Chapter 27: The Stubborn Magikarp!
The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm, orange glow over the beach and making the water's surface glitter like gold.
Against this golden backdrop...
Splash!—
A single Magikarp leaped from the churning mass of fish in the tank. Its eyes, unlike the vacant, dull look of its peers, were fixed with an iron-willed determination on the boundless blue ocean just beyond the golden sand.
From a short distance away, Kenji, who had been scanning the tanks all day, immediately noticed this outlier. He hurried over.
Magikarp
Level: 8
Ability: Swift Swim
Potential: B+
B+!
Kenji let out a sharp, involuntary gasp, his eyes wide with an excitement he couldn't contain.
This Magikarp was a B+! He had been here for an entire day, from sunrise to sunset, and had scanned well over a thousand Magikarp. This was the first one he had found with potential that high.
Not only that, but its level was significantly higher than the others, which were all hovering around level 3 or 4. A Magikarp over level 6 was a rarity in itself. Given how ridiculously hard it was for a Magikarp to gain experience, for this one to have reached level 8 on its own was a testament to its persistence.
He closed the stat panel and took a closer look at the unique fish.
Compared to the others, this one was not a pretty sight. Its red scales were battered and scarred, a clear sign of a difficult life. A small chunk was even missing from its tail fin. Its entire body was a roadmap of countless injuries.
Kenji knelt by the edge of the tank, his eyes level with the Magikarp's.
"Hey there," he said softly, holding up an empty Poké Ball. "Do you want to come with me? Be my Pokémon?"
The Magikarp just stared at him, its eyes fixed on his. Its damaged tail fin beat against the water.
Seeing it didn't immediately flee, Kenji decided to try his luck. He tossed the Poké Ball in a gentle arc.
The Magikarp, which had been floating calmly, suddenly tensed. As the ball descended, it leaped from the water, spun, and, with a powerful smack, slapped the Poké Ball back with its tail.
Thwack!
The Poké Ball went flying, landing at Kenji's feet and popping open uselessly.
Kenji stared at the open ball, his eye twitching.
So much for my friendship speech.
It was clear this Magikarp was a diehard. It wasn't going to be convinced by words. If talking wouldn't work, he'd have to use force.
He calmly reached for the Poké Ball on his belt.
"Go, Beedrill."
With a flash of red light, his partner appeared, hovering over the tank.
Kenji didn't waste any more words. He pointed directly at the stubborn fish. "Grab that one for me."
"Bzzzt..."
Beedrill's red compound eyes locked onto the target. It beat its wings and shot down toward the tank.
The other Magikarp in the tank either went limp, playing dead, or thrashed about in a blind panic.
But not this one. The defiant Magikarp's eyes lit up with a fierce fighting spirit. It showed no fear, its tail just beating the water with even more vigor. As Beedrill closed in, the Magikarp coiled its body and launched itself into the air.
The legendary move: Splash!
In mid-air, it twisted its body and swung its tail, aiming a clumsy slap at the incoming Beedrill. The entire combo was surprisingly fluid, a clear sign of endless, desperate practice.
Unfortunately, ideals were beautiful, but reality was harsh.
The Magikarp's tiny tail fin wasn't even as long as one of Beedrill's stingers. To Beedrill's enhanced perception, the attack was moving in slow motion. It was almost laughable.
Beedrill didn't even bother to dodge. The Magikarp's jump had just saved it the trouble of fishing it out. With a casual flick of its lance-like arm, Beedrill swatted the Magikarp out of the air.
The fish flew in a graceful arc, sailing over the edge of the tank and landing right in Kenji's arms.
Kenji, caught off guard, stumbled back from the impact, nearly falling over. He juggled the fish for a second. It wasn't too heavy, maybe about five or six kilograms.
He had just gotten a firm grip when the Magikarp exploded into a frenzy. It thrashed wildly, its tail beating against his chest. Its slimy scales made it impossible to hold, and in a second, it had wriggled free.
In mid-air, it adjusted its trajectory and, with all its might, rammed its head straight into Kenji's stomach.
Kenji was no Ash Ketchum. The sudden headbutt sent him sprawling backward onto the sand.
The Magikarp landed on the ground next to him, still flopping.
"BZZZZT!"
Seeing its master attacked, a flash of pure fury ignited in Beedrill's crimson eyes. This worthless fish dared to attack its master?!
In an instant, Beedrill was on top of it, one of its sharp insectoid legs pinning the Magikarp to the ground. Its other stinger hovered menacingly, inches from the Magikarp's head.
Kenji groaned, rubbing his backside as he got to his feet. His own patience was wearing thin.
"Beedrill, teach it a lesson," he ordered. This Magikarp was clearly not going to be captured without a fight. He would have to beat it into submission first.
...
Ten minutes later, the already battered Magikarp looked even worse. It lay on the sand, its breathing shallow, its body covered in new bruises. It stared up at the Beedrill hovering above it, and for the first time, its defiant eyes showed a flicker of fear.
This Magikarp was stubborn, but it wasn't stupid.
Seeing that the time was right, Kenji picked up his Poké Ball and tossed it at the weakened fish. The ball made contact, and a beam of red light shot out, enveloping the Magikarp and pulling it inside.
The ball clicked shut and fell to the ground. It wobbled.
Once...
Twice...
Ding!
The light in the center stopped blinking. The capture was a success.
Kenji picked up the Poké Ball and looked up at the sky. It was almost dark. Including this one, he had spent the entire day finding seven Magikarp that met his criteria: two with B-Rank potential and five with C-Rank.