Chapter 0806: Did Lana Really Hook Kyogre!?(Two-in-One)

The weather was flawless. Waves washed the beach, and the sky rang with the long cries of passing Wingull.

“This is Big Wave Beach, and it’s the spot in Alola that connects to the Hoenn waters.”

Natsume, holding a Super Rod, wore a fishing hat and sunglasses, sporting a pair of bermuda shorts as he announced,

“Today’s goal is simple: catch as many Pokémon as you can! Your results will be judged by Teacher Yellow!”

Lillie looked visibly nervous, while Kiawe, Sophocles, Ash, and Mallow were brimming with excitement. Lana seemed especially thoughtful.

Each of them gripped a fishing rod matching the color of their hair, while at the far end stood a round Gengar.

“Gengar!” Gengar, wearing pointed sunglasses in the same style as Ash’s Squirtle, grinned fiercely with a rod in its hands.

I’m joining in too!

As the last lesson before Saturday’s Exhibition match, fishing was also one of Natsume’s rare indulgences.

“I’ve already scouted the local fish schools,” Yellow said, her long blonde ponytail flicking as she sat side-saddle on Lapras, angling from the water nearby.

“Let’s head to the deserted reef up ahead, it’s an ideal fishing spot.”

A skilled Pokémon angler can select the best spot for the catch they desire.

For instance, in all of Hoenn’s aquatic environments, only six fishing points yield Feebas, all scattered on Route 119.

But regardless of where you fish, you’re always likely to find a Magikarp… It’s an ever-present species with a truly unbreakable will.

Lapras shuttled back and forth, ferrying Natsume and the students to the deserted reef.

The sea was a deep blue, rippled gently, and white Wingull soared past overhead.

“Choosing the right bait is crucial. For example, if you want to catch Shellder, you might use the sweet secretion from a Slowpoke tail; to hook a Mareanie, try a fragment of Corsola branch…” Yellow explained patiently. “And based on the bait’s flavor, you can even predict a Pokémon’s personality. But that’s for advanced lessons!”

Natsume interjected,

“You don’t even need bait to catch a Magikarp!”

Whether you’re a beginner or a fishing master, fishing for Magikarp is a craft you could spend a lifetime perfecting.

And for Natsume…is it even possible to catch anything besides Magikarp?!

“This time, you all can use the bait I’ve prepared ahead of time,” Yellow said, pushing her blonde hair behind her ear and smiling.

“Alright, let’s begin!”

The students paired off and cast their lines, the group going quiet with concentration.

Yellow wandered, giving pointers, when she turned in surprise toward a float shaped like a Gengar.

Which fishing rod already got a bite?

She traced the line with her eyes.

Natsume had his sunglasses pushed up on his forehead as he gripped the Super Rod, wearing a complex expression.

“If I’m not mistaken…”

Splash!!

With a smooth flick, he reeled in his catch in one fluid motion. A black shadow burst from the water, drawing the students’ attention—and their collective gasp.

“That fish is huge!”

“It’s Magikarp!!”

Natsume’s eternal rival: Gold the Fifth (crossed out)… Magikarp!!

Magikarp hit the reef with a splat, thrashing vigorously as its tail sent a shower of droplets splashing across Natsume’s face.

Natsume wiped his face: “...”

I feel like one of those roadside fisherman NPCs—six Pokémon, all Magikarp, nothing else!

Lana crouched down to inspect it, marveling,

“This Magikarp is big enough to enter a fighting tournament—amazing!”

“Yes,” Yellow agreed. “Its Splash is full of energy~”

Natsume: “….”

“Gengar~” Gengar hovered up and patted Natsume on the shoulder in consolation.

You’ll get used to it!

“Back you go!” Natsume scooped up the plump Magikarp and flung it back into the sea.

Splash!!

Lillie had her fishing rod in a white-knuckle grip, then exclaimed,

“It’s moving—the float moved!”

“Just like that, Lillie! Reel it up in one go!” Kiawe said encouragingly.

Lillie took a deep breath and pulled, reeling up a little heart-shaped pink fish biting her hook.

“Beep…that’s Luvdisc, Rotom~” announced Rotom Pokédex.

“It’s not that big,” Yellow commented, “but you’re the first student to catch anything. Ten extra points to Lillie!”

“Alright!” Ash rolled up his sleeves. “Pikachu, let’s do our best!”

“Pikachu~”

“I’m aiming for Mega Gyarados!” Lana said abruptly.

“Huh? Is that even possible in the wild?” Ash asked awkwardly.

“Of course not” Lana stuck out her tongue. “Just kidding”

“I’ve got one!” Mallow called. “It’s Bruxish!”

“Here goes—” Sophocles raised his electronic rod, scratching his head. “It’s…Octillery?”

“Gengar!!” Gengar yanked up his rod, and a black shadow shot out of the water, stunning everyone.

“Mantine?!”

Mantine spread its massive fins, casting a shadow over the awestruck students. With a daring leap, it broke the line and splashed down, sending up a huge fountain of water.

