The Breeding House, one of the most critical facilities at the Trainer Academy, served as a vital place for students to store and care for their Pokémon.
Since Advanced-level Trainers could only carry six Pokémon with them at a time, and many of these Trainers captured far more than six, the Breeding House was established to keep and nurture the extra Pokémon they couldn't carry.
In the Breeding House, Pokémon received top-level care from expert breeders.
These breeders ensured that every Pokémon remained in prime condition, offering a service that was widely used by Advanced Trainers.
Such facilities were not unique to the academy; many similar Breeding Houses existed in the market, providing services to trainers who needed a place to keep their Pokémon.
However, the cost of these services varied significantly based on the quality of care. For instance, fostering an Advanced-level Pokémon for a month could cost as much as 3 million.
Some top-tier Breeding Houses even offered advanced services, such as training the Pokémon to increase its level while being cared for. This ensured that even during a long stay, the Pokémon would continue to grow stronger.
Of course, these premium services came with prices that could easily bankrupt many trainers.
In addition to fostering services, most Breeding Houses also offered options for selling Pokémon or even selling Pokémon eggs, making them versatile hubs for Pokémon-related business.
Julian had agreed to attend Imperial University because of the extraordinary terms laid out by Teacher Ella from the Admissions Office. Had the offer not been good enough, Julian would have chosen Shu University, the arch-rival of Imperial University.
Among the many benefits promised to him, one of the most enticing was that he could spend up to one billion in the Breeding House to purchase a blue-qualified Pokémon.
(T/N: it's not in dollars, but still a high number nonetheless)
That's right, it's a purchase, not a gift.
This offer was an incredible deal. The blue qualification represented Pokémon with pseudo-champion potential, and such Pokémon were almost impossible to find in the open market.
If sold, a blue-qualified Pokémon could easily fetch 50 billion or more, but Imperial University had offered Julian the chance to acquire one at no cost.
At the entrance of the Breeding House, Shen was already waiting. She had also been given the opportunity to choose a Pokémon, though hers was cyan-qualified, a level below blue.
Shen seemed satisfied, as this time she only had to wait five minutes for Julian to arrive. Her earlier annoyance with him had faded, and she now looked at him more warmly.
They handed their student ID cards to the staff, who then directed them to different floors—Shen to the second floor and Julian to the third.
As Julian arrived on the third floor, he was surprised to see a familiar face.
"Teacher Ella?" Julian said, recognizing the Admissions Officer.
Teacher Ella smiled warmly. "I thought you might come to pick your Pokémon on your first day."
Julian raised an eyebrow. "You've been waiting for me?"
"Yes," she replied. "I'm curious to see which Pokémon you'll choose."
The staff brought Julian a booklet, detailing the available blue-qualified Pokémon.
There were only five, which was no surprise given how rare they were.
Each Pokémon had its gender, moves, abilities, and even information about its parents listed, as the blue qualification often came from having at least one or both parents with the same level of aptitude.
Imperial University had managed to secure five blue-qualified Pokémon, a testament to its prestige as one of the top universities in Drakoria.
The five available Pokémon were: a level 15 Bagon, a level 20 Growlithe, a level 10 Treecko, a level 10 Sandile, and a level 17 Elekid.
Bagon and Elekid, in particular, stood out as they were the offspring of two champion-level Pokémon.
"I'll take you to see them," Teacher Ella said, gesturing for Julian to follow.
The five Pokémon were housed in a special mimetic room on the third floor, which was designed to simulate their natural environments.
The room was about half the size of a football field, providing ample space for the Pokémon to move around and develop their personalities.
Keeping them together, rather than in isolation, helped foster social skills and avoid making them withdrawn or antisocial.
Each Pokémon had its own senior breeder assigned to its care, ensuring that it received the best attention.
"Bagon, Growlithe, Treecko, Sandile, Elekid—come here!" called one of the breeders, who had been informed about Julian's visit.
The five Pokémon approached, each displaying its unique temperament.
Julian activated his Probing Eyes, confirming that all five had blue qualifications and were in excellent health. This was no surprise, considering the meticulous care they had received.
Teacher Ella sighed lightly. "It's a shame there aren't any Steel-type Pokémon here."
Julian, smiling, replied, "I already have plenty of Steel-types."
