It didn't take long for Mary to find the perfect item for poisoning.
A huge slab of beef!
She didn't believe for a second that anyone could resist eating something like that. It was just too tempting.
—
By lunchtime, Captain Burks spotted that beef and immediately ordered someone to cook it.
In a place like this, if you didn't eat the good stuff quickly, it'd spoil within a couple of days.
Mary stared eagerly as the food was being prepared, waiting to reap the results of her plan.
But just as everything seemed to be going smoothly—something unexpected happened!
A loud, anguished roar echoed from afar, causing everyone who had just sat down to eat to immediately look in the direction of the noise.
It came from the other side of the archipelago, so far away that they couldn't see anything clearly.
But given how loud it was, it was obvious that something huge—some massive Pokémon—was involved.
And from the sound of it, something serious was happening.
"You guys go ahead and eat. I'll check it out," Nathan said as he summoned his Flygon and flew toward the source of the noise.
Captain Burks saw Nathan leaving and, of course, couldn't just sit around eating.
After all, their main objective here was to protect Nathan. Since he was going to investigate, they had to follow.
"All personnel, board the ship! Move out!" Captain Burks barked his orders.
Seeing everyone heading out, Evelyn also climbed aboard one of the warships.
The once lively, festive scene of lunchtime was instantly reduced to silence.
On the now-deserted island, only Mary remained, standing all alone.
"AAAAHHH! Nathan, just you wait!" she screamed in despair.
She never imagined that just when her plan was about to succeed, Nathan would suddenly leave—
and take everyone with him.
What made it worse was that she only had a little poison left, and she'd used it all on that slab of beef.
—
Meanwhile, Nathan flew swiftly to the location of the roar.
When he arrived, he saw a gigantic Gyarados.
But this Gyarados had blood-red eyes—it was clearly in a berserk state.
It was nearly 100 meters long and unmistakably Dynamaxed.
Its level? Sixty-seven—Champion class.
Many people were already trying to drive it away, but to little effect.
Thanks to Dynamax, the Gyarados had immense defensive power. The Pokémon attacking it were barely leaving a scratch.
To be honest, Nathan found it strange. The ocean was huge, so encountering a Gyarados of this size wasn't too unusual.
What puzzled him was why it was attacking the tournament participants—and in such a rage.
A Gyarados wouldn't go berserk for no reason. Something—or someone—must have provoked it.
"Go for its eyes!" someone shouted.
"I did, but it didn't work!"
"Everyone, attack together!"
Voices rang out from every direction as people did their best to drive the Gyarados away.
Nathan hovered nearby, debating whether or not to intervene.
If he stepped in, driving off the Gyarados wouldn't be difficult.
Then he noticed something strange.
Among the crowd, a few people were acting suspiciously.
They were commanding their Pokémon to constantly attack and provoke the Gyarados—
almost like they were intentionally drawing it in.
Seeing their behavior, Nathan began to piece it together.
They must've spotted the Gyarados and deliberately provoked it.
But what was their goal? To capture it?
If so, they were either bold—or stupid.
This was a Level 67, Champion-tier Gyarados. Even Nathan, who had three Legendary Pokémon, wouldn't dare try that recklessly.
What made them think they could?
"ROOAARR!!"
The Gyarados was completely enraged now. Its tail lashed out, creating a wave over ten meters high.
The wave surged forward, washing over the crowd.
Everyone—humans and Pokémon alike—were swept away if they got hit.
The once-coordinated efforts fell into chaos as people scattered in panic.
Those suspicious individuals also tried to flee, clearly no longer interested in capturing the Gyarados.
Survival was now their only concern.
Seeing the scene unfold, Nathan sighed.
If he didn't step in now, things were going to end very badly.
But just before he could act—someone else did.
It was none other than Fujiwara Taka, the trainer Nathan had previously battled back in Valar.
Taka released his Coalossal—also Champion-tier. While it wasn't as strong as the Gyarados, it could at least hold it off for a bit.
"Someone help me!" Taka shouted.
He wasn't trying to show off—he truly didn't want to see people getting killed.
But no one answered his call. Everyone was too busy running for their lives.
Taka shouted again and again, but still received no help. He felt utterly discouraged.
He had stepped in to help them—
yet now he was abandoned.
Humans… were always this ridiculous.
They wanted heroes when there were none.
But when a hero appeared—they offered no help.
Nathan couldn't help but reflect.
No matter what Taka had done to him before, right now—he was a hero.
"Come out, Volcarona! Frosmoth!" Nathan commanded, releasing his two Pokémon mid-air.
"Attack that Gyarados!"
The two Pokémon flew directly above the massive Gyarados and simultaneously fired Hyper Beams straight at it.
Seeing someone finally help him, Taka looked up with gratitude.
But when he realized it was Nathan, a bitter smile spread across his face.
Back in his homeland, he had treated Nathan with hostility.
Now, in a life-or-death moment, it was Nathan who had come to his aid.
The Gyarados, angered by the Volcarona and Frosmoth's attacks, stopped focusing on Coalossal and began targeting them instead.
Fortunately, the two bug-type Pokémon were nimble and managed to stay in the air, leading the Gyarados out toward the sea.
Once the Dynamaxed Gyarados was lured to the ocean's surface, Nathan followed close behind.
"Volcarona, use Heat Wave!"
Volcarona flapped its wings, the air heating up rapidly with each beat.
…
The Gyarados writhed in discomfort from the scorching heat and opened its jaws to launch a Hydro Pump.
"Frosmoth, use Aurora Veil!" Nathan ordered urgently.
Frosmoth quickly moved in front of Volcarona and projected an Aurora Veil.
The Hydro Pump hit the barrier but was easily deflected.
Gyarados, frustrated, fired Hydro Pump after Hydro Pump, all striking the Aurora Veil.
The barrier rippled violently, looking like it could break at any moment.
"Volcarona, use Powder!"
The two Pokémon began to maneuver mid-air, all while keeping the Aurora Veil between them and Gyarados.
Volcarona flew overhead, releasing waves of superheated Powder from its wings.
The scales landed on Gyarados's body, causing it to cry out in pain.
The massive, 100-meter-long creature thrashed about, trying to alleviate the burning sensation.
Eventually, it couldn't take it anymore and dove into the ocean.
But it wasn't giving up just yet.
From underwater, it unleashed a flurry of Aqua Tails—massive water columns shooting up and striking toward the two Pokémon.
"This is tough… do I really have to knock it out?" Nathan muttered.
With a body that huge and a level that high, putting it down wouldn't be easy.
With no other choice, Nathan pulled out another Poké Ball.
"Come out—Mewtwo!"
He released Mewtwo and immediately used the X-Mega Stone to trigger its Mega Evolution.
Mewtwo X appeared—its muscular form radiating raw power.
"Let's go—knock it out!"
Nathan pointed toward the rampaging Gyarados.
Frosmoth fluttered both its wings and fired a freezing beam—not at Gyarados directly, but at the sea around it.
The surrounding water instantly froze over, forming a thick sheet of ice.
Gyarados, half-submerged, found its lower body trapped by the rapidly forming ice.
Feeling its lower half immobilized, the giant serpent began thrashing wildly, using every ounce of strength to break free.
(End of Chapter)