The observation room was silent except for the low hum of machinery and the occasional murmur of translated commentary feeding into the headsets of the foreign representatives. A massive curved screen dominated the far wall, segmented into dozens of live feeds, each one showing a different island, a different group of examinees, a different struggle unfolding in real time.
Aakash stood at the center of the room, hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed but attention razor-sharp. He wasn't watching randomly. His gaze moved with intent, shifting from screen to screen, cross-referencing names, levels, behaviors. On one side of his vision were the Indian students he had personally shortlisted. On the other were the foreign entrants—quietly assessed, carefully measured.
"This one," Aakash said, gesturing slightly.
The main screen zoomed in.
A coastal clearing came into focus, white sand broken by jagged black rock and shallow tide pools glinting under the sun. Two battles were unfolding simultaneously, close enough to affect each other but far enough apart to remain independent.
Apoorv stood at the center of it.
The boy's stance had changed since the camps. Gone was the nervous shifting, the half-second delays. His feet were planted firmly, knees bent, weight balanced, eyes sharp and calculating.
In front of him stood Prinplup.
The evolution was unmistakable.
Gone was the round, playful clumsiness of Piplup. Prinplup's body was sleeker, heavier, its steel-hard flippers held slightly apart as if always ready to strike or guard. Water dripped steadily from its crest, not from nervousness but from controlled circulation of energy.
Across from Prinplup loomed Azumarill, a solid, muscular Water/Fairy type with a blue scarf tied firmly around its neck. It bounced lightly on its feet, deceptively playful, but its eyes were sharp, experienced.
A few meters to the right, Totodile was locked in combat with a green-scarfed Marill, the smaller Pokémon darting around with surprising agility while Totodile snapped and lunged, jaws clacking with predatory enthusiasm.
"Two battles at once," one of the Canadian representatives murmured. "Risky."
Aakash didn't respond.
On the island, the fight began in earnest.
"Prinplup—Bubble Beam, wide arc!"
Prinplup slammed its flippers into the ground, water surging forward in a fan-shaped blast of compressed bubbles. The attack wasn't meant to overwhelm; it was meant to control space.
Azumarill reacted instantly, leaping sideways with a powerful kick, bubbles exploding harmlessly against its thick hide. It landed and countered immediately.
"Azumarill—Play Rough!"
The fairy-type energy surged around Azumarill as it launched itself forward, body glowing faintly pink as it spun mid-air, aiming to crash directly into Prinplup's torso.
"Block, then counter—Metal Claw!"
Prinplup crossed its flippers just in time, steel meeting fairy energy with a shockwave that sent sand spraying outward. The impact forced Prinplup back a step, claws scraping deep lines into Azumarill's side as the counter connected.
Azumarill grunted, skidding backward but staying upright.
On the other side, Totodile lunged again, jaws snapping shut just inches from Marill's tail. Marill twisted at the last second, rolling across the sand and retaliating with Water Gun, the jet slamming into Totodile's chest and pushing it back.
"Totodile, don't chase—corner it!" Apoorv shouted without even turning his head.
Totodile adjusted instantly, circling instead of charging, cutting off Marill's escape routes with aggressive footwork that showed far more discipline than expected.
Back at the main clash, Azumarill stomped the ground hard.
"Azumarill—Aqua Tail!"
Water spiraled around its tail, thickening into a dense, whipping mass as it swung in a brutal horizontal arc.
"Prinplup—dodge left, then Drill Peck!"
Prinplup slid across wet sand, the Aqua Tail tearing through empty air where its head had been a heartbeat earlier. Without pausing, Prinplup launched forward, beak glowing as it slammed into Azumarill's shoulder, driving the heavier Pokémon back toward the rocks.
The representatives leaned forward slightly now.
"This trainer," the South African delegate noted, "he's coordinating two battles without panic."
Aakash allowed himself a faint smile.
Azumarill shook itself, eyes narrowing, then charged again—this time feinting high before dropping low and tackling Prinplup straight at the legs. Prinplup stumbled, hitting one knee, and for a brief moment the balance of the fight wavered.
"Now!" Apoorv shouted. "Smokescreen!"
Prinplup expelled a dense cloud of dark smoke mixed with vaporized water, the mist instantly obscuring the battlefield. Visibility dropped to near zero.
Azumarill hesitated—just for a second.
That was enough.
"Bubble Beam—focused!"
From inside the smoke, a compressed stream of bubbles shot out point-blank, slamming into Azumarill's chest and lifting it off its feet. The force sent it crashing into the rocks with a heavy thud, the blue scarf fluttering loose as it slid down and collapsed, unconscious.
The screen briefly flashed: Blue Scarf – Defeated (+1 point).
At the same moment, Totodile finished its fight.
Marill attempted one last evasive roll, but Totodile surged forward with Bite, clamping down gently but decisively on Marill's arm and pinning it long enough for the refereeing system to register the loss. Totodile released immediately, stepping back with a proud growl as Marill slumped, exhausted but unharmed.
Green Scarf – Defeated (+2 points).
The clearing fell quiet.
Prinplup stood tall, chest heaving but posture unbroken, while Totodile let out a sharp, triumphant cry. Apoorv exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as the tension finally left him, and gave both Pokémon a quick nod of approval before recalling them to rest.
In the observation room, the silence broke.
"That was… controlled," the Australian representative said carefully. "No unnecessary force. No panic."
