```
Now it was the same, faced with the powerful water pressure, Ugly Fish's adaptive trait slowly helped it acclimate to the new environment.
Bit by bit...
While adapting, Ugly Fish dove deeper, and at the same time, its body strength also slowly increased, consuming nutrients that hadn't been fully digested.
Adaptive ability is no miracle, it can only teach Ugly Fish how to use the strength that naturally belongs to it, subtly altering it through influence.
It was unclear how much time had passed.
Ugly Fish once again felt its limit, and its body seemed unable to withstand any stronger water pressure.
Yet Ugly Fish refused to give in and delved a bit deeper.
Boom!
The immense water pressure made Ugly Fish feel as if it had been ravaged by Steelix a hundred times over.
Several wounds split open on the surface of Ugly Fish's body.
However, at the same time, the healing properties of the lake finally took effect.
As the pressure bore down on Ugly Fish, the Cleansing Water also began repairing the damage the pressure had inflicted upon it.
Magikarp and Ugly Fish are both species with incredibly tenacious life force. They are weak, but also remarkably resilient.
Especially when faced with minor injuries, their healing ability is extremely powerful.
This time, it was Ugly Fish's amazingly tenacious life force that enabled its body to heal at a very rapid pace with the nourishment of the Cleansing Water.
However, although the rate of healing had increased, this ability to recover was still inadequate compared to the relentless pressure, and it wasn't even enough to allow Ugly Fish to delve deeper into the water. It merely ensured that it wouldn't be too distressed or pitiful.
But a few seconds later, there was a change; hidden within Ugly Fish's body, undigested were not only ordinary nutrients but also an external life force that did not belong to it.
Gold Energy Blocks!!
Their function was to replenish life energy, naturally integrating into the Pokemon's body, strengthening and conditioning it, subtly enhancing the life force of the Pokemon. Fang Yuan had given some to Ugly Fish as well.
This life force, infused into Ugly Fish's body, hadn't been fully transformed.
For the external life energy to be converted into Ugly Fish's own life force, a certain amount of time was needed.
Without significant external stimuli, any organism's growth is a relatively slow process.
Ugly Fish's frail body would normally take a very long time to fully transform the life force from the Gold Energy Blocks.
But now, under the influence of the pressure and the guidance of the Cleansing Water, the life force within it that hadn't been fully transformed slowly merged with its own life force, making Ugly Fish's already astonishing vitality even more remarkable.
Its rate of healing injuries sped up again.
Whoosh!
Bearing the water pressure, Ugly Fish finally managed to dive a bit deeper.
Though it hurt, Ugly Fish didn't care because it felt that it had broken through its limits twice in a row.
So, could it perhaps advance even further?
Ugly Fish was proud, but it understood well that only Fang Yuan, Eevee, Self-detonating Magnetic Monster, Glutton, and Fierce Fire Monkey could endure its pride.
Its pride was merely willful without any foundation to back it up.
To be haughtily face all creatures, and not just act willfully among its own kind, the current state and strength of Ugly Fish were insufficient.
Breaking through its limits twice had fortified Ugly Fish's "soul" even further.
Even though it felt that it had reached its limit and the speed of healing its injuries could no longer withstand stronger pressure, Ugly Fish still went deeper because it sensed that there were still hidden strengths within itself that had not been unearthed.
Ugly Fish's eyes were resolute as it continued to swim downward.
Crack!
A sound resonated near Ugly Fish's ear, and it instantly felt as if its body were about to shatter to pieces.
But...
This wasn't the disintegration of its body, but rather Ugly Fish's bodily mechanisms instinctively protecting it.
Indeed, Ugly Fish was very bold; had it been any other Pokemon, they would have been gravely injured by now.
```
However, Ugly Fish hadn't experienced any issues, and that was because another force within its body had helped to enhance its constitution.
The Beauty Degree brought by the Blue Energy Blocks was not a vague concept, appearance, or temperament.
Instead, it was a kind of special energy that could perfectly affect and manipulate Life Energy through Emotional Energy.
