Julian had no intention of teaching the influencer a lesson. Their statuses weren't even on the same level. If she hadn't been so persistent and disruptive to the other diners, he wouldn't have bothered with her at all.
Meanwhile, viewers in the live stream had already been paying attention to Julian. Some had found his side profile oddly familiar, but now that his face was fully visible, recognition hit them like a thunderbolt. If they couldn't figure out who he was at this point, they'd truly fail as netizens.
The influencer, however, was still clueless. Hearing the restaurant manager respectfully address the "scruffy man" as 'Young Master' left her stunned.
"Young Master? What Young Master?" she asked blankly.
Julian had been all over the internet recently due to his victory over Articuno and his involvement in the Pokémon Riot incident. However, not everyone knew who he was.
Some had heard the name but couldn't connect it to a face, and even those who had recognized him earlier might have let the memory fade now that his viral moment had passed.
The comment section of the live stream exploded with activity.
A flood of "helpful" viewers eagerly educated the influencer about Julian's background.
From 'his grandfather being the top Steel-type Elite', 'his uncle being a director of the Walker Group', and 'his father owning a national-level gym', to 'his aunt being the youngest Arceus Award recipient in history', the comments painted a vivid picture of his extraordinary lineage.
And as if that wasn't enough, they emphasized that 'Julian himself was a monstrous trainer'
His identity had long been public knowledge. Hardcore fans even knew details about his extended family—everything from his maternal grandfather's role in government to his uncle's international ventures.
The more the influencer, Little Ain, read through the barrage of comments, the paler her face became.
Each detail spelled out one undeniable fact;
'Messing with Julian was a death sentence.'
"Big brother!!!"
She suddenly wailed, tears streaming down her face as she desperately sought help from her top supporter.
But when she turned back to her screen, she saw that her top supporter had vanished without a trace.
"Big Brother ran like he was taking a train and even bought a standing ticket!"
"You're here to flaunt in a fancy restaurant for clout; he's just having dinner at his own place"
The comment section quickly turned against her, mocking her earlier smugness. Ironically, many of the same viewers had egged her on moments ago.
--
As for the influencer, Julian didn't give her another thought.
He had already arrived at Gardevoir Suite No. 1, equivalent to a presidential suite in his previous life but far larger and more luxurious.
He released all his Pokémon into the spacious room. Even his Steelix could hold its head high comfortably.
The suite was equipped with every amenity, including a Pokémon transfer system.
Julian placed Alex's Pokémon, including the three Elite-level ones, into the device and carefully entered the coordinates.
Soon all these Poké Balls were sent to his grandfather by him.
Once the Pokémon's dinner was prepared, Julian finally stepped into the bathroom, eager for a relaxing shower.
Gastly, however, was in no rush to eat. Born in the Secret Realm, everything in human society seemed magical to it.
The showerhead, for instance—why did it spray water? And why was the water warm? Its trainer looked particularly happy, which only piqued Gastly's curiosity further.
"Maybe wait until I'm done before coming in?"
Julian's expression froze as he noticed the curious Gastly hovering in the bathroom. It wasn't exactly natural to feel comfortable with a ghost-type Pokémon staring at you mid-shower.
'At least it's male'
Julian thought wryly.
"In places like this, don't just barge in, understand?" Julian Warned.
Gastly's ability to phase through walls and doors was both a blessing and a curse. The last thing Julian wanted was for it to accidentally wander into a women's restroom or bathhouse—it would be Julian, not Gastly, who'd pay the price.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, Julian slept in until the sun was high in the sky. Slowking had taken it upon itself to feed the other Pokémon breakfast, ensuring they didn't disturb their trainer.
After a leisurely brunch in the hotel, Julian prepared to leave.
As he exited the lobby, yesterday's influencer, Little Ain, suddenly appeared, blocking his path.
"Mr. Walker, I'm so sorry about yesterday! I didn't know it was you"
After speaking, the influencer looked at Julian nervously.
After learning about Julian's background, Little Ain had spent a sleepless night, terrified of the consequences. Following a private message from her top fan advising her to apologize, she had waited outside the hotel all morning.
Against all odds, her patience paid off.
Julian gave her a brief glance but didn't reply. Without saying a word, he walked past her.
Little Ain let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Her top fan had been right—people like Julian wouldn't bother to hold a grudge against someone like her. Her apology wasn't about avoiding punishment but rather an attempt to improve Julian's impression of her.
'If only I could get his contact info…' she mused. 'Or even—'
Watching Julian's retreating figure, little Ain sighed again, cutting her thoughts short.
'Better focus on making tonight's stream a hit instead'
---
Back at School;
Upon returning to campus, Julian's first stop was his homeroom teacher's office to notify of his return.
Taking a month off as a freshman was no small feat. If not for being part of the Special Recruit Class, such a request would've been nearly impossible in a regular class.
"Boss Julian, you're back!"
Just as Julian reached the door of his villa, an excited voice came from behind.
"Dalton? What are you doing here?" Julian asked.
Dalton, the class leader of the Fighting class, had started addressing Julian as 'Boss Julian' after losing to him during military training.
"I'm in your class now, Boss Julian!, I moved into the villa area this month. The Special class really is a whole different world compared to regular classes," Dalton said, beaming.
The Special class was exclusive, with only thirty students. It operated on a strict elimination system, where the lowest-ranked student at the end of each month faced a challenger from the regular classes.
If the lowest-ranked student won, they could remain in the class. If they lost, they were demoted to a regular class.
So, even after joining the Special class, if your strength wasn't up to par, you could still be eliminated due to the rules.
It was because of this, that Dalton had his chance to join.
"Did you defeat Shen?"
That was Julian's first reaction. He immediately assumed Dalton had beaten Shen to secure his spot in the Special class.
Shen's place in the class was solely due to her awakening a special ability called "Heart's Eye." However, her overall strength ranked at the bottom among the thirty students in the class.
Moreover, her "Heart's Eye" ability had only recently awakened, making it weak and short-lived.
Being defeated wasn't surprising.
Julian didn't give it much thought. The world of trainers was straightforward—survival of the fittest. Even if you were exceptional, there would always be someone better.
"No, she wasn't defeated by me. She's the second to last. But now that I'm in, she's ranked last. Next month, her spot might be in danger," Dalton explained.
Dalton's strength was already enough to qualify for the Special class. If Shen hadn't suddenly awakened her "Heart's Eye," the spot would have been his from the start.
"Got it."
Julian nodded slightly before heading into the villa.
Dalton stood there, stunned. He had expected Julian to invite him in for a chat, but instead, he was ignored.
*****
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