The shadow of death instantly loomed over everyone's heads.
However, the expected panic and screams did not occur.
Facing this scene, which was enough to make an ordinary Trainer's heart fail, not a trace of fear could be seen on the faces of anyone on the deck.
Their gazes remained cold, and their movements remained steady.
It was as if the world-destroying sight before them was merely an expected drill.
"Number One, dive the submarine to its maximum depth and draw their fire."
Ariel's voice calmly conveyed the command through the communicator.
"Everyone else, summon your Pokémon, maintain formation, and prepare to counterattack."
His voice possessed a strange magic, like a sedative that instantly steadied everyone's minds.
"Roger!"
The submarine's alarm blared underwater as it dove sharply at a perilous angle, narrowly avoiding several direct hits from Hyper Beams.
At the same time, everyone on the deck pressed the buttons on their Poké Balls in unison.
Several red lights flashed, and Raichu, Electabuzz, Magneton...
One by one, the prepared Electric-type Pokémon appeared on the sea surface, standing on their respective hovering devices or surfboards, quickly building a defensive line around the Speedboats.
Golden electricity crackled on their bodies, echoing the rampaging Hyper Beams on the sea.
Ariel also arrived on the sea surface, his surfboard coming to a steady halt atop the waves as the sea breeze made the corners of his clothes flutter loudly.
He looked at the Gyarados dancing wildly in the air, seeing the pure, primal tyranny in their eyes; there was no fear in his heart, only a near-perverse excitement.
This was the stage he wanted.
A debut performance that was sufficiently bloody and cruel.
Once a creature like Gyarados enters a state of collective frenzy, its destructive power increases exponentially.
On the sea surface, dozens of thick water columns rose from the ground; those were the large-scale executions of the "Waterfall" and "Hurricane" skills.
Due to the high-speed rotation, these water columns kicked up a large amount of spray, looking from afar like countless writhing gray tentacles growing from the sea.
The violent air currents rampaged across the sea, making the already fragmented waves even more chaotic.
Combat members Number 4, 5, and 6, located in the outer defensive circle, were bearing the most direct pressure.
Their Electric-type Pokémon—Raichu, Electabuzz, and Magneton—were currently standing on specially made Insulated Floating Boards.
Torrential rain poured down, and the mixture of fresh and salt water became the best conductor.
The electricity on the surface of the Electric-type Pokémon's bodies leaked wildly into the humid air, with pale blue electric sparks crackling.
But at the same time.
The risk of overload was also imminent.
An operator stared at the values on the terminal; it was the frequency of Electabuzz's heartbeat, which was already approaching the critical point.
But he did not issue a retreat order.
Number 4 stepped firmly on the edge of the floating board, letting the waves crash against his bulletproof vest.
The Electabuzz behind him clenched its fists, the glow of Thunder Punch appearing exceptionally piercing through the curtain of rain.
These Pokémon had undergone rigorous endurance training from Team Rockets, and more importantly, like their masters, they were branded with absolute obedience.
When an encircling "Waterfall" smashed down from the front, Electabuzz did not dodge.
It roared and unleashed a Thunderbolt, the current surging upward against the flow of water.
This suicidal defensive method effectively neutralized the impact, but the back-surging current also caused charring on Electabuzz's torso.
On the flank of the battlefield, a tragic scene was unfolding.
While adjusting his position, Number 3 was targeted by a Gyarados lurking at the bottom of the waves.
That beast leapt out of the water with extreme speed, its bloody maw wide open, sharp teeth covered in Dark-type energy—"Crunch".
Accompanied by the sound of bones shattering, this member's Pokémon, an Electrode, was bitten directly into pieces.
Due to the close proximity, the immense biting force also flung the member into the freezing seawater.
His left leg was already deformed before he hit the water, and blood quickly spread through the black sea.
Gyarados's vertical pupils locked onto this fallen prey, and it dove back into the water, preparing for the final devouring.
The fallen member Number 3 did not struggle, nor did he send out any distress signals.
