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Hearing about the 100 million reward, both Ash and Brock were visibly excited. However, before either of them could speak, Misty loudly refused.
"Stop joking! Who would agree to such a ridiculous request?!"
After speaking, she grabbed Kai's arm and stormed out of the office.
As they walked along the coast in the small town, Ash and Brock were still puzzled over why Misty was so angry.
"Wait a minute, Misty, why don't you want to help her?" Ash asked, confused. "With that reward, I could finally pay you back for your bike!"
"That Nastina is outrageous!" Misty fumed. "Tentacools are so adorable! Why would anyone want to harm them? I'm sure there's a reason they're attacking humans!"
"Tentacool... adorable?" Ash, Brock, and Kai exchanged sceptical glances.
"That's right," Misty said dreamily. "Tentacool feels soft and pleasant, and the red part on their heads is called 'the ruby of the sea.'"
"Ruby?" Ash groaned. "Whenever Water-type Pokémon are involved, you completely change, Misty!"
At that moment, a loud broadcast echoed throughout the town. The voice of Nastina boomed over the speakers:
"To drive away the Tentacool menace, we are recruiting capable trainers! Anyone who can get rid of those hateful Tentacools will receive a reward of 100 million! I want to develop this town, and no Tentacool is going to stop me! Trainers, hurry to the pier!"
The announcement was repeated three times, stirring the trainers in town. Whether motivated by greed, a desire to help, or mere curiosity, crowds began to gather at the port.
"How could she do this?!" Misty exclaimed, frowning. She immediately turned toward the pier, leaving the others to scramble after her.
When they arrived, the pier was already packed. Kai and the others squeezed through the throng to see Nastina sitting in a tank.
To their surprise, Team Rocket was also present, boarding a boat after seemingly accepting the task!
"Team Rocket?!" Misty gasped, her unease growing. "If they're involved, this is going to get even worse!"
Sure enough, Team Rocket's boat sailed toward the coral reef but was swiftly attacked by Tentacool, resulting in an explosion.
Only then did the townspeople realize that tens of thousands of Tentacool had gathered near the reef.
Beneath the water, their dark forms created an ominous shadow, and the glowing red orbs on their heads shimmered with a sinister light, creating an unsettling sight.
But then, something strange occurred. After being doused with an unknown liquid by Team Rocket, one Tentacool suddenly mutated, evolving into a massive Tentacruel towering tens of meters high!
When the enormous Tentacruel emerged, panic erupted among the townspeople. Some, seeing the terrifying sight, quietly fled.
"How did it grow so massive?!" Misty exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Kai speculated, "It could be Dynamax energy! Maybe that liquid contained substances imported from the Galar region. That's the only explanation for such an abnormal phenomenon."
"Dynamax?" Ash echoed, intrigued. "Oh, I remember! We saw a giant Pokémon in the fog near Bill's lighthouse. Was that a Dynamax Pokémon too?"
"Who knows," Kai replied, shaking his head. "There are many mysteries in the Pokémon world that science has yet to uncover. There's still so much we don't understand."
Misty chuckled lightly. "You sound like a researcher when you talk like that, Kai."
"Eh? Do I?" Kai asked, surprised. "Maybe it's from spending too much time around Professor Cerise."
Meanwhile, the massive Tentacruel had climbed onto the construction site of the unfinished hotel.
Its tentacles wrapped around the structure, crushing it entirely, like a scene from a monster movie.
Seeing her dreams crumble, Nastina's face paled, and she nearly fainted.
"You destroyed my hotel! I'll never forgive you! Attack! Attack!!" she shrieked.
The tank she was sitting in began firing, and a group of henchmen appeared with rocket launchers, aiming at the colossal Tentacruel.
But their weapons were useless. The attacks bounced harmlessly off Tentacruel's rubbery body, failing to inflict any damage.
Unfortunately, the assault only enraged the Tentacruel further. With a powerful roar, it summoned a massive wave, sending its Tentacool army to invade the town.
"Everyone, stop standing around and run!" Kai yelled, snapping Ash and Brock out of their shock. He grabbed Misty's hand, and they all sprinted away.
But the wave was relentless. Despite running tens of meters, the group was overtaken by the surge.
Behind them, others were swept away, and the town was reduced to chaos as buildings were flooded, cars submerged, and debris scattered everywhere.
"Gyarados" Kai shouted, releasing his Gyarados from its Poké Ball. The group quickly climbed onto its back, and the Water Pokémon carried them to safety.
Eventually, they reached a TV tower on a nearby hill. From there, they looked down at the devastated town below.
The enormous Tentacruel, still furious, continued its rampage. It led its Tentacool swarm deeper into the town, its tentacles destroying everything in sight.
Brock sighed heavily. "So this is what Horsea was trying to warn us about earlier."
"But why are they doing this?" Misty wondered. "If this keeps up, people will only hate them more!"
Kai pointed toward the ruins of the hotel. "Look closely. That hotel was built on a coral reef their home. Humans destroyed their habitat and invaded their territory. This is retaliation."
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