Pokémon Dominion: A New Earth

Chapter 5

Time moved steadily as students took the stage for their tests.

Whenever a Pokémon egg began to form, the audience below erupted in admiration and cheers. Meanwhile, students with no talent returned to their seats in silence, their expressions downcast.

The hardest-hit were those who managed to summon only a few wisps of elemental mist, not enough to fully form an egg.

To awaken a partner Pokémon, the elemental mist gathered from the void must cover an area at least the size of a car tire. Anything less meant the formation of an egg was impossible.

Those who generated only small amounts of elemental mist left with mixed feelings. While they lacked the talent to summon a partner Pokémon, they could still bond with existing Pokémon of the same type, provided they had the resources to find and care for them.

However, students with no elemental response at all faced a harsher reality. Without any attributes, they could never form a bond with a Pokémon. Their future would be limited to ordinary labor, far removed from the prestige and power of trainers.

Life was unequal. Some were born with every advantage, destined to inherit vast wealth and endless opportunities. Others faced a lifetime of hard work just to survive.

What could anyone do against the whims of fate?

---

The atmosphere reached a fever pitch when the testing moved to Class 12-C. A boy named Jason Meyer stepped up, and the results were jaw-dropping.

As he touched the Fire Stone, red elemental mist spread across the entire summit stage, covering more than 20 square meters. Gasps of awe and envy filled the air.

Under the concentrated mist, a fiery red egg with black spots began to take shape.

The egg cracked open to reveal a yellow Pokémon with a flat duckbill.

"Is that a Magby?" someone whispered excitedly.

Even Ethan recognized the Pokémon immediately.

Fire-type Magby—evolving into Magmar, and eventually into the powerful Magmortar. In the Pokémon games Ethan remembered, Magmortar had a base stat total of 540, putting it on par with some of the most iconic Fire-type Pokémon, such as Charizard.

"Congratulations, it's a Magby!" said Mark Davis, the chief examiner, smiling as he patted Jason on the shoulder. "The Magby line is legendary for their connection to volcanoes. Their body temperature can reach thousands of degrees, and their flames can melt steel! Have you thought about joining Emberwood University's Trainer Academy? I'm an alumnus myself."

The school principal was equally overjoyed. He stepped forward, glancing at Jason's student ID.

"Jason Meyer, Class 12-C. Excellent! Excellent!" the principal exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement.

Without even leaving the stage, the principal pulled out his phone and made a call. "Director Taylor, it's me. Fantastic news! We've got a prodigy at Crestwood High! The elemental mist spread across the entire summit stage—over 20 square meters!"

A moment later, he added, "Yes, it's a Magby. Fire-type. I'll have someone meet you at the gate."

Crestwood City was a small city, with only about 30 students becoming trainers each year. A talent like Jason's was exceedingly rare.

The last time someone with this level of elemental control appeared in Crestwood was over a decade ago. That individual had risen to become one of the top 100 trainers in the National Rankings, and every Lunar New Year, the city still celebrated their achievements.

Now, Crestwood High had produced another rising star. It was no wonder the principal was ecstatic.

---

While Jason basked in his newfound glory, the testing continued.

Ethan glanced at his deskmate, Luke Shaw, who had just returned from the stage with a dejected expression.

Luke shrugged, forcing a smile. "Looks like I won't be able to cover for you anymore..."

He had touched all 18 Evolution Stones, and not one had reacted. While Luke had never pinned his hopes too high, facing the reality of failure still stung.

Ethan felt his own nerves tighten.

With over 600 students tested across 16 classes, only four had successfully summoned partner Pokémon so far. The odds were daunting.

Crestwood High was the best school in the city, drawing the brightest minds and most promising talents. While the exact factors behind awakening a partner Pokémon were still unknown, intelligence and aptitude seemed to play a significant role.

According to a study from the Eldermere Institute of Trainer Sciences, children with two trainer parents had a 14.32% chance of awakening a partner Pokémon. If only one parent was a trainer, the probability dropped to 5.73%. For children with no trainer lineage, the chances fell below 1%.

Another study suggested that higher intelligence and mental strength correlated with a higher likelihood of awakening.

Even in the city's best high school, the annual average was only five awakenings per year. That underscored just how rare this phenomenon was.

"Next!"

The examiner's voice broke Ethan's thoughts.

"Ethan Walker, your turn. Let's see if you're ready for disappointment!"