Julian's family had a strong affinity for Steel-type Pokémon, so he had no shortage of them. Teacher Ella, momentarily taken aback by his comment, fell silent.
As the five Pokémon stood before him, their distinct personalities became apparent.
Bagon looked indifferent, Growlithe was wagging its tail enthusiastically, Sandile appeared calm, Treecko had a rebellious glint in its eyes, and Elekid looked at Julian with a mischievous, taunting expression.
Despite the significance of the decision, Julian didn't hesitate for long.
"Growlithe, would you like to come with me?" he asked, crouching down and extending his hand.
He had expected that if Growlithe was hesitant, he might need to battle to capture it.
However, Growlithe proved to be as friendly as it looked. Without any hesitation, the little Pokémon began licking Julian's hand, eagerly accepting his offer.
Seeing Growlithe's response, Julian smiled. The breeder assigned to Growlithe, who had been standing nearby, seemed both sad and proud.
"You'll have to take good care of it," the breeder said, his voice filled with emotion.
Like a parent watching a child leave home, he was reluctant to let go. He had raised Growlithe from an egg, watching it grow every day.
Now, seeing it leave with its new Trainer brought a mix of sadness and pride.
The breeder didn't wish for Growlithe to be "happy" just because it found a Trainer; he wasn't that sentimental.
Rather, he was just an ordinary person feeling the natural sadness of seeing a Pokémon he had nurtured leave. It was like a father marrying off his daughter, only to watch her walk away with her new life, not even glancing back.
When Julian walked out of the breeding house, Teacher Ella couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why didn't you choose Bagon?"
Out of the five Pokémon available, Bagon clearly had the greatest potential. As a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, Bagon's final form, Salamence, was incredibly strong and even had a Mega Evolution.
The same could be said for Treecko, which also had a Mega Evolution. Pokémon with these forms often had a distinct advantage, assuming their Trainers had the corresponding Mega Evolution stones.
Given Julian's background, Teacher Ella had no doubts he could easily get his hands on Salamence's Mega Evolution stone through the Walker family.
Julian, however, shrugged lightly. "I just think Growlithe suits me better."
If he hadn't recently acquired the fire crystal from the secret realm, he might have gone with Bagon.
But with this rare fire-type treasure in his possession, choosing Growlithe felt like the right move.
As much as blue-qualified Bagon was valuable, he figured there'd be other chances to capture one down the line if he ever felt the need, especially with the system resources at his disposal, he could just raise one to blue qualification if needed.
Hearing Julian's words, Growlithe wagged his tail in joy.
Julian, inwardly pleased with his choice, also couldn't help but smirk.
"Choosing based on intuition and bond — that's an essential quality of an excellent Trainer," Teacher Ella said approvingly.
Most Trainers, when given the option, would always go for the most powerful or prestigious Pokémon, like a Charmander over a Caterpie.
Even if their heart leaned toward the less popular choice, logic usually dictated otherwise for long-term success.
Of course, choosing from the heart only worked when it didn't interfere with one's future goals or cause any regret later on.
Julian simply nodded at Teacher Ella's words, choosing to keep his thoughts about the fire crystal to himself.
"Growlithe is an excellent choice," Teacher Ella continued, "and in Drakoria, it carries special significance."
"Yeah," Julian agreed, "it's known as the 'legendary' Pokémon here, isn't it?"
Drakoria's history was marked by both pride and struggle. During a tumultuous era, one great leader had used an Arcanine to defend the nation from its enemies, becoming a symbol of hope.
Arcanine's noble appearance, paired with its fiery strength, earned it the title of the 'legendary Pokémon' in the region. Despite its rarity, Growlithe and Arcanine had become symbols of national pride.
Additionally, Arcanine had impressive Species Strength, standing at base stat 555, surpassing all fire-type Pokémon from the three royal starters.
Its loyalty, speed, and elegance made it a top-tier Pokémon in both form and function.
Including Growlithe, Julian now had eight Pokémon, but Meltan had never been registered on the Trainer Association Network, so Julian can only use the seven registered Pokémon if he plays the Open Tournament.
As Julian returned to his villa, his Pokémon were lounging around the yard. Steelix was basking contently in the evening sun, and the rest were scattered about, each doing their own thing.
"Alright, everyone! Come meet your new teammate"
Julian called, releasing Growlithe from its Poké Ball.
