Not to mention the professional news reporters—every single camera was locked onto Yozora and his Magikarp, desperate not to miss a single shot of this spectacle.
"Could it really be… a Shiny Totem Magikarp?" Outside the arena, Red, Ryūnan, Gary Oak, and several other top trainers couldn't hide their shock.
Magikarp on its own wasn't much of anything.
But once it evolved, it would become Gyarados.
And a Shiny Totem Gyarados? That would be a terrifying existence beyond imagination.
Unfortunately, Yozora's Magikarp, while shiny, did not possess the bloodline of a Totem Pokémon.
Its massive size and strength were instead the result of consuming countless calcium supplements.
Magikarp's body was mostly bone, making it especially responsive to calcium intake, which allowed it to grow larger and stronger than most.
But once it evolved into Gyarados, this advantage would vanish, and it would revert to a more ordinary form.
Even so, this was still an incredible bargain.
Because Magikarp was normally so weak, evolving into Gyarados required immense accumulation of energy and endurance. By first making Magikarp grow larger and stronger, it could not only boost its combat power and survival rate, but also accelerate the energy buildup needed for evolution.
"The battle begins!"
With the referee's signal, the entire arena fell silent. Every spectator turned their gaze to the battlefield, eager to witness the golden Magikarp's performance.
"Hmph! In the end, it's still just a Magikarp—flashy but useless! Go, Seaking! Smash it aside with your Horn Attack, then use Take Down!" Hime commanded sharply.
"Guuuuuhhh!"
Seaking surged forward with a spray of water, horn gleaming dangerously as it charged straight at Magikarp.
Its momentum was impressive, but in Yozora's eyes, it was almost laughable.
This Seaking's level was far too low—barely at the entry stage of the Senior tier, a Pokémon that had only just reached elite standing.
No surprise, really.
Seaking was a pure aquatic Pokémon, unable to battle properly on land, making it far harder to train. Its lower level was only natural.
"Magikarp—use Tackle!" Yozora ordered.
"BOOM!"
The two Pokémon collided violently—Seaking with the powerful impact of Take Down, Magikarp with its simple Tackle.
And yet…
The colossal Magikarp, even with nothing but a Tackle, easily knocked the much smaller Seaking flying across the arena.
The difference in raw power wasn't even close.
After all, Yozora's Magikarp had a massive body, strength far surpassing its kind, and with the Huge Power ability, its attack power skyrocketed, enough to challenge opponents above its rank.
Against a low-level Seaking, the outcome was obvious.
"Bwoooohhh!" With a pained cry, Seaking crashed into the pool, instantly fainting.
A one-hit KO!
"Seaking is unable to battle!" The referee blew his whistle and announced the result.
"Woooaaahhh!"
The crowd erupted, voices boiling with excitement, thrilled by Magikarp's overwhelming show of strength.
Yes—that was exactly what one expected from a giant golden Magikarp, a living juggernaut.
"As expected of the giant Shiny Magikarp—its power is astonishing! With just one move, it defeated Hime's Seaking!"
The commentator's voice rang out, followed by another eager remark: "So then, which Pokémon will Hime send out next?"
Expression stiff, Hime recalled Seaking. With a small wave of her hand, she sent out her second choice: Ivysaur.
"Ivysaur! Hime's second Pokémon is Ivysaur!" the commentator called.
The arena's water field contained several floating platforms, allowing non-aquatic Pokémon to battle by standing on them.
The more agile ones could even leap between platforms to maneuver swiftly.
"Viiisaur!" Ivysaur cried as it landed confidently on a platform near Hime's side of the field.
"Oooh, Ivysaur looks brimming with confidence—and no wonder! Against a Water-type like Magikarp, it has a massive type advantage!" the commentator analyzed.
Hime smiled lightly. With the round underway, she struck first: "Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!"
Shu-shu-shu!
Dozens of sharp, spinning leaves burst from Ivysaur's bud and hurtled toward Magikarp.
"Magikarp, dive into the water!" Yozora ordered swiftly. Magikarp instantly plunged beneath the surface.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
The Razor Leaf barrage cut into the pool, but only scattered water splashes rose. Every single attack missed, avoided entirely by Magikarp.
Yozora smiled faintly. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
Electric attacks and Grass-type attacks were both dangerous to Water-types.
But on a water battlefield, Electric-types had the greater advantage—electricity conducted through water, making moves like Thunderbolt nearly impossible to dodge.
Grass-types, on the other hand, gained little advantage. Their projectiles were often slowed or blunted by water, reducing their effectiveness.
"Magikarp has vanished beneath the surface!"
"Ivysaur is growing nervous—where will Magikarp strike from next?" the commentator speculated.
On the battlefield, Ivysaur glanced around anxiously, unable to focus with Magikarp hidden underwater.
Then—
"BOOM!" With a sudden explosion of water, Magikarp erupted from behind, ramming Ivysaur hard and knocking it clean off the platform.
"Ivyyyy!" Ivysaur screamed as it splashed into the pool.
One second… two seconds… three…
Bubbles streamed up steadily.
After about ten seconds, Ivysaur floated belly-up, eyes swirling, completely unconscious.
"Ivysaur is unable to battle!" The referee blew the whistle again.
Beep!
On the scoreboard, two of Hime's three lights went dark.
"Whoa! Yozora's Magikarp is unstoppable! Hime's second Pokémon has fallen—she only has one left!" The commentator's voice grew louder, while Hime's frown deepened.
"Magikarp… what a rare and powerful specimen. But this is where it ends!"
She pulled out her last Poké Ball, gripping it tightly before hurling it forward.
Flash!
A sleek, agile Jolteon burst onto the platform, its spiky fur crackling faintly with static.
"Jolteon—the Electric-type evolution of Eevee! Against Water-types, it's the ultimate predator!"
Electric-types like Jolteon wielded devastating electric attacks and blinding speed, natural enemies of aquatic Pokémon.
"Jolteon! In a water-field battle against Water-types, this is the perfect choice!" The commentator praised.
At last, Hime had sent out her true trump card.
…
…
(End of Chapter)