The hosting location for the Annual Hundred Schools League changes every year. Last year, it was held in Lake City, Julian's hometown. This year, it was taking place in Haitian City, a coastal city in the central south province.
The league was scheduled to start on October 10th and would last about half a month. It was considered one of the few large-scale national events in Drakoria each year.
During the competition, participants would get to witness the top talents from universities across the country, showcasing their brilliance.
The Imperial University team arrived in Haitian City on October 8th, checking into the hotel arranged by the event organizers that evening. Joining them were their longtime rivals, the Shu University team.
Julian even spotted Acacia in Shu University's lineup.
It wasn't surprising though, that someone with a Legendary Pokémon like Articuno would be on team. However, it remained unclear if she was an official member or just a substitute.
---
After dinner, Julian planned to head straight back to his room, but his cousin Thea and her best friend Faye dragged him out for some shopping.
Haitian City wasn't just a coastal city; it was also a famous tourist destination in Drakoria, attracting countless visitors each year.
With the city now hosting the Hundred Schools League, the number of tourists had surged significantly.
Fortunately, the local government had made arrangements. Despite the influx of people, public order remained stable, with patrol officers frequently seen patrolling the streets with their Pokémon.
"There are so many Slowpoke here!" Faye exclaimed as she marveled at the abundance of Slowpoke in the area.
Slowpoke was considered the symbol of Haitian City and its guardian Pokémon. In the past, Slowpoke had played a key role in preventing a Pokémon riot that could have devastated the city. Combined with their adorable and gentle nature, they had become beloved by the residents.
And being a coastal city, Haitian City naturally had more Water-type trainers than other types. Many of these trainers also owned Slowbro, the evolved form of Slowpoke, which was a popular choice.
In fact, most Water or Psychic-type trainers from Haitian City typically had at least one Slowbro in their teams.
Now that the alternate evolution, Slowking, had also become an option, trainers had even more choices available to them.
It wasn't uncommon to see people walking around the city with Slowking by their side.
Slowking wasn't common even in the Imperial capital, but here Julian had already spotted three of them.
Slowpoke Park was a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Haitian City.
Built by the local government to commemorate Slowpoke's role in saving the city, the park featured a large Slowpoke statue at its center.
The park was home to nearly a thousand wild Slowpoke. Although they were technically wild, capturing one required the approval of the park's management.
Thea and Faye each held a Slowpoke in their arms, relishing the feel of the Pokémon's soft, squishy bodies.
"Thea, aren't you going to catch one?" Faye asked curiously.
Thea, was a Psychic-type trainer, so Slowpoke's typing aligned perfectly with her.
"No, my current Pokémon team is sufficient for now. If I ever need another, I can always catch one later," Thea said, shaking her head.
Julian activated his Probing Eyes to scan the Slowpoke in the park. Among them, only a small handful had Green potential, with most being below that.
It made sense—Slowpoke with Cyan potential were unlikely to be found here.
The Slowpoke here had likely been screened before being placed in the park.
The trio fed some food purchased from the park to the nearby Slowpoke, but the Pokémon, clearly unimpressed, ignored the offerings.
They had probably already been fed plenty by other visitors.
Julian then released his Slowking from its Poké Ball.
The moment Slowking appeared, the nearby Slowpoke seemed to sense its presence and instinctively turned their attention toward it.
"Slow~"
Slowking let out a soft cry.
"Slow!!~ X1000"
Slowking's appearance also caught the attention of other visitors, many of whom took out their phones to capture the sight of the Slowpoke seemingly paying homage to their king.
It was as if Slowking had stepped into a role as a grassroots leader, walking among its kind and inquiring about their well-being: what they ate, how they lived, and if they were doing okay.
(T/N: I will vote for you, Slowking)
Watching this unfold, Julian was amazed. This was the first time he had seen this side of Slowking.
Then again, it made sense. Slowking was, after all, considered the leader of the Slowpoke species. Checking in on its "subjects" was only natural.
Julian observed as Slowking pulled a pack of walnuts from the little bag it carried on its back and distributed them to the Slowpoke.
