Chapter 237: Crushing the Examiner
Although the Alliance was now reviving fossil Pokémon in batches, the revived Pokémon were mostly distributed among the League's top brass. Only Master-level trainers were lucky enough to get one.
Therefore, the number of fossil Pokémon that trickled down to lower-ranked trainers was exceedingly rare.
So far, besides that super-genius in the Capital City, there was only Basalt.
And so, after the initial shock, many people guessed Basalt's identity.
"I know who he is! He's Basalt, the Rookie King of Centralis Province from the first half of the year!"
After Basalt's appearance at the Centralis University Battle Club, many candid photos of his Lileep had leaked online. It had caused quite a sensation at the time, even briefly hitting the trending topics, so quite a few people knew about it.
"Basalt? He's the pride of our Metro City!"
"Speaking of which, Basalt and I are alumni! I also went to Seaside County High. We're from the same hometown and the same school."
One of the candidates puffed out his chest with pride. Just having a slight connection to Basalt was enough for him to brag about for a long time.
Another, more rational candidate did some quick math and exclaimed, "Basalt was the Rookie King from the first half of the year. By that calculation, he should be a first-year university student, right? A freshman is taking the Advanced Trainer exam?"
"Tsk tsk, a badass has gotta have a reason for being a badass. When I was a freshman, I was still a Beginner-rank trainer!"
...
Seeing that everyone had recognized him, Basalt just smiled, not particularly concerned. He had been mentally prepared for his identity to be exposed the moment he sent out Lileep.
"You're this year's Rookie King, Basalt?"
Examiner Jensen sized him up and down. Although his heart was full of admiration, his face remained as stern as ever.
He said loudly, "But even if you are the Rookie King, the pride of our city, don't expect me to go easy on you. On the contrary, because you are the Rookie King, I must be even stricter with you!"
Jensen cracked his knuckles, his face burning with fighting spirit. He seemed determined to teach Basalt a big lesson.
In his view, being strict with a genius was a form of protection.
The loss of a genius was a far greater blow to the Alliance than the loss of an ordinary talent. While he didn't want to divide people into different classes, he couldn't deny that this was the reality.
"Then please, Examiner Jensen, bring it on."
Basalt nodded seriously, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
Simply passing the exam wasn't his goal.
What Basalt wanted was to defeat the examiner in a 3v3 battle and prove his own strength.
Although Jensen was a Pro-level trainer, the Pokémon he was using weren't his own, but rather the certification center's standard-issue Pokémon. In terms of strength, they were only at the Advanced-rank, not much stronger than his own team.
And in terms of command ability, Basalt wasn't lacking either.
In his previous life, he had been a ten-year veteran of the virtual reality game "Pokémon Age." He was extremely familiar with singles, doubles, group battles, and even wild battles.
So, from the very beginning, his goal was clear: defeat the examiner.
"Come on out, my partners!"
Jensen nodded and threw his Pokéballs. Three different Pokémon appeared.
"A Fearow, a Golem, and... a Typhlosion?"
Basalt's eyes narrowed slightly.
Typhlosion is the final evolution of the Johto region's Fire-type starter, Cyndaquil. Compared to its pre-evolution, it's larger, and the flames on its back are more intense, resembling a mane of fire around its neck.
"Ty-phlo!"
Although it was a "mouse" Pokémon, Typhlosion was more accustomed to standing on two legs. It had mastered the flames on its back to perfection, which could erupt like a volcano. It had an extremely fiery temperament, was easily angered, and would rub its blazing fur together to create explosive shockwaves to attack.
Next to Typhlosion was Golem. Its body was like a large sphere covered in rock. Its head protruded from the center of its body, and it had two arms and two legs. According to the Pokédex, Golem preferred to tuck in its head and limbs and roll around like a ball rather than run on its feet.
As for the Fearow with the long, sharp beak, its face was full of ferocity as it flapped its wings in the air, not to be underestimated.
Even before the battle began, just by looking at their auras, Basalt could tell that Typhlosion was the strongest of the three.
"No way! They brought out a final-form starter! Is this the kind of treatment a genius gets?"
When they saw the Typhlosion, many in the crowd swallowed nervously.
A fully evolved starter Pokémon rarely appeared in the Advanced-rank exam because they were too strong.
But with Basalt as the opponent, it all seemed to make sense.
"Candidates, prepare yourselves! Battle, begin!"
With the referee's command, Basalt's 3v3 battle finally began.
"Eruption!"
Jensen's voice suddenly rang out, cold and sharp.
Hearing this, all the candidates sucked in a cold breath, goosebumps rising on their skin.
Eruption, a Fire-type move. The more HP the user has, the greater the move's power. In the games, a full-health Eruption has a terrifying base power of 150.
And since the battle had just started, Typhlosion was obviously at full health. Not only that, but Eruption was Typhlosion's signature move, almost a part of its species' identity.
RUMBLE!
The crowd saw Typhlosion suddenly drop to all fours, aim the flames on its back at Basalt's team, and then unleash a blistering blast of Fire-type energy. It looked just like a volcanic eruption.
