The invasion by the Symbiosis Society—and the battle that followed—ended in just four hours.
The battlefield had already been cleared, and the bodies of fallen soldiers and Pokémon were taken away for proper burial.
In total, 5,855 people lost their lives, with more than ten thousand injured. As for Pokémon, the losses were even greater…
It was a hard-fought victory.
Brutus lost an arm, and two of his peak Champion-Class Pokémon were killed. His overall strength had clearly declined.
Although none of Lilith's Pokémon died, all of them sustained injuries to varying degrees. Gardevoir, having suffered backlash from Lilith's psychic enhancement, was so weakened she could barely stand.
The battle had ended as abruptly as it began.
As a result, the combat exam at the Tidecrest was halted midway.
Following a decision from higher authorities, all candidates were temporarily relocated to the nearest provisional testing site to retake the exam.
Aaron could only accept the arrangement with a helpless sigh and prepare himself to do it all over again.
...
"Ding~ Congratulations on completing the mission: Defeat the Symbiosis Society."
"Rewards granted: Select one skill from your four Pokémon to upgrade to Apotheosis, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Kekkei Genkai ×1…"
Just as the second combat exam was about to begin, a system notification rang out in his ears.
His previously low mood vanished instantly, replaced by a bright, excited smile.
"Ding~ Please select a Pokémon skill. Once selected, it will be upgraded to Apotheosis!!"
"Ding~ Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Kekkei Genkai ×1 has been automatically placed into the host's inventory."
...
Grinning, he opened the system inventory and examined the Sharingan's attributes:
[Name: Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Kekkei Genkai]
[Attribute: /]
[Type: Mystic]
[Effects:
Skill 1: Dynamic Vision (Passive) — Greatly enhances perception, allowing the user to track high-speed movements and read an opponent's energy flow, making it easier to predict actions in battle.
Skill 2: Genjutsu Resistance (Passive) — Grants exceptional mental resilience, significantly reducing or completely negating the effects of mental interference moves (e.g., Hypnosis, Yawn, dream-based abilities).
Skill 3: Copy Technique (Active) — Allows the user to replicate an opponent's standard moves after observing them, reproducing their effects with comparable power.
Skill 4: Tsukuyomi (Active – Left Eye Ability) — Traps the target within a controlled illusion space where all sensory perception is dominated by the user. Time within the illusion is distorted, inflicting intense mental damage that manifests instantly in reality.
Skill 5: Kotoamatsukami (Active – Right Eye Ability) — Subtly overrides the target's will without detection, compelling them to act according to the user's intent.
Cooldown: 100 years (can be reduced through certain rare items).
Skill 6: Susanoo (Active) — Consumes a vast amount of ocular power to manifest a massive armored avatar around the user, providing both overwhelming offense and near-impenetrable defense in large-scale combat.
(Note: This Kekkei Genkai can only be used by a Pokémon with exceptionally high mental power. Minimum requirement: Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon.) ]
...
"Hiss…"
Looking at the description of those ominous, blood-red eyes, he couldn't help but inhale sharply.
The first three abilities needed no explanation—each one incredibly powerful.
He had always known the Sharingan was strong, but he hadn't expected abilities like Kotoamatsukami and Tsukuyomi—true peak-level genjutsu.
Kotoamatsukami, in particular, was absurd.
A completely overpowered ability.
With a single glance, the target's will could be overwritten—forcing them to act entirely according to his own.
It was downright terrifying.
"Rayquaza… Arceus… Latios… Kyogre…"
"Just wait for me—I'll be coming for you soon."
He forced himself to stay calm, though excitement surged within him.
What made it even more outrageous was that Kotoamatsukami wasn't limited to a single use—it could even have its cooldown reduced.
It was simply too powerful.
As for Tsukuyomi, it was just as terrifying—dragging the opponent into a controlled mental realm and subjecting them to overwhelming psychological pressure.
Then there was Susanoo.
Just reading the description made its power obvious. In large-scale battles or when facing massive Legendary Pokémon, he could unleash it without hesitation—
a towering war construct capable of crushing anything in its path.
The only drawback was the activation requirement.
It required a Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon.
The only candidate he could think of was Darkrai.
Darkrai could definitely be considered a Pokémon with immense mental strength. Its abilities—Dark Void, Bad Dreams, Dream Eater—were all tied to mental manipulation.
Its psychic power was undoubtedly formidable.
"Could it be… this reward was meant for Darkrai?"
he muttered to himself.
"But it's already so strong. Does it really need further enhancement?"
"Or is it what Cresselia mentioned… that the century-long seal is weakening, and something is about to emerge?"
"Is the system guiding me to capture Darkrai and strengthen it, so I'll have the power to protect myself?"
He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
System: "…"
"This kid is overthinking again… better stay quiet."
Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it any further.
Right now, the priority was choosing the second reward.
From his four Pokémon, he could select one skill to upgrade to Apotheosis Level.
The reward was incredibly generous.
Opening the skill panels, he began to think carefully.
For Greninja, the most appealing options were Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, Rasenshuriken, and Work Up.
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu needed no explanation—a game-changing ability.
Rasenshuriken was currently Greninja's highest-damage move.
And Work Up, when combined with Multi Shadow Clone, could instantly multiply both Attack and Special Attack several times.
All were excellent choices.
What made the decision difficult was what additional effect each skill would gain after reaching Apotheosis Level.
Such skills were incredibly rare—every choice mattered.
After careful consideration, he finally made his decision.
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu.
He wanted to see just how far this already overpowered ability could go.
"System, I choose Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu for Greninja…"
he said silently.
"Ding~ Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu upgrading…"
"Ding~ Upgrade complete. Current level: Apotheosis…"
The system's voice echoed in his ears.
With anticipation in his eyes, he opened the updated skill panel.