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The team battle assessment for the second stage began immediately. To avoid exposing the examiners' team battle strategies, each candidate was assessed individually with no right to observe other battles.
It was already five o'clock in the afternoon when Roy's turn arrived. He took the helmet and placed it on his head. Soon, his five senses connected to the Substitute, allowing him to manipulate the metal body at will.
The sensation was incredible—like playing an immersive virtual reality game. Roy tested the Substitute's performance, making the metal body run, jump, roll, and dodge. The Substitute's specifications were remarkable in every aspect. Whether it was strength, agility, durability, or reaction speed, it far exceeded ordinary human capabilities.
This made Roy somewhat puzzled. Wouldn't using such a high-performance Substitute instead of an actual trainer create inaccurate test results?
Following the staff's instructions, Roy controlled the Substitute to a large stadium within the Trainer Association and released his Pokemon for battle: Lucario, Metagross, Blastoise, Mimikyu, Alolan Ninetales, and Electivire.
At the same time, Roy observed Ivy's Pokemon team. The Blaziken, Arcanine, and Ninetales he had seen before were all present, along with three others he hadn't encountered: Torkoal, Rapidash, and Camerupt.
All Fire-types. Seeing this composition, Roy knew which Pokemon should take the lead this round—Blastoise would be crucial.
While there was no absolute type advantage in multi-attribute lineups, teams could be flexibly adjusted to handle any situation.
The six Pokemon on both sides positioned themselves around their respective trainers. On Roy's side, the two powerhouses Metagross and Blastoise guarded his left and right flanks, with Ninetales also within their protective range.
Mimikyu could phase into the spirit world at any time, capable of assassination, protection, and feints—serving as the team's "flex position."
Lucario and Electivire stared intensely at the enemy, eager for battle. These two served as the team's "attackers," designed to penetrate enemy lines.
On Ivy's side, their formation was rather unusual. She rode Rapidash with Torkoal and Camerupt positioned on either side. All her Pokemon, including herself, formed a protective circle around Arcanine.
Roy thought back to when Ivy had mentioned that Arcanine was the core of her team. This appeared to be a coordinated team battle strategy.
The moment the assessment began, without any trainer commands, the Pokemon spontaneously implemented their pre-established team battle tactics.
The first priority was weather control dominance!
Torkoal's Drought ability activated simultaneously with Ninetales' Snow Warning. The manipulation of weather patterns, energy affinity, and psychic confrontation began immediately.
Torkoal was confident of victory, considering that Ninetales' stats were inferior to its own. However, clouds swirled as snow and scorching sun intersected, and Torkoal was shocked to discover it hadn't won! The two sides were evenly matched, resulting in no weather effect taking hold.
At the moment of the weather struggle, Lucario, Electivire, and Mimikyu launched simultaneous attacks on Ivy from three directions.
Teleport combined with Aura Sphere from Lucario... Thunder Armor enhanced Brick Break from Electivire... Phantom Force leading into Shadow Claw from Mimikyu...
Three Pokemon, three angles, three attacks simultaneously targeting Ivy as she rode Rapidash.
At that crucial moment, something incredible happened. Torkoal, Camerupt, Rapidash, and Ninetales all erupted in flames simultaneously!
Four flames with different properties burst forth together, creating a terrifying wall of high-temperature fire that incinerated everything nearby. Faced with this overwhelming attack, Lucario, Electivire, and Mimikyu were forced to halt their assault and retreat.
Within this sea of flames formed by four distinct fire types, Ivy remained completely unharmed!
Roy was initially startled but quickly understood. It was Rapidash's ability! The Rapidash evolutionary line possessed flames infused with spiritual energy. Those recognized by them could ride upon their flaming manes without being burned.
This Rapidash had optimized its soul fire into advanced energy. Even bathed in the sea of flames, Ivy felt no heat whatsoever.
Roy quickly identified the advanced fire energy signatures of the other Pokemon:
Like Typhlosion, Torkoal was born with the power of solar wrath amplified by sunlight. Camerupt's body naturally stored lava at temperatures exceeding 10,000 degrees Celsius, continuously refining it. And Ninetales possessed spite-infused Will-O-Wisp flames.
The shield wall formed by these four intersecting advanced flames created an absolute defense. But this was only the beginning.
"Awoo—!" Arcanine raised its head skyward and howled, activating its Flash Fire ability. With its teammates' cooperation, all four flames converged toward it.
