The fourth player was defeated, so Shu University's team sent out the fifth player. A minute later, the opponent's Feraligatr fell.
The sixth match was Gengar versus Metagross, which ended in a minute.
The seventh match featured Hariyama versus Metagross, and that ended in a minute and a half.
The eighth match, Mega Ampharos versus Metagross, it went down after three minutes.
Now it was the ninth round: Garchomp versus Metagross.
"Metagross, Giga Impact!"
"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
"Boom!"
The violent collision sent shockwaves that felt like the sky was tearing apart. The air waves swept around, causing the battlefield's protective barrier to ripple.
"Garchomp loses its ability to fight; Metagross wins!"
Five minutes later, Metagross had defeated the ninth member of the Shu University exchange team.
The supporters from Shu University were silent, staring at the defeated Garchomp. It was hard for them to believe that it had only lasted five minutes, especially since Metagross had already fought eight consecutive battles.
The live broadcast's comments shifted from excitement to disbelief: "What is happening? Amazing! 666! I'm kneeling in awe!"
The cheer squad at Imperial University was already close to celebrating victory, but instead of getting louder, their voices started to fade. They were nearly out of energy to keep cheering.
Whether from Imperial University, Shu University, or other colleges, everyone shared a single thought as they looked at Julian standing on the field.
'Is this guy still human?'
None of the exchange team members from Shu University were weak; in any other school, they could have been the top freshman.
Yet here, Julian and Metagross were taking them down one by one, as easily as chopping vegetables.
It was f**king outrageous. It felt like something out of a science fiction movie, witnessing the impossible unfold right in front of them.
Even Luis and the others from Imperial College looked stunned. They knew Julian was strong, having faced him before.
The six of them had challenged him at the start, realizing just how powerful Julian's Metagross was. It was so strong that the last four challengers had changed their strategies, letting Julian use other Pokémon, so they never saw how far Metagross could really go.
Even today, Metagross had taken down nine Pokémon in a row, some having Mega Evolved, some were pseudo-legendaries, and some with type restraints, although it had taken some hits.
But, its limits still remained unknown.
Could anyone defeat Metagross or push it to its limits? that remained to be seen.
Many spectators now focused on the last member of the Shu University exchange team. She had short hair and an attractive face. As she walked onto the battlefield, there was a weight on her shoulders.
She was the representative freshman of Shu University, she was arranged to go last as she was meant to face off against the representative freshman of Imperial Capital University.
But she had never imagined that the person in charge of the opposing exchange team would let their top student go first—and that he'd defeat nine team members in a row, still standing strong at the end.
After this match, no matter if she won or lost against Julian, Imperial University would be seen as superior to Shu University in terms of reputation.
Unless she could defeat Julian and, like him, take down the remaining nine members of Imperial College, there was no way to turn the tide.
Shu and Imperial University had always been rivals, each taking victories and defeats from the other, but never before had the gap felt so wide as it did today.
What was worse, many spectators felt as if Imperial University was battling a third-rate University, which had lead to such a one-sided situation.
"Acacia Willow!"
"What's wrong? Feeling the fear of being dominated again?" Luis teased with a grin.
The Willow and Drake families were known for their Ice and Dragon types, respectively, each controlling special advanced secret realms—the Land of Extreme Ice and the Dragon's Den. These secret realms were similar to the Walker family's Oreburgh Great Wall, where Pokémon of the same type thrived.
It might be due to the natural type disadvantage.
The young members of the Drake family often found themselves outmatched by those from the Willow family.
In case of having similar levels, Dragon-type Pokémon were two times weaker to Ice-type moves. One hit from an Ice-type move usually left them either half-HP or critically hurt; in worst cases, they might be taken out instantly.
As members of the younger generation in their respective families, Ian and Acacia had inevitably clashed many times.
"Twenty battles, twenty defeats. You really are on a losing streak," Luis joked.
Luis's family, was also from the imperial capital and known as an ice-type family, had a close relationship with the Willow family. Because of this, Luis was very familiar with the rivalry between Ian and Acacia.
"Shut up!"
Ian shouted in anger, as he tried to cover Luis's mouth.
Twenty battles and twenty defeats was not something honorable, yet Luis continued to bring it up.
Seeing Hugo, Walter, Gucci, and others looking at him strangely, Ian really wanted to kill Luis right this moment.
