"What comes next is the hardest test!"
Seeing the Pokémon pass one after another through the strong-wind zone, the face of the patriarch of the Sky Clan also tightened.
In previous festivals, ninety-nine percent of the Pokémon had fallen in this layer!
There was even one time when, during a Sky Festival, all participating Pokémon fell in this layer.
That alone was enough to show how difficult this stage was.
And this test was known as the chaotic-current zone.
Just as its name indicated, the air currents of this layer were extremely chaotic.
All Pokémon that entered the chaotic-current layer would be swept away by those disorderly currents.
Among the countless chaotic currents, only one led toward an even higher layer of the sky!
For Pokémon, finding the current that led into the depths of the sky amid such chaos was undoubtedly something extremely difficult.
"Come on, Altaria."
Seeing Altaria enter the chaotic layer, Leader Andrea also clenched her small fists nervously.
Under her tense gaze, Altaria rushed into the chaotic layer.
Immediately afterward, countless disorderly currents began pulling at Altaria, making its figure tremble involuntarily.
In the end, Altaria was caught by one of those chaotic currents and fell directly toward one side of the sky.
After flying out a certain distance, the altar of the sky suddenly flashed with light, and Altaria's figure appeared on the altar.
And with Altaria being sent back to the altar by that mysterious force, that indicated that Altaria had been eliminated.
"In the end, it couldn't do it either."
Andrea slowly sighed.
Beside her, the faces of the other clan members also did not look good.
Although before the ceremony began they had made countless efforts, in the end they had still failed.
"It can't be done. This layer is too difficult. There isn't any Pokémon that can pass it."
"Huh? Wait, it's that Vibrava... Heavens, what is going on?"
"That Vibrava isn't being affected by these chaotic currents!"
Suddenly, a wave of exclamations sounded. Then, they saw Vibrava's figure moving through the sky.
The chaotic currents that covered that entire layer of the sky did not affect Vibrava at all!
"Terrifying. It really found the trajectory of that current."
At that moment, even the patriarch of the Sky Clan showed an expression of surprise.
In this Sky Festival, there were many Pokémon on whom he had placed his expectations.
But not even he, with all his experience, had imagined that a Vibrava would also be able to get this far.
"It still isn't over. Quite the opposite, this has only just begun."
Seeing Vibrava's flight height become greater and greater, some people showed solemn expressions.
Just as that person said, at that moment, in the sky, several Pokémon began to successively find the safe trajectory of the current.
But as they continued flying, they also began to be involuntarily affected by the chaotic currents around them, deviating from their trajectory.
At that height, having found the safe trajectory at the beginning was no longer enough. It was also necessary to possess the ability to resist the surrounding chaotic currents!
Faced with this situation, some Pokémon had already begun activating their own moves, relying on their moves to resist those chaotic currents head-on.
Like Marcus's Salamence. At that moment, it had already used the Storm Dragon technique. Under the gale surrounding it, it forcibly resisted the chaotic currents around it, merging completely with the safe trajectory of that current and forcefully rushing out of the chaotic-current zone.
"It did it! Salamence left the chaotic-current zone!"
Seeing this scene, Marcus clenched his fist in excitement.
In previous editions, merely being able to leave the chaotic-current layer already meant that victory was in sight.
"In one go, keep climbing!"
Since it had already used the Storm Dragon, Salamence had no intention of holding anything back.
At that moment, its Trainer's words echoed in Salamence's mind.
After leaving the chaotic-current layer, it would enter the crossing-current layer.
This layer could be considered the last layer beneath the white clouds.
At the same time, it was also the most dangerous layer. Until now, no Pokémon had managed to pass through it!
Because, once there, the air currents crossed each other, and there was no longer any absolutely safe trajectory. Under those circumstances, there was simply no Pokémon capable of facing those crossing currents!
Therefore, after entering that layer, what it had to do was climb with all its strength. That would be its final mark.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Little by little, as time passed, Salamence began to feel more and more powerless.
In the end, it lost control of its own body, and its figure was swept away directly by the chaotic currents.
Once again, the altar of the sky flashed with light, and a Salamence covered in wounds appeared on the altar.
"Good work, Salamence."
Marcus's face showed a smile. The height reached by Salamence was already a very good height.
In previous festivals, there were also very few Pokémon that had reached such a height.
If nothing unexpected happened, the final winner of this Sky Festival would be his Salamence.
"Heavens, that Vibrava did it too!"
Just as Marcus was somewhat lost in thought, he suddenly heard an exclamation beside his ear.
He immediately raised his head toward the sky, and in that instant, he saw Vibrava's figure wrapped in an air current, also coming out of the chaotic-current layer.
"Current control?"
"That Vibrava's mastery over air currents is so strong!"
The patriarch of the Sky Clan was also surprised at that moment.
He had seen many methods to pass through the chaotic-current layer, but doing it so lightly and naturally by relying on mastery over air currents... Vibrava was the first.
"This ability... is it the same as that technique?"
Marcus narrowed his eyes at that moment. He once again recalled the scene in which Vibrava had lifted the ground, dragging sand and dust all over the sky until turning them into a sand dragon.
"Ah, it did it."
"Ryū: Gosho chimaki!"
Ethan also smiled.
Ryū: Gosho chimaki could be considered the improved version of Ryū: Odoshi.
The Golden Lion had once used this technique, using the ability of the Float-Float Fruit to control a snowstorm and turn it into a blizzard shaped like a lion's head that buried his opponents.
And at that moment, Vibrava was using a similar ability. Through its Levitate ability, it controlled the air currents, making them form a mantle of wind around its body, and thanks to that, it directly left the chaotic-current layer.
"What comes next is the crossing-current layer."
After Vibrava entered the crossing-current layer, Ethan also became nervous.
Regarding the other layers of the sky, Ethan did not have the slightest worry. Only the crossing-current layer felt uncertain to him.
After all, several currents intertwined with one another there. Wanting to pass through by using tricks would not work. One had to break through by force depending on one's own ability!
(End of chapter)