Aaron and the others stepped off the bus and lined up to collect their point-tracking watches from the staff.
The device didn't just include an emergency distress signal and video recording—it also tracked and calculated points in real time.
Any points earned from defeating Pokémon would be logged directly onto the watch.
Every examinee was required to wear one. It was a mandatory item for the Combat Exam.
…
"Beep, beep, beep…"
The plaza loudspeakers crackled to life with a clear announcement.
"Attention, examinees. Welcome to the Tidecrest Regional Combat Arena."
"You have all received your scoring watches."
"We will now review the Combat Exam rules."
"First: Within the exam grounds, candidates are strictly prohibited from attacking one another."
"Second: If you encounter danger, activate the emergency signal on your watch immediately. League response teams will provide rapid aerial assistance."
"Third: The exam lasts six hours. After the six-hour mark, you may no longer battle any Pokémon. Any points earned beyond that time will be invalid."
"Fourth: Forming teams is prohibited. Any candidate found cooperating with others will be disqualified."
"These are the core regulations. All additional rules are outlined in the official Combat Exam handbook."
"We wish every examinee the best of luck and hope you achieve your desired results."
"I hereby announce—"
"The 98th Combat Exam of the Hualis, held at Tidecrest, officially begins."
...
As the announcement concluded, a massive steel gate rumbled open.
Beyond it stretched a vast expanse of forest and rolling grassland, vibrant and untouched.
"Attention, candidates: please proceed into the examination grounds in an orderly manner."
The broadcast echoed once more, and the examinees began moving forward in steady lines.
The exam had officially begun.
None of them knew—
this would not be just another exam.
It would become a day they would never forget.
And somewhere beyond the treeline, unseen forces had already begun to stir within the arena.
…
Aaron stepped into the exam grounds as well.
Gazing at the dense, towering jungle ahead, he released Sceptile and Greninja.
"Sceptile."
"Greninja."
The moment Sceptile appeared and saw the sea of green, it let out a pleased cry.
As a Grass-type Pokémon, an environment like this suited it perfectly.
Greninja, by contrast, fixed its gaze on the forest in silence, eyes half-lidded and sharp as they scanned the surroundings with quiet vigilance.
Over the past ten days, the strength of Aaron's four Pokémon had improved dramatically.
Every day, they trained their moves in the Training Space and fueled up on Energy Cubes.
Greninja, the team's veteran, had already broken through to Elite level.
It had become Aaron's first Elite-level Pokémon.
[Name: Greninja (Shiny)]
(Shiny effect: Both Attack and Special Attack +10%)
[Gender: Male]
[Nature: Relaxed]
[Type: Water/Dark]
[Ability: Protean]
[Base Stats: 530]
[Level: Elite (Early Stage)]
[Pokémon Potential: Champion level]
[Known Moves: Power-Up Punch (Perfect), Bubble (Perfect), Rasengan (Perfect), Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu (Perfect), Quick Attack (Apotheosis), Water Pulse (Perfect), Ice Punch (Perfect), Smokescreen (Mastery), Smack Down (Perfect), Water Shuriken (Mastery), Shadow Sneak (Proficient), Mat Block (Proficient), Night Slash (Proficient), Work Up (Mastery), Rasenshuriken (Mastery), Substitution (Mastery) Extrasensory (Proficient) Aerial Ace (Proficient)...]
[Omitted below...]
Greninja's skill proficiency was nothing short of staggering. If anyone else saw it, they might not believe their eyes.
Eight moves had reached Perfect level, and every other technique was at least Proficient or higher. On top of that, it had mastered Extrasensory and Aerial Ace.
Frog Boss's power had risen yet again.
He now stood as Aaron's strongest and most reliable partner.
Meanwhile, Sceptile had advanced to Advanced (Late Stage), and its move proficiency had improved significantly as well.
[Sceptile's Skills: Pound (Proficient), Leer (Proficient), Absorb (Proficient), Quick Attack (Mastery), Mega Drain (Mastery), Dragon Breath (Mastery), Green Grassland (Proficient), Fury Cutter (Mastery), Leaf Blade (Perfect), Agility (Proficient), Leaf Storm (Proficient), Night Slash (Proficient)...]
Several of its moves had already reached Mastery level.
And now that Leaf Blade had become Sceptile's first Perfect-level move, if it could access the Insight Secret Zone, it might even push Leaf Blade to Apotheosis.
"Let's move. Sceptile, take to the trees and scout ahead."
Aaron gave a forward motion with his hand as he spoke.
Then he and Greninja advanced deeper into the forest.
"Sceptile."
Sceptile nodded, called out once, and with a powerful leap, landed high in the branches of a tall tree.
And so, one trainer and two Pokémon began their hunt.
...
Inside the arena's central control tower, a vast command hall hummed with tension. A massive wraparound display projected live surveillance feeds from every corner of the exam grounds.
More than two hundred staff members monitored the screens in focused silence. The instant anything unusual appeared, alerts would trigger automatically.
At the center of the room stood a long operations table, already occupied by senior officials.
Seated at the head was a man well past fifty, his presence steady and imposing. He wore the formal uniform of the Regional League Defense Division, pine-green shoulder boards marked with golden leaves and two stars.
He was the official overseeing this year's Tidecrest District Combat Exam—
Deputy Commander Xander.
A veteran trainer at the peak of Gym-Leader, already brushing the threshold of Champion-Class level. Many believed he would break through within the next two years.
Xander's sharp gaze swept the room.
"The exam grounds have been fully inspected?"
"Any irregularities?"
A middle-aged division officer rose from his seat.
"Deputy Commander, all pre-exam inspections are complete. No anomalies detected."
Xander didn't relax. His eyes remained fixed on the surveillance screens above.
"I don't know why," he said quietly, "but I have a bad feeling."
"You all remember the attack during the last League training camp tournament."
"We still haven't confirmed how they infiltrated the perimeter back then. And this exam is on a far larger scale."
"If the Symbiosis Society shows up again…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Another senior officer beside him spoke with firm confidence.
"Deputy Commander, this time the Regional League has reinforced all perimeter zones. Ranger patrol teams are stationed every two kilometers, with aerial units on standby."
"If the Symbiosis Society makes a move, we'll intercept immediately."
His tone was unwavering, dismissive of the symbiosis group.
Xander gave a slow nod. This was already the most tightly secured Combat Exam in recent years.
"Remain vigilant," he said. "The candidates' safety is our highest priority."
"Understood."
The command hall fell silent once more as the screens continued to glow.