Aaron returned home.
His parents and little sister were all there. When they saw him back so early, they froze in surprise. His mother hurried over.
"Sweetie… why are you home already?"
"Did you… finish the exam?"
Aaron tossed his backpack onto the table and flopped onto the couch.
"Of course I finished."
His father glanced at the wall clock, eyes widening.
"It hasn't even been thirty minutes, and you're telling me you're done?!"
"You didn't just rush through it and turn in nonsense, did you?!"
"Honey, get the belt! I'm having a talk with him today!"
His father's face turned red as he started to get up.
"Dad!!"
"I really finished it! The questions were way too easy. I knew every single one—of course I finished fast!"
Seeing his father actually moving, Aaron hurried to explain.
"Son… are you sure?"
"You're not lying to us, are you?" his mother asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I swear!"
"If I didn't seriously complete the test, I—may lightning strike me the second I step outside!"
Aaron raised his hand solemnly.
Seeing how serious he looked, his parents finally relaxed.
Aaron let out a long breath of relief.
Meanwhile, his little sister sat on the couch happily munching on potato chips, thoroughly entertained by her big brother's near-disaster.
When she realized he wasn't actually going to get smacked, a flicker of disappointment crossed her face. Bored, she absentmindedly petted her Growlithe instead.
The corner of Aaron's mouth twitched.
"My own sister…"
Soon, night fell.
Aaron went to bed early.
....
Far beyond the coastline, on a massive island rising from the open sea, stood the headquarters of the Symbiosis Society.
Inside a vast, dimly lit chamber, a long conference table stretched across the room. Several black-robed figures sat in silence.
At the head of the table sat a cloaked figure radiating an oppressive presence. A hoarse voice drifted from beneath the hood.
"How are the preparations?"
A robed figure seated to the right inclined his head.
"Leader… everything is in place."
"Our target is Tidecrest. It's the closest location to us, and our newly developed spatial transfer device functions most reliably there."
The leader gave a faint nod and addressed the room.
"You all understand what this opportunity represents."
"Ten years ago, the Symbiosis Society was crushed by a coalition of Regions. We were nearly erased."
"And the Region that spearheaded that operation… was Hualis."
"For a decade, we have been forced into the shadows."
"But now… we rise again."
"This time, the entire world will hear our name."
"The Symbiosis Society has returned."
"We will bring ruin to every region that took part in our downfall."
"We begin with the Hualis."
He paused.
"Are you prepared… my comrades?"
The robed leader's voice carried a fevered intensity. Beneath the shadow of his hood, a pair of blood-red vertical pupils glinted coldly.
"Revenge! Revenge!"
"The symbiosis of humans and Pokémon is humanity's true destiny!"
The chamber erupted in fervent cries.
High above, in the shadows of the vaulted ceiling, a colossal black-winged figure slowly opened its eyes.
A faint crimson glow flickered beneath its feathers—like embers smoldering in the dark.
"You ancient relic… let's see how much longer you can endure."
A low, distorted cry echoed through the chamber.
"Craaaw…"
...
The night passed quietly.
Early the next morning, Aaron woke up.
Today was the long-awaited Combat Exam.
It was his first time experiencing this type of examination in this world.
After finishing breakfast and listening to his family's reminders and encouragement, he set out with his four Pokémon.
Aaron met up with Yuri at school.
Several buses were lined up neatly at the entrance.
The Combat Exam was being held off-campus. Candidates from across the entire coastal region would be transported to a single unified site—the Tidecrest Exam Arena.
Aaron and Yuri made their way to the examinee waiting area. Grace, Ethan, Simon, and the others were already there.
"Morning, Aaron!"
"Aaron, you're here!"
They called out as soon as they spotted him.
"Morning, morning."
Aaron gave them a casual wave.
"Aaron, you're unbelievable!"
"You left the written exam so early yesterday. Do you even realize you're famous now?"
"They're calling you 'Mr. Showoff' online, hahaha!" Ethan said with a grin.
"Oh?"
"How exhausting… being talented everywhere I go."
Aaron put on a long-suffering expression.
The others' mouths twitched.
Of course. When it comes to showing off, no one does it better than you.
Grace rolled her eyes.
After chatting for a while, it was time to leave.
Aaron and the others boarded the bus. He and Yuri sat together as the vehicle pulled away, heading toward the arena.
The ride was fairly long.
After more than an hour, they finally arrived at a massive fortified complex.
Towering steel walls rose high into the sky.
Across the front, bold letters read:
Tidecrest Exam Arena
Uniformed security personnel stood along the walls, each partnered with a Machoke, maintaining a vigilant watch.
This was the official Combat Exam site for the entire coastal region. Every year, candidates gathered here for the practical test.
To ensure safety, League security teams were stationed around the perimeter.
The bus rolled through the steel gates and into an enormous plaza—large enough to hold well over a hundred thousand people. The scale alone was breathtaking.
And this was only one of the entrances.
There were eight more surrounding the complex.
Nearly a million examinees had gathered at the Tidecrest Exam Arena—a staggering figure.
As a result, the entire facility sprawled across an immense area, almost like a small city.
Surveillance systems covered the grounds, tracking activity throughout the arena.
Gym-level Trainers patrolled the skies above.
Security was tighter than ever.
…