LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 1308: Revisiting Cerulean City
Yuga, who had been called back, looked puzzled. Everything had already been discussed—what else could there be?
He sat back down in his seat, and once everyone else had left, the Elder Patriarch finally spoke: "Actually, besides discussing the Moonlight Pearl collaboration, there's another matter we'd like to ask your help with."
Yuga smiled and replied, "Please go ahead, Patriarch. If it's something I can assist with, I absolutely won't refuse."
"We'd like to make another trip to Resurrection Island, but it's far too dangerous. Without a powerful Trainer to protect us, it's nearly impossible to set foot on the island."
"Resurrection Island?" Yuga was taken aback. There's an island with a name like that?
After listening to the Elder Patriarch's explanation, Yuga finally understood. It turned out that "Resurrection Island" was a name the Joy family had coined themselves—it referred to the same island where Yuga and his group had once harvested Revival Herbs. Arcanine, Blastoise, and other Pokémon in Yuga's Ecopark had been captured on that island.
This was a resource-rich island far removed from the human mainland. Yuga still vividly remembered the Level 100 Nidoqueen and Level 100 Aerodactyl on the island, especially the Aerodactyl. If it hadn't been for the aid of the Master from the Dragon Tamer clan, they might have been wiped out entirely by that Aerodactyl.
At that time, Yuga and his group hadn't even fully explored the island before encountering the Level 100 Nidoqueen and Aerodactyl, which showed just how perilous the place was.
In fact, it was one of the most dangerous locations Yuga had ever visited since arriving in the Pokémon world.
Still, the Joy family naming the place "Resurrection Island" felt a bit too random.
The Joy family wanted to return to the island because they aimed to expand the cultivation scale of Revival Herbs.
The Joy family had special techniques for cultivating Revival Herbs. Most of the herbs they had brought back from the island last time were successfully planted, which allowed them to produce a large quantity of Revives.
Thanks to these Revival Herbs and Max Revive, the Joy family had managed to achieve significant advancements.
However, cultivating Revival Herbs was extremely challenging. They only bore seeds when they reached the five-leaf stage. Thus, the Joy family couldn't rely solely on the existing seeds to expand their cultivation and needed to collect more herbs from Resurrection Island.
The problem was that the Revival Herbs on the island belonged to the Nido family—a formidable clan with Level 100 Pokémon in their ranks. The Joy family simply lacked the strength to negotiate with them.
The strongest Trainer in the Joy family was Joyna, but Joyna held a high-ranking position in the League and didn't have much free time. It was impossible for her to make the trip again. The only reason she'd gone last time was due to a coincidental reassignment to the Kanto region, which had given her a brief vacation before taking up her new post.
"We old folks may still have decent levels, but we're hopeless in battle. That's why we thought of troubling you," the Elder Patriarch explained with a helpless expression after laying out the situation.
After listening to the explanation, Yuga fell into deep thought.
In truth, Yuga was also quite interested in revisiting that island. After all, it had once been referred to by the system as a "prime habitat for high potential Pokémon."
The first time he'd gone, Yuga didn't fully understand the island, and his own strength had been insufficient, leaving him unable to properly explore the place. But now, things were different.
As for the Revival hlHerbs, Yuga didn't have much of a need for them. Unlike the Joy family, who intended to use the herbs for business, Yuga's purpose was purely personal, and the ones already planted in his Ecopark were sufficient for his needs.
Seeing Yuga remain silent, the Elder Patriarch assumed he was unwilling. After all, this time was different from the last. During their previous expedition, the Joy family had underestimated the dangers of the island due to incorrect intelligence, nearly failing to return safely.
The Elder Patriarch added, "If Gym Leader Shimizu can help us gather enough revival herbs, we will provide ample compensation."
This time, the Joy family had no intention of clashing head-on with the Nido clan, the guardians of the Revival Herbs. After their last encounter, they were well aware of the clan's formidable strength. Their plan now was to negotiate and trade with the Nido clan using Max Revive as a bargaining tool.
Living in the wild, the Nido clan would undoubtedly have a high demand for Max Revive. This trade proposal was unlikely to be refused.
If a Pokémon were injured, consuming raw Revival Herbs could heal them, but it would come with side effects, such as a drop in their level. This made Max Revive especially critical for the Nido clan, particularly for their Level 100 Nidoqueen. If it were to sustain injuries again like last time, having Max Revive on hand could be lifesaving when surrounded by strong enemies.
