Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

Jiang Chuan suddenly exerted force with his wrist, his muscles tensing instantly, and the fishing rod bent at an alarming angle.

"Such powerful strength!" A glint flashed in his eyes.

This is far superior to those small fry we encountered before!

The struggle underwater was exceptionally fierce, darting left and right, pulling on the fishing line and making a "whooshing" sound as it cut through the air.

All the fishermen around held their breath, their eyes wide open.

Xia nervously grabbed Hanako's arm, and Hanako instinctively leaned forward as well.

"Come up!" Jiang Chuan shouted, engaging his core muscles and drawing a perfect arc with his arms.

Amidst the splashing water, a figure was lifted out of the sea.

The sunlight shone on that figure, but the reflection was not the usual blue.

Instead, it was a dazzling, silvery brilliance!

"This is……?"

Everyone was stunned.

Even Xiaoxia, a water system expert, widened her beautiful eyes instantly, her little mouth forming an adorable "O".

It was a black seahorse.

However, its color is not the usual deep blue, but a bright silver that looks like moonlight gathering and mercury flowing!

In the sunlight, every tiny scale shimmered with a noble yet cold luster, and the curled tail was elegant and powerful.

Shiny Black Horsea!

Moreover, it is an extremely rare silver-flash variant!

"My God..." A fisherman dropped his cigarette on the ground, completely unaware.

"Shiny... I've been fishing here for five years... and I've never even seen a single shiny Pokémon..." Another middle-aged man's voice trembled, and his eyes were red.

Jiang Chuan was overjoyed.

The high-potential Black Seahorse that the system indicated was actually such an exceptional shimmering individual.

However, before he could make his next move...

The silver seahorse's crimson pupils suddenly contracted.

Its tiny mouth opened instantly.

A water gun, much thicker than that of a regular seahorse, shot out without warning!

The target is Jiangchuan's face!

Steady, accurate, and ruthless!

The decisiveness and ferocity of this attack are completely unlike what a wild, beginner-level Pokémon should be like!

"Watch out!" Xiaoxia and Hanako exclaimed at the same time.

Jiang Chuan, however, was already prepared.

Or rather, his little yellow bodyguard reacted even faster!

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu, who had been squatting leisurely at Jiang Chuan's feet, had its little ears perked up.

His figure transformed into a streak of yellow lightning, instantly leaping up!

It didn't even use electric shocks.

It just casually flicked its lightning bolt-shaped tail.

Snapped!

Its tough tail, like a steel whip, lashed precisely at the middle of the water gun.

The solid water column was instantly shattered, turning into a shower of water that soaked a small section of the pier, but didn't even touch Jiang Chuan's clothes.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu landed lightly, a few sparks crackling from its cheek sacs. It raised its little head and looked at the silver Seahorse with a hint of "That's all?" arrogance.

Jiang Chuan smiled.

Look at that attack stance, that ferocity, that reaction speed...

That's right.

Their potential is definitely not low!

"However, no matter how high its potential is, its current level is still too low." Jiang Chuan shook his head, his tone relaxed: "Pikachu, use Electric on it."

Upon receiving the order, Pikachu's cheeks instantly crackled with electricity.

A golden lightning bolt, its power clearly diminished but still incredibly swift, hissed as it darted towards the ink seahorse, which was still suspended in mid-air and had not yet fallen back into the water.

The black seahorse's red eyes narrowed, and it tried to twist its body to avoid it.

However, it had nowhere to gain leverage in the air, and the difference in their levels was simply too great.

The slender bolt of lightning struck its silver body with pinpoint accuracy.

"Woo..." A short, mournful cry.

Mo Haima's body stiffened, the light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and the strength to struggle disappeared.

Jiang Chuan pulled it back to the pier, and with a flick of his wrist, an empty Poké Ball appeared in his hand.

Gently tap the body of the black seahorse.

The red light absorbed it.

The Poké Ball landed on the wooden bridge without even wobbling.

With a soft "ding," the taming was successful!

The entire process was smooth and quick, taking no more than ten seconds.

Only then did the people around them seem to snap out of their daze.

"Is it... over?"

"A Shiny Black Horsea... it's been captured just like that?"

"That Pikachu... is amazing! Its control over the electric shock is so precise!"

Envy, jealousy, shock, disbelief... all sorts of complex gazes were cast upon Jiang Chuan as if they were real.

Jiang Chuan, however, seemed oblivious.

He bent down and picked up the Poké Ball that held the silver miracle, feeling delighted.

With a thought, the system panel unfolded before my eyes.

[Pokémon: Horsea Seahorse (Shiny Silver)]

[Attribute: Water]

[Level: lv10 (Beginner)]

[Potential: King-level]

[Trait: Sniper - When a vital point is hit, the attack's power is increased to 2.25 times the original value.]

