After the test, Tetsuya had no concerns about his results.
"You didn't fail the test, did you?" Raine walked up and asked.
Tetsuya shot him a sideways glance. "You might be disappointed."
He didn't bother responding further and strode off.
"…Damn it."
Raine spat on the ground. Honestly, he was hoping Tetsuya would get eliminated right now. After all, there were only two slots, and he had to get into Ecruteak Gym no matter what.
Tetsuya had lunch outside, but something about the sky didn't feel right. Summer weather was always unpredictable.
Just to be safe, he didn't go back out.
As soon as he got home, thunder and lightning cracked across the sky, the wind howled, and a torrential downpour began.
"Good timing!"
Fortunately, his current training could be done indoors; whether it was Ditto transforming into a sandbag for punching or throwing the dagger, both contributed meaningfully to the growth of Tetsuya and Ditto in multiple ways.
Right now, the focus was on dagger-throwing. The difficulty was higher, and it required precision and finesse. No room for impatience. This couldn't be rushed.
He trained for another half day, still stuck at the five-meter mark. Occasionally he'd hit the bullseye, but only occasionally. Most of the time he was hitting the 7 or 8 ring.
Training indoors was mentally stifling.
…After all, there were still three urns of ashes sitting there.
If Tetsuya hadn't lived over sixty years in his past life and developed a "Steel-Type Mind", he probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
After dinner, the rain had stopped.
Tetsuya opened the window to let out the stagnant air. A breeze drifted in, carrying the fresh scent of rain-soaked earth.
Looking out at this "Ecruteak City from over sixty years ago," the entire world seemed to unfold in his mind.
The air was crisp and clear. His mood lifted!
By 10 PM, Tetsuya and Ditto had finished the evening's training session.
Within five meters, he could now consistently hit the 9 ring. After repeated throws, his arm felt completely dislocated. It was like the moment the dagger flew out, his entire arm went with it.
But that was exactly the feeling he wanted.
Nobody was born with talent. 'Maybe…' Only relentless hard work brought results. Be ruthless with yourself if you want to be ruthless with others.
---◓---
The next morning at 9 AM, the area in front of Ecruteak Gym was packed with people, all waiting for Matsuba to distribute the tests and announce the results.
The crowd was so chaotic that almost every kid had a parent with them.
Tetsuya and Raine stood on opposite sides, both alone, looking out of place.
Eventually, Ryuto, one of the Gym's trainees, opened the front gate and said, "Everyone, please maintain order. Form a line in the courtyard and refrain from making noise. My sensei likes quiet."
No one dared go against Leader Matsuba's wishes. Everyone lined up neatly in the courtyard. There was no need to fight for position, just wait patiently for Matsuba to announce the results.
Soon after, Matsuba emerged from the inner hall, followed by his son Morty, who was holding a stack of test papers.
"To all the parents here… First let me thank you for your trust and for bringing your children to take part in the Gym's Trainee selection. Unfortunately, the number of slots is limited. Only the top eight will advance to the next round. This afternoon's battle assessment will be limited to those eight, and they will use the Pokémon registered during the application."
With that, Matsuba took the stack of papers from Morty's hands.
"The questions on this test were relatively difficult, and many of the scores weren't ideal. So I won't be announcing the individual grades. I'll go straight to listing the top eight; the advancing candidates."
At this moment, everyone held their breath. Hearts pounding, they began silently praying to Ho-Oh.
"First place… Tetsuya!"
Tetsuya had been expecting this. He stepped forward calmly and walked up to Matsuba. Everyone's eyes followed him with envy. First place always had a kind of brilliance to it.
Matsuba nodded. He recognized the boy as the one who had come to the Gym earlier looking for a job. "Not bad. Wait here. Your opponent this afternoon will be the eighth-place candidate."
Morty almost blurted out something. Even someone like him, nicknamed a "child prodigy," felt humbled by this result. Deep inside, he was starting to admire Tetsuya.
Tetsuya bowed but didn't say anything. He stood off to the side.
"Second place, Raine!"
Raine stepped forward and immediately looked at Tetsuya. Their eyes met, and an unspoken message passed between them: "We're on the same side now".
Third place…
Fourth place…
…
…
Eighth place.
All the advancing candidates were now standing on the platform.
The parents of those who made it up were overjoyed, constantly boasting to those nearby.
"See him? That one on the stage, there… that's my son! Bahaha!"
"And that's my daughter! Makes me so proud~"
But all they got in return were stiff, forced smiles.
Meanwhile, those who hadn't advanced were itching to leave. But out of respect for Matsuba, they stayed where they were, each second dragging on endlessly.
Once all the test papers had been handed out, and faced with Matsuba's stern impartiality, the families and candidates who hadn't made it into the top eight accepted the outcome. Heads hung low, they turned and left in disappointment.
Now, there were eight children standing before Matsuba.
"Alright, making it into the top eight means your fundamentals are solid. According to the battle rules, you should already know who your opponent is. Gather here at 2 PM this afternoon for the second round of evaluation."
The girl who had placed eighth kept sneaking glances at Tetsuya, her opponent for the afternoon.
But Tetsuya stood there stone-faced like a zombie. He hadn't looked at her even once.
The little girl puffed up her cheeks. "Humph. So what if you're first place?"
Then she stuck her tongue out at him.
After leaving the Gym, Tetsuya hopped on his Bicycle, ready to go home.
"Hey there, young man! Wait up!"
Tetsuya turned his head and saw an ojisan approaching, holding the little girl's hand.
One look, and Tetsuya already knew what they were after…
Before the man could speak, the girl blurted out, "Gaki, as long as you lose to me this afternoon, you can have whatever you want. My dad will agree to it."
Then she pulled her father forward. The man gave a sheepish smile; clearly this loli had been spoiled rotten.
Tetsuya rolled his eyes. "At your age, and already thinking about cheating…? What great parenting~"
He turned his head and walked off.
"You…! Don't be so smug! Touchan, let me borrow your Drapion!" The loli turned red with anger, stomping her feet.
"W-What? You registered Drapion? That's way too reckless!" The man was so stunned by his daughter's behavior that he was at a loss for words.
"I don't care! I have to beat that arrogant gaki!"
"Drapion won't even listen to you! And do you even know how to use it? This is ridiculous!"
"Touchan, just tell Drapion, okay? And come on~ To beat a kid like that, Drapion can handle it on its own. I don't even have to command it! Besides, haven't you always wanted me to study under Leader Matsuba?"
The girl clung to her father's sleeve, pleading and whining.
The man sighed. 'She really needs some discipline…' Even a child could see that his daughter had no manners.
'Ugh, let's just hope she doesn't cause too much trouble this time…'