The famous scene unfolded: Slowking handing out walnuts.
After finishing its distribution, Slowking made sure to reserve three packs and brought them over to Julian, Thea, and Faye, handing one to each of them.
Julian: Totally unnecessary.
Another day of being reminded, how Slowking looked down on his intellect.
"Slow~"
Slowking: "I am all out of walnuts."
"Got it, I'll buy more later"
Julian replied flatly while munching on a walnut. He had given up entirely. When it came to intelligence, Slowking truly stood above most humans and Pokémon alike.
Slowking didn't just care for Julian and carry him in games; it even helped with some of his written assignments.
The most remarkable part? Its handwriting was an exact match for Julian's. It was the perfect stand-in.
"Hey, little brother. Is that Slowking for sale?"
A voice suddenly broke the harmony.
"Not for sale."
Julian turned to see the source of the voice. His tone grew noticeably colder as he replied.
Although Pokémon with owners could technically be traded, such transactions needed to go through the Trainer Association. Private trades were illegal.
If not for the fact that his bag was already out of walnuts, Slowking would have gladly handed the man 100 packs just to send him on his way.
"Oh, I see. Well then, young lady, could I have your contact info?"
The man turned his attention to Thea, his gaze intense.
As one of the top ten beauties at Imperial University, Thea's stunning looks left little room for critique. Although Faye, wasn't on the same list, she was still attractive in her own right, just not quite on Thea's level.
"I'm a third-year student at Haitian City's Water-type Trainer Academy. Would you be willing to share your contact information?"
Seeing that Thea hadn't responded, the man continued.
Imperial University was a comprehensive institution, offering classes for all 18 Pokémon types.
However, specialized single-type academies were also abundant across Drakoria.
For example, the Haitian City Water-type Trainer Academy that the man mentioned focused exclusively on Water-type trainers.
In its niche, it was highly regarded.
Some specialized single-type academies were so exceptional that their top graduates outperformed those from Imperial University's in their field of expertise.
After all, by concentrating solely on one type, these academies could streamline resources, teaching staff, and literature to achieve unparalleled specialization.
"Sorry, you're too ugly. Not my type"
Cutting through the man's self-assured smile, Thea replied calmly.
The Hundred Schools League officially began on October 10, with the draw held on the 9th.
The tournament was named the Hundred Schools League because only 100 universities could participate, even though the number of universities in Drakoria far exceeded that.
(T/N: I know it's named school even though it's about universities and all but school's meaning at the end of the day is, an institution where you study, so yeah)
If a college couldn't even make it into the top 100, there was no point in participating—they'd just get eliminated in the first round anyway.
The 100 universities were divided into ten groups, labeled A through J, with each group containing ten schools. The top two schools in each group would advance to the next stage.
Imperial University was placed in Group B. Among the other nine schools in their group, none posed a real challenge, making their advancement almost certain.
Their archrival, Shu University, ended up in Group A.
Interestingly, this time, the top five universities in Drakoria were all in separate groups. This disappointed many other colleges.
They had hoped that Imperial and Shu would face off early, possibly knocking one of them out, creating opportunities for the other schools to capitalize on.
The group stage followed a 2v2 format. And winning against a team earned two points, a draw earned one, and losing earned none.
To speed up the group matches, four battles occurred simultaneously.
Each university team consisted of 8 members, divided into 4 pairs, each pair facing a different University in their group.
While the group stage didn't draw as much attention as the main tournament, the stands were still packed with spectators, and the livestreams had even more viewers.
Julian and his cousin Thea were paired together. Their opponents?, Coincidentally Students from Haitian City's Water-Type Trainer Academy.
One of them was the same guy Thea had rejected, calling him ugly and refusing to share her contact information.
The guy's expression was priceless—he never imagined that the woman who called him ugly would turn out to be from Imperial University and now his opponent.
This 2v2 format marked Julian's first time participating in a doubles match.
The most critical aspect of doubles battles was the synergy between the two trainers and their Pokémon. With good coordination, a team could achieve results far greater than the sum of 1+1. However, poor teamwork could have the opposite effect.
