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I thought I would have to wait another year, but I didn't expect to achieve this goal before the second half of the semester!" he thought excitedly.
On the way to the principal's office, Chris's steps couldn't help but become a little brisk. Arriving at the door, he paused, collecting his cheerful mood, and gently opened it.
"Please come in," came a gentle and kind voice from within.
Chris stepped inside. It was his first time in the principal's office. The room was small, its furnishings simple: a desk, a wall full of books, a few sofa chairs for guests, and a tea table. In the corner was a cat climbing frame with an Eevee curled up and napping. A small, palm-sized pot containing an unknown purple flower rested on the windowsill.
Principal Vladimir sat at the desk, writing something. Seeing Chris, he smiled and gestured for him to sit. "Come, sit! I haven't seen you since that time in the courtyard of your dormitory."
Chris, flattered, quickly sat down. "Counselor Olivia mentioned the principal wanted to see me?"
Vladimir nodded. "The National Breeders Association will soon hold a breeding camp. Each year, the school selects a few promising students to attend. Professor Theodore recommended you to me, and I agree. What do you think?"
"I'd like to participate," Chris said, even though going out wasn't something he enjoyed. But the opportunity to qualify as an intermediate breeder, essential for opening his breeding hut, was too important to pass up.
He had already consulted Olivia. Most breeding camps were held in the wild, so personal strength was often evaluated. Standing out in the camp meant strong Pokémon training was just as important as breeding skills. Unless he faced someone as strong as a Dojo Trainer, Chris felt confident he could handle anything with his team.
Vladimir, unsurprised by Chris's answer, nodded with satisfaction. "Prepare for the camp, then. You'll leave the day after tomorrow."
"Day after tomorrow? That's so soon!" Chris exclaimed, startled. "A national camp starting in just two days? That's awfully rushed."
"You'll have to ask Professor Theodore. As the team leader this year, he decided to head to the destination early," Vladimir explained with a smile.
Chris sighed inwardly. It didn't make much difference whether they left early or late. Professor Theodore probably had experiments to conduct. Chris planned to find a quiet corner to relax and play on his handheld console while waiting for the camp to begin.
"Oh, and don't forget to provide your ID number to Olivia," Vladimir added. "You'll need a temporary passport since you're going abroad."
"Abroad?!" Chris's eyes widened. His excitement grew. The appearance of Pokémon had transformed China, but what about other countries? The thought of the exotic environments and Pokémon made his heart race.
"Thank you, Principal," Chris said, standing up to leave. He hesitated for a moment before pulling out a Poké Ball. "Principal, I have a Haunter that can't evolve. Could you take a look?"
"A Haunter unable to evolve into Gengar?" Vladimir asked.
"Yes, I just came from the school's connection exchange room. I used three machines, and the results were the same," Chris explained.
Hearing this, Vladimir's eyes lit up slightly. "Release it, and I'll take a look!"
Chris quickly released Haunter. As soon as Haunter saw Chris, it grinned mischievously and lunged at him with Lick.
Chris sighed. Since he couldn't resist, he figured he might as well endure it. "Numb again… ~~"
Vladimir suddenly handed Chris a Cheri Berry.
"Headmaster, you carry Cheri Berries with you?" Chris asked as he stiffly stuffed the berry into his mouth. The faint spiciness spread, and the paralysis on his body quickly subsided.
"I also have a Gengar. In their family, Lick is their way of expressing affection. I always keep Cheri Berries on hand just in case. Although I've become immune to paralysis over the years, the habit of carrying them never changed," Vladimir replied with a smile.
"Gengar~~" A Gengar suddenly appeared behind Vladimir, as if to prove his point.
Licked to the point of being immune to paralysis? Chris was stunned. This kind of operation? How many times did Vladimir have to endure being licked for that to happen?
He glanced at his own Haunter. It was larger than Vladimir's Gengar. Did that mean he'd become immune to paralysis even faster?
While Chris's thoughts wandered, Vladimir carefully examined Haunter. "Your Haunter doesn't have any inherent issues. The reason it can't evolve is because of the spell ring on its arm. It's blocking its power. To allow it to evolve, the spell ring must be removed."
"Spell rings fall outside the realm of breeding knowledge. You'll need a specialist to break it," Vladimir explained. "Here, let me give you a phone number. Contact this person, mention my name, and they'll help you." Vladimir jotted down a number and handed it to Chris.
"Thank you, Headmaster." Chris accepted the paper gratefully. Not only was he now set to attend the breeding camp, but he'd also found the solution to Haunter's evolution problem.
Chris stood to leave, bowing slightly in thanks before walking out of the principal's office. His steps were light as he headed down the hallway, but a voice suddenly called after him.
"In the future, feel free to visit the principal's office more often. We can explore some breeding questions together," Vladimir offered warmly.
Chris froze for a moment, then turned and replied loudly, "Yes, Teacher!"