Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

After teaching Nurse Joy the key techniques behind Fragrant-grade Poffins, Haruto and Lorelei left the shop.

The afternoon sun shone over the streets of Cerulean City. A breeze drifted in from the distant coast, carrying faint traces of moisture and salt that made the entire city feel pleasantly refreshing.

Lorelei rarely had an opportunity to relax like this, and she felt unusually lighthearted.

She turned toward Haruto and suggested,

”Since we’ve already come all the way to Cerulean City and you’ve learned how to make Poffins, why don’t we look around for a while?”

”Of course.”

Haruto nodded.

”I’ll leave you to be my guide, then.”

He was genuinely curious about the towns and cities of the Pokémon world.

The two walked side by side through the streets.

They frequently passed groups of traveling Trainers or local residents strolling alongside their Pokémon. Shops displayed Pokéblocks, Poké Balls, and all kinds of equipment for water sports, creating the relaxed atmosphere of a lively seaside city.

As they rounded a corner, a sudden commotion erupted ahead.

”Quickly! Seal off the area!”

”Did anyone see the thieves?”

”Find out exactly what was taken!”

The overlapping shouts attracted a growing crowd of onlookers.

Curious, Haruto and Lorelei approached to see what had happened.

At the center of the gathering, a uniformed Officer Jenny was directing the investigation.

From the conversations around them, Haruto quickly pieced together the general situation.

Someone had stolen a large section of pipe and an enormous engine.

The scene felt oddly familiar.

He could no longer remember the exact details, but anything from his memories this ridiculous was almost certainly connected to Team Rocket’s infamous trio.

Since he had already guessed who was responsible, Haruto lost interest in watching the investigation.

”Let’s go.”

He turned to leave, but his gaze accidentally caught a familiar figure among the crowd.

It was a young boy wearing a cap and a familiar blue jacket. His eyes were clear, and his face still carried an unmistakable childishness.

Perched on his shoulder was a bright-yellow Pikachu with round red cheeks.

Haruto’s steps paused when he saw them.

A smile crept across his face.

There was the legendary Pikachu himself—and his trusty mount, Ash Ketchum.

He had not expected to encounter the Trainer destined to leave countless legends throughout the Pokémon world under circumstances like these.

That also confirmed beyond any doubt that Team Rocket was behind the theft.

”What is it?”

Noticing that Haruto had stopped, Lorelei looked at him curiously.

She followed his gaze but saw only a crowd of spectators and a busy Officer Jenny. Nothing in particular stood out to her.

Haruto looked away with a faint smile.

”It’s nothing. I just noticed an interesting Trainer and a rather special Pokémon.”

He continued down the street without any intention of speaking to Ash.

Lorelei glanced toward the boy in the crowd.

Pikachu was the only visible Pokémon there, so it was obvious whom Haruto had meant.

She could not see anything unusual about either of them and assumed it had merely been an offhand comment. Without asking further, she hurried after him.

The two continued wandering through Cerulean City and enjoying the coastal scenery.

After walking for a while, Haruto turned toward Lorelei.

”Besides the streets and the beach, is there anything else worth seeing in Cerulean City?”

Lorelei gave the question some serious thought.

The city’s ordinary tourist attractions were not particularly remarkable.

Before long, she remembered something.

”Would you like to see an underwater ballet? It’s one of Cerulean City’s most famous performances.”

”An underwater ballet?”

Haruto paused as a memory surfaced, then agreed readily.

”That sounds interesting. Let’s take a look.”

He had no other plans, so there was no reason to refuse.

Lorelei led him toward the center of the city.

Before long, an ornate building bearing an enormous Dewgong emblem came into view.

A sign above the entrance read:

Cerulean Gym

At the moment, however, the building possessed none of the serious atmosphere normally associated with official Gym battles. It felt much more like a bustling theater.

Cerulean Gym was one of Kanto’s officially recognized Gyms and was responsible for awarding Badges to successful challengers.

Unfortunately, the three sisters who managed it were far more passionate about underwater ballet than Pokémon battles.

As a result, Cerulean Gym ranked near the bottom among Kanto’s Gyms in terms of battling strength. The sisters barely possessed any truly powerful Pokémon of their own.

Their underwater performances, however, were genuinely famous.

The shows were visually spectacular and deeply popular with both residents and tourists.

A steady flow of excited spectators lined up outside the entrance, filling the air with anticipation.

Among the crowd, Haruto spotted a short-haired girl with bright orange hair secretly slipping into the Gym.

Misty.

Haruto and Lorelei followed the audience inside.

Nearly every seat was occupied.

A vast transparent pool dominated the stage, its surface shimmering beneath the lights.

When the music began, Cerulean’s three sisters appeared in elaborate costumes and leaped from a raised platform into the water.

Their movements were perfectly coordinated, making the underwater ballet genuinely captivating.

Water sprayed through intersecting beams of light as graceful music accompanied their performance. The audience repeatedly burst into cheers.

Haruto watched with considerable interest.

During the show, he also noticed Ash arriving.

The moment Ash saw the festive spectacle inside the Gym, confusion spread across his face. He looked from side to side, completely unable to understand what was happening.

He had clearly arrived full of determination, expecting to challenge the Gym Leader and earn a Badge.

Instead, he found no serious battlefield and no Gym Leader waiting for challengers.

Haruto could not help chuckling at Ash’s bewildered expression.

Pikachu, on the other hand, watched the performance with obvious fascination.

”What is it this time?” Lorelei asked after noticing where Haruto was looking.

”Nothing.”

Haruto withdrew his gaze.

”I just have a feeling something interesting may happen here soon.”

Ash had arrived, after all.

Team Rocket’s trio was surely somewhere nearby.

Lorelei also noticed Ash and quickly remembered seeing him among the crowd earlier.

She did not understand why Haruto seemed interested in the boy, but she quietly decided to investigate him later.

The performance lasted for quite some time.

Even after it ended, the audience remained reluctant to leave.

Haruto and Lorelei eventually followed the departing crowd out of Cerulean Gym.