That said, there was one golden rule in doubles: if one person was strong enough, they could single-handedly take down both opponents, rendering synergy irrelevant.
---
"I've got this, Little Julia. Just leave it to me," Thea said confidently.
Julian glanced at the Rotom hovering above them, livestreaming the match. He wasn't sure if Thea's words had been captured.
"Alright"
Julian nodded expressionlessly.
The two students from Water-Type Trainer Academy sent out a Vaporeon and a Tentacruel.
Although both were 4th-year students, their Pokémon were still at the Advanced level. In contrast, most 4th-year students from Imperial University had Pokémon at Pseudo-Elite level.
At this point, the gap between the two colleges became painfully clear.
"Alakazam"
Thea released her Pokémon.
Julian followed suit, releasing his Growlithe.
Fire against Water—classic Ash style, bold and unbothered.
"Grow!~"
Growlithe was in high spirits and couldn't wait to bite its opponents.
---
"Alakazam, Psychic!"
"Psybeam!"
"Confusion!"
One minute later, the opposing Vaporeon and Tentacruel were lying on the ground, defeated.
Thea's Alakazam, a late stage pseudo-Elite, made quick work of the two Advanced-level Pokémon. Just one Psychic attack left them unable to escape its control.
Watching the fight end just like that, Growlithe turned to look at Julian, tilting its head in confusion.
Growlithe: So, I'm just here as a mascot?
"You'll get your turn, soon" Julian said nonchalantly.
Thea recalled Alakazam, flashing Julian a smug look as if to say, 'How impressive am I?'
The two Water-Type trainers were stunned. They had never expected their strongest Pokémon to be defeated so effortlessly.
They didn't even have a chance to fight back.
Looking around at the other university teams in their group, they saw the same story unfold—everyone being easily defeated by Imperial University. Somehow, this realization lightened their mood.
'If everyone's struggling the same, then it's fine.'*
---
In under three minutes, Imperial University defeated four colleges in their group and quickly moved on to battle the remaining.
"This time, let Growlithe take the lead," Julian said.
He knew Growlithe wasn't happy about missing the earlier match. If it didn't get its turn now, Julian could almost guarantee he'd come back to his villa to find his bed torn to shreds.
Their next opponents were from a Poison-Type specialty academy.
The trainers sent out a Vileplume and a Seviper.
Both near the peak of Advanced level.
Julian once again sent out Growlithe, while Thea stuck with Alakazam.
Growlithe eyed Alakazam, clearly doubting whether it would get a chance to shine. Resigned, it flopped onto the ground, ready to wait until Alakazam wrapped up the match.
"Growlithe, use Flame Wheel!"
Hearing Julian's command, Growlithe blinked in surprise. It quickly sprang to its feet, blazing forward with Flame Wheel.
Even at level 35, Growlithe's power was comparable to a peak Advanced-level Pokémon. Thanks to the energy from the Fire Crystal it had partially absorbed, Growlithe had boosted stamina and durability.
"Seviper, Venom Drench!"
"Vileplume, Acid!"
The two Poison-Type trainers realized that Alakazam wasn't making a move. They immediately understood Imperial University's strategy—they intended to let a single Pokémon defeat both opponents.
Just as they had done in the previous four matches.
Despite the match being officially a 2v2, for Imperial University, it had practically turned into a 1v2. Even with numerical advantage, their opponents still couldn't win, leaving them no room to complain.
Growlithe's flames burned fiercely, so intense that Seviper's Venom and Vileplume's Acid were evaporated on contact with the heat of Flame Wheel.
This unexpected turn completely disrupted the rhythm of the two Poison-Type trainers.
"Boom!!"
Flame Wheel sent Vileplume flying, and Growlithe immediately followed up with a powerful Fire Blast, chasing after its airborne target.
Attribute restraint, coupled with the terrifying temperature radiating from Growlithe's flames, even if Vileplume had a 20-level lead it would have meant nothing.
The Fire Blast hit, leaving Vileplume unable to battle.
