On the way to the lake, Julian checked the Dowsing Machine from time to time. All ten red dots were displayed, each one small, likely similar in size to the one marking the Evolution Stone.
Dragonite flew at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour. Considering Julian was riding on its back, this wasn't too fast, yet Julian still couldn't keep his eyes open and felt much better after putting on his goggles.
The skies had no shortage of flying Pokémon; Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and even a few Taillow were common sights.
Pidgey, found worldwide, was the most numerous bird Pokémon; you could see quite a few wild Pidgey even in city squares.
Although they were wild Pokémon, Pidgey had low aggression from living in cities and wouldn't foolishly attack the humans who fed them.
Pidgeot, the final evolution of Pidgey, was fairly powerful, and its evolution wasn't particularly difficult. Pidgeot was also among the few flying Pokémon that could be ridden and had impressive speed.
For this reason, many trainers without a flying Pokémon of their own rented one from leasing companies, often opting for Pidgeot as a convenient travel or escape companion.
However, rented Pokémon were restricted to transport use only and weren't permitted to engage in battles.
If forced into combat, a trained Pidgeot would report the incident to the local investigation bureau.
The journey to the lake was smooth, with no wild Pokémon daring to interfere. After about an hour, Julian reached the lake.
The lake stretched endlessly; if he didn't know better, he might've mistaken it for the ocean.
This lake held countless Water-type Pokémon and abundant resources, making it a dream spot for any fishing enthusiast.
Naturally, wherever there was a body of water—lake, river, or ocean—Magikarp were the most common Water-type Pokémon, followed by Feebas.
This lake was no exception; Magikarp numbers had to be high, which explained the presence of an Elite-level Gyarados in it.
When a Magikarp population reaches a certain size, it often leads to the emergence of Gyarados.
Given that an Elite Gyarados inhabited this lake, there were likely other Gyarados of varying levels as well, not just one.
"Sure enough, this place really has plenty of treasures"
Julian said, looking at the red dot on the Dowsing Machine. The size matched that of the previous Hollow Stone, suggesting it might be another elemental treasure.
Riding on Dragonite, Julian flew toward the treasure's location. The Dowsing Machine could only show treasures within 50 kilometers, with a maximum of ten markers at a time.
After about five or six minutes, he arrived above the red dot's position, hovering over the deep, seemingly bottomless lake.
"Slowking, take the Dowsing Machine and check down below," Julian said.
His only Water-type Pokémon was Slowking. Back when Dragonair hadn't yet evolved into Dragonite, it used to love water.
Now, with its bulky form and round belly, sinking might be more appropriate.
Slowking was currently level 30—not too high. After all, Julian hadn't trained it for battle; instead, it served as his butler and chef, taking care of him and the other Pokémon.
Since Slowking handled these tasks so well, Julian had cut back on its training. It wasn't fair to expect it to manage everything and still keep up with daily training.
"If you run into any danger, come right back," Julian reminded.
Slowking nodded, then took the Dowsing Machine and submerged into the lake.
The lake was deep. Although the water was clear, it was pitch dark below, with sunlight unable to reach the bottom.
On the other hand, a few meters down, Julian could see some Goldeen and several Magikarp swimming in schools. The Magikarp seemed to have noticed Dragonite and Julian above.
One by one, they floated to the surface, their blank expressions mirroring Slowpoke's exactly.
But Magikarp were truly simple-minded, while Slowpoke was clever in its own way.
Being stared at, by these blank gazes, Julian couldn't help but feel amused. Why had they suddenly come to the surface, staring and blowing bubbles?
Dragonite found it entertaining too and lowered itself slightly, reaching down to gently poke one of the Magikarp on the head.
The startled Magikarp jumped up, splashing its tail—right in the direction of Julian's face.
"No, you don't!"
Julian quickly leapt from his saddle and, with a swift kick, sent the Magikarp flying before landing back in his saddle with style.
(T/N: ah shit, here we go)
"Meta!~"
Metagross applauded, thoroughly impressed with its trainer's smooth move.
With a splash, the Magikarp fell back into the water. Its tough scales and bones could handle the kick without much harm.
However, its pride was another matter. Embarrassed by Julian's kick, it was now the center of attention among its peers, including one it secretly admired.
For a moment, something other than blankness filled its eyes, a fire of determination sparking deep inside.
Seeing the Magikarp still glaring at him, bubbles now larger and more intense, Julian taunted, "What's wrong? Not satisfied? Come on, let's settle it one-on-one!"
"A mere Magikarp can't intimidate me—I can face a hundred"
"Crack!"
The chains of restraint shattered as the Magikarp's rage transformed into the energy of evolution, shining with a brilliant white light.
"What the—?"
Julian was stunned, instinctively glancing at his right foot—the very one that had just kicked the Magikarp.
'The Evolution Foot!'
The phrase flashed through his mind as he watched, wide-eyed.
By the time he came to his senses, the transformation had completed. A fierce Gyarados now glared at him, brimming with newfound power.
Gyarados: Little brat, say that again, if you've got the guts.
In an instant, this once low-leveled Magikarp had evolved into a formidable level-50 Gyarados. The increase in level was downright ridiculous.
If anyone ever managed to unravel the precise process behind a Magikarp evolving into a Gyarados, they'd practically have the Arceus Award in the bag.
Unfortunately, this Gyarados was only of green-tier aptitude, meaning it didn't qualify for capture.
Just as Gyarados prepared to teach Julian a lesson, Metagross calmly floated over. Before Gyarados could even react, Metagross delivered a swift, sliver fist straight to its head.
The fainted Gyarados didn't sink but instead floated atop the water.
The nearby Pokémon, terrified by the display, scattered in all directions—including the remaining Magikarp.
*****
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