The Elf Department's new student intake this year is around 600 people, and if you include the affiliated Combat Academy, the number is roughly 1500.
Out of these, only 60 have successfully joined the Battle Society, averaging out to about 1 in every 25 newcomers.
These 60 individuals are undoubtedly the emerging elite among the new students, all potential future Professional Trainers.
Among them, Fang Yuan was only familiar with a dozen or so, either former opponents from the Little Phoenix King Cup or competitors he had met in the Su province newcomers' race…
Although Fang Yuan didn't know many people, every member of the Battle Society was quite familiar with him, since he had made a name for himself by being the first newcomer to win against an old member of the society.
However, if that were all, Fang Yuan wouldn't have warranted much discussion, because others also won against old members later on… The stir Fang Yuan caused in the academic field was the main reason he became famous.
While Mo Da isn't short of outstanding individuals, being a student who caused a commotion in the academic field right after enrollment, to the point where the university professors couldn't sit still—Fang Yuan was unprecedented.
…
After registering and returning, Fang Yuan suddenly realized that the number of members in the Battle Society was increasing and couldn't help but wonder.
Why is everyone flocking to the assessment today? Isn't it possible to do this before the end of the term…?
Checking his phone and looking at the group chat, Fang Yuan could only helplessly understand—it was to see the performance of the Solar Spirit…
"Is it necessary?" Fang Yuan muttered to himself. People came, but at most, they could only see the results and not the process of their challenges… It seemed redundant.
"Fang Yuan, are you planning to challenge three times?" Xu Lan, the Winter Dojo Apprentice who had created the Ice Arena during the Little Phoenix King Cup and witnessed her strategy being thwarted by Eevee's figure skating skills, also arrived here and approached Fang Yuan first.
First, she looked at the big screen, noticed Fang Yuan's registration information, and saw that he had scheduled three back-to-back challenges…
Ice Girl Xu Lan didn't consider herself an outsider. She came up to chat with Fang Yuan, who she had hardly spoken to before, while others were hanging back to enjoy the show.
"Since I'm here, assessments are secondary; I primarily want to evaluate the training progress of my other Pokemon," Fang Yuan said offhandedly.
Xu Lan was taken aback… That's Fang Yuan for you, his vision and perspective far exceeding those of his peers.
"By the way, I'm level B, want to have a go?" Xu Lan pointed to this week's ranking leaderboard and proposed, her Snow Demon Woman's scoring an entire level higher than Lin Sen's Venusaur, receiving high marks.
"Uh..." Fang Yuan was genuinely startled, and for a moment, he didn't react—not because of the scores, but because Ice Girl's remarks were ambiguous, leading Fang Yuan to unconsciously glance over.
"Sure," Fang Yuan quickly averted his gaze from her and replied, "If we're going to compete, there ought to be a wager, right?"
"If you lose, you can treat me to a meal; the reverse applies as well," Xu Lan said nonchalantly.
"No problem… but I won't be losing," Fang Yuan thought for a moment and responded.
Chimchar and the Trio Magnet Monsters might not be safe bets, but the Solar Spirit should have no problem reaching level B…
Wait a second!! Fang Yuan's mind momentarily wandered—if he won, wouldn't that mean she would have to treat him to a meal?
Either way, they'd end up having a meal together. Could it be Ice Girl was interested in him? Fang Yuan narcissistically pondered.
However, he quickly shook his head, dismissing it as one of life's three greatest illusions.
Xu Lan was level B, Lin Sen level C, and close behind, Qi Yue managed a C+. The number of people attending assessments at the Battle Society was still low, with only one at level B and most at level C. As for those below level C, there were none yet, but Fang Yuan felt Liu Le might be in danger… Thankfully, there was still time to prepare.
About five minutes passed, and then it was Fang Yuan's turn. He walked up with an air of ease.
"This guy has a lot of confidence…" members of the Battle Society who came for assessment commented.
"Tycoon moves..." Someone realized Fang Yuan intended to challenge three times in a row and sarcastically commented. As freshmen, most people's newly caught Pokemon weren't very powerful and not worth a single challenge. There really weren't many who squandered academic credits like Fang Yuan did.
...
The woman responsible for managing the Gravity Training Ground was not present, instead, it was a senior student working part-time who led Fang Yuan inside.
In such a large training ground, gravity rooms in multiple areas would operate simultaneously; a single person certainly couldn't handle everything on their own. Students who participated in work-study programs received training and, once familiar with the operational workflow here, could take part-time roles to assist challengers with the program setup. Of course, not all part-time students were from the Elf Department—students from other departments could be involved as well.
This NPC senior student took Fang Yuan into the high-tech Gravity Training Ground. As with Emperor Capital University, the building material here was also a special kind of crystal, transparent yet slightly black. Now, Fang Yuan knew what this material was—it was a kind of black tech that could absorb energy, which meant there was no need to worry about the Pokemon's Moves destroying anything inside. Even if a Professional level Pokemon arrived, it would be the same.
They could unleash their full potential!
"After swiping the card, just let the Pokemon enter," the NPC senior student said.
"Okay," Fang Yuan nodded and followed the instructions, swiping his campus card, then he first took out Chimchar's Poké Ball.
"What's the challenge mode?"
"The Energy Bullet one," Fang Yuan said, thinking that for Chimchar, the latter was more suitable.
The NPC senior student stretched out her slender fingers and pressed a few times on the control panel on the wall of the gravity room. The room's walls suddenly turned transparent and many squares appeared, with part of the squares recessed into the wall.
It seemed that the recessed parts were... where the Energy Bullets would be launched from.
"Chimchar, get ready for the challenge," Fang Yuan pressed the Poké Ball, a flash of red light appeared, and Chimchar faced the gravity room with a serious expression.
Before coming here, Fang Yuan had already explained everything clearly to the three Pokemon. After Chimchar exited the Poké Ball, it directly entered the gravity room.
It wanted to perform well!
...
"5...4...3...2...1..."
After Chimchar got inside, as soon as the mode selection was complete, the countdown began.
When the countdown reached "0", the squares on the wall that had been recessed suddenly produced devices that looked like launchers.
At first, there was only one launcher in the direction directly in front of Chimchar.
With a "buzz", the gravity in the room doubled, but Chimchar didn't move at all, its expression unchanging. The doubled gravity that pressed down on it was as if nothing had happened.
In Chimchar's field of view, the launcher in front of it quickly gathered an Energy Bullet, which, upon reaching the size of a soccer ball, launched directly at it, precision locked on!
"Wu er!" With a cry, Chimchar clenched a fist with one hand, flames covering it. Even under the increased gravity, it easily smashed the Energy Bullet with its fist!
Bang!!!
The Energy Bullet dissipated, and Chimchar retracted its fist and exhaled.
"It seems that after adapting to the gravity of the Trio Magnet Monsters, Chimchar faces no pressure under such low multiples of gravity. But it remains to be seen how many waves of Energy Bullet it can withstand as the gravity gradually increases," Fang Yuan anticipated.
"Solar Spirit, Trio Magnet Monsters, come out and watch too," Fang Yuan took out two more Poké Balls and, holding them in both hands, pressed at the same time, calling out Solar Spirit and Trio Magnet Monsters as well.
Meanwhile.
Another launcher appeared on the walls inside the gravity room.