With the arrival of spring, the weather began to grow increasingly warm.
After spending more than half a month at home, Ethan said goodbye to his parents and set off once again.
This time he was in such a hurry to leave because the next exam for Advanced-Level Trainer was about to begin.
In addition to the exam, Ironvale City Pokémon University was about to start classes, and the promotion to the Advanced Campus would also begin.
Although Ethan had already been preselected as an alternate member of the university team, the condition was that, before the start of the semester, he officially obtained the Advanced-Level Trainer rank. Only then could he enter the Advanced Campus and join the team as a substitute.
He took out his phone to check his assignment and discovered that his testing site would be the Pokémon Trainer Guild of Evercove City.
"So it's the coastal city: Evercove. Maybe this time I can try a different mode of transportation."
Ethan opened the map, searched for Evercove City's location, and thought for a moment.
Then he checked the nearby docks and quickly found the closest one.
This time he planned to travel by sea, but not by boat—rather, by riding a Water-type Pokémon.
In his team he had Slowking and Kingdra, both Water-type. Kingdra was ideal for riding, and Ethan had already completed the necessary training and obtained his license.
Of course, taking this sea route wasn't just for fun; Ethan wanted to practice his water riding skills before the exam, since the test also evaluated that ability and awarded many points.
"Kingdra, I'll be counting on you this time. And Slowking, you come along too."
As soon as he arrived at the dock, he released Kingdra and Slowking.
He wasn't the only one: many other trainers with Water-type Pokémon were choosing the same means of travel. In the distance, out at sea, several specialized instructors were training their students in navigation techniques atop aquatic Pokémon.
"Hello, this is the designated channel for Pokémon rides."
"If you wish to travel mounted on a Water-type Pokémon, please navigate within the marked channel to avoid unnecessary danger."
A dock employee approached to explain the navigation rules. Ethan took note of everything and then mounted Kingdra, quickly heading toward Evercove City.
"Sigh... how uncomfortable it is being pressed down like this."
"If you're going to travel mounted, a Pokémon like Lapras is definitely better—you can sit, lie down, and basically do whatever you want."
...
Evercove City Pokémon Trainer Guild
In the enormous facility, all participants in the Advanced-Level Trainer exam waited for their turn.
The first phase of the exam would be held right there. Only after passing it could they proceed to the official wilderness survival phase.
This first phase was simple: testing the trainer's ability to protect their "defensive core."
In the wild, this defensive core was the most important guarantee of a trainer's safety. If they couldn't pass this stage, there was no point in letting them advance to the next.
The testing field for the first phase was equipped with all kinds of instruments: different types of objects, terrains, climates, and even Pokémon attacks acting as obstacles.
For example, numerous launchers distributed throughout the terrain fired projectiles at any moment and from any direction. If the defending Pokémon was careless and allowed the trainer to be hit, points would be deducted.
There were also hidden switches that released poisonous gas or sleep powder, paralysis, and other effects. If the trainer or their Pokémon let down their guard, they could inhale them.
Of course, all these elements were treated to avoid causing real danger, but penalties were inevitable.
If the Pokémon had detoxifying abilities, it could also recover a considerable number of points.
And these were only the simple challenges. If they were unlucky and drew a gravity field, a static electricity field, or some adverse weather condition, the difficulty increased dramatically.
In some levels, enemy Pokémon would even appear to interfere. If the trainer's Pokémon couldn't protect them while defeating the opponent, it was considered a failure.
Additionally, the exam content changed every year; new tests could be added. For example, weather tests had been added that year, so candidates had to be prepared for unexpected situations.
The Pokémon Trainer Guild used a special scoring system based on the trainer's and Pokémon's performance to create a ranking. Those who scored below 60 points were considered to have failed.
...
Due to the increasing popularization of Pokémon, more and more ordinary people were choosing to become trainers.
Especially in recent years, the number of trainers had grown rapidly. With the resources the League continued to open to the public, many had managed to reach the Advanced level.
Although Evercove City's testing grounds were large, with more than a hundred participants waiting, it was starting to feel crowded.
When the exam began, the organizers held a random draw to determine the order of participation.
"Gideon, you'd better try hard. The entrance exam for the university's Advanced Campus is about to start. This is the last test before classes begin; if you fail, you'll have to wait a whole year!"
"I know, relax. This time I'll get a great score on the first phase. And in the second, I'll leave that Gareth far, far behind!"
In the hall, several groups of students were gathered. A few who looked like university students sat in the seats, staring at the giant screen while chatting.
At that moment, the screen showed the exam of a trainer whose defensive core was a Scyther. Its performance revealed that Scyther had an impressive reaction speed.
Despite objects being shot at high speed from every launcher, Scyther reacted instantly, cutting each projectile with its sharp scythes.
(End of chapter)