Just as we were beginning to relax, the sound of approaching footsteps reached us from beyond the fallen trees, quiet but steady in a way that immediately put both of us on edge.
Our reactions were instinctive.
Mightyena, despite its injuries, forced itself upright with visible strain, its body trembling slightly as it bared its fangs toward the source of the sound, while Meowth lowered its stance with narrowed eyes and a slow, controlled flick of its tail, and Charmeleon stepped forward beside me, the flame at the end of its tail rising higher as fatigue gave way to alertness.
We were in no condition for another fight, but that did not mean we would hesitate if it came to that.
The figures revealed themselves a moment later.
Six of them, moving with calm coordination rather than hostility, their uniforms clearly marked with the insignia of the Pokémon Department, each accompanied by their own Pokémon, two walking alongside Growlithe whose posture remained alert yet disciplined, another positioned beside a Staryu with its core glowing faintly as if ready to act at a moment's notice, and one more carrying a Pidgey perched lightly on their shoulder, scanning the surroundings from above.
"Relax," one of them said as they stepped fully into the clearing, their tone measured rather than commanding, "students, we're from the security department."
The tension did not vanish instantly, but it eased enough for us to reassess.
They did not wait for a response and instead moved past us with practiced efficiency, their attention directed entirely toward Rhydon, whose massive form still lay where it had fallen, its breathing slow and heavy but stable, the earlier signs of instability having completely disappeared, leaving behind only exhaustion.
One of them stepped forward and activated a blue pokeball, and with a brief flash of light, Rhydon was withdrawn without resistance, as if even it no longer had the strength to oppose.
Only after securing it did they turn back toward us.
The woman leading them regarded us for a moment, her gaze steady and assessing in a way that suggested she had already understood most of what had transpired.
"For that Rhydon," she said, her voice calm but precise, "its strength exceeded standard Orange-tier parameters due to its enraged state, although it did not reach Red-tier classification, and as such, you will each be awarded six points."
My watch vibrated almost immediately as the notification appeared.
+6 Points.
I glanced toward Arpit and saw the same confirmation reflected on his end, the increase larger than expected but entirely warranted given the circumstances.
Her attention shifted briefly toward our Pokémon, taking in their condition with a single measured look before she continued, "you should treat them using your own potions, because if we are required to step in and provide healing, you will be disqualified."
The statement was delivered without threat, yet it carried enough weight to make the rule unmistakably clear.
After a brief pause, her expression softened just slightly.
"Keep working hard."
With that, they turned without further explanation, their movements as controlled in departure as they had been in arrival, and within moments they disappeared beyond the broken treeline, their presence fading until only the aftermath of the battle remained.
The clearing settled into silence once more, this time without interruption.
I let out a slow breath as I reached for my bag, already pulling out potions.
"We shouldn't stay here long," I said, keeping my voice steady as I began treating Charmeleon. "We recover quickly and move."
Arpit nodded without hesitation, already kneeling beside Mightyena and beginning the same process.
The exam was still ongoing, and after what we had just faced, neither of us could afford to lose momentum.
Inside the observation room, the atmosphere had shifted completely.
What had begun as controlled supervision had turned into restrained chaos, not in action but in reaction, as the foreign delegates who had been observing the examination could no longer maintain their composure after witnessing multiple instances of abnormal Pokémon behavior across different zones.
Several of them were already on their feet, voices overlapping as they demanded explanations, their earlier confidence replaced with sharp concern and barely concealed anger.
"This is unacceptable—what exactly is happening on these islands?"
"We were assured controlled conditions."
"Our students were placed in direct danger."
The questions came rapidly, layered with accusation rather than curiosity.
Across the screens, similar scenes continued to unfold, as enraged Pokémon had appeared in multiple sectors, disrupting the intended flow of the examination, and while every situation had ultimately been contained without loss of life, the fact remained that these were not ordinary participants.
These were carefully selected talents.
Geniuses.
Individuals who represented the future strength of their respective regions.
And now, they had been exposed to an uncontrolled variable.
At the center of it all stood Aakash Patil, his gaze moving across the screens with quiet focus, taking in each detail without visible urgency.
He allowed the voices to continue for a few seconds longer, not out of hesitation, but because he had already reached his conclusion.
Then he spoke.
"This," he said, his tone even and unhurried, yet carrying enough weight to cut through the noise, "is the threat of the Earth Liberation."
The room fell silent.
Not completely—
But enough.
"They do not distinguish between targets," Aakash continued, his eyes still on the shifting data feeds. "Anyone they perceive as a threat becomes a target, whether student, examiner, or civilian."
One of the delegates frowned. "You're saying this was intentional? That this was allowed to happen?"
Aakash finally turned toward them.
"We have already apprehended those directly responsible for inducing the enraged state in the Pokémon," he replied calmly, offering no defensiveness, only clarity. "The infiltrators you are concerned about are no longer a factor."
That did not ease the tension.
If anything, it sharpened it.
"Then why," another pressed, "were they allowed to act at all?"
A brief pause followed.
Not hesitation.
Deliberation.
"Because removing them immediately would have solved nothing," Aakash said, his voice steady. "They were not the objective. They were the signal."
A few of the delegates stiffened at that.
He continued without raising his tone.
"Their presence was meant to test our response, and more importantly, to confirm whether this location held value worth targeting at a higher level. If we had eliminated them the moment they revealed themselves, the larger force behind them would have withdrawn and adapted."
Understanding began to settle in.
Reluctantly.
"We allowed them to believe our security was insufficient," Aakash said, turning slightly back toward the screens, where the final traces of the incidents were being brought under control. "And in doing so, we ensured that their main force would commit."
One of the delegates' expressions darkened. "You used this examination as bait."
Aakash did not deny it.
"We used an opportunity," he corrected, without apology. "Every student was monitored. Every sector had response teams in place. Intervention thresholds were clearly defined, and as you have already seen, no fatalities occurred."
The room remained tense.
But the anger had shifted into something else.
Recognition.
Calculation.
"They will come," Aakash said simply. "And when they do, they will not be testing us."
He began walking toward the exit.
"This time," he added, his voice quieter but no less certain, "we will be the ones removing the threat at its root."
No one stopped him as he left the observation room.
Behind him, the screens continued to display the aftermath of controlled chaos—
But beyond the island's perimeter—
Something far more deliberate was already beginning to move.