Time flies like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, the national college entrance examination in the Yanhuang Region was nearing its end. Only one final hurdle remained for the candidates — the Pokémon practical assessment. All the other subjects had been completed. Now, this decisive battle would determine the future of countless aspiring trainers.
Unlike the written examinations, this practical test was conducted at various local universities. Only the universities possessed training grounds vast and advanced enough to accommodate such a large number of candidates simultaneously.
Among the many test sites spread across Anhui Province was the renowned Anhui University of Science and Technology. This university was not only celebrated for its academic excellence but also known for its state-of-the-art Pokémon battle arenas. Today, it served as the battleground where Renjiro would face his practical assessment.
Renjiro sat quietly in one of the classrooms designated for candidates awaiting their turn. His sharp eyes swept over his surroundings. Any person seated in this room could be his opponent today. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, and the weight of dreams, ambitions, and anxiety filled the air.
Unfortunately for one person, that opponent might turn out to be him.
Cao Ruifeng, seated a few rows behind Renjiro, was restless. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead as he clasped his hands together in silent prayer.
"Don't let me face Renjiro. Please, anyone but him…" he muttered under his breath repeatedly, his mind racing with worry.
In the past, Cao Ruifeng had been one of the loudest voices mocking Renjiro during the preliminary stages. He had taken great pleasure in looking down on him, dismissing him as insignificant. But now, after witnessing Renjiro's rise and the stories of his incredible victories, Cao Ruifeng deeply regretted his arrogance.
He had heard of what had happened to Zhang Tianyu during the exams just days before. Even eight challengers working together hadn't managed to lay a hand on Renjiro's Beedrill. If even Zhang Tianyu had failed, how could I possibly stand a chance? Cao Ruifeng thought, dread settling heavily in his chest.
The classroom fell silent as the invigilator entered, carrying a clipboard in his hand. His voice rang out loud and clear, slicing through the thick tension.
"Seventh group of candidates: Renjiro from Shuangyang City No. 11 Middle School versus Cao Ruifeng from Shuangyang City No. 11 Middle School."
The moment those words left the invigilator's mouth, it was as if all the color drained from Cao Ruifeng's face. He felt as though he had been plunged into a pool of ice water. Out of all the candidates, I got matched with him…
This is the end…
On the way to the arena, Cao Ruifeng rushed to catch up with Renjiro, his face plastered with a flattering, almost pitiful smile. His earlier bravado had completely crumbled, replaced by desperation.
"Brother Renjiro! You're a generous man. Don't hold grudges, okay? Just treat me like air, alright? Just hold back a little during the battle… please?" His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, the usual arrogance completely gone.
Renjiro slowed his pace and glanced sideways at the pleading figure beside him. His eyes narrowed slightly in surprise. Is this really the same Cao Ruifeng who had mocked me so openly before?
"You want me to hold back?" Renjiro asked, his tone light, almost amused.
"That's right, Brother Renjiro! Exactly!" Cao Ruifeng nodded vigorously, his eyes hopeful. He mistook Renjiro's question for agreement, his heart lifting ever so slightly.
But then Renjiro's expression darkened. His amused smile faded into cold steel.
"And when you humiliated me before — did you have this attitude then?"
Cao Ruifeng froze.
"I promised you back then you'd get zero points on this test," Renjiro continued, his voice calm but resolute. "And I always keep my promises."
Hearing this, Cao Ruifeng felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His earlier hope evaporated. His mind raced, searching for some way to salvage the situation, but he knew it was futile. He had crossed Renjiro, and now he would pay the price.
"You… you tricked me!" Cao Ruifeng hissed under his breath, realizing too late that Renjiro had played along with his begging only to drive the knife deeper.
Renjiro turned his head slightly, a faint smirk on his lips. "Of course I did."
Fuming, Cao Ruifeng clenched his fists but knew better than to push further. His only chance now was to survive the coming battle with some shred of dignity.
---
The two entered the training grounds of Anhui University of Science and Technology together. The massive arena was filled with spectators, examiners, and other candidates awaiting their turns. The air buzzed with excitement and curiosity. As Renjiro stepped forward, whispers filled the stands.
"That's him, right? The Renjiro who's been all over the news lately?"
"Yeah, from Shuangyang No. 11. The one who dominated the Battle Tower in the Magic City!"
"I can't believe we're seeing him in person. He's supposed to be a monster in battle."
Even the three examiners couldn't help but murmur among themselves as Renjiro and Cao Ruifeng took their places on opposite sides of the arena.
"Both parties, take your positions!" the head examiner called out, his voice echoing through the grounds.
"The rules of this match are as follows: each candidate may use only one Pokémon. The judges will score your performance in battle across multiple criteria, including strategy, control, and teamwork with your Pokémon. Your final grade will be the average of the three judges' scores."
The tension was palpable as the candidates grabbed their Poké Balls.
"Begin!"
"Come out, Beedrill!" Renjiro commanded, tossing his Poké Ball high into the air.
"Teddiursa… I choose you!" Cao Ruifeng shouted, though his voice betrayed his anxiety.
Twin flashes of red light burst forth, materializing into the figures of Beedrill and Teddiursa. Beedrill hovered in the air, its sleek body shimmering under the arena lights, twin stingers glinting menacingly. Teddiursa, on the other hand, looked nervous, glancing up at its intimidating opponent.
The examiners immediately began assessing the situation. One of them pulled out his battle watch and scanned Beedrill.
"Level 27 Beedrill," he muttered, eyebrows rising in surprise. "That's… quite something."
"Indeed," his colleague agreed, scribbling down notes. "For a high school candidate, having a Pokémon above level 20 is already rare. Level 27 is exceptional."
Without hesitation, they awarded Renjiro a perfect score in the Pokémon evaluation category.
Cao Ruifeng's Teddiursa was scanned next — level 17. Respectable for an average student, but underwhelming compared to Renjiro's Beedrill. His score in this category was capped at two points.
"Begin the battle!" the examiner declared.
Cao Ruifeng broke into a cold sweat. His mind raced. What can I do? But before he could think further, Renjiro's crisp command rang out:
"Beedrill, Twin Needle — full speed!"
Beedrill shot forward, a blur of motion, stingers gleaming as it closed the distance in an instant. The precision, speed, and grace with which Beedrill moved left the judges nodding in admiration.
"Teddiursa, dodge! Counter with Fury Swipes!" Cao Ruifeng called out desperately.
But Teddiursa, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of Beedrill, froze. Its instincts screamed at it to flee, but there was nowhere to run. Beedrill's Twin Needle struck cleanly, sending Teddiursa sprawling.
The battle was over almost as soon as it began.
---
The examiners wrote down their scores, all thoroughly impressed by Renjiro's control, strategy, and synergy with his Pokémon.
"Renjiro… full marks across the board," one examiner announced.
As the results were declared, applause broke out among the spectators. Even candidates waiting their turn couldn't help but admire Renjiro's overwhelming performance.
Meanwhile, Cao Ruifeng stood in silence, face pale, shoulders slumped. His Teddiursa lay defeated at his feet, and so too were his hopes of scoring well in this exam.
Renjiro recalled Beedrill, his expression calm and composed. There was no need for gloating. His actions had spoken loud enough.
And with this, Renjiro took one more step forward on the path to becoming one of the greatest trainers the Yanhuang Region had ever seen.
---