[Skills: Glare, Water Gun, Tornado, Dragon Dance!]

【Items to bring: None】

[Special Enhancement: None]

Jiang Chuan's eyes quickly swept across the panel, his joy growing even stronger.

really!

King-level potential!

Among the Horsea race, where reaching the Gym Leader level is considered excellent, this is undoubtedly a top-tier individual standing at the very pinnacle!

Its defining characteristic is its exceptional skill as a "sniper".

This trait, when combined with moves or tactics that increase the hit rate to critical hits, results in terrifying damage output. A 225% damage bonus is practically synonymous with brute force.

It perfectly fits the offensive role.

When he saw the skill bar, a genuine look of surprise finally crossed his eyes.

"Dragon Dance? And tornadoes?"

How could Horsea have mastered two Dragon-type moves at such a low level?

Especially the Dragon Dance!

This is a top-tier transformation skill that can simultaneously boost both attack and speed; it's one of the ultimate enhancement skills!

Normally, members of the Horsea family only have a certain probability of learning this skill when they evolve into Kingdra or reach a very high level.

This shiny black seahorse can do that at level 10?

"It seems that the mutation of this shiny black seahorse is not only reflected in its color..." Jiang Chuan said thoughtfully, "I'm afraid the special thing about its shimmer is that it has an extraordinary affinity and talent for dragon-type energy."

Horsea will eventually evolve into Kingdra using dragon scales.

Kingdra, that's a Water/Dragon dual-type Pokémon, a true Dragon-type Pokémon!

This horsehair mastered Dragon-type moves so early on, even mastering Dragon Dance. Once it evolves...

Our combat strength will definitely experience a qualitative leap!

By then, it will become a trump card in his hand, possessing both magnificence and rarity, along with formidable power!

"It smells so good, so delicious!" Jiang Chuan thought to himself with delight.

A Dragon-type Elite Four member who is skilled in using Flying-type moves would probably be very interested in this shiny Horsea.

After all, this is a genuine dragon-type seedling!

After making some jokes, Jiang Chuan pressed the button.

"Come out, Black Seahorse."

A flash of red light, and the small silver figure reappeared.

It shook its still slightly dizzy head, its crimson eyes looking at Jiang Chuan, still wary and with a hint of resentment, but compared to its pure wildness just now, it had gained some other color—acknowledgment of the strong?

Jiang Chuan crouched down, reached out his hand, and instead of touching it directly, released a gentle wave guide force.

This is both a form of reassurance and a form of communication.

"Follow me, and you will become stronger." Jiang Chuan's voice was calm and resolute. "Did you see Pikachu just now? In the future, you will also possess that power, or even stronger."

The black seahorse's crimson eyes gleamed; it could sense a warm yet powerful special energy emanating from the human before it.

You can also feel the confidence in his words.

It then glanced at the yellow electric mouse next to it that had easily defeated it.

After hesitating for a moment, it lowered its head slightly and gently touched Jiang Chuan's finger with the small horn on its forehead.

It was cold, but no longer hostile.

"We did it!" Xiaoxia cheered, unable to contain herself any longer. Like a happy little sea lion, she pounced on Jiang Chuan from behind, hugging his neck tightly with her soft body.

"Jiang Chuan! You're amazing! A shiny Black Seahorse! And it's silver! I've never seen such a beautiful Black Seahorse before!" Her excited voice rang in Jiang Chuan's ears, and her warm breath brushed against his earlobe.

Jiang Chuan could clearly feel the softness coming from his back, gently rubbing against him because of his excitement.

A surge of warmth welled up in his heart. He patted Xiaoxia's arm, which was wrapped around his chest, and laughed, "Be gentle, you're choking me."

"I'm happy!" Xiaoxia loosened her grip a little, but still clung to Jiang Chuan's back, peeking out from the side with her bright eyes looking at the silver seahorse on the ground.

She suddenly pulled out a Poké Ball as well.

A flash of blue light appeared, and her deep blue ink seahorse appeared on the pier.

Two black seahorses, one silver and one blue, gaze at each other.

Xiaoxia's black seahorse looked curiously at the strangely colored creature in front of it.

The silver seahorse slightly raised its head, its crimson eyes carrying a hint of innate arrogance.

"Now we both have Horsea!" Misty slid off Jiang Chuan's back, squatted down next to her Horsea, and said proudly to Jiang Chuan, "From now on, we can exchange tips on raising Horsea! I can teach you a lot about Water-type Pokémon~"

As she spoke, Okie winked playfully: "Don't forget, I'm a future Water-type Pokémon Master! You're always welcome to 'learn' from me~"

She emphasized the word "ask for advice" slightly, her pink tongue unintentionally licking the corner of her lips, her eyes sparkling with an intimacy and allure that only the two of them could understand.

