"Magikarp, use Bounce!"
The battered Magikarp flopped about on the ground outside the platform, covered in wounds.
Just when everyone thought it was about to collapse, it suddenly sprang into the air.
It was like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate—soaring high into the light. Under the shining spotlights, every scale on its massive golden body gleamed brilliantly…
"Whoa—it's flying! The Magikarp is actually flying!" The announcer cried out, and the stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.
Who would have thought that a Pokémon as weak as Magikarp could propel itself so high just by its own jumping power?
Magikarp soared upward with Bounce, then suddenly arced down, its enormous golden head aimed like a battering ram, diving straight toward Starmie.
"Quick, dodge it, Starmie!" Natsume snapped back to her senses after being startled by Magikarp's leap, shouting the command in haste.
Boom!
Whether Starmie managed to dodge or not, the colossal golden Magikarp slammed into the floating platform, shattering it to pieces.
A geyser of water burst skyward like a fountain, spraying three meters high.
The force of the impact was terrifying.
Every spectator was left dumbstruck, unable to comprehend that all this destruction had been caused by a Magikarp.
"Good heavens… that's terrifying! Who could've imagined such power from a simple Magikarp?"
"Yeah! If you didn't know better, you'd think it was already a Gyarados!"
"…!"
In that instant, countless members of the audience were converted into Magikarp fans, cheering wildly in admiration.
The spray soon fell, and the water field settled back into calm.
The Golden Magikarp floated weakly at the surface, panting heavily.
It was clear the Bounce had drained a tremendous amount of its strength—only a sliver of stamina remained.
Starmie, on the other hand, had already leapt onto another floating platform. Whether it had truly been hit by Magikarp's attack was uncertain, but it still appeared vigorous, with no visible damage.
That sight was hard for Magikarp's new fans to accept.
"As expected of you, Starmie. Finish this with Rapid Spin!" Natsume shouted proudly.
"Cha~!"
Starmie whirled at high speed, launching itself like a spinning blade straight toward the Golden Magikarp.
But this was exactly what Yozora had been waiting for.
"Magikarp, use Hydro Pump!" Yozora roared.
Starmie was a swift and elusive Pokémon. Under normal circumstances, hitting it with Hydro Pump would be nearly impossible.
But now, it had chosen to charge forward with Rapid Spin—there was no better chance!
Boom!
A thick blast of water erupted from Magikarp's mouth, slamming directly into Starmie mid-spin, stopping its momentum cold and blasting it backward.
This time, Starmie was badly hurt—visible cracks and scratches now marred its gemlike body.
"Hydro Pump?"
Natsume froze in shock.
Unbelievable. A Magikarp, of all Pokémon, could actually use Hydro Pump?
"Hydro Pump—it really used Hydro Pump! Incredible! This massive Golden Magikarp just unleashed the devastating Hydro Pump attack!" the announcer exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment.
The entire stadium boiled over in excitement.
Everyone knew ordinary Magikarp only knew Splash.
And Splash was just aimless flopping in water or on land, attracting attention but serving no battle purpose.
Some Magikarp, during their growth, could eventually learn Tackle.
A rarer few could even master Bounce, a Flying-type move.
But generally speaking—Splash, Tackle, and Bounce were all Magikarp had access to.
As for Hydro Pump? That could only be inherited.
And any Magikarp that inherited Hydro Pump was without question an extraordinary prodigy.
"So cool! Golden Magikarp!" Misty squealed from the sidelines, eyes sparkling with hearts.
A Magikarp that could skillfully wield Hydro Pump—if it evolved into a Gyarados someday, just how powerful would it become?
As a Water-type specialist, every Water-type Pokémon was precious in Misty's eyes—including Magikarp.
She herself had raised several Magikarp, though none had yet evolved into Gyarados.
She knew even an ordinary Magikarp, once evolved, would ascend to incredible strength.
But Yozora's massive Golden Magikarp… even in its unevolved state, it radiated battle power.
If it one day evolved into Gyarados—it would be unstoppable!
"Damn it… I walked right into that." Natsume's expression hardened.
She never imagined a mere Magikarp would know Hydro Pump. She had ordered Starmie to charge in—only for it to take the full brunt of the attack.
Fortunately, Starmie still had a significant level advantage…
Otherwise, enduring that Hydro Pump would have been nearly impossible.
"Stay steady, Starmie! End this with Water Gun!" Natsume commanded.
"Puh!"
Starmie instantly fired a jet of water.
Across the field, Magikarp unleashed Hydro Pump once again, colliding head-on with Starmie's Water Gun.
Starmie's attack came from two arms at once, a dual-stream Water Gun—yet still only the size of a fist.
Magikarp's Hydro Pump, on the other hand, was as large as a soccer ball.
When the two attacks met, their power was surprisingly evenly matched.
It wasn't hard to understand why.
The strength of both Water Gun and Hydro Pump didn't just depend on the size of the stream—it was determined even more by water pressure.
The higher the pressure, the stronger the attack.
Just like a high-pressure hose—it might look small, but it can bore straight through solid rock!
Purely in terms of move power, Hydro Pump naturally far outclassed Water Gun.
But Magikarp's level was simply too low.
So even though it had unleashed a high-powered move, the result was only a stalemate with Starmie.
As time dragged on, Magikarp grew visibly more exhausted.
Meanwhile, Starmie still moved with ease.
"Well done, Starmie! Finish this in one shot—use Hydro Pump!" Natsume commanded sharply.
"Cha~!"
Starmie gave a cry in response, then fired from not just two arms, but four at once.
The four Water Guns fused together, merging into a Hydro Pump.
This time, its power wasn't just doubled—it was far greater.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, Starmie's Hydro Pump tore through Magikarp's attack like paper.
The blast didn't stop there—it plowed straight into Magikarp, blasting it high into the air.
Crash!
Magikarp smashed heavily into the water, eyes spinning, completely losing the will to fight.
"Magikarp is unable to battle! Starmie wins!" the referee blew the whistle, declaring the result.
"It's down… in the end, the miracle never came to pass."
The announcer sighed, then raised his voice:
"Congratulations to Natsume, who takes the first victory!"
…
…
(End of Chapter)