"Ding~ Triggered Quest: A Brutal Lesson from Reality!!"
"Look at that brat—the contempt in his eyes says it all. He's never tasted a real setback. Go on… show him how unforgiving the world can be!!"
"Mission Objective: Crush this arrogant youngster."
"Mission Rewards: Sage Mode (Skill Card) x1, Pokémon Candy (Intermediate) x1, Unlock Pokémon Training Space…"
The system's indignant voice thundered in Aaron's ear, and his eyes lit up instantly.
It's here!!
Free XP, delivered straight to his doorstep…
But what exactly was this Pokémon Training Space?
A flicker of curiosity stirred in Aaron's mind.
"Enough with the small talk. Do you dare have your guy face mine in a Pokémon match!?"
"Let me show you what a true prodigy from a major city looks like!!"
Daimon shot Aaron a sharp glance before turning to Grant, his expression openly provocative.
The young man beside him gave Aaron a look of thinly veiled disdain.
He simply didn't believe a smaller city could produce any real genius.
Just big fish in a tiny pond.
Grant turned to Aaron.
"Well?"
"Care to show them what you've got?"
Major Grant had absolute confidence in him.
This kid had even taken down a Gym-level enforcer from the Symbiosis Society—
and wiped him out clean.
Afraid of some arrogant rookie like this?
A faint smile tugged at Aaron's lips.
"I'll follow Major Grant's lead."
What a joke. With a walking loot drop like this, how could he possibly turn it down?
If only there were a hundred more just like him.
Aaron agreed without hesitation, even giving Grant a bit of face in the process.
Grant laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Good. I owe you one. If you ever need anything, come to me."
After all, this had been his request. Aaron would've been perfectly justified in refusing.
But the kid understood how to navigate situations like this.
He had a promising future ahead of him.
...
On the Pokémon battlefield,
Aaron stood facing the young man across from him.
Earlier, Grant had given him a brief rundown.
His name was Kieran. He was widely regarded as the strongest third-year student in Arcanis City—and had been brought here as their top representative.
He had also taken first place in the Arcanis City Training Camp Tournament.
This battle might finally be worth his attention.
"This match will be conducted in a 3-on-3 format!"
"The battle ends when all Pokémon on one side are unable to continue!"
"Both sides, release your first Pokémon!"
Standing atop the platform, the referee waved his red flag and called out loudly.
"Come out… Blastoise!!"
"Let's go… Grovyle!!"
Aaron and Kieran released their Pokémon at the same time.
Kieran sent out Blastoise.
Aaron called out the Grovyle he had just captured.
Blastoise's attribute panel appeared before Aaron's eyes:
[Name: Blastoise]
[Gender: Male]
[Nature: Modest]
[Type: Water]
[Ability: Torrent]
[Base Stats Total: 530]
[Level: Advanced (Late Stage)]
[Pokémon Potential: Champion Level]
[Known Moves: Water Gun (Proficient), Withdraw (Proficient), Tail Whip (Proficient), Rapid Spin (Basic), Water Pulse (Basic), Protect (Basic), Ice Beam (Basic), Earthquake (Basic)...]
[Description: Blastoise, the Shellfish Pokémon and evolved form of Squirtle. Its sturdy shell boasts tremendous defensive power, while the water cannons on its back unleash devastating attacks.]
...
Late Advanced level.
Champion-level potential.
It had even mastered Ice Beam and Earthquake—clearly through Technical Machines.
That alone significantly broadened Blastoise's coverage.
"The battle begins!!"
At the referee's signal, the match officially started.
"Grovyle… use Grassy Terrain!"
The other side clearly underestimated Aaron.
He made no move to contest the opening.
Or perhaps he simply didn't think Aaron was worth fighting for the initiative.
"Groo—!"
Grovyle let out a sharp cry as emerald light erupted from its body.
In an instant, flowers and grass spread across the field. Trees over a meter tall burst upward throughout the battlefield.
The air quickly filled with a dense, floral scent.
...
"What the hell kind of Grassy Terrain is this!?"
The two majors in the stands stared in disbelief as the entire battlefield transformed into a miniature forest.
This was absurd.
Normal Grassy Terrain just covered the ground in grass.
Did yours get injected with fertilizer or something?
Trees shooting up out of nowhere? That's insane.
The answer lay in Grovyle's Wood Release Kekkei Genkai. Under the influence of its bloodline, the move had undergone a complete mutation.
Grassy Terrain: Once activated, the field remains continuously active. Allied Pokémon gradually recover HP. Grass-type moves receive a 50% power boost. The power of Earthquake, Bulldoze, and Earth Power is reduced by half. Opposing Pokémon within the terrain have their Speed hindered by spreading roots, while airborne pollen carries a chance to inflict paralysis. The more pollen inhaled, the higher the chance of paralysis.
...