"What was that move?"
"Is it some newly developed tactic or technique?"
At that moment, all the examiners were completely stunned by the attack Meltan 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 method of combining moves they had never seen before.
Each of these examiners possessed an extraordinary level of strength and extremely precise judgment.
From the moment Meltan began battling, they had been watching closely, so they also noticed how Meltan used the moves: Acid Armor, Harden, and Iron Defense.
They could confirm that, thanks to those three moves, Meltan was able to change forms—something that had already left them completely speechless.
Meltan transforming into a sword, then using electromagnetic levitation to fly as if it were "sword-riding," was something 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 Meltan should be capable of producing on its own.
Meltan'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 remembered 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 immediately.
"Zzzt!"
Behind Drapion, Meltan 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, Meltan was a Steel-type and a Mythical Pokémon; otherwise, any normal Pokémon would have simply destroyed itself using such an attack.
"Good work, Meltan."
Ethan immediately 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 Meltan. 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 emerged a Gengar, blocking the roots.
"Gengar?"
Ethan was stunned.
Why would a Gengar come out of Drapion's shadow?
Plop.
Slowking stepped forward, immediately protecting Ethan, fearing Gengar might attack at any moment.
"Slowking, don't act yet."
Ethan frowned. He remembered 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 extremely strong, and Ethan had needed to overload Meltan just to defeat it.
The safety measures had to be very strict... and this Gengar seemed 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 moment. 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 something?"
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 something: In the middle of the swamp... floated a purple Pokémon egg, motionless and silent.
(End of chapter)