Metagross, Dragonair, Steelix, Aron, Meltan, and Lucario all turned their attention to Growlithe.
Slowking, busy in the kitchen, didn't come out, but the rest of Julian's team watched curiously as the small fire-type greeted them with enthusiasm.
Growlithe, unfazed by the unfamiliar faces, barked happily, wagging his tail.
'Hello seniors, I am the new intern, you can call me Growlithe'
Pokémon: Growlithe (Fire)
Level: 20
Qualification: Blue
Ability: Flash Fire
Held Item: None
Gender: Male
Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Helping Hand, Agility
Disc Moves: None
Genetic Moves: Flare Blitz, Overheat, Double-Edge, Outrage
Despite its relatively low level, Growlithe's genetic moves stood out as particularly powerful, especially for a Pokémon of blue qualification. Julian knew there was plenty of potential here.
Growlithe, looking at each of the older Pokémon, eventually locked eyes with Metagross and offered a respectful bark.
Growlithe: Hello boss.
Metagross: Hmm.
Metagross grunted in acknowledgment, nodding in approval of the enthusiastic newcomer.
Julian watched the interaction, amused. "We're not a gang," he chuckled to himself, watching Growlithe fall right in line with Metagross's leadership.
Metagross, pleased with Growlithe's loyalty, quickly adopted him as a favored junior.
Unlike the others, who had grown more independent after evolving, Growlithe's eagerness to be part of the team felt refreshing.
It also helped that Growlithe wasn't the serious or aloof type, like Lucario, who only had eyes for Julian, or Dragonair, who always seemed to think it was second in command.
Meltan and Aron, of course, were simply too young and a little scatterbrained.
Then there was Steelix, who was simply too massive and lazy to care about group dynamics, and Slowking, who was so smart that even Metagross felt a bit outwitted when interacting with him.
Metagross: This little one might become my favorite.
Julian, meanwhile, retrieved the fire crystal from his bag.
It was encased in special crystals, which blocked its energy from being detected by most fire-type Pokémon, preventing it from being snatched by more powerful fire-types like the Magmar species from whom he'd narrowly obtained it.
Yet, as soon as Julian pulled it out, Growlithe's attention snapped toward it.
Growlithe padded over to Julian, staring at the tennis ball-sized fire crystal in his hand.
"Impressive. You can sense it already?" Julian marveled at Growlithe's sensitivity.
"Go ahead, it'll help you grow stronger."
Julian held out the crystal, and Growlithe, rather than greedily snatching it, licked Julian's palm before carefully swallowing it whole.
The fire crystal wouldn't immediately transform Growlithe; instead, it would gradually enhance his flame origin, significantly improving the power of his fire-type moves.
In time, Julian hoped, it would even allow Growlithe to surpass its current blue qualification.
While the fire crystal alone couldn't elevate Growlithe to purple qualification, a combination of system resources and training might make it possible.
Julian already had three purple-qualified Pokémon: Metagross, Dragonair, and Meltan.
With Growlithe now on the team, he could add it to his growing roster of blue-qualified Pokémon alongside Lucario and Aron.
Even his Slowking and Steelix had cyan-qualification.
Despite the rarity of cyan-qualified Pokémon in the outside world, Julian's standards placed them at the bottom of his team in terms of potential.
"Slow~"
Suddenly, Slowking called out from the kitchen, wearing an apron.
Slowking: It's time for dinner.
Don't know what Slowking did in the Laboratory, but she had awakened an interest for cooking.
Julian smiled. "Perfect timing."
Slowking's unexpected talent for cooking had become a huge convenience for Julian, saving him from having to prepare meals or rely on cafeteria food.
The taste, of course, was also surprisingly good.
In the special class of Imperial University, there are only thirty coveted spots each year. Those who earn a place here are among the best, having achieved outstanding results throughout their high school careers.
Julian had earned his spot by securing first place in both the team and individual competitions of the Yale Provincial High School League. He also possessed a rare ability: the advanced Aura and intermediate Psychic, though only a select few were aware of the latter.
Julian's extraordinary abilities had earned him recognition, but in this special class, he wasn't alone in having unique talents.
Several others in the class were similarly gifted. For instance, there was Shen's Heart's Eye and another with Heart of Dragon.
