A few days later.
The sea breeze still carried a faint salty tang, but it no longer held the despair and fury of before. Instead, it was now infused with a breath of revitalization and a subtle sense of jubilation.
The ruins were not completely cleared away.
Following Ash's far-sighted suggestion, they were preserved to the greatest extent possible.
After all, waste could be put to good use.
Twisted steel bars, collapsed concrete slabs, and even the eerie purple-stained shores once saturated with venom were cleverly integrated into the new design blueprint.
This world was home to Psychic-type Pokémon, and beings like Alakazam and Metagross possessed minds that could rival supercomputers in processing speed.
Once Ash and Lt. Surge had finalized the plan, Lt. Surge enlisted professionals to draft the design.
The blueprint was completed swiftly.
And once the design was ready, construction progressed just as rapidly.
This was because the construction industry also relied on Pokémon.
Typical examples included Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Bonsly, Sudowoodo, and Conkeldurr.
The coexistence of humans and Pokémon permeated every aspect of life.
When it came to industries beyond Pokémon training, the extent of Pokémon's involvement in human society became even more apparent.
Not all Pokémon were skilled in or fond of battle.
Not all humans chose to become trainers.
In just a few days,
the core landscape of an open-air memorial plaza had taken shape.
Its primary purpose was to silently narrate the catastrophe born of greed and the retaliatory power of nature, serving as a perpetual warning to future generations.
In this world of Pokémon, gods existed.
So, if humans here harmed nature, nature's retaliation was direct and unmistakable.
It would throw a punch and start a fight!
After witnessing the shock of the giant Tentacruel,..Ash genuinely felt the need to document such large-scale disasters.
It was only because Lt. Surge had managed to hold off the giant Tentacruel.
What if some smaller city encountered such a situation and failed to stop it?
Take the Kanto League, for example—there were actually more than eight Gyms.
But these eight Gyms were the strongest among them.
Even if the Cerulean Gym was considered embarrassing, it was only the weakest among these top-tier Gyms.
Powerful Gym Leaders like Lt. Surge could stand against Pokémon overlords.
But that didn't mean the Gym Leaders of smaller cities could do the same.
Legendary Pokémon could temporarily empower ordinary Pokémon, boosting them to a level comparable to Pokémon overlords.
This could be seen as a method of mass-producing powerful beings.
The fact that they could accomplish this proved that Legendary Pokémon were far stronger than these Pokémon overlords.
And then, consider the deities standing at the pinnacle of the world.
The colossal Lapras, as the Sea King, was undoubtedly no match for its superior, the Sea Emperor, Kyogre.
Ash recalled the scene of Kyogre's awakening, which could drench the entire planet in torrential rain.
...This was simply beyond what ordinary people could handle.
At the most prominent seaside spot of the plaza,
a massive statue was being hurriedly cast, its foundation taking shape.
It depicted Lt. Surge's proudest Raichu, leaping into the air in the decisive pose of its Iron Tail move, with a pained, curled Tentacruel beneath it, its tentacles shattered and scattered.
The statue's design was sharp and brimming with a sense of power.
Lt. Surge himself came to supervise the work almost daily, crossing his burly arms and laughing heartily at the gradually forming sculpture:
"Yes! Just like that!"
"Lift that chin a bit higher, damn it!"
"This is the kind of dominance I want!"
"Let everyone who comes here see clearly—it was me and Raichu who won this battle!"
"Hahahaha!"
His booming laughter echoed across the beach. He was clearly reveling in showcasing this "great achievement."
Back in his military days, what soldiers sought was glory.
Why should there be any shame in that?
What's wrong with having a big reputation?
Why sacrifice anonymously?
What we want is to be widely known!
What we want is to tell everyone—as long as you do real work, no one will forget you!
Set an example to show everyone—desire is nothing to be ashamed of!
Let everyone know—hard work brings rewards!
Although the massive Jellyfish-themed hotel's main structure would take time to complete, a creative pilot marine platform had already been constructed ahead of schedule.
This was a broad wooden platform extending into the sea, decorated with ocean-themed colored flags and soft lighting. The railings were specially designed to allow Water-type Pokémon to approach easily.
Tonight.
This was the gathering place for Vermilion City's elite trainers.
Lt. Surge had changed the venue for today's meetup.
On the platform, the area was brightly lit, with human voices and Pokémon cries blending harmoniously together.
Gentle waves lapped against the platform's pillars, creating a natural background melody.
Lt. Surge was naturally one of the focal points of the event.
After all, he was Vermilion City's great hero.
Holding a massive wooden mug, he gestured animatedly to the surrounding trainers and local merchants, once again boasting about that "epic showdown."
