Pokemon Battle System: I Reincarnated As A Charmander

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The next day, inside the Battle Tower.

"Please follow me."

A staff member guided Kalia into a room filled with various testing instruments. Unlike those at the research institute, these devices were designed to assess a Pokemon's current strength rather than potential abilities.

The Battle Tower categorizes Pokemon strengths from Red Star to Silver Star, encompassing six distinct levels. These instruments estimate a Pokemon's overall power and determine its corresponding tier accurately.

"Hello, I am the manager of the Battle Tower, known as Manager Gus. You can simply call me by that name," introduced a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit upon their entry.

"Hi, Manager Gus."

"No need for formalities. Please release your Pokemon now; we'll be conducting the tests shortly," Manager Gus said amiably.

Kalia nodded and released two Poké Balls, summoning Charmeleon and Grovyle onto the floor.

Upon emerging from his Poké Ball, Lian surveyed the surroundings, intrigued by the array of instruments before him. However, he refrained from touching anything, mindful not to cause damage that might lead to unwanted expenses.

"Let's begin the assessment with Grovyle and Charmeleon. These instruments are state-of-the-art and will not have any adverse effects on your Pokemon," Manager Gus assured her.

"Charmeleon, Grovyle, let's proceed." Kalia guided both Pokemon towards the testing equipment, observing the sleek metallic devices that seemed highly advanced.

"Grovyle first, please." As Manager Gus spoke, the nearby staff activated the machinery.

Grovyle stepped onto the instrument platform, its limbs secured while sensors were placed at various points on its body.

With a switch press, data began streaming from the sensors to the display screen, calculating Grovyle's overall statistics to determine its comprehensive strength.

The numbers on the screen continuously fluctuated for less than two minutes. Grovyle appeared unaffected, even displaying curiosity in its gaze.

Soon, the results of Grovyle's overall strength assessment were displayed. The screen showed a set of figures indicating that this Grovyle had achieved Red Star 2nd Rank level.

"Your strength is somewhat low. It seems you'll be assigned as a third-floor guardian." Manager Gus sounded slightly disappointed, knowing that the instrument's assessment was highly accurate, confirming Grovyle's strength at Red Star 2nd Rank.

As a result, despite Kalia herself reaching Silver Star level, her Pokemon's strength fell short. This meant she couldn't qualify as a Silver Rank floor guardian.

There were very few Silver Rank floor guardians, as Trainers with such capabilities often preferred to become challengers instead. Being a floor guardian was demanding, especially during understaffed periods, leaving little time for rest.

"Next, let's test Charmeleon," Manager Gus's enthusiasm for Kalia waned significantly. There was no shortage of Red Star Trainers, and while Kalia's personal strength was commendable, weak Pokemon diminished her overall effectiveness.

Finally, it's my turn.

Lian felt excited; Grovyle had been assessed as Red Star 2nd Rank, suggesting the evaluation might be based on Level and ability values. Grovyle appeared to be exactly Level 20, with standard stats.

Now, what about him? Despite also being Level 20, his stats far exceeded those typical for this level. What ranking would he receive?

Lian stepped onto the platform, secured his position, and attached himself to the sensor. He felt nothing significant, just a slight coolness.

Unable to see the display screen, Lian closed his eyes and waited patiently. Based on his estimation, he should score relatively high, but he wasn't sure if the instrument tested based solely on Pokemon level or their ability values.

If it relied on levels, Lian's assessment would likely be similar to Grovyle's. However, if it considered ability values, he anticipated achieving at least Silver Star rank.

Kalia nervously watched the display screen; the third floor required Red Star 2nd Rank strength, but her original plan was to reach the fourth floor, which typically corresponded to beginner Trainer level.

Grovyle's performance left Kalia somewhat disappointed, though it was expected given she had only been training it for about a month.

Now, all depended on Charmeleon's strength evaluation. If Charmeleon could achieve a higher rank, there might still be a chance for her to become a floor guardian on the fourth level.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The numbers on the display suddenly started fluctuating rapidly, with data continuously flashing.

