The Sharpedo beside him, a sea bully that usually acted with unbridled arrogance, now let out a low growl that sounded like a whimper, its massive body instinctively shrinking back.
It was afraid!
A Gym Leader Level Sharpedo was afraid of a Superior level Gyarados!
The fear lasted only a few seconds.
As Brother Chao's gaze slowly moved from Mega Gyarados back to the youth standing calmly at the bow of the ship, his fear was quickly replaced by another, more burning emotion.
Greed.
Unparalleled greed!
A Superior level Gyarados, through an unheard-of "evolution," could actually suppress a Gym Leader Level Sharpedo!
What a terrifying power!
If... what if this power belonged to him?
This was no longer as simple as a mutated Gyarados.
This was a brand-new, unknown power that could overturn the existing Trainer system!
And the one holding this secret was just a wet-behind-the-ears brat!
Brother Chao's breathing became heavy, and a burning light flickered in his eyes.
Although the Gyarados was good, it was ultimately an external object.
This youth, Ariel, was the real treasure!
The secrets on him... all of this must be mine!
Fear?
In the face of power that could change one's fate, fear meant nothing!
He could even imagine that once he possessed this power, Hoenn? No, even the entire League would tremble at his feet!
Ariel took in all the changes in Brother Chao's expression.
From shock to fear, and now to blatant greed.
Truly... pathetic and laughable.
At death's door, instead of thinking about how to survive, he was coveting power he couldn't control.
So be it.
A secret is a secret because everyone who has seen it is dead.
Ariel's killing intent was set.
"Since you are fortunate enough to witness the glory of Mega Evolution, then use your lives as a sacrifice for this glory."
"Heh."
Brother Chao suddenly gave a cold laugh, seemingly trying to use the sound to dispel the last trace of unease in his heart. He straightened his back again, his face once more wearing that arrogant expression.
"Kid, don't think that just because your pokémon's appearance has changed, you can turn the world upside down."
He extended a finger, pointing at Ariel from a distance, his tone filled with condescending mockery.
"I admit, this little trick of yours is quite good and did give me a scare. But the gap in levels is an unbridgeable chasm! My Sharpedo is a genuine Gym Leader Level, while your Gyarados, no matter how it changes, is at most Superior level, right?"
"Wanting to challenge a Gym Leader Level with Superior level strength? Who gave you the nerve? There's a limit to arrogance!"
As his voice fell, Brother Chao's aura also reached its peak.
Yes, it must be so! It's just for show!
Level is the only thing that matters!
He didn't notice that his Sharpedo, under the king-like pressure of Mega Gyarados's intertwined Water and Dark-type aura, was on the verge of losing its will to fight.
Also being Water and Dark-type, Sharpedo felt as if it were facing its ancestral progenitor; every breath became incredibly difficult.
"Sharpedo, tear it apart! Use Ice Fang!"
Brother Chao waved his hand, issuing the command to attack.
Sharpedo's body trembled, instinctively wanting to resist, but the Trainer's commands from over the years were etched into its marrow. It roared, forcibly suppressing the fear in its heart, and its thick caudal fin slammed against the sea surface!
Splash!
Sharpedo turned into a white underwater arrow, cutting through the waves. It opened its massive mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a bone-chilling white mist gathered between them!
Facing this aggressive strike, Ariel didn't even bother to give a command.
A trace of disdain flashed in Mega Gyarados's crimson eyes. It didn't even move; just as Sharpedo drew near, its thick tail, like a black iron whip carrying immense force, swept out and struck first!
There were no flashy skill effects, only the purest violent aesthetics of power and speed!
Bang!
A muffled boom that made one's heart tremble.
Before the cold mist of the Ice Fang could even touch Mega Gyarados's scales, Sharpedo was hit head-on as if by a high-speed truck, its entire body flying backward even faster than it had come!
Boom!
Sharpedo's massive body slammed heavily onto the sea surface, kicking up a towering wave as rings of white spray spread in all directions.
"What?!"
Brother Chao's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
How is this possible!
With just a single tail swipe, without even using a skill, it broke Sharpedo's attack and sent it flying?
Before he could react, Mega Gyarados moved.
"Roar!"
With a deafening roar, its massive body dove into the water, instantly tearing a huge hole in the sea surface.
The next second, where Sharpedo was struggling to steady itself, an even larger dark shadow soared into the sky from beneath the water!
"Hydro Pump!"
Ariel's voice rang out coldly.
Mega Gyarados opened its bloody maw, and a high-pressure water column several times thicker than before—almost black in color—shot out like a dragon's breath, slamming squarely into Sharpedo's abdomen at point-blank range!
Boom!!!
This explosion was louder than any before.
Sharpedo let out a shrill cry of agony as its massive body was pushed into the air by the irresistible force, the shark skin on its belly instantly becoming a mangled mess of flesh and blood.
However, it wasn't over yet!
"Crunch!"
Mega Gyarados followed like a shadow, pursuing the Sharpedo that had been blasted into the sky. Its maw, filled with hideous sharp teeth, opened in mid-air as dark energy surged between them, then snapped shut!
Crack!
That was the sound of bones breaking!
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