CHAPTER 222: GIGANTAMAX LAPRAS

The siren incident raised the crew’s already high vigilance to another level.

Not only were there day and night shifts on watch, but they also intensified their surveillance of the ship’s surroundings.

As expected, after entering the middle section of the uncharted sea, the attacks from these sirens were just the beginning.

From then on, they frequently encountered bizarre creatures, all stranger than the previous hammerhead sharks and thunderbirds.

There were blue-skinned frogs standing on the sea’s surface, their numbers so vast that the horizon seemed filled with an endless stretch of them.

Their skin was the same azure blue as the ocean, making them nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye.

In the end, they were discovered by Miro, who was on guard duty.

Miro’s Nen ability allowed her to detect living beings’ energy fluctuations, not relying on sight.

Even so, they still encountered a battle.

These frogs were twice the size of normal frogs, with unusually large bellies for storing venom.

Their blue skin indicated they possessed extremely potent toxins and their large bellies allowed them to spew vast amounts of venom in a single burst.

Most critically, they weren’t just one or two—they came in swarms.

At the first encounter, a sky full of venom rained down like a purple storm.

The thick, steaming venom shot into the air in arcs as the blue frogs exerted themselves, resembling arrows before cascading onto the ship.

Thanks to Usamen’s Nen ability for protection and Golem’s Aura Weapon intercepting most of the venom, the majority was blocked.

Yet inevitably, some still landed on the deck.

The intensely purple venom corroded the wooden planks on contact, rapidly eating through them.

This reminded Akira of Magellan, the warden from One Piece’s Impel Down.

As a user of the Venom-Venom Fruit, his attacks were strikingly similar to these frogs’ venom.

In the end, Lapras’s Sheer cold froze the entire swarm into a massive block of ice, trapping countless frogs inside.

They also discovered why the frogs could stand on the water’s surface.

Their feet secreted a peculiar liquid that allowed them to stabilize on the undulating waves.

This discovery alone was eye-opening.

If this substance, which repelled liquids and enabled standing on water, could be mass-produced, it would have immense market potential.

Among them, Lilith was the most delighted by the frogs.

The blue frogs’ venom was unlike anything found on the six continents, giving her the chance to sample a new and exotic toxin.

*****

After more days of sailing—though this stretch was even more perilous than before—they managed to escape unscathed.

However, these incidents made it clear that the deeper they ventured into uncharted waters, the more bizarre and deadly the dangers became.

Many threats were impossible to guard against entirely.

For example, sirens that used dark mist to induce hallucinations, or the blue frogs that blended seamlessly with the water’s surface...

These creatures were not only deceptive but also highly lethal.

The slightest carelessness could easily lead to death.

Yet as time passed, the tension didn’t ease—it only grew stronger.

Each day took them further into the unknown, where the dangers would only multiply and intensify.

*****

The scorching sun reflected off the shimmering sea, casting dazzling streaks of light across the azure waters.

Though the endless ocean was bathed in sunlight, an inexplicable sense of dread lingered in the air.

"Notice anything unusual?"

Beyond stood beside Akira, his eyelids lowered, his rugged face unconsciously tense.

Though he didn’t deliberately lower his voice, his tone came out hushed and grave.

It seemed they were worried that loud noises might attract unknown dangers.

A solitary ship sailed across the vast expanse of the sea, with no signs of any other living creatures in sight.

The sky was nearly cloudless, devoid of any birds in flight.

The ocean remained eerily still—no schools of fish attacked them, and even the sea breeze was scarce.

Apart from the ripples caused by their vessel, the entire sea was unnervingly motionless.

At first glance, the absence of movement might seem like a good thing.

But in reality, it was anything but.

Everyone on board knew all too well what excessive silence in nature signified.

It likely meant the presence of an apex predator nearby!

"Yeah, it’s too quiet."

Akira stood on the deck with his arms crossed, his calm eyes scanning the boundless sea.

Outwardly composed, his inner premonition grew stronger by the minute.

Clearly, they had already stepped into some kind of danger!

"Tell everyone to prepare. Danger is about to strike."

