27
Before the boat pulled away from the Rustboro docks, I made a quick detour. Steven was waiting in the shadows of the Devon Corp loading bay. I handed him the glowing data-chip, the "Why?" entry still burned into my mind.
"Smart move, Jake," Steven said, his silver hair catching the moonlight. "If I run this through Devon's mainframes, I can bypass Magma's encryption. I'll keep the circle tight—just me, Wallace, and maybe Sidney for the decryption. If Maxie's logic is failing, we need to know where the crack started."
He tapped the chip against his thumb. "Go to Dewford. If Courtney is questioning her mission, the rest of Magma might be twitchy. Stay off the grid. Or, as off-the-grid as a famous streamer can be."
The "Shinobi" Showdown: Kage vs. Genji
As Brawly's boat, The Big Wave, cut through the moonlit ocean toward Dewford Town, the deck became a makeshift dojo. Kage and Genji stood at opposite ends of the railing.
[Chat Log]
GymBro_Chuck: NINJA BATTLE! NINJA BATTLE!
ShinobiFan_X: Treecko (Sun Breathing) vs Froakie (Shell Bell). This is peak content.
IceCreamQueen_C: Watch the footing. The boat is rocking—it's a test of balance as much as skill.
"No Mega resonance, Kage. No Primal surges, Genji," I commanded, leaning against the mast. "Just technique. Go!"
Phase 1: The Dance of the Unseen
Genji moved first. He didn't run; he flowed. Using Smoke Screen, he turned the deck into a grey void. From the mist, a Water Shuriken whistled toward Kage's head.
Kage didn't blink. He used Sun Breathing: Third Form – Solar Haze. He vibrated his body at a high frequency, creating afterimages that confused Genji's tracking. The shuriken sliced through a ghost, while the real Kage clung to the mast, upside down.
Phase 2: The Echo of the Bell
"Genji, the Bell!" May cheered from the sidelines.
The Shell Bell around Genji's neck chimed—a pure, resonant note that seemed to clear the smoke for him. He launched a Quick Attack, his body a blue blur. Every time he moved, the bell emitted a pulse of sound that mapped Kage's position.
Kage countered with Leafage, but instead of a wide spray, he focused the leaves into a tight, spinning shield. The "Sun" energy made the leaves glow like embers.
Phase 3: The Clash of Styles
Genji leaped high, his hands forming a double Water Shuriken. Kage channeled his Sun Rasengan into his ironwood stick, the wood glowing a deep, volcanic red.
They met in mid-air. The collision of water and solar-heated wood created a burst of steam that drenched Brawly, who was laughing at the helm.
"Whoa! Watch the upholstery, dudes!" Brawly yelled, though he was grinning.
The two landed perfectly. Kage's stick was inches from Genji's throat, but Genji's sticky "frubbles" were wrapped around Kage's ankles, ready to trip him into the ocean.
"It's a draw!" I announced. "Lens, did you get that? That's the 'Titan' synergy right there."
Arrival: The Granite Cave Whispers
As the sun began to rise, the silhouette of Dewford Town appeared on the horizon. It was a peaceful, isolated island, but Raven was already standing at the bow, her horn glowing.
"The earth here is hollow, Jake," she whispered into my mind. "The Granite Cave... it's not just rocks. It's an amplifier. The 'Why?' in that chip is echoing here."
Brawly pulled the boat into the harbor. "Welcome to Dewford! Home of the big waves and the even bigger caves. But before we hit the Gym, Jake... you might want to look at the news. Steven just sent a 'Safe-Line' message."
I checked my private tablet. The message was a single image: a screenshot of Courtney's log. Beneath the word "Why?" was a timestamped coordinate.
It pointed directly to the deepest level of the Granite Cave.
[Chat Log]
PervySage: Wait, why is the stream signal getting stronger? There's a massive energy source on that island.
SilentRed: [GIF: Looking through binoculars]
"May," I said, looking at her as she played with Genji and Blaze. "We aren't just here for a badge. We're here to find out what Courtney was really looking for."