Splash!!

“Gengar, you’re amazing!”

“You even fished up Mantine!”

“Gengar~” Gengar squinted its crimson eyes and chuckled, scratching its head bashfully.

Natsume propped his chin on his fist, staring at Gengar being mobbed by the students, the rod limp in his hand and eyes dead as a fish.

Ah…I really wish I could catch something other than Magikarp…

“Hm?” Natsume looked down as his float bobbed, a spark of intuition shooting through him. “Something’s coming?”

“I choose you!” Natsume called, voice jumping an octave as he reeled in the line.

Splash!!

Natsume sighed, dejected. “It’s…Magikarp.”

“Natsume-sensei?”

Lana walked to the corner of the deserted reef, seeing his defeated figure, and called softly.

“Lana…just leave me alone for a bit,” Natsume replied, slumped on his folding stool and brooding, back to Lana.

“Um, Natsume-sensei.” Lana summoned her courage. “I want to try fishing further out!”

Natsume gathered himself and turned back in surprise. “Further out?”

Lana nodded earnestly, pointing to a solitary island on the horizon.

The sun shone bright, but over the solitary island, a heavy cloud loomed as if heralding a coming storm.

From there came a familiar aura…yet, also something strangely unsettling.

“That’s Hoenn waters,” Natsume muttered, frowning. “It’s about to rain, it’s too risky. Stay here on the reef.”

“But—” Lana, uncharacteristically stubborn, pleaded, “I feel like something rare is there to catch… I really want to try!”

Natsume gazed at Lana, then let out a helpless smile.

“Alright…let Gengar go with you. I need to watch over everyone else.”

Lana’s eyes sparkled as she smiled and nodded. “Okay!”

“If you run into danger, call for help. Latias and I’ll get there in no time.”

Natsume tossed a bundle of Pungent Root into his empty bait bucket. “It’s fine if you don’t get anything… Even a Psyduck or Slowpoke would be respectable!”

“Slowpoke~~”

A pink Slowpoke had been lying alongside Natsume, its tail dangling in the sea.

Hearing him, Slowpoke raised its tail—pinched in the end was a massive Cloyster.

“Yadon~~” Slowpoke looked over at Natsume, utterly silent.

Natsume: “…”

You too?! Now I’m being taunted by a Slowpoke…

I have to land something big today or there’s no living this down!

Boom!!

Thunder crashed. In the distance above the solitary island, vortexing storm clouds gathered.

The fish darted away as the students reeled in their lines, gazing out at the solitary island.

“Looks like a heavy storm is coming.”

“Lana…” Lillie fretted, “are you sure about fishing over there?”

“Yes, I just know I’ll catch something incredible this time!” Lana said firmly.

“But isn’t it too dangerous?” Mallow worried.

“It’s fine!” Lana beamed. “I have Teacher Gengar with me!”

“Gengar!” Gengar popped out from behind Lana, making faces and waggling its tongue.

“Bwahaha!” Lana mimicked, sticking out her tongue too and raising both hands like Gengar.

The pair clapped hands—“Ta-da!”

“You two sure get along,” Yellow murmured with a gentle smile. “Go quickly—and come back soon!”

Lana entered a bubble created by Brionne, like a walking water ball, and floated toward the solitary island.

Curious, Gengar insisted on getting a bubble too and floated along beside her.

Brionne propelled them from behind, and in no time they were nearly at the solitary island.

Boom!!

Black clouds whirled above, thunder roared, rain poured.

In weather like this, could you even fish for Pokémon?

Lana faltered, then steeled herself.

These conditions…are perfect for hooking something big!

She left her bubble and found a casting spot. The rod flew out over the waves.

“Gengar~” Gengar raised a giant banana leaf for shade over Lana, standing in the rain itself.

Lana blinked, then whispered, “Teacher Gengar…”

“Gengar!” Gengar stood tall, holding up the leaf and giving a thumbs up.

Lana’s eyes lit up. “I’ll definitely hook a giant this time!”

She closed her eyes and turned her back to the sea cliff, blue hair soaked by rain as waves battered the rock at her feet.

Beneath the sea, Lana sensed the presence of a massive aquatic creature.

Gyarados? Wailord? Or—

She flung the rod, slight frame silhouetted in the storm, voice ringing out over the raging tide,

“I will—no matter what—I will fish you up!!”

……

This story goes back four months—to the City of Wastes incident.

Primal Groudon, thanks to Hoopa’s ring, was warped home to Mt. Chimney and avoided the long walk back to Hoenn.

Primal Kyogre also passed through the ring, returning to the sea temple.

Yet, both ancient Pokémon remained awake.

Because the ‘Rainbow Meteorite’ held by Devon Corporation thinned the world’s Ancient Power, Groudon and Kyogre reverted to their standard forms.

Groudon sulked in its volcano at home. Kyogre, as Pokédex foretells, roamed the world’s oceans.