"It's not a secret," Luis retorted.
The children of the local families in the imperial capital basically knew about this, but those from outside, like Walter and Gucci didn't.
However, now that they were all at Imperial University, the grievances between Ian and Acacia would be hard to kept hidden for long.
"But don't worry, this time my brother Walker will get revenge for you and defeat this woman thoroughly," Luis said.
Before, he had thought Julian's claim of wanting to beat ten was a joke, but now he realized he was the joke.
"That woman is not comparable to the first nine; her Vanilluxe is very strong."
Just thinking about Acacia using Ice-type moves made Ian uneasy. He recalled how his Salamence had been turned in a block of Ice, and his expression turned ugly.
"My second type in the future will be Fire-type, and it will definitely beat her."
Thinking about his choice of a second type, Ian felt confident again.
Just then, Luis's voice broke in.
"Didn't you know? Acacia's second type is Water."
Ice and Water types were closely related. Many Ice-type trainers often chose Water as their second type, and vice versa.
After all, there was a lot in common between ice and water.
"Then I'll choose Electric"
Ian looked embarrassed, and immediately changed his words.
Anyway, his choice of a secondary typing was based on countering Acacia's second type, so he could absolutely restrain her, ensuring that she would feel the fear of being at a disadvantage.
"Hugo, what are you looking at?"
Ian snapped at Hugo, who was looking at him oddly, and thought that he must be laughing at him.
"Why not choose Steel as your second type?" Hugo suggested.
Steel-types dealt twice the damage to Ice-types, while taking normal damage from Water-type moves.
Ian: (¯□¯;).
"Ding~"
"Who is it?"
Zoe looked at her phone, it was a message sent by Frank, followed by a proud face emoji.
"My student had taken down nine, he is bound to defeat all ten. My students are so strong—are you envious?"
"You really feel like you've won, huh?"
On the Imperial Capital University side, Frank scoffed at the reply.
Frank: "Seriously? Acting all high and mighty even now? Say something nice, and maybe I'll have Julian take ten minutes with your top student just to save you some face."
Zoe: "Watch it, kid. You'll see soon enough."
Nearby, Luis noticed his homeroom teacher's quick typing and changing expressions and nudged Hugo beside him.
"Looks like Teacher Frank is texting his girlfriend," he whispered.
Hugo raised an eyebrow. "You sure? He looks pretty angry to me."
Luis grinned. "You don't get it. Women are creatures that men love and hate at the same time."
"Oh? you talk like you have a girlfriend?"
"Not exactly. but I am rich in theory."
Frank put his phone back in his pocket and focused on Acacia across the venue. He could sense Zoe's confidence in her from her words.
Even if Acacia managed to defeat Metagross, could she really take down the nine trainers behind him?.
The world didn't have many prodigies like Julian. Frank doubted Acacia to be one of them.
Across the field, the opponent had already taken out her Poké Ball. It wasn't any ordinary Poké Ball but a unique one—half green, half white.
The Friend Ball: when a wild Pokémon is captured with it, it immediately bonds closely with the Trainer.
At present, Friend Balls could only be found in ruins, and there were no manufacturing methods found to produce them in the real world.
Because of its ability to quickly increase the bond with a newly caught Pokémon, this Poké Ball was especially suited for high-level Pokémon that could be found in secret realms. It saves the Trainer time in building trust, reducing the risk of disobedience or desertion.
What kind of Pokémon would be worthy of this rare ball?
With the Friend Ball opening, Julian and the entire audience soon saw the Pokémon emerge.
A flying Pokémon appeared in front of everyone.
Its feathers an ice-blue so clear they looked as if they were crafted from ice. It had a crown of three dark blue, prism-shaped feathers on its head, red eyes, and a long, streamer-like tail.
As it flapped its wings, moisture in the air condensed into frost and snow, swirling around it in a mesmerizing dance.
Looking at this Pokémon, the scene felt like someone had hit pause. A deep, deathly silence settled, with everyone frozen in their previous actions.
All eyes were on the majestic creature, mouths slightly open.
They looked at the dancing figure on the field in disbelief, as if they were seeing an illusion, closing their eyes, opening them again, and the scene still remained the same.
"Articuno"
Julian whispered, looking at the Pokémon in front of him in surprise.
