"In just one year, he managed to raise a Charizard this strong!"
"This Ethan's talent as a trainer is really high. Fire-type Pokémon shouldn't be his main specialty, right?"
The president of the Pokémon Trainers' Guild of Solaris City sighed with emotion; that Charizard had truly followed the right person.
"Fire-type isn't his specialty?"
The mayor of Solaris City was also surprised, his gaze beginning to move rapidly.
"Are you thinking of setting your sights on him?"
"Forget it. He is an Advanced-level researcher of our Pokémon Researchers' Guild, the leader in the field of Pokémon evolution!"
President Morgan of the Pokémon Researchers' Guild of Solaris City let out a laugh, and his words caused the pupils of the others to contract slightly once again.
Advanced-level Pokémon researcher!
A level that, within the hierarchy of trainers, was equivalent to the existence of a Quasi-Elite-level trainer!
Moreover, because he was a researcher, achieving great success in the academic field was even more difficult than becoming a Quasi-Elite.
"Pokémon evolution!"
The mayor of Solaris City looked at Ethan with a hint of astonishment.
During this period, news about new directions in Pokémon evolution had been circulating nonstop.
He never imagined that the person responsible would be precisely this young man standing before him!
Given his contributions to the development of Pokémon civilization, it was not strange that Ethan had obtained the title of Advanced-level researcher.
"Yes, Pokémon evolution."
President Morgan smiled faintly and turned his gaze toward the battlefield.
At that moment, after both Ethan and Naira Cross had withdrawn their Charizard, it was Naira who took the initiative and sent out her next Pokémon.
With a flash of white light, a huge figure appeared on the field: a Magmar with an extremely robust build.
"Maggaarr!"
The moment it appeared, Magmar let out a roar. Flames burned incessantly all over its body, vaguely forming a suit of fire armor around it, making its figure look even more imposing.
"A Magmar..."
"How should I put it? Isn't this too much of a coincidence?"
"After all, Ninetales, Charizard, and Magmar are all signature Pokémon of Champion Leo. It's completely normal for Naira to use these three as her core. Just like me—when I captured this Pokémon, wasn't it also because of Champion Leo?"
Ethan smiled faintly. A Poké Ball appeared in his hand, and with a flash of light, a Pokémon covered in red and yellow flames emerged onto the field.
"It's appeared! Facing contestant Naira's Magmar, contestant Ethan has also sent out a Magmar to battle!"
Seeing the silhouette emerging from the flames, the referee immediately picked up the microphone and began an impassioned commentary.
Upon hearing that it was another battle between Pokémon of the same species, the audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers.
However, in the very next instant, the applause abruptly stopped. Everyone stared at the figure on the field in shock.
"Magmar?"
"Why does this Magmar look so strange?"
Some spectators immediately began to exclaim. Although the Pokémon on the field looked like Magmar, it was only "similar"; upon closer inspection, it was not Magmar at all!
"This isn't a Magmar!"
"Could it be that Magmar also has an additional evolutionary form?"
At that moment, even the guests in the VIP stands stood up in astonishment, trying to get a little closer to the field to observe more clearly.
Ethan, the proponent of a new direction in Pokémon evolution, and at the same time the main researcher and leader in the field of Pokémon evolution.
When connecting this Pokémon with Ethan, it was only natural that everyone thought it was Magmar's evolution.
In the entire stadium, the only one who remained calm was President Morgan.
"Old Morgan! Did you already know this beforehand?"
After reacting, everyone suddenly turned their gazes toward President Morgan, who still wore a serene expression.
"Yes. This Pokémon is called Magmortar, and it is Magmar's evolutionary form."
A single sentence stirred up a thousand waves. After hearing President Morgan's confirmation, everyone sucked in a breath of cold air, and immediately afterward, excitement filled their faces.
Magmar, as one of the most popular Fire-type Pokémon, was present in the core teams of many of them.
If Magmar really could evolve once more, then for those who had already reached a bottleneck in strength, it would be an enormous boost in power!
Even Master Leo, whose strength had already reached the Champion level, could take another step forward because of this!
For them—or rather, for all Fire-type trainers—this was undoubtedly a discovery of immeasurable importance.
One could imagine that if Magmar's method of evolution were made public, countless people would celebrate it frantically.
"Old Morgan, how exactly does this Magmortar evolve?"
The mayor of Solaris City looked at President Morgan with excitement and immediately asked.
However, President Morgan gently shook his head and pointed toward Ethan on the field, instantly calming the excited mayor.
The method of Magmortar's evolution, as a result of academic research, was protected by patents. To obtain it, Ethan's authorization was required.
"It seems we'll have to wait until the battle is over."
"The training method for Magmortar—no matter what, we must obtain it!"
That thought crossed everyone's mind, and their gazes returned to the battlefield.
"What Pokémon is this?"
"The evolution of Magmar?"
Naira's expression also grew somewhat gloomier.
Boom, boom, boom!
A series of loud explosions echoed across the field.
At that moment, Magmortar had already directly engaged Magmar.
Magmortar continuously fired fireballs from the cannons on its arms, like laser gun shots, completely inundating Magmar.
Seeing this, Magmar's fiery armor rippled violently. The flames beneath its feet suddenly exploded, and using the recoil from the explosion, its speed skyrocketed. Like a rocket, it dodged fireball after fireball while charging straight toward Magmortar.
Next, Magmar raised its fist high. A dazzling electric light began to shine around it, and immediately the flames covering its body converged onto the fist, causing lightning and fire to intertwine, forming a fist of thunder and flame that smashed fiercely toward Magmortar.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, Magmortar's figure was pushed backward again and again.
Seeing this, Magmar once more stomped the ground heavily. With another explosion, its figure disappeared again, instantly reappearing beside Magmortar and throwing another punch wrapped in lightning and flames.
"Magmortar, use Dynamic Punch!"
Ethan reacted immediately and gave the order.
Magmortar planted one foot firmly on the ground to steady itself, and Fighting-type energy began to gather in the cannons on its arms, crashing head-on against Magmar's electrified fist.
(End of chapter)