Chapter 84

As the dust settled, everyone gasped at the sight before them. Even if Jax's chances against the Champion was slim, with Lancelot's last display, they all forgot about the level and experience difference and had actually started cheering for him.

Now, they all saw why Leon was the undefeated Galarian Champion and why he was hailed as the strongest trainer of the century.

Charizard was still standing proud even after that insane combo, and worse, Lancelot's neck was in between his mouth. With the tiniest amount of pressure, his neck could be pierced.

Recalling Charizard, Leon walked up to Jax and congratulated him. Afterall, this was merely a battle to test the boy, and after his display of power, Leon felt confident that a Gym's basic Novice test would be a breeze for the current boy.

"Good job, Jax. You were knowledgeable about my battle patterns, thought up a plan on the spot to combat it, and used your pokemon's moves effortlessly to close the gap. If Lancelot was just a few levels higher, I have no doubt that you could have given me and Charizard a run for our money. Be proud of yourself, Brat. That being said, I'll endorse you. Come to my office later so we can discuss more of the details."

As Leon left with Sonia, all of Jax's friends came up to him and congratulated him. This was the most intense fight they had ever seen, even more so than their little annual school tournament.

After talking to his friends and meeting Headmaster Leon to go over the endorsement contract and which Gym he would be challenging first, Jax got up early the next day to put his plan into motion.

On the Rexor region, there were 18 Gyms that anyone (ages 10 and up) could challenge. Each Gym had three tests: Novice, Advanced, Veteran.

Although beating a Gym at any difficulty still resulted in receiving a badge, each badge looked different depending on which level the trainer had overcome. Along with prestige, the badges also granted additional benefits.

For example, if a trainer challenged a Novice level Gym test, the Gym could only use pokemons from level 20s to 30s. If the trainer won, they would receive the Novice badge associated with the Gym. The Novice badge would usually allow up to 5 percent discounts on all stores, cafes, and restaurants inside the city the Gym was a part of. If there was an auction house, the trainer would be given a 3 percent discount on all items purchased and they would only have to pay a 10 percent listing fee for any items they wanted sold instead of the usual 20 percent.

Advanced level badges could only be challenged by, duh, advanced trainers. That was because the pokemon levels they would be versing would be in the 50s to 60s range. While it was harder, it offered the same perks but at slightly higher rates: 10 percent off all stores, cafes, and restaurants, 7 percent off on all items purchased at the auction house and only paying 5 percent for listing an item to be sold.

Veteran level badges were in a completely different realm. They signified the best of the best of the best and could only be challenged by children between the ages of 10 to 15, the time before a children is acknowledged as young man. The point of the veteran level badges was the scope out any promising and talented individuals that haven't already been noticed. Veteran level badges gave 30 percent off all stores, cafes, and restaurants, and 20 percent off all items purchased at the auction house along with not having to pay any listing fee for any items they wanted sold!

Although these perks were already amazing enough, they weren't the reason why Veteran level badges were constantly being challenged for. Their most important perk was that the Gym leader would have to fulfil any one favor of the challenger who won it no matter what! The reason why this was even an option was because the pokemons the challenger would need to face off against would be in the level 80s to 90s range!

With 16 different Gyms throughout the Rexor region, only 3 Gyms offered the Veteran level test: The Rock-type Gym led by Evans, The Fire-type Gym led by Blake, and the Fairy-type Gym led by Mystique. Jax already knew which Gym he wanted to challenge first, but to get there, he would have to raise up his pokemons' levels by quite a bit if he wanted a shot at taking down its Veteran level test.

Even if Jax was in a rush to complete his last quest, he wasn't a fool. As he and his team was now, they stood no chance against the Gym he wanted to challenge. As such, it was time to go back to the Great Beyond and grind for some more levels.

Jax and his team spent a year in the Great Beyond fighting with their lives on the line every day. Now that they were stronger, they could start challenging some of the overlords.

12 months, 12 bosses: Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Aggron, Krookodile, Salamance, Flygon, Gengar, Drapion, Rhyperior, Tyranitar, and Garchomp.

Jax caught every overlord he fought, bred every pokemon in his sub-space, practiced crafting his own Masterballs, trained his psychic abilities and aura powers, and raised all of his pokemons' levels up to level 85.

After a long year, it was finally time to rejoin civilization. He had not left the Great Beyond even once because he wanted to complete his goal as soon as possible and even one day away from training would throw a wrench in his plans.

After exploring the Great Beyond extensively, he found no traces of his mother, not even in the cave she and his dad once stayed in. With his hopes crushed, Jax knew he needed to hurry and become stronger or he may never see his mother ever again. He was itching to grow up faster and finally start exploring the whole world to find his mother and possibly even traces of his father.

"Guys, it's time to return. We're strong enough now that not many others are even our opponents anymore."