The battlefield fell silent.
The dojo disciples stared at Corviknight as it fell from the sky, disbelief written across their faces.
M-Master had actually—
"Why did you stop cheering?"
Honey turned in surprise. Seeing the disciples downcast and silent, she laughed. "You little fools. Look at your master's face. He's delighted!"
At her words, the disciples looked toward the battlefield.
Mustard gazed at Corviknight, now Unable to Battle. Far from discouraged, he burst into delighted laughter.
The sight put them at ease. Their master was their master, after all. He was far more composed than they were.
Honey went on, "You all think too much and do too little. No wonder your master won't let you graduate. Quite a shock, isn't it? Now you know there's always someone stronger out there."
The chastened disciples lowered their heads in embarrassment.
It wasn't that they were making a fuss over nothing.
Of all the trainers the disciples knew, only the current Champion, Leon, had ever defeated and dominated Mustard's Pokémon.
Even Raihan could only trade a few moves with him and learn from the exchange.
Yet Baimu, a trainer none of them had heard of, had first thrashed Avery and Clara, then gained the upper hand against their master.
How could the disciples not be shocked?
Of course they had fallen speechless.
"Ma'am—"
"Don't ask me. This is my first time meeting the young man too, but there can't be many people like him in the world."
Honey waved them off.
She was just as surprised by Baimu's strength. Her darling husband had grown old, not died. Even after years of retirement, he had never stopped training his Pokémon, and though his body could no longer keep up, his insight and experience remained.
Who would have thought he'd run into a young