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The League Trainers watching around the battlefield were far from mediocre. Just from the aura displayed by the Pokémon, they could already sense that there was still a certain gap in level between Kecleon and Golurk.
Yet this battle made them deeply realize the importance of tactics. Under Sato's outstanding command, Kecleon defeated Golurk in what was almost a playful, teasing manner. If it had been a straightforward head-on clash, Golurk would have had the greater chance of victory.
When it came purely to command ability, not a single person present dared to claim they were superior to Sato. For a moment, when the crowd looked at him again, their eyes were filled with deep respect—mixed with a hint of apprehension.
Hughes, meanwhile, stared intently at Sato. He was now almost certain that Sato was a Psychic. Otherwise, he couldn't explain how Sato had managed to guide Kecleon to respond so perfectly without making a sound.
"Ah… truly brilliant command. I've lost this match. Congratulations, Tyler—you've passed."
Seeing Golurk defeated, and then noticing Kecleon had somehow already returned to the power lines above, Gubo let out a long sigh. He clasped his hands respectfully toward Sato and admitted defeat sincerely.
There was no room for dissatisfaction. Gubo was no fool. Thinking back on the battle, he immediately realized that from beginning to end, he had been completely led by the nose by Sato. By the time he realized it, Golurk had already lost.
At the same time, he felt fortunate to have recruited a Trainer with such excellent command ability. In his eyes, Sato's presence would greatly enhance the safety of the ruins exploration team.
After all, although the team had a powerful Elite-Four level Trainer, most members were ordinary people. No matter how strong one person was, it was impossible to protect everyone.
Thus, a Trainer like Sato was exactly the kind of protective force the team desperately needed. Without a sufficiently strong group of Trainers, their exploration work would be extremely difficult.
"Thank you for going easy on me."
Sato smiled gently, nodded, and then left the battlefield with Kecleon, allowing the final candidate to step forward and face Gubo.
Soon, the last test ended, and this stage of the assessment was officially concluded.
Since Gubo had not held back, only half of the participants passed. The four who succeeded were Sato, Hughes, Lucy, and Kuroki Ryo.
Lucy was the green-haired woman who had been chatting pleasantly with Hughes earlier in the museum hall. She was from Kalos—a graceful and gentle beauty with an intellectual air.
However, from the way she had conversed with Hughes—calm, confident, and even slightly dominant—Sato could tell her background was no less prestigious than his, perhaps even more so.
As for Kuroki Ryo, he was a Kanto Trainer with heavy dark circles under his eyes. Despite that, his aura was extremely powerful. He was also the only one who had managed to suppress Gubo in a direct battle.
After the assessment, Gubo handed each of them a prepared letter of recommendation and informed them that they must report within one week to the ruins exploration base located in the great desert along Route 111.
Kuroki Ryo clearly belonged to the lone-wolf type. Cold and aloof, he left without a word after receiving his letter.
Sato had originally planned to leave as well after taking his letter. But just as he stepped out of the museum, he was stopped by Hughes and Lucy.
"Is there something you need?"
Out of consideration that they would soon be teammates, Sato stopped and patiently asked.
"Mr. Tyler, are you planning to travel alone? Route 111 is long and difficult, and I've heard there are many criminals along the way. Why not travel together with us? It would be safer—and we could also build some teamwork in advance."
Lucy immediately stepped forward, offering Sato a sweet smile as she made her suggestion.
"That's right. If you don't mind, Mr. Tyler, you can join us. I have a car. As long as nothing unexpected happens, we can reach the destination within a day."
After Lucy finished, Hughes also stepped forward to invite Sato. This previously aloof nobleman finally showed a smile.
In truth, Hughes didn't bear any deep grudge against Tyler. He had only been displeased because of his earlier careless defeat at the battle arena. But now, having witnessed Sato's strength again—and suspecting he was a Psychic—he realized his earlier attitude had been foolish.
Thus, he took this opportunity to extend an invitation, hoping to build a connection.
"I'm sorry, but before coming here, I accepted a mission at the Pokémon Center. I need to complete it along the way. Traveling together might delay both of you, so I won't trouble you."
Sato replied apologetically, honestly explaining his situation.
In truth, he had no desire to travel with them—especially after hearing Hughes mention going by car.
To Sato, a journey should be walked step by step. Only then could one encounter truly meaningful people and experiences. Traveling comfortably by car might be easier, but it would certainly mean missing many interesting things.
"That's not a problem at all. We have plenty of time, and we're not in a rush. If needed, we can even help you complete your mission. Right, Mr. Hughes?"
It was clear Lucy was eager for Sato to join them. She answered immediately before Hughes could even respond.
"…That's fine. Going too early won't make much difference anyway. Mr. Gubo mentioned that the exploration team needs at least twenty Trainers. Including us, only thirteen have been recruited so far."
Though Hughes disliked others making decisions for him, he chose to endure it, considering Lucy's background, and nodded in agreement.
Seeing how enthusiastic they were, Sato understood that continuing to refuse would offend two clearly influential individuals.
"Since that's the case, I'll gladly accept your invitation."
With the mindset that having more friends meant more opportunities, he finally agreed.