This power, drifting within Ugly Fish's body and between its spiritual power, was drawn by Ugly Fish's emotions and stimulated its own Life Energy, instantly causing Ugly Fish's vitality to surge once more, even to the point of sublimation.
The change in constitution finally wasn't just about increasing strength; it started to cause a leap in the level of life itself.
White light spread all over Ugly Fish's body.
Evolution Light!!
Having consumed many Blue Energy Blocks and nutrients, Ugly Fish had long met the criteria for evolution, even far exceeding them, but it had been lacking strong enough emotions and convictions to mobilize this massive hidden energy within it.
This time, with the help of external pressure and the pursuit of a stronger self, the Beauty Degree-enhancing Energy Blocks that Fang Yuan had invested in Ugly Fish ignited the special power hidden deep within Ugly Fish's emotional "Soul," igniting it completely!
This scene was coincidentally witnessed by Sun Eevee, who had struggled to arrive.
As a non-Water-type Spirit, it was incredibly difficult for it to resist water pressure and dive deep relying on Superpower.
"(｡ŏ_ŏ)" The belatedly arriving Sun Eevee suddenly looked dumbfounded at Ugly Fish.
Is this it? Is this it? Is this? Is this? Is this?
Did Fang Yuan have it come down just to watch an evolution?
Eevee felt a deep malice. There was nothing dangerous about this fish. It was thriving and had even casually evolved... whereas it felt nearly crushed by the pressure.
If Ugly Fish were to evolve, it should become a Milotic, right...?
Even in its Ugly Fish stage, it had already been so proud, willful, and disregarded everyone else. After evolving, it would be even more unbearable.
And moreover, Ugly Fish had evolved in such a short time after joining the team... even faster than Fierce Fire Monkey... Eevee pondered.
But on careful thought, Eevee realized it wasn't quite right; after all, it and Fang Yuan had seen this Ugly Fish during their senior year winter break.
Even then, Ugly Fish had already shown its uniqueness.
Now, it was indeed time for evolution.
Eevee's gaze softened, and like Ugly Fish's Trainer, it took on the role of the sole witness to Ugly Fish's evolution.
Under the white Evolution Light, Ugly Fish's uneven body rapidly transformed, growing quickly.
The bottom of the lake was somewhat gloomy, with sunlight difficult to penetrate, and the lake's surface was like Diamond Dust, making the inside of the lake seem like the abyss of the deep sea.
However, Eevee could clearly see the entire process of Ugly Fish's evolution.
As the white Evolution Light dispersed, Ugly Fish was no more, replaced by a spirit resembling a sea serpent.
With a creamy, charming body, Milotic looked incredibly noble... Red eyes... gave Milotic a unique temperament.
The red, hair-like fins on either side of its head, along with the red "eyebrows" extending from above its eyes to the outside of its fur, added a touch of elegance to Milotic's nobility.
Besides, Milotic's tail was covered in blue and pink scales with black stripes, with red dots in the center of the four large blue scales overlapping at the tail's end, looking like a fan, perfectly harmonious. This charming body made Milotic truly live up to the world's assessment of it.
Stunning beauty.
After evolving, Milotic made a light and ethereal sound, feeling as if it had gained many abilities.
The most obvious manifestation was the luminance of Superpower radiating from its body, and... Milotic felt that its Life Energy had not just increased tenfold but was vast, allowing it to clearly judge that it could recover from even the gravest injuries instantly.
It could still delve into the depths of the lake.
This was the powerful force that came with unearthing all potential and evolution.
Milotic's heart was calm, and though its pride no longer showed in its expression, a noble temperament naturally emanated from its entire being.
But soon, Milotic's good mood was ruined; it saw a Sun Eevee unexpectedly at the same depth, gazing thoughtfully at it.
Milotic: "..."
Within a blue Confusion protective barrier, Sun Eevee shook its head thoughtfully and looked at Milotic, signaling...
Your evolution was too low-key, wasn't it? Such grandeur wasted. Do you need me to put on a more sensational show at the lake's surface?