 176: It Is a Future Hero!

Yet he found no trace of the small island at sea; instead, he spotted several figures churning upon the water's surface.

Curiosity aroused, Luo Mu patted Dragonite's back; understanding, it lowered its flight altitude, allowing Luo Mu to clearly make out the true forms of those figures.

His brows furrowed, and he murmured, "Finneon and Sharpedo?"

This group of Sharpedo was but a small trio; they opened their massive maws to gulp seawater, then expelled high-pressure jets from their vents to surge across the surface at high speed, pursuing that Finneon.

Sharpedo ought not to inhabit the waters surrounding the Paldea region, yet unlike land severed by oceans, the seas of this planet are interconnected.

The marine ecosystem rivals that of the land in every way; countless aquatic Pokémon dwell within, living beings that move due to various factors.

These Sharpedo were no exception; with only three of them and no mass migration of their kind, their impact on the Paldea sea ecosystem was negligible.

Sharpedo are known as bullies of the sea; fierce by nature, they rampage recklessly through the ocean, and Pokémon targeted by them rarely fare well—at the very least, they suffer bites from teeth capable of easily piercing steel plates.

"Boo?"

Dragonite's call dragged Luo Mu from his thoughts; it watched the Finneon, whose swimming speed was gradually waning, with a face full of worry, as if asking whether Luo Mu should intervene.

Luo Mu had been hesitating over whether to meddle in a struggle between wild Pokémon, but when he looked in the direction Dragonite pointed, he immediately understood why that Finneon had drawn the attention of those three Sharpedo.

There floated a Wailmer Suffers Heavily; like a blue balloon, it lay helpless upon the sea surface, its body covered in bite marks from the Sharpedo.

Undoubtedly, this Wailmer, small and cute compared to its evolved form, had been attacked by the Sharpedo and Suffers Heavily.

Then, what of that Finneon?

Had it deliberately made itself bait to lure the Sharpedo away, hoping to help the Wailmer escape?

Luo Mu's brows knitted tightly, the scales in his heart gradually tipping.

After a moment of silence, he ultimately chose to lend aid.

Taking out a Poké Ball, Luo Mu released Swampert and pointed toward the scene, instructing, "Go help that Finneon; just drive those Sharpedo away. I'll stay here to treat the injured Wailmer."

As soon as he spoke, Luo Mu pulled a cluster of bottles and jars from his backpack; likely a habit from his gaming days, he always carried a stash of healing medicines when traveling, making him nearly equivalent to a mobile Pokémon Center.

Since Comfey was back at the farm, the timing was perfect; these medicines were now put to immediate use.

Swampert nodded slightly; to it, the ocean was like home, and even though its typing included Ground, its strength would not diminish in the sea; rather, it would be greatly enhanced by the abundant Water-type energy surrounding it.

The fins on Swampert's body sensed the shifting waves, quickly locked onto the target, and surged toward that direction with speed utterly incongruous with its appearance, even slightly faster than its Surf attack.

Knowing Swampert's combat prowess in the water all too well, Luo Mu felt no worry for that front, focusing his attention entirely on the Wailmer.

Dragonite flew cautiously beside the now-unconscious Wailmer, while Luo Mu leaned out to begin treating him.

On the other side, the rapidly swimming Swampert soon caught sight of the Sharpedo and Finneon.

By now, the Finneon had already been caught up by the Sharpedo; even though it exerted all its strength to dodge their attacks, Sharpedo were famously cunning and crafty.

They did not choose the highly unstable tactic of rushing in all at once; instead, they formed a triangular encirclement, calmly launching attacks in turn to exhaust the Finneon's stamina, as if toying with it.

The Finneon clearly realized the Sharpedo's intent and grew increasingly anxious; its usual tactic of slipping away amidst chaos was no longer viable.

These fellows are far too tenacious!

Even so, amidst such peril, the Finneon did not regret choosing to lure away the Sharpedo to save the Wailmer.

After all, the Finneon believed this was the necessary path to becoming the legendary hero within its clan; only by overcoming countless obstacles and continuously rescuing bullied Pokémon in the sea could it possibly become that legendary Dolphin Hero!

It is, after all, a future hero!

Swampert narrowed its eyes, pondering which move to use to save the Finneon.

First, Surf was definitely out; the move's area of effect was too large and might easily sweep the Finneon up in it.

After much deliberation, close-quarters combat seemed the most reliable option.

Having made its decision, Swampert wrapped itself in flowing water, instantly bursting into the battlefield from the side and knocking away a Sharpedo that was about to strike the Finneon.

Met by three gazes of shock, Swampert curled its lips upward, dove beneath the surface, and then shot skyward amidst the Sharpedo's panicked expressions; its two sandbag-sized fists struck left and right, slamming into the Sharpedo's bodies and sending them following their companion's fate.

Swampert deliberately knocked them all in one direction, lest they get separated from their companions later and cause trouble.

This entire combo took but a few breaths; the Finneon had only stared in a daze for a moment before those ferocious Sharpedo were sent flying by Swampert as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.

Noticing the Finneon still stood there dumbfounded, Swampert felt somewhat baffled; it hadn't even touched the Finneon, so why hadn't this kid snapped out of it yet?

Swampert waved its hand before the Finneon's eyes.

The flickering light and shadow before its eyes brought the Finneon back to consciousness; in a flash, relying on its extraordinary wisdom, the Finneon reached a conclusion.

This unfamiliar Pokémon before it was none other than the one it had long yearned for—the one who vanquishes evil and promotes good upon the sea, shrouded in a mysterious veil—the Dolphin Hero!!!

"Boo!!" (Thank you for saving me, Dolphin Hero!)

Emitting a long, melodious cry, the Finneon gazed at Swampert with sparkling eyes.

Swampert:????

Completely bewildered, Swampert was dumbfounded; why was this Finneon calling it the Dolphin Hero?

As if perceiving Swampert's confusion, the Finneon began making comparisons.

Looking closely, it had fins, and the other party had fins too.

Its own blue was slightly lighter, while the Dolphin Hero's blue was very deep.

Most importantly, the other party was also a Water-type Pokémon, just like itself, and had used its fists to send the sea's bullies flying!

Legend had it that the Dolphin Hero's fighting style relied on unparalleled strength to knock villains away!

The conclusion was reached.

It was its evolved form, the Dolphin Hero!

After hearing the Finneon's analysis, only one thought remained in Swampert's mind.

Has this kid's brain been bitten broken by the Sharpedo?

(End of Chapter)