Temple of the Sea, Seafloor Ruins!
A place that exists in legends.
In ancient times, humans lived in many different places across the Pokémon world.
For example, there were the Pokémon living on the vast plains, the temple dwellers residing high in the mountains, the forest people hidden deep within dense woodlands, and the water people who thrived in the underwater realms.
And this sea temple, the Seafloor Ruins, is the sacred structure built by the water people in ancient legends.
It can be said that the most advanced technology of that era was used in its construction.
This temple was created primarily for one Pokémon—the legendary Prince of the Sea, Manaphy!
The Seafloor Ruins is the temple constructed by the water people specifically to honor and house Manaphy.
Once Manaphy is hatched from its egg, it instinctively returns to the Seafloor Ruins, drawn by an ancient connection. Within these hallowed walls, Manaphy can channel its full power as the Prince of the Sea.
But over the centuries, the water people have vanished, leaving only the Seafloor Ruins behind, silently waiting for Manaphy's return.
Legend states that the Seafloor Ruins always exists beneath the waves, hidden by a special membrane that renders it invisible to the naked eye. It only reveals itself during the rare celestial event of a total lunar eclipse.
No one expected that such a small, unassuming island could be linked to the fabled Seafloor Ruins.
The strange, attribute-neutral energy permeating the island was actually emanating from the Seafloor Ruins.
This also explained the peculiar membrane surrounding the island—it was identical to the one concealing the Seafloor Ruins.
Everything now made sense.
"Then this is the Seafloor Ruins," Aoki murmured, gazing at the grand temple below. "I wonder if Manaphy is inside."
As a legendary Pokémon, Manaphy is far weaker in raw power compared to titans like Lugia or Groudon, but its connection to the ocean is unparalleled.
Legends say that as long as Manaphy resides within the temple, it can command the currents of every sea across the Pokémon world. Its influence over the waters is absolute.
However, in terms of direct combat prowess, Manaphy is significantly outmatched by other legendary Pokémon.
That said, Aoki knew better than to underestimate it.
Technically, Manaphy is classified as a second-tier legendary Pokémon, but like Mew, it belongs to the rare category of mythical Pokémon—beings of extraordinary rarity and unique abilities.
Manaphy is not inherently a battler.
The way mythical Pokémon fight differs greatly from standard legendary Pokémon. For instance, Mew, despite having stats comparable to second-tier legendaries, can hold its own against Mewtwo, a first-tier legendary, thanks to its vast movepool and adaptability.
Even Kyogre, the embodiment of the sea's fury, treats Manaphy with reverence.
If Manaphy were to request Kyogre's aid, Kyogre would not hesitate to oblige.
The same respect is shown by Lugia.
Old tales claim that those fortunate enough to encounter Manaphy will be blessed with immense luck.
Aoki's knowledge of these details came partly from the data his system had gathered over time. He had made a habit of studying the lore surrounding legendary and mythical Pokémon to avoid unintentionally provoking them during his travels.
The other reason was more personal—in his past life, Aoki had witnessed Manaphy's wrath firsthand.
Back then, Manaphy's demeanor had been anything but friendly, and Team Rocket had nearly incited a full-scale war with it.
The conflict began when a rogue explorer infiltrated the Seafloor Ruins and stole an egg that Manaphy had been nurturing.
Enraged, Manaphy pursued the thief relentlessly.
Had the Pokémon League not intervened to recover the egg, entire regions might have been swallowed by the ocean in retaliation.
At the very least, vast coastal areas would have been submerged.
When Manaphy is angered, it is not just its own fury that is unleashed—it is the wrath of the entire sea.
Every water-dwelling Pokémon becomes its ally in vengeance.
The legendary Pokémon that emerged during that incident weren't limited to Manaphy—Kyogre and Lugia had also risen to its defense.
Even Team Rocket, notorious for their boldness, dared not challenge an enraged Manaphy.
Thankfully, the egg was eventually returned, and the Pokémon inside—Phione—was safely hatched.
This finally quelled Manaphy's rage, and it retreated back into the depths.
Though Aoki hadn't been directly involved, he had seen Manaphy's fury with his own eyes when it emerged from the sea.
Therefore, if Manaphy was indeed residing within the Seafloor Ruins now, it was best not to disturb it.
Based on the timeline, Phione's egg might have already appeared.
Pokémon at this stage were highly sensitive and prone to distress.
But now that he was here, Aoki couldn't simply turn back.
First, he had to find a way inside.
With Slowking's psychic powers aiding them, Aoki and his team descended slowly onto the outskirts of the temple.
From below, the structure was even more imposing.
The upper half alone rivaled the ruins found in the mysterious depths of Mount Chimney.
But the temple wasn't just what was visible above—beneath the surface, it extended even deeper, shaped like a colossal spinning top.
The grounds were immaculate, as if time had spared this place.
Aside from the walkable pathways, most of the area was crisscrossed with canals and small rivers that wove through the temple's interior.
Dozens of Pokémon could be seen swimming in these waterways.
Perhaps due to the tranquil environment, these Pokémon had flourished, many reaching impressive levels of strength.
Alternatively, only particularly powerful Pokémon could pass through the membrane to enter, meaning the residents here were already elite to begin with.
After generations of thriving in this sanctuary, their descendants had inherited excellent potential.
Most of the Pokémon here possessed deep green or light cyan potential—far above average.
Some were stronger, others slightly weaker, but there was no strict hierarchy.
For the most part, the Pokémon coexisted peacefully.
Of course, there were exceptions—naturally aggressive Pokémon that attacked the more docile ones.
This was simply the way of the ocean, and the temple was no different.
Aoki's arrival did not go unnoticed.
Several of the more territorial Pokémon immediately took offense to the intruders.
Even outside the water, they made their displeasure known.
Some launched attacks without hesitation.
Aoki responded by releasing Swampert and Politoed to handle the hostile Pokémon.
The stronger opponents were intercepted by Slowking.
Next, Aoki summoned Florges.
After changing her type to Grass, she was highly effective against the Water-type Pokémon here.
Step by step, they advanced toward the temple's entrance.
Every wild Pokémon that attacked was swiftly dealt with by Swampert and his team, turning the skirmishes into impromptu training.