However, at the same time Growlithe was struck by Seviper's Iron Tail, sliding back four or five meters from the impact.
"Seviper, use Poison Fang!"
The Iron Tail caused only mild pain for Growlithe, but the sight of Seviper lunging with glowing, venomous purple fangs triggered its instincts. Growlithe crouched low, coiling its powerful hind legs like a spring.
"Flare Blitz!" Julian commanded.
Moments later, two purple fangs flew high into the air, accompanied by Seviper's pained screech.
Growlithe landed gracefully, its striking red fur shimmering against the faint embers left behind by Flare Blitz.
If there was a Pokémon contest, Growlithe would be a guaranteed winner.
"Not bad, as expected from my cousin"
Thea said, recalling Alakazam. She gave Julian a playful pat on the shoulder, her expression brimming with pride.
"Grow!~"
Growlithe: That wasn't even my full power, and they're already down.
Imperial University had completed eight 2v2 matches and was just one game away from achieving a nine-match winning streak. Their coach, Wade, sent Julian and Lucas to compete in the final battle.
Lucas was the sophomore representative at Imperial University and a member of the school team, though not one of the core eight players.
Since the opponents in the group stage were relatively weak, Wade allowed Lucas to compete, with Julian acting as support to ensure nothing went wrong.
"Venusaur"
Lucas, a Grass-Type trainer, sent out his Venusaur. At level 59, it was right at the peak of Advanced rank.
Their opponents, two 4th-year students, sent out a Charizard and a Blastoise, forming a Fire-and-Water duo that were also at the Advanced peak.
To avoid any chance of failure, Julian sent out his Dragonite as backup.
Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard were incredibly popular choices for novice trainers due to their balanced stats, fast growth, and relatively low resource requirements.
Each of their base forms could be purchased for just over a million, that too with Green potential.
"Venusaur, Mega Evolve!"
Lucas immediately triggered Mega Evolution, boosting Venusaur from Advanced peak to pseudo-Elite peak.
Seeing that Lucas had access to a Mega Stone, Julian decided he didn't need to step in—unless one of the opposing trainers also had a Mega Stone.
A pseudo-Elite Venusaur against two Advanced-level Pokémon left no suspense. In under three minutes, both Blastoise and Charizard were defeated.
However, as Lucas exited Mega Evolution, his face turned pale. If Julian hadn't caught him, he would've collapsed on the spot.
Winning the match but collapsing afterward would've left a poor impression on the millions of viewers.
"Thanks," Lucas said.
He was relieved to avoid the embarrassment of falling over in front of such a large audience.
"You need to work out more. Thin arms and legs won't cut it," Julian said in a low voice.
Lucas glanced at his arms and legs. As someone who had been consistently training, his physique was comparable to that of a fitness coach. Compared to him, Julian was the one who fit the description of "thin arms and legs."
However, recalling how Julian had once defeated the captain of the Fighting-Type class and was unanimously acknowledged as the strongest fighter in their special recruit class, Lucas wisely chose not to argue.
The live chat was abuzz:
"Wow, this is the strength of Imperial University's team! The other schools can't even compare!"
"King Julian had two free wins today!"
"Does anyone have Imperial University member Thea' socials?"
"If my son gets into Imperial next year, I'll be done for the rest of my life!"
"I don't ask for much—just for my daughter to get into Shu."
With nine consecutive victories and 18 points, Imperial University had secured first place in their group and a guaranteed spot in the next stage.
After their match, Julian and his team left the arena.
Following Coach Wade's instructions, they went to observe the matches of other groups, focusing especially on the four remaining top universities.
In Drakoria, there were five top universities: Imperial University, Shu University, the First Military Academy, Pearl University, and Modu Academy-the Dragon-Type Academy.
The first four were comprehensive universities, while the last specialized in training Dragon-Type Pokémon.
When it came to breeding and training Dragon-Types, Modu was the undisputed leader in Drakoria and ranked in the global top five.
However, it had a small student body, with fewer than 5,000 students in total.
