"I never imagined that Magmortar could be raised in this way."
In Solaris City, Champion Leo was watching the videos of the competition for Gym spots that the Ironvale City Pokémon Trainers Guild had sent him.
After seeing Magmortar's "Nuclear Power" technique, he could not help marveling.
With his expert eye, he could naturally see that it was a first-rate technique, completely comparable to Sunny Day Dragon.
"Brother Leo, that student of yours is something out of the ordinary."
Sitting across from Champion Leo was another man, who at that moment was calmly sipping his tea.
"That's right. That Magmortar's talent cannot be considered first-rate. And its current strength is not especially high either, but his raising ability is impressive."
"Just that Nuclear Power technique alone has already made Magmortar jump an entire level. And, adding his excellent command ability and his control of the rhythm of battle, the strength he displays far surpasses that of those his same age."
"In addition, that Magmortar is not even his main Pokémon. He has several others that are even stronger."
Champion Leo nodded in complete agreement. If everything continued like this, Ethan really might enter the domain of the Elite level before the World Championship began!
"That Magmortar still isn't his main Pokémon?"
The man sitting across from Champion Leo froze in the middle of drinking his tea and asked in surprise: "Then tell me, his true strength... how does it compare with mine?"
"Of course, he still isn't at your level."
Champion Leo smiled.
"After all, you are one of the current Elite-level Trainers of the League."
That man sitting across from Champion Leo was precisely one of the Elite-level Trainers of the League, named Alexander Brooks, a Trainer specialized in Grass-type Pokémon.
"But... At the speed at which he is growing, becoming an Elite is only a matter of time. Perhaps, before this World Championship begins, he will really manage to break through to that level."
At that moment, Champion Leo suddenly changed his tone, causing Alexander, who had just taken a sip of tea, to almost choke.
Breaking through to the Elite level in only one or two years? The assessment Leo had just given was truly shocking.
It had to be remembered that both Champion Leo's strength and judgment were more than proven. If he said it like that, then this was definitely not a joke!
...
"The qualification to compete for a World Championship spot?"
"I never imagined that lower-year student from back then had become so strong."
On Victory Road, the former captain of the university team, Daniel Harper, also learned of the news and could not help sighing emotionally.
Not long ago, he himself had just obtained the qualification to compete for a World Championship spot, and now it turned out that that young student of his had already reached that level as well.
But upon remembering that Ethan had won the junior championship of the Pokémon World Championship, he understood the situation and sighed again.
Relying on his status as the junior champion of the Pokémon World Championship to directly apply for the qualification to compete for a spot, Ethan might be the first in history to do so.
The usual age of World Championship participants was around 26 or older. For someone like Ethan, only 20 years old, to already be competing for a spot to enter the World Championship was truly unprecedented.
After all, the qualification to compete for a spot required real strength, and the fact that Ethan had reached the standard proved that he surpassed his contemporaries by a great deal.
"Yes, truly, no one would have imagined it. Back then, no matter how hard we worked, we only managed to bring the university team into the top three. And yet, Ethan brought the university team to the championship with practically no pressure."
"At the age he was, we really were far behind."
The former vice-captain of the university team, Emily Collins, also commented with emotion. That lower-year student had truly given them too many surprises.
"If it were not for Victory Road, perhaps he would already have left us even further behind. But now he is also a graduate of our university, so he should also have obtained an opportunity to enter Victory Road."
"Now, honestly, I'm a little curious. Perhaps he will end up being the youngest challenger in the entire history of Victory Road!" Daniel said with a smile. As another student who had come out of Ironvale City Pokémon University, Ethan's arrival might completely change the situation of Victory Road.
...
"I finally found information about this Ethan."
At the same time, Sanada Ichiro had just obtained information about Ethan in the competition for Gym spots.
During this time, he had been defeated twice by Ethan, and he still held a grudge over it.
However, the information about Ethan seemed to have been deliberately blocked, so until now he had not been able to find precise data about him.
At that moment, looking at the latest material he had in his hands, his entire body filled with excitement!
"I see... a competition for Gym spots?"
"Then, now that this Ethan has won, that means he is already a Gym Leader!"
"This really is great news! I was just worried about where to find him. Now, as long as I find that Solaria Town Gym, I can challenge him openly and completely within the rules."
Sanada Ichiro's eyes shone. It truly was excellent news!
"In addition... the qualification to compete for a World Championship spot?"
"I didn't expect that Ethan to be the same as me."
Looking at the headline that said "the youngest participant in the competition for a World Championship spot," Sanada Ichiro's eyes narrowed again.
After a while, he suddenly smiled broadly.
"This really is too timely. This time, there are quite a few Trainers in training for the World Championship who have come to the Daleron League to train."
"If I directly spread the information about this Ethan, there would surely be many people interested, wouldn't there?"
...
Half a day later.
A piece of news related to Ethan, the junior champion of the Pokémon World Championship who was going to compete for a World Championship spot, began circulating everywhere without anyone knowing where it had come from.
In addition, within that information, there were included a large number of supposed statements in which Ethan looked down on the Trainers in training from the various Leagues, provoking an enormous commotion within that circle.
"That Ethan really is too arrogant."
"Does he really think that just because he won a junior championship of the Pokémon World Championship, he is already someone important?"
"I do want to see what right he has to dare be so arrogant."
"Solaria Town Gym, huh? Then I'll go take a look."
After seeing those clearly provocative messages circulating in the group, several Trainers in training let out cold snorts and began heading one after another toward the place where the Solaria Town Gym was located.
...
"Ethan, it seems someone is trying to harm you."
Not long afterward, thanks to the information network of the Pokémon Researchers Guild, Alex also learned of the news and reacted with indignation.
However, what truly puzzled him was that the Daleron League, despite having received the news, had done nothing to stop it.
If the Daleron League had intervened earlier, the information would not have spread so quickly.
"Stop it? And why would they stop it?"
"Right now, I am precisely worried about not having strong challengers. If all those Trainers in training come to challenge me, even better. That saves me the trouble of having to go look for opponents to battle myself."
Ethan looked at the information in his hand and, far from being annoyed, burst out laughing.
After all, in that competition for Gym spots, Magmortar had already managed to surpass its own limit.
(End of chapter)