(T/N: some kind of ability that helps train and bond with dragon types easier, boosting their power)
Others had achieved top rankings in their provincial high school leagues or even challenged city-level gyms while still in their final year of high school.
Everyone here had a remarkable track record, and none of them had come to be second-best.
In a class full of geniuses, the competition was fierce—each person believed they were the best, and the only goal worth pursuing was to be number one.
Julian held student number 202201, making him not only the top student in the special class but also of the entire batch of students who entered this year.
Naturally, his status drew the attention of many in the class. Some looked on with envy, others with skepticism, and a few with outright hostility.
They didn't believe that Julian was necessarily better than them.
True, Julian came from a powerful family, but so did many of them. The special class wasn't filled with ordinary students—most were from wealthy or influential families themselves.
None of them felt inferior because of family status. The real question on everyone's mind was why Julian, despite their equal backgrounds, should be considered the best.
"Julian, you know people aren't exactly convinced with you getting no. 01, right?" Shen said with a smirk as she sat beside him.
Despite her own extraordinary ability, Shen was among the weaker members of the special class in terms of raw strength. If she hadn't awakened her powers, she likely wouldn't have made it into the class at all.
Since she was sitting with Julian, the hostility directed at him was also spilling onto her.
"Your spot as the top student/representative doesn't seem like it's going to be an easy ride," she added, with a gleeful expression.
Although she couldn't beat Julian but if others could that's also good.
Julian remained calm. "Looks like you'd rather join them," he said lightly.
Shen hurriedly shook her head. "No way! I'm with you," she said, but her guilty expression betrayed her.
Julian didn't need to read minds to sense what Shen was thinking.
'I can feel your malicious intentions.'
Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the hallway outside, and a large, imposing man in his thirties entered the classroom.
He surveyed the thirty students, nodded, and introduced himself, "I'm Frank, your homeroom teacher. Rock-type Elite Trainer."
His words carried significant weight. In Drakoria, there were hundreds of millions of registered Trainers, but only around 500 had reached Elite status.
Each Elite-level Trainer was a vital asset to Drakoria, part of the force that protected the nation from external threats and maintained its strength on the world stage.
Julian had encountered pseudo-Elite Trainers before and even defeated one, but this was only the third true Elite Trainer he had met, besides his father and grandfather.
To have someone of Frank's caliber as their homeroom teacher was a clear indication of just how special the special class truly was.
Elite Trainers were usually involved in exploring high-level secret realms, performing national duties, or undertaking high-stakes missions.
The fact that Frank was here teaching a class spoke volumes about the treatment and expectations placed on the students.
Frank wasn't just any Elite Trainer either—he had a sterling reputation among his peers.
At Imperial University, there were only six Elite Trainers, and Frank ranked second only to the Dean of the Trainer Academy.
"As students in the special class, you'll face challenges from the regular students once a month," Frank continued. "The loser will move down to the regular class, and the winner will take their place in the special class."
Most of the students had already heard this rule, but none of them believed they would ever lose to a "regular" student. The special class wasn't just for any students—they were from noble families, the elite, the best of the best.
Losing to an ordinary student was unthinkable.
"Now, let's choose a class monitor. Julian, as the representative, you can take the position. The class monitor earns 1,000 credits per month."
Julian had been about to decline, but when he heard the mention of 1,000 credits, he nodded.
In university, credits were the primary currency. Students could use them to purchase Pokémon, items, treasures, move CDs, and even hire one-on-one sessions with specialized teachers.
But for Julian, the most valuable thing to acquire were the books in the school's library. As it had journals of experience recorded by pseudo-Elite and Elite trainers.
While the Walker family was renowned for their expertise in training steel-type Pokémon, Julian knew there was always more to learn from the experience of other Trainers, even those outside his family's sphere.
Just as Frank finished his announcement, one of the students stood up, his expression filled with defiance.
"Teacher Frank, I disagree. The class monitor should be the strongest person here, and I don't think that's Julian."
Another student quickly stood up. "Yeah, me too. I think we should have a battle to decide."
In total, six students stood up, each voicing their opposition to Julian being appointed as the class monitor.
The others remained seated, watching the confrontation unfold with interest.
Frank turned to Julian. "What do you say? If you don't want to be the monitor, I can choose someone else."
He kicked the ball in Julian's court. As the representative, if he didn't have a certain level of strength, he should go down as soon as possible.