The current Dragon-Type Elite was also the honorary principal of this academy, and Coach Wade had once taught there for a time.
The academy also shared a close relationship with the Drake family.
And most of the truly outstanding Drake family members chose Modu over Imperial or Shu.
Ian: Are you saying, I'm not that good?
---
Imperial University, competing in Group B, was the first to finish its matches. Meanwhile, the other top colleges were either still in the middle of their battles or waiting their turn on the sidelines.
The First Military Academy had already taken the field.
This academy was the dream school for every aspiring soldier in Drakoria.
Students there underwent military-style management, and every student was both a student and a soldier.
Drakoria had five military academies in total, but only the First Military Academy was considered the best.
The second and third were mid-level, while the fourth and fifth were ranked as second class colleges.
Despite their lower rankings, the second-class academies were still in the Hundred Schools League.
The military-style training gave the trainers from the First Military Academy unmatched discipline and willpower, traits reflected in their Pokémon as well.
Their teamwork and coordination were exceptional, a key principle of military training.
Even with their overwhelming strength, the First Military Academy strictly adhered to the 2v2 format, in contrast to Imperial University's occasional 1v2 dominance.
In their nine matches, the First Military Academy never took more than 30 seconds to finish a battle.
"Who's that guy?"
Julian asked, pointing at a student in a camouflage uniform, whose epaulets marked him as a lieutenant colonel.
Lucas beside him was obsessed with collecting intel. Before the start of the tournament, he had already collected a lot of information on the contestants.
Now he was furiously recording the match footage on his tablet, analyzing the Pokémon's strengths and weaknesses, creating a detailed profile of their opponents.
"That's Pierce, Captain of the First Military Academy's school team, 4th-year student. His exact strength is unknown, but he's confirmed to have a pseudo-Elite Rhyperior and Excadrill. And he hasn't competed in the Hundred Schools League before."
Gathering intel on the First Military Academy's school team was no easy task. Their strict military structure kept details about their members well-guarded.
The known strength of Pierce's two pseudo-Elite Pokémon mirrored the capabilities of Max, the captain of Imperial University's school team.
However, it was highly likely both were still holding back their true strength.
It was surprising that someone as strong as Pierce, a 4th-year to boot, had never participated in the Hundred Schools League before.
The First Military Academy crushed their competition with overwhelming force, defeating all nine colleges in their group, including their "sibling" school, the Third Military Academy.
Julian's former high school classmates, Will and Han, were enrolled at the Third Military Academy, though they weren't part of the tournament.
The First Military Academy completed their matches in even less time than Imperial University.
"That soldier looks so cool"
"A lieutenant colonel while still in college? How does that even happen?"
"I used to serve in the military. To reach the rank of lieutenant colonel by his age, he must have earned at least two First-Class Merits."
"First-Class Merits? That's insane!"
"I feel like Imperial University might not secure first place this time."
The First Military Academy's commanding performance, combined with their disciplined and rugged demeanor, quickly earned them widespread praise and recognition.
There were people who were bad-mouthing Imperial University and there were also people who were supporting it.
After all, not everyone agrees on the same thing.
Many students from other colleges held onto the hope that their own teams could be the dark horse of the tournament, taking down the top five universities in a shocking upset.
As the group stages wrapped up for the day, the 20 advancing universities were regrouped that evening into five groups—A, B, C, D, and E—with four universities in each group.
Imperial University was placed in Group D, alongside the Modu Academy, Sichuan University, and Harbin Ice-Type Academy.
Group D was quickly dubbed as the "Death Group." Not only did it feature two elite universities, but Sichuan University was also a strong contender, just a little behind the elite status.
Harbin Ice-Type Academy, however, was considered the underdog in this lineup.
With only one college advancing from each group, the competition this time was far more intense. It was nothing like the earlier group stage, where Imperial University breezed through without breaking a sweat.
Of the opponents, only Harbin Academy seemed like a easy matchup. The other two colleges were formidable challengers.
When the groupings were announced, the public's interest was piqued.
Only battles between equally strong teams could deliver exciting matches. One-sided blowouts might be entertaining once in a while, but too many of them became predictable and dull, leaving little room for suspense.