Beyond’s expression darkened as he nodded and went to alert the others to get ready for battle.

Soon, the sound of light but rapid footsteps filled the air as everyone gathered on the deck.

Even those on night shift who had been catching up on sleep roused themselves.

What lay ahead could very well be a fierce battle!

There was no room for carelessness.

Miro, the lookout, was especially vigilant, her pure white aura continuously surging from her body.

This energy would serve as the "booster" for her Nen ability, maximizing its effects.

To counter the unknown threat, she pushed her Nen ability to its limits.

All to detect the so-called danger as quickly as possible!

Time passed minute by minute, yet the ship continued sailing steadily on its course.

Most of the crew wore grave expressions, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads, hair, and even their backs.

Maintaining such high tension while channeling their aura was not just a mental test—it was a physical burden as well.

Yet, despite this, no crisis had emerged.

After maintaining this state for a while, Akira suddenly tensed, his pupils contracting sharply.

The abrupt movement drew everyone’s attention.

Akira took two steps forward, stopping at the ship’s railing to peer into the distance.

The sea remained unchanged.

But his sharply defined face momentarily lost focus, a flicker of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

"I never expected..."

"It’s actually this big?!"

Hearing this, everyone snapped to attention, rushing to the railing to follow Akira’s gaze.

Just then, Miro’s Nen ability suddenly reacted.

"The energy fluctuations around us just spiked!"

"This energy—the waves are incredibly intense!"

"The source is... beneath the seabed over there!"

Miro’s face twisted in disbelief as she pointed a finger towards the distant sea—the very spot Akira had been watching.

A bubble or two surfaced on the previously undisturbed water, sending a chill down everyone’s spine.

Those few bubbles were only the beginning.

Soon, more and more rose to the surface, spreading across an increasingly wider area.

What had initially been a half-meter radius of bubbling water...

But before long, bubbles began violently bursting across an area spanning dozens of meters.

"Pop, pop, pop..."

Countless bubbles appeared and burst, creating a continuous crackling sound like firecrackers across the once-tranquil sea surface.

Just by witnessing this spectacle, everyone knew something enormous was about to emerge from below!

A shadow abruptly appeared on the azure sea surface, its area rapidly expanding.

Their breaths hitched, their bodies stiffening involuntarily as they steered their boats in the opposite direction.

The calm sea suddenly churned violently, with increasingly large waves radiating outward from a distant epicenter.

It looked exactly like boiling water reaching its peak.

Suddenly, a fountain erupted from the shadows, rapidly expanding in size.

Beyond’s eyes widened in shock as he instinctively clenched his fists and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Everyone, grab onto something! Cover your feet with aura—don’t let the waves sweep you away!!"

As Beyond’s voice rang out, an enormous column of water surged into the sky!

The azure water column, frothing with white-capped waves, soared high into the air.

The scattered droplets glittered brilliantly under the sunlight.

Yet no one had the mind to appreciate this breathtaking sight.

Beneath its beauty lay deadly peril.

The water column seemed endless—after rising into the sky, it crashed back down, unleashing an unprecedented tidal wave!

The wave stretched beyond the horizon like a towering blue wall, rushing towards the ship at terrifying speed.

Standing nearly a hundred meters tall, the colossal wave dwarfed their ships, making it look like a toy boat.

The sky-obscuring surge blocked out the sunlight, casting an even darker shadow over the already grim faces of those aboard.

Countless scattered droplets fell like an unending downpour.

In an instant, it felt as though they were caught in a torrential superstorm.

The endless raindrops pelted the deck, bow and every other surface, creating a cacophony of splattering sounds—yet none as terrifying as the approaching wall of water.

Before such a wave, humans seemed as insignificant as ants, drowning them in despair!

The creature hadn’t even appeared yet and its mere emergence had already caused a disaster of apocalyptic proportions!

This was the kind of life that lurked in the uncharted depths of the ocean.

A gargantuan marine behemoth!

In that moment, everyone clung to masts or pillars, their Aura bursting forth wildly.

All just to avoid being swept away by this monstrous wave!

