Four months flew by, and suddenly it was the second half of senior year. On the first day back at school, the head teacher, Sam Nott, delivered some significant news.
"The Yale Province High School League is about to begin," he announced.
"Everyone should know about this competition. The school will select five students to represent us. Those who excel in the league will receive early acceptance from universities in Drakoria."
He continued, "If you win the Yale Provincial High School League, you'll find yourself in high demand from the top universities in Drakoria, including Shuimu, Imperial Capital, Qing, and Modu."
This prestigious high school league occurs annually, with similar competitions hosted in other provinces, all taking place during the second half of senior year.
While the timing may vary slightly across provinces, the overall schedule remains consistent.
Achieving a top-three finish in the provincial league grants access to the elite universities in the country, with provisions for early acceptance into their programs.
Every year, the champions from each provincial league are guaranteed early entrance into these top institutions.
The high school leagues represent the initial experience for many trainers from various schools, with the top priority being to secure a spot on the roster.
Every school, regardless of its size or status as a provincial or national key institution, has just three allotted spots.
This limitation sometimes leads students from stronger schools to transfer to weaker ones for a better chance at participation.
"There are five places available," Sam announced. "To register, you must have three Pokémon. Those interested should sign up by next Monday."
Only trainers with three Pokémon can register for the league. Even if a trainer possesses an Elite Pokémon, they are ineligible if they only have one.
"Ding."
"Main quest: Participate in the silver-white high school league and achieve a ranking."
"Reward: Based on your ranking."
"Note: There are no rewards for finishes outside the top ten."
As expected, a task would arise from such a situation.
Common tasks include daily, random, and hidden objectives, but the main quest has appeared only once before.
This marks the second occurrence. Main quests are rare but offer valuable rewards; the first one bestowed the power of Aura.
This time, the reward structure hinges on ranking—better placements promise greater rewards.
"Julian, are you planning to sign up?" Will asked.
Julian had already gathered three Pokémon last semester.
He nodded; even without the quest, he intended to enter the league.
"This year, the Silver Trainer Association has increased rewards for the top three compared to previous leagues," Sam continued.
"The third-place winner will receive a green qualification Pokémon egg along with a resource package worth 20 million."
"The runner-up will get a green-qualified dragon-type Pokémon egg and 50 million in resources."
"And the champion will be awarded a cyan qualification Pokémon egg, a ticket to any advanced secret realm in the silver-white province, and a resource exchange valued at 80 million."
Such enticing rewards have sparked excitement not just among students but even the head teacher, Sam Nott, who, due to his role, cannot participate.
During his own schooling, he too had competed in the silver-white high school league but didn't even break into the top 100, hence missing out on any rewards.
"Don't get greedy; top 100 is good enough," he advised.
"Not greedy at all," Julian replied confidently. "I just want to make it into the top three."
"That's a bit greedy, don't you think? Focus on securing top 10 spots first," Sam suggested.
These words ignited a competitive spirit among many elite class students, who envisioned themselves making a name for themselves in the high school league—A scene reminiscent of the greats from the silver and white provinces, fiercely sought after by the finest colleges.
Lake No. 1 Middle School is recognized as a national key high school, but it has only five available spots, of which one has already been filled.
Many of Julian's classmates, who had signed up for the competition, felt a sense of helplessness in the face of his exceptional talent.
Sharing a class with such a formidable competitor was a significant burden for them. Throughout the first semester, they would face weekly intra-class contests, but no one was able to defeat Julian's Pokémon, not even with a serious effort.
All fifteen students from the elite class applied, excluding the two regular classes.
"Han also registered, so I doubt I have a chance," Will lamented.
If Julian was assured of his first-place spot, then Han's position at second was equally secure, leaving any hope for third, fourth, or fifth place up for grabs.
Will had managed to secure a top-six finish in the class once, but he struggled against Han, a water trainer with superior tactical skills and a well-established background from a prominent local water family in Lake City. He knew he couldn't beat Han—at least not at this moment.
"It's good you know," Julian replied flatly.
Without a stroke of luck, Will would likely miss out on even fifth place.
"Can't you say something uplifting?" Will shot a glare at Julian, upset that instead of offering comfort, Julian was being blunt.
"I'm just stating facts. Instead of dwelling on unrealistic hopes, why not focus on the tasks you can tackle during your days off?"
Will's financial situation prevented him from properly caring for his three Pokémon, so he often picked up local tasks through the Drakoria Trainer APP to make ends meet.
The pay from these quests was just enough to sustain his Pokémon.
"I'm planning to take on the task of catching Onix in the No. 1 Secret Realm. Completing it would exempt me from needing to take on more tasks for half a year," he shared.
As members of the elite class, Sam had previously taken them to the No. 1 Secret Realm, and the school covered their ticket expenses, making Will somewhat familiar with the area.
"You have money for tickets?" Julian questioned.
"Yes, as long as I finish the job, the tickets will be reimbursed," Will replied.
"Just be careful, especially around the people in the secret realm," Julian cautioned.
"Don't worry; my Charmeleon is very strong. If I complete this task, third place might be mine," Will said confidently.
"As long as you're happy," Julian replied, his tone indifferent.
He chose not to offer to join Will, realizing that while they were friends, he didn't wish to take on the role of a caretaker.
Will understood that Julian came from a wealthy family and that he could easily ask Julian for a loan or to accompany him into the secret realm, but he opted to go alone.
The journey of a trainer could be traveled together, but the path to the top was fraught with challenges and often difficult to navigate—even more so in pairs.
"Buy a bottle of Max Repel; it should come in handy," Julian suggested, knowing that Max Repel could help ward off lower-level Pokémon.
To reach the rocky area where Onix resided, Will needed to traverse the forest first, which was home to about seventy to eighty percent of the Pokémon in the first secret realm, including that Beedrill above level forty.
*****
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