In the days that followed, the Megalodon drifted aimlessly through the sea lanes leading back to the Hoenn Region. Along the way, it encountered a few ships, but given the current lack of manpower, no raids were attempted.
Everyone aboard the Megalodon remained immersed in the joy of wealth and victory.
As for the fallen comrades? They had long been cast from memory.
Upon the vast deck, Sieg was busy directing the training of his Pokémon.
"Corphish, feel the flow of water… try to draw it toward yourself," he said seriously, his gaze fixed on the small red Pokémon.
Water began to swirl and gather around Corphish's body.
Sieg's voice sharpened. "Now! Use Aqua Jet!"
With a leap, Corphish propelled itself forward, its body encased in a twisting current, surging toward a wooden target.
Smack!
The target exploded into splinters.
Landing with all six legs planted firmly, Corphish stood steady.
"Very nice! You've finally mastered Aqua Jet," Sieg praised, stepping forward with a smile. He couldn't hide his satisfaction.
Of the three Pokémon under his care, Corphish had made the most progress in recent days, having reached level 19, a feat that wouldn't have been possible without a generous investment of resources.
To train it in the inherited move Dragon Dance, Sieg had even shamelessly approached Lady Metako, his mentor, to request a vial of Kingdra blood.
Kingdra, a pseudo-dragon species, had trace amounts of dragon-type energy in its blood. With it, Sieg hoped to stimulate Corphish's sensitivity to draconic energy.
Unfortunately, the results were less than ideal.
To this day, Corphish still hasn't grasped Dragon Dance. So Sieg shifted focus to the other inherited move: Aqua Jet.
Meanwhile, Carvanha was training to refine its Speed Boost ability.
Through rigorous practice, it had learned to accelerate at will. Although the strain drained stamina quickly, the speed it achieved was nothing short of lightning-fast.
It may sound exaggerated, but among Pokémon of similar level, Carvanha was now one of the fastest swimmers.
Spearow, on the other hand, had adapted well to the shifting winds above the sea and had become an effective scout within a one-kilometer range. Its level was rising steadily.
"Even though their progress has been fast, it's still not enough," Sieg murmured as he leaned against the ship's rail. The sea stretched endlessly, an unnerving calm across the blue surface. But beneath it... who knew what danger lurked?
"It's time to put making Pokéblocks on the agenda," he muttered with resolve.
Pokéblocks, marvels of this world. Made by combining basic berries with rare herbs, they were powerful energy sources capable of amplifying natural nutrients many times over. They had extraordinary effects on Pokémon growth.
"Crafting Pokéblocks is a massive test of a trainer's focus and precision," Lady Metako had said. "You must measure time and energy down to the millisecond and milligram. Only through countless attempts can you gain the experience needed."
She placed a berry into a small machine before her, eyes as sharp as a hawk's as she monitored the data above.
She wore an expression of pure concentration, not allowing the slightest lapse.
Sieg stood obediently to the side, listening intently to her teachings.
Any trainer capable of crafting Pokéblocks was practically a money-printing machine. Take the one being produced now, for example:
The ingredients, a few berries worth maybe a couple dozen Pokédollars, had just yielded five bright yellow Pokéblocks, each worth over a thousand coins.
Pure profit.
Sieg's eyes burned with ambition. If he could master this skill, he'd never have to worry about resources again.
"No wonder I couldn't find any books about Pokémon breeding on the black market," he thought, a twist of resentment in his expression. "With such obscene profits, of course the wealthy clans wouldn't allow commoners access."
A wave of clarity swept over him, the twisted social hierarchy of this world laid bare once again.
"Here, try it. This is a Pokéblock made from a Salac Berry. It should boost a Pokémon's physical strength," Lady Metako said, removing her gloves. Using tweezers, she gently picked up the delicate treat.
Though small, it radiated warm and rich energy.
"Heh heh!" Sieg grinned, releasing Corphish from its Poké Ball.
The moment it emerged, Corphish caught a whiff of the sweet aroma in the air. Its eyes lit up with hunger.
It stared longingly at the Pokéblock, mouth watering.
Lady Metako chuckled at the sight of Corphish's puppy-dog expression. Clearly, she adored Pokémon from the bottom of her heart.
"Here you go~".
The yellow Pokéblock barely touched the air before Corphish caught it in its pincers and tossed it straight into its mouth.
"Cor Cor!"
Eyes closed in delight, Corphish let out a satisfied coo.
"From now on, this Pokéblock-making machine is yours," Lady Metako said, stepping out of the room. "Practice when you have spare time. Just grab ingredients from the storage."
She paused at the doorway. "Start with the basic ones. These special-effect recipes are too difficult for a beginner."
Sieg reached into his coat and retrieved Metako's handwritten notes, an irreplaceable collection of breeder knowledge.
Dozens of Pokéblock recipes were recorded inside, ranging from those that restored stamina and healed injuries to those that enhanced a Pokémon's physical resilience.
Then he turned to the last page and froze.
This final recipe listed its effect as: "Long-term use improves a Pokémon's potential."
His hands trembled.
But then he saw the ingredients list, hundreds of rare components, and his enthusiasm deflated.
Of those ingredients, he recognized only a few dozen. The rest were so rare he'd never even heard of them.
"Man... the path of a breeder is a long and arduous one," he sighed.
Corphish looked up at him pitifully, its little claws gesturing longingly toward the blocks on the table.
The lobster wanted more Pokéblocks...
In the days that followed, Sieg threw himself fully into the crafting of Pokéblocks, experiencing countless failures along the way.
It was no wonder that breeders who could successfully create these items were held in such high regard.
He finally understood, as he glanced at the mountain of waste piled in the corner and the one lone black blob on his workbench that barely resembled a block.
"No wonder Master said that beyond talent, perseverance is key. I can't imagine how many times she failed before she succeeded."
With numb fingers, Sieg placed another berry into the machine and began the process again.
His hands moved instinctively. Thousands of repetitions had embedded the motions into muscle memory.
As the machine whirred to life, Sieg focused intently on the spinning dial.
Time trickled by. Beads of sweat formed on his brow and fell silently onto the table.
Then, in a moment of near-perfection, his fingers moved, just a flick.
Ding~
A new chime echoed.
Sieg's weary eyes flickered with joy.
In his hand now rested a pristine white Pokéblock. Gentle warmth radiated from its smooth surface, and it carried a faint, fruity aroma.
He held it up to the light. Within its translucent body, the gel-like material shimmered softly.
A beginner's all-purpose Pokéblock, designed to restore stamina.
Success.