However, successfully negotiating and communicating with the Nido clan required Yuga's involvement. Additionally, if a conflict were to arise, Yuga could provide much-needed combat support to the Joy family members.
Yuga sighed and said to the Elder Patriarch, "It's not about the compensation. The Pokémon on that island are incredibly strong, and I…"
Although Yuga himself was interested in revisiting the island, since the Joy family had approached him for help, he wasn't about to make his eagerness obvious.
Seeing Yuga hesitate, the Elder Patriarch misunderstood, thinking he was reluctant to go. After all, the island was indeed extremely dangerous. Joyna had vividly described the battle between the Nidoqueen and Aerodactyl, as well as their harrowing escape from the latter's pursuit.
With those two Pokémon around, the Elder Patriarch doubted even Yuga could handle the situation alone. However, Yuga had the backing of his teacher, Mr. Kuni'o. If Yuga could borrow two Pokémon from his teacher, those two threats wouldn't be a concern.
Others might not know Mr. Kuni'o's strength, but the Elder Patriarch certainly did. Over a decade ago, she had witnessed a sparring match between Mr. Kuni'o and the Master of the Dragon Tamer clan. That unforgettable scene was still etched in her memory.
While the outside world might regard Yuga as exceptionally strong, in the eyes of the older generation, Mr. Kuni'o was the true unsurpassable figure.
"Gym Leader Shimizu is Mr. Kuni'o's disciple. While the Pokémon on that island are strong, they would pose no threat to Mr. Kuni'o."
Yuga immediately understood the hidden implication in the Elder Patriarch's words. She doubted his capabilities and wanted him to seek his teacher's assistance.
"If Gym Leader Shimizu can help us, the Joy family is willing to offer ten each of Blissey, Audino, and Wigglytuff raised and trained in our family's training facilities as a token of gratitude."
Hearing this, Yuga's eyes lit up. Blissey, Audino, and Wigglytuff trained by the Joy family? That was incredibly enticing.
Assistant Pokémon graduating from the Joy family's training facilities were exceptionally rare. Typically, only Pokémon Centers could receive such top-tier assistant Pokémon.
The Blissey in Yuga's household had also come from the Joy family, but they hadn't graduated from such training programs. They couldn't compare to the formally trained assistant Pokémon working in Pokémon Center.
Yuga's Dou Dou was so capable precisely because it had spent time at the Joy family's training facility. This was all thanks to Dou Dou's intelligence; otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to pick up so many skills in such a short period.
"Well, since the Patriarch has personally requested my help, how could I refuse? When do we set out?"
Yuga's sudden shift in attitude made the Elder Patriarch's face twitch. She had previously thought this young man was straightforward and honest, but now she realized he wouldn't budge unless there were clear benefits involved. He was nothing like the upright and honorable Mr. Kuni.
The Elder Patriarch had finally seen through Yuga's true nature.
"Of course, the sooner, the better!"
Yuga and the Elder Patriarch then spent a long time in the meeting room discussing the details of the trip to Resurrection Island.
This time, the Joy family didn't plan to send as many people as before. Considering the island's situation, sending too many people would likely cause more problems than it solved. Quality over quantity was the key.
The next day, the Joy family's clan meeting officially ended. Joy representatives from different regions began leaving Rustboro City, and Yuga also departed, returning to Verdanturf Town.
Upon returning, Yuga carefully arranged matters at his shop and the gym. Three days later, he brought his Pokémon and set off for Rustboro City again.
This time, Yuga didn't bring Vivillon because Aegislash mentioned that Vivillon was at a critical stage in its training and should stay home.
Yuga had only recently learned that Vivillon had been training with Aegislash all along.
Dragonite, Gengar, Mismagius, and Mimikyu were also absent because it was once again time for them to train in the Distortion World.
Previously, Absol had always been part of the group heading to the Distortion World, but this time it gave up its spot for Dusknoir.
Although Dusknoir wasn't a Pokémon with a purple potential and thus unlikely to break through to Level 100, it had a determined spirit and hoped to find an opportunity for further growth in the Distortion World.
Mimikyu's slot, on the other hand, had been relinquished by Roserade.
Currently, Roserade spent most of its time training in Nihilego's venom pool, so it was more practical to let Mimikyu take this opportunity instead.