Pokémon: Articuno (Ice/Flying)
Level: 60
Qualification: Blue
Ability: Pressure
Item: Never-Melt Ice
Gender: No Gender
Moves: Gust, Mist, Powder Snow, Reflect, Ice Shard, Agility, Ancient Power, Tailwind, Freeze-Dry, Roost, Ice Beam, Snowscape, Hurricane, Haze, Freezing Glare, Sheer Cold
Disc Moves: Hyper Beam, Light Screen, Icy Wind, Protect, Steel Wing, Icicle Spear, Avalanche, Blizzard, Brave Bird, Air Slash, Hail
Genetic Moves: None
(T/N: There's no record or mention of Articuno"s gender anywhere, some believe they are all female or male while others say it's a ratio of 1:1 and then comes people who say it's gender less-that's what we are going with)
--
Articuno, a Pokémon both Ice and Flying type, known as one of the three Divine Birds, is a sight few Trainers ever witness in person.
Alongside Moltres and Zapdos, Articuno is a legendary Pokemon.
Though known as a legendary Pokémon and extremely rare, a few lucky individuals have managed to capture an Articuno or other legendary Pokémon.
Drakoria's Fire-type Elite has a Moltres, the Electric-type Elite from Aurantia has a Zapdos, and in a country in extreme north, an Elite Trainer holds an Articuno.
(T/N: Aurantia is Australia)
These three divine birds were among the most frequently discovered and captured of the known legendary Pokémon, though this was only relative to other legendary Pokémon.
All three birds had been captured at some point, and many had seen videos, pictures, and other materials about them—though only through the internet or books.
Yet here, before everyone's eyes, was a live Articuno, soaring gracefully, reminding everyone this was no screen image but a living, breathing Pokémon.
"Wooo!"
The crowd erupted in deafening cheers, the audience's voices filling the sky above the field. Most people stared at Articuno with a mix of awe and fanaticism.
"Incredible! We're really seeing an Articuno!"
"My mom's asking why I'm kneeling to watch this live!"
"This move from Shu University shows that it's still at the top"
"Imperial University, the pressure's on you now!"
Ian stared at Articuno, feeling a pang of hopelessness. With a Pokémon like that on Acacia's side, how could he ever hope to keep up?
"How did she manage to find and catch an Articuno?" Luis murmured.
Frank finally understood where Zoe's confidence in Acacia came from—it was clear she'd known about Acacia's Articuno all along.
Articuno had always inhabited the special advanced secret realm known as the Land of Extreme Ice in Drakoria. Many from top families had ventured there, hoping to capture it, yet most left without even a glimpse of its shadow.
The Willow family had recently made an attempt as well, and now it seemed they had succeeded.
This Articuno though, was only at peak Advanced-level, it was likely a descendant of the one in the secret realm.
"Interesting"
Julian murmured, a smile forming. A legendary Pokémon was the perfect challenge for his Metagross, giving it the final push toward the pseudo-Elite level.
After defeating nine other Pokémon, his level 59 Metagross was nearly at level 60. If not for its pseudo-legendary status, it would have already broken through.
"You can surrender now"
Although Acacia's tone was calm, her expression radiated an unmistakable air of aloofness.
With Articuno by her side, she truly had the leverage to look down on her peers—and even some of the older generation.
"Oh?, Arrogant, are we?"
Julian's voice turned icy. Although a child of an aristocratic family, he lacked the playful attitude common among his peers. Yet, deep down, a quiet pride always existed in his heart.
He wasn't one to tolerate arrogance directed at him.
Articuno or not, Metagross was about to prove its strength.
"Meta!"
Metagross positioned itself in front of Julian, and in that moment, its intense gaze seemed to merge with Julian's own.
"Have you noticed that Brother Walker is suddenly looking so handsome? He's about to catch up with me!" Luis exclaimed.
Hugo shot him a skeptical look. "Are you complimenting Julian or yourself?"
"Of course, I'm complimenting my Brother Walker! And while I'm at it, I'm giving myself a little praise too," Luis chuckled.
Suddenly, Luis poked Hugo in the side. "Look! Brother Walker's Metagross is moving!"
After both trainers sent out their Pokémon, neither attacked immediately. About half a minute later, Julian's Metagross sprang into action.
With a swift use of Agility, Metagross's speed was almost comparable to that of Teleport. In the blink of an eye, it closed the distance, appearing seven or eight meters away from Articuno.