The five group matches were scheduled simultaneously for the next day at 8 a.m., with audience capacity increasing from 30,000 in the earlier rounds to 80,000 now.
The matchups for Group D were:
Imperial University vs. Harbin Academy
Modu Academy vs. Sichuan University
The competition format was a ring battle system.
Each university will send out one trainer for a 1v1 match, with no mid-match substitutions. The loser will leave the field, while the winner could choose to continue fighting or switch with a teammate. And trainers who switched out could still return for subsequent rounds.
"Little Julia, you better not be the first to battle," Thea said to Julian.
Julian raised an eyebrow, confused, as she continued;
"I'm worried your Metagross will knock out all eight of their trainers."
During the previous exchange match with Shu, Julian's Metagross had singlehandedly swept their entire lineup.
"I'll see how Coach Wade arranges things," Julian replied calmly.
The lineup was entirely up to Coach Wade. Against Harbin Academy, Julian wasn't particularly interested, so it was better if he got placed later in the order.
The match began soon after, with both teams entering the field.
Imperial University's first trainer was Paul, a 4th-year Fire-Type specialist. Harbin Academy also sent out a 4th-year student.
"Typhlosion!"
Paul's Pokémon was a Level 67 pseudo-Elite Typhlosion. The flames erupting from its back showed it was in a highly excited state.
"Glalie!"
Harbin Academy naturally recruited Ice-Type trainers exclusively.
Coach Wade's decision to send out a Fire-Type specialist first clearly factored in the type advantage.
Glalie, outmatched both in type and level, couldn't last long. Within a few minutes, it was defeated.
Typhlosion stood proudly on the field, with high momentum. For it, the fight hadn't even been a proper warm-up.
Paul continued challenging Harbin Academy's second, third, fourth, and fifth trainers in quick succession.
By the time Typhlosion defeated the fifth Pokémon, it was showing signs of exhaustion. Its energy was nearly spent, and it bore a few visible injuries.
When Harbin Academy sent out their sixth trainer, Paul decided to recall Typhlosion and step down.
Though Typhlosion still had enough strength for one more battle, Paul saw no reason to push it further. After all, he still had seven teammates ready to fight.
The decision left Harbin's sixth trainer stunned.
'You've just steamrolled five of us like we were nothing, and now that you're a bit worn out, you're stepping down? Where's your pride as an elite university student? Your honor? Shouldn't you insist on fighting to the bitter end with your Typhlosion?'
The second trainer from Imperial University was Faye, a Fairy-Type specialist and Thea's best friend.
"Florges!"
Faye's Pokémon was a Florges with a white flower. Like Flabébé, Florges has flowers of five different colors: red, orange, blue, white, and yellow.
While there's no functional difference between the flower colors, white flowers were the rarest, and blue flowers were considered the most beautiful.
Despite its plant-like appearance, Florges is not a Grass-Type Pokémon. However, it does know a variety of Grass-Type moves and is often hired to tend gardens.
In fact, many national parks and luxurious private gardens employ Florges for their maintenance.
Faye's Florges was Level 68, nearing the peak of the pseudo-Elite.
Harbin Academy countered with a Level 65 Walrein.
"Florges, use Attract!"
A few alluring hearts resonated from Florges. Walrein, completely entranced, seemed to melt under the spell of her charm, its face betraying an expression of pure bliss.
"Florges, Magical Leaf!"
Walrein's Trainer was at a loss, how could his Pokémon's willpower crumble so easily in the face of beauty?
Shimmering leaves swirled around Walrein, striking it repeatedly. The attack not only inflicted significant damage but also snapped it out of its trance.
"Walrein, Ice Beam!"
Walrein opened its mouth, quickly charging and firing an icy beam, but Florges swiftly dodged it.
"Keep using Ice Beam!"
Walrein, with its heavy body, was clearly not built for speed.
"Moonblast," Faye commanded.
The moonlight gathered, forming into a gentle yet luminous beam of energy. It radiated a serene beauty—until the moment it abruptly exploded.
