"Hmph! You sure talk a big game." Kasukarp crossed his arms and sneered. "Fine then. Today I'll show you all what true champion-level strength looks like!"
"Actually, in the previous rounds I held back Shinegoldie's real power to make things more interesting. But now, I guess it's time to get serious."
Kasukarp patted the golden crown-like dorsal fin of his Magikarp and said, "So don't hold anything back. Prepare to go all out, Shinegoldie!"
"Karu~"
Shinegoldie's eyes sharpened as its muscles began to bulge, its aura surging.
"Whoa..."
At those words, everyone present couldn't help but gasp.
Without even showing its full strength, it had crushed its way into the finals.
If it went all out, just how strong would it be?
"So contestant Kasukarp hasn't been using his real strength all along?"
The host quickly seized the moment to pump up the atmosphere, announcing loudly.
"Then in this final match, what kind of spectacular performance will he deliver? Let's wait and see!"
"What's wrong? Are you scared?"
Kasukarp looked at Caster again, brimming with smug satisfaction.
But Caster just smiled without saying a word.
"Would both contestants please take your positions."
On the stage, the referee raised his flag and called out, "Ready, jump!"
"Jump, Shinegoldie!"
Kasukarp issued his command first.
"Karu~"
After completing its power-up, the golden Magikarp slammed the ground and launched itself upward.
Like it had springs attached, it shot past fifty meters in the blink of an eye.
"How can it jump that high?"
"So this is Shinegoldie's true strength. Kasukarp was hiding so much!"
"The streamer's in trouble! This shiny Magikarp is seriously something else."
"No kidding! A shiny Pokémon stands out so much; if it didn't have serious skills, how could it have survived?"
"Streamer, just give up!"
...
The crowd watching the golden Magikarp soar into the sky and shrink to a tiny dot exclaimed in amazement.
Meanwhile, the livestream chat was filled with doom and gloom.
Before long, Shinegoldie's airtime result came out: an incredible 30 seconds. Absolutely terrifying.
The venue erupted in enthusiastic applause. Kasukarp bowed to the crowd in all directions, as if he'd already won the championship.
But Caster maintained that same calm demeanor, confident of victory in his heart.
Shinegoldie's Mastered-level Splash skill, combined with its explosive bulging muscles, was indeed terrifying in effect.
If they competed using the same Splash skill, Caster's Magikarp would definitely lose.
But the thing was, Caster's Magikarp had mastered the Bounce skill as its trump card.
A Flying-type move versus a Normal-type move; this was straight-up dimensional superiority!
"Don't be so pessimistic, everyone. Actually, the streamer and Magikarp are very strong too. And Kasukarp isn't the only one who hasn't shown his full strength."
Caster flashed a bright smile at the camera, then his eyes sharpened as he called out.
"Jump, Magikarp!"
BOOM!
Magikarp slammed the ground and launched upward like a rocket taking off, even making the ground shake slightly.
Fish God, activated!
"Karu~"
Magikarp in mid-air manipulated Flying-type energy, feeling the planet's gravitational pull weaken considerably.
Soon, Magikarp broke through the hundred-meter mark. Who was stronger was crystal clear at a glance.
"Holy crap! This is a Magikarp? This height is possible with a jump?"
"Why do I feel like Magikarp actually flew up there!"
"Fish God activated!"
"Who else can't fly?"
"Damn it, Fishboy is so sneaky! Didn't even give us brothers a heads-up, making us worry for nothing."
"Old Fish is awesome! Magikarp supreme!"
...
As Magikarp burst forth with full power, both the livestream and the venue instantly erupted. Everyone discussed excitedly, marveling in amazement.
After quite a while, Magikarp finally landed.
But unlike other Magikarps that crashed heavily to the ground, Caster's Magikarp landed lightly and gently.
This showed its skilled mastery of Flying-type energy, able to control it freely.
"42 seconds!"
