Pokemon system: strongest champion

Mason sat leisurely on the ground, a piece of bread held loosely between his teeth, as he cast his fishing rod out over the tranquil lake. The equipment in his hands—both the rod and the bait—was of the highest quality, leaving little chance of an unproductive session.

In no time, Mason began reeling in one Water-type Pokémon after another. However, each catch turned out to be a Magikarp. Despite the abundance of them, none were Pokémon worth training, let alone adding to his team.

Just as Mason was about to give up on the idea of recruiting a Water-type companion, he suddenly sensed a powerful wave of energy approaching. It was unlike anything he had encountered before. The surrounding Magikarp, previously idling beneath the lake's surface, scattered in panic, leaving the waters eerily empty.

"This wave... it's unusual," Mason muttered with a frown. There was something dark and heavy about the energy—more than just malicious intent. It felt like a mix of malevolence and deep-rooted vengeance.

Before Mason could even reel in his line, a blood-red figure burst out of the lake with a mighty splash. Acting on instinct, Mason jumped back several steps, maintaining a safe distance from whatever was emerging.

Water droplets rained down like a fine mist, momentarily creating a surreal and picturesque scene. But Mason, standing tensely nearby, had no interest in appreciating its beauty.

The lake settled once again, but it now belonged to something terrifying. Towering at an immense height of nine meters, a massive figure loomed over the water's surface. Its blood-red body glistened ominously under the sun, resembling a dragon from the depths of nightmares. It was a Gyarados—but not just any Gyarados.

"This isn't a regular shiny Gyarados," Mason observed, narrowing his eyes.

Most shiny Gyarados were crimson red, but this one's color was a far more sinister blood-red. The light yellow of its underbelly and side fins had turned pitch black, adding to the beast's intimidating appearance. Even its eyes, glowing a fierce red, radiated fury and hatred.

The Blood-Red Gyarados locked its gaze onto Mason, filled with violent intent. A ferocious roar erupted from its throat, echoing through the surrounding area and sending countless wild Pokémon fleeing in terror.

The four Pokémon by Mason's side also reacted to the aura. The oppressive power of Gyarados's Intimidate ability instantly shook them.

(Intimidate: When a Pokémon with this ability enters the battlefield, it intimidates its opponents, lowering their Attack stat by one stage.)

Instead of panicking, Mason's eyes lit up with excitement. "Looks like we just found ourselves a potential new teammate," he said, smiling confidently, unfazed by the Gyarados's monstrous appearance.

Beedrill, Mason's strongest Pokémon, stepped forward without hesitation, ready to confront the ferocious beast. Meanwhile, Charmander and the enormous Onix crept to the back to spectate the upcoming battle, aware that Beedrill would take the lead.

Pidgey, on the other hand, tilted its head in confusion. It didn't understand why its trainer placed so much faith in what it perceived as a weak Bug-type Pokémon.

But Pidgey's doubt was understandable. After all, it hadn't yet seen Beedrill's true power. To Pidgey, Beedrill was just another ordinary Pokémon—not the seasoned fighter that Mason knew.

Without warning, the Blood-Red Gyarados launched its first attack. A thick Water Gun surged from its mouth, comparable in power to a Hydro Pump.

"Dodge it!" Mason commanded.

Beedrill darted to the side just in time. The Water Gun crashed into a rock behind him, shattering it into fragments. The sheer force of the blast caused even Beedrill to grow more alert.

"Use Pin Missile!" Mason ordered.

Countless glowing needles shot from Beedrill's body, pelting the Gyarados from various angles. The attack only seemed to enrage the beast further.

Roaring furiously, Gyarados began to rotate its body in place, forming a raging whirlpool. With that motion, it unleashed Dragon Rage, transforming the surrounding lake water into a spiraling tornado that swallowed Beedrill's attack whole. A glowing fireball, charged with dragon energy, followed swiftly behind.

Mason's eyes narrowed. "Why is it reacting so strongly to Pin Missile?"

As far as he knew, Gyarados's dual typing—Water and Flying—meant Bug-type moves like Pin Missile should only deal minimal damage. His intention was merely to chip away at the opponent's stamina.

Could it be that this Gyarados wasn't Water and Flying?

A sudden thought hit him. "Wait... could it be...?"

He tried using a burst of psychic energy to probe the Gyarados's mind, but the moment his mental waves reached it, the beast let out a furious roar that shattered the attempt instantly.

"It's a Dark type!" Mason exclaimed. Only a Dark-type Pokémon could completely resist psychic abilities like that.

"This Gyarados… it's been altered. There's no way this is a natural form. Someone—or something—must have experimented on it!" Mason clenched his fists, anger flickering in his eyes. His heart ached in sympathy for the creature.

(That look again... That look again! All of you humans... you're nothing but liars!)

The Gyarados's thoughts roared silently in its mind, echoing in rage.

Mason's sympathetic gaze only enraged the Blood-Red Gyarados further. With a furious bellow, it whipped its massive tail into the lake, sending a tidal wave hurtling toward him.

Mason barely managed to sidestep the incoming torrent. "You're a strong one, aren't you?" he muttered. "I'm sorry if I offended you earlier."

The Gyarados froze for a moment, stunned by the apology. No human had ever spoken to it that way before. But its wrath was far from extinguished. It would only calm down when properly defeated.

"Beedrill, use Swords Dance to raise your power, then follow with Brick Break!" Mason commanded.

After scanning with his Pokédex, Mason confirmed his suspicion: the Gyarados before him was a rare Water + Dark dual-type. That made it vulnerable to Fighting-type attacks.

Beedrill spun rapidly in place, building momentum as blades of light danced around it. Then, with its stingers glowing brightly, it dove in with multiple Brick Breaks, striking the Gyarados's massive body. The beast howled in agony, thrashing against the water.

"I don't know what you've been through," Mason said firmly. "And I won't pretend to understand or pity you. Because I can tell—you're strong."

"The strong don't need pity. The strong must overcome their pain with power!"

He extended his right hand toward the Gyarados. "Join me. Let's journey together—toward becoming the world's mightiest!"

The blood-red Gyarados quivered. It had waited so long... not for sympathy, but for someone who recognized its strength. Someone who could help it grow stronger and make its enemies pay.

Its rage began to fade as it stared deeply at Mason and Beedrill. But its pride would not let it be caught easily. It would only follow someone who could truly overpower it.

"I like your spirit," Mason said with a grin. "Beedrill, finish it with X-Scissor!"

Beedrill, eyes glinting with determination, vanished in a blur. It reappeared behind the Gyarados in an instant, its crossed stingers gleaming with energy. Beedrill, clearly moved by Mason's words, gave the battle its all.

But Gyarados wasn't done yet. With a furious cry, it slammed its tail down to create a massive water wall, then opened its jaws to fire a devastating Hydro Pump.

This time, Mason gave no commands.

He trusted Beedrill.

Using its blinding speed from Agility, Beedrill zipped through the chaotic water. The moment presented itself—an opening in the water wall. With perfect timing, Beedrill surged forward and drove an X-Scissor into the Gyarados's head.

The mighty beast reared back, then slowly began to fall. Its body crashed into the lake with a thunderous splash. It glanced once more at Mason, who gave it a respectful nod.

Then, for the first time in its life, the Blood-Red Gyarados smiled—before slipping into unconsciousness.

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