In the nine battles earlier, Acacia had been meticulously studying Metagross, gaining insights into its speed, strength, and defense.
In raw power, Metagross surpassed most Fighting-type Pokémon, which were renowned for their brute strength. Out of the nine previous opponents, five had fallen to Metagross's Fighting-type moves, all defeated without mercy.
"Articuno, use Air Slash!"
Acacia commanded, and the majestic Pokémon waved its wings forward. Instantly, two translucent wind blades formed, slicing through the air with a sharp, piercing sound.
"Light Screen!" Julian ordered.
There was a certain chance that Air Slash would make the Pokémon it hit flinch.
The transparent barrier intercepted the two Air Slashes. However, the Light Screen also got
numerous cracks and was on the brink of collapse.
"Articuno, Ice Beam!"
The next second, the freezing light broke through the weakened Light Screen. But by then, Metagross had already disappeared, the Ice beam slammed into the battlefield, encasing the two football-sized field in ice.
This scene left most of the audience gasping in awe. While a typical pseudo-Elite Ice-type Pokémon could achieve something similar, none could do it with the same ease as Articuno.
As expected of a legendary Ice- and Flying-type Pokémon, Articuno's immense power left many other Ice-type Trainers in despair.
Among them, Ian was likely the most desperate. Looking at the frozen ground, he realized that, if nothing unexpected happened, his Dragon-type Pokémon would never stand a chance against Acacia's Ice-type."
"Hammer Arm!"
Metagross appeared on top of Articuno, its arm swinging down with explosive force.
"Boom!"
The impact reverberated through the arena, creating a shockwave that sent Articuno plummeting from the sky. The air beneath it compressed, forming a visible concave shape as it fell.
"Ar~!"
A deep crater formed in the ground, cracks radiating outward across the ice. Yet, Articuno quickly regained its footing and let out a fierce cry.
"How is it still fine!?"
Luis exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out. That Hammer Arm would have been enough to take down any of his Pokémon in an instant.
Yet here, it seemed like a mere massage for Articuno.
"Legendary Pokémon cannot be measured by ordinary standards, at their level of life origin, they exist beyond ordinary Pokémon."
Frank explained, although this was also his first time seeing an Articuno in reality, and he knew almost no more about it than Luis and the others.
But, what he did know was that whether it was a third-class legendary, a mythical Pokémon, or a second or first-class legendary, their life levels were entirely different from those of regular Pokémon.
Their lifespans were also typically much longer.
For an ordinary Pokémon to enhance its life level, it had to reach the Elite level. Only then would its life level improve. This applied even to pseudo-legendaries.
But for a legendary Pokémon like Articuno, born as an extraordinary being in the world, their life levels were naturally higher than most.
That's why Articuno could withstand the full force of Metagross's Hammer Arm without showing visible injury. In fact, it was injured, but the injury was not a big deal for it.
Despite this, Articuno glared at Metagross with eyes filled with rage. Being struck first by its opponent was a humiliation it couldn't tolerate.
"Metagross, Mega Evolve!"
Noticing that Articuno was more durable than he had anticipated and that its resilience remained strong, Julian observed that the chaotic aura from its earlier injury was quickly stabilizing.
When the light of evolution disappeared, Mega Metagross appeared with its four claws pointed forward, Its gaze colder, sharper than before.
Originally, the ability Metagross possessed was light metal, but after Mega Evolution, the ability had transformed into Tough Claws.
Tough Claws: Increases the power of contact moves by 30%
Under this Ability, Metagross could do much more stronger melee damage.
At the same time, Metagross' level after Mega Evolution had skyrocketed from 59 to 69, directly at the peak of pseudo-Elite.
An overwhelming aura radiated from Mega Metagross, causing ripples to shimmer in the protective barrier meant to guard against the full-force strikes of pseudo-Elite Pokémon.
Acacia's expression shifted noticeably.
"Wow, how do I feel like Metagross is going to win?" one spectator murmured.
"I'm also with you! This Metagross is clearly at the pseudo-Elite pinnacle"
"If Articuno loses, I'll be over the moon!" someone from the Imperial University exclaimed.
"Same here!" several voices echoed in agreement.
"Meta!"
Mega Metagross snorted softly, its four claws glowing with silver-white light.
"Steel Beam!"
