Evolution

Without a doubt, that was Aqua Cutter!

And judging by the sharp, almost bladelike aura emanating from the water blade… this Veluza most likely had Sharpness as its Ability, boosting the power of slicing moves.

This Aqua Cutter was probably its trump card—a move with considerable power.

The water blade sliced through the rain, leaving a brief, hollowed-out gap in its wake as it cut a direct path toward Poliwag.

There was no way Poliwag could take that hit head-on. Not at its current strength. Kai quickly stepped back, retreating beyond Aqua Cutter's range, and gave a short, decisive command:

"Jump to dodge!"

Poliwag leaped with all its might, barely scraping past the very edge of the attack. Seeing its move slip past like that, the already frustrated Veluza grew even more enraged. A swirling orb of water formed in front of its mouth, vibrating slightly before it launched forward—Water Pulse!

Poliwag repeated the same evasive maneuvers as before, taking full advantage of the Swift Swim Ability in the rain. Thanks to its frequent movement on land, it had also developed the agility to weave and dodge attacks skillfully, keeping just out of reach of the Veluza that was confined to the lake.

It seemed this Veluza only knew Aqua Cutter and Water Pulse as its ranged moves. The latter consumed much more energy, and after firing off four or five consecutive attacks, Veluza was already panting, its stamina visibly depleting.

Kai wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip by.

Glancing through Poliwag's learned moves, there was only one that could turn the tides in its favor.

As Veluza drifted closer and closer to the shore, gradually closing the distance between itself and Poliwag, Kai seized the perfect opening in its attack rhythm.

"Now—Hypnosis!"

To seize the moment, Poliwag couldn't avoid taking a glancing hit. The very edge of Aqua Cutter grazed its right side, leaving a deep, bleeding gash. Gritting through the pain, Poliwag leaped forward, landing right in front of Veluza. A faint psychic ripple spread outward, using the spiral pattern on Poliwag's belly as a medium.

Veluza's rage-filled eyes flickered, then clouded over.

A few seconds later, its eyelids drooped shut. Its body drifted aimlessly atop the rain-churned surface of Thunderclap Lake, having lost the ability to fight—just in a different way.

Kai finally let out the breath he'd been holding. Relief settled in as he replayed the battle in his mind.

As a Water/Psychic-type, Veluza's mental resilience was definitely higher than Poliwag's. The fact that Hypnosis had worked on the first try was thanks to the spiral pattern on Poliwag's belly—it was a naturally fitting medium for the move.

But no matter the method, a win was still a win.

Even a weaker Pokémon had ways to defeat a stronger opponent—this battle had proven that yet again.

The lone remaining Poliwag minion turned to its leader with awe-filled eyes. The Veluza that had been relentlessly chasing them was actually taken down by their boss!

Kai tucked his umbrella under his arm and crouched, ready to treat Poliwag's wounds. But just as he pulled out a Potion spray—

A brilliant white glow burst from Poliwag's body.

Kai: "!!!!"

Mimikyu, who had just been about to fish Veluza out of the water with Shadow Claw, froze mid-motion. The two tiny black eyes on its costume belly widened in shock.

The Poliwag minion also stared, its expression a mix of amazement and anticipation, as its boss became enveloped in the sacred light of evolution.

Within the white glow, Poliwag's body stretched and reshaped as if it were soft clay being molded. Its tail shrank away, its frame grew larger, its legs strengthened, and—most notably—it gained arms for the first time.

When the radiance finally faded, the newly evolved Poliwhirl stood in its place.

Its skin remained blue, covered in a thin layer of moisture.

Its eyes, now bulging and positioned atop its head, resembled round ears when viewed from behind. Its new hands bore a striking resemblance to white gloves, with the fingers fused together.

And its signature spiral pattern? A subtle yet significant shift—it now swirled counterclockwise instead of clockwise.

Testing out its new body, Poliwag seemed particularly fascinated by its newly formed arms. It eagerly reached out to catch raindrops, attempting to grasp them midair.

Once its initial excitement wore off, it turned to Kai, raising its arms energetically as if to proudly show them off.

Kai couldn't help but grin. "Congratulations on your evolution, Poliwhirl!"

…

When they returned home, the sight of Poliwhirl immediately caught the attention of the other Pokémon.

Wait… Poliwag had evolved?!

After Kai briefly explained the events that had transpired, the Pokémon were outraged at Veluza's attack on the Poliwag group, but they also showered Poliwhirl with praise for its bravery.

The two injured Poliwag, having been treated with Potions, soon regained consciousness and were doing well.

As they all sat together, sipping warm bowls of slow-cooked Sacred Fire Carrot & Lean Meat Porridge, Kai and his Pokémon came to a unanimous decision—Veluza had to be released back into the wild.

Even though the discarded flesh from its Fillet Away move was considered a delicacy, the Pokémon had made their feelings clear. Kai would rather capture another Veluza from a different lake or buy one elsewhere than allow this particular one to remain in Thunderclap Lake.

As for how Veluza had even gotten into the lake in the first place—Kai had a theory.

It had likely shed its excess flesh to slip through the barriers meant to keep wild Pokémon out.

Considering how much energy it would have taken to regrow the discarded flesh, Veluza had likely been lurking motionless in the lake for a long time, only surfacing when Swampert and the Poliwag weren't around.

Today, the Poliwag must have left the lake later than usual, running into Veluza right as it emerged at its usual hunting time.

What an unfortunate coincidence.

Feeling guilty that his oversight had led to the Poliwag being injured, Swampert insisted on personally sweeping Thunderclap Lake to ensure there were no other unexpected threats hiding within.

And so, after Kai left, Swampert made his way along the lake's perimeter.

Reaching the drainage channels that maintained the water's natural flow, he carefully reinforced the surrounding mud, forming solid barriers that allowed water to pass through but ensured no more unwelcome guests could slip inside. 

Don't forget to drop some Power Stones!💎💎💎

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