104. Feel The Pain!

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News of Roy's encounter with the recommended student team during the first practical assessment spread quickly throughout the campus.

The chief recommender was traditionally considered the strongest among all recommended students.

In reality, however, previous chief recommended students had shown only limited advantages compared to their peers.

Throughout the four years of university, students who managed to maintain their top position were rare figures in the school's history. Most were typically upset several times during their academic career.

In any field, being at the top meant becoming everyone's primary target.

That's why Roy's arrogant behavior—intending to battle three opponents simultaneously—was unprecedented.

If the seniors hadn't been taking their own exams, many more would have come to witness this battle.

After a while, two new faces entered the Stadium.

Elon and Brian...

A captain of the school team and a former member of the school team—both well-known figures who were instantly recognized by others.

The two met at the entrance of the stadium, having arrived separately rather than by appointment. Elon asked in surprise, "Why are you here? Don't you have exams?"

In the senior year of the Pokémon program, there were no final exams...

Instead, the 'professional-level assessment' served as the ultimate examination question left by the school for its students.

Those who could pass the professional-level assessment within five years after graduation were considered exceptional talents.

As a senior student with free time, Elon had come to observe the battle.

But Brian was only a junior...

"I'll take whatever test is necessary, as long as my score maintains my recommended student qualification," Brian shrugged and said with a smile. "I don't insist on the chief position—it's too troublesome when everyone targets you."

"Compared to taking the exam, I'd rather see his growth over the past two months with my own eyes."

Brian stared intently at Roy, who had already stepped onto the contestant's platform.

Seeing this, Elon smiled helplessly.

Being defeated by someone perceived as weaker was the hardest thing for a Trainer to accept...

Because it wasn't just the Pokémon that lost—it was the Trainer who failed and consequently dragged their Pokémon down.

For the past two months, Brian had watched other school team members preparing enthusiastically for competition while he himself had been demoted to a reserve, doing menial tasks. The situation had become increasingly uncomfortable for him.

When he heard that Roy was attempting a 1v3 practical assessment with a risk of failure, Brian felt compelled to witness it firsthand.

Did he want to see Roy lose, or...?

"Please choose your battle Pokémon!" the referee's voice suddenly announced.

In the Stadium, four Trainers simultaneously took out their Poké Balls and summoned their Pokémon.

Chloe released her Primeape.

Jordan's Scyther, now evolved into Scizor.

The bespectacled girl sent out her Wartortle.

These three Pokémon had all battled before—they were each Trainer's primary Pokémon and their strongest combatants.

But then came Roy's choice...

"Elekid?" Chloe asked in astonishment.

"What's this about? Not Lucario?" The girl with glasses frowned.

"Damn it, he's underestimating us," Jordan laughed bitterly.

They had spent all night planning strategies against Lucario to defeat Roy.

Who would have thought that Roy would choose not his strongest Pokémon, Lucario, but Elekid—the same one who had been subdued two months ago?

This Elekid had fought against Chloe's Primeape two months earlier.

Although he had won, it seemed like a fluke, and the strength he displayed appeared weaker than Primeape's.

His vitality and willpower were impressive, but that was all.

In everyone's eyes, an Elekid with no electrical talent couldn't go far.

...Perhaps Roy had selected the wrong Poké Ball?

Everyone desperately sought a reasonable explanation for Roy's choice.

But Roy maintained his smile, and since he didn't make any objection, the referee gave the command.

"Begin!"

The moment the battle started, Chloe, Jordan, and the bespectacled girl immediately entered battle mode regardless of their confusion—this was a basic quality of any Trainer.

Chloe's Primeape was the first to charge.

"Swagger!"

Primeape let out a burst of distracting, provocative growls.

Swagger was designed to enrage opponents and cause confusion.

In team battles, Pokémon serving as "tank frontliners" often favored taunting moves.

While emitting strange cries, Primeape didn't remain stationary but launched a 'Cross Chop' attack at Elekid.

The taunted Elekid displayed rage on his face, suddenly focusing only on Primeape. He countered with 'Brick Break,' slashing forward with a knife-hand strike.

BOOM!

Brick Break and Cross Chop briefly collided before Cross Chop was overpowered.

Primeape was sent flying backward, his face filled with astonishment.

As Elekid prepared to press his advantage, a powerful stream of water struck from the side.

Still affected by the taunt and not thinking clearly, Elekid took Wartortle's Water Gun head-on. After stepping back twice, he extended his hand to deflect the water column, emerging seemingly unharmed.

At the same time, a breeze blew from the direction of Primeape and Wartortle.

Roy observed closely and noticed Scizor at the rear of their formation, flapping its wings to generate a tailwind.

"Tailwind—"

This was a team-boosting move.

It harnessed natural wind to assist allies, increasing movement speed for the entire team.

After adding this team buff, Scizor's body surged with energy again, its figure becoming less distinct as it split into several afterimages.

Double Team.

Followed by Agility.

When Scyther evolves into Scizor, its speed decreases significantly due to the additional steel armor covering its body, while its offensive and defensive capabilities greatly improve.

This seemingly equivalent exchange wouldn't constitute progress if it were truly balanced—it wouldn't qualify as 'evolution.'

In reality, at the moment of evolution, Scizor typically masters numerous "speed-boosting" techniques. Given sufficient time to stack these buffs, it becomes the genuine "triple-speed red horn"—both fast and fierce.

