In the morning, the family finished breakfast together.
Grace called over her Rhyhorn and prepared to leave. She had a competition to attend and needed to head to the venue early to familiarize herself with the field.
"Serena, behave yourself while you're staying with your big brother, okay!"
Taking the helmet Silas handed her, Grace reminded her gently.
Serena nodded like a pecking chick. "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm! Don't worry, Mom, I'll listen to big brother."
Serena would stay at Silas's ranch for a few days. After Mom's competition ended, she would come back to pick her up. That way, Mom could train without distractions.
"Phew!" Watching Grace's figure disappear into the distance, Serena let out a big sigh of relief and immediately looked at her big brother with sparkling eyes. "She's finally gone! Big brother, what are we playing today?"
Placing his big hand on Serena's head, Silas smiled. "How about taking you to see Korrina today?"
"Okay, okay!" Serena said excitedly. "Korrina won't expect me to come today. I'm going to scare her!"
After first taking care of the ranch's daily chores, even little Serena had to help out a bit. Once everything was done, Silas called over Cyclizar and took Serena with him as they headed to the Shalour Gym.
After asking a staff member at the gym, they learned where Korrina was at the moment.
"She's over at the training grounds. Serena, can you go by yourself?"
"No problem."
Serena replied in a hushed voice, quietly taking Minccino with her and running in the direction he pointed—clearly planning to give Korrina a surprise.
Silas didn't bother with the little rascal and instead found Gym Leader Gurkinn to ask about Siebold's whereabouts. He still had things to do today—the Dragon-type dish he planned to make for the Noibat needed to be put on the schedule.
Before leaving, Silas went to find the two little girls. Korrina and Serena were hugging happily, the two little girls extremely excited at meeting each other for the first time.
"Serena, big brother has to go out for a bit. You can play at the gym with Korrina this morning, and I'll come pick you up at noon. How about that?"
"Okay, big brother," Serena agreed obediently.
Korrina patted her chest. "Big Brother Silas, don't worry! I'll help you take good care of Serena."
Reaching out to rub both girls' heads, Silas smiled and left under their puffed-up, mock-annoyed gazes.
Not wasting any time on the road, Silas headed straight for the seafood restaurant by the beach. His sudden arrival genuinely surprised Siebold.
After hearing Silas's explanation, Siebold thought for a moment and said, "Silas, I know a bit about the Gyarados you're looking for."
"That guy has attacked several cargo ships. Yesterday, Gym Leader Gurkinn came to see me and asked me to help drive it away from the nearby seas."
Gyarados is a Pokémon with extremely strong territorial instincts. It will attack any living being that intrudes into its territory. Its appearance had severely hindered shipping routes.
Siebold took off his apron and called over Blastoise. "Let's go! We'll handle it together. I'm very curious about that dish you mentioned—using scales."
The two arrived together at the shallows, where Siebold tossed a Poké Ball forward.
"Barbaracle, please carry Silas."
"Bar—!"
The seven-clawed Barbaracle nodded. As its body contracted, it transformed into a stone raft—complete with oars. Silas stepped on, and Barbaracle remained extremely stable.
The activity area of the Gyarados had already been confirmed. Riding on their Pokémon, the two headed straight for that stretch of sea.
Just as they were about to approach the Gyarados's territory, Siebold suddenly stood up and gazed into the distance, his brows knitting tightly together. This strange action immediately drew Silas's attention, and he had already gripped the Poké Ball containing Cyclizar.
"What's wrong, Siebold?"
Pulling his gaze back, Siebold replied, "There are wild Pokémon fighting in the sea ahead."
"Huh?"
Silas looked up at the surface of the ocean in confusion. The sea was calm and peaceful—there wasn't even a single Pokémon in sight.
"Underwater," Siebold said, pointing toward a fast-approaching current not far away. "It should be the Gyarados we're looking for."
"The only question is—what Pokémon is fighting it?"
After a brief discussion, the two decided to retreat a bit first, avoiding being caught in the crossfire as much as possible.
The moment they pulled back, the sea surface suddenly churned violently. Immediately after, a massive water tornado burst out of the ocean, accompanied by an ear-splitting roar filled with fury.
"ROAR!"
It was Gyarados.
A ferocious maw, blood-red eyes—this Gyarados was in a state of extreme brutality, completely enraged. It recklessly vented its power, its roar carrying a special signal.
Silas and Siebold's expressions both changed.
"This is bad—Gyarados is calling for other Gyarados."
In the wild, even a single Gyarados is something ordinary Trainers cannot deal with. Its destructive power is enough to wipe out a small town with ease. That's why Gyarados and Sharpedo are collectively known as the "Tyrants of the Sea," treated with the same fear as Beedrill swarms in forests.
If there was any Pokémon more dangerous than a normal Gyarados, it was an enraged Gyarados. In this state, Gyarados loses all reason—and will summon others of its kind.
"Barbaracle, protect Silas!"
Feeling the sea gradually boiling, Siebold did not forget to issue his command.
"Bar!"
And Silas? He was searching for the Pokémon that had enraged Gyarados.
A pink fin sliced through the waves. A Pokémon shot through the water like an arrow released from a bow, heading straight toward Silas.
"Vee~"
"It's you, Veluza!" Silas exclaimed in surprise. "I should've realized sooner."
Active in the coastal waters near Shalour City, and bold enough to provoke Gyarados—there was only one possibility. Half of its body broke through the sea surface as Veluza used its psychic power to push Barbaracle back, spitting out a string of bubbles as if saying:
"Leave. This isn't something you can get involved in."
As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Veluza's perception was exceptionally sharp. Several Pokémon filled with malicious intent were rapidly approaching from afar—it would only take a few minutes before they reached this sea area.
Siebold's gaze also shifted over, curiously observing Veluza, this Pokémon that had crossed the ocean.
"There's no need to worry."
Directing Barbaracle closer to Veluza, Silas noticed the broken pink bony spine on its body. It had suffered significant injuries fighting Gyarados.
"Vee!"
Veluza was anxious. It recognized this human—he had once helped it complete a molt. Otherwise, it wouldn't have bothered interfering. Those brainless brutes couldn't hurt it; if it wanted to leave, it could do so at any time. Staying now was simply to buy time.
Not far from Gyarados's territory, a fish Pokémon with a pitted, rugged surface swam outward while carrying a translucent blue egg. After swimming for a short while, this Pokémon—known as a "living fossil"—suddenly doubled its speed, fleeing outward at the fastest pace of its life.
On the other side, torrential rain poured down as several terrifying auras rapidly closed in.
"Siebold, you handle the enraged Gyarados. I'll take care of this side—how about it?"
Siebold raised his Key Stone and nodded confidently. "No problem."
Silas threw the Poké Ball in his hand.
Time to blow up some fish.
(End of Chapter)