Arcanine absorbed the four flame types, its aura rising steadily. It soon surpassed its previous peak condition from the earlier battle with Mimikyu and continued growing stronger!
This was Ivy's team battle system—flame fusion, the ultimate four-protect-one strategy. After fully absorbing its teammates' flames, Arcanine could even transcend the master-class category.
Roy recognized the fusion concept but refused to let Arcanine succeed. "Mega Evolution!"
Brilliant light erupted as Blastoise instantly entered its Mega form, revealing its ultimate cannon. At that moment, Metagross suddenly entered a weightless state, quickly positioning itself in front of Roy with crossed arms before switching to maximum weight.
The defensive move Iron Defense activated!
CLANG!!
Blaziken's High Jump Kick was blocked by Metagross. Blaziken was amazed—how could even this metal behemoth keep up with its speed?
In reality, Metagross hadn't kept up with Blaziken's speed at all. Within Roy's team, only Electivire in Thunder Armor mode and Lucario using Aura techniques could match Blaziken's velocity.
As the master trainer's single strongest ace, this Blaziken was exceptionally powerful. In previous team battles, it had brought tremendous pressure to enemy back lines with its absolute speed.
However, it didn't matter that Metagross couldn't keep pace individually, as long as its teammates could. Through the aura network system, all Pokemon's minds and spirits were linked together.
With Lucario as the core of the aura sensing network, any enemy it could detect and react to could be shared with other team members.
The moment Blaziken was blocked, Ninetales' eyes glowed with icy blue light—Freezing Glare!
The sudden bone-chilling cold left Blaziken momentarily immobilized. Seizing this opportunity, Metagross unleashed Meteor Mash without hesitation, sending Blaziken flying backward.
Simultaneously, Blastoise's cannon completed its water flow convergence. While Blastoise's aura-infused water hadn't reached the level of advanced energy, at this moment all Pokemon channeled their aura power to it, briefly granting massive aura enhancement that dramatically increased the water's potency.
Torrent ability increased water move power, while Mega Launcher amplified pulse-based attacks. Though Blastoise couldn't match master-level water quality, the combination of various buffs made its water output truly impressive.
Quantity triumphed over quality!
The move was Water Pulse! A dark blue water sphere massive as a meteorite rushed toward the flame shield wall composed of four different fires, accompanied by towering waves.
Arcanine, in the midst of flame fusion, sensed the approaching torrent. The turtle's amazing water output, combined with move power, aura enhancement, and type advantage, made it realize the flame shield couldn't provide protection.
With no alternative, Arcanine interrupted its flame fusion process and launched a counterattack—Fire Blast!
Including Arcanine's own flames, five total fire streams formed the character for "large" as they rushed toward the water sphere. This was an attack combining all the team's collective power.
The collision of fire and water resulted in explosive evaporation! It sounded like a massive steam engine's whistle—"Whooo—!"
Tremendous evaporating airflow swept outward in all directions from the fire-water intersection point. Fire boiling water represented the most primitive foundation of modern industrial technology.
As terrible hot steam approached, Ninetales erected an ice wall using never-melt ice, Metagross shielded Roy, and Blastoise set up Light Screen.
However, the evaporation power generated by fire and water proved overwhelming. The never-melt ice lasted only three seconds before melting. After holding for ten seconds, Metagross turned red hot all over, reaching metal's melting point as it burst into flames, showing clear distress.
After these two defensive lines fell, Blastoise's Light Screen barely held against the remaining force.
Roy opened his eyes to see land covered in thick mist. He quickly activated the aura network to confirm battle casualties.
Lucario, Mimikyu, Ninetales, Metagross... all unable to battle. Only Electivire and Blastoise remained standing.
Under team coordination, individual Pokemon strength differences were reduced significantly. Of course, without strong individual members, forging a powerful team would be impossible.
"What about Ivy's casualties..." Roy quickly swept the area with aura power, confirming the opposing situation. Equally devastating.
Only Arcanine and Camerupt survived. Ivy's strongest Blaziken, after being knocked back by Metagross, had no time to escape. Under the terrifying steam assault, it had been defeated in a single wave.
"Ibo!" Electivire rushed back, confirming Roy's Substitute remained safe. If the trainer fell, even victory would be meaningless.
The mist gradually cleared, revealing both sides once again.
"Now it's 2 versus 2," Roy murmured. Arcanine and Camerupt versus Electivire and Blastoise.