Jacob's gaze settled on the deep blue sea, then drifted up to the clear sky and drifting white clouds. He took a slow breath, and with a small smile, accepted the "failure" of this trip into the Secret Realm.
Although he had not managed to capture the Legendary Dragon of Ideals, Zekrom, this time, his gains were still considerable.
An S-rank item, Light Clay.
A Gyarados strong enough to rival a Champion!
And a Dragonair Master Level potential!
Results like these were already far better than anything he had gained from any Secret Realm before. Why should he be greedy and chase after Zekrom on top of that?
Besides, even if he climbed all the way to the top of the tower and managed to revive Zekrom, there was no guarantee the Legendary Pokémon would ever approve of him. Did he really hold the kind of unshakable ideals that Zekrom would recognize? Jacob honestly couldn't say for certain.
As reluctant as he felt, retreating now was the only sensible choice.
"Dragonair, let's be good partners from now on. I'll be counting on you."
"Noivern, Dragapult, let's head home!"
...
A faint smile stayed on Jacob's face as he accepted the outcome calmly. Before leaving, he reached into his coat and pulled out the Dark Stone, wanting to take one more look at it.
The Dark Stone was glowing now with a brilliant light, faint bolts of lightning flickering across its surface — a far cry from the dull, lifeless stone it had been at first.
Just then, the moment Dragonair and Gyarados caught sight of the Dark Stone and sensed its powerful, strangely familiar aura, both of them froze in place.
The Dark Stone?!
...
A moment later, Dragonair and Gyarados turned to Jacob, growling at the same time, their tails swishing as they pointed toward a distant island.
"Hmm?"
Caught off guard by their sudden reaction, Jacob looked between Gyarados and Dragonair and slowly asked, "Are you saying you're willing to carry me over to that island?"
Both Dragonair and Gyarados nodded at once.
Jacob was at a loss for words for a moment. If he had known showing them the Dark Stone would get this kind of reaction, he would have just carried it around on his head from the start!
"All right, then!" A smile spread across Jacob's face. As the old saying goes, just when the mountains and rivers seem to leave no way forward, a hidden village suddenly appears among the willows and flowers.
He gave a small nod, glancing once more between Dragonair and Gyarados before finally speaking. "Dragonair, you rest up for now. Gyarados, you'll be the one carrying me across."
The reason Jacob settled on Gyarados was simple: as a Water-type Pokémon, Gyarados had a clear type advantage in an ocean environment, making it far better suited to fighting at sea than Dragonair.
"Gyaaa!" the crimson Gyarados cried, nodding.
Dragonair, on the other hand, tilted its head at Jacob with a puzzled look.
"We're not just heading to that island, Dragonair — there's a good chance we'll have to fight a Relicanth at the bottom of the sea along the way. Gyarados is simply better suited for that than you are, so rest up for now."
"Return, Dragonair, Noivern, Dragapult."
Jacob recalled the three Pokémon into their Poké Balls, then turned to Gyarados. "Gyarados, fly us over to that circular lightning mark."
"Gyaaa!"
At Jacob's word, Gyarados rose into the air and flew toward the circular lightning mark, activating it once more.
...
Meanwhile, back on the first floor of the Dragon Spiral Tower Secret Realm—
"Emboar! Finish it with Flare Blitz!"
"Breloom! Bullet Seed!"
Emboar's body burst into flame, its muscles tensing as it charged forward wrapped in surging fire, bearing down on Bronzong. On the other side, Breloom glowed with a vivid green light as hard green seeds fired from its body like a barrage of bullets, raining down on Claydol again and again.
The outcome of the battle would be decided by this single exchange.
...
Second floor of the Secret Realm.
The watery passage reappeared, and beneath the surface, the massive shape of King Relicanth could be seen waiting, poised and ready.
Jacob took a deep breath, gripping tightly onto Gyarados's back. "Gyarados, the moment you hear my signal, push forward toward that island with everything you've got."
"Gyaaa!" Gyarados nodded, then dove into the sea with Jacob still holding on, leaving only their heads above the waterline.
As Gyarados entered the underwater lane, King Relicanth swayed closer, drawing up alongside it, equally ready.
Jacob held his breath, studying the "race course" laid out beneath the waves. The whole lane was split down the middle by a wall of golden lightning, keeping King Relicanth and Gyarados completely separated. Ahead of them both, a massive golden lightning seal blocked the underwater passage forward.
Jacob had Gyarados test the lightning with an attack, but just as he expected, the strike was completely absorbed — the barrier was clearly meant to keep the two from ever attacking each other.
This looks like it's purely a race for speed, Jacob thought to himself.
The golden seal blocking their path kept flashing, growing brighter and brighter, until at last it reached its peak.
With a sharp crack, the golden lightning seal shattered, marking the official start of the trial.
"Go, Gyarados!"
At Jacob's shout, Gyarados and King Relicanth shot forward at the same instant.
Although both were at Gym Leader Level in raw strength, their speed was another matter entirely. Physical condition, control over Water-type energy, and swimming form could all affect how fast a Pokémon moved through the water.
King Relicanth surged ahead like a loosed arrow, quickly pulling a full body length in front of Gyarados as it cut through the waves.
Beneath Jacob, Gyarados was just a touch slower, falling behind right from the start — though Jacob had expected as much.
Relicanth's base Speed was only 55, compared to Gyarados's 81, but Relicanth carried the rare ability Swift Swim. In the rain, or simply while in water, its Speed would double.
With that boost, Relicanth's actual speed shot well past Gyarados's, and combined with this King Relicanth's frightening natural talent, it had seized the early advantage and was quickly pulling away.
Still, Jacob had a plan ready.
"Gyarados, use Dragon Dance!"
At his command, Dragon-type energy surged through Gyarados's body as it spiraled gracefully through the water, its speed and attack power both rising.
But even after one Dragon Dance, Gyarados's speed had only just caught up to Relicanth's — proof of just how astonishing King Relicanth's speed truly was.
"Gyarados, use Dragon Dance again!"
If one Dragon Dance wasn't enough to take the lead, then a second one would have to do.
After the second Dragon Dance, Gyarados's speed finally pulled ahead of Relicanth's, and it began closing the distance fast.
Just then, King Relicanth, who had been in the lead, suddenly came to a brief stop. A moment later, a wave of Rock-type energy rippled across its body as countless tiny stones scraped against its scales, smoothing them down and coating them in a faint rocky sheen that cut through the water with far less resistance.
"Rock Polish!"
Dragon Dance only raised Speed by one stage, but Rock Polish raised it by two!
Jacob's expression darkened. Gyarados had managed to slip ahead while King Relicanth paused, but now that Rock Polish had taken effect, King Relicanth overtook Gyarados once again, quickly closing in.
"Gyarados, keep using Dragon Dance — push your speed as far as it'll go!"