On August 7, the weather was fine.
Early in the morning, Aron arrived at the bus stop they'd agreed on and waited.
Paul, the class monitor, came from a family of merchants whose business spanned multiple cities, making his family one of the wealthiest in southern Riverland. Everyone knew about Paul's background, but he had also inherited his father's social skills, always wearing a smile and getting along well with everyone in class.
The resort they were headed to today was one of Paul's father's properties.
As the vehicle stopped in front of Aron, Paul, seated in the front passenger seat, called out loudly, "Everyone, our top student Aron is here!"
The car erupted with chatter. Aron's decision to join them was surprising, as he usually stayed home studying every weekend. But nobody judged him—everyone has the right to choose their own life.
Aron nodded to the group and took a seat in the third row.
Sitting beside him, Luke stared at Aron thoughtfully for a moment, then squinted and said, "Aron, I feel like you've changed a lot."
"Huh?" Aron looked at him curiously.
Luke scratched his head, thinking. "I can't exactly say how, but it feels like your spirit is different—you look more positive."
The girls in the second row turned around, smiling. "We can see it too! Our top student does seem different," one of them chimed in.
Catching this in the rearview mirror, Paul laughed, "Of course! Aron scored nearly perfect marks and got into Imperial University. He's on a whole new level now!"
"Exactly! We're College students now, so of course we'll all change," another classmate agreed.
Aron looked slightly stunned; he hadn't expected such praise.
One of the girls then said with a smile, "Our squad leader is amazing too! You and Aron are our pride, getting into Imperial and East Sea Metropolitan Universities."
"Everyone in our class did really well in the exams," Paul replied modestly, waving his hand.
Aron recalled from their class chat group that almost all his classmates were admitted to top universities, with Paul and a few others even securing spots in the best institutions. Coming from strong backgrounds, they clearly understood the importance of education.
"By the way, Paul, what exactly does this resort have?" Luke asked curiously.
Paul coughed, cleared his throat, and immediately said: "The resort has everything you need, game consoles, KTV, cinema, board games, etc., but these are just the most basic things."
"It occupies a large area, we can camp and fish there, even drive off-road vehicles, ride Rhyhorn."
Paul waved his hand and said loudly: "Of course, the most important thing is that there is a professional battlefield."
"Perfect! Let's get some battles going!" said a classmate excitedly.
Paul turned to look at the group and smirked, "We've been training our Pokémon for a month now, so who's up for a few battles?"
"Absolutely!"
"It's gonna be intense!"
With that, the car buzzed with excitement.
Eventually, the initial chatter turned to silence as everyone dozed off. The only one still alert was the driver, handling the road while the countryside scenery passed by.
After about an hour and a half, buildings faded in the rearview mirror, replaced by endless open fields and the hint of a lush forest on the horizon.
"We're almost there," Paul said.
A few minutes later, the cars parked. All the students got out of the cars and looked at everything here curiously
"I've arranged for all the staff to leave, so we've got the place to ourselves!" Paul announced proudly, pointing to the nearby villa. "Let's hang out here this morning and explore the outdoors this afternoon."
"Sounds good!" they agreed, following him inside.
Once inside, Aron looked around at the impressive entertainment setup but eventually decided to watch a movie. The title caught his attention: Meowth's Journey to Love. It told the story of a male Meowth who fell for a beautiful female Meowth, but she only liked humans. Determined, the male Meowth learned to talk, stand, and walk like a human, but even after all that, she gently rejected him with, "You're a good Meowth."
Unconsciously, Aron watched until afternoon came.
"Alright, it's time for the main event!" Paul called out. Under his lead, they piled into off-road vehicles and headed for the battle arena.
"The whole area is fenced and guarded to keep wild Pokémon out," Paul assured them over the hum of engines.
"Squad leader, how far's the arena?" someone yelled.
Paul replied, "Almost there!"
After about ten minutes, they reached a large lake, the surface shimmering in the breeze.
Paul leaped out of the vehicle, pointing to a nearby battle arena by the lake. "What do you think? You can battle here and enjoy the view."
"When we are fighting, other people can still fish on the sidelines."
"We can fish here too, huh?" Luke asked with a laugh. "I bet any fish nearby will be scared off by our battles!"
Paul grinned. "Whoever's destined to bite will bite, right?"
"Alright, who's up for the first battle?" Paul asked.
"I'll go!" Luke raised his hand enthusiastically.
The two took their places on opposite sides of the field. Meanwhile, others gathered around, and some, like Aron, studied the fishing rods left nearby.
"A good Trainer should know how to fish,"Aron mused to himself, setting up a rod.
He recalled the legend that only one in a million fishers could catch even a kyogre