"What was that move?"
"Is it so newly developed tactic or technique?"
At that mont, all the examiners were completely stunned by the attack ltan had used.
Of course, what surprised them wasn't simply the power of the attack—several of the examiners were certain that if their own Pokémon attacked with full force, they could also produce similar damage.
What had truly shocked them was that completely new combat style, that thod of combining moves they had never seen before.
Each of these examiners possessed an extraordinary level of strength and extrely precise judgnt.
From the mont ltan began battling, they had been watching closely, so they also noticed how ltan used the moves: Acid Armor, Harden, and Iron Defense.
They could confirm that, thanks to those three moves, ltan was able to change forms—sothing that had already left them completely speechless.
ltan transforming into a sword, then using electromagnetic levitation to fly as if it were "sword-riding," was sothing that directly made their jaws drop.
And the final attack—that electromagnetic lance whose nature they didn't even understand—had shown power far beyond what ltan should be capable of producing on its own.
ltan's combat style, combined with the earlier Desert Terrain strategy, made Pokémon that weren't particularly strong on their own unleash terrifying power under the right tactics.
Enhancing their strength through strategy, surpassing their actual capabilities... That was what had truly astonished the examiners.
"Maybe... the truly powerful one isn't the Pokémon, but the trainer."
Suddenly, all the examiners rembered that thought. They looked at Ethan with a mixture of surprise and admiration.
...
Inside the Secret Kingdom...
Drapion's chest had been pierced through, and its massive body collapsed heavily onto the ground.
Groans of pain escaped its mouth as it writhed, unable to die imdiately.
"Zzzt!"
Behind Drapion, ltan had returned to its original form. Its body looked like a liquid mass stuck to the ground, completely red and exhausted.
It was the aftermath of using the Electromagnetic Rail Cannon—an attack that far exceeded its physical limits. Ethan called that effect "overload."
Fortunately, ltan was a Steel-type and a Mythical Pokémon; otherwise, any normal Pokémon would have simply destroyed itself using such an attack.
"Good work, ltan."
Ethan imdiately returned it to its Poké Ball.
Then he turned his gaze toward Drapion. He tossed another Poké Ball, and Cacturne appeared.
"Cacturne, kill it."
Ethan's cold voice rang out without hesitation.
Cacturne nodded and used Ingrain, preparing to drain Drapion just as it had done with Seviper.
Since Drapion was Poison-type, it hadn't been able to use its full strength in the fight against ltan. Ethan knew that if Cacturne managed to absorb its venom, its own toxic power would increase significantly.
"Chaa!"
Sensing mortal danger, Drapion began struggling desperately.
Swoosh—
Cacturne's roots extended toward it.
"KEKEKE!"
Just as they were about to reach it, a sinister laugh echoed.
Drapion's shadow twisted, and from it erged a Gengar, blocking the roots.
"Gengar?"
Ethan was stunned.
Why would a Gengar co out of Drapion's shadow?
Plop.
Slowking stepped forward, imdiately protecting Ethan, fearing Gengar might attack at any mont.
"Slowking, don't act yet."
Ethan frowned. He rembered the examiners' warnings: Do not attack the Ghost-type Pokémon inside the Secret Kingdom.
If his guess was right, that Gengar must be one of the Pokémon assigned by the Pokémon Trainer Guild to protect the participants.
After all, Drapion was extrely strong, and Ethan had needed to overload ltan just to defeat it.
The safety asures had to be very strict... and this Gengar seed to be in charge of restraining Drapion and protecting them.
What surprised him a bit was that Gengar wasn't just protecting the examinees—it was also... protecting Drapion.
"Could Drapion be a Totem Pokémon?"
"I don't know how the president's research on emotional energy and Totem Pokémon is progressing..."
Ethan pondered for a mont. The Pokémon Trainer Guild must have had its reasons for placing such a dangerous Pokémon inside this Secret Kingdom.
"KEKEKE!"
Gengar, seeing that Ethan wasn't attacking, nodded toward him.
Then it took Drapion's score plate and handed it to Ethan before returning to the Totem Pokémon.
Ethan looked at the points, and his pupils shrank. He stored the plate in his backpack, recalled his Pokémon, and left.
Originally, he had planned for Cacturne to finish Drapion and absorb its venom, but with Gengar protecting it, he had no choice but to leave.
...
"What is it, Cacturne?"
"Did you sense sothing?"
As they walked, Cacturne suddenly stopped and stared into the distance: the central zone of Drapion's territory.
"Hmm... that place..."
"Could that be why they left a Totem Pokémon here, supervised by a Gengar?"
Ethan adjusted his direction and, guided by Cacturne, headed toward the center of the territory.
After moving quickly, he reached a swamp.
Thick poison mist rose from the dark green, bubbling mud, making Ethan feel a slight chill. But then, his eyes spotted sothing: In the middle of the swamp... floated a purple Pokémon egg, motionless and silent.
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