"So, it's finally begun?"
A cold, razor-edged smile curved Yang Yong's lips.
With the Pokémon Corps mobilized, the defenses along the dikes around Yunlong Dam would inevitably weaken.
That would make their next moves far easier.
"Lie Ke, proceed as planned. Let Thundurus draw the League's attention for us."
Watching Thundurus flaunt its strength in the sky, a flash of ruthlessness passed through Yang Yong's eyes.
Since Team Galactic refused to give him face, they shouldn't even dream of reclaiming Thundurus.
Let Thundurus be the sacrifice for their operation.
"Understood, Boss."
"In a few days, the League will surely pick up Thundurus's trail," Lie Ke promised with a smile.
After all, they still needed Thundurus to keep raising the lake's water level—ideal for their plan to breach the dam.
The group didn't linger in the Secret Realm, swiftly withdrawing and disappearing back into hiding.
...
Yunlong Dam.
Inside the control room, Chief Engineer Lin's gaze was fixed on the reservoir's water level.
Compared to the torrential downpour inside the Secret Realm…
The weather here wasn't bad at all. Even a little sunlight slipped through the clouds, glittering on the lake's surface.
Only...
This "good weather" existed solely within a one-kilometer radius of Yunlong Dam.
Beyond that one-kilometer perimeter, the weather worsened progressively as the distance—marked "980"—increased.
The source of this strange phenomenon was the power of dozens of Torkoal using Drought inside Yunlong Dam.
That was the sole reason the dam itself wasn't being pummeled by the same relentless rain.
"Chief Engineer Lin, the Pokémon Corps stationed here has temporarily blocked the Pokémon inside the Secret Realm."
"They've also dispatched people into the lake to search for any escaped Pokémon on the run—preventing threats to the dam!"
The liaison officer had barely hung up before reporting the front-line situation to Chief Engineer Lin.
But Chief Engineer Lin's brows stayed knitted. He didn't relax even slightly.
"We can't afford carelessness."
"The reservoir here spans over ten thousand mu. With the Pokémon Corps' current manpower, full coverage is impossible. And it's not only the Secret Realm Pokémon—we must also remain wary of Pokémon native to this lake."
Wild Pokémon in the real world wouldn't lose their minds like those from the Secret Realm.
Yet they would still be influenced, at least somewhat.
And Pokémon followed one paramount rule: strength ruled.
Especially among wild Pokémon.
If a powerful Pokémon slipped into the existing population, it could easily incite them into attacking.
And with persistent rainy weather, the battlefield became a paradise tailored specifically for Water-types.
"Understood, Chief."
"I'll notify the patrol teams immediately. They'll continue moving back and forth within the one-kilometer perimeter, twenty-four hours a day. If anything suspicious occurs, we'll report immediately."
The liaison officer recognized the severity and promptly responded.
"Then—"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before Chief Engineer Lin could finish, a chain of explosions thundered through the air.
The entire control room trembled.
"What happened?!" Chief Engineer Lin shouted.
An employee beside him raised a trembling hand, pointing at the large screen.
"Gy… Gyarados!"
"There's so many Gyarados!"
That horrified tone drew everyone's eyes to the screen.
They...
They would've been better off not looking.
Because the moment they did, everyone froze in shock.
At some unknown point, schools of Gyarados had surfaced from beneath the lake.
One. Two. Three…
Until the screen was entirely filled with them.
A dense mass—at least a hundred strong.
A swarm of Gyarados of this magnitude was unheard of among the dam workers.
The explosions just now were the sounds of Gyarados tearing things apart.
"Contact the Pokémon Corps—request immediate reinforcements!"
Chief Engineer Lin snapped out of his daze just in time, jolting the stunned liaison officer awake.
"Y-yes! I'll inform them right away!"
The liaison officer answered, sprinting out.
"Just as I thought… Water-types would be the hardest to defend against."
Once the liaison left, Chief Engineer Lin stared at the swarm of Gyarados, his expression grim.
He'd anticipated wild Pokémon slipping past the blockade into Yunlong Dam's one-kilometer perimeter.
The lake in front of the dam was at least fifty or sixty meters deep, and even at its narrowest, the surface spanned several thousand meters.
With such a vast area, neither humans nor Pokémon could perfectly seal it off.
But he hadn't expected this many Gyarados at once.
If they couldn't stop them—if the Gyarados were allowed to attack Yunlong Dam freely...
The consequences would be unthinkable.
Soon after receiving the report, the Pokémon Corps dispatched trainers from the regiment to provide backup.
But their forces were dispersed across multiple points.
In the short term, assembling a powerful counterstrike was impossible.
All the control room personnel could do was watch helplessly as the Gyarados swarm drew nearer and nearer to Yunlong Dam.
The leading Gyarados launched the first attack.
BANG!
A Dragon Rage exploded against the dam's embankment.
In an instant, shattered stone sprayed everywhere.