"Articuno, Ice Beam!"
The two beams of energy, one silver-white and the other blue, collided in the air, fighting against each other. Yet, within less than a second, the Steel Beam overpowered the other, breaking through.
"Articuno, Dodge!"
Acacia shouted urgently.
Articuno flapped its wings, managing to dodge the the Steel Beam. However, its tail feathers trailing behind were hit, losing half of their length.
For a Pokémon like Articuno, known for its grace and elegance, the damage to its magnificent tail feathers hurt the most. Although they would grow back, but it would have to make due with only half for a while.
Articuno's eyes were red with anger.
"Ar..!!"
The cry was filled with endless anger.
To be honest, Articuno was indeed beautiful, but half of its beauty was due to the ribbon like tail feathers.
Now, with half of its elegant tail feathers reduced to a mere stub, it appeared to lose some of its enchanting charm.
"Articuno, calm down!"
Seeing that Articuno was about to lose control, Acacia hurriedly shouted.
Fortunately, because she had captured Articuno using a Friend Ball, their bond had strengthened considerably in a short time. If not for this connection, Articuno might not listen to her now at all.
Articuno's tail feathers, long and elegant, weren't just for show—they shifted with the air currents, enabling precise, flexible flight.
But now, with half of them damaged, its control was compromised. Flying was still possible, but intricate aerial maneuvers were out of the question
"Articuno, use Brave Bird!"
Articuno, eager to turn Metagross into scrap iron, heard the command from Acacia. The anger building within it seemed to explode. Its loud cry resonated with endless fury.
This intense anger transformed into substantial energy, making Brave Bird's power even more terrifying.
As Articuno dove from above, the air around it continuously compressed and dented, forming a visible air barrier. However, it had yet to break the sound barrier.
Articuno descended like a meteorite, the air pressure across the battlefield steadily increasing. Even before Brave Bird made contact, cracks and depressions began to form in the ground below.
"Gulp~!"
Many spectators swallowed hard at the sight. Even through the protective cover, they felt the immense pressure radiating from Brave Bird.
This sensation was amplified by the unique pressure of Articuno as a legendary Pokémon. Combined, these forces could intimidate most other Pokémon before they even began to fight.
Pokémon with a high life level, even when standing still, often rendered ordinary Pokémon too frightened to move.
Though champion-level Pokémon, were higher than Articuno in terms of life level, but in front of first-level legendaries even they were suppressed.
However, if a first-level legendary wants to kill a champion, that's still relatively difficult. After all, Champions were not naive; if they sensed they could not win, they would just flee.
Faced with Articuno's overwhelming assault, Julian shouted passionately, "Mega Metagross, Giga Impact!"
His blood seemed to ignite with determination.
There was no hiding, no guarding,—this would be a head-on clash.
Julian was ready to confront Articuno directly.
His bold command was precisely what the audience wanted; only the most passionate collision of moves could ignite the loudest cheers from the crowd.
"Articuno! Metagross!"
The crowd erupted in excitement, their voices echoing throughout the arena.
On the official live broadcast from Imperial College, the number of viewers online surged beyond 3 million.
Initially, this exchange match might not have warranted an official broadcast, but the appearance of Articuno prompted Imperial College to stream the event.
If the Mega Metagross emerged victorious, the reputation of Imperial College would overshadow that of Shu University, leading to a significant increase in applications next year.
Conversely, if they lost, it wouldn't be shameful. Julian's Metagross had already fought through nine matches, and its strength and energy were no longer at their peak.
Battling a legendary Pokémon like Articuno made a loss more acceptable, especially after pushing it to its limits.
Therefore, regardless of the outcome, this battle was a significant win for Imperial College.
Under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, Metagross and Articuno transformed into streaks of white and red, colliding in mid-air.
"Boom!!!"
The sound of their collision was deafening. Even with the protective cover in place, spectators closer to the action felt dizzy and disoriented from the sound's impact, their eyes blank with shock.
The violent shockwave surged across the battlefield, reminiscent of a scythe, wreaking havoc everywhere. The arena, which spanned the size of two football fields, became unrecognizable, with no intact ground left in its wake.
The protective barrier began to crumble under the onslaught of this tremendous energy.
In a panic, the staff hurriedly raised the protective cover's strength from pseudo-Elite to Elite. The barrier stabilized just in time as they gazed at the battling Pokémon with fear, internally labeling them as monsters.
