Everyone was dumbfounded, unable to believe their own eyes.
This unruly beast actually followed the instructions of that cold Trainer at the most critical moment!
Almost no Trainer present believed that Ariel could control this Pokémon!
This was simply a miracle!
But soon, voices of doubt followed.
"Use Whirlpool to defend? Are you kidding me!"
An experienced Trainer sneered and shook his head,
"Young people are young after all."
"Whirlpool is an attacking move that focuses on destructive power; how could it have any defensive effect? I think this Ariel has exhausted his tricks. It would be better to just let Gyarados tank it on instinct!"
"Exactly, this command is just making things worse!"
Someone chimed in.
Marius's heart tightened again.
He watched the whistling Hydro Pump and the thin, seemingly fragile layer of Whirlpool on Gyarados, his palms sweating.
However, the slap in the face came faster than anyone expected.
Blastoise's two Hydro Pumps, carrying the force of splitting mountains and rocks, slammed heavily into the Whirlpool surrounding Gyarados.
The explosive impact that everyone anticipated did not occur.
Instead, there was a strange resonance between the two currents of water.
The force of the high-speed rotating Whirlpool did not simply block it; at the moment of contact, it cleverly diverted the direction of the Hydro Pump's impact.
The energy of the Hydro Pump was broken down, dissipated, and diverted to the sides by the rotational force of the Whirlpool.
"Hiss—"
A slight tearing sound.
The power of the two Hydro Pumps visibly weakened by more than half the moment they touched the Whirlpool.
They were no longer two sharp, giant blades, but rather two weakened torrents that splashed against Gyarados, spraying water everywhere.
Gyarados was knocked back a few steps by the impact, its wounds soaked by the water again, bringing a burst of bone-chilling pain.
But it clearly felt that the power, which should have completely crushed it, was now less than half of what it had been.
It opened its eyes wide in shock.
"Moves... could be used like this?"
This was a possibility it had never imagined.
In this moment, its worldview was completely overturned by Ariel's command.
The clamor off-stage suddenly fell into an eerie silence.
All the mocking voices were cut short, as if someone had grabbed them by the throat.
Those who had been waiting to see Ariel make a fool of himself now looked at each other, their faces filled with shock.
"This... how is this possible?"
"Whirlpool... can actually defend?"
Marius's eyes were wide open, his clenched fists trembling slightly with excitement.
He looked at Gyarados on the arena, and at Brother Ariel, who still looked calm, a surge of indescribable admiration welling up in his heart.
Ariel ignored the crowd's reaction.
He just turned his gaze back to Gyarados, his voice ringing out again with an unquestionable calmness:
"Gyarados, now! Dragon Dance!"
Gyarados did not hesitate at all.
The Dragon-type energy within its body was instantly activated, circulating through its body.
Although its body was exhausted, at this moment, it felt as if a new vitality had been injected into it.
Its movements became agile, and its speed and attack power instantly increased under the boost of "Dragon Dance".
Blastoise's Trainer finally snapped out of his shock.
With an ugly expression, he hurriedly commanded: "Blastoise, Rapid Spin, create some distance!"
But Ariel's command was faster and more precise than his.
"Gyarados, use Whirlpool to bind it! Then, Waterfall!"
Gyarados understood immediately.
Its massive body, with incredible agility, condensed Whirlpool once again.
This time, Whirlpool was no longer for defense; it transformed into a flexible water whip, wrapping around the spinning Blastoise with lightning speed.
Blastoise's "Rapid Spin" was forcefully interrupted by the binding of the Whirlpool, and the immense inertia made it stumble a few steps.
This was the opening!
Gyarados let out a roar, gathering all its strength, and shot towards the bound Blastoise like an arrow released from a bow.
It leaped high into the air, head downwards, as water surged from its body to form a raging Waterfall, carrying its immense impact force, and slammed heavily onto Blastoise's back.
"Boom!"
A loud noise.
Blastoise's shell groaned under the unbearable weight.
It was knocked to its knees by this blow, white smoke rising from the cannons on its back, its eyes unfocused.
It had lost the ability to battle.
The whole arena was dead silent.
Then, a deafening roar of cheers erupted.
"It won! Gyarados won!"
"Unbelievable! This Ariel... is simply a genius!"
"Moves can be used like this? I've never seen anything like it in my life!"
Gyarados gasped heavily, its muscles twitching all over.
It felt that it had reached its limit, but in its eyes, there was no longer confusion or anger; instead, there was an unprecedented clarity.
It looked at Ariel, its gaze filled with a complex mix of awe, gratitude, and trust.
This man had used the cruelest methods to smooth down its edges, but he had also used the most exquisite commands to show it the dawn of a path to becoming stronger.
Could I really become stronger by following him?
Gyarados let out a low roar at Ariel, and then lowered its head.
The meaning was clear.
"I will not give up on my revenge against you!"
"But before I become strong enough, I choose to follow your commands."
"Well done."
Ariel's voice was very soft, but it carried a hint of imperceptible satisfaction.
He knew that from this moment on, this fierce blade was finally completely under his control.
It was no longer just a wild beast, but a truly sharp weapon in his hands that knew how to cooperate.
The referee's voice trembled slightly amidst the cheers:
"Ariel... Ariel wins! With a five-game winning streak, he has secured the title of Champion of this arena tournament!"
At this moment, Ariel became the focus of the entire arena.
His cold gaze swept over the crowd, and those who had originally looked down on him and questioned him now consciously lowered their heads.
He had proven his strength to everyone in the most direct and cruel way.
And Gyarados finally understood that true strength was not just brute force, but a combination of wisdom and trust.
Its future would be closely intertwined with this cold yet mysterious man.
This was just the beginning.