Given the formidable strength of the Pokémon on Resurrection Island, Yuga decided to bring Aegislash. Moreover, he was hoping to settle the score with that Aerodactyl.
To be on the safe side, Yuga also brought Nana.
If Ninetales had been home, Yuga would have brought it, but unfortunately, Ninetales was away filming a movie. Nana, however, was now just as strong as Ninetales, so bringing it was just as effective.
Nana hadn't traveled with Yuga in a long time, so when it heard that they'd be revisiting the island, it was quite happy. It had been part of the last trip to Resurrection Island as well.
Yuga had considered whether to bring Mewtwo, but before he could even ask, Mewtwo had already refused, saying it was too busy focusing on its career to be disturbed.
After taking care of things at home, Yuga set off in the direction of Rustboro City, riding on Salamence.
In the past, before Salamence evolved, Yuga rarely took it out. This time, Salamence was extremely excited to be brought along to Resurrection Island.
Although Salamence, being just at the pseudo-Elite level, couldn't fly as fast as Charizard or Dragonite, Yuga wasn't in a hurry and didn't mind taking his time.
When Yuga arrived at the Joy family's villa in Rustboro City, he saw a young girl standing at the entrance waiting for him. Yuga immediately recognized her—it was the battle Joy who had once claimed she wanted to date him.
As Yuga landed slowly on Salamence, she started waving at him enthusiastically, bouncing up and down.
"You're finally here! I've been waiting for you for so long!"
She ran over to greet Yuga as soon as he got off Salamence.
"Why are you here? Aren't the members of your branch supposed to have already left Hoenn?" Yuga asked in surprise, looking at the girl.
"Hehe, I'm actually one of the personnel accompanying you to Resurrection Island this time," the girl said with a goofy smile.
"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Joyha, a Trainer."
Joyha had volunteered to accompany Yuga to Resurrection Island. Of course, her real purpose wasn't to gather Revival Herbs; she simply wanted to use the opportunity to get closer to Yuga.
From the moment she first saw Yuga, she had fallen for him. Although Yuga had said he wasn't currently considering dating, love wasn't something that could be predicted. She believed that spending more time together might eventually make Yuga develop feelings for her.
"Uh, hello. My name is Shimizu Yuga. Pleased to meet you," Yuga replied awkwardly, giving a forced laugh. He hadn't expected Joyha to be so lively.
"I already know your name is Shimizu Yuga! Come on, follow me inside," Joyha said cheerfully, grabbing Yuga's arm and leading him into the villa.
According to Joyha, they would spend the night at the villa and depart for Cerulean City in Kanto the following morning via a Joy family aircraft.
Compared to the time of the Joy family meeting, the villa now seemed quite empty, with only a few servants remaining. If it weren't for waiting for Yuga, Joyha wouldn't have stayed behind either.
Joyha, being the daughter of the Kanto branch leader of the Joy family, was perfectly suited to accompany Yuga to Kanto.
The next morning, after Yuga and Joyha finished breakfast, the Joy family's aircraft arrived at the villa's entrance.
Since the only passengers were Yuga and Joyha, the Joy family had arranged a small aircraft. Despite its size, the aircraft was lavishly equipped, proving that even small things could be luxurious.
A few days later, Yuga and Joyha successfully arrived in Cerulean City, where they were greeted by Joyha's mother, Joyya.
The headquarters of the Kanto branch of the Joy family wasn't in Cerulean City. Joyya had been staying at the Pokémon Center in Cerulean City for several days to welcome Yuga.
As soon as Yuga arrived, Joyya arranged for him to rest in a pre-prepared accommodation, ensuring he could recharge before heading to Resurrection Island.
That evening, Yuga met the team members who would accompany him to Resurrection Island. The group was indeed small; including Joyha, there were only five people in total, one of whom Yuga recognized.
Joyan, an Elite-level Trainer and a member of the Kanto region's Elite Four candidate list, had also participated in the previous trip to Resurrection Island.
Noticing Yuga looking at her, Joyan gave him a friendly smile.
She had a great impression of Yuga. During the last trip to Resurrection Island, if it hadn't been for Yuga, they wouldn't have been able to obtain the Revival Herbs from the powerful Nido family.
Apart from Joyha and Joyan, the other three were two male Trainers and a female medical Joy, who was the team's designated medical staff.
Although Yuga had healing-type Pokémon, relying solely on them wouldn't always be enough. In critical moments, having professional medical personnel could be indispensable.