The bells of Bellmire rang twice as Shion stood outside the towering guild hall, the sound echoing down the cobblestone alleys like distant war drums. The sky had gone from golden to pale orange afternoon, just as the clerk had said.
He had little time.
His fingers lingered on the rim of Treecko's Poké Ball, hesitating.
The small Pokémon still hadn't said a word not a chirp, not a gesture since the moment he was freed. He now rested inside his ball, recovering, and Shion wasn't sure if he should have brought him at all.
But a voice in his heart said yes.
Even if he wasn't ready to fight, Treecko had earned the right to stand outside those cages.
Still, he wouldn't be the first one called today.
Shion turned and returned all his Pokémon to their Poké Balls, including Kiba who gave him a soft bark before vanishing into light. He left only one creature out.
Bidoof.
Who was currently… snoring.
Loudly.
From inside Shion's satchel, which bulged comically on one side.
Shion sighed and shifted the bag so Bidoof's head wouldn't bump into the guild wall as he walked. "You could at least pretend to be divine sometimes," he muttered.
The answer was a wheeze, followed by a smacking noise and a lazy twitch of chubby paws.
Shion just kept walking.
---
Inside the Ravelle Grand Adventurer's Guild, the afternoon crowd had thinned slightly, replaced now by quieter voices travelers discussing contracts, instructors giving feedback in side chambers, and a few vendors packing up crates of berries and incense from the side alcove.
Shion approached the main counter. The same clerk from earlier looked up from her crystal ledger.
"You're on time," she said, nodding. "Head through the archway to your right. Arena Five."
She reached into a drawer and handed him a brass badge etched with a sword crossing a scale. "Assessment token. Don't lose it. Wade will be your proctor."
Shion blinked. "Wade?"
The clerk smiled faintly. "You'll know him when you see him."
That didn't make him feel better.
---
The arena was massive.
Stone walls, smoothed and reinforced by layers of glowing runes, rose around a sunken battle pit made of polished granite tiles. Cracks and scorch marks marred its surface evidence of thousands of fights.
Spectator seats lined the upper edge, though only a handful of people currently sat watching likely staff or off-duty adventurers.
In the center of the pit stood two people already waiting a young woman with a green cloak and a short bob of pale blonde hair, and a stockier guy with squared shoulders and a scar running beneath his left eye.
Shion descended the stairs and stepped into the arena. The two others turned toward him.
The girl gave a polite nod. "You here for the assessment?"
Shion nodded. "Yeah."
"Lena," she said simply.
"Shion."
The guy folded his arms and gave a short grunt. "Bran."
He had a heavy-looking belt with two Poké Balls on it. A large, battle-worn bag sat beside him. His boots looked military-issue.
"You look like a kid," Bran muttered.
Shion didn't answer. He's not really wrong .
Instead, he glanced around the arena floor, still wondering who this "Wade" was
He didn't have to wait long.
A figure entered from the far hallway, walking with a slow, dragging gait like someone who had just rolled out of bed.
The man was tall and wiry, with a mess of shoulder-length brown hair, stubble on his face, and half-laced boots. His long coat hung lazily off one shoulder. He scratched his head as he approached, yawning as if this were all a mild inconvenience.
Shion blinked.
The man yawned again, then waved lazily. "Afternoon."
"…You Wade?" Bran asked skeptically.
"Yeah," the man said. "I guess so."
He turned to the three of them.
"I'm your proctor. Rank assessment for advancement to Silver. I don't like paperwork, so we'll make this quick."
He paused. Then added, "You're gonna fight me."
Bran scoffed. "All of us?"
"Mm-hmm," Wade said with a nod. "All at once. Bring whoever you've got. Hit me with your best. I'll go easy."
Lena's eyes narrowed slightly. "This is a three-on-one?"
"You're aiming for Silver," Wade said. "Silver rank quests are mostly combat-based. Escort, purge, patrol. If you can't coordinate against a single opponent, you're not ready."
Bran snorted. "So you think you can take all of us by yourself?"
"Yes," Wade said.
Then he smirked, just a little.
"I think it won't take long."
Bran bristled. "You cocky"
Lena suddenly stepped back, her eyes wide. "Wait. Wade. Wade Maren? The Platinum-ranked adventurer from the eastern front?"
Bran froze.
Shion looked between them.
Wade gave another yawn, as if the words barely registered. "Yeah, yeah. That's me."
Shion's breath caught.
Platinum-ranked.