In an instant, scorching flames engulfed the entire battlefield. The blazing light was so bright it was hard to keep one's eyes open.
"Using Eruption right at the start... isn't Old Jensen being a little too harsh?"
At the judges' table, one of the judges couldn't sit still, his mouth twitching. Even he thought this was going a bit too far.
"Old Jensen treasures talent. This Basalt is the most outstanding genius our city has seen in decades. Of course, he's going to be protective."
Some of the judges objected, while others supported Jensen's decision. But none of them took their eyes off the field for a second, afraid to miss a single detail.
"Fear-ow!"
"Go-lem!"
As the flames blazed, the Golem behind Typhlosion and the Fearow in the air also let out cries.
Basalt frowned. "Are they powering up?"
It was a single-target attack, but in Typhlosion's hands, it had the effect of a spread move, engulfing all three of his Pokémon. Basalt would bet his life that the other two Pokémon were taking this opportunity to power up.
Fortunately, he was no pushover.
When the flames subsided, the crowd saw a scorched rock fortress. Although it was battered and scarred, it had not been broken.
"It's Wide Guard! Typhlosion's Eruption was completely blocked!" a candidate exclaimed.
Crack! Crack!
The rock fortress slowly crumbled away, revealing the three Pokémon it had been protecting.
Excadrill stood with its claws crossed over its chest, Super Bell was faintly glowing with psychic power, and Lileep was surrounded by a spreading network of roots.
While their opponents were powering up, besides Excadrill, who was focused entirely on defense, Bronzong and Lileep had not been idle. One had completed a Calm Mind boost, while the other had established its root domain, simultaneously draining the moisture from the soil and storing it for later.
Not only that, but as the Wide Guard shattered and the soil dried out and turned to sand, the field was filled with Rock-type energy.
Sshh-ssh-ssh...
The two little ones (Lileep and Excadrill) worked together, and in an instant, a sandstorm kicked up on the battlefield, growing more and more intense.
Sandstorm, arrived!
"Go!"
Basalt waved his hand, not giving a more specific command.
In a group battle, the trainer's role was mainly to make key tactical decisions and shifts. The trainer couldn't give orders for every single detail; that relied on the Pokémon's training and their teamwork.
However, facing the unfavorable weather, Jensen's Pokémon were clearly more anxious than Basalt's team and were the first to act.
Swish!
In the air, Fearow's body began to spin rapidly, its long beak becoming like a sharp sword as it dove from the sky.
Flying-type move, Drill Peck!
BOOM!
Typhlosion, wreathed in roaring flames, began to run, charging straight for Bronzong.
Fire-type move, Flame Charge!
As for Golem, it must have used Defense Curl just before. Its body now curled into a large, round stone and began rolling towards Excadrill with a thunderous rumble, shaking the very ground.
Rock-type move, Rollout!
Facing the assault, Bronzong showed no fear. Its eyes narrowed, and it sent a telepathic message to Excadrill and Lileep: "Take out Typhlosion first!"
Telepathy was much faster than verbal commands. The message was sent and received in an instant. Of course, taking out Typhlosion first wasn't Bronzong's idea; it was just relaying Basalt's order.
"Nee-nee~"
"Dro-lisk~"
Hearing the order, Excadrill and Lileep exchanged a look and finally sprang into action.
Typhlosion's attack power was already outstanding, and it was very fast. If it got another one or two speed boosts from Flame Charge, the battle would be unwinnable.
So Basalt's strategy was simple: whoever tries to power up in front of me gets taken down. If they all power up... take down Typhlosion.
Fwoosh!
A gleaming blue stream of water suddenly shot from Lileep's mouth, sweeping towards Typhlosion.
Typhlosion, currently in the middle of its Flame Charge, didn't dare to take the water head-on. It would not only injure it but also interrupt its speed boost. It was forced to retreat.
But its momentary retreat also caused its speed to falter slightly.
And so, Bronzong was freed from its opponent. It quickly flew in front of Lileep and blocked the attack from Fearow. A Flying-type move was not very effective against Bronzong.
Then, Super Bell swayed its body. Its boosted psychic power surged out, instantly locking onto Typhlosion and holding it fast.
Unfortunately, Typhlosion was too strong. Bronzong's psychic hold could only last for a moment—about one second.
But on the battlefield, a lot can happen in one second.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Several thick roots shot out from the ground, wrapping around Typhlosion.
Although Typhlosion's body and back were burning with flames, Lileep's roots were filled with water and weren't easily burned through.
Then, the roots began to tighten.
Wrap!
"Ty-PHLO!"
Typhlosion let out a pained howl. Its HP was currently full, so the power of Wrap was immense. Wrap and Eruption worked on a similar principle.
"Dro-lisk~"
Seeing Lileep succeed, Excadrill instantly pushed its speed to the limit, easily bypassing the rolling Golem. Its body began to spin, successfully turning into a drill, its speed unbelievably fast.
