Chapter 182: Leap (IV)

Soon, evening came, and the setting sun cast its golden rays over the lake, turning the water's surface into a shimmering golden expanse. Even the iceberg gleamed with a golden glow.

At this moment, Magikarp lay among the lake's underwater plants. After resting for some time, it had adjusted itself to peak condition.

Magikarp knew that if it failed this time, it would disappoint its trainer, something it couldn't accept. Thus, it had cleared all other thoughts from its mind, focusing solely on climbing to the top of the iceberg.

If Rex knew its thoughts, he would tell Magikarp it was overthinking. If it couldn't succeed today, Rex would simply let it train with Milotic for a while longer, accumulating more strength before trying again.

Rex arrived at the lake with Yuli, Yui, and Karen. They were all eager to see if Magikarp could succeed.

Especially Yui and Karen, who had made a bet. Yui believed Magikarp could successfully climb the icy waterfall, while Karen was more pessimistic, thinking Magikarp wasn't yet strong enough.

Yuli acted as their judge. The loser had to treat everyone to a seafood feast in Kanaz City.

Rex had no objections. No matter who won or lost, he would get a free meal, which made him quite happy.

"Lapras, thank you for your hard work!" Rex patted Lapras on the head, acknowledging its efforts over the past two days.

Without Lapras reinforcing the iceberg with Ice Beam from time to time, it would have melted long ago. Magikarp should be most grateful to Lapras, as its evolution opportunity wouldn't have existed without Lapras's selfless dedication.

For this final attempt, both Milotic and Politoed worked together to get the icy waterfall flowing again.

Meanwhile, Magikarp began swimming around the lake's surface, occasionally using Splash to warm up and prepare for the challenge ahead.

With the sunset's afterglow, Magikarp launched its final charge at the icy waterfall with unstoppable momentum.

Magikarp used Splash to leap onto the icy waterfall and began its upstream journey. This time, Magikarp was in even better condition than during its first attempt that morning, steadily advancing toward the top.

It quickly passed the halfway mark, but its stamina was dwindling, and prolonged contact with the ice had caused some frostbite on its belly.

Despite these setbacks, Magikarp remained unwavering, driven by a single belief: to climb higher, fearlessly.

With this determination, Magikarp surpassed its previous limit and continued upward.

The last stretch was the hardest. Magikarp was exhausted, one misstep could send it tumbling down with the current.

"Magikarp is trying so hard. I hope it succeeds now!" Karen, who had bet on Magikarp's failure, now found herself rooting for it, moved by its relentless effort.

"What should we do, Rex? Magikarp seems to be struggling," Yui said, tense.

Magikarp was less than five meters from the top, but its progress had stalled. It was using all its strength just to avoid being swept away.

"This is Magikarp's trial. All we can do is wish it luck," Rex replied, watching Magikarp struggle but unwilling to interfere. Using tricks to

get past the waterfall would render Magikarp's efforts meaningless.

Magikarp's condition was worse than Rex and the others realized. Its belly was frozen, its tail felt heavy, and its consciousness was growing hazy. It was on the brink of giving up when a sudden surge of energy coursed through its body, revitalizing it.

This energy came from the Pokéblocks Magikarp had gorged on earlier, now providing it with the boost it needed.

Fueled by this new energy, Magikarp made a final, desperate Splash, leaping upwards.

As it ascended, Magikarp was enveloped in a bright light. The light carried it over the peak of the iceberg, where it began to grow larger within the glow.

"Roar!" 

When the light faded, a massive Gyarados appeared at the summit, roaring triumphantly to announce its arrival to the world.

"Yes! Magikarp did it!" Yui cheered, grabbing Rex's arm in excitement.

"I'm happy for it too, even if I lost the bet," Karen said, feeling inspired by Magikarp's determination.

The newly evolved Gyarados leaped down from the iceberg and plunged into the lake, re-emerging before the group.

Despite Gyarados' fierce appearance and the intimidating stories associated with it, Yui and Karen couldn't help but feel a bit scared. Yuli quickly hugged them to reassure them, confident that Rex would keep them safe.

Rex, observing the approaching Gyarados, was slightly apprehensive. Even though his Magikarp hadn't evolved out of anger, Pokémon often changed personality after evolving, and he couldn't be sure of Gyarados' temperament.

Yet, Rex knew he had to stay calm and not make any sudden moves, trusting in his bond with his Pokémon.

To his relief, Gyarados lowered its head, showing its submission.

"Congratulations, Gyarados, you did it!" Rex patted Gyarados' large head, acknowledging its achievement.

Gyarados beamed with joy, its fierce appearance softened by the warmth in its eyes. It remembered all the help Rex had given it, knowing it wouldn't be here without him.

Seeing Gyarados' clear, untroubled eyes, Rex felt reassured. There was no trace of anger or wildness, indicating Gyarados had excellent self-control.

With Gyarados showing no signs of aggression, Karen and Yui exchanged glances and decided to approach. Carefully, they extended their hands to touch Gyarados' horn, feeling a mix of awe and excitement.

Gyarados welcomed their touch, enjoying the attention.

Meanwhile, Milotic and Politoed joined them, both happy for Magikarp's evolution. Milotic, in particular, felt a deep sense of fulfillment, having put so much effort into training Magikarp.

(Chapter End)