The host was thrilled, immediately announcing, "Caster's Magikarp achieved an incredible airtime of 42 seconds.
The champion of this Magikarp High Jump Competition has emerged: contestant Caster and his Magikarp."
"I, a champion... actually lost?"
When the results came out, Kasukarp collapsed to his knees in defeat, tears streaming down his face.
Afterward, the host invited Caster and Magikarp onto the stage, where judges presented the trophy—a Magikarp-shaped gold-plated trophy, though only palm-sized.
After the trophy presentation, the host handed the microphone to Caster, saying, "Please let contestant Caster share his victory speech."
"First, I'd like to thank the competition organizers for giving us the opportunity to participate in such an interesting competition."
"Next, I want to thank my fans. Without their company and support, I might not have made it this far."
"Finally, I also want to thank Magikarp for its dedication and hard work..."
Caster hadn't prepared any victory speech at all. Fortunately, he was quick on his feet and, after a brief moment of confusion, quickly rattled off a round of thank-yous.
"Aww, Fishboy has us in his heart! He's thanking us!"
Hearing the acknowledgment, the fans were rather moved.
At the venue, the host quickly picked up the thread, adding emotionally.
"You can tell that for contestant Caster's Magikarp to achieve such success, it must train incredibly hard in daily life, putting in sweat and effort beyond what ordinary people can imagine..."
"Karp~?"
Magikarp on stage blinked its eyes.
Did I work hard?
I don't know about that!
...
After the competition ended, everyone dispersed.
Caster picked up his phone to check; the livestream now had thirty thousand viewers online.
"As expected, a small-time competition like the Magikarp High Jump Competition just can't generate that much buzz."
Caster sighed quietly.
After this period of accumulation, his follower count had reached sixty thousand, but winning the Magikarp High Jump Competition only attracted thirty thousand online viewers, far less than the hundred thousand-plus during his Cerulean Gym challenge.
So Caster decided to strike while the iron was hot and pump up the hype, announcing to the livestream.
"Chat, now that Magikarp has warmed up by winning the high jump competition, I've decided to ride this momentum and immediately go challenge the Celadon Gym."
The moment Caster finished speaking, the chat exploded.
"Old Fish, are you really going to challenge Celadon Gym?
I'll admit your Magikarp is strong, but with type disadvantage and unfavorable terrain, if you challenge Celadon Gym, all I can say is you've really let success go to your head!"
"Streamer's gotten cocky! He's not the humble, polite Fishboy he used to be."
"I, NeonBlitz, have invested in many projects, but streamer, this 'Celadon Gym Challenge' project of yours, I really don't dare invest in!"
"Exactly! Magikarp is a Water-type Pokémon without limbs and can't walk on land. Once it's on shore, won't it be totally helpless? It'll be a sitting duck!"
"If the streamer actually succeeds at this challenge, I'll livestream doing a handstand while eating..."
"Hey, wasn't it you who scammed us for food last time?"
...
Watching the rapidly rising hype and viewer count in the livestream, Caster smiled sheepishly.
"Let me say this again: the streamer is an honest guy. If I said I'd challenge Celadon Gym, I will definitely go. Even if I might fail, the streamer still won't back down."
With that, Caster picked up the trophy and, holding his phone while walking and streaming, said, "Come on, let's head to Celadon Gym right now."
However, to give the online hype time to ferment and attract more people into the livestream.
Caster deliberately walked very slowly and specifically took routes with heavy foot traffic.
When he reached an intersection, several people were waiting for the traffic light. One middle-aged man merely glanced at Caster, but it was as if Caster had triggered a switch.
"Oh? You're asking about this trophy, bro?"
Caster waved the trophy in his hand casually.
"Hey, it's just the champion prize from the First Magikarp High Jump Competition. Small competition, small competition..."
"????"
The middle-aged man looked completely baffled.
I don't think I asked anything!
I wouldn't have even noticed if you hadn't pulled out that trophy.
But honestly though, that little trophy is pretty cute!