Seeing Larry appear before him in an instant, Netero's eyes gleamed with excitement as he stroked his beard. The two had already arranged this fight in advance. While other candidates were occupied with the fourth exam, Larry and Netero had their own match scheduled.
As for whether Larry would still participate in the exam afterward, that wasn't even a question. Both of them knew that the Hunter Exam was just a formality for him. It would be effortless for him to pass. In fact, Netero had even joked that he'd be willing to hand Larry a Hunter license on the spot. But Larry wasn't here to skip steps. He was here to grow. His Pokémon still needed training, and there was no reason to rush. This was the perfect opportunity, and as a fans of the series he just want to enjoy the experience.
Larry's eyes flicked over Netero's attire—just a simple sports T-shirt instead of his usual kanji shirt. That meant he wasn't in his absolute best condition. Larry felt relieved. That made sense. In the original story, Netero had taken days to get into peak fighting form. Even if he wanted to push himself to his limits, he wouldn't have had enough time before this fight. But that didn't mean he would be an easy opponent.
Larry's lips curled into a grin. Just how much experience would a top-tier fighter like Netero give him? The excitement burned in his eyes. Then, with a motion of his hands, a brilliant white light flashed in front of him.
At the same time, grains of sand began materializing in the air and on the ground, accumulating at an alarming rate. The transformation spread outward, swallowing the lush greenery of the forest in mere moments. A vast desert formed in the blink of an eye. This was Sandstorm. As the white light faded, Larry's ultimate trump card emerged. Tyranitar. "ROOOOAAAR!!!"
The dark green colossus let out a deafening roar, its presence alone sending tremors through the air. The earth-yellow Aura surrounding its massive body surged outward, blasting in all directions. The sheer force of it stirred the sand into a violent storm, whipping through the air in chaotic spirals. Towering dunes rose and crumbled in the wind. The entire battlefield transformed into a raging wasteland, as if nature itself had gone berserk.
Deep within the swirling sand, Tyranitar's crimson eyes burned like ominous beacons, cutting through the storm. Its breath came in heavy bursts, exhaling thick plumes of white steam. The oppressive weight of its aura filled the space around it, unrestrained and absolute. An S-Class presence. Netero's pupils shrank. His relaxed demeanor evaporated instantly.
Without hesitation, his body moved on instinct—muscles tensing, stance shifting, preparing for whatever attack might come next. For the first time in a long, long while, genuine battle instincts kicked in. That sheer pressure. The raw, overwhelming strength of the beast before him. Could something like this really exist?! And more importantly… How the hell did such a young man command it?!
Up until now, Netero had only joked about Larry possibly being stronger than him. But in this moment, all traces of humor vanished. This wasn't a boy playing at being strong. This wasn't just potential. Larry was strong. Unquestionably. And the monster standing beside him only further confirmed it.
Netero exhaled slowly, centering himself. For the first time in years, a fight was about to begin that he wasn't sure he could win.
Meanwhile, Larry was already considering his next move. He briefly thought about summoning Gardevoir—but quickly dismissed the idea. This wasn't her fight. Her A-Class strength simply wouldn't be enough against an S-Class opponent like Netero. If anything, her healing and support abilities would be useful, but that wasn't what Larry was here for. He wasn't looking to drag this out. He was looking to push himself.
Still… if he really wanted to test just how much experience Netero could provide, there was another trick he could use. 'Teleportation.' If Gardevoir teleported Tyranitar mid-attack, an already devastating powerhouse would become nearly unavoidable. A nightmare for anyone to face. And if that wasn't enough, there was always Gengar. It would be easy enough to summon him and let him unleash an arsenal of status effects—Will-o'-the-Wisp, Curse, Hypnosis… If he wanted to be really shameless, he could just drown Netero in endless debuffs, forcing him to fight through exhaustion while Tyranitar wreaked havoc. Larry smirked. 'Yeah. That'd definitely be one way to rack up experience points.' But for now, the old man remained blissfully unaware of the insane strategies forming in Larry's mind.
As Tyranitar unleashed its overwhelming aura, the effects rippled far beyond the battlefield. On Sebisu Island, not far from where Larry and Netero stood, countless examinees felt an invisible weight pressing down on them. The sheer force of the aura sent a chilling sensation through the air, making it impossible to ignore.
Hisoka, in the middle of flicking a poker card into the skull of an unsuspecting blindfolded examinee, suddenly paused. A familiar, oppressive presence washed over him. His slit-like eyes narrowed, and his gaze instinctively shifted toward the distant island where Larry had vanished. "Oh…? So that's where you are," he murmured, lips curling into a twisted smile. 'Who was Larry fighting?' The aura was too familiar—too distinct. It brought Hisoka back to that moment at the start of the exam when he had first encountered Tyranitar. Back then, the sheer pressure had been so overwhelming that he had frozen on the spot, unable to move. Now, that same suffocating energy was surging across the ocean, thick with intent.
Hisoka shuddered, excitement curling around his spine. He licked the corner of his lips, his face painted with a perverse grin. One day, he would fight Larry. One day, he would test him. Even for someone like Hisoka, who thrived on danger, there was a faint flicker of fear mixed within his desire. And if he was shaken, it was no surprise that the other examinees were terrified beyond reason.
Hanzo, the bald ninja, had been moving swiftly through the jungle, searching for his assigned target. But the moment the aura hit him, his body locked up. His eyes widened, his instincts screaming at him. Without a second thought, he leaped into the trees, burying himself deep within the thick canopy of leaves. He didn't care about strategy anymore. All he cared about was not being seen. 'What kind of monster gives off a killing intent this strong?!'
Hanzo prided himself on his abilities. He wasn't arrogant, but he knew he was easily among the top three strongest candidates in this exam. That confidence had been built on years of rigorous ninja training, forged through countless battles. But this—This was something he had never encountered before. It wasn't just killing intent.
There was an unmistakable, tyrannical force behind it, one that made his blood freeze in his veins. It felt as if he were standing at the edge of a vast, endless abyss—one step too close, and he would be swallowed whole. His mind raced, and suddenly, a thought clicked into place. '
The tremors in the Tower of Trickery. The deafening roar. The suffocating pressure that had sent chills down his spine. This had to be the same thing.' A cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he clung tightly to his hiding spot, praying that whatever was out there wouldn't come looking for him.