"Using Thunder Wave to slow Breloom's close-range attacks... that's a good way to respond."
Captain Daniel nodded approvingly, then ordered, "Breloom, use Bullet Seed."
Hearing him, Breloom paused briefly in midair; the energy inside its mouth turned into green points of light that shot toward Meltan.
Boom boom boom!
The speed of Bullet Seed was extremely fast. While Meltan was wrapped in electricity, that same current interfered with his mobility, so he took the projectiles head-on. The Thunder Wave surrounding his body was instantly destroyed.
"He's that strong at long range too?"
Ethan frowned as he watched Breloom charge in for another attack.
"Zzzt!"
Meltan covered himself again with Thunder Wave.
Seeing that, Breloom halted and once more used Bullet Seed.
Thus, Meltan seemed to have fallen into an endless cycle, being struck by Breloom's attack again and again.
"When Meltan uses Electric-type moves, the current he generates interferes with the magnetic field. That interference prevents him from using magnetic levitation to move at high speed... this is troublesome."
Ethan stared intently at Breloom, who was once again using Bullet Seed, and thought: "If I combine electricity and magnetism... I get the Electromagnetic Cannon."
"There's no other way... go, Electromagnetic Cannon!"
Hearing Ethan, Meltan stopped trying to dodge. In the same instant, his body exploded with energy, fusing with the electromagnetic waves around him. His figure became a sphere of lightning that compressed and concentrated energy, blocking Bullet Seed head-on.
"Hm? He's using his trump card?"
"Good... then I'll give you a chance."
Seeing Meltan's action, Daniel's eyes gleamed, but he gave no order to stop it; he wanted to test him.
Breloom, receiving no instruction, didn't move either. It only bent its legs slightly, showing it was ready to take the attack head-on.
"Zzzt!"
A faint spark crackled in the air.
The next instant, the sphere of lightning vanished, and with a violent roar, Meltan's figure appeared right in front of Breloom, already transformed into a spear that shot forward at full speed.
BOOM!!
With a thunderous crash that shook the ground, a cloud of dust rose into the air, covering both Pokémon.
When the smoke began to clear, everyone reacted in shock. No one expected Meltan to be so fast, nor his power so overwhelming.
"How can this be!?"
"He stopped it!"
When the dust dispersed, the scene left Lucas Silver and the others completely stunned.
Breloom was in the center, both hands pressed together in front of its chest, wrapped in Fighting-type energy... it had caught the spear Meltan had transformed into!
However, the deep marks carved into the ground, dragged out by Breloom's feet, showed that blocking the attack had been anything but easy.
"The Electromagnetic Cannon... was stopped?"
Ethan was completely frozen.
He had considered many possibilities, but he never imagined Breloom would stop the Electromagnetic Cannon with its bare hands.
Even Professor Harris's female Rhydon would need some effort to block that attack. That could only mean one thing: Breloom and the female Rhydon were on the same level—Quasi-Elite.
The astonishment wasn't only Ethan's; everyone on the university team was just as shocked.
Breloom was unquestionably one of the captain's strongest Pokémon. Even using Superpower, it had only barely managed to stop the attack.
Meltan's burst had been powerful enough to threaten even the Pokémon of the main university team members.
But...
Seeing Meltan collapsed on the ground, exhausted, everyone understood that the move had been an extreme burst technique. After using it, he hardly had any strength left to continue fighting.
"Ethan, you passed the evaluation. Next."
Even though Meltan was exhausted, the Electromagnetic Cannon had been enough to earn Captain Daniel's recognition.
"Whew... I did it."
Ethan let out a sigh of relief.
He had always trusted the Electromagnetic Cannon, and in the end, it passed the test.
"The evaluation continues. Next."
Daniel's calm voice brought everyone back to reality.
"So that's what it takes to pass...?"
Lucas and the others finally reacted. But recalling Meltan's performance and the captain's calm expression, their faces turned serious.
If only a performance like that was enough to pass... the evaluation was brutal.
For the remainder of the time, the tests continued. Lucas and the others didn't dare hold back; only by using their full strength did they manage to pass. All of them let out a sigh of relief.
But without exception, they were miserably crushed in the process. Their recent pride at becoming Advanced-level trainers vanished as if it had never existed.
"I see you've understood something. Becoming Advanced-level trainers is only the beginning of the path."
"You still have a long way to go."
Seeing their serious expressions, Daniel showed a faint smile.
Ethan and the other four exchanged glances and nodded gravely.
It was obvious: this evaluation was just an excuse. The real purpose was to warn them. At the intermediate level, battles and competitions were always restricted to that level. But once one becomes an Advanced-level trainer, those restrictions disappear. That was the reason for the exam.
"Well, don't get too discouraged."
"The captain is a monster. He already has enough strength to participate in the Elite Tournament. Losing to him is normal."
The vice-captain, Emily Collins, smiled to ease the mood.
"Participate in the Elite Tournament!?"
There are only thirty official Elite trainers in the entire League. To become one, a trainer must enter the Elite Tournament, and only those who place in the top ten can challenge the current Elite trainers.
In the world of trainers, those who have the strength to participate in that tournament are called: Quasi-Elite.
(End of chapter)