"If you can finish the battle in five minutes, I'll treat you to limited-edition seafood ice cream." May hurried after him in her little leather shoes, staring at the back of Lin Hao's head as he plodded along, and shouted.
Lin Hao's dragging footsteps stopped at once. He turned around, his gaze landing on the pink bag at May's waist. "You're paying?"
"Yes, I'm paying." May's eyelid twitched as she agreed through gritted teeth.
"It's a deal." Lin Hao reached up, lifted the dozing Pikachu off his shoulder, and casually set him on the ground. "For the ice cream, let's make this quick."
"Pika." Pikachu wiggled his chubby little arms and stared ahead.
The sea breeze rustled the flags on the deck. Tourists holding wineglasses had already gathered all around to watch, while Red leaned against the mast at the front, one hand resting on his red-and-white cap.
The boy opposite him straightened his expensive blue suit and pointed at Lin Hao. "You punk, trying to show off in front of Lord Red? Today, I'll show you what a real Trainer is."
"Can you skip the nonsense?" Lin Hao patted his mouth, his face heavy with sleepiness. "If you keep dragging this out, everyone else will grab all the king crab at the buffet."
"You're asking for it." Xiao Ming clenched his teeth and threw a Poké Ball. "Go, Scyther!"
An emerald-green Scyther landed on the deck, crossing its huge scythes through the air with two sharp whistles.
"The sheen on that Scyther's blades isn't normal. It's at least elite level."
"See that? That's the power of money and proper training." Hearing the comments around him, Xiao Ming lifted his chin high. "Your Pikachu probably suffers from malnutrition."
"Something like that." Lin Hao nudged Pikachu forward. "He usually eats too much. He just gets fatter instead of taller."
"Pika." Pikachu gave him a sidelong look and cried out.
Inside the System Space, several legendary Pokémon were already clamoring to come out.
Ho-Oh flapped its wings wildly on the virtual screen. "How dare it! A mere green bug dares mock Master's Pokémon? Master, let me out so I can burn it!"
Groudon stomped its foot in agreement. "I could turn it into green mush with one step."
Mewtwo folded its arms and tossed out a remark. "It isn't even worthy of my Confusion."
"All of you, stay put." Lin Hao used his thoughts to hold them back. I just want my seafood ice cream.
"Scyther, use Agility! Make his head spin!" Xiao Ming commanded loudly.
The emerald figure flickered, leaving seven or eight blurry green afterimages across the deck and surrounding Pikachu in the center.
"So fast." May held down her skirt at the sidelines, watching without blinking.
"Not bad," Red said, though his gaze remained fixed on Lin Hao.
"Feeling hopeless now?" Xiao Ming raised his chin. "Scyther, use X-Scissor! Cut him to pieces!"
Several green afterimages raised their blades at once. The sounds of slicing air merged as they descended on Pikachu in the center.
"Pikachu, dodge!" May couldn't help shouting.
"Pikachu, call down some thunder." Lin Hao didn't even take his hands out of his pockets. "Keep the range under control. Don't blast through the deck, or the captain will make me pay for it."
Golden electricity lit up the red electric sacs on Pikachu's cheeks. He raised a little paw and slapped it down.
A thick pillar of golden lightning fell from the sky and struck the center of the deck, shaking the entire cruise ship.
The smell of burning drifted through the sea breeze. Scyther lay in the blackened crater with its eyes rolled back, tiny sparks still flickering over its body.
Xiao Ming looked at Scyther on the ground, then at Pikachu, whose fur wasn't even ruffled. He was speechless. "How is this possible?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Lin Hao walked over, bent down, and scooped Pikachu back onto his shoulder. "I told you, he's just chubby and a little stronger."
"He calls that stronger? That was a thunderbolt from heaven," a Trainer in the crowd muttered, instinctively stepping back.
May pressed a hand to her forehead, her head aching. Looking at Lin Hao's lazy demeanor, she simply couldn't reconcile the word "ordinary" with this monster.
"Very interesting." Red's cap brim shifted as he spoke.
Lin Hao walked up to May and held out his hand. "Under five minutes. Hand over the money for the seafood ice cream." He wiggled his fingers.
"I hope you eat yourself to death." May pulled a large bill from her wallet and slapped it into Lin Hao's palm.
"Wait! You cheated! Your Pikachu must have some illegal electrical device installed!" Xiao Ming shouted behind him, making to rush over and grab Lin Hao's clothes.
"Touch him if you don't believe me." Lin Hao held Pikachu out behind him.
Pikachu obligingly let two little blue sparks leap from his cheeks, frightening Xiao Ming so badly that he fell straight onto his backside.
"Can't be bothered with you." Lin Hao pulled his hand back and looked at Red beside him. "Had enough to eat? Want to go back for more?"
"No, I'm going to enjoy the view." Red shook his head, turned, and walked toward the edge of the deck.
Lin Hao pulled May back to the restaurant. Holding the limited-edition seafood ice cream served on a plate, he scooped up a large spoonful.
The chandelier overhead swayed, then went out completely. Darkness swallowed their surroundings, and pink smoke began pouring from the vents.
"Poison gas! Everyone, cover your nose and mouth!" A clatter of tables and chairs sounded in the darkness.
Lin Hao's hand stopped. He lowered the ice cream he had just brought to his lips.
Mewtwo's voice sounded in his mind. "Master, it's low-grade Hypnosis Gas. I've already isolated this area with Psychic Power."
Thanks, Lin Hao replied silently.
"Lin Hao." May reached out and grabbed his sleeve, speaking quietly. "This is Team Rocket's Hypnosis Gas. They've made their move."
"What's that got to do with me?" Lin Hao kept scooping up ice cream. "They can rob people. I'll eat."
After a brief commotion in the darkness, the backup power came on, bathing the trashed restaurant in pallid light.
Most of the Trainers around them had collapsed on the floor. May was still standing because she had put on a gas mask beforehand. She pointed at their empty belts. "Everyone's Poké Balls have been stolen."
"Oh." Lin Hao ate another bite of ice cream.
"Don't you have any sense of justice?" May stamped her foot.
Lin Hao was about to speak when his gaze fell on the empty tabletop. His spoon stopped in midair.
"What's wrong?" May followed his gaze.
Only an empty plate remained on the table, with a chicken drumstick bone gnawed completely clean beside it.
"Where's Pikachu?" May pointed at the empty plate. "Where did Pikachu go? He was just here gnawing on that drumstick!"
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