The final trial of the Isle of Armor Dojo had already lasted five minutes.
"Is Teacher Azure's Riolu going to lose? The size difference seems too great—it can't even counterattack…"
"It's hard to say. After all, the opponent is our Galar legend. Even if Leon were here, he wouldn't stand a chance against Master's Urshifu."
"On the contrary, the fact that Riolu and Teacher Azure have lasted this long is already impressive, isn't it?"
The surrounding apprentices murmured among themselves, while Leon, arms crossed and standing outside the field, couldn't help but feel anxious for Riolu.
The final trial of the Dojo was originally intended for Trainers who had captured Kubfu.
In this battle, even a Kubfu fully focused on martial arts would struggle under the immense pressure of Master Mustard's Urshifu, let alone an unevolved Riolu…
But the master's judgment was never wrong.
Since Master Mustard acknowledged this Riolu and Aiden as worthy challengers, they must possess the corresponding potential.
So…
Come on, Teacher Azure!
Leon looked at the young man on the other side of the field, his brows furrowed in concentration, silently cheering him on.
Leon himself hadn't earned the master's approval, but he understood deeply.
The master had always hoped someone could inherit the martial arts style he spent decades refining, which was why he founded this Dojo.
If it were Aiden, perhaps it really could be done!
Meanwhile, the two Pokémon on the field continued their fierce exchange.
Over the past five minutes of battle, Urshifu had launched multiple attacks, all narrowly dodged by Riolu thanks to its boosted Agility speed.
The vast size difference was a double-edged sword. While Urshifu possessed overwhelming power against Riolu, hitting such a small target proved difficult.
"So, you've mastered Aura to perfection, huh?"
A smile spread across Master Mustard's face.
Although Pokémon like Urshifu also had the potential to use Aura, compared to natural Aura masters like Riolu and Lucario, their ability to sense Aura was clearly inferior. They could only use moves like Aura Sphere as a form of a guaranteed-hit attack.
This Riolu, however, could predict attack patterns by constantly observing the flow of its opponent's Aura, making it incredibly difficult to hit in battle.
Even though Urshifu had identified Riolu's weakness, without landing a move, even its signature Wicked Blow couldn't kill Riolu from a distance.
So, it was time to change tactics!
"Urshifu, use Rock Tomb to block Riolu's escape route!"
Master Mustard quickly devised a counter-strategy, using Rock Tomb to seal off Riolu's path.
"Riolu, Vacuum Wave!"
Aiden immediately reacted, commanding Riolu to rapidly generate several orbs of pure Aura, smashing them into the rocks descending from the sky before they could land.
"Tsk… Just as the internet said, you're quite a troublesome opponent, Little Ai!"
After muttering to himself, Master Mustard quickly smiled again.
"If you keep dodging, I'll have to find another way to defeat you."
"Urshifu, Aura Sphere!"
"Shifu!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Urshifu imitated the move Riolu had used earlier, quickly forming a sphere of energy in its hands, channeling Aura into its palms until the sphere took shape.
Aura Sphere—a rare long-range Aura move for Fighting-type Pokémon!
Aiden immediately understood Master Mustard's plan.
By infusing Aura, this pure energy sphere could lock onto the opponent's Aura, ensuring a guaranteed hit with devastating effect.
In other words, Riolu could no longer continue dodging.
While the technique of Unseen Fist wouldn't work against Aura Sphere, given the massive gap in strength, Aiden couldn't guarantee that Riolu could block it with Protect…
Thus, he made a bold decision—
"Riolu, Dig!"
"Ri!"
Riolu quickly responded, frantically moving its hands just before the Aura Sphere struck, swiftly burying itself underground.
Since it left the battlefield, Urshifu's control over Aura wasn't perfect. As expected, the Aura Sphere instantly lost its target and crashed into the ground.
"Ah, so you intend to regain the initiative by using Dig, huh?"
Master Mustard stroked his beard again, his gaze toward Aiden filled with satisfaction.
