Chapter 9
The river sang its steady tune at dawn, a chorus of rushing water and rustling reeds. Alaric stood at the edge, boots damp with dew, ledger in hand. Perseus floated in the shallows, its gills opening and closing in rhythmic defiance of the current.
Days had passed since the Rattata skirmish. In that time, Perseus had thrown itself against stone, current, and command, shaping its clumsy body into something sharper. Tackle was no longer a chaotic thrash. It had weight, direction, and most importantly—intent.
Alaric's violet eyes gleamed faintly as he observed. "You have shed one skin of weakness, Perseus. But the world will not praise small steps. They will only respect survival against what they deem impossible. Today, we test that."
The Magikarp splashed in reply, as if understanding.
Alaric moved farther down the river, away from the estate's cultivated paths. Here, the water deepened, shadowed by overhanging branches. It was wilder, rougher. The perfect ground for trial.
He crouched at the bank, eyes scanning the rippling surface. His memory, sharpened by rebirth, recalled what lived here. "Poliwag, Spearow, Ekans… predators of opportunity. One will come. When it does, Perseus, you will not yield."
It didn't take long.
The reeds shivered as a low hiss cut through the morning air. From the shadows slithered an Ekans, scales gleaming violet in the weak sunlight. Its yellow eyes fixed upon Perseus, tongue flickering.
Alaric's lips curved slightly. "Perfect."
The snake coiled, muscles tense. With a hiss, it lunged. Perseus flailed instinctively, but Alaric's command rang sharp.
"Forward! Strike with purpose!"
The Magikarp lurched, body slamming against the Ekans's head mid-lunge. The impact was clumsy but enough to stagger the serpent sideways into the reeds.
"Good. Again!"
The Ekans hissed furiously, coiling tighter. It whipped forward, striking Perseus with startling speed. The fish reeled, thrown back by the force, body crashing into the current.
"Endure," Alaric ordered, voice steady as steel. "Do not sink. Fight the water, not just the foe."
Perseus flailed, tail thrashing until it stabilized, eyes gleaming with stubborn fire. The Ekans lunged again, jaws snapping dangerously close.
"Tackle—angle low!" Alaric commanded.
The Magikarp darted—not away, but downward, slamming its body against the Ekans's lower coil. The serpent's balance faltered, splashing into the water.
The servants who had followed gasped. To them, it was madness: a Magikarp fighting a predator. But Alaric's eyes shone, unwavering.
"Do not retreat, Perseus. Every strike endured is proof of growth. Again!"
The battle raged in the shallows, crude yet ferocious. Ekans struck with venomous precision, but Perseus countered with raw defiance. Each Tackle left its body aching, but it refused to stop.
Then the serpent coiled tighter, springing with sudden ferocity. Its jaws clamped around Perseus's side, dragging it into the reeds.
Gasps erupted from the servants. "It's over—!"
"No," Alaric cut in, voice a blade. His violet eyes burned. "Perseus, thrash! Every ounce of your body—strike now!"
The Magikarp flailed violently, tail smashing against the Ekans's snout again and again. Water churned, foam spraying. The serpent hissed in pain, loosening its grip just enough. Perseus wrenched free, then lunged forward with a desperate Tackle that slammed directly into the Ekans's jaw.
The snake recoiled, crashing back into the water. It thrashed once, twice, then hissed sharply before retreating into the reeds, defeated.
For a long moment, silence hung heavy. Perseus floated in the current, body battered, sides heaving—but alive. Defiant. Victorious.
Alaric exhaled slowly, pride glinting in his gaze. "You endured, Perseus. You faced a predator, and you did not yield."
He stepped into the shallows, boots soaking, and extended his hand. Perseus swam close, brushing against his palm, scales rough beneath his fingers.
"You bleed, you ache, but you remain. That is strength. That is proof."
The servants exchanged stunned whispers. They had come expecting to see their young master's folly exposed, but instead they had witnessed a Magikarp defy an Ekans. It was not elegant, nor overwhelming, but it was undeniable.
Alaric turned to them, gaze cool. "Spread the tale, if you wish. Speak of the heir who trained a Magikarp against a predator. Mock me, laugh, exaggerate—do as you please. Every retelling strengthens what I intend."
That night, Alaric sat by lamplight, quill scratching across parchment. His ledger filled with deliberate strokes.
Day Nineteen: Perseus battled Ekans. Victory achieved after prolonged struggle. Resilience tested, instinct sharpened. Foundation for future strategy established.
He leaned back, staring into the candle flame. His thoughts spread beyond the page, weaving into the fabric of politics.
"They will laugh louder now. Cedric will sneer, the other heirs will jeer. But whispers carry further than silence. And whispers of a Magikarp that fights predators will seed doubt. Doubt, once planted, is fertile ground for fear."
He closed the ledger, gaze lifting to where Perseus rested in a fresh basin of water, gills rising and falling in exhausted rhythm.
"You are no longer just Perseus, Magikarp. You are the spark. From you, fire will spread. One day, when you ascend, they will remember this battle—and they will know it was forged not in strength alone, but in defiance against inevitability."
The Magikarp splashed weakly, droplets catching the candlelight like scattered jewels.
Alaric's eyes softened, though his voice remained edged with iron. "Rest now, Perseus. For soon, the river will no longer be our battlefield. The world of nobles awaits."
And with that, the heir of House Astraeus closed his eyes, already envisioning the steps to come. The Ekans had been a test of survival. The next trials would be tests of perception, reputation, and politics.
The predators of the wild were fierce. But the predators in noble courts were far more dangerous.
And Alaric von Astraeus would face them all—armed with nothing but a Magikarp, and the brilliance to make that enough.