That was only the beginning.
As more Gyarados breached the Pokémon Corps' defenses, the frequency of attacks on Yunlong Dam multiplied.
Fortunately, Yunlong Dam's fortifications were among the best in the world.
Unless the attacks reached Elite Four Tier or higher, assaults from Gym Leader Tier and Ace-level Gyarados could only scratch the surface.
The internal structure remained unharmed.
Yet, no matter how sturdy the dam's defenses were, they couldn't withstand relentless bombardment indefinitely.
And the number of Gyarados breaking through was still increasing.
If quality wasn't enough, they'd make up for it with quantity.
At this rate—if too many Gyarados attacked simultaneously, Yunlong Dam would be in grave danger!
"Why haven't the League reinforcements arrived yet?!" Chief Engineer Lin could only pin his hopes on the League.
If they didn't arrive soon…
Yunlong Dam might fall.
But what Chief Engineer Lin never anticipated was that before reinforcements arrived, something far more terrifying appeared.
The Gyarados that had been attacking nonstop suddenly halted—all at once, uncannily synchronized.
"Roar!" "Roar!" "ROAR!!!"
They threw their heads back, roaring toward the sky, as if cheering something on.
"What are they doing?"
"Did they finally realize their attacks are useless and decide to retreat?"
"Are you blind? Can't you see their numbers are still growing?"
While the staff argued in confusion, a streak of crimson shot upward from the lakebed into the sky.
Its hard scales glistened under the light like countless flawless rubies.
Only its ferocious face snapped any greedy thoughts back to reality.
"A…a red Gyarados!"
No one had imagined a Shiny Pokémon would appear in the swarm.
But far more pressing than the novelty of a "Shiny" was the red Gyarados's overwhelming strength.
Elite Four Tier!
Its oppressive aura made everyone's hearts tremble, even through the screen.
As the red Gyarados landed, the surrounding Gyarados bowed their heads.
Like subjects before a king, none dared to meet its gaze.
"That red Gyarados is their leader," Chief Engineer Lin immediately realized.
The entire swarm was being organized and commanded by this Pokémon.
"Damn it!"
Before anyone could respond—endless streams of water surged from the red Gyarados's tail, enveloping its body.
Wrapped in its watery armor, it charged directly toward the control room.
WATERFALL.
There was no wasted movements—its target was clear: the control room, and only the control room.
The terrifying momentum froze everyone inside.
Some of the more timid staff even shut their eyes tightly in fear.
"It's over…"
Despair filled Chief Engineer Lin's eyes.
The dam could withstand Elite Four Tier attacks, but the control room surely couldn't.
"Dragonite—[DRAGON RUSH]!"
At this critical moment, a voice rang out from the sky.
With a dragon's cry that shook the heavens, a Dragonite clad in violet dragon-shaped armor slammed into the red Gyarados, halting its charge in an instant.
Behind Dragonite, a Salamence slowly descended, hovering above the lake's surface.
"Dragon-type Elite Four, Jin Peng!"
"Bug-type Elite Four, Lin Feng!"
"And Teacher Guo!"
"Yes! Our reinforcements have arrived!"
Seeing the three figures atop Salamence, everyone in the control room erupted into cheers.
"The League reinforcements are finally here!"
Watching their backs, Chief Engineer Lin finally released the breath he'd been holding.
With these three present…
The Gyarados crisis could finally be resolved.
If even they couldn't defend Yunlong Dam, Chief Engineer Lin couldn't imagine anyone who could.
"Roar!"
At that moment—
The two Pokémon were still locked in a stalemate.
Suddenly, with an explosive burst of power from Dragonite, the red Gyarados was hurled backward, sent airborne.
Splash!
It crashed onto the lake's surface, sending towering waves into the air.
But the red Gyarados quickly resurfaced, roaring furiously at Dragonite.
At the same time, the swarm behind it saw their leader struck.
One after another, they opened their ferocious jaws, preparing to strike back.
"I'll handle the red Gyarados."
"I'll leave the rest to you two."
Eyeing the red Gyarados, Jin Peng felt the urge to capture it rise in his chest.
Immediately, he declared it his target.
"No problem."
"Leave these Gyarados to us."
A faint smile touched Lin Feng's lips.
The swarm of Gyarados was numerous, but in the face of absolute power, numbers meant nothing.
Just as Lin Feng pulled out an Ultra Ball, he suddenly turned toward Guo Yi.
"Teacher Guo, would you allow me the privilege of seeing the world's number-one Beedrill in action?"
Through the Ultra Ball's clear window, Guo Yi saw Beedrill poised and eager, brimming with fighting intent.
He understood Lin Feng's meaning.
Guo Yi likewise took out a Poké Ball, smiling.
"Of course."
---
T/N: heh i still cant get over how close their name is :sob: anyway of course the lance template guy is gonna want a shiny gyarados
bonus chaps
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200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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