The Mental Brand of Malamar made him absolutely obedient to Ariel, which included absolute obedience to Ariel's orders.
There was no need for self-indulgent sacrifice, nor for any cowardice that would disappoint Ariel.
The potential erupted from this mental power even made Ariel himself somewhat startled!
He was seen maintaining a chilling calm in the freezing seawater.
He reached for his waist with his remaining right hand, where a specially made Tear Gas Smoke Grenade hung.
At the moment the Gyarados's toothy maw was about to close, he pulled the safety pin.
With a muffled "bang."
The concentrated tear gas exploded at the boundary between the water and the air.
This chemical weapon, developed specifically for the sense of smell and vision of Water-type Pokémon, instantly sent that Gyarados into a frenzy of pain.
Its massive body thrashed violently in the water, and the originally lethal strike veered off course.
This brief chaos bought three seconds of time for the supporting fire from the rear.
Subsequently, dense electric light completely submerged it.
Yuki stood on the violently shaking surfboard, her movements as precise as a piece of fine machinery.
This environment was hell for ordinary people, but for her, it was an examination hall to prove her value.
"Position 4, move three body-lengths to the left and fill the gap left by Position 3."
"Number 5, don't be stingy with electricity; output at full power and suppress the eye of the storm on the left."
Her voice reached everyone's ears clearly through the communicator.
While coordinating everyone's positions, she held a gun in one hand and fired continuously at the red dorsal fins emerging beneath the sea surface.
The Magikarp following the Gyarados group, attempting to approach and attack, were accurately pierced by large-caliber bullets, with small bursts of blood constantly appearing on the sea.
There was no fear in her mind, only the instructions Ariel had issued before they set out.
The plan must not be hindered.
This thought overwhelmed her instincts.
Even when the surfboard was tossed three meters high by a wave, her hand remained steady without a single tremor.
She observed the coverage of every fire point and calculated the remaining stamina of every Pokémon; beneath that calm face was the heart of a commander who had fully entered a combat state.
To the side, Ariel stood with his hands behind his back.
Rainwater slid down his cold mask, wetting his pitch-black collar.
He didn't move, not even changing his posture.
He was watching.
He was watching the performance of those who had been branded.
Member Number 3's decisiveness, Yuki's coordination, and the near-self-destructive perseverance of groups 4 through 6.
This performance made him feel satisfied.
This kind of professionalism, regardless of cost or life and death, was exactly the foundation he needed to build his power.
In this world, gaps in strength can be filled with resources, but the purity of loyalty and will often requires extreme environments to test.
The battlefield before him was the best touchstone.
He could feel the emotional feedback returning from those brands.
No fear, no retreat, only a near-mechanical execution.
This feeling made him feel that these subordinates were no longer independent individuals, but extensions of his will.
At this moment, Ariel truly acknowledged this team from the bottom of his heart!
Just then, the atmospheric pressure on the sea surface dropped abruptly.
A heavy pressure rose from the deep sea, and the originally noisy battlefield actually fell into a moment of dead silence.
The sea surface began to collapse over a large area, forming a massive whirlpool.
Immediately after, a massive Gyarados over ten meters in size burst out from the sea.
This leader's scales were a dull, dark blue, and its body was covered in crisscrossing scars.
Each scar recorded its dominant status in these waters.
Its appearance made the surrounding frenzied Gyarados quiet down instantly, and they all bowed their heads.
It opened its giant mouth and let out a deafening roar.
This roar contained powerful energy fluctuations, even producing a visible ripple of sound waves.
The Electric-type Pokémon maintaining the defensive formation became stiff under this pressure; it was racial suppression.
The Gyarados Leader did not attack immediately.
Its massive, bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at Ariel.
As a leader itself, it locked onto the opponent's leader in a single glance!
It felt the Taunt!
Immediately after, it tilted its head back and fired a blue beam toward the overcast sky.
"Rain Dance."
Ariel whispered these two words.
He hadn't expected to encounter a Gyarados that could use weather skills!