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Sharpedo couldn't even manage a scream before its body went limp, falling straight toward the sea like a kite with its string cut.
"Splash!"
There was another loud splash as blood dyed that patch of seawater red.
Sharpedo was heavily injured!
From the start of the battle to the end, barely a dozen breaths had passed.
The Gym Leader Level Sharpedo was completely helpless before Mega Gyarados!
Silence.
A deathly silence.
The sea breeze blew past, carrying a heavy scent of blood, scraping against Brother Chao's face with an icy, bone-chilling cold.
The mockery and arrogance on his face had long since vanished without a trace, replaced by a deathly pallor. His lips trembled, unable to utter a single word.
He lost?
No, this wasn't just a loss.
This was a crushing defeat! A complete and utter, suspense-free crushing!
A level gap? Bullshit!
This monster simply couldn't be judged by common sense!
Cold sweat slid down his temples and dripped into his eyes, salty and stinging. It was only now that he truly realized what a terrifying existence he had provoked.
Ariel looked at him indifferently, as if looking at a dead man.
"Any last words?"
"You... don't get too cocky!"
Brother Chao, stung by Ariel's gaze, roared with forced bravado while quickly pulling a second Poké Ball from his waist.
"I admit this monster of yours is strong! But don't you dare look down on me!"
With a flash of red light, a robust pokémon with knotted muscles in its arms appeared on the deck.
Poliwrath!
It also possessed Gym Leader Level strength!
As soon as this Poliwrath appeared, it took a fighting stance, its eyes warily fixed on the Mega Gyarados out on the sea.
Seeing his ace take the field, Brother Chao felt a bit more settled, and a trace of a ferocious smile was forced back onto his face.
"Kid, my Poliwrath's ability is Water Absorb!"
He roared, almost through gritted teeth, "Facing something that can absorb Water-type moves, I'd like to see what use your Hydro Pump has now!"
Brother Chao threw a Restore Potion toward Sharpedo.
As the medicine entered the water, Sharpedo opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing the purple liquid into its belly.
Visibly, the scars on Sharpedo's body faded slightly, and its breathing stabilized.
Although it was far from a full recovery, it at least regained the ability to fight.
Ariel watched Brother Chao's actions, the corners of his lips curling upward.
The confidence in Brother Chao's eyes was, in his view, nothing more than an illusion born from an information disparity.
After Gyarados undergoes Mega Evolution, its ability changes from "Moxie" to "Mold Breaker."
This meant that the "Water Absorb" ability Poliwrath took such pride in was practically non-existent before Mega Gyarados.
"Gyarados, Aqua Tail."
Ariel gave the order softly; his voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an unquestionable decisiveness.
On the sea, Mega Gyarados's massive body suddenly lunged into the air. Its enormous tail fin, enveloped in surging currents, sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, heading straight for Poliwrath.
"Poliwrath, block it!"
Brother Chao commanded loudly; he firmly believed that water-based attacks were ineffective against a Poliwrath with the Water Absorb ability.
Poliwrath crossed its arms in a blocking posture, attempting to tank the hit head-on.
It was sturdily built with well-defined muscles, and it didn't flinch in the slightest against the overwhelming torrent.
However, when the Aqua Tail actually landed on it, the confidence on Brother Chao's face froze.
"Bang!"
It wasn't the light sound of splashing water, but a dull, heavy impact.
Poliwrath let out a muffled groan as its crossed arms were twisted and deformed. Its body was sent flying like a cannonball, slamming heavily into the edge of the deck and sliding several meters before barely coming to a stop, leaving a clear gouge behind.
It struggled to crawl back up, its eyes containing more than just caution—there was now a hint of confusion and disbelief.
"This... how is this possible!"
Brother Chao's face went pale. He looked at the fallen Poliwrath and then at the imposing Mega Gyarados on the sea, his mind going completely blank.
The tactic he took such pride in had actually failed?
Ariel didn't explain; he just watched quietly.
The cruelty of battle lay exactly in this: some costs could only be understood through personal experience.
Brother Chao clenched his teeth, a flash of madness appearing in his eyes.
He no longer dwelled on why the ability had failed. Now, he had only one path left—to give it his all.
"Sharpedo, Ice Fang! Poliwrath, Mach Punch!"
He shrieked the command, his vocal cords nearly tearing.
Although Sharpedo's injuries weren't fully healed, with the support of its "Speed Boost" ability after battling Mega Gyarados for so long, its speed had already reached a startling level.
It turned into a blue afterimage, darting at high speeds around Mega Gyarados. Sharp frost condensed in its mouth as it lunged straight for Gyarados's flank.
Poliwrath, meanwhile, clenched its fists and became two blurs, attacking from another direction at a speed difficult for the naked eye to track. Its punches were fierce, carrying the distinct sense of power inherent to the Fighting-type.
On the sea, the two Gym Leader Level pokémon attacked from left and right with seamless coordination, launching a violent pincer attack on Mega Gyarados.
Sharpedo's Ice Fang bit down, its cold energy eroding Gyarados's scales;
Poliwrath's Mach Punch struck vital spots. The Fighting-type energy and Gyarados's Dark-type attribute created a double disadvantage, each punch forcing a low roar from Gyarados.
Mega Gyarados was not without the means to fight back. It roared, thrashing its massive body in an attempt to shake the two pokémon off.
But Sharpedo's speed was too great; it hovered at the edge of the attack range, retreating rapidly after every strike.
Poliwrath, relying on its Fighting-type resistances, tanked several of Gyarados's counterattacks before closing in for close-quarters combat once more.
Ariel observed the battle, his brow furrowing slightly.
He could feel the pressure Mega Gyarados was under.
The strength of Gym Leader Level Pokémon was indeed not to be underestimated.
Especially when they worked together and could exploit type advantages, even Mega Gyarados found it somewhat taxing.
Every landed Mach Punch caused the water beneath the surface to surge, and Mega Gyarados's movements became slightly sluggish as a result.
The sea breeze blew over, carrying salty water vapor mixed with the metallic scent of blood.
Brother Chao's heavy breathing was exceptionally clear on the deck. He stared intently at the battle, his palms slick with sweat, his fingernails digging several red marks into his skin.
He knew his situation was dire, but he couldn't retreat, nor was there any path for retreat.
Ariel's gaze moved from Brother Chao's tense profile to the Mega Gyarados fighting fiercely on the sea.
He knew this wasn't Gyarados's limit; it was just that the Pokémon was used to overwhelming victories. Facing a struggle of this caliber, it was momentarily struggling to adapt.
"As expected of Gym Leader Level Pokémon."
Ariel murmured to himself, his voice deep.
"But next, I'm going to get serious."
In his eyes, that originally calm surface of a lake suddenly erupted into waves.