"Let's see if your tactical brilliance can bridge an absolute gap in power," the Pavilion Master said, her silver-rimmed glasses catching the harsh stadium light. She threw her Premier Ball with practiced precision.
With a sharp, echoing cry, a sleek, aggressive bird Pokémon materialized, its wings flapping hard enough to kick up a small dust storm.
Eric's system immediately ran the scan.
---
Pokémon: Staravia
Gender: Female
Level: 29
Type: Normal/Flying
Ability: Intimidate
Held Item: Sharp Beak
Potential: Blue
---
Level 29.
Eric's eyes narrowed slightly behind his impassive expression. A Level 29 Pokémon was teetering right on the absolute edge of the Intermediate level.
"Shinx, you're up," Eric said, releasing the electric-type.
The moment Shinx appeared, Both Staravia's and Shinx's intimidate ability activated the moment Shinx appeared.
"Staravia, Quick Attack," the Pavilion Master commanded smoothly.
Staravia became a literal blur. The speed was completely different from the wild Pokémon or the rookies Eric had faced earlier. Before Shinx could even gather electricity in his paws, Staravia slammed into his side, sending him tumbling across the dirt.
"Spark!" Eric called out.
Shinx grit his teeth, dug his claws into the earth, and lunged forward with a crackling Spark. The attack hit, super-effective, but Staravia barely winced. The massive difference in their energy capacity and natural bulk meant that Shinx's attacks were like bee stings.
"Wing Attack."
Staravia pivoted gracefully in mid-air and struck Shinx squarely on the head.
"Shinx is unable to battle!"
Eric recalled the feline instantly. "You did good. Rest."
He wasn't surprised. Tactics and maneuvers could bridge a gap of five, maybe even ten levels if the opponent was unskilled. But a fourteen-level gap against a well-trained, disciplined opponent was borderline impossible.
"Ralts," Eric said, tossing his second Poké Ball.
"Teleport. Then Confusion on its wings," Eric commanded.
Staravia dove in for another Aerial Ace, but Ralts vanished in a flash of blue light, reappearing directly above the bird. She unleashed a concentrated wave of psychic energy that disrupted the airflow around Staravia's wings, forcing the bird to crash ungracefully into the ground.
"Disarming Voice, keep the pressure on!"
Ralts sang out, the fairy-type energy rippling into Staravia.
"Impressive mastery over Teleport," the Pavilion Master praised calmly. "But evasion only delays the inevitable. Staravia, push through with Brave Bird."
Ignoring the psychic pressure, Staravia cloaked itself in a blazing aura of flying-type energy and shot upward. The attack was just too fast - Ralts had no time to use Teleport and was knocked unconscious.
"Ralts is unable to battle!"
Eric recalled her with a soft smile. She had successfully grounded a Level 29 opponent. For a Level 15 infant Pokémon, that was an incredible feat.
"Growlithe, finish it."
Growlithe came out, barking fiercely.
"Flame Wheel!"
Seizing the moment while Staravia was suffering from the heavy recoil damage of Brave Bird, Growlithe accelerated into a fiery wheel and slammed into the bird, finally knocking it unconscious.
"Staravia is unable to battle!"
The Pavilion Master recalled her bird, offering a polite nod. "You possess a remarkable battle sense. But you are running out of steam."
She released her second Pokémon. A dual-tailed, sleek Floatzel.
---
Pokémon: Floatzel
Level: 29
Type: Water
Potential: Deep Green
---
Growlithe was exhausted, and now faced a Level 29 Water-type.
The battle lasted less than a minute. Despite Growlithe using his explosive leg maneuvers to dodge two consecutive Water Pulses, Floatzel's Aqua Jet was simply too fast and too broad to evade. The super-effective strike swept Growlithe off his feet, knocking him out.
"Growlithe is unable to battle! The Pavilion Master wins!" the referee declared.
The crowd in the stands, who had been cheering for Eric to complete the legendary sweep, let out a collective groan of disappointment. To lose at the very final stage was a heartbreaking scenario for any trainer.
But Eric didn't look devastated.
His expression remained utterly deadpan as he returned Growlithe to his Poké Ball, whispering a quiet word of praise.
He had lost, but he didn't care in the slightest.
He had never expected to win against a Level 29 team with his juniors. His entire goal was to squeeze every drop of real-world combat experience out of the facility, and he had done exactly that. Furthermore, the 25 million Pokédollars he will get from the nuggets was more than made up for the 5,000P registration fee.
Eric turned around, preparing to leave the box.
"Hold on a moment, Challenger," the Pavilion Master called out, walking across the dirt field toward him.
Eric paused, looking at her.
"You are Eric, right? I looked up your data before the match. Honestly, I was quite surprised by your achievements. Battling you only confirmed they were not because of luck."
"Thanks. You also didn't go all out."
"Well, all Pavilion Masters are at the Advanced level. If you challenge the advanced gauntlet, then I will go all out. The name is Rize by the way."
"Alright then, Rize. Maybe we'll battle if I decide to challenge the Advanced level."
"Looking forward to it. It's a real shame you barely missed getting the Beginner's star."
"Beginner's Star?" Eric asked, tilting his head.
"It's the true purpose of the Battle Pavilion network," she explained, gesturing around the massive facility. "The prize money is just an incentive for the masses. But for true prodigies, the goal is the Stars."
She tapped a silver, star-shaped emblem pinned to her lapel.
"If you clear the Beginner Gauntlet, you earn the Bronze Star. Clear the Intermediate Gauntlet, you earn the Silver Star. Clear the Advanced Gauntlet, you earn the Gold Star."
Her eyes sharpened, glinting with a competitive edge. "Any trainer who manages to collect all three Stars earns the right to challenge the Grand Master of the Pavilion. It is an honorary title, but it grants you immense benefits from the Sinnoh League."
She didn't spell out exactly what those benefits were, but the value of them was clearly not low based on her tone.
Eric's eyes narrowed slightly.
This could actually be useful.
"I see," Eric said, nodding slowly.
"With your battle sense, if your Pokémon were just five levels higher, you would have taken a Star today," the Pavilion Master said. "Will you be re-registering?"
"Not today," Eric replied, turning toward the exit. "I have some business to take care of elsewhere in Sinnoh."
He raised a hand in a casual wave as he walked off the field. "But keep that Star polished for me. I'll be back for it before I leave."
The Pavilion Master watched his departing back, an amused smile on her face.
Stepping out of the Jubilife Battle Pavilion, Eric took a deep breath of the crisp, evening air. The neon lights of the city were just beginning to flicker to life, casting long, colorful reflections across the polished pavements.
His young Pokemon had gained good experience, and his wallet was significantly heavier.
He pulled up the regional map of Sinnoh, his eyes falling on his target destination.
His relaxing detour was over.
"Alright, Haunter," Eric muttered, glancing at his shadow. "Next stop... Eterna Forest."