To think of this during such an intense battle—such extraordinary instincts weren't something a young Trainer should possess.
But then again, isn't that what makes a genius? Breaking conventional expectations entirely?
"Urshifu, prepare your defense and use Wicked Blow to counter as soon as Riolu emerges."
Master Mustard quickly made his decision. Upon hearing the command, Urshifu shifted into a one-legged stance, ready to finish the opponent the moment Riolu surfaced!
Seeing this, Aiden further confirmed his suspicions.
Indeed, in the Pokémon world, there are moves you simply cannot learn.
Perhaps the existence of his two Pokémon was made "illegal" due to the system.
As the most commonly encountered competitive Pokémon in Sword and Shield, Aiden could practically recite Urshifu's move list by heart.
While they were absolute masters in close combat, the Fighting type clearly relied too much on direct confrontation.
Without learning Earthquake, Urshifu had no effective way to deal with Riolu hiding underground and could only passively wait for it to emerge.
Riolu wasn't a Pokémon that could survive underground for long, and with limited breath-holding capacity, it would eventually have to surface. Therefore, Master Mustard wasn't in a hurry, patiently waiting for Aiden's next move.
Seeing this, Aiden couldn't help but smile.
Just as he thought. Then the solution was simple—
"Riolu, Copycat!"
Aiden spoke again, and Riolu underground quickly reacted.
Though its body hadn't yet emerged from the ground, it preemptively used the move, drawing upon the energy within to prepare for an attack the moment it broke through the surface.
Thanks to the Prankster Ability, Riolu's efficiency in extracting energy when using Copycat was several times higher than usual.
Copycat was a special move that allowed the user to mimic the last move used by the opponent, even temporarily using moves they couldn't normally learn.
And the last move Urshifu had used was Aura Sphere—a move Riolu couldn't possibly learn before evolving!
Single Strike Style Urshifu had the Dark type, which was weak to Fighting-type moves, so this Copycat Aura Sphere would pack quite a punch.
"Urshifu, endure the attack and retaliate with Close Combat before Riolu surfaces!"
Master Mustard decisively commanded.
Since avoiding the Aura Sphere was impossible, they might as well not dodge at all.
Given Urshifu's physical resilience, even taking Riolu's attack head-on shouldn't be a problem.
"Fu!"
When the ground began to tremble slightly, revealing a small mound, Urshifu, keenly observing its surroundings, quickly reacted, spinning around and decisively smashing its fist into the raised ground!
However…
Something felt off?
Failing to feel the impact of hitting its opponent, Urshifu realized it had only punched through a thin layer of soil.
In that instant, Riolu, having formed its giant Aura Sphere, burst out from behind it, delivering a pure Aura strike squarely on Urshifu's back.
"Fu!"
By the time Urshifu felt the pain and instinctively retaliated, Riolu had already leaped away, using the recoil to evade the counterattack.
But even the wind from Urshifu's punch was enough to leave a small cut on Riolu's face.
"Heh, not bad at all!"
Though his Urshifu had taken a minor hit, Master Mustard praised Riolu.
"To withstand my attacks for so long despite the overwhelming power gap, Little Ai and Little Riolu are truly fascinating!"
"But…"
"Little Riolu, soft and feeble attacks like that won't harm Urshifu."
"If you can't demonstrate greater strength, you won't pass the final trial!"
"Urshifu!"
As if validating Master Mustard's words, Urshifu scratched its back after taking the Aura Sphere and let out another earth-shaking roar.
Aiden also realized—
The gap between the two Pokémon was simply too great. Even if Urshifu stood still and let Riolu hit it, it might not deal any significant damage.
In real Pokémon battles, the chasm created by differences in strength was far more intuitive—and more disheartening—than the numbers displayed in games.
"Ri…"
Riolu touched the wound that had appeared on its cheek.
For the past few minutes, the Trainer's commands had been correct. The reason they hadn't won was simple:
Its own strength was far inferior to the dojo's Urshifu. Even when creating an opening for an attack, its full-powered strike hadn't inflicted any damage on Urshifu.
