"As for those who fail to find the entrance to the Secret Kingdom, they will naturally be considered to have failed the evaluation."
The Pokémon police officer in charge of the first phase of the exam spoke coldly. After saying that, he immediately ordered the Pidgeot beneath his feet to dive upward and fly toward the depths of the distant sea.
In just an instant, Pidgeot left the island directly, until it could barely be distinguished as a tiny black dot.
Seeing this scene, the trainers on the island looked at each other. Without time to think too much, everyone released their Pokémon.
Since they had prepared to participate in the professional evaluation, the trainers had obviously made more than sufficient preparations, and a flying mount was clearly something every Pokémon hunter needed to have.
"So that's it... The first phase is testing the trainers' riding ability."
Ethan also guessed the purpose of the first phase of the professional exam at that moment.
Just as the defensive core is crucial for Advanced-level trainers, the ability to ride Pokémon is equally important for Pokémon hunters, since it can greatly increase their survival capability in the wild.
When all the flying mounts were released, almost instantly all the Pokémon attempted to take off by using the wind, causing a violent gust to suddenly erupt across the area, with chaotic air currents swirling throughout the field.
Fwooo, fwooo, fwooo!
The gale howled fiercely.
The furious air currents lifted sand and stones from the ground.
Even the nearby sea, swept by that force, raised enormous waves.
Under such conditions, no Pokémon in the area could take off!
"Damn it, that Pidgeot is almost gone!"
On the field, the trainers looked anxiously at the tiny black dot that barely remained in the distance, and their expressions changed.
If they still could not take off before Pidgeot completely disappeared, it was very likely they would directly lose the right to continue the evaluation!
"Wait, what's that?!"
Suddenly, a trainer let out a cry of surprise.
The others, somewhat confused, followed the direction he pointed, and then saw that in one corner of the island, a green figure was rising into the sky.
Although the air currents around it were still violent, whenever the wind struck the sides of that Pokémon, it simply slid smoothly aside, without causing the slightest impact on the figure flying in the air.
"How is that possible?"
"Why can that Pokémon still take off?!"
Upon discovering that there really was a Pokémon capable of flying under such conditions, the entire place erupted in cries of disbelief.
"Is that... Vibrava?"
"Damn, it really is Vibrava!"
"Why can a Vibrava take off in a situation like this?"
One trainer took out a pair of high-powered binoculars to observe the figure in the air.
When he clearly saw that it was only a Vibrava, which had not even reached its final form, his eyes widened in total disbelief.
Under these conditions, even Flygon would not be able to take off!
So why could a Vibrava, which was not even its final form yet, do it?
"Damn it, Vibrava!"
"Why hasn't my Flygon even started flying while that Vibrava is already in the air?!"
A trainer riding a Flygon was on the verge of losing his sanity. Not only the trainer—even the Flygon beneath him began questioning the meaning of life.
Unwilling to accept it, that Flygon attempted to take off.
But reality was extremely cruel. It had barely flapped its wings and lifted off the ground when a violent gust struck it; the wild current made it sway from side to side and hurled it headfirst back to the ground.
The trainer riding on it was also thrown off. Although he wore the special protective suit provided by the Pokémon Hunters' Guild, that unfortunate trainer still suffered considerable injuries.
"It seems it's not some special ability unique to the Flygon family..." another trainer who also had a Flygon thought nervously.
"I've got it! The problem must be the takeoff point. Otherwise, there's no way a Vibrava could get ahead like that!"
Another trainer, thinking himself very clever, tried his luck. However, when his Pokémon reached the spot where the Vibrava had taken off and attempted to forcefully lift into the air, the tragedy repeated itself: he ended up just like the previous one, and his evaluation would probably end prematurely.
"It seems the problem lies with that Vibrava."
One trainer narrowed his eyes and began observing it carefully, trying to find the secret behind taking off under such strong winds.
"Wait... look at that Vibrava's trainer."
After observing more carefully, that trainer's eyes widened as if he had discovered something truly terrifying.
"That trainer?"
"What's wrong with that trainer?"
The surrounding trainers looked confused and also directed their gazes there.
That trainer had delicate features and wore neatly arranged clothes; there seemed to be nothing unusual.
Eh... wait, neatly arranged clothes?
Why does that feel like something is off?
"Damn! With winds and currents this strong, the fact that the trainer hasn't been blown away is already incredible—how is it possible that he still looks perfectly neat?!"
One trainer looked at his own clothes, flapping noisily in the wind, then at the trainer in the air, perfectly tidy. He finally realized what felt wrong and shouted.
Instantly, the entire atmosphere froze, and the collective sound of people inhaling sharply could be heard.
"It seems the cause is that Vibrava. It's clear that that Vibrava has neutralized the gale and the violent air currents."
One trainer's pupils contracted as he gave the most likely answer.
And precisely because of that, he was even more shocked—what level of power was required to achieve something like that?
"Hey, that trainer... I feel like I've seen him before."
"Wait, isn't that the ridiculously talented young trainer?!"
One trainer who had been criticizing Ethan earlier during the gathering also recognized him.
At that moment, his heart filled with bitterness. If he had known that young man possessed such strength, he would definitely have done everything possible to get close to him.
Perhaps now, his own Pokémon could also fly under the protection of that Vibrava.
"So it really is Ethan. That Vibrava is even stronger than the last time."
Laura also shook her head with a bitter smile. In fact, the moment she saw that green figure, she had already guessed.
After all, aside from that Vibrava... what other Vibrava could possibly be that powerful?
(End of Chapter)