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[Item obtained: Normalium Z]
Chris picked up a white Z-Crystal from the ground.
He was considered to have cleared the Verdant Cavern trial.
However, he had not been teleported out of Verdant Cavern yet.
"You have defeated all the Pokémon in Verdant Cavern and obtained the Normalium Z. Congratulations, you have completed my trial. As the captain, I will teach you how to use the power of the Normal type!" Ilima said.
Chris raised his arm to reveal the Mega Ring. "I don't have a Z-Ring yet."
"That's okay. If you can pass Island Kahuna Hala's grand trial on Melemele Island, I believe he won't be stingy with his Z-Ring!"
"Before that, I will teach you how to use the Normalium Z move 'Breakneck Blitz.' After you get the Z-Ring, you can practice and use it."
As he spoke, Ilima began demonstrating the Normal-type pose in front of Chris.
He made fists with both hands, then crossed his arms in front of his chest, showed the Normalium Z on the Z-Ring, and pulled them apart forcefully.
Finally, he made a movement of holding both hands up and down in front of his chest, as if lifting something.
Chris looked embarrassed. The problem was that there were only movements without any energy special effects, which made it even more awkward.
Ilima performed the sequence once in slow motion and then again at normal speed. It looked more like a dance routine.
"Come on, do it with me!" Ilima gestured for Chris to try it himself.
Well, for the sake of power, Chris couldn't be shy!
He could only imitate Ilima and "dance together."
The Z-Move poses were designed to make it easier and more accurate for beginners to release Z-Moves. After becoming familiar with Z-Moves, trainers could use them without the elaborate movements.
Just like when Chris had battled against Master Keaton before, he hadn't needed to perform any awkward dances.
After Chris practiced the Normalium Z's somewhat embarrassing dance moves several times, the trial officially ended, and he returned to the entrance.
Ilima's parting words appeared on the screen.
[Ilima: I am the only trial captain on Melemele Island, so you can go directly to Iki Town to find Island Kahuna Hala for the grand trial of Melemele Island! Looking forward to your performance!]
There might be several trial captains on other islands. To complete all the trials and defeat the Island Kahuna would be considered completing the island challenge for that island.
The full island challenge meant passing all the trials on the four islands of the Alola Region!
However, Chris didn't go to Iki Town immediately. Instead, he entered Verdant Cavern again.
This time, there was no trial—just an ordinary field map.
Chris tried to control the protagonist to walk around the cave. The Pokémon he encountered included Alolan Diglett, Zubat, and Alolan Raticate, but there were no Yungoos or Gumshoos, let alone the Totem Gumshoos.
"Did I spook them all away?" Chris muttered. He could only give up for now, thinking he might come back in a few days.
Returning to Iki Town, Chris found Hala standing in the town square—an open space dedicated to battling—where he had been waiting for Chris for some time.
[Hala: Hahaha, a guest from afar, your strength has amazed Captain Ilima! He specifically told me to test you with high-level strength! I hope you won't disappoint me!]
High-level strength to test me?
Chris frowned. Ilima, you kid, just wait until I get a chance to battle you!
Just like in a normal Trainer battle, the scenery before him became silhouetted. Chris entered battle mode and found himself in the open space of Iki Town. The surrounding spectators were the residents of Iki Town, all familiar with such events. Newest update provıded by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝙣𝙚𝙩
Directly opposite, Kahuna Hala stood in full battle stance, his yellow coat billowing in the wind!
"Come on, let's begin the grand trial of Melemele Island!" Saying that, Hala threw a Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball opened in mid-air, and a Hariyama landed with a resounding thud. The level displayed above its head: LV61.
The grand trial was indeed a battle. As long as Chris could defeat the Island Kahuna, he would pass.
But... high-level strength meant using only LV61 Pokémon?
It seemed that Hala wasn't using his full power.
Chris reached out and threw his Poké Ball. The Pokémon that appeared was Haxorus!
Unlike the barely distinguishable coloration during its Axew stage, after evolving into Haxorus, its body was covered in black armor—completely different from the dark green armor of ordinary Haxorus—making it look even more impressive!
The two blood-red tusks on its head were ferocious and terrifying. Combined with the black-armored body, it looked like a killing machine.
As a younger Pokémon that used to roam around Tyrantrum's territory, it had now grown into a powerful creature that could stand on its own. Its level had risen to 57 due to Chris occasionally equipping it with the Exp. Share.
Dealing with a Hariyama just four levels higher would be no problem.
"A differently colored Pokémon? What a fortunate challenger!" Hala exclaimed.
"However, in the face of absolute strength, luck means nothing!" Hala clasped his hands together in front of his chest, revealing his Z-Ring. A brown light from the Fightinium Z flashed, and he immediately struck a fighting pose!
"Z-Move: All-Out Pummeling!"
The Hariyama began to glow with brown light, pulling back its arms.
In the next second, both Hala and Hariyama thrust forward with open palms.
Enormous palm prints constructed from Fighting-type energy filled the sky, bombarding Haxorus relentlessly!
This was All-Out Pummeling, a Z-Move based on "Arm Thrust."
It turned out to be a ranged attack!
"Seriously? You're using Z-Moves right from the start? That's playing dirty, old man!" Chris complained.
"Haxorus, Dragon Dance!"
The black killing machine began to move, stomping the ground, leaning its body, and swooping close to the surface, darting around like a black shadow.
Its Speed stat was an impressive 97 points, quite excellent! And Haxorus was quite proficient in Dragon Dance, able to dodge attacks while simultaneously enhancing its power.
The black shadow moved across the battlefield, its speed becoming faster and faster. While avoiding the attacks, its sharpness grew more and more fierce.
Until it reached the Hariyama.
"Dragon Claw!" Chris commanded.
Haxorus formed a massive Dragon Claw wreathed in dark green Dragon-type energy, directly tearing through an incoming energy palm, and using the momentum to slash heavily toward Hariyama's chest!