At this point, there seemed to be only one solution to secure victory—
Evolution.
But if it evolved and still couldn't match Urshifu, what then…
Noticing this crucial moment, Master Mustard exchanged a glance with Urshifu and temporarily halted further attacks.
Seeing this, Riolu turned back to look at Aiden.
"Riolu, do what you want to do."
Seemingly sensing Riolu's thoughts, Aiden quickly revealed a gentle smile and calmly spoke.
"Ri…"
Feeling the Aura emanating from Aiden, Riolu was momentarily dazed.
Shouldn't its performance have disappointed him?
Why did the Aura feel the same as before the battle, with no change in emotion?
The Trainer truly trusted me completely…
Riolu suddenly recalled its early days after hatching, spending time in the research facility.
Perhaps because the Pokémon it encountered growing up were overwhelmingly powerful, it had always considered itself weak.
Each of Big Sister's Pokémon was monstrously strong, and no matter how hard it tried, the gap between them never narrowed.
Just like facing Urshifu now, it was clear at a glance that this wasn't an opponent it could defeat.
Even after finishing its growth phase, it couldn't last a single move against Big Sister's Garchomp.
And just as it gradually fell into self-doubt, Big Sister noticed its confusion.
One day, she said to it…
"Perhaps finding a suitable Trainer could make you stronger, hmm?"
Hearing the possibility of becoming stronger, Riolu didn't hesitate and immediately agreed.
Thus, it came to the distant Sunshine Gym in Paldea and became Aiden's second Pokémon.
For Aiden, a Trainer who seemed familiar with Big Sister, Riolu had always maintained respect.
He seemed to truly understand it, giving it maximum freedom and introducing it to the monstrously strong Urshifu duo.
But this period of rapid growth had also planted some unease in Riolu's heart—
What if, after evolving, its strength wasn't what the Trainer imagined? Would he be disappointed?
With this thought, Riolu had always feared completing its evolution.
But now, it had reached a point where it had no choice…
Seemingly sensing Riolu's hesitation, Aiden quickly spoke again, his tone still gentle:
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If we can't pass this test today, we'll have another chance."
"If you're willing, I'll stay with you until we pass the challenge."
"Ri…"
Feeling Aiden's encouraging gaze, Riolu sank into deep thought.
Before meeting its Trainer, it had thought it would spend its life failing in Shinto Town.
But after defeating it, the Trainer hadn't rejected weak little Riolu. Instead, he gave it endless support along the way.
Helping it devise detailed training plans, finding the distant Armor Dojo overseas, successfully entering it for training, and now firmly standing behind it.
Recalling this, a warm current suddenly welled up from deep within, allowing Riolu to tangibly feel the Aura somehow transmitted from the Trainer into its body.
Was this the "bond" Big Sister often spoke of?
Riolu's lips curled into a faint smile. At the same time, countless white particles of evolution light began to radiate from its body.
This time, however, it didn't immediately interrupt the evolution process. Instead, it calmed down to feel the changes happening within.
Having decided to bring victory to its Trainer, it couldn't afford to hesitate or avoid failure anymore!
Riolu's eyes gradually sharpened.
Simultaneously, its hands moved quickly, removing all the weights tied to its body before the evolution light fully blossomed.
The weights dropped to the ground with muffled thuds, leaving the surrounding apprentices dumbfounded.
"What… Did it really add so much weight while fighting Master?"
"This Riolu is insane—it's a monster!"
"Will removing the weights and evolving give it a chance to become the first Pokémon to pass the dojo's final trial?"
Leon, stunned, instinctively glanced at Master Mustard on the other side of the field.
"Evolving mid-battle?"
Evolution wasn't an instantaneous process; it required time for the Pokémon's body to rapidly develop into its evolved form.