"Once my hotel is built, this will be the one and only in Kanto! Let's see who dares say Vermilion City only has a port and a Gym anymore!"
Thinking of this.
Lt. Surge found himself appreciating Ash more and more.
He felt Ash wasn't just talented as a trainer.
He also had great ideas when handling other matters.
A true strategic genius!
If Ash could become the League Champion in the future...
Lt. Surge would fully support it!
So Lt. Surge decided to give Ash 10% of the profit shares... and don't think he's being stingy,
this is actually quite substantial.
After all, he still had to cover costs, maintenance, channels, and more... while Ash could just sit back and collect earnings.
Meanwhile, Professor Sakuragi and Professor Okido stood at the edge of the platform, admiring the sea view while engaging in more academic conversation.
Professor Sakuragi pointed toward the Tentacool swimming leisurely under the moonlight in the distance:
"The residual energy from the giant Dragonite continues to purify this sea area. The ecological recovery is progressing faster than expected, providing an excellent sample for studying the long-term environmental impact of Legendary Pokémon's power."
Professor Okido excitedly added:
"Exactly!"
"More importantly, Zygarde has acknowledged this 'symbiotic order'!"
"This proves that within absolute rules, there exists room for creative solutions."
"This is practically the perfect case study combining Pokémon sociology and deity behavioristics!"
His Gardevoir remained poised beside him, hands resting gracefully at her abdomen, standing quietly and elegantly next to Professor Okido.
Hmm... Gardevoir's demeanor really resembled that of Professor Okido's companion.
But this Gardevoir is male!
Awkward.
Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy also stood together, holding their drinks.
Officer Jenny looked visibly relieved: "The crisis has finally been averted. Gym Leader Lt. Surge and I have coordinated the follow-up security patrol plan to ensure the safety of both tourists and Pokémon in this area."
Nurse Joy smiled gently: "The injured Tentacool are recovering well. They seem quite adapted to this new way of coexistence—this is truly the best outcome."
What drew the most attention, however, were the busy "servers" shuttling across the platform. Several Tentacruel and more Tentacool floated in the seawater on either side of the platform, using their flexible tentacles to move about. Some steadily held waterproof trays carrying drinks and snacks, offering them to guests, while others carefully placed fresh Berries from the water directly onto the dining tables.
Their movements might not be as skilled or graceful as those of human servers, and occasionally, nervousness caused them to splash a little water. Yet, their cautious and earnest efforts to complete their tasks came across as genuinely endearing, eliciting waves of good-natured laughter and admiring glances.
Enabling Pokémon and humans to coexist harmoniously is, from every perspective, the right thing to do. No one could find fault with that. In a way, this also helps Pokémon integrate into human society.
One detail deserves emphasis: human society has never consisted solely of humans. Human society refers to a community led by humans but shared with Pokémon. Moreover, these Tentacruel are being paid wages. Although when the topic was first discussed, the Tentacruel struggled to understand what "wages" meant, the concept of payment is essential.
Once the Tentacruel discovered they could exchange money for food, any resistance vanished completely. Delivering a few items to guarantee food and drink? What a great deal! Especially the specially made Pokéblocks—far superior to their usual diet. Life in captivity is simply better than in the wild. And this semi-domesticated, semi-free model? Even better.
Tentacruel: "Three punches shatter a Pokémon's bones, but I'm loyal to my core!"
Tentacruel: "Pokémon shall never be enslaved—unless room and board are included!"
Tentacruel: "What's so funny? Jellyfish don't have bones!"
From a Pokémon's perspective, it's safe to say that over 90% of the world's Pokémon are quite simple-minded. Plus, Lt. Surge implemented an 8-hour work schedule for the Tentacruel—not some 24-hour indentured servitude. Oh, and there are holiday adjustments and such, which aren't a big issue for the Tentacruel.
Due to an oversupply of labor—the hotel doesn't actually need that many Tentacruel servers, but the group is quite large—there's competition for shifts. It's possible that each individual only works an hour or two a day. Chuckles.
Ash, Misty, and Brock stood by the platform railing, taking in the harmonious scene. Misty held the Horsea that had first sounded the alarm; it was curiously observing the lively atmosphere.
"It looks like your suggestion really worked, Ash," Brock said with an approving smile.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder, nodded happily, clearly enjoying the current ambiance.
Ash gazed at the busy Tentacruel in the water, the people chatting cheerfully on the platform, and the triumphant silhouette of Lt. Surge's statue in the distance, then nodded firmly. "Yeah! This is really great!"
This is the Pokémon world that Ash truly wanted to see.
He never wished for this world to be filled with conflict.
Therefore, he must grow stronger—strong enough to shape the future of this world.
I will declare how this world ought to exist!
____
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