After Mega Evolving, Gyarados received substantial boosts to both its offensive and defensive capabilities.
Its base Attack, Defense, and Special Defense each increased by thirty points, a significant improvement.
Its base Special Attack, on the other hand, rose by only ten points. It was better than nothing.
Still, Gyarados was not a Pokémon that specialized in special attacks, so it hardly mattered.
In addition, although its base Speed did not increase, the evolved Gyarados could now accelerate by firing powerful jets of water. In practical terms, its speed had still improved, and dramatically at that.
After all, it could fly faster than the speed of sound. Even among Pokémon that specialized in flight, very few could achieve such speeds.
Caster swept his hand forward and shouted, "Gyarados, let's test out Waterfall!"
Waterfall was the move Gyarados excelled at most, as well as its signature technique.
At the Mastered level, Waterfall was even more terrifying than some ultimate moves.
With the additional power of the Royal Authority of the Sea and the rain, Waterfall's destructive force reached an almost unbelievable level.
"Rooaaar!"
With a furious roar, enormous torrents of water appeared around Gyarados.
Compared to before, the water Gyarados now controlled resembled a waterspout. A vast azure vortex formed directly over the sea, covering an enormous area as it surged toward the heavens.
"What terrifying power!"
At the sight of the waterspout, both Caster and his four little companions involuntarily swallowed.
Caster was especially shaken, because he knew that what they could see above the surface was only the tip of the iceberg. The affected area beneath the sea might be even larger.
Was this truly power controlled by a Pokémon?
Even if someone claimed it was the awesome might of nature itself, no one would have doubted them.
Because this was only a test and there was no actual target, Gyarados could only bring its invincible momentum crashing down upon the sea.
Boom!
A colossal wave erupted across the ocean, like a Category 10 tsunami combined with a Category 18 typhoon. The terrifying blast of air alone was enough to make any Pokémon tremble in fear.
(/n: dang thats strong)
"Dragonair, let's go!"
Caster hurriedly patted Dragonair and had Slowpoke and Shellder jump onto its back as well.
"Droo!"
Dragonair twisted through the air and flew upward, avoiding the oncoming waves.
Buzz!
At the same time, psychic power surged from Slowpoke's body and formed an enormous barrier, keeping the violent winds outside.
Even so, everyone could still hear the thunderous crashing of the waves and the shrieking howl of the wind.
Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!
The massive waterspout collapsed, scattering into a sky full of spray. Mixed among the falling water were countless wild Pokémon that had been caught in the vortex and carried into the air.
There were Magikarp and Goldeen, as well as Tentacruel and Staryu...
Perhaps because the move had covered such an enormous area, even the weather over the sea seemed to have been affected. The previously clear and cloudless sky became blanketed in dark clouds, and heavy rain soon began to fall.
Rumble! Rumble!
Lightning flickered within the clouds.
Mega Gyarados hovered in midair like a true dragon descending upon the world, with the lightning and torrential rain serving as nothing more than its backdrop.
Caster secretly clicked his tongue in amazement and thought, "Could the ace Pokémon of an ordinary Gym Leader even withstand this Waterfall?"
At that moment, a surge of heroic pride welled up within him.
Of course, Caster was referring only to ordinary Gym Leaders. Monsters like Giovanni, Koga, and Sabrina were in an entirely different category.
Many of the Pokémon caught in the waterspout fell back into the sea with their eyes spinning, already unconscious. Seeing this, Caster immediately shook his head and shouted, "Come back, Gyarados! We'll stop here for today!"
If they continued testing moves, some of the wild Pokémon might actually die.
There would be plenty of time later. Caster was in no hurry.
"Pikapi..."
Just then, the Pikachu on Caster's shoulder shrank back and let out a nervous cry.
Immediately afterward, Slowpoke's voice sounded inside Caster's mind. "Trainer, something seems wrong with Boss Gyarados."
"Hm? What's wrong with Gyarados?"
Caster froze for a moment, then hurriedly looked toward Gyarados in the distance.
At some point, Gyarados's eyes had turned completely bloodred, its pupils darting wildly back and forth.
Its gaze toward Caster was filled with savage hostility, and the muscles in its face twitched constantly. It looked like a vicious sea dragon that might turn on its master at any moment.
Although Caster's Gyarados had always been ferocious, its aggression had always been directed at outsiders, never at its own companions. Whenever it faced Caster, it had always been gentle and obedient.
But now...
"Gyarados!"
Caster's expression changed dramatically, and for an instant, it felt as though his heart had stopped.
He had seen something similar in the animated series.
