Pokemon: Master of tactics-Chapter 441 (Bonus - )

Alex, who had initiated the test, began observing the faces of the forty-seven children as they read through the questions.

Thanks to his high psychic prowess, his perception and multi-casting abilities had long surpassed those of ordinary Humans. Even in this world.

He could easily observe all forty-seven children at once without strain. Facial expressions, breathing patterns, subtle shifts in posture—everything reached him simultaneously, layered and distinct.

Recently, he had also noticed another change.

It had become easier to extract meaning from small details. Micro-expressions. Tone changes too faint for normal ears. Hesitation that lasted a fraction of a second longer than it should have.

This wasn't an active technique.

It was passive.

A constant sense that sharpened naturally—and could be amplified further if he focused.

At times, Alex felt as if he had developed something close to a sixth sense. An instinct refined to a dangerous level.

However, this ability had its limits.

Against stronger beings—whether Pokémon or humans—its effectiveness dropped sharply. The presence of power distorted perception. Even an ordinary human trainer became harder to read if they stood beside a Champion-level Pokémon. Information blurred. Signals overlapped. The stronger the being, the less reliable the read.

In a real confrontation against powerful opponents, this ability would be far from decisive.

Still, in this situation, it was more than sufficient.

Forty-five of the children were completely normal. Their thoughts, emotions, and reactions were easy to perceive.

Two were not.

Alex's attention lingered on them longer than the rest. To read them clearly, he had to concentrate—subtly expanding his perception, even extending it to the children seated nearby. Their presence seemed to interfere slightly, like faint static around a signal.

Interesting.

Over the past three days, Alex had already identified five children who stood out. Their reactions were consistent. Their behavior Impressive. Their awareness sharper than their age should allow.

Even so, he knew better than to be absolute.

One or two children might still possess overlooked qualities—traits that only emerged under specific pressure or circumstances. A good Pokemon trainer never assumed they had seen everything.

During the fifteen-minute test, those five children continued to meet his expectations. Their composure didn't break. Their focus remained steady.

That alone made them worth further consideration.

There were other children with unusual tendencies as well, but Alex dismissed the thought for now.

The answers would decide.

When the time was up, Alex spoke calmly.

"The fifteen minutes are over. Put your pens on the table and remain seated while I collect the papers."

Chairs scraped softly as the children complied.

Alex moved through the rows, gathering the test sheets with efficient, unhurried motions. When he finished, he glanced briefly at the staff—now including newly hired teachers—before speaking again.

"You may return to your class teachers."

The tension in the room loosened immediately.

Alex didn't stay to observe their reactions. He turned and left the hall without another word.

He went straight to Maria's office.

The desk was wide, solid, and comfortable—chosen for long hours of work. Alex sat down on its edge without ceremony, set the stack of papers in front of him, and began reading.

Now came the part that actually mattered.

Alex didn't rush.

He never did, when something mattered.

He spread the test papers across Maria's desk in neat stacks, then leaned back slightly, one leg crossed over the other. The room was quiet—too quiet. Outside, faint voices of children echoed down the hall, but in here, only the soft rustle of paper existed.

Alex picked up the first sheet.

He read it once. Then again. Not for correctness.

Alexhad already decided how he would judge them long before writing the questions. Every answer would be rated from 1 to 100.

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Some papers were easy.

He skimmed an answer and mentally assigned a number almost instantly.

25. Fear-driven. Avoidant. No ownership of consequences.

32. Wanted to sound heroic. Didn't understand cost.

18. Copied ideals without grasping reality.

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Alex set those aside without emotion.

Others made him pause.

One child answered Scenario 1 by refusing to help the injured Pokémon—but added a plan to mark the location, notify a Ranger, and avoid drawing predators.

Alex's eyes narrowed slightly.

56.

Not impressive. But not foolish.

Then came the ones that interested him.

He slowed down.

A boy had written that refusing a stronger opponent publicly was acceptable—but only if the refusal itself was framed as confidence rather than fear. He even described body language.

Alex smiled faintly.

71.

Good instincts and Charakter. Incomplete execution.

Another paper surprised him.

The child chose the long route in Scenario 3, but she also she had mentioned another option that might be possible.

"If I were near a city, I would go there and quickly find a trainer with a Fly-Type Pokémon, or even better, a Pokémon with the move Teleport, and offer them half or more of the mission reward if they could get me there quickly."

Alex tapped the paper once with his finger.

74.

That answer was pretty good but It overlooked many things. Understandable, given the time pressure. Furthermore, her answers to her other questions were only above average. But that's why Alex can't give it a better rating.

Then he reached Lena's paper.

Alex know her name —but the tone was what caught his attention immediately.

Greed.

Not crude greed. Not desperation.

Calculated greed.

In Scenario 1, she evaluated whether helping the Pokémon could create future profit—information, loyalty, trade value. In Scenario 3, she chose the route based on minimizing loss and maximizing long-term gain, openly acknowledging that money mattered.

She didn't hide it.

She justified it.

Alex read the answers twice.

Then once more.

82.

Not because her answers were just "correct." But because she was honest—with herself.

That was rare.

And also... he simply liked her answers enough to give such a high rating.

Finally, he reached another paper and stopped entirely. The handwriting was controlled. The phrasing precise.

No wasted words and no emotional padding.

The answers didn't try to impress. They didn't soften uncomfortable conclusions.

In Scenario 4, the child had written about restructuring the team, assigning roles, and removing liability only after cooperation failed.

Alex's gaze sharpened.

This wasn't just stable. This was methodology. He also seems to be very honest with his answers, just like his sister.

82.

He set the paper down carefully.

When he finished, Alex leaned back and exhaled slowly.

Out of forty-seven children:

Most scored between 20 and 40

A handful reached 50–65

Six stood clearly above the rest

And two stood apart even from those six.

One of them had earned that score despite not standing out to Alex before.

Alex wasn't just satisfied. He felt something better.

Interest.

"These ones," he murmured quietly to himself, gathering a small stack of papers, "are worth time."

Time was a expensive thing he owned.

And he didn't waste it.

*******

if the story gets 150 powerstones in 24 hours, I will upload 1 bonus chapter tomorrow.

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