"Whoa! How is your Dratini so tough? My Scyther's attacks are incredibly strong—most Pokémon can't take even one hit, but your Dratini barely seemed affected at all!"
After the battle, James stopped Gabriel, his face full of curiosity.
"That's a secret."
Of course, Gabriel wouldn't reveal his ultimate strategy. The research on Pokémon Abilities in this world was still in its early stages—let alone knowledge about Hidden Abilities.
During the battle, Gabriel had activated Flame Orb, burning Little Mu to trigger its Marvel Scale Ability, which significantly boosted its defense.
Luckily, he had trained Dratini to endure and utilize its Ability effectively, allowing him to turn the tide of battle.
"I never expected you to be this strong. I thought I'd take down a seeded contender and become the underdog of this Monster Tamer Exam… but I ran into a brick wall instead."
"Well, I won't bother you anymore. Make sure you don't slack off in your next matches."
James waved and left the battlefield.
GAbriel watched him go, absentmindedly rubbing his nose.
What a powerful opponent.
That Technician-boosted Scyther was terrifying. Even with Marvel Scale, Little Mu had taken a serious beating. If he hadn't prepared in advance, he really could've lost that fight.
According to Elle's scouting reports, with James defeated, there were no more competitors of his level in the H Bracket.
So, there were even fewer dark horses than seeded contenders, huh?
Watching James disappear into the distance, Gabriel sighed.
If it weren't for me, James might have achieved an even better result… what a waste of talent.
What a waste.
Just as Gabriel turned to leave, an old man with a shifty demeanor hurried after James.
Roland, a talent scout with an eye for potential, had watched the entire battle unfold.
Jindu Academy needed someone like James!
If James had ranked higher, it would've been a problem—stronger performances meant more eyes on him, and more prestigious academies would try to recruit him.
But his current placement was perfect.
Not too high, not too low—just enough to stay under the radar.
This was his chance.
It wouldn't be hard to convince a kid like James to join.
And in a way… he owed it all to Gabriel.
:The Road to Advancement
Just as Elle had predicted, there were no other surprise contenders like james.
Gabriel swept through his remaining matches, securing his place as the first seeded competitor to advance.
Now, it was time to gather intel on his future opponents.
After James's battle, Gabriel had realized how crucial it was to know your enemy.
So, he sent Elle to collect data on the winners from other brackets.
When Elle returned with the information, Gabriel flipped through the reports and couldn't help but be impressed.
Seeded contenders really were on a different level.
Clearly, he wasn't the only one holding back.
There were plenty of strong competitors still in the mix.
At their hotel, Elle handed Gabriel the first dossier.
"This is the seeded contender from Bracket A— Pat. His partner Pokémon is Scyther, and he's known for finishing battles in under 30 seconds. No opponent has lasted more than a single attack."
Gabriel frowned, scanning the document.
"Scyther? Pat? …Are he and James related? They seem awfully similar."
Elle nodded.
"It's possible, but we haven't found solid proof yet."
"Well, it doesn't really matter. My job isn't to investigate family ties—it's to defeat them. But… why is his profile so thin? Feels like there's something missing."
Gabriel flipped through the pages.
There wasn't much information.
"He's revealed very little about his battle strategy. This was all I could find."
Gabriel waved dismissively.
No wonder he was the #1 Seed.
Even after multiple matches, he still hadn't shown his full strength.
Elle handed him another folder.
"These are the Bracket B and C contenders—King and Thomas. Their partner Pokémon are Abra and Nidoran, respectively."
Gabriel took the files, flipping through the details.
"Abra, huh? Psychic-types are pretty rare. How did he even catch one?"
"His grandfather is Roland—the Jindu Academy Headmaster and the organizer of this tournament."
"…Oh. That explains a lot."
Gabriel sighed, setting the file down.
Guess he wasn't the only one with a powerful father figure.
So, King had a strong family background, and an equally tricky Pokémon.
"Abra's going to be a tough opponent. I'd better prepare for that."
He then turned his attention to Kris's Nidoran.
"Her Nidoran is well-trained. Making it into the Top 3 with a Nidoran isn't easy."
"Nidoran's poison is extremely potent. In every match, she's whittled down her opponents with Toxic, slowly wearing them out until they're unable to fight back."
Gabriel studied the report carefully.
Wow.
That was nasty.
She already had the makings of a Toxic Stall strategy.
Even though she was only the #3 Seed, Gabriel immediately raised her Threat Level in his mind.
A trainer capable of using such a vicious tactic was dangerous.
Underestimating her would be a fatal mistake.
Elle continued handing over reports.
"These are the winners from Brackets D, E, and F—Thomas, Gwen, and Sam.
Thomas is an underdog, not a seeded contender. His Pokémon is a Charmeleon that has already evolved.
Gwen's Pokémon is Gastly, a powerful Ghost-type.
Sam's partner is Ralts, another Psychic-type."
Charmeleon, huh?
Starter Pokémon were always strong.
Ralts and Gastly were also rare and powerful choices.
Gabriel rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Especially that Thomas guy…
To beat the #4 Seed and take their place meant he was an absolute wildcard.
If Thomas had defeated a seeded contender, he might even be stronger than me.
This was going to be a problem.
Elle handed over yet another report.
"…More?"
"This one is about Rafael"
The moment he heard the name, Gabriel snatched the document from Elle's hands.
His entire reason for entering this tournament—his biggest goal—was to defeat Rafael.
-------------------------------------------------
Interested in reading more chapter about "This is Definitely Pokemon?" Go and visit my patreon for more advance chapter.
patreon.com / Enelym