When Ash was traveling through the Kalos region, Korrina's Lucario had attempted Mega Evolution. However, the power of Mega Evolution had been too overwhelming. Intoxicated by its surging strength, Lucario became unable to think about anything except battle.
Mega Lucario could no longer even obey its Trainer's commands. It went completely berserk, battered Pikachu badly, and even attacked Korrina.
Had Korrina's grandfather Gurkinn not been present, there was no telling how the situation would have ended.
The thought made Caster's heart tremble. He quickly pulled out a Poké Ball, aimed it at Mega Gyarados, and shouted, "Come back, Gyarados!"
Returning a Pokémon to its ball would naturally end its Mega Evolution. It was undoubtedly a good solution.
But Mega Gyarados had already been consumed by its desire for destruction. Just as its Pokédex entry described, nothing remained within it except the instinct to burn and destroy everything in its path.
Boom!
Its tail slammed heavily against the sea, instantly creating a towering wall of water that blocked the red beam fired from the Poké Ball.
"Rooaaar!"
Mega Gyarados released a piercing roar. Powerful streams of water erupted from the vents along both sides of its body, propelling it forward at tremendous speed. In the blink of an eye, it had fled more than a hundred yards away.
"Dragonair, hurry! Chase after it!"
Caster was horrified and immediately commanded Dragonair to pursue.
However, Dragonair's speed was clearly no match for Mega Gyarados. It could only barely keep the target in sight while trailing far behind.
"Damn it! It's too far away. It's beyond the Poké Ball's recall range!"
Caster gritted his teeth, his expression grim.
Buzz!
Several hundred yards away, Mega Gyarados stopped flying and fired a black wave of energy from its mouth, striking the surface of the sea.
Boom!
Immediately afterward, it summoned lightning from the dark clouds and brought it crashing down upon the ocean, causing electricity to flicker continuously across the water.
Before long, large numbers of unconscious Pokémon floated to the surface.
Beneath the sea, Pokémon disturbed by the commotion also began poking their heads above the water, their faces filled with displeasure.
Among them were powerful Pokémon such as Blastoise, Golduck, Poliwrath, and Kingdra.
However, when they saw the vicious, rampaging Mega Gyarados, they all ducked their heads and submerged again. None dared to oppose it.
"Rooaaar!"
Unexpectedly, the sight of those Pokémon only made Mega Gyarados even more excited. It immediately used Hurricane against the sea, then manipulated the surrounding water to expand the move's range, sweeping all those Pokémon into the vortex as well.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The terrifying waterspout appeared once again, rising straight into the clouds.
Before Mega Gyarados's frightening power, even formidable Pokémon such as Blastoise and Poliwrath were helpless. They could only be dragged along by the current, unable to break free.
Only then did Caster finally manage to approach within a hundred yards of Mega Gyarados.
"Pikachu, use Thunder on Gyarados!"
Watching Mega Gyarados grow increasingly violent and uncontrollable, Caster suppressed his concern and ordered Pikachu to attack.
He knew that the longer Mega Gyarados remained berserk, the more severe the damage to its body would become, and the more completely its strength would be exhausted.
The longer this continued, the more wild Pokémon would be caught in the destruction, making the situation increasingly dangerous.
If they could knock Gyarados unconscious and help it regain its senses sooner, it would actually be for the best.
"Pika..."
Pikachu hesitated for a moment, but quickly nodded.
Just then, Gyarados seemed to sense something.
Its bloodred pupils shifted slightly. It glanced toward Caster from afar, then leaped into the enormous waterspout and vanished.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The waterspout immediately grew even stronger. Its range and power expanded further, drawing more and more wild Pokémon into it.
Even hiding beneath the water did them no good.
"Boss Gyarados has completely lost control. We don't have the strength to stop him."
Slowpoke's eyes flickered as it hurriedly warned Caster through telepathy. "Trainer, we need to leave!"
Caster stared blankly at the scene, torn between two choices.
Leaving would mean abandoning his responsibility to Gyarados and the wild Pokémon.
Trying to stop it would mean abandoning his responsibility to his four little companions.
As Caster wavered between the two options, he suddenly saw an enormous figure appear beneath the surface in the distance, moving toward Mega Gyarados at astonishing speed.
Through the water, Caster could vaguely make out the shape of a pair of enormous wings.
But the Pokémon was simply too large. Its wingspan might have reached a terrifying forty or fifty feet, leaving Caster staring in stunned disbelief.
"Could that be...?"
Caster's eyes widened as a possibility surfaced in his mind.
This stretch of sea lay south of the Sevii Islands, extremely close to the Orange Archipelago.
There was only one marine Pokémon that inhabited these waters and possessed such an enormous body.
Lugia!!!