The Beast Trainer License Exam Tournament was set to begin today, with three days of preliminary rounds to select the 128 trainers eligible for a license. Following the preliminaries, formal battles would determine the strongest contender. The top 50 would earn the opportunity to join the academy and become academy-certified Beast Trainers.
By the time Gabriel arrived in Jin City, a crowd of people had already gathered. Fortunately, Elle, who was experienced in planning, had booked a hotel room in advance, sparing Gabriel from having to spend the night on the streets.
"Wow, it's been ages since I've strolled around Jin City," Gabriel remarked.
For the past few months, Gabriel had been rigorously training Little Mu, leaving little time for rest. The intense training wasn't just grueling for Little Mu but also exhausting for Gabriel, who trained alongside her Pokémon every step of the way.
Now, finally able to relax, Gabriel hummed a carefree tune as she wandered the streets, savoring the rare feeling of leisure.
"Mu!" ("Stop singing if you can't hit the notes! You're driving me nuts!")
Little Mu glanced at Gabriel with an annoyed expression. After all, they had finally gotten some downtime, only for his trainer's off-key singing to ruin it. Couldn't him just take a page from Farfetch'd's book and be a little quieter?
Little Mu turned to the Farfetch'd, which Gabriel had rescued some time ago. This Farfetch'd was an odd one, constantly engrossed in reading. What could be so fascinating about books, anyway?
Yawning, Gabriel adjusted his self on Gabriel's shoulder, wriggling around until he found the perfect angle to fall asleep. With training on hold, he was determined to make up for his lack of rest.
Meanwhile, Farfetch'd kept its eyes glued to its book, following Gabriel wherever he went. Initially, Gabriel hadn't planned to catch the Farfetch'd, but since it insisted on following him, he eventually accepted it as part of the team.
What surprised him, however, was that this Farfetch'd could read human writing. Other than Meowth, Gabriel had never seen a Pokémon with such a peculiar ability.
Seeing its potential, Gabriel handed Farfetch'd a few books to hone this skill. Perhaps the selection was too unusual—Gabriel had chosen fantasy novels, which captivated Farfetch'd to the point that it carried books with it everywhere. Its love for novels now surpassed its love for leeks.
While wandering, Gabriel wasn't idle. he used the official tournament forums to research potential opponents.
Initially, he thought such sensitive information wouldn't be posted on a public forum, but he underestimated how eager people were to show off.
Scyther, Torkoal, Onix, Tauros...
Among the many entries, the most eye-catching was Rafael's Growlithe. A heavily edited photo of the Pokémon was pinned at the top of the forum, alongside Rafael's bold declaration of his intent to win the championship.
"That Rafael is such a show-off. Don't kids these days have screen time limits?" Gabriel muttered.
After browsing for a while, Gabriel put his phone away. While there were many strong contenders, endlessly reviewing their profiles would only add unnecessary pressure. he resolved to simply give it his all.
"Little Mu, let's crush the preliminaries. This time, we're going for the championship!"
"Mu!" ("Of course!")
"Quack!" ("You've got this, boss!")
At the Jin City Beast Trainer Committee's registration center, three long queues stretched through the building. Even Gabriel had to wait nearly half an hour for his turn.
"ID, please," the receptionist requested.
"Here you go."
With swift precision, the receptionist processed Gabriel's registration, handing his a badge shortly after.
His competitor number was 666—a lucky number!
"This is your badge. The back contains important guidelines, so make sure to keep it safe. If you lose it, you can request a replacement. If you have any questions, use the trainer ID on the badge to access the tournament website, which offers live support. Best of luck!"
"Thank you!"
Outside the registration center, Gabriel inspected his badge, which displayed his competition details. he had been assigned to Arena 3 in Division C. Unfortunately, the badge didn't include any information about his opponents, but Gabriel remained confident that he could defeat anyone. His grueling training had not been for nothing.
With the badge secured, Gabriel decided to treat his self before the big event. His goal? A cap just like Ash Ketchum's iconic one. After searching tirelessly, he finally found his ideal cap, which he vowed would become his signature look.
The next day, Gabriel arrived at the competition venue with Little Mu. he quickly located his division and was surprised by the turnout—over 80 trainers were competing in Division C, but only 20 would advance to earn their Beast Trainer Licenses. The competition was far fiercer than he had imagined, but at least there would be adequate breaks between battles.
The audience surrounding the arenas was massive. Beast Trainer assessments were more than just tests; they were among the most popular public events. Every match drew huge crowds, and the finals were often attended by media and celebrities.
"Wow, so many people!"
Gabriel glanced around, noting the buzz among trainers and spectators alike as they eagerly anticipated the matches.
The chatter among trainers was almost deafening, resembling a bustling marketplace.
"Hey, did you hear? There's a Scyther in Division A that's crazy strong. It's taking down opponents with a single strike—so fast that people don't even see it move before the match is over!"
"That's nothing. I heard there's a Shinx in Division B that can use Electric Terrain. Once it sets up the field, no one can catch it!"
"No way! Electric Terrain? Isn't that a Luxray move? A Shinx can use it?"
"That's not all. Someone's got an Abra in the tournament. Psychic-types are so rare!"
"Wow, I hope I don't run into someone like that."
Listening to their conversations, Gabriel felt surprisingly calm.
he had seen many of these so-called "strong opponents" during practice matches, but plenty of trainers were just there to fill the numbers. Some even brought newly hatched Pokémon to battle, making them easy targets for serious contenders.
As the Division C matches were about to begin, the crowd erupted in cheers, creating an electrifying atmosphere that sent a thrill through Gabriel.
"Little Mu, are you ready? Our match is about to start!"
"Mu!" ("I've been ready!")
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