"Is this... the kind of marine life that exists near the Dark Continent?!" Ging ground his teeth, his voice laced with frustration.

He had to admit—this crisis had truly made him feel an urgency he hadn’t anticipated.

He had underestimated the creatures of the Dark Continent!

If its mere appearance could cause such chaos, the sheer size of its true form was unimaginable.

This was a scale no creature from the Six Continents could ever hope to match!

Everyone held onto their surroundings for dear life—even Ging and Beyond were no exception.

Only Akira remained standing, calmly watching the wave approach without a trace of fear in his gaze.

Hmm...

Just as the wave was about to crash down, a low yet melodious sound resonated through the air.

In the next moment, an overwhelming presence spread across the surrounding waters, accompanied by an icy-blue glow!

The once-ferocious wave suddenly transformed—a blue light spread from its base, freezing the entire wall of water solid in an instant!

The surging wave, once in violent motion, had now become a motionless block of ice.

The crystalline mass reflected dazzling rays of sunlight, exuding waves of frosty mist.

Ice-type move—Sheer cold!

The abrupt change stunned everyone—except Akira, whose expression remained unchanged, as though he had expected this all along.

Next to the towering waves, a colossal figure suddenly appeared, standing dozens of meters tall.

It was a massive, aquatic creature-like silhouette with blue skin on the surface and a white underbelly.

Its back was layered with overlapping plate-like shells, with a proportionally enlarged protrusion in the center resembling a small volcano.

Mysteriously, a dark red sheen formed on its body and a ring of grayish-red clouds appeared around its head.

Simultaneously, a circle of ice crystals surrounded its shell, each adorned with four lines resembling a musical staff.

In addition to the staff-like decorations, there were also icicle ornaments shaped like musical notes, exuding an aura of frigid cold.

With its full power unleashed, icy-blue aura surged into the sky, filling the entire expanse!

Its S-class presence was unmistakable!

This was none other than the Gigantamax Lapras!

And it was Akira’s first Gigantamax-capable Pokemon!

Ever since they ventured into the latter half of the uncharted sea, several Pokemon had informed Akira that they had suddenly gained the ability to Dynamax.

Without exception, these were all Pokemons capable of Gigantamaxing.

After a brief moment of surprise, Akira realized their Dynamax ability was linked to their current location—they had reached the edge of the Dark Continent’s waters!

Perhaps it was within the Dark Continent’s domain that Pokemons could Dynamax.

In the Pokemon world, Dynamaxing was also an ability restricted to specific regions, which aligned perfectly with this phenomenon.

The only inconsistency was that Akira didn’t possess a Dynamax Band, yet the Pokemons could still Dynamax.

Dynamax: A Pokemon’s size, weight, and height increase significantly, boosting its HP and transforming all its moves into Max Moves.

Name: Gigantamax Lapras

Ability: Water Absorb

Type: Water, Ice

Strength: S

Moves: Absolute Zero, Sparkling Aria, Sing, Freeze-Dry...

Originally, after days of sailing, Lapras had only reached S- tier, but after Gigantamaxing, it ascended to S tier.

Gigantamax Lapras concentrates ice particles around its body, forming massive rings.

It leisurely swims while using these rings to shatter icebergs.

It can carry over 5,000 people on its shelled back without the slightest sway, offering an incredibly comfortable ride.

Thus, Gigantamax Lapras was enormous—in the eyes of everyone present, it resembled a small mountain, radiating an overwhelming sense of security!

"Is this also your Nen beast?!"

"Wait—how did your Nen beast grow so huge?!" Beyond’s pupils constricted, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

He truly hadn’t expected Akira to possess such a massive nen beast.

Rubbing his eyes, he realized this gigantic Nen beast seemed to be a transformed version of the one Akira usually rode.

"Uoooooh!!"

With a mighty roar, Gigantamax Lapras unleashed a powerful sonic wave that crashed into the icy tidal wave before piercing through to the creature lurking behind.

"Crack... crack..."

A series of rapid shattering sounds erupted, completely obliterating the massive wave and revealing the creature emerging from the sea.

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