"I see..." Roy understood internally. "Primeape attracts attention and buys time. Wartortle provides remote support to prevent the frontline from collapsing. Scizor uses the time purchased by its teammates to enhance its own capabilities."

"Afterward, they'll use the powered-up Scizor as their offensive core."

This tactical approach effectively leveraged their three-against-one numerical advantage.

Meanwhile, Chloe, Jordan, and the bespectacled girl all watched in shock from the sidelines.

Elekid had defeated Primeape with a single move and emerged unscathed after taking Wartortle's Water Gun... Was this truly the same Elekid who, two months ago, had shown no talent beyond tenacious vitality?

While the Trainers processed their astonishment, the fierce battle on the field intensified.

Primeape continued to engage, attempting to prove himself with his proud fighting techniques.

Having learned from his previous defeat in the power collision, Primeape now incorporated more technique into his attacks, trying to overcome strength with finesse.

But Elekid had spent two months in Promise Gym. Though he might not understand martial arts theory, he had battled countless Pokémon with fighting skills and accumulated rich experience. After dodging for several rounds, he identified Primeape's weakness and delivered a vicious Low Kick to Primeape's stomach.

Primeape flew backward with a scream, and another Water Gun attack immediately followed.

This time, the alert Elekid didn't foolishly absorb the damage but sidestepped the Water Gun. Instantly, a chill emanated from his fist.

Ice Punch.

The water column froze into ice, and Elekid broke the ice block with both hands, fashioning it into an ice blade that he hurled toward the distant Wartortle.

The tremendous power converted into speed, and the ice blade broke the sound barrier.

Wartortle had no time to react before being struck by the ice blade.

"Crap!!!"

Seeing both Primeape and Wartortle faltering, Scizor finally completed stacking its buffs.

"Brick Break!" Jordan shouted.

Scizor moved, accompanied by several Double Team illusions.

Multiple red blurs converged on Elekid with astonishing speed.

After extensive sparring with Lucario, Elekid had long since adapted to high-speed opponents.

Moreover, compared to Lucario, this buff-enhanced Scizor was...

"Kid," Elekid smiled confidently without saying more.

Facing attacks from all directions, Elekid responded with his own 'Brick Break'.

One by one, the shadows dissipated until he connected with the real body.

The two Pokémon began to grapple. Initially, they seemed evenly matched, but after a few seconds, panic appeared in Scizor's eyes.

Because Elekid's fist had erupted into flame.

As a Bug/Steel-type, Scizor had a quadruple weakness to Fire...

Elekid suddenly released his wrestling grip and, at the cost of taking Scizor's 'Brick Break', brought his flaming fist crashing down.

Fire Punch.

This punch wasn't just super-effective due to type advantage—it carried tremendous power, smashing Scizor into the ground and creating an impact crater.

Scizor lay stunned as Elekid's fists continued to blaze.

The flame energy kept accumulating, growing several times more intense than before.

"Stop him!"

"Mach Punch!!"

Chloe and the bespectacled girl shouted simultaneously.

Wartortle launched Water Gun while Primeape used Mach Punch.

They weren't aiming to harm Elekid but merely to interrupt his finishing move and save Scizor.

Elekid could have dodged, but their goal would still be accomplished.

Why not take the hits?

Even better.

When Pokémon use moves, they require concentration. Pain typically interrupts that focus.

"Finish it," Roy delivered the crucial command.

Mach Punch and Water Gun struck Elekid simultaneously, inflicting damage.

A burst of pain radiated from the impact sites, but Elekid wasn't angered—he almost wanted to laugh.

That's it?

This pain, compared to the thunder and lightning armor training he'd endured, was pathetically weak.

The pain he had withstood far exceeded anything they could deliver.

Feel pain! Consider pain! Accept pain! Understand pain!

Elekid unleashed his charged Fire Punch upon Scizor.

In the form of a rapid chain of blows!

Elekid delivered dozens of punches within a second. The flames engulfed Scizor as waves of heat rolled upward, turning the surrounding air fiery red.

An impressive Fire Punch executed with the devastating pattern of Fire Spin.

Scizor was knocked out cold.

With their tactical core fallen, Primeape and Wartortle stood no chance against Elekid.

"The outcome is decided," Elon concluded.

"What powerful flames..." Brian said with intensity.

"And it's not even its natural type. Elekid's Ice Punch is far less powerful than its Fire Punch. Its overall quality has reached B+ level," Elon's glasses flashed as he analyzed methodically, resembling a certain elementary school detective.

"Even more impressive is Elekid's pain tolerance."

"Taking two consecutive attacks but still maintaining the willpower to execute his move."

Just as those words were spoken, 

Primeape was defeated by a Brick Break and collapsed into near-unconsciousness.

The lone Wartortle stared at the approaching Elekid as if facing a ghost, its body trembling.

"I forfeit! I forfeit!"

The bespectacled girl quickly recalled Wartortle with its Poké Ball.

"We concede."

No one accused her of cowardice—the situation on the field was crystal clear. Hers was a wise decision to protect her Pokémon.

The referee nodded and declared Roy and Elekid the winners.

Jordan and Chloe stood bewildered, questioning reality itself.

They had been completely swept away...

But that wasn't the main issue.

The point was... why had they been defeated by Elekid?

If Roy's ace Pokémon, his powerful Lucario, had swept them aside, they could have accepted it.

But how had this Elekid—widely recognized as "electrically deficient" and "without potential"—become so formidable in just two months?

This defied all logic.