Trainer was a profession that needed competition to improve.
Julian stood up, his gaze steady. "Let's go to the battlefield."
He knew this challenge wasn't just about the position of class monitor.
These students didn't care about that—they cared about proving themselves as stronger than him, the representative.
Julian was more than ready to accept their challenge. If they wanted a battle, he would gladly take them on, and he would make sure that afterward, there'd be no more doubts about his strength.
Frank smiled slightly. Julian's confidence pleased him. This was what he expected from the best student in the special class.
The Trainer Academy boasted more than 1,000 battlegrounds of varying sizes. Each class typically had two or three battlegrounds designated for their use, with different terrains and setups for training purposes.
The special class, being the most privileged group within the academy, had access to ten battlegrounds, including both large arenas and specialized terrain fields.
Julian led the way confidently, but halfway through, he slowed his pace. He intended to wait for Shen to catch up, but to his surprise, she had already fallen behind, engrossed in conversation with a new friend. The two seemed to be hitting it off.
"Cough-Shen, come here!" Julian called, coughing lightly to catch her attention.
"What is it?" Shen asked.
"Uh... which way is the battlefield?"
Julian's sudden question clearly embarrassed him. He had been striding forward confidently, but halfway there, it dawned on him that he had no idea where their class's battleground was.
Shen shot him a sharp look. "You made such a bold declaration back in class, ready for a fight, but now you don't even know where the battlefield is?"
Julian gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, well..."
Shen sighed, "Just keep walking straight. You'll see it."
Fortunately, Julian hadn't taken a wrong turn. If he had wandered off in the wrong direction in front of his classmates—and more importantly, their teacher—it would've been hard to live down.
After about ten minutes of walking, they arrived at a standard battle arena. A sign beside it read: "2022 Special Class".
The battlefield was the size of a football field, a neutral environment without any elemental bonuses, a perfect blank slate for any type of battle.
Julian took his place at one end of the field, his expression calm and composed.
Across the field, however, the six students who had earlier challenged him looked at each other, Finally one of them, a boy wearing glasses, stepped forward.
"I'll go first," the boy said.
The head teacher, Frank, who had followed them to the battlefield, stepped forward as the referee. "Would you like to activate the protective shield? It costs 100 credits per match."
The protective shield was a barrier system that ensured trainers wouldn't be harmed by the aftermath of their Pokémon's moves.
In public competitions, it was always used to protect both trainers and spectators from the powerful moves unleashed during battles.
Julian waved it off. "No need. This won't take long."
His casual dismissal sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd. The boy with glasses, Tyler, was flushed with anger.
Julian's words felt like a blatant challenge, implying he wasn't even worth the time it took to activate the shield.
"Your friend sure talks big," murmured a girl next to Shen. "Tyler is the individual champion of the Central South Provincial High School League, just like your friend Julian."
Shen simply smiled, "You'll see soon enough."
Hearing Shen say this, Kate was also curious about how strong Julian really was, and looked forward to the upcoming match.
Frank raised his hand to signal the start of the match. "One Pokémon to decide the winner. Agreed?"
There were six people who challenged Julian. If each of them fought with two or more Pokémon, it would undoubtedly take a lot of time.
Julian nodded. "Agreed."
Tyler also nodded, though his face was set in a determined scowl.
Julian didn't hesitate.
He released his Pokémon, and in a flash of light, a silver Metagross floated into the air, a pseudo-legendary Pokémon whose mere presence commanded respect.
The metallic beast hovered effortlessly, its cold eyes focused on the opponent.
Tyler also threw out his Poké Ball, revealing a towering Blaziken, a powerful Fire-type known for its speed and devastating fire-based attacks.
Tyler was a fire type trainer, fire was super-effective against steel, which was one of the reasons why he refused to accept Julian as the monitor and was the first to challenge him.
"Blaziken, use Flamethrower!"
Blaziken darted forward with astonishing speed, crossing the battlefield in a blur. As it neared Metagross, it unleashed a searing column of flames.
"Steel Beam," Julian said, his voice calm.
Metagross's eyes flashed, and in an instant, a brilliant beam of silver light shot forth, cutting through the air.
The Steel Beam collided with Blaziken's Flamethrower, but the flames were no match for Metagross's power. The beam sliced through the fire and struck Blaziken head-on.