Walrein's bulky body was directly blown away.
"Florges, Energy Ball!"
Before Walrein even hit the ground, it was struck mid-air by a glowing green sphere, sealing its fate completely.
Harbin Academy's sixth trainer, who also happened to be their team captain, was eliminated.
The seventh trainer sent out a Dewgong.
A few minutes later, Dewgong also fell in battle.
The last trainer entered the field, sending out Jynx as their Pokémon.
Jynx, like Florges, is a Pokémon 100% female by species. However, their appearances couldn't be more different.
In a society where beauty often dictates first impressions, Jynx's presence inadvertently boosted Florges' popularity even further.
"Honestly, Jynx isn't that bad-looking"
"Low-budget Gardevoir"
"My Jynx is very caring; she's a fantastic Pokémon"
"Yeah, Jynx is amazing! I don't get the hate"
"But I'm still team Florges because I like white flowers"
Three minutes later, Jynx fell, defeated. Florges stood tall like a queen with a proud expression.
With that, all eight trainers from Harbin Academy were eliminated, their team swept clean by Imperial University.
At least, they could console themselves with the fact that it wasn't a one-person sweep, sparing them a total loss of face.
"How's that? My performance wasn't any worse than your sister's, right?"
Faye walked up to Julian, with a slightly smug face.
"My sister's still better"
With Thea standing right next to him, there was no way he would admit to Faye's boasting.
"Little Julia always likes to tell the truth, don't mind him, Faye."
Thea was very satisfied with Julian's answer.
After all, what are best friends for, if not a little friendly competition?
In just about half an hour, Imperial University defeated Harbin Academy, showcasing a significant gap in strength. However, Harbin Academy was also quite unlucky, as they ended up facing Imperial University, ranked the top among the Five Elite Universities.
Had they not encountered one of the Five Elites, they might have secured a more respectable ranking.
Among the Top Five, the only opponent Harbin Academy might dare to challenge would be Modu Academy.
After all, Dragon-types are twice as weak to Ice, giving Ice-types a definitive advantage.
Under similar conditions of strength, Ice-types typically dominate Dragon-types. That said, if the Dragon-type Pokémon are powerful enough, they can endure the Ice-type attacks.
Unfortunately for Harbin Academy, even though they were placed in a group with both Imperial University and Modu Academy. But due to bad luck they ended up facing Imperial University.
Meanwhile, Modu Academy and Sichuan University were locked in a fierce battle.
Sichuan University is a longstanding top competitor, consistently ranking in the top ten of the Hundred Schools League. Just last year, they ranked sixth.
This year, they aimed to break into the Top Five. To achieve that, defeating Modu Academy was a must.
Taking down one of the Elite Five was their ticket to becoming one of the new Elite themselves.
In stark contrast to Imperial University's swift victory, the match between Modu Academy and Sichuan University was still ongoing, currently in the third round.
So far, Modu Academy had won two matches, but it seemed unlikely they would win this third one.
Modu's Pokémon was a Tyrantrum, while Sichuan's was a Pangoro.
Both Pancham and its evolved form, Pangoro, are iconic Pokémon of the Sichuan region, as these species are found exclusively in a few secret areas there.
With a devastating Ice Punch, Pangoro landed a direct hit on Tyrantrum's abdomen. The dragon Pokémon staggered and then collapsed, unable to battle.
Sichuan University clawed back a victory, and Pangoro still had the strength to fight on.
Soon, Modu Academy sent out their fourth competitor. Julian noticed something familiar about the trainer's appearance and quickly remembered why—they bore a striking resemblance to Ian.
Julian recalled that Ian had mentioned having an older brother who didn't attend Imperial University. This must be him.
A quick glance at the large screen confirmed his suspicion: the name displayed was Owen Drake.
"Salamence!"
A Salamence exuding the aura of a peak pseudo-Elite Pokémon entered the battlefield. Its Intimidate ability activated immediately, causing Pangoro to show visible signs of fear.