Today, Kyogre arrived at Alola’s waters—Big Wave Beach.

Because of a certain legend’s lingering threat, Kyogre deliberately restrained its power; the rainfall did not cover a vast area.

But Kyogre’s movement stirred the sea’s currents, driving masses of fish to the surface—ideal for fishing.

Yellow, ever the angling expert, detected this in advance and suggested the Big Wave Beach outing today.

Natsume-sensei never suspected a thing. After all, the cartoon was just for kids—there’s no way fishing could land you a Kyogre for real…

But he soon discovered real life is crazier than any cartoon.

Within moments, clouds billowed from the solitary island to the reef; thunder boomed, rain lashed the sea.

The water became corrugated, wind howled, as if the world had plunged into night.

Natsume had Ash lead Lillie and the others into the cavern for shelter while he and Yellow braved the storm outside, gazing out at the solitary island.

“Natsume-sensei, Lana is still out there!” Yellow said urgently.

“I know.”

Natsume’s dark hair was soaked, his eyes intense. “A rainstorm of this scale… there’s no way Pelipper could cause this…”

A beam of red light shot from a Dive Ball.

Blastoise’s shell gleamed with a metallic sheen, cannons shining in the storm, sunglasses reflecting the solitary island.

“Blastoise…”

“You mean…” Natsume gasped. “That’s impossible!”

Blastoise opened its palm, and a dark blue aura flared in the heavy rain.

Apparently, the Origin Pulse’s aura was being drawn to another of its kind.

Natsume closed his eyes and reached out with The Power of One—his mind’s eye filled with a familiar, massive form.

The Sea God—Kyogre!!

Pride and anger boiled in its gaze as it circled the solitary island, taunting the angler below!

So, it really is you, big fish!

“What’s wrong, Natsume-sensei?” Yellow asked.

“Yellow, I’m sorry to have involved you like this.” Natsume removed his sunglasses from his forehead, letting his dark bangs fall, his voice grave.

“We…we may have to team up to reel in something enormous.”

“Reel in what?” Yellow’s grip on the rod trembled—whether with fear or excitement, it was hard to tell.

“To catch—” Natsume locked eyes with the solitary island, the blue-and-white giant reflected in his pupils. Kyogre burst from the sea, crashing down waves that swallowed the tiny blue-haired girl, whose burning gaze returned its challenge.

“The Sea God—Kyogre!!”

……

“We have to cut its HP down first… so it’ll reach for a restorative Berry bait!”

Through wind and rain, the tiny, blue-haired girl battled against a sky-darkening fish god.

She didn’t cast recklessly, but circled the solitary island, searching for the right spot. Each wave snapped at her heels, swallowing up even the beach behind her.

“Gengar!” Lana called out, “Can you help me?!”

“Gengar~~” Gengar’s crimson eyes gleamed; in the storm, it spread its hands and cracked a wicked grin.

Happy to oblige!

Beneath the sea, Kyogre paused.

That familiar feeling…

No—could it be him!?

Kyogre’s yellow gaze peered up from the depths at the diminutive girl and the grinning Gengar—those pupils contracted.

Indeed, it’s his Gengar!!

But there’s no trainer in sight...

Kyogre grinned, showing sharp little teeth.

With the storm and the sea—here, I am unbeatable!

BOOM!!

Kyogre soared from the water, blue-and-white torso facing Lana as it spread its fins. The waves thundered at Gengar, threatening to smash the cliff behind him!

Stay calm… Lana told herself, recalling the gentle smile of a black-haired young mentor.

She steadied her trembling legs, raised her hand, and commanded her Battle Legends-class Gengar in a loud, clear voice:

“Dodge, Gengar—then use Toxic!!”

“Gengar!”

Facing the massive tidal wave, Gengar blinked out, appearing beneath the spiral clouds. The wave shattered against the cliff, shaking the whole island. Lana braced herself as Kyogre prepared to plunge into the water…but then, up above, purple Gengar waited!

“Gengar!” Gengar extended his palm and shot a condensed ball of venom down at Kyogre like an arrow.

A Poison-type Pokémon has a 100% accuracy rate—and that was Toxic!

BOOM!!

Kyogre smashed into the sea, shooting up a geyser. The stray spray soaked the small, blue-haired girl.

Lana shook the water away and stared in disbelief at the swirling whirlpool.

Kyogre’s head broke the surface—a fierce visage, its usual white markings now glowing with a purple hue!

Kyogre had been poisoned!

“Gengar… that was amazing!” Lana gasped.

Now came the next step—a baited Pecha Berry to counter the poison.

Attack, then offer a treat—of course Kyogre would be suspicious, and it wouldn’t bite easily.

But this… this was a war of nerves between angler and giant!

For both HP and willpower, and mental fortitude!

Kyogre dove deep and stirred a swirling storm of waves.

Lana cast forcefully, trembling in the downpour, the bait landing dead center in the whirlpool.

She shouted,

“I won’t lose to you, Kyogre!!”