Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

A fierce wind howled through the cave!

Snorlax's roar—despite containing no actual move—was still overwhelming in its power. It was nothing but a simple shout, yet from a Sovereign-class Snorlax, it carried the force of a tidal wave.

Standing not far from the cave entrance, Zhou Xiaofei and Liu Qiaoqiao had their clothes blown back by the sheer force. Dust and sand swirled around them like a miniature sandstorm stirred up by the echoing roar.

Inside the long, narrow tunnel, dust and debris danced in the air as if whipped into a frenzy. It was a dramatic sight—one that left the entire Pokémon Center in stunned silence.

That was just a roar?!

It wasn't the same as the Sand Stream Ability of Hippopotas, which summons elemental sandstorms. This was pure brute force, a testament to the overwhelming strength of a Sovereign-class Pokémon.

"Cough, cough… Snorlax, what are you doing…"

Zhou Xiaofei waved the dust away and squinted toward the front of the tunnel—only to discover that the Digletts who had been ready to fight just moments ago had all disappeared into the earth.

They were burrowing away at high speed!

And it wasn't just them. Deeper within the cave, a chorus of scurrying sounds signaled the mass retreat of every wild Pokémon nearby—driven into hiding by a single roar.

That was the power of a Sovereign-class Snorlax. Absolute dominance.

"Huh?"

Liu Qiaoqiao stared in disbelief. She glanced at her Corviknight, who tilted its head curiously. Then at the Snorlax, who had just let out that roar—and now stood there grinning proudly, looking as if it was saying:

"Heh. Pretty cool, huh?"

"But… I was supposed to battle with Brother Xiaofei…"

Disappointment was written all over her face.

She had dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Trainer—and so far, she still hadn't fought a single battle.

When they were picking berries, the Bug- and Grass-type Pokémon scattered the moment they saw her terrifying Corviknight.

That bird was born to terrify low-level wild Pokémon!

Now, she'd finally found a group of Diglett who were willing to fight—and then Snorlax scared them all away with one shout!

"Well… I guess that's just what it means to be Sovereign-class…"

Even Su Bai was left speechless.

To be honest, he had wanted to see how Corviknight would perform under Liu Qiaoqiao's command.

Zhou Xiaofei gently patted her head.

"Come on, Qiaoqiao, don't be upset. There'll be plenty of chances to fight in the future."

"Aren't we heading to the beach? Snorlax just cleared the way for us! That's a good thing, right?"

Pouting, Qiaoqiao nodded reluctantly.

She wasn't the kind of kid to get mad at someone who only wanted to help—especially not this goofy Snorlax. She was just a little disappointed at missing a rare chance to battle.

Still, she waved and said:

"Anyway… thanks, Snorlax! See you!"

The tunnel wasn't all that long.

With all the wild Pokémon now in hiding, Zhou Xiaofei and Liu Qiaoqiao occasionally spotted a shadow dart past—but none dared show themselves. The lingering pressure of the Sovereign-class Snorlax was too intense.

It was as if they were players in a game who had just sprayed a max Repel—no wild encounters whatsoever.

The pair passed through the tunnel without resistance.

"Whoa—so bright!"

Qiaoqiao raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sudden sunlight.

Coming out of the darkness and into light always caused a moment of disorientation.

But as her vision adjusted, what lay before her took her breath away.

"It's… it's beautiful… Is this the ocean?!"

Before her stretched a radiant golden beach under the sun, and beyond that—a vast, shimmering blue sea. In the water, a few Magikarp leapt playfully, using Splash.

The salty breeze carried a sweet tang, fluttering through the palm trees. Their round, ripe berries swayed gently in the wind, just waiting to be picked.

A massive blue Pokémon with a shell-like back glanced lazily at the two kids from the water, then resumed swimming contentedly.

It was like a dream.

Qiaoqiao blinked, then suddenly burst with excitement. She took off running toward the beach.

"The ocean! It's really the ocean! So beautiful!"

"The sky is blue! The sea is blue too!"

"It's my first time seeing the ocean!"

Zhou Xiaofei couldn't hold back anymore either.

No matter how calm or mature a kid might act, there's always that childlike joy just beneath the surface.

Laughing, he dashed after her, and the two began playing in the sand.

Corviknight let out a loud caw and soared into the sky, circling overhead.

Gyarados, meanwhile, dove straight into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves. It surfaced after a while, clearly thrilled.

Even though the Pokémon Center's habitats had simulated environments, it just wasn't the same.

For a Water-type like Gyarados, this was paradise.

Back at the Pokémon Center, the crowd stood in stunned silence.

Then, someone among them whispered:

"So this… is the ocean."

"I grew up in Haicheng City… but I've never actually seen the sea."

That quiet voice sparked a wave of emotion among the onlookers.

"I remember planting berries in that direction once… but back then the sea was still dead, full of miasma."

"So this is what the real ocean looks like…"

"So wide… I want to go too!"

"The sand looks so soft…"

"I heard that in the Paradise Era, beaches were made of crushed seashells… I guess this is what they meant?"

"It looks so gentle. Those kids are so lucky…"

"What's that huge blue Pokémon? It's gorgeous…"

Some even wiped away tears.

They were from Haicheng City. The sea was right next to them—yet most had never truly seen it.

Even the elite Awakened who performed missions near the coast had only ever seen a lifeless, miasma-ridden "Dead Sea."

It was nothing like the vibrant paradise before them.

Birds soared through the blue sky.

The sea breeze stirred the fine white sand.

Magikarp leapt in panic as Gyarados dove.

It was the very definition of life.

This world had known too little beauty for far too long.

And this… this was beauty that transcended dreams.

Even Su Bai fell silent, flooded with memories from his past life.

But even in those memories, the sea and sky had never looked quite like this.

The sheer vitality unique to the Pokémon world made words feel meaningless.

This—this was exactly the future he wanted.

The image of the Pokémon world bringing light to a weary reality.