Gyarados carried them through wave after towering wave, swimming toward New Island with unstoppable momentum.
Xia You rode on its neck, while Misty sat behind him, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. As for Ash and Brock, they had been relegated to its tail and could only cling desperately to Gyarados's scales to keep the seawater from swallowing them.
They had no idea how much longer they traveled, but when they crested one final wave, the howling wind and torrential rain suddenly vanished, and the sea became completely calm.
Looking closely, they realized they had unwittingly entered the eye of the storm!
Huge waves still churned behind them, but compared with the fierce ring of storms surrounding them, it was perfectly calm here, completely untouched by the downpour.
Yet to Xia You, this place felt just like Dragonite Island, which he had visited before!
After that ordeal, everyone was somewhat exhausted and stretched their limbs to ease their aching bodies. Just then, Misty suddenly pointed ahead and cried in delighted surprise, "Look over there!"
Following her finger, they saw a lone island rising from the sea at the center of the storm's eye!
The sky had already darkened, and beneath the moonlight, a sinister castle with soaring spires on the island came into view.
"That really wasn't easy. After all that effort, we finally made it..." Brock let out a long breath. "So that should be New Island, right?"
"This is it." Xia You took out his phone to check the map and murmured in confirmation, then patted Gyarados, directing it toward the island.
After traveling several more nautical miles and reaching New Island, they discovered a harbor built inside a cave beneath the castle. By the time Gyarados swam over, a woman carrying a lantern was already waiting