"Boom!"
The standoff between the two did not last long. After only three seconds, Mega Metagross's Giga Impact overcame Articuno's Brave Bird, sending the legendary Pokémon crashing to the ground like a broken kite.
Then, Metagross landed.
"Protect!"
"Freeze Dry!"
Julian issued his command just ahead of Acacia.
Acacia's face drained of color as she realized Julian had anticipated her next move.
Articuno, now grounded, managed to unleash a weak attack, but it was effectively countered by the protection shield of Metagross.
With the shield in place, Mega Metagross positioned itself in front of Articuno, its eyes flashing with cold determination. Articuno felt a chill of dread as it locked eyes with the powerful Pokémon.
In the wild, Metagross was a ruthless hunter, feared by many.
"Metal Claw!" Julian commanded, his voice steady and cold.
The sharp claws tore through the air with a high-pitched shriek. Articuno screamed as the Metal Claw struck, feathers flying along with a spray of blood.
The blow to its head caused Articuno to tremble uncontrollably.
"Finish it with Meteor Mash!"
"Meta!"
Seemingly sensing its imminent demise, Articuno's eyes flickered with clarity amidst the chaos, yearning to struggle. Yet, it found itself firmly pinned by Metagross.
Under its desperate gaze, the Meteor Mash continued to magnify in its eyes.
"Boom!"
The fierce attack slammed into Articuno again, creating a crater over ten meters wide in the ground. At this point, the once-mighty legendary Pokémon lay motionless, unable to move.
"Articuno..." Acacia Liu muttered, her face pale, unable to believe the scene unfolding before her.
The referee stepped in to check it out, repeating the process multiple times for confirmation.
"Articuno loses combat ability. Metagross wins!"
At that moment, Metagross had successfully taken down a legendary Pokémon.
A massive cheer erupted from the audience. Countless voices chanted the names of Julian and Metagross, their excitement palpable as if they themselves had defeated Articuno.
The fall of Articuno revealed to them that even the most exalted legendary Pokémon could be defeated.
It felt akin to witnessing someone overpowering a Dragonite with sheer human strength.
This demonstration of strength, proven through action, was more motivating and convincing than any written words or books could convey.
"King Julian!"
A voice called out, and soon the crowd echoed the name.
On the live broadcast, colorful comments flooded the screen, celebrating the moment.
Julian, though not conventionally handsome, had a comfortable and cold demeanor that lent him an air of mystery.
Having reverted from Mega Evolution, Metagross emanated a powerful aura, floating quietly before Julian, who stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing upward into the bright sky.
Julian: It's f*****g hot.
In that moment, Metagross's level surged from 59 to 61, achieving a remarkable two-level jump.
With its victory over a legendary Pokémon, Metagross officially became a pseudo-Elite Pokémon.
The Imperial Capital University's Library was one of the most frequented places by students, renowned for its extensive collection.
With over 50 million books covering literature, science, engineering, art, medicine, and more, nearly one-third of the collection was dedicated to Pokémon.
Here, you can even find ancient texts and rare editions. However, borrowing these special books requires a significant amount of credits.
The entire library had ten floors, each housing a vast array of books.
Currently, Julian was on the fifth floor, where the cost of access was 100 credits per hour. After defeating ten members of the Shu exchange team, Julian had accumulated a total of 3,000 credits.
Books on the floors below the fifth could be accessed without spending any points, while those above the fifth floor required credits due to their focus on Pokémon.
Many of these books were not released to the public, and you couldn't buy them in bookstores outside.
Instead, they could only be found in prestigious universities or the Trainer Association, with some books limited to very few locations.
You might wonder why these books weren't made public so that trainers who didn't attend Universities could also improve.
The strength of trainers directly correlated to the overall power of Drakoria, potentially leading to the emergence of new Elites.
While Drakoria's Trainer executives recognized this, they still restricted the access to these valuable resources.
The reasoning was very simple: if these books were available to the public, trainers from other countries could also purchase them.
Consequently, an increase in the strength of Drakoria's trainers would be mirrored by those in other nations, leading to no net gain in strength.
While an experience written by an Elite Trainer might be released to the public to potentially add Elites to Drakoria, it could also empower trainers abroad.