He'd heard of them in passing not legends, but the elite. The best. The ones who'd survived the toughest guild missions, stood against rampaging legendaries, held the line when others fell. Not military, but close. Trusted with the kind of jobs people whispered about: purge zones, unstable relic sites, corrupted zones before the guild even labeled them.
Bran went pale.
"…You've got to be kidding," he muttered.
Lena looked half-thrilled, half-terrified.
Wade walked past them toward the far end of the arena, his coat swaying behind him.
"Three-on-one. Any time you're ready."
The tension in the arena had changed.
Gone was the casual eagerness of an evaluation. The atmosphere now sat heavy in the air thick with weight, like something massive had taken root just beneath their feet.
Bran was the first to speak.
"Why the hell is a Platinum-ranked adventurer running our test?" he said, voice low and sharp.
Wade stood at the far end of the battlefield, arms lazily folded behind his head. "Old man forced me," he yawned. "Said I 'needed to stay connected to the guild.' I think he just wants me out of the canteen."
"Seriously?" Bran snapped.
Wade shrugged, eyes half-lidded. "Don't worry, I won't break your arms or anything. Not unless you ask real nice."
Lena stepped forward, her fingers tight around her Poké Balls. "Can we really use all our Pokémon?"
"You said to 'go all out,'" she added, nervously brushing her hair behind one ear.
"Yeah, sure," Wade said with a dismissive wave. "Makes it quicker."
Bran's eye twitched. "Quicker. You think we're that easy?"
"I think I'm hungry," Wade muttered. "And this is taking up the hour I planned for napping."
Bran let out a frustrated huff, stepping forward with a scowl. "You're gonna regret underestimating me."
With a sharp flick of his wrist, Bran pulled two Poké Balls from his belt.
"Go! Graveler, Machoke!"
Twin flashes of red light burst beside him Graveler, with its rolling boulder body and stubby arms, cracked its knuckles as it thudded into position. Machoke, standing tall and muscular, pounded its fists together, flexing with a confident snort.
Lena hesitated, then followed suit.
"Fletchinder, Gloom, Psyduck battle formation!"
The three Pokémon appeared in a quick ripple of light. Fletchinder flared its wings and let out a sharp screech. Gloom blinked slowly, petals drooping, while Psyduck… looked mildly confused.
Shion didn't move.
Not yet.
He stood frozen for a moment, heart thudding as he stared at Wade.
Platinum-ranked.
The term echoed in his mind like a bell toll. He thought back to Reinhart, the Gold-rank adventurer he had met back in Avia Hollow.
And this guy was stronger?
Wade hadn't even stopped yawning.
Shion clenched his fists. His boots shifted slightly on the polished stone.
"Kiba," he said, voice steady. "Let's do this."
The flash of red light exploded beside him, and Kiba landed with a low growl. His orange fur rippled as he crouched slightly, eyes already focused.
Wade glanced at the Lycanroc, blinking once. Then raised a brow.
"That the only one you're bringing?"
Shion nodded. "I have others. But Kiba's enough."
For a brief moment, Wade's lip curved into a smirk just a flicker of interest.
"Alright," he said, reaching into his coat. "Guess I'll play along."
He pulled out a Poké Ball.
It wasn't like Shion's.
It gleamed dark silver, almost matte black at the seams, with a single red ring along the center. The casing shimmered faintly with energy a crafted capsule, maybe even guild-forged.
Wade tossed it casually into the air.
The light that burst out was deeper, heavier than usual.
A hulking figure emerged with a thunderous roar that shook the arena floor.
Haxorus.
But not just any Haxorus.
Its scales were pitch black, not the usual color on haxorus . Its red jaw tusks gleamed like obsidian blades. Golden lines traced its limbs in sharp, jagged patterns, like lightning burned into the skin. Its eyes gleamed crimson for a moment before fading to yellow-gold.
Lena gasped audibly.
Bran took a step back. "That… that's not normal."
"Shiny variant," Wade said lazily. "Found it in the eastern basin. Took four days to wear him down."
The pressure coming off the Haxorus was enormous. Shion felt it like a weight pressing on his chest. Kiba bared his teeth and bristled, but didn't back down.
Even Bidoof, in Shion's bag, cracked one eye open. Then closed it again with a grunt.
Wade stretched once. "Alright. You can start when you're ready."
He said it casually like they were about to toss pebbles, not open combat.
Bran snarled, motioning to his Pokémon. "Graveler, Rock Blast! Machoke, Close the gap and Seismic Toss!"
"Fletchinder, cover from the air! Gloom, Stun Spore! Psyduck, Water Gun!"
Shion tensed. Kiba lowered into his stance, eyes locked on Haxorus.
Everything moved at once.