With Greninja's help, even the rubber dinghy moved quickly. The wind was favorable that night, and after traveling for about two hours, Cheng Tian could no longer see the land behind him.
"Rotom, where are we now?"
"Rotom, three nautical miles from land, Rotom!"
"Mm." Cheng Tian nodded. He had chosen this location carefully. Kyogre's Scale was no ordinary object. Once he brought it out, it would undoubtedly draw countless Pokémon into a scramble to seize it.
Although three nautical miles was quite a distance, this spot was still fairly close to Magic City. Many fishing boats passed through these waters during the day, so the stronger Pokémon colonies would never make their homes here. For a while, at least, nothing too drastic would happen.
Evolution took time. During that process, Cheng Tian's Pokémon could help fend off some of the harassment, helping Feebas complete its evolution.
"Feebas." At Cheng Tian's soft call, Feebas poked its head out of the sea. Cheng Tian shook the box in his hand, his expression utterly serious.
"Do you remember what I promised you? Come with me, and I'll help you evolve into the most beautiful Pokémon in the world."
"During your evolution in a moment, Greninja and the others will do everything they can to hold off some of the Pokémon. But you'll have to withstand the pressure yourself, too."
"This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. I've secured the very best conditions for your evolution. Whether you can seize it is up to you." At this point, Cheng Tian smiled faintly. "But don't worry. As your partners, we'll do everything we can to protect you."
The rubber dinghy rose and fell on the sea. Feebas gazed at the smiling Cheng Tian, moved. This time, the ever-proud Pokémon nodded firmly.
"Good." Cheng Tian took a