Other countries had also restricted access to their valuable books, keeping them confined to major universities.
Thus, Drakoria would not adopt a policy that appears to be a "win-win" scenario, allowing trainers in other countries to benefit equally.
Consequently, all precious books were also available in the trainer associations, where trainers not belonging to any of these institutions could do contributions to access the materials they needed.
With 3,000 credits, Julian was well-equipped to spend time in the library, though entering the tenth floor would cost him 1,000 credits per hour.
In the Imperial University, credits were crucial. They were needed to purchase valuable items, Pokémon, treasures, and more.
While credits could be exchanged for money, the reverse was not always true.
Currently, Julian was engrossed in a copy of "No. 25 Advanced Secret Realm Detailed Explanation."
In addition to the named top secret realms, including unique advanced ones like the Oreburgh Great Wall, Blue Lake, and Dragon's Den.
Other advanced secret realms, were indicated using numbers instead.
The No. 25 advanced secret realm was one of two managed by Imperial College, highlighting the institution's prestigious reputation.
This was also a key reason why Imperial University was often regarded as the top institution. It oversaw two high-level secret realms, while the other four leading universities were responsible for only one.
However, the second high-level secret realm under Imperial College's care was regulated through the annual university league, a contest in which Imperial University had excelled for five consecutive years.
Julian planed to enter the fixed high-level secret realm, No. 25, soon.
With Metagross having recently triumphed over a legendary Pokémon and becoming a pseudo-Elite, along with his pseudo-Elite Steelix, he was now qualified to explore the advanced secret realms.
There were many people in the library on fifth floor, and most of them recognized Julian.
The exchange competition between the two schools just three days ago was still fresh in their minds, with videos of his remarkable battles readily available online.
The most talked-about moment remained the fierce showdown between Metagross and Articuno, elevating Julian's status to that of a celebrity at Imperial College.
His recent accomplishments had ignited a sense of admiration and envy among the senior students.
Typically, graduates from Imperial Capital University possessed pseudo-Elite strength, If they were not a pseudo-Elite by the time they graduated, they would be too ashamed to even tell people they want to Imperial University.
Yet Julian, having just entered the University less than a month ago, had already demonstrated combat power akin to that of a graduate, leaving many upperclassmen feeling overshadowed.
"Hello, King Julian!"
A melodic voice interrupted his thoughts, accompanied by a delightful fragrance. Julian looked up to see who it was.
Sitting across from him was a girl whose beauty surpassed ninety points, her bright eyes curiously studying him.
"What?"
Julian had become accustomed to being called "King Julian" now. Luis had been shouting it in his ear every day with a hint of envy and jealousy.
With Metagross's victory over Articuno, he became a legend among people, and Julian was crowned the title "King" among his peers.
Seeing Julian's indifferent attitude, Hannah blinked, momentarily taken aback. She touched her cheek, almost in disbelief. 'Did I forget to fix my makeup or something?'.
It wasn't often—if ever—that someone spoke to her with such little interest.
"I just wanted to introduce myself, if I have the honor. My name is Hannah," She said.
Seeing the soft, fair hand extended toward him, Julian gave it a light shake.
"Just call me Julian."
Although he was a Iron-hearted guy, but the other party was being so active, he would naturally not refuse, and she was indeed very beautiful.
"You're Hannah?"
"Don't tell me, Julian, you've actually heard of me—what an honor," Hannah replied, covering a soft laugh with her hand.
He did recognize her, thanks to Luis, who had once shared pictures and names of the top ten college beauties of Imperial University.
Hannah, with her striking features, had certainly left an impression.
She was undeniably beautiful—perhaps the most beautiful woman he had encountered.
Being the sole heir of the Walker family, one might assume he'd meet countless remarkable women. Yet, in reality, his circle was quite limited. In a way, he really felt sorry for his Identity.
"Julian, I'm also a Steel-type Trainer," Hannah said, leaning forward slightly.
"Um."
Julian gave a brief nod, his focus still on his book.
Her smile faltered for a moment at his indifference, and for the first time, she found herself questioning her charm.
But she was quick to read his disinterest, so she fell silent, glancing at the title of the book he was reading.
Taking out her own book, 'Mawile Breeder Route', she began to read.
However, while Julian seemed entirely absorbed in his book, her attention was scattered, her gaze drifting back and forth between her reading and the young man across from her.