He endured a night filled with apprehension.
Finding that Lorelei hadn't made any moves, Riku finally fell asleep just as the sky began to brighten.
It wasn't that Lorelei wasn't beautiful, nor that she lacked a good figure.
If he were still back on Earth, Riku would have actually been most attracted to mature, elegant women like Lorelei.
But now that he had transmigrated to the Pokémon world, although Riku remained himself mentally, his body was much younger.
What kind of woman a man liked often depended on his age. And Lorelei—an elite veteran, wealthy and powerful—made Riku hesitant. He didn't want to be labeled a gigolo or something worse.
More importantly, May couldn't compare to Lorelei in terms of allure, but she had always cared for him sincerely. She'd expressed her feelings, helped him selflessly, and stuck by his side.
Naturally, Riku valued May more.
If it weren't for her, he might have just given in to Lorelei's charm.
But men needed to maintain some reserve (space), after all.
——
After making breakfast, Riku noticed Lorelei was still asleep, likely still running a slight fever.
He placed the breakfast on the table, covered it, and carried a few lunch boxes toward the berry forest.
The three legendary birds and Groudon had exerted themselves the day before, chasing the Elite Four around all night. They had fallen asleep exhausted and hungry.
"So fragrant!"
"It's Master's cooking!!"
Even before Riku entered the berry forest, the four Pokémon had already awakened from the enticing aroma.
"Master is the best!"
When they saw Riku walking in with lunch boxes, the legendary birds and Groudon immediately started flattering him.
"I knew Master wouldn't forget us."
"Father and Mother are great, but Master is better. Master, I love you."
"Long live Master! Long live Master! Long live Master!"
——
"Alright, enough flattery. I already know what you guys are like," Riku said helplessly.
As soon as he placed the lunch boxes on the ground, the four Pokémon started scrambling.
"Stop fighting! One box per Pokémon. If you fight again, I won't bring food next time."
Riku's threat was very effective. The moment he finished speaking, the legendary birds and Groudon quieted down and obediently took their respective boxes.
As they ate, Riku shook his head and sighed,
"Forget it. I originally planned to take you for some training. But seeing how tired you all look, and that you didn't sleep well last night, let's suspend it for today."
"Master is awesome!" the Pokémon chorused, flattering him once more.
Since they already called him Master, what harm was a little more flattery? If it helped them avoid training, they were willing to flatter him to the skies.
Actually, Groudon still wanted to train—but only the third stage.
It was obsessed with flying and longed for the Flying-type law, so it was willing to endure that particular hardship.
But the first two stages? It would rather skip them.
Standing on one leg enhanced the Ground-type law.
Meditating by the waterfall improved the Water-type law.
Neither of those mattered much to Groudon.
"Eat quickly. After this, I need to take Lapras to gain some battle experience and maybe capture some rare Pokémon—what's that?"
Just as Riku spoke, he noticed the area around him suddenly darken.
Looking up, a massive shadow flew swiftly overhead.
Thanks to his excellent eyesight, Riku instantly recognized the Pokémon and also spotted the Trainer riding on it.
"Drake? What's he doing here?"
Riku was taken aback.
"Could something have happened..."
Boom—
A deafening explosion rang out, followed by a tremor beneath his feet.
Realizing a battle had broken out on his island, Riku didn't hesitate. He sprinted out of the forest.
"You guys stay here. Don't go out no matter what," he instructed.
"It's likely a Champion-level battle. Stay away from the crossfire."
——
As soon as Riku left, the legendary birds and Groudon started grumbling.
"Those arrogant bastards! How dare they fight on our island!"
"Master's not here? I'll go out and kill them right now!"
"They're courting death! We need to see who it is. We'll strike again tonight!"
"If they damage the terrain or the berry forest, nobody can stop me from destroying them!"
"Let's sneak a peek. Master said not to go out. If we get caught, we'll get scolded again."
"Let's go. I've lost my appetite. Damn it!"
The legendary birds and Groudon stealthily followed Riku and slipped out of the forest.
——
Meanwhile, Riku had already arrived at the battlefield and was frowning as he observed the fight.
Two Dragonite were engaged in fierce, rapid combat.
One was Drake's familiar Dragonite.
The other belonged to a man in a black cloak with long purple hair.
"Dragonite, Thunder Punch!"
"Don't get entangled with him!!"
Drake's commands sounded hurried—he was clearly at a disadvantage.
In contrast, the purple-haired man remained calm and composed.
"Dragonite, use Dragon Tail to interrupt him."
"It's been a while since I've encountered a Champion-level Dragonite. Let's enjoy this."
His Dragonite was noticeably larger than Drake's.
In Riku's eyes, it was like watching a 1.6-meter man go up against a 1.8-meter bodybuilder.
The difference in power was clear.
Boom—
Drake's Dragonite, with its right fist charged with electricity, had barely closed the distance when the opponent's Dragon Tail struck it cleanly.
The powerful tail strike not only canceled the Thunder Punch but also sent Drake's Dragonite tumbling backwards, landing heavily on its rear along the beach.
"This is bad," Riku muttered.
"At this rate, Drake is going to lose."
"Come out, Lapras!"
Drake was a Trainer from the Orange Archipelago, while the mysterious purple-haired man's identity was unknown.
But Riku didn't need to think twice about who to help.
Especially since this powerful Trainer had come unannounced and was clearly toying with Drake—it had to be the Champion-level Trainer who had recently appeared in the Orange Archipelago.
If the battle were taking place somewhere else, Riku might have simply observed.
But now, he was genuinely worried that their clash might damage the island.
"This is boring."
"Dragonite, let's end this."
"Hyper Beam."
Just as the enemy's Dragonite prepared to unleash its ultimate move and finish Drake's Pokémon—
Lapras suddenly leapt onto the beach.
"Lapras, Ice Beam!"
--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter