"Challenger 88 has achieved three consecutive victories! Please step forward for the Pavilion Assessment!"
Eric remained in the challenger's box as a staff member in a sleek, grey uniform stepped onto the opposite end of the field.
The Jubilife Battle Pavilion had a very specific, highly lucrative structure. After defeating three standard challengers, a trainer faced a 'Pavilion Trainer' - an official employee acting as a gatekeeper. If the challenger won, they were rewarded with a Nugget, an item composed of pure gold that could be easily exchanged at any Poké Mart for 50,000P.
However, if they lost, their streak was wiped clean, and they had to once again pay the 5000P fee and start from the beginning.
But it didn't stop there. If Eric beat the Pavilion Trainer, he would enter the next tier of the gauntlet: three more regular matches, followed by a stronger Pavilion Trainer, this time for a reward of two Nuggets. The rewards doubled with each threshold until the tenth round.
[Note: They have contingencies to prevent people from grinding Nuggets by constantly challenging the Pavillion. They are not that stupid]
If a trainer managed to clear nine consecutive thresholds - an absurd 36 battles without a single loss - they earned the right to challenge the Pavilion Master.
This was a perfect arrangement for Eric, as he could train and earn a quick buck at the same time.
"Let's see if you can handle official Pavilion tactics, kid," the staff member said, tossing a Poké Ball.
A sleek, grey feline with a coiled, spring-like tail materialized.
---
Pokémon: Glameow
Level: 15
Type: Normal
Potential: Yellow
---
Eric tapped Shinx's Poké Ball. The electric-type materialized, his golden eyes narrowed, his posture low but remarkably steady compared to his earlier frantic state.
"Glameow, Fake Out!"
Glameow vanished, using the priority move to close the distance instantly, aiming a sudden, flinching strike at Shinx's face.
"Take the hit, brace your legs," Eric commanded smoothly.
Shinx didn't flinch. He planted his paws firmly into the dirt. The Fake Out connected, momentarily stunning the electric-type, but because Shinx had anchored his center of gravity, he wasn't knocked backward.
"Now, Spark at point-blank."
The moment the stun faded, Shinx discharged the raw electrical energy he had been coiling in his muscles directly into the Glameow, knocking it back.
*CRACKLE!*
Glameow shrieked, paralyzed by the electricity coursing through her body.
"Finish it, Spark!"
Shinx blitzed towards Glameow, coated with electric energy as he slammed into it, knocking it out!
"Glameow is unable to battle! Shinx wins!"
"Tch. You're good. Well then, next. Moneferno, go!"
"Keep steady and observe its movements."
Moneferno turned into a flaming wheel as it shot towards Shinx, but Shinx was calm.
Under Eric's command, he moved out of the way in time and attacked back with a spark.
Moneferno was knocked back but countered with Flamethrower.
"Protect, then Spark again!"
Under Eric's command, Shinx dominated the fight, blocking the flamethrower with a green barrier then slamming into Moneferno, knocking it out.
This was a back-to-back consecutive win for him. Shinx was excited as he was on a roll.
"Come back for now, Shinx. We have more battles after this one."
Eric said as he recalled Shinx and sent out Ralts.
Ralts's opponent was a Bunnery.
"Ralts, just as we practiced. Used Teleport to dodge and move around, and attack with Confusion!"
"Ralts!"
Ralts obeyed Eric's command as she dodged all of Bunnery's attacks by teleporting away and then fired back with confusion. She did get hit once when her teleport failed, but overall it was a pretty good performance by her. Her command over Teleport had improved significantly.
Once this move reached intermediate level, it would show off its true power.
"Bunnery can no longer battle! Challenger 88 wins!"
An automated drone hovered over to Eric's box, dispensing a small, gleaming gold Nugget into a metallic tray. Eric pocketed it without a second glance.
But he wasn't done here.
What followed was an absolute, systematic dismantling of the Beginner Tier.
Over the next three hours, the crowd in the pavilion slowly stopped watching the other matches and gravitated entirely toward Battlefield 4.
The montage of victories blurred together, showcasing a terrifying rate of growth.
Round 2. Shinx faced off against a frantic Level 15 Starly. This was a quick, effortless victory for him. The moment its flight pattern faltered, Shinx executed a flawless, leaping Spark, knocking it out of the air.
Round 3. Ralts was up against a bulky Level 16 Bidoof. The normal-type charged with a heavy Rollout. Ralts continued practicing with Teleport, improving its mastery bit by bit as she crushed the Bidoof without getting hit once.