"How can calculating one Charmeleon take so long?" Manager Gus wondered aloud, usually indicating stronger Pokemon require more processing time.

Ding!

A crisp sound echoed.

In the next moment, Kalia and Manager Gus were stunned, staring at the displayed strength evaluation. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

"Silver Star 2nd Rank, is there an issue with the instrument?" Manager Gus muttered to himself. Unless it malfunctioned, how could a Charmeleon achieve Silver Star 2nd Rank?

"Do you want to retest it again?" Kalia was also somewhat incredulous. After all, her father's Sceptile was only at Silver Star 3rd Rank level. If this reading was accurate, it meant her Charmeleon's strength was comparable to her father's Pokemon.

Yet, she had been training the Charmeleon for just over a month!

"Retest," Manager Gus nodded. In such situations, multiple tests were necessary for verification. However, if this Charmeleon truly reached Silver Star 2nd Rank, they would need to reassess Kalia's overall strength evaluation.

The second test yielded the same result: Silver Star 2nd Rank.

"The instrument likely hasn't erred," Manager Gus stated seriously. This detection device was recently purchased from the Ellie Region, known for its quality assurance, and hadn't been used extensively yet.

Thus, this Charmeleon genuinely possessed Silver Star 2nd Rank strength, which left Manager Gus astonished. Such a significant power discrepancy between two Pokemon of a Trainer was quite rare.

Most importantly, this was just a Charmeleon.

"Are you sure there's no mistake?" Kalia herself was astonished; her Charmeleon having Silver Star 2nd Rank strength seemed unbelievable.

"I think I need to reassess your overall capabilities. Encountering such a significant gap between your Pokemon is truly unprecedented. Currently, you have two options," Manager Gus stated.

"What options?"

"First, you can become a floor guardian on the third level, and we'll equip your Charmeleon with an energy limiter, restricting its power to Red Star 2nd Rank. This way, it would be less challenging for you."

"Second, you can guard the fifth level. Although your Charmeleon has reached Silver Star 2nd Rank, Grovyle remains at Red Star 2nd Rank, and your personal evaluation stands at Silver Star 1st Rank. Guarding this floor will involve facing Trainers predominantly of Silver Star rank or higher. Additionally, there are fewer Silver Star guardians, which might make it more demanding for you."

Manager Gus actually hoped Kalia would choose the fifth floor, as it would alleviate pressure from other trainers. Several had already expressed intentions to leave due to intense competition.

On the fifth floor, she would face Trainers with at least intermediate-level skills, significantly stronger than average. He feared Kalia might not handle it well.

In the past, there was a decent Trainer who became overconfident and wanted to guard higher floors. As a result, they suffered consecutive defeats for days, leading to demoralization. Not only did the Trainer lose their determination, but their Pokemon also began fearing battles due to repeated losses.

Therefore, equipping Charmeleon with a limiter and guarding the third floor seemed like a reasonable choice - less challenging, albeit with lower rewards.

"I choose the second option," Kalia decided without hesitation, showing no uncertainty.

Her primary purpose for entering the Battle Tower wasn't just earning money; it was primarily about improving her combat strength. Guarding the third floor wouldn't sufficiently challenge her development.

Given only two choices, it was clear that she should head to the fifth level, facing off against powerful Trainers, rather than staying on the third floor with novice trainers.

"Are you sure?" Manager Gus seemed surprised by Kalia's decision, although it aligned with his expectations. Personally, considering her age, he believed Kalia was at best a beginner Trainer, making guarding the fifth floor quite challenging for her.

"I'm certain. Only by battling strong Trainers can I become stronger," Kalia stated firmly. Initially, she had planned for the fourth floor, but now the fifth seemed like a better choice.

"Then it's settled. Sign the contract here. After one month, you'll have the option to decide whether to continue or leave." Manager Gus didn't elaborate further; once the contract was signed, even if Kalia regretted her decision, there would be no turning back until at least a month later.

One must bear the consequences of their own choices.