The explosion that followed sent Blaziken flying across the battlefield, crashing to the ground at the far end.
"Blaziken is unable to battle. Metagross wins!"
Frank announced, glancing at Julian with newfound respect.
Blaziken was defeated in a single move. Blaziken, who was known for its speed, didn't even have time to dodge.
Tyler stood frozen, disbelief etched across his face. His Blaziken had been taken down with a single move, and he hadn't even seen it coming.
The other students watching were equally shocked. If they hadn't know Tyler was a high school league champion, just like Julian, they would have believed this match to just be a play.
"Next," Julian said, his voice cutting through the stunned silence.
Tyler recalled his Blaziken, his face pale. He had nothing left to say as he walked off the battlefield in defeat.
The remaining five challengers hesitated now. The ease with which Julian had dispatched Tyler had shaken their confidence.
"That high school league title means nothing. What a joke," sneered one of the remaining challengers as he stepped forward.
Tyler heard him but didn't say anything, Afterall he did lose the fight.
"Yanis, he scored highest in the national college entrance examination, and I heard his father is an Elite Trainer," Kate whispered to Shen, her excitement rising.
"Walrein, let's go!"
The other trainer was an Ice-type specialist. Seeing the level 58 Walrein, Julian became slightly interested; after all, it had a cyan aptitude.
Yanis stared intensely at Metagross. Despite his earlier comments about Tyler, he didn't truly look down on him—there were no weaklings in the special class.
The fact that Tyler's Blaziken had been instantly defeated by Metagross only demonstrated how powerful and fearsome Julian's Pokémon was.
Even though Metagross didn't exude a pseudo-Elite aura, its strength was undeniably at that level.
"Walrein, Surf!"
Yanis, unlike Tyler, was more strategic. Surf didn't just target Metagross—it also aimed to overwhelm Julian with its enormous wave.
A massive surge of water formed across the entire battlefield, with Walrein riding atop it, guiding the wave towards Metagross.
"Interesting... let's see how they handle this," murmured the head teacher Frank.
This arena didn't have a protective shield, so even if Metagross managed to break through the Surf attack, the momentum would carry the leftover water straight towards Julian.
For Metagross, this was no issue. But Julian? Being hit by such a massive wave would likely leave him drenched and disoriented.
"Metagross, Psychic."
Julian's command was simple. As Metagross' eyes gleamed blue, the immense wave came to a sudden stop under the control of Psychic.
The Surf attack, which weighed dozens of tons, and carried incredible force, was frozen mid-motion.
Under Metagross's Psychic, the entire battlefield seemed frozen in time. Walrein, along with the massive Surf wave it had summoned, stopped mid-motion, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
A pale blue aura enveloped both Walrein and the Surf, and panic flickered in the Pokémon's eyes as it awaited its Trainer's next command.
Yanis, though, wasn't easily shaken. No one who made it into the special class was.
"Walrein, calm down and take control! Push that Surf forward!" Yanis shouted.
He didn't believe Metagross could keep this up for long. Even if Metagross held the Surf back now, the sheer weight of the water would eventually overwhelm it.
As long as Walrein could regain control, even if the Surf didn't defeat Metagross, it would surely cause trouble for Julian standing behind his Pokémon.
Walrein: I waited for so long, and this is all you could come up with?
Walrein, however, had other thoughts. It could still feel the tight grip of Psychic binding its body, unable to do much more than move its eyes. If it could speak, it might have had a few choice words for its Trainer.
One minute passed. Then five. Then ten.
Metagross's Psychic held strong the entire time, unyielding.
Yanis, initially surprised, grew more and more frustrated, his face twisting in disbelief.
His expression likely followed this sequence:
(¯□¯;) → (O_O)? → (O⊙)b
By now, everyone was staring at Metagross in astonishment.
A Psychic that lasted for ten minutes, and not just to lift a cup or small object, but to control a massive wave of Surf spanning the battlefield.
Yanis's Walrein, his trump card, was utterly helpless, held like a puppet under Metagross's power.
Finally, Julian spoke. "End it, Metagross."
The blue aura around Walrein and the Surf intensified. Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, Metagross lifted both Walrein and the massive wave into the air.
Higher and higher they rose, reaching a height of about three or four hundred feet. Julian glanced at Yanis, who stood frozen in shock, too stunned to say a word.