Round 4. Growlithe took on a pavilion gatekeeper's Level 17 Bronzor. The Steel/Psychic-type tried to rely on Iron Defense to tank hits. Growlithe, applying the explosive leg maneuvers Eric had drilled into him, danced circles around the floating disk, continuously attacking with precise Embers until it was knocked out
Nugget after Nugget fell into Eric's tray. Two. Four. Eight.
The Pavillion wasn't bothered by the immense loss it was suffering. They made money not only from the contestants, but also by having the spectators gamble. They were quite excited to see how far Eric could go.
Eric's reason for success was a combination of his battle sense, and the training he had instilled in his Pokemon. Only Shinx was a bit rough around the edges, having never been trained by him. But he showed remarkable combat instincts.
Round 8. Ralts faced a Level 25 Stunky. This was a difficult battle for her as the level gap was massive. But her move mastery for teleport had reached the B+++ level. That combined with Eric's strategic ways of using that move, she managed to scrape by and win.
Round 9. The semi-final hurdle before the Pavilion Master.
A senior Pavilion Trainer stepped up, looking incredibly stressed. He threw a Heavy Ball, summoning a Level 27 Shieldon.
The Rock/Steel-type possessed monstrous physical defenses, specifically designed to wall physical attackers and tire them out.
"Growlithe, you're up," Eric said.
The fire pup stepped forward, his coat visibly thicker and his internal heat radiating through the air.
"Shieldon, Iron Defense! Turtle up!" the trainer shouted.
"Growlithe," Eric commanded, his voice cold and analytical. "We aren't breaking the shield. We're cooking it. Flame Wheel, continuous loop."
Growlithe cloaked himself in fire and began to run circles around the Shieldon, closing the gap until he was physically grinding his fiery body against the fossil Pokémon's metallic faceplate. The friction, combined with the Grade-1 Fire energy, caused Shieldon's armor to glow red-hot.
Shieldon whined in agony, unable to maintain its defensive posture under the blistering heat.
"Now. Ember, point-blank into the joints."
Growlithe stopped spinning, dropping perfectly into a low stance, and blasted a concentrated burst of flames directly into the softened hinges of Shieldon's heavy legs. It buckled, completely exhausted, and lost consciousness.
"Shieldon is unable to battle! Challenger 88 has cleared the ninth threshold!"
The crowd in the stands erupted into deafening cheers.
Eric stood quietly in the box, opening his system to check the fruits of his labor.
---
Pokémon: Growlithe
Level: 18
Potential: Light Purple
Energy Grade: Fire - Grade 1 (Peak)
---
Pokémon: Shinx
Level: 15
Potential: Blue
Energy Grade: Electric - Grade 1 (Mid)
---
Pokémon: Ralts
Level: 15
Potential: Purple
Energy Grade: Psychic - Grade 1 (Mid), Fairy - Grade 1 (Mid)
---
Growlithe had reached Level 18, pushing ever closer to the point where Eric felt comfortable using the Tier-3 Normal Crystal on him. Shinx and Ralts had both jumped three levels, reaching Level 15, their energy pools deepening and their combat instincts sharpening drastically.
His Pokemon had been punching well above their weight class, much more than Gastly, Poliwag and Spearow did back in the Redwood tournament. This would be because of a combination of three things: Higher Potential, better resources, and Eric's improvement as a trainer.
Even Shinx had adapted to Eric's battle style after so many battles.
Eric casually emptied the drone's tray, securing the massive pile of Nuggets into his spatial watch.
He had essentially just robbed the facility blind. In total, he had netted 511 Nuggets! That was more than 25 million pokedollars!
Suddenly, the overhead stadium lights dimmed, and a single, dramatic spotlight illuminated the opposite end of the battlefield.
The crowd's cheering instantly shifted into a low, buzzing murmur of awe.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer's voice boomed over the PA system. "For the first time this month, a challenger has breached the final gate! Let us welcome the undisputed ruler of the Beginner Tier... The Pavilion Master!"
A tall, imposing woman dressed in a sleek, black-and-gold tailored suit walked out of the shadows. She possessed an air of strict, unyielding discipline, her heels clicking sharply against the concrete.
She stopped at the edge of the dirt arena, pushing up a pair of thin, silver-rimmed glasses as her sharp, grey eyes locked onto Eric.
"You have quite the tactical mind, Challenger," she said, her voice smooth but carrying the weight of a seasoned veteran. "But the warm-up is over. I hope you are prepared."
She reached to her waist, unlatching a sleek, luxury Premier Ball.
Eric didn't say a word. He simply slipped his hands into his pockets, his deadpan eyes analyzing the Pavilion Master.
The final hurdle was here.