NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Battle Begins
Leaning casually against the doorframe, Ron observed the carnage unfolding just beyond the safe zone.
Everyone seemed intent on reducing the number of potential competitors. Anyone who approached would inevitably be ambushed. If they died, so be it. If they survived, they would retreat quickly to avoid pursuit—risking a counterattack was too dangerous.
Shifting his gaze to the surrounding Team Rocket members, Ron's heightened instincts, a gift of his Fighting Aura, alerted him to the lethal threat each one of them posed.
This realization had struck Ron earlier when he returned to the safe zone.
At first, he believed this intuition stemmed from his years of survival training in the wilderness. But as he observed others, he noticed key differences.
For example, the staff delivering meals gave off a completely harmless vibe, meaning they couldn't threaten him no matter how hard they tried.
Next were the trial participants. Most of them didn't feel particularly dangerous, signaling their lack of strength.
Through extended observation, Ron identified only two individuals who posed any real threat to him: one was cold and emotionless, while the other was easily recognizable with their fiery red hair.
Based on his evaluation, this sense of danger likely factored in their Pokémon as well, not just their personal capabilities.
With this newfound insight, Ron began spending his downtime leaning against the door, observing the trial participants to see who might warrant attention.
Unfortunately, apart from the two individuals he had already noted, none posed a significant threat. The gap between their strength and his remained vast.
When yet another skirmish ended, Ron, bored, returned to his room.
Five hours remained until the trial concluded. To conserve energy for the upcoming battles, Ron decided to rest.
Outside, others seemed to follow the same idea, retreating into the safe zone like a retreating army. Only the bloodstains on the ground bore witness to the earlier, brutal combat.
Five hours later, the trial officially ended. The signal device displayed the number 60, signifying that only sixty participants remained.
"The final battles will begin tomorrow. Opponents will be paired based on sequential numbers. On the battle platform—life or death is at your discretion!"
The announcement confirmed what Ron had already suspected. Even those who passed the trial were not guaranteed safety; the danger of death lingered on the platform.
Learning that he was No. 30, Ron put other thoughts aside and began preparing.
With his Fighting Aura-enhanced perception, he was confident none of the remaining participants could defeat him. His sole focus was to crush them one by one and claim the championship.
At 9:00 AM, the battles officially began. Guided by Team Rocket members, Ron was escorted to face his first opponent.
"Release your first Pokémon. The battle will only end when one side concedes defeat."
After a brief explanation of the rules, the battle commenced.
Behind the living quarters lay individual battle chambers designed to ensure privacy during combat. This setup dashed Ron's earlier plan to conceal his true strength.
With stealth no longer an option, Ron decided to end the battle swiftly. He released his Persian immediately.
The elite-level aura it radiated caused a moment of hesitation in Nishimura, his opponent.
Passing the trial didn't guarantee having elite-level Pokémon. In fact, nearly half of the sixty remaining participants hadn't managed to evolve their Pokémon beyond standard levels. For those who had, most hovered around levels 30 or 31, with their secondary Pokémon falling between levels 27 and 28.
Typically, trainers with elite-level Pokémon would lead with weaker ones to test their opponent's strategy.
Ron's decision to unleash his Persian right from the start was rare, catching Nishimura off guard—but not for long.
A flash of white light revealed Nishimura's choice: a Vileplume, also at the elite level.
Vileplume.
An evolution of Gloom using a Leaf Stone, Vileplume is one of Gloom's two evolutionary paths. The other, Bellossom, requires a Sun Stone. The quality of these evolutionary stones also influences the resulting Pokémon.
Recalling this information, Ron immediately ordered Persian to act.
Using a combination of Soru (Shave) and Fake Out, Persian vanished from its original position.
"Vileplume, surround yourself with Poison Powder!" Nishimura yelled, attempting to shield his Pokémon from Persian's speed.
But before the powder could disperse, Persian struck with Fake Out, interrupting Vileplume's attack, and followed up with Iron Tail, sending the Pokémon flying.
Without giving Vileplume any time to recover, Ron pressed the assault, combining Soru with Slash.
Persian's claws tore through Vileplume's chest. Within seconds, the battle was over.
"How... how is this possible?" Nishimura muttered, staring in disbelief at his fallen Vileplume.
Ron wasted no time, commanding Persian to end the battle.
The rules were clear: unless a participant conceded, the battle would not officially end. Attacking the opposing trainer was fair game.
With a flash of ivory, Persian eliminated Nishimura, leaving the Team Rocket referee astonished.
Even the fastest Pokémon the referee had encountered couldn't match Persian's incredible speed. How could Ron achieve this with an elite-level Pokémon still in its early stages?
Suppressing his curiosity, the referee calmly declared Ron the victor.
Instead of leaving immediately, Ron approached Nishimura's body. He hoped the trainer might have other valuable items besides the Leaf Stone that had evolved his Gloom.
Disappointed to find nothing, Ron glanced briefly at Nishimura's lifeless form before leaving with Persian.
The battles were recorded by surveillance cameras and broadcast elsewhere. The same applied to fights in other chambers.
Before returning to his room, Ron was escorted to a healing station for his Persian. However, considering Persian had barely exerted itself and Ron's Fighting Aura provided additional stamina, he declined the offer.
The Team Rocket member didn't insist and led Ron back to his room to await his next match.
From this, Ron deduced a critical fact: unless a Pokémon was killed or sustained injuries requiring extensive recovery, its condition wouldn't affect the next battle.
This meant every opponent Ron faced would be in peak condition—just as he preferred.
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