After a day of selection, five candidates were finally chosen for the main competition by the previous class teacher, Sam.
The selected individuals were Julian (Steel), Han (Water), Zosh (Ground), Shen (Fighting), and Will (Fire).
Among these five, no dared to face Julian again after initially being tested.
This also demonstrated Sam's keen eye for talent.
From the remaining ones, three candidates were chosen based on their previous performance in challenges.
The chosen ones were Chase (Ice), Chris (Bug), and Zack (Normal), all hailing from the regular Trainer class.
With these eight individuals gathered, Sam addressed them, announcing, "The Silver White High School League will take place in Lake City in a month."
As the capital of Yale Province, Lake City hosts several key competitions each year, including the recent Breeders Competition and the upcoming High School League.
"I will be your coach," Sam continued. "The school will provide you eight with prioritized resources. Although the substitution team will only get half that of the main team, this will still give you an opportunity to shine, as they will still be more resources than given to the elite class."
The three candidates displayed excitement rather than dissatisfaction. Coming from ordinary backgrounds, they knew that the resources allocated to them surpassed those available to the elite class.
"Meet here at 8 o'clock tomorrow for training. If you perform well in the league, even without achieving a top ranking, colleges will take notice and may offer you early acceptance," Sam stated before leaving.
Julian also followed in his footsteps and was about to leave, when Will quickly joined him.
"Aren't you curious why I've gotten so strong in just two days?" Will asked, eager to share his experiences from Secret Realm No. 1.
"I'm not curious; I'm sure you'll tell me eventually," Julian replied, continuing on his way.
Will's character was one that often couldn't keep things to himself, and he felt compelled to share.
Meanwhile, Chase, another candidate, suddenly looked downcast at Julian's retreating figure.
"He's so proud that he looks down on people like us," Shen commented, one of the selected candidates. Despite her family's background, she felt a disparity with Julian.
"No, no, you misunderstood"
Chase hurriedly shook her head and explained with a slightly red face, "He helped me, so I am very grateful to him, that's all."
If Julian hadn't given her the Water Stone, maybe she and Shellder would have died in the No. 1 secret realm.
Now, after evolving with the Water Stone, her Cloyster boasted powerful ice abilities.
It was also because of Cloyster's battle with Shen's Machamp that attracted Sam's attention and she became one of the three candidates.
-
"So you were lucky, and found three Fire Stone fragments accidentally, and the Onix required by the mission happened to be injured?" Julian asked.
"What luck? It's my talent, my unbeatable will!" Will retorted, jumping up at Julian's dismissive expression.
Though some might call it luck, Will had indeed made great progress after Charmeleon absorbed the three Fire Stone fragments and evolved into Charizard.
Plus, submitting the captured Onix had netted him nearly 10 million, enough to train three Pokémon for a considerable time.
After parting ways with Will, Julian chose not to head home but instead made his way to a prestigious private battle club in Lake City.
"Young Master Walker!"
The staff at the entrance recognized Julian immediately, hastening to open the door and beckon him with warm smiles.
"Master Walker, a pseudo-Elite steel trainer came to our club yesterday, don't know if you are interested," the staff said.
The Battle Club emerged alongside the growth of Trainers.
In essence, the Battle Club functions as a sparring team.
For Trainers looking to enhance their Pokémon's abilities, battles are essential. However, choosing the right Rival for improvement in these battles is equally important.
Lower-level Rivals can be dull, while high-level Rivals can be too intense and ruthless, potentially harming your Pokémon's development.
Thus, the role of sparring professionals was established.
At the Battle Club, you'll encounter Trainers ranging from Rookies to pseudo-Elite and even Elite-level Trainers.
The primary focus of the sparring teachers is to align with your specific needs.
"Oh, I think I'll have him as my sparring partner this time." Julian expressed slight interest.
Although this Battle Club is the leading facility in Lake City, it has several pseudo-Elite sparring Trainers, with elite-level Trainers occasionally visiting;
however, there are no specialized steel type sparring Trainers available.
Julian has battled with these prospective and Elite Trainers and gained substantial experience.
"Here, take a look at his profile, master Walker," said the staff member,
handing Julian a tablet containing information about the new prospective Elite Trainer.
Name: Wren
Age: 45
Trainer grade: Steel pseudo-Elite
Pokémon: Steelix lv65, Magnezone lv63, Mawile lv60, Ursaring lv59, Persian lv59, Linoone lv55
After reviewing the details, Julian noted that Wren appeared to be an average pseudo-Elite Trainer with only three steel-type Pokémon, which seemed insufficient for someone specializing in steel types.
However, this can be understood, as the number of steel type Pokémon tends to be less diverse compared to types like Fire, Water, and Grass.
Julian's own family exclusively possesses two steel Pokémon in Drakoria: a Metagross and an Aggron.
Metagross is a steel-type pseudo-legendary Pokémon, whereas Aggron serves as a formidable steel-based defense.
Both Pokémon are strategic assets for Drakoria, allowing the exchange of unique species with other regions to enhance the country's Pokémon diversity and facilitate research.
Shortly after, the staff member returned with a middle-aged woman, who approached Julian with a prideful demeanor.
To Julian, this pseudo-Elite seemed quite ordinary, but for the staff, she was a figure of admiration.
"You're the challenger this time," Wren stated, raising her head and looking at Julian with a sense of pride.
"Yes," Julian replied, slightly taken aback by her tone.
*****
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