The move Horn Drill was infamous for its terrifying power. It was said that if it landed cleanly from the front, the opponent would be pushed straight to the brink of death. Of course, that was an exaggeration—but it still spoke volumes about just how lethal the attack truly was.
That said, the move also carried a massive flaw: its activation speed was painfully slow. In most cases, as long as an opponent could see it coming, dodging was easy—unless they were standing still and letting themselves get hit.
After using Dig, Rhyhorn hadn't strayed far from the tunnel entrance. As a result, the shockwaves produced by Hitmonlee's Mega Kick slamming into the ground had also inflicted considerable damage on it.
This was Kael's first time working with this particular Rhyhorn. There was virtually no coordination between Trainer and Pokémon—yet the fact that they managed to fight to a degree that shocked the examiner was due, in part, to sheer luck.
But more than anything else, it was because Kael dared to gamble.
He could roughly guess the examiner's mindset: on the surface, Rhyhorn was no match for Hitmonlee. As the saying went, those who only defend will eventually fall. The longer the battle dragged on under Hitmonlee's relentless kicks, the worse Rhyhorn's odds became.
...
The second match of the assessment required the Trainer to use their own Pokémon. An Elite Trainer needed more than sharp command skills and quick thinking—they also needed Pokémon powerful enough to match.
Kael sent out his evolved Weavile without hesitation.
His opponent responded with the final evolution of the Grass-type starter trio—Venusaur.
The outcome was beyond doubt.
Against Weavile's terrifying burst offense, Venusaur lacked any effective countermeasures. After taking two Ice Punches head-on, it lost the ability to continue fighting.
Two battles, two victories.
Kael successfully passed the Trainer Vocational Assessment.
"Actually, that Rhyhorn knew Earthquake…"
After the match, the examiner spoke with some lingering emotion.
"The reason I had Hitmonlee use a combo with such glaring weaknesses was because I was worried you'd command Rhyhorn to use Earthquake underground."
If that had happened, the result would likely have been mutual destruction. When Earthquake was used inside a tunnel, not only would Hitmonlee suffer severe damage, but Rhyhorn itself wouldn't escape unscathed either.
A double knockout—with the challenger declared the winner.
That was the rule of Elite Trainer assessments.
"I just didn't expect you to gamble so boldly—and to produce a result that surprised even me. There was some luck involved, but I have to admit your command timing was exceptional. You're outstanding. You're qualified to be called an Elite Trainer."
...
Leaving the Vocational Assessment Center, Kael recalled the examiner's words.
To be honest, he hadn't expected that Rhyhorn to know Earthquake either. That alone revealed the quality of the Pokémon provided by the center—high level, and backed by the League's abundant supply of Technical Machines. After all, Earthquake was a power-100 move, and not something Rhyhorn learned easily.
He turned the exquisitely crafted Vocational Card in his hand.
This rigid card was proof of his Elite Trainer status. On the back was a red Poké Ball emblazoned with white wings; on the front were Kael's photo and basic identification details.
And this card was far more than just a badge.
Once officially recognized as an Elite Trainer by the League, one gained access to extraordinary benefits:
All Pokémon Center services completely free
Free flights and ship tickets from League-controlled airlines and shipping companies
20,000 Pokédollars deposited monthly as a so-called "living allowance"
But what interested Kael most was access to the League's Elite Forum.
The Elite Forum was a strictly regulated online space, accessible only to certified Elite Trainers. Elite Trainers across the entire Kanto region could freely exchange training insights and field experiences there. From time to time, even members of the Elite Four hosted online lectures—and renowned researchers and Professors occasionally gave talks as well.
"All right—your Bounty Hunter rank has been upgraded to Silver. From now on, you may accept A-rank missions."
Nurse Joy smiled as she handed Kael what appeared to be a silver necklace.
Kael took it. It obviously wasn't real silver—just silver-plated. Hanging from it was an oval-shaped metallic tag.
Engraved on it were Kael's name and his Bounty Hunter serial number.
This was the so-called dog tag.
He casually slipped it into his pocket, then returned the copper dog tag he'd worn for years to Nurse Joy.
The tag itself was merely symbolic—his true records had long since been digitized on the Bounty Hunter network.
With that, Kael's purpose for coming to Vermilion City was complete.
He sprawled comfortably across a sofa in the Pokémon Center lobby and stretched lazily.
"Let's see what worthwhile jobs are available…"
He pulled out his handheld device, synced it with the Pokémon Center's main system, and began browsing local missions.
Bounty Mission 1:
The S.S. Anne luxury liner is recruiting five Bounty Hunters as escort guards.
Requirements: Elite Trainer certification
Pay: 25,000 credits per day
Kael remembered the girl who'd given him the ticket mentioning that the S.S. Anne would be at sea for a full week, with its final destination being Kanto's most famous resort city—Maiden's Peak.
An A-rank escort mission.
If nothing happened over seven days, that was 175,000 Pokédollars for free—plus a complimentary luxury cruise.
"Not bad."
Kael accepted the mission immediately. With the Elite Trainer title, earning money was on an entirely different level than before.
Bounty Mission 2:
A high-quality Evolution Stone mine near the Eevee family settlement in Stone Town appears to have been occupied by an unknown powerful Pokémon.
Reward: 500,000 Pokédollars plus a full set of high-grade Evolution Stones…
Kael didn't hesitate—he accepted this one too.
A full high-quality set included Fire, Grass, Water, and Thunder Stones. Even ordinary-grade stones sold for no less than 50,000 Pokédollars each.
All told, the total reward for this mission easily exceeded one million Pokédollars.