Many Trainers were surprised by how swiftly Kalia managed to capture a Pokemon; some were still struggling to establish connections with wild creatures.
However, Kalia had already accomplished her goal, leaving some Trainers skeptical while others believed her. Several paused their efforts to observe if Kalia indeed succeeded in capturing a Pokemon.
The inspector looked at Kalia, also harboring doubts due to the astonishing speed, although it wasn't entirely impossible.
"You must have captured this Togetic," said the inspector, observing the Togetic trailing closely behind Kalia. The little creature was hiding behind her, clinging to her legs.
Kalia nodded, gently stroking Togetic before extending her hand, revealing the shimmering Happiness Powder.
"Hmm?"
Seeing the glowing feathers, the inspector began to believe Kalia's claim. Togetic rarely bestows Happiness Powder easily, suggesting that Kalia likely captured Togetic without using a Poké Ball.
Verifying whether Kalia truly captured Togetic was straightforward. Since Pokemon understand human language, issuing a few simple commands would suffice; if the Pokemon complied and executed them correctly, it confirmed the capture.
Subsequently, the inspector instructed Kalia to perform several simple actions with Togetic, which she effortlessly executed without any issues.
"She genuinely captured it."
"People like her make others feel inadequate!"
"Well, if it's Kalia, it makes sense. I've heard about her accomplishments; some say she is the strongest beginner Trainer of our time."
After a moment, the inspector nodded slightly, indicating that Kalia had passed the first stage. Togetic successfully followed all commands and consistently displayed a strong bond and reliance on Kalia throughout the test, demonstrating excellent intimacy between them.
"Congratulations! You have cleared the first phase. Now, you can proceed directly to the second stage. Within the given time, you need to teach Togetic a specific move."
Shortly after, the inspector brought out a box containing numbered slips representing various moves. Drawing a number would correspond to a particular move.
This heavily relied on luck. Sometimes, drawing an easy move could lead to quick mastery, while other times, unlucky draws might result in challenging moves that could take significantly longer to grasp.
Kalia reached into the box, randomly picked a slip, and upon opening it, found the number nine written inside. Uncertain of its significance, she handed it to the inspector.
The inspector was taken aback upon seeing the number, then looked at Kalia with a wry smile, "Your luck seems to be quite poor today. You need Togetic to learn a high-power move from either the Fairy or Flying types. The eligible moves include Fly, Playful Tricks, and Dazzling Gleam."
Higher numbers typically corresponded to more potent moves, and the three options available for Kalia were not ones that Togetic could easily learn on its own; they required significant understanding.
Although she had three choices, mastering any of these moves within just a few days would be incredibly challenging.
Many Trainers have previously stumbled at this stage, leading to their assessment failures. Now, it seemed highly likely that Kalia might face the same hurdle during her second phase.
"You must choose one of these three moves. Before the evaluation concludes, your Pokemon has to master the selected move. Please make your choice." The inspector struggled to find comforting words, as drawing number nine underscored how much luck plays a role in these assessments.
Kalia acknowledged the difficulty but remained undeterred. After some thought, she chose the Fly move.
Despite having wings, Togetic's are relatively small, making it challenging to quickly grasp the ability to soar high into the sky—a feat unlikely achievable even with a Move Disk.
However, it's worth noting that Charizard is also a flying type and possesses the Fly move, making it highly likely for Togetic to master it as well.
Both Tease and Dazzling Gleam belong to the Fairy-type moves; among them, Dazzling Gleam is a Special move. Without access to Move Disks, mastering either of these compared to Fly would be significantly more challenging.
"Luck plays a crucial role here."
Some Trainers, witnessing Kalia draw the toughest number, couldn't help but express their sentiments. Initially, her advantage of capturing her Pokémon early now seemed diminished.
In fact, completing the task within the remaining time had become uncertain for Kalia.
"Good luck!"
With that, Kalia began preparing for the second phase, fortunately with ample time on her hands compared to others.
"What if I also get number nine? What then?"
As Kalia embarked on the second phase, the Trainers still in the first stage suddenly realized they could potentially draw the same difficult number. If this happened, they would face the same daunting challenge as Kalia, with no guarantee of success for anyone.
***
Under the tree,
Kalia didn't rush to begin but pondered how to teach Fly to Togetic within a short timeframe.
Lian, on the other hand, felt less concerned since he already knew the Fly move. By demonstrating it a few times for Togetic, allowing some initial understanding, he could then utilize the system to swiftly master the skill.
For any other moves, it would be much more challenging. Togetic would need a basic grasp of Dazzling Gleam or Play Rough before Lian could employ the system to expedite learning those Fairy-type moves.
Now, all eyes were on Kalia's strategy, and Lian simply had to wait without significant pressure.
Time flew by.
In no time, it was the third day, marking the final half-day of the first phase. The stage officially concludes at 2 PM; Trainers who haven't captured a Pokemon by then would be eliminated.
Currently, over half the Trainers had yet to successfully capture a Pokemon, mirroring the anxiety seen during the written exam as many began feeling the stress intensify.
For those advancing to the second phase, the pressure eased significantly, especially for Trainers who had drawn lower numbers.
It became evident that drawing number nine was indeed fortunate. Among over ten participants, the most challenging draw was number seven, still difficult but considerably easier compared to Kalia's predicament with Charizard.
As time passed, Kalia also devised her plan: she would have Charizard perform the Fly move, hoping Togetic could grasp it through observation. Although the chances were slim, at least there was some hope.
With only about two days left, if they couldn't succeed, Kalia, confident about passing the practical assessment, would still feel regretful and unsatisfied due to this incomplete task.
Once Kalia made her decision, Lian and Togetic moved to an open area to begin demonstrating the move.
The previous night, he had reviewed Togetic's data; although its level wasn't high, it was still above Level 20.
Without the system, mastering the Fly move might have been arduous for Togetic, but with the system, it became much simpler.