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"I only had my shiny Beautifly add a little something to the seawater, and just like that, I've drawn all this aggro? As expected, in a chaotic melee, playing dead is the true path to victory."
Seeing a Sea Serpent Gang Elite charging toward him on a level 51 Gyarados, Sato's expression darkened considerably. He felt a twinge of regret for the stunt he'd pulled earlier to delay the battle.
But it was too late for regrets now. What mattered most was figuring out how to survive.
A level 51 Gyarados was no pushover—especially not when it was on home turf: the sea.
Gyarados Information:
Level: 51
Type: Water/Flying
Ability: Intimidate
Gender: Male
Known Moves: Bite, Thrash, Leer, Twister, Ice Fang, Aqua Tail, Scary Face, Dragon Rage, Crunch, Hydro Pump, Dragon Dance, Hurricane, Rain Dance
Egg Moves: None
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Rock), Bounce, Surf, Waterfall, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Hyper Beam
Held Item: Mystic Water
IVs:
HP: 24 (31)
Attack: 25 (31)
Defense: 26 (31)
Special Attack: 26 (31)
Special Defense: 25 (31)
Speed: 24 (31)
Overall IV Rating: Purple (Total IV: 150)
...
Level 50 was a major threshold for Pokémon—crossing it marked their entry into the pseudo-Elite Four level. Most wild Pokémon rarely reach that stage.
There were three reasons for this:
High Mortality – Wild Pokémon constantly battle, and their death rate is exceptionally high.
Exponential Growth Curve – After level 40, each level takes significantly more time, energy, and resources to achieve.
Hidden Injuries – Constant fighting leads to cumulative damage and hidden injuries, severely weakening their foundations and making future growth nearly impossible.
Thanks to the existence of Pokémon medical experts, human-raised Pokémon could avoid the third problem—but the first two were still hard to circumvent.
Don't be fooled by how quickly Sato's Pokémon were leveling up now; early-stage training wasn't too difficult. Combine that with his Pokémon's high natural potential, and it was no wonder they advanced faster than average.
But as their levels increased, even the most gifted Pokémon—like his Swampert—now required several tough battles against equal-level opponents to gain just one level. Relying solely on daily training? Who knew how long that would take?
And those high-level battles weren't just for show—they were extremely dangerous. At that stage, both Pokémon were too strong to hold back. A slip in judgment could easily result in a fatal blow.
Because when things got intense, there was no such thing as "pulling punches." Holding back might very well cost you your life.
Just thinking back to that fight between Swampert and Infernape. If Professor Oak's Dragonite hadn't stepped in when it did, Daisy's Infernape might've been toast.
The road to leveling up was smooth at first, but mid- to late-game growth was a whole different story—more time-consuming, resource-intensive, and definitely riskier.
That's why many seasoned trainers in later stages chose to let their Pokémon train slowly and steadily over time, rather than fight frequently. Because once they engaged in battle—it could very well be life or death.
For a trainer, Pokémon weren't just their strength—they were irreplaceable partners. Losing one wasn't just a waste of time, effort, and resources… it was a heartbreak beyond measure.
(Note: Wild battles aren't regulated League matches. Since they're true combat, casualties are a natural consequence.)
Gyarados were known to be voracious eaters. Maintaining that massive body required a tremendous caloric intake, which meant heaps of Pokémon food every day.
Sure, you could just leave it out at sea every day. But if you did that, it'd be no different from a wild Gyarados, and its growth would be extremely slow.
And honestly, considering how much trouble Gyarados tend to stir up, letting one roam freely in the ocean every day meant it could disappear for good at any time.
The enemy's Gyarados wasn't just high-level—it was well-raised too. It was obvious from how developed its moveset and body condition were. This wasn't some half-wild creature left to drift in the ocean.
Still, the Sea Serpent Gang was a small-time faction. For them to have raised a level 51 Gyarados was already impressive. The limited TM pool showed that well enough.
The reason Sato didn't immediately turn tail and run when the Gyarados charged him was simple—he didn't believe they could throw out another Pokémon over level 50.
At this point, Sato's own strength was already on par with top-tier elite trainers, and his Swampert's power exceeded that of most peak-tier Pokémon in the same category. He wanted to use this opportunity to test his limits.
This level 51 Gyarados was the perfect benchmark. His level 45 Swampert might not win, but it should have no problem holding its ground.
"Beautifly, return for now and take over flying duties from Crobat. Swampert, you engage Gyarados. Arbok, you handle the nearby small fry."
With a quick glance around the battlefield, Sato came up with the optimal strategy in just a few seconds and issued his commands.
In the next instant, the shiny Beautifly, who'd been cruising lazily in the night sky, spread her wings wide and dove swiftly. She reached Sato's back within moments, lifting him into the air.
"Swammmmppp!"
Seeing that Sato was now safely airborne, Swampert let out a mighty roar and surged forward, slapping its huge tail-fin against the water with tremendous force as it charged toward the incoming Gyarados.
Now at level 45, Swampert was still six levels below Gyarados, but with perfect IVs and sheer raw strength, it was far stronger than ordinary Pokémon.
Combined with its innate physical might, Swampert was more than confident standing up to this sea dragon. There was no fear in its heart—only an overwhelming fighting spirit.
"ROOAAARRR!!"
True to its nature, Gyarados flew into a rage the moment it saw this seemingly weaker opponent dare to provoke it. It let out an earth-shaking roar.
A wave of sound crashed across the battlefield, forcing nearby creatures to cover their ears against the sonic assault.
At that moment, Gyarados's Intimidate ability activated. A suffocating aura of aggression poured out from its body, casting a heavy pressure over nearby trainers and Pokémon. It filled them with deep fear of the monstrous blue dragon.
Within a radius of over 20 meters, most Pokémon and trainers fled instantly. Only a handful were able to endure Gyarados's fearsome aura and hold their ground.