The bulky Golem might have high attack and defense, but in terms of speed, it was a child playing in the mud compared to Excadrill. Whether it stayed or went was entirely up to Excadrill.
Having no other choice, Golem had to switch targets. It set its sights on the rooted and immobile Lileep. Its fist began to glow with a dazzling light as it threw a punch that broke the sound barrier.
Fighting-type move, Dynamic Punch!
The flying one is out of reach, the fast one I can't catch. I can at least hit the stationary target, right?
As Golem stomped forward, the ground shook slightly.
BOOM!
On the other side, Drill Run hit its mark. Typhlosion was sent flying.
When it landed, its eyes were already spinning. It had fainted.
A full-power Wrap, plus a super-effective Drill Run, was more than enough to take out the relatively frail Typhlosion.
"First blood, secured."
Looking at the fallen Typhlosion, Basalt's lips curled up.
Bronzong's brief psychic hold, Lileep's vine attack and secondary hold, and finally, Excadrill's high-speed finishing blow. This was the fast-attack strategy Basalt had designed based on his team's strengths. The main goal was to take out the most threatening opponent first to increase their chances of winning.
Of course, this strategy wasn't particularly brilliant; it had been used to death in the pro leagues.
But strategy, like martial arts, was made up of simple moves. Whether it was effective or not depended on strength. If you were strong enough, it worked. If not, even the best strategy was useless.
Fortunately, with Bronzong's immense psychic power, Lileep's field-covering root domain, and Excadrill's ghost-like speed, the strategy was a success.
"Am I seeing things? Did Typhlosion faint?"
"I'm numb... The battle has been going for less than thirty seconds, and the examiner has already lost a Pokémon?"
"This isn't how the script is supposed to go! Why does Basalt have the examiner's script?"
...
The watching candidates' eyes were about to pop out of their heads. They couldn't believe it.
But the facts speak louder than words. Typhlosion had indeed fainted.
However, Basalt's side hadn't come out unscathed. The cost was that Lileep's roots hadn't been able to block Golem's attack. It had been hit squarely by Dynamic Punch and was left with critical health.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Super Bell had descended from the sky, covered Lileep with its own body, and then used Protect to just barely withstand a combined attack from Golem and Fearow.
To be fair, this Golem's destructive power was not to be underestimated.
"Dro-lisk~"
Seeing its teammate in danger, Excadrill flashed forward, suddenly creating a dozen solid-looking clones that formed a semicircle and closed in on Golem.
At the same time, a vivid green energy orb had already formed on Excadrill's steel claw.
"Go-lem..."
Watching the rapidly approaching Excadrill clones and feeling the surging energy from the green orb, Golem couldn't help but shiver. It knew that that energy orb was extremely effective against it. If it hit, the consequences would be dire.
"Earthquake!"
Just then, Jensen's voice rang out.
"Go-lem!"
Golem was overjoyed.
That's right! Typhlosion was down, Fearow was a Flying-type, and Bronzong had landed to protect Lileep.
This was a god-given opportunity to use Earthquake!
"Go-lem!"
Golem leaped into the air, its immense Ground-type energy ready to be unleashed.
It could already see the scene of Basalt's three Pokémon being swallowed by its earthquake.
A Ground-type move was super-effective against both the Steel-types, Excadrill and Bronzong.
As for the barely-hanging-on Lileep, it was a write-off. Gone!
"Go-lem!"
But in the next second, Golem's expression froze.
Its body was floating in mid-air, unable to land. Its little feet were only about a foot off the ground. But that one foot was enough to prevent it from successfully using Earthquake.
Psychic-type move, Telekinesis!
"Broonz~"
A human-like smile appeared on Bronzong's "face."
They may call me Super Bell, but my favorite thing to do is send people off.
So, you can rest in peace.
BOOM!
The Grass-type Hidden Power hit Golem. With 4x super-effective damage, Golem went down immediately.
Bronzong, in turn, was hit by a Sucker Punch from Fearow. Although it was super-effective, Bronzong's defense was so high that it took it without any problem.
"And now... it's three against one."
Having defeated another opponent, the smile on Basalt's face grew wider.
At that moment, thanks to its Ingrain ability, Lileep had also recovered a bit of health and no longer needed Bronzong's protection.
"Nee-nee~"
"Broonz~"
"Dro-lisk~"
The three Pokémon cried out and, as one, turned their gazes to the Fearow in the sky.
"Fear-ow..."
The Fearow let out an awkward cry, feeling immense pressure.
At this point, the battle was completely devoid of suspense.
In fact, the moment Typhlosion was defeated, the suspense had already been killed.
A short while later, Fearow was taken out by Bronzong and Excadrill's combination move, "Meteor Crash."
"Typhlosion, Golem, and Fearow are unable to battle! The winner is... candidate number three, Basalt!"
With the referee's final call, the battle, which had lasted no more than three minutes, finally came to a close.
Defeating the examiner... the result was a given. All five judges gave a unanimous "Pass," and Basalt smoothly cleared the second stage.
Basalt punched his fist into his palm, his face full of excitement. "Mission accomplished. Nice!"
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