For the past two days—
The Pokémon food vendors in Hae'er City had been making a fortune.
Thanks to Ethan.
This one "big client" had practically emptied their entire inventory—and even that wasn't enough.
After all, when heading into the wild, one usually prepared food for at least three to five days.
Sometimes even longer.
And now—
He had a bottomless pit following him around.
Next Destination
The surrounding mountain ranges had already been explored:
Duanbai Mountain Range ✅Daling Mountain Range ✅
Only Xiaoling Mountain Range remained.
But after just two days there—
Ethan left.
Not because he wanted to.
There simply weren't any worthwhile opportunities.
The only one he found was a blue-tier opportunity—
Just a mediocre gemstone.
He still had plenty of those lying around.
Decision Time
"Alright, same method as always."
Ethan pulled out a map.
Closed his eyes.
And threw a dart.
Wherever it landed—
That would be their next destination.
A perfect solution for decision-making struggles.
Thud.
The dart landed.
Ethan leaned in.
"…Haiya."
A smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like we can finally relax."
Haiya – A Coastal Paradise
Haiya was a seaside city, famous for tourism.
Beautiful sceneryPleasant climateLow danger levelsFew high-tier wild Pokémon
But most importantly—
It was full of cute Pokémon.
A perfect place to unwind.
"Is it really that fun?" Aurora asked curiously.
"You'll see," Ethan smiled. "Especially this season—it's the best time to visit."
Arrival
By the next day—
They arrived in Haiya.
A cool sea breeze brushed past them, carrying away the heat and leaving behind a refreshing calm.
Pokémon happily roamed the streets.
People laughed, strolled, and enjoyed life.
Everything about the city felt… peaceful.
"This place really helps you relax," Aurora said, looping her arm around Ethan's.
"Wait till tomorrow," Ethan replied. "The beach is even livelier."
The Festival
As they walked further—
A massive banner caught their attention:
"The 35th Haiya King of Fishing Tournament is now underway! Catch the biggest fish and win the grand prize!"
Ethan's eyes lit up.
"Oh? A fishing tournament?"
He grinned.
"Didn't expect to run into something like this."
Aurora immediately got excited.
"Should we join?"
Back in the Arctic Alliance, she had gone ice fishing before—
But never ocean fishing.
"Of course," Ethan smirked.
"Watch me take first place."
Aurora laughed.
"You? I've never even heard you say you can fish."
"Oh? Doubting your man now?"
The two joked and teased each other all the way back to the hotel.
The Competition Begins
The next morning—
They arrived early at the beach.
Following the signs, they reached the competition area.
There were plenty of participants.
Some came for the prize money.
Others simply loved fishing.
After registering—
They received their fishing rods.
Choosing a Spot
The competition was held on long fishing platforms extending into the sea.
Dozens of platformsEach about 30 meters longThe closer to deep water, the more crowded it was
Ethan and Aurora chose a quiet spot near the shore, shaded from the sun.
"Can we even catch big fish here?" Aurora asked, looking at the clear shallow water.
Ethan smiled.
"That's where I come in."
"Not Cheating"
With a casual flick—
The bait entered the water.
Then—
Ethan secretly used his psychic power.
Guiding the bait silently into the deep sea.
The fishing line unspooled rapidly—
Until it reached its limit.
Aurora blinked.
"…That's cheating."
Ethan shrugged.
"How is that cheating?"
"I'm not using Pokémon. Just my own ability."
"If others could do it—they would."
Double Setup
"Then I want that too!"
Aurora laughed.
Ethan helped guide her bait as well.
Soon—
The two sat side by side, rods in hand, waiting.
First Catch
Suddenly—
Aurora's rod twitched.
"I got one!"
She quickly started reeling.
After a few turns—
The fish fought back.
"Wow! That's strong—it must be at least 10 pounds!"
Ethan chuckled.
In the ocean? That's probably… one pound at best.
"Stop laughing! Help me reel it in!"
They switched rods.
Ethan began reeling.
Just as he expected—
Not a big one.
At the same time—
The second rod also got a bite.
"This one feels even bigger!"
Aurora struggled again.
"Hold on—I'll finish this one first."
The Result
A few minutes later—
Ethan stood there holding two fish.
Both about one pound.
He couldn't help but laugh.
Big commotion—
Tiny results.
Aurora looked at the fish—
Then lowered her head in embarrassment.
"…At least ten pounds, huh?"
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