Thus, evolving during battle was a risky move. If attacked, the evolution could be interrupted, and the Pokémon's energy could deplete instantly…
But it seemed Master Mustard had guessed from the start that this Riolu would evolve mid-battle.
The moment the evolution light appeared, Aiden's heart tightened.
Eevee's evolution had caught him off guard, so strictly speaking, he had never personally witnessed a Pokémon's evolution.
During this process, he didn't know what he could do, so…
All he could do was trust Riolu.
No, it should now be called Lucario.
After the evolution light appeared, a towering column of light erupted, piercing the sky and completely engulfing Riolu.
Within the radiant glow, a sudden surge of presence emerged.
The strong wind gradually dispersed the light, revealing a resolute figure standing on the battlefield.
Its body had grown several times larger, its appearance majestic, and the fur at the back of its head swayed in the wind.
Gazing at its reliable back, Aiden felt a wave of emotion.
Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, had advanced physical strength and mastery over Aura, capable of freely controlling powerful Aura forces.
After evolving, its body and the backs of its hands sprouted bone-like spikes as hard as steel, and its skeletal strength underwent a qualitative leap, changing its typing to Steel + Fighting.
As for its Ability, shedding its mischievous childhood nature and becoming more composed, Riolu's Prankster had changed to…
???
Wait, shouldn't it be Justified?
Suddenly, a few lines of text appeared, leaving Aiden utterly confused.
[Lucario (Male)]
[Type: Steel + Fighting]
[Ability: Unseen Fist (Growable)]
[Moves: Close Combat, Aura Sphere, Feint, Extreme Speed, Counter, Detect, Bullet Punch, Copycat...]
[Nature: Very Careful]
Wait, it actually learned Unseen Fist?
Is this even legal, your Unseen Fist Lucario?!
Aiden was utterly dumbfounded.
And right after evolving, how did it already learn Close Combat, the ultimate Fighting-type move?
It was already illegal, and now it feels even more absurd!
But that wasn't all. After the system displayed Lucario's Ability, there was a note—"Growable"…
What does that mean? How can Unseen Fist grow?
Aiden instinctively took a deep breath.
Meanwhile, Lucario lowered its head, carefully observing the changes in its body.
Not only had its physique grown taller, but the explosive power it could unleash far surpassed before. Its mastery over Aura had qualitatively improved.
Even the bottleneck in its training seemed to have broken free…
Such immense power!
Lucario turned to look at Aiden, who was still in shock, and slowly revealed a smile.
"Luca!"
If it's me now, I should be able to bring victory to my Trainer!
"How wonderful! That fiery gaze reminds me of myself when I was young!"
Noticing Lucario's burning eyes, Master Mustard quickly laughed, drawing the attention of Lucario and Aiden.
"However, after evolving, you probably don't have much stamina left, right?"
"In that case, let's decide the outcome with one final punch!"
Without waiting for Aiden's response, Master Mustard quickly issued his command:
"Urshifu, charge forward and use Close Combat!"
"Shifu!"
Facing the suddenly stronger "puppy disciple," Urshifu flicked its thumb at the corner of its mouth and suppressed a smile.
At the same time, its feet quickly moved, taking the first solid step on the ground!
"Lucario, it's time!"
Aiden looked at the freshly evolved Lucario, his lips unconsciously curling into a high grin.
"We'll use Close Combat too!"
"Lucario!"
Facing Urshifu charging like a heavy armored tank, Lucario had no intention of avoiding its momentum. It stepped forward quickly to meet it head-on.
With this punch concentrating all its strength, it would bring victory to its Trainer!
Both sides swung their fists charged with full force, the powerful aura spiraling visibly in the air!
"Fu?!"
Sensing Lucario's sudden surge in intensity, Urshifu, shocked, quickly realized something—
If it held back on this punch, it would definitely lose!
Boom!
When their punches clashed, a deafening roar echoed across the entire Armor Island, causing the surrounding apprentices to instinctively cover their ears.
Even the ground around them began to shake violently under the impact of these two Pokémon's punches!
