The bobber oer's surface suddenly dipped below, tugged forcefully downward.

  A Pokémon had taken the bait!

  In this situation, unless he was willing to lose the rod or fishing lihere was no way to stop the catch.

  Paul focused his attention, fully engaging iruggle with the hooked Pokémoh the surface.

  Sometimes reeling in, sometimes loosening the lio lower the Pokémon's guard, Paul repeated this cycle. Gradually, the Pokémon's stamina wore down.

  At the right moment, Paul gave a powerful pull. The hooked Pokémon shot out of the water, s through the air.

  "Azumarill!"

  The creature had a round, blue-and-white body, long ears, and a buoy-like tail—adorable in every way.

  It was her than Azumarill, a Water/Fairy-type Pokémon. Known for its fairy-type's immunity ton-type moves and its huge power ability, Azumarill was often called the "Dragon Syer."

  "What's the point of catg something so useless?"

  Paul dismissed the Azumarill with a gnce, letting it fall to the ground as he cast his line bato the water.

  "What an Azumarill don Syer? Please. It 't actually sy dragons, it? If it could, I'd catch it ter. If not, what it's used—herding Tauros?"

  "Azumarill!"

  The Azumarill, furious at being disregarded, prepared to unleash a Water Gun attack.

  "Bzzt~"

  "Elekid!"

  Before it could fire, two Pokémon battling nearby turheir attention toward it, their eyes glinting with mischief. Golden lightning crackled from one, while an e beam of energy gathered iher's maw.

  "Azumarill…"

  So, you hooked me up here, and now you're threatening me?

  Do you think I'm weak? Do you think I'll back down?

  The Azumarill growled angrily, but just before ung its attack, it dove headfirst bato the water.

  Paul, unfazed, gnced briefly in the dire of the threatening gazes before resuming his calm demeanor, holding his rod steady and tinuing his fishing.

  Before long, the bobber dipped again. Paul quickly reeled in the line. Feeling that the pull was weaker than the huge power Azumarill earlier, he decisively yahe Pokémon out of the water.

  "Splosh!"

  Breaking the surface, a small, red Magikarp with a -like crest flew out and nded on the riverbank.

  "Another useless one."

  After a quispe of its small size and ckluster appearance, Paul tossed the Magikarp bato the water without hesitation.

  You didn’t need a Pokédex the potential of a Pokémon this ordinary.

  Paul's fishing tinued, reeling in Pokémoer another: Magikarp, Finneon, Shellos, and Buizel. Eaon was caught, pared against the Psyduck he had decided to keep earlier, and then released if their potential was deemed inferior.

  After several rounds of parison, the only Pokémon Paul kept was a Shellos with the Storm Drain ability. Its potential wasn't quite up to Paul's standards but was parable to his retly captured Kricketune, making it passable for now.

  "It's about time to this up," Paul muttered, gng at the sky. He looked over at his two Pokémon, who had been training hard, and prepared to call it a day.

  Just then, a massive shadow fshed through the water below.

  The bobber sank again, this time with more force.

  Another bite!

  Paul immediately stood, fog ily as he engaged in a fierce battle with the uer Pokémon.

  Using his strength and strategy, Paul wrestled with the creature for nearly five minutes. Finally, seizing the right moment, he exerted all his might and pulled the Pokémon from the water.

  "Aaaaang!!"

  A massive, serpentine Pokémoed from the river, its creamy underbelly and blue scales glistening in the sunlight. Its menag maw seemed capable of swallowing a human whole.

  It was her than Gyarados, the "Atrocious Pokémon."

  "Finally, something iing," Paul said, his eyes gleaming.

  Wild Gyarados were rare, and any trainer who could evolve one ks immense power. This Gyarados would undoubtedly be far more useful than the Shellos in his lineup.

  Despite its flying typing, Gyarados rarely took to the skies, but its movements on nd were deceptively agile.

  "Aaaaang!!"

  Landing on the ground, the Gyarados roared, log its fierce gaze onto Paul, who had just reeled it in.

  "Either of you, go ahead."

  Paul casually addressed his two resting Pokémon, then stepped aside to watch.

  It was clear that he didn’t pn to intervene in this fight.

  Gyarados might be strong, but it wouldn’t stand a ce agaiher the sheer strength of his Ursaring or the Electric-type advantage of his Elekid. Unless its power far exceeded both, the oute was iable—even without Paul’s dire.

  "Bzzzzt!!"

  Ursaring raised its head, about to coordih Elekid, but the Electrion's rea was instant and overwhelming.

  "Bzzt!"

  Using Mag Rise and Quick Attabsp;simultaneously, Elekid charged at Gyarados at lightning speed. Within seds, it was in front of its oppo, rolling its arms as if warming up for a fight.

  "AAAANG!!"

  Infuriated by Elekid’s smug demeanyarados roared and activated its Intimidate ability, l Elekid's Attack.

  "Bzzt!"

  Elekid didn’t care about the stat drop. It lunged forward, delivering a powerful Brick Break to Gyarados.

  While Brick Break wasn’t particurly effective against the Flying-type Gyarados, Elekid didn’t seem to mind. Effective moves? Where’s the fun in that?

  Paul had clearly given Elekid the freedom to fight however it wanted, not to win ht but to test Gyarados’ strength and potential.

  "Aaaang!"

  With a ryarados’ teeth shimmered with frost as it tered with Ice Fang, snapping at Elekid.

  "Bzzt!"

  Reag swiftly, Elekid dodged with Mag Rise and Quick Attack, s above Gyarados’ head.

  In an instant, Elekid used its momentum to reverse dire, accelerating into a full-power Brick Break aimed squarely at Gyarados.

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