"All right. Time's about up. Get ready, rookies."
Standing above them, the chief instructor Bloodhand rose to his feet, his voice ringing through the aircraft.
"Line up. Jump in pairs."
Whoooooosh—
As the rear hatch of the plane opened, violent winds surged into the cabin, howling fiercely and forcing many recruits to squint or shield their faces.
Leon tightened his grip on his backpack and moved forward with the line.
By now, the massive aircraft had reached its destination—hovering above an enormous island. From above, most of the landmass was a deep, lush green, dense jungle stretching as far as the eye could see. Thick mist drifted across the canopy, obscuring what lay beneath.
"Aooo—"
"Woooo—"
"ROOOAR—"
From within the fog came distant roars and cries, savage and primal, as if the island itself were proclaiming the law of survival hidden within.
Whoosh—
At the front of the line, two recruits leapt from the plane, their figures rapidly shrinking as they fell. Without pause, the next pair stepped up and jumped as well.
"You. Move to the back."
As the line progressed, Bloodhand suddenly pointed at Leon.
"What? Chief Instructor, that's not appropriate."
Luke immediately protested.
He and his group had already positioned themselves around Leon. Their intention was clear—once the jumps began, they would make their move mid-air. Now that Leon was being sent to the back, their plan was disrupted, and Luke was clearly unhappy.
"That's right! Everyone's already lined up!""Why change it now?"
Luke's followers quickly echoed his complaints.
"Not appropriate?" Bloodhand replied calmly, his eyes turning sharp as they locked onto them."Are you trying to negotiate with me?"
His scarred face carried a terrifying authority even without anger.
Instantly, Luke and the others felt as if a heavy pressure had descended upon them.
"No—no, of course not," Luke said hurriedly, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
"Thank you, Chief Instructor," Leon said calmly, offering no resistance as he moved to the back of the line.
Bloodhand said nothing more and walked away. The decision had been made on a whim. Leon's consistently outstanding performance had left him with a decent impression—nothing more.
"Tch. You got lucky, kid," one of Luke's lackeys shouted once Bloodhand was gone."Just pray you don't run into us down there. If you do, you'll suffer."
"Suffer?" Luke sneered, his eyes filled with malice."I want him dead."
Moments earlier, because of Leon, he had once again lost face—and had even drawn the chief instructor's attention. That humiliation was something he could not accept.
Leon didn't respond. He simply raised his hand and slowly drew his thumb across his throat.
Time passed, minute by minute. The number of people inside the aircraft steadily decreased.
"Leon, be careful."
The voice came from a tall, thin young man wearing thick glasses, standing ahead of him.
"I heard Luke has connections. He probably has several Pokémon with decent strength."
"I know," Leon replied quietly. "You be careful too, Noah."
The young man nodded. His name was Noah—lean, awkward-looking, and honest. During training, he had interacted with Leon several times and had left a good impression.
"Let's hope we both pass the trial," Noah said. "See you again."
With that, he leapt out of the aircraft.
Leon watched him disappear.
It's a shame this trial is about combat, Leon thought. Not intellect.
Noah's strength clearly lay in computers and data analysis. During training, he had performed exceptionally well in that field. Unfortunately, his Pokémon strength was average at best—he only had a level 14 Machop.
Leon stepped up to the open hatch.
Without hesitation, he jumped.
Parachuting had been part of their training.
Whoooooosh—
The violent wind distorted his face as he fell. Leon focused, and a psychic barrier formed around his body, blocking the airflow. The pressure vanished instantly, making the descent far more comfortable.
"AAAAH—!"
Screams echoed from the distance.
Several recruits who had jumped earlier were being swarmed by a flock of Spearow.
Hanging helplessly beneath parachutes, humans were no match for Flying-type Pokémon.
Moments later, blood sprayed through the air. The figures vanished beneath the attacking flock. Those final screams were the last sounds they would ever leave behind.
They were unlucky.
They died before even touching the island—after three months of brutal training, their lives ended in seconds. Their dreams of changing their fate scattered into the wind.
The trial had begun the moment they jumped.
Perhaps the first test was simply surviving the mouths of flying Pokémon.
Leon used this opening to accelerate his descent.
Compared to the lives of others, his own survival mattered far more.
From the moment he joined Team Rocket in search of an opportunity, death had become an acceptable price.
Bang—
As the ground rushed closer, Leon opened his parachute, slowing his fall.
"Kree—!"
Two Spearow suddenly swooped in from the distance, closing in at high speed. White light flickered on their beaks—Peck.
Leon remained calm.
Blue light flashed in his eyes.
In the next instant, Leon—and his parachute—vanished.
The two Spearow struck nothing but empty air.
This was a Psychic-type move: Teleport.
As a psychic, Leon naturally possessed this ability. It was one of the best life-saving techniques imaginable.
Thanks to the system, his control far surpassed that of an ordinary beginner psychic.
Leon reappeared elsewhere, gliding downward toward the forest canopy. Using the dense trees as cover, he escaped the Spearow's notice.
He touched down, ran a few steps, and steadied himself.
"Landing successful."
Leon smiled faintly. With psychic assistance, the descent had gone smoothly.
As he began gathering his ropes, rustling sounds came from a nearby bush.
The next moment, four figures burst out—three purple, one yellow—charging straight at him.
"Rattata and a Raticate."
Leon instantly recognized them. There was no panic in his expression—only a smile.
For an ordinary person without Pokémon protection, facing four wild Pokémon at once could easily mean death.
Unfortunately for them…
They had run into him.
Leon reached behind him in one smooth motion, pulling a metal rod from his spatial backpack. Blue light flared in his eyes.
He vanished.
"Rati—?"
The charging Raticate suddenly lost sight of its prey. At the same time, one of the Rattata behind it froze mid-step, seized by an invisible force.
"Squeak—!"
By the time Raticate realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
"Let me gently wake those sleeping minds of yours."
Leon appeared behind the three Rattata. Holding them in place with psychic power, he swung the metal rod three times in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The strikes landed cleanly on their heads.
The three Rattata's minds short-circuited instantly. Dizzy and disoriented, they collapsed to the ground, nearly unconscious.
The effect was overwhelming.
The three Rattata were almost completely incapacitated.