The moon hung high in the sky, casting a hazy, pale glow over the land.
Inside a sealed tree hollow, Leon sat quietly, regulating his breathing.
"So I've achieved the Intermediate Trainer milestone… and there's also the defeat task. Let's see what the rewards are this time."
Leon activated the rewards.
A burst of dazzling light flashed.
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"Ding. Intermediate Psychic obtained.""Ding. Master Ball ×1 obtained."
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"Intermediate Psychic, huh? Perfect timing," Leon muttered."But a Master Ball?!?!?! I don't really have a use for it right now. I'll keep it for later. Maybe it'll come in handy someday."
A vast surge of power flooded his body. Countless fragments of psychic knowledge poured into his mind—techniques, control methods, applications. In an instant, Leon grasped abilities that had previously been far beyond him.
"So this is the power of an Intermediate Psychic…"
Leon savored the sensation. The strength coursing through him was easily more than ten times what he'd had before.
With a flip of his hand, a Master Ball appeared in his palm. It was the same size as a normal Poké Ball, but its color was different—deep purple, exuding a mysterious aura.
"A Master Ball… capable of containing Pokémon with far higher life levels. Huge capture bonus, though not a guaranteed catch like in the games."
"For now, I won't need it."
He put it away carefully. Ordinary Poké Balls were more than enough for the moment.
Higher life-level beings… that basically meant Legendary Pokémon.
That was something he didn't even dare think about.
But there was something he could think about.
With Intermediate Psychic strength, he could finally turn the tables on Luke.
"Luke… if I run into you now, who kills who isn't so clear anymore."
"In fact, you should be praying you don't run into me."
An Intermediate Psychic could match Pokémon in the Level 21–40 range. Not only that—the techniques available were far more diverse, and his physical capabilities had increased more than tenfold.
"My detection range is actually a full hundred meters?"
Leon was genuinely surprised.
That alone dramatically increased his safety in the wild.
With a thought, everything within a hundred-meter radius unfolded clearly in his perception.
An Ekans slithers quietly through the grass.A Noctowl is gliding silently overhead.A Beedrill chewing on berries in the distance…
All of it was crystal clear.
Beyond that range, things became vague, but still detectable.
"There's a Beedrill swarm nearby. As long as I suppress my presence, I shouldn't have any trouble."
Leon smiled.
The tree hollow he had chosen was located within Beedrill territory—not far from the swarm.
If he was careless, he could easily be discovered and end up facing a full assault from the forest's tyrants.
But there was an upside.
Peace and quiet.
Most Pokémon—Ekans, Rattata, and the like—would be eliminated by the Beedrill long before they ever reached him.
That was the benefit of danger.
No risk, no reward.
As long as he was careful of the Beedrill, everything else was manageable.
Leon couldn't help but praise himself a little. This reverse-thinking approach was brilliant.
And even if he was discovered, he could still escape. A Beedrill swarm wasn't strong enough to keep him.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Leon lived comfortably.
Relying on his overwhelming strength, he thrived on what others called Hell Trial Island. Unlike most recruits, he never found himself on the brink of death.
Despite his power, Leon remained cautious.
No recklessness. No unnecessary risks.
Quiet growth.
BOOM—! BOOM—!
Inside a valley, smoke and dust filled the air. Craters dotted the ground, filled with water. Several Ariados lay defeated, already being recalled into Poké Balls, which Leon stored in his backpack.
A fierce battle had clearly just ended.
The victor was obvious.
"Great haul."
Leon grinned.
Over the past half-month, he and Gyarados had fought dozens of battles. Both had grown significantly. Gyarados had gained two more levels, reaching Level 23.
If three high-level Pokémon attacked now, there'd be no need to retreat.
"Let's clean up and head deeper," Leon said, looking toward the island's interior.
Based on everything he'd gathered, the most valuable resources were located further inside. Now that he had reached the Intermediate Psychic stage, he was qualified to explore those areas.
"Too bad I haven't run into any Pokémon with truly high potential," he muttered.
None of the Pokémon he'd defeated so far met his standards. Otherwise, he would've captured them.
As he finished packing up and prepared to leave, Leon sensed a familiar presence.
"Heh. Small world."
Within his detection range, he spotted a sickly-looking, thin teenage boy.
It was one of Luke's lackeys—Cole.
Cole was raising a Butterfree.
"There was fighting ahead earlier," Cole muttered while hurrying in this direction."Must've been Pokémon battling. I need to get there fast—might be able to pick up some benefits."
What he didn't know was that Leon had already noticed him.
Cole crept beneath a large tree and raised a pair of binoculars.
"Judging by this mess, the Pokémon involved must've been mid to high-level," he chuckled."I'll observe a bit longer. If it's safe, I'll go check it out. Maybe I can pick off a few injured Pokémon. Sweet."
He grinned, already imagining the rewards.
Earlier, he had done exactly that—scavenging two Pokémon from someone else's battle. It had made his day.
"What's so funny?" a calm voice asked."Care to share?"
A figure appeared abruptly behind him.
Cole's heart clenched. Fear surged through his entire body.
"Ah—!"
Before he could react, an invisible force crushed in from all sides.
The world spun.
His body lifted into the air.
An unseen grip locked around his neck.
He thrashed wildly, but it was useless. The force was like iron jaws, tightening as he struggled. Suffocation set in rapidly.
"Free—!"
In his panic, the Poké Ball on his belt opened automatically.
A Butterfree appeared, rushing forward to save its Trainer.
What greeted it was—
WHAM—!
Gyarados' tail.
Butterfree was smashed straight into the ground, unconscious in an instant.
A single blow.
No resistance. No chance.
Seeing this, Cole's eyes bulged in disbelief. His face turned crimson as terror flooded his mind.
"Y-you… Gyarados… y-you're also a… psy-psychic… I…"
"Surprised?" Leon asked calmly.
"Spare me!" Cole screamed."I have important information—something that'll definitely be useful to you!"
Leon released the pressure.
"Cough—! Cough—!"
Cole dropped to the ground like a sack of rags, hacking violently.
"Talk," Leon said coldly."And don't lie. You know the consequences."
"I—I'll tell you everything," Cole sobbed."Just please don't kill me. I was forced by Luke, Leon—I swear!"
Tears and snot streamed down his face. There was nothing left of the arrogant lackey from the aircraft.
"You're not in a position to bargain," Leon replied.
Psychic power closed in again.
He showed no mercy toward enemies.
Cruelty was efficiency.
"Talk. Or I'll end you right now."
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
As the crushing pressure returned and his vision darkened, Cole broke completely and began spilling everything he knew.