"And excellent target prioritization," added the Russian delegate. "He neutralized the higher mobility threat first."
Aakash finally spoke.
"This," he said evenly, "is what we're looking for. Not just strength, but judgment under pressure."
On the screen, Apoorv was already scanning his surroundings again, preparing for the next encounter.
And across the islands, dozens of other battles raged on—each one quietly deciding who was ready to move forward… and who wasn't.
I chuckled lightly and glanced around the room before turning back to the screens.
"You didn't think I was giving you a freebie with that bet, right?" I said, half-smiling. "Let's see what your people are doing."
That got a few reactions.
Some smiles.
Some narrowed eyes.
One representative leaned back a little too confidently.
With a small gesture, I switched the main display. The Indian feeds minimized, replaced by highlighted windows from other islands—foreign entrants flagged by the system.
The room grew quieter.
First up was USA.
A rocky stretch near the island's interior came into focus, where a tall, broad-shouldered boy stood with his jacket tied around his waist, posture relaxed but alert. Beside him prowled a Luxio, muscles coiled, blue fur bristling with contained electricity.
"Dirk Smith," the American representative said. "One of our best from the western camps."
On screen, a green-scarfed Graveler burst from behind a boulder, rocks spinning as it launched Rock Throw. Dirk didn't shout. He just tilted his head slightly.
"Luxio—Spark, then close."
Electricity flared, bolts snapping across the battlefield, stunning the Graveler just long enough for Luxio to dash in and slam it with a charged tackle. The Graveler crashed, rolled, and went still.
Clean. Efficient.
I nodded once. "Good timing. He doesn't overcommit."
Next feed.
Russia.
A snow-dusted section of the island—artificially cooled for certain zones—showed a quiet boy with pale hair and steady eyes. At his sides were Teddiursa and Alolan Sandshrew, the latter curled protectively until the moment battle began.
A blue-scarfed Sneasel lunged from the trees.
"Mikhael," the Russian delegate said. "He prefers synergy."
Teddiursa charged first, drawing attention, absorbing a slash that would've staggered a weaker Pokémon. At the same time, Sandshrew burst from the ground with Metal Claw, ice-coated steel striking cleanly.
The Sneasel was pinned, overwhelmed from two angles, and knocked out within seconds.
"No wasted movement," someone murmured.
"Discipline," I said quietly. "That kind carries far."
The screen shifted again.
China.
A forest clearing, shadows everywhere.
A girl stood calmly at the center, expression unreadable. Pawniard stood rigid at her side like a blade given form, while Purrloin lounged on a branch overhead, tail flicking lazily.
"Lin Yi," the Chinese representative said. "She specializes in control."
A green-scarfed Breloom charged in aggressively.
"Purrloin—Fake Out."
The sudden slap disrupted Breloom's momentum just long enough for Pawniard to step forward, blades flashing with Metal Sound, followed immediately by a precise Slash to the legs.
Breloom collapsed, unable to even mount a proper counter.
I leaned forward slightly. "She understands tempo. Dangerous opponent."
Canada came next.
An open meadow, deceptively peaceful.
A stocky boy laughed as his Snubbull barked furiously at a blue-scarfed Loudred. The fight looked chaotic at first—Snubbull charging recklessly, Loudred blasting soundwaves everywhere.
"Alex," the Canadian representative said. "He looks messy, but—"
"Watch his positioning," I interrupted.
Snubbull took hit after hit, Fairy-type resilience carrying it through, until Loudred overextended with Hyper Voice. Alex shouted then—once.
"Now!"
Snubbull slammed into Loudred with Play Rough, knocking it flat in a single decisive hit.
"High tolerance, high payoff," I said. "Risky, but effective."
Finally—
Australia.
The moment the feed appeared, I straightened.
A familiar silhouette stood in a jungle clearing, wings half-spread, blades glinting.
"Scyther?" I said, genuinely surprised.
The Australian representative smiled. "Tim. Rural background. No formal camps."
On screen, Tim rolled his shoulders as his Scyther sliced through a pair of blue-scarfed Pokémon with terrifying speed. Quick Attack blurred into Fury Cutter, each strike faster and sharper than the last.
The fight wasn't flashy.
It was lethal.
Even restrained, even regulated.
I exhaled slowly.
"That one," I said, eyes narrowing, "is going to be a problem for someone."
The South African feed came up last.
A rocky plateau under harsh sun.
A tall girl stood firm, sweat streaking down her face, her stance grounded. At her side crackled a Elekid, electricity snapping wildly with barely contained enthusiasm.
"Nia," the South African representative said. "Urban-raised. Fast learner."
A green-scarfed Hariyama advanced, heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
"Elekid—don't retreat," Nia commanded. "Circle."
Elekid darted, electricity flaring as it peppered Hariyama with Thunder Shock, never staying still long enough to be grabbed. When Hariyama finally slowed, Elekid surged forward with Low Kick, striking perfectly at the knees.
Hariyama collapsed with a grunt.
The room was silent again.
I folded my arms, looking at the representatives.
"Good," I said honestly. "Very good."
Then, with a slight smile that carried no humor—
"But remember," I added, "these are just the first battles."
On the screens, the islands stretched endlessly, full of unseen threats, stronger Pokémon, and other students still moving, still adapting.
"The real difference," I continued, "isn't who wins early."
I tapped the console lightly.
"It's who's still standing when the islands stop being generous."
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