Among the Top Five Universities, if one were to name the wealthiest, it wouldn't be Imperial University, despite being ranked first. That title undoubtedly belonged to Modu Academy.
Raising Dragon-types comes with numerous strict requirements, the most critical of which is a massive financial investment. If you don't have billions to spend on raising a Dragon-type, it's better to give up the idea altogether.
Billions of dollars were merely the initial investment for raising Dragon-types. The subsequent costs were even higher. Of course, this applied to pseudo-legendary Dragon-types specifically—other Dragon-types required less money and resources, but even those costs far exceeded those of most Pokémon.
Because Modu Academy is entirely composed of people involved with Dragons—from students to teachers to the principal—it's essentially a haven for the wealthy.
Almost any student you meet there might be the child of a city's richest tycoon or the offspring of a board member from a listed company.
At worst, their family owns an entire district's worth of rental properties.
If your family is rich, it doesn't guarantee you can raise a Dragon-type, but anyone raising Dragons definitely comes from a wealthy background.
Near Modu Academy, high-end malls, luxury apartments, and a steady flow of influencers and celebrities dominated the area.
Julian could relate to this firsthand. For example, in his system store, a box of top-grade energy cubes for Dragonite costs 1,000 points, whereas the same for Fire-types costs only 800 points.
Back in the match;
Salamence's Intimidate ability had already weakened Pangoro's fighting spirit. Combined with Salamence's superior strength, it only took a few moves for Pangoro to be defeated.
After the battle ended, Julian assumed Owen would continue, but he surprised everyone by recalling Salamence.
Instead, a teammate stepped forward, sending out a Dragonite.
While not every student at Modu Academy owns a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type, those on the school team generally have at least one.
Following this, other participants from Modu Academy sent out a Garchomp, Hydreigon, Goodra, and, earlier, Salamence and Dragonite. That brought the count of pseudo-legendary Dragon-types in this match to six.
For most spectators, it was a feast for the eyes.
What trainer could resist the allure of a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type? Unfortunately, harsh realities often forced them to give up on the dream.
Some even abandoned the path of becoming a trainer entirely, returning to the life of an ordinary person.
Even Julian couldn't help but marvel.
When Hydreigon entered the battlefield, its savage and brutal aura was palpable, even through the protective barrier.
It truly lived up to its reputation as the most violent pseudo-legendary Dragon-type.
With three heads, Hydreigon's central head served as its primary brain, but the two side heads also possessed thoughts of their own.
If all three heads lose control, there's no telling what destruction could ensue—possibly even turning on its own trainer.
Incidents where Hydreigon killed its trainer have happened in Celestria.
As a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type unique to the Celestria, Hydreigon is exceedingly rare in Drakoria.
Two hours later, the match between Modu Academy and Sichuan University finally concluded.
In the end, Modu Academy defeated Sichuan University with a record of five wins and three losses.
Notably, they only fielded seven participants—their final team member didn't even need to battle.
Since their match had been the longest in this round, by the time it concluded, all the other group matches had already ended.
"Looks like I'll have to dig through the match recordings tonight. Time to pull an all-nighter"
Lucas said, pressing his fingers against the glasses on the bridge of his nose, trying to look as professional as he could.
Though his chances of being sent out in future matches were slim, gathering data for the team gave him a strong sense of involvement.
"I really envy you"
Julian said suddenly, patting Lucas on the shoulder. With his own Slowking constantly monitoring him, Julian didn't even have the chance to pull all-nighters for games or videos anymore.
Lucas blinked in confusion.
'Envy me? Envy me for what? It's me who envy you'
"I envy your good liver. You can detoxify, pull all-nighters, and still be fine. Youth is truly a blessing," Julian explained casually.
Lucas nodded subconsciously but was stunned the next second.
'What does he mean, 'Youth is truly a blessing'? I'm a year older than you! Why are you talking like an old man? or is your liver actually failing?'
Lucas started overthinking: Could it be that Julian is so strong because he trains his Pokémon late into the night?
Tomorrow at 8:00, Imperial University and Modu Academy will compete to determine the top team in Group D, securing a spot in the finals.