For Pidgeotto to evolve, Yozora wasn't particularly surprised.
Good luck?Fate?
It wasn't that at all…
Back when he first captured Pidgeotto, it had already been very strong. Add to that a solid month or two of intense training, and now its evolution was nothing but the natural release of accumulated strength—an inevitability.
Yozora had long believed that his Charmander, Psyduck, and Pidgeotto were all at the edge of evolution, ready to transform at any time.
Now that Charmander and Pidgeotto had both evolved in succession, Psyduck's evolution was only a matter of time.
"Score tied one to one! As expected of a quarterfinalist, the match has heated up from the very first round!" the announcer shouted excitedly.
At the same time, Captain Edson recalled his Politoed and sent out his second Pokémon."Go, Pelipper!"
His second battler was none other than Pelipper.
However, this Pelipper wasn't quite as strong as his earlier Politoed—only at the peak of the Senior level.
Still, it carried the Ability Drizzle.
"Let it rain, Pelipper!" Captain Edson raised both hands toward the sky and shouted.
In the arena—
Pelipper cried out sharply.
Instantly, the sky above the battlefield darkened as heavy storm clouds rolled in. Rain began pouring down.
Under the downpour, Pelipper's spirits lifted, its life energy rising. With that energy boost, its body and stats grew stronger.
And the power of its Water-type moves skyrocketed.
"Attack, Pelipper! Use Hydro Pump!"
Unlike Sherry's Pelipper, which relied on different tactics, Captain Edson's Pelipper opened with a devastating Hydro Pump.
Of course, his Pelipper was of a higher level and much stronger than hers.
"Boom—!"
In the pounding rain, the massive Hydro Pump roared forth, as thick as a barrel, its sheer destructive force obvious to the naked eye.
Yet Yozora didn't flinch.
"Heh. Sure, in this rain your Pelipper's life energy grows stronger—but my Pidgeot won't falter either!"
"Take flight, Pidgeot! Use Aerial Ace!"
At Yozora's command, Pidgeot displayed incredible speed, weaving around the torrent of water, toying with its foe.
Then, in an instant, it whipped around and dove straight in, cloaked in a shining white shockwave. It slammed directly into Pelipper.
"Ooooh—!"
The crushing blow made Pelipper screech in pain, its body reeling midair.
Pidgeot's power was immense, its speed overwhelming, and its size formidable. This single Aerial Ace struck with terrifying might!
Not only did Pelipper suffer serious damage, but it also seemed to stiffen slightly, as though stunned.
"Now! Quick Attack, keep pressing it!" Yozora shouted.
"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—!"
Pidgeot blurred into streaks of white light, flashing past Pelipper again and again.
Each strike landed hard. Pelipper cried out repeatedly, its body battered until it finally went limp and dropped toward the ground.
"Bang!" With a heavy crash, it struck the soaked earth, splashing water everywhere, unable to rise again.
"Pelipper is unable to battle!"
"What a powerful Pidgeot! It just evolved, yet it's already displaying the ferocity of a true aerial predator!"
As the referee announced the result, even the announcer couldn't help but exclaim.
"Two wins in a row—Yozora's momentum is unstoppable! Now Captain Edson has only one Pokémon left!"
"So then, what final trump card will Captain Edson reveal from his collection?" The announcer expertly stoked the crowd's excitement, raising the atmosphere to a fever pitch.
The spectators held their breath, eyes locked on the captain with anticipation.
Captain Edson did not disappoint. He drew a Luxury Ball, one clearly well-kept, and hurled it into the field."Take the stage, old friend!"
A flash of white light revealed a massive, serpentine creature.
Its body was long and dragonlike, covered in deep blue scales. Its round eyes glared wide, its gaping jaws roared open.
"ROOOAAR—!"
The beast's entrance was marked by an ear-splitting roar that sent shockwaves through the air, pressing down on everyone present.
Gasps erupted from the audience as they recognized the towering figure. That fearsome creature was none other than the brutal Pokémon—Gyarados!
Who could believe that the pitiful Magikarp could evolve into such a terrifying monster?
Yes, Magikarp was weak, useless even.
But Gyarados was incomparably strong, its power immense.
The contrast was so extreme, it defied belief.
And because Magikarp was so pathetic and so hard to raise, very few trainers had the patience to nurture one to evolution.
That was exactly why a Gyarados was such a rare and treasured sight.
It was also a testament to the determination and perseverance of its trainer.
"The last Pokémon is Gyarados! As expected, Captain Edson's most prized partner carries tremendous weight!" the announcer cried, his words just flattering enough.
The crowd erupted.
Some spectators even pulled out cameras to capture the moment.
From this reaction, it was clear: in this world, Gyarados was considered an extremely rare Pokémon.
Not like in the games, where a Rare Candy or an Exp. Share could evolve any Magikarp with laughable ease…
[Pokémon]: Gyarados
[Type]: Water + Flying
[Level]: Commander-tier, early stage
[Potential]: Lord-tier
[Details]: Captain Edson's treasured ace, boasting formidable strength.
…
The rain poured harder.
Though Pelipper had fallen, the weather it had summoned remained, drenching the battlefield.
Under the storm, Gyarados thrashed happily, its life energy soaring.
"Hydro Pump, Gyarados!" Captain Edson commanded.
From its massive jaws, Gyarados unleashed a torrent of water, blasting through the rain straight at Pidgeot.
"So fast," Yozora muttered, startled. This Hydro Pump was far quicker than those from Poliwrath or Pelipper.
The faster speed not only made dodging harder, but also amplified its impact.
"Boom—!"
The Hydro Pump tore across the field too swiftly for Pidgeot to evade.
It struck head-on, and Pidgeot screamed as its body was hurled backward.
It crashed to the ground, eyes rolling back as it fainted completely.
Gyarados's overwhelming strength had felled it with a single blow.
…
End of Chapter