As Jiang Chuan's girlfriend, who already knew him well and had received in-depth guidance from him, she was even happier to see her boyfriend catch such an excellent and beautiful Water-type Pokémon than if she had caught it herself.

There's a strange sense of accomplishment... that I'm pulling my beloved boyfriend into the great path of Water-type Pokémon.

Hanako walked over, her gentle gaze falling on the silver black seahorse, and she exclaimed sincerely, "It's so beautiful, like it's made of moonlight. Jiangchuan, congratulations."

Her voice was soft, and her gaze towards Jiang Chuan seemed to hold something deeper than admiration.

The three of them huddled together, overjoyed at this unexpected gain.

However, they were filled with laughter and joy on their side.

For the anglers around who witnessed the whole thing...

That's like a critical hit of 10,000 points!

"Flash... Flash..."

An elderly angler with gray hair trembled as he reached for the cigarette case in his pocket, taking several tries before finally pulling it out.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then stared blankly at the azure sea.

"I've been fishing in this sea for twelve years... My best record... is with a goldfish king that had 'decent' potential..."

"He...he's only been here for less than an hour..."

"Clatter".

Nearby, a young fisherman wearing glasses quietly put away his expensive fishing rod.

He looked at his empty premium water bucket.

Then he glanced at the boy who was surrounded by two pretty girls and had just captured Shiny Horsea.

Silently, she took off her glasses and wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.

Why did these tears, which I couldn't control, just start flowing?

"Waaah... Why me...?"

"The newbie protection period can't be this ridiculous..."

"Damn it... I'm so envious... so jealous... My heart aches so much..."

The air was filled with a strong sour smell and a faint sadness.

However, Jiang Chuan had no time to pay attention to these shattered "middle-aged (and young) fishing dreams".

The high-potential Mexican horse has been acquired.

Goal achieved!

He deftly retrieved the silver Seahorse into the ball and placed it securely.

"Let's go." He naturally put one arm around Xia's slender waist, and with the other hand, he gentlemanly gestured for Hanako to leave together.

"Huh? You're leaving already?" Xiaoxia was still a little reluctant to leave.

"We've had enough of our vacation and entertainment, it's time to get back to the dojo!" Jiang Chuan gazed into the distance, as if he could already see the city filled with superpowers.

Saffron City, Saffron Gym.

That superpowered queen—Naz—is still waiting.

…………

After Mo Haima joined the team, Jiang Chuan immediately checked his carry position.

Because of Charmander... no, it should be Charmeleon now.

Although I've been busy with some tasks these past few days and haven't been leveling up, Little Fire Dragon has been doing Legendary Trials every day, and its level is steadily increasing.

It's already level 17 and has evolved into Charmeleon.

Jiang Chuan discovered that Charmeleon could stay on the Legendary Trial indefinitely, so he could now exploit a bug to carry seven commonly used Pokémon.

Therefore, with Shiny Seahorse joining the team, there's no need to rotate anyone back.

This greatly increases the team's flexibility.

The newly recruited Shiny Blackhorn naturally doesn't need to rotate back to the lab with any of its "seniors".

You can carry it with you and observe and nurture your relationship at any time.

He clipped the Poké Ball containing the silver Horsea Seahorse to the most convenient spot on his waist.

………………

The rest of the sea voyage was calm and peaceful.

Jiang Chuan spends most of his time in the cabin or on the deck, seemingly relaxed, but his mind is racing.

The goal is clear: Saffron City, Sabrina, and the Saffron Gym.

He was well aware of how troublesome that superpowered queen was.

In the original storyline, Sabrina managed to pass the level only because the three mischievous ghost-type brothers she brought from Lavender Town made her laugh with their comical antics.

"Making her laugh...that's definitely a good idea."

"Naza's inner conflict lies in her loneliness and her overwhelming superpowers, which have caused her to lose the emotions and smiles of an ordinary person."

"Forcing her to laugh, even if only for a brief moment, can break down some of her defenses and gain her approval."

Replicating this plan is theoretically feasible.

But Jiang Chuan had more to think about.

"Ghost type... a powerful Ghost type..."

A corner of his memory was illuminated.

Maiden Gorge!

That place where a Gastly that is said to have lived for a thousand years and can talk appears every summer festival!

That's a real antique; its strength should not be underestimated.

If we can get it sorted out...

You don't need to subdue it; even just establishing a connection and getting it to help you out will give you a very valuable card to play when dealing with Sabrina.

A thousand-year-old Gastly's mischievousness and hypnotic abilities give it a much greater chance of making Sabrina laugh than the three brothers in the original series.

Perhaps there could even be a deeper level of cooperation...

Just as his thoughts were racing.

"Wow~ It's so lively over there, Jiang Chuan, look, look..."

Xiaoxia's clear and cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.