At this point, if Yanis had being calm, he would have surrendered.
'Forget it, it's so fat, it won't die from falling anyway'
With Psychic still active, Metagross held them there for a moment longer, before releasing the move. The Surf disintegrated into countless raindrops, drenching the spectators, while Walrein plummeted to the ground with a heavy thud.
Only Julian remained dry, protected by Metagross's psychic barrier.
Walrein hit the ground with a crash, leaving a small crater behind. It staggered, trying to get back on its feet, clearly shaken but not completely down.
"Return, Walrein," Yanis said, finally admitting defeat.
He recognized the gap between him and Julian. There was no point in continuing the battle and causing his Walrein unnecessary harm.
"He's strong… That Metagross is ridiculously strong," Yanis muttered as he walked back to the sidelines.
Only a few moments ago, he had looked down on Tyler, whose Blaziken had been defeated instantly by Julian's Metagross. Now, he understood that it wasn't that Tyler was weak — it was that Julian's Metagross was just too powerful.
Still, at least his Walrein had lasted longer than Tyler's Blaziken. Walrein had been "fighting" for ten minutes, after all.
"The third challenger is up," someone in the crowd muttered.
Luis stepped forward next, looking confident. "Julian's Metagross has already fought twice. I won't take advantage of that. Let's switch Pokémon," he said with a self-righteous air.
Bah, shameless.
Everyone else saw right through him. Metagross may have "fought" twice, but it hadn't taken any damage, and it was clear it could keep going if needed.
They all knew that Metagross was Julian's Trump Card.
Still, Luis was hoping to defeat one of Julian's other Pokémon with his own trump card.
"Lucario, it's your turn"
Julian said, recalling Metagross and sending out Lucario.
"Luca"
Lucario growled, standing tall and staring intensely at Luis.
Compared to Metagross's calm, Lucario's eyes were fierce and determined. The pressure from its gaze was almost enough to make an ordinary person look away.
Luis hesitated, his confidence wavering slightly. The Lucario in front of him radiated an intense fighting spirit, and for a moment, he questioned his decision.
"Froslass, let's go!" he called out, releasing his Ice/Ghost-type Pokémon.
Pokémon: Froslass (Ice/Ghost)
Level: 53
Qualification: Cyan
Ability: Snow Cloak
Item: Never-Melt Ice
Gender: Female
Moves: Hex, Ice Fang, Double Team, Protect, Destiny Bond, Powder Snow, Leer, Icy Wind, Confuse Ray, Ice shard, Will-O-Wisp, Frost Breath
Discs Moves: Blizzard, Water Pulse, Hail, Light Screen, Safeguard, Hyper Beam
Genetic Moves: Disable, Block, Weather Ball, Icicle Crash
Another Cyan-qualified Pokémon, that makes it three in a row, special class really was special.
Froslass evolves from a female Snorunt using Dawn Stone and is one of Snorunt's final forms, the other being Glalie.
Luis was also an Ice-type Trainer, and Froslass was his ace. Rare in this part of the world, Froslass was mostly found in the Babath.
Pokémon: Lucario (Fighting/Steel)
Level: 50
Qualification: Blue
Ability: Inner Focus
Item: Muscle Band
Gender: Male
Moves: Work Up, Quick Attack, Endure, Detect, Feint, Metal Claw, Aura Sphere, Rock Smash, Bullet Punch, Metal Sound, Bone Rush, Meteor Mash, Heal Pulse
Discs Moves: Low Sweep, Brick Break, Agility, Swords Dance, Dig, Bulk Up, Focus Blast, Dark Pulse
Genetic Moves: Mind Reader, Close Combat, Force Palm, Thunder Punch
-
"Froslass, Blizzard!" Luis shouted.
The once sunny sky darkened, and a biting cold swept over the battlefield as temperatures plunged below freezing. Within moments, the arena was enveloped in snow, the air heavy with swirling ice crystals.
Luis, prepared for the drop in temperature, quickly donned a thick down jacket, then looked over at Julian, who was still in his short sleeves, standing unfazed in the middle of the storm.
"You'll freeze if you don't bundle up!" he called mockingly.
His plan was to make Julian freeze up and make a fool of himself.
But Julian remained calm, his face showing no reaction to the sudden cold.
Luis frowned.
"Let's see how long you can hold out" he muttered under his breath.