LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 4: ch4
Chapter 4
The opportunity for the Magikarp to leap over the Dragon Gate was right in front of them. Whether the future held the golden road of success or a decayed single-plank bridge depended on this moment.
All the senior high school students were on edge.
The first to be tested was a chubby boy wearing glasses from Class 12-D. As the student with ID number "001," he was the first in the school to step up.
When his homeroom teacher called his name, his cheeks flushed with excitement, and his legs trembled so much he nearly stumbled on the stairs leading to the stage. His awkwardness broke the tension, drawing laughter from the crowd and helping to lighten the atmosphere.
Standing among the students, Ethan squinted as he observed the summit platform. Eighteen desks had been arranged in a row, and each desk held a secure safe.
Inside each safe was a unique, irregular gemstone, glowing faintly with various colors.
"All-attribute Evolution Stones..." Ethan murmured, catching bits of conversation around him.
"I heard these stones are worth at least $100,000 each," someone whispered. "The rare ones are worth millions!"
"Of course! These stones can boost a Pokémon's power instantly. Who wouldn't want one?"
"Yeah, but even if you could afford one, good luck getting past the security. I heard the staff guarding them are all armed."
The murmurs around him clarified the stones' purpose. In Ethan's previous life, Evolution Stones were limited to nine types in games and shows. Here, there were eighteen, corresponding to the eighteen elemental types.
And unlike in the games, these stones didn't just trigger evolutions. They could also enhance the power of Pokémon with the matching type, making them incredibly valuable.
On stage, a middle-aged man with a calm, reassuring demeanor stood behind the first safe. His hands hovered protectively over the stone within, ready to close the safe in an instant. As part of the National High School Pokémon Attribute Examination team, his job was to guide students while safeguarding the Evolution Stones.
"Don't be nervous. Step closer," the man said gently, gesturing to the chubby boy. After verifying his ID, he continued, "Focus on the stone and place your hand on it."
The boy, trembling, approached the fiery red stone inside the first safe—a Fire Stone—and placed his hand on it. The stone glowed faintly, but nothing else happened.
"Richard Carson," the man read from the ID. "No Fire attribute detected, and no Fire-type partner Pokémon awakened." He marked a red "X" on a form and handed it back to the boy.
"Don't worry," he encouraged. "Move to the next stone. You might have a different attribute."
Richard forced a nervous smile and shuffled to the next desk, where a Water Stone awaited him.
---
The testing continued, and as expected, Class 12-D didn't produce any prodigies. While a few students caused faint reactions from the stones, none were strong enough to awaken a partner Pokémon.
However, causing even a small reaction meant the student could form a bond with Pokémon in the future, though they wouldn't qualify as official trainers. With enough money, they could purchase or capture Pokémon of the corresponding type, though surviving in the wild without an awakened partner Pokémon would always be risky.
The homeroom teacher sighed, and the principal muttered in frustration. Last year, at least five students had awakened partner Pokémon. This year, none so far.
Then came the first breakthrough.
A girl from Class 11-B approached the Water Stone. When she placed her hand on it, the faint glow around the stone intensified, and the air around her shimmered.
A fine mist formed around her, condensing into a translucent blue egg-like structure. Gasps filled the air as everyone watched the mysterious egg crack open.
Out popped a small yellow Pokémon with a broad duckbill.
"Is that a Psyduck?" someone whispered.
The girl cradled the newborn Psyduck in her arms, her face a mix of excitement and disbelief.
"Congratulations," said Mark Davis, stepping forward. "The radius of water vapor surrounding you indicates strong elemental talent. This Psyduck has great potential, and so do you. Welcome to the path of becoming a trainer."
The girl's classmates erupted in cheers. Becoming a trainer wasn't just a title—it was a promise of prestige and opportunity. Of course, it would still take years of training and rigorous exams before she could officially call herself a Pokémon Trainer. But with a strong partner like Psyduck, her journey was off to a promising start.
---
Ethan observed the process with a furrowed brow. The concept of "awakening" a partner Pokémon was entirely foreign to him. In his previous life, Pokémon appeared naturally, and trainers caught them with Poké Balls. But here, it seemed that forming a bond with a partner Pokémon required a specific ritual.
"Next!"
The testing continued, and Ethan's anticipation grew. His turn was drawing closer.