Under the horrified gazes of everyone, a figure was instantly sent flying toward Master Mustard, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Hiss—"
"Did I see that correctly? That monstrous Urshifu was actually knocked flying by Teacher Azure's Lucario???"
"Oh my goodness, are Teacher Azure's Pokémon all this absurd?"
Gulp—
As the closest audience member, Leon felt a storm of shock rise within him.
As a Champion-level Trainer himself, he could tell that Master Mustard's Urshifu had been holding back, maintaining absolute dominance while only using about half its strength.
After all, this was merely the final trial to learn the Isle of Armor Dojo's martial arts, not a Battle Legend-level assessment.
If Urshifu went all out, there might not be more than a handful of beings in the world who could pass this trial.
However, during that final exchange, Urshifu clearly sensed something amiss, so it subconsciously increased the power of its Close Combat…
From fifty percent to at least seventy percent.
Even so, it still gained no advantage in that exchange, losing outright in the clash of power.
What a terrifying little monster…
Leon couldn't help but regard this Lucario—and its Trainer, Aiden—with newfound respect.
"Urshifu…"
Urshifu painfully rolled over, letting out a groan as it slowly rose to its feet with one hand.
This punch wasn't fatal to it.
But if it had held back any further, whether it would've immediately lost consciousness was uncertain.
Who would've thought that a single evolution could allow that diligent Riolu to fully unlock its potential?
When Urshifu's gaze turned to its opponent, its massive body froze in place.
Even Master Mustard in front of it wore the same shocked expression, his beard-stroking motion paused.
"I never expected something like this to happen…"
From Master Mustard's perspective, Lucario, having unleashed that Close Combat, still stood in its attacking stance.
However, its eyes had lost focus, clearly unable to continue battling.
Which meant…
"Could it be that Lucario, with its unwavering resolve to win, concentrated all its remaining energy into that one punch, unleashing such terrifying power?"
Leon also noticed Lucario's condition and instinctively voiced his thoughts, feeling a wave of awe.
That was Urshifu, one of Master's strongest two Pokémon.
Though Master's physical abilities had inevitably declined with age, Pokémon lifespans far exceeded those of humans.
After Master retired, Urshifu's combat strength had only grown stronger, surpassing even its peak during Master's Championship years.
A Lucario capable of knocking Urshifu back with a single punch was truly astonishing…
"To go against biological instincts and maximize its strength, ruthlessly squeezing out every last bit of stamina, even collapsing immediately after the move—it doesn't matter as long as it wins. How strong must its desire to win be to achieve that…"
Leon muttered instinctively.
"No matter how you think about it, it seems like an impossible feat…"
And yet, such a miraculous scene had just unfolded before his eyes?
"Indeed, once this Lucario's potential was unlocked, it became truly terrifying!"
Master Mustard quickly revealed a satisfied smile, as if he had anticipated Lucario's explosive power.
"Although Lucario was the first to lose consciousness,…"
"If Urshifu hadn't unleashed far more power than it should have for this trial, it would've collapsed too."
"Shifu…"
Urshifu behind Master Mustard reluctantly nodded.
In truth, even though it hadn't lost consciousness, the arm it used to punch was now completely paralyzed, unable to exert even a fraction of its strength.
There was no doubt—this battle was a loss for their side.
"In that case, let me make my judgment!"
Master Mustard cleared his throat and, under Aiden's complex gaze, quickly revealed a radiant smile.
"You… pass!"
"OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The dojo apprentices erupted in applause and cheers, delighted for the first Lucario to break through Master Mustard's final trial.
After witnessing the battle, their hearts were filled with nothing but admiration for Teacher Azure and Lucario.
"…"
Aiden took a deep breath, revealing a smile that looked worse than crying.
Though they had won, why did it feel like his Lucario had cheated in an absurdly overpowered way?
At this rate, wouldn't the Pokémon near the Sunshine Gym end up migrating en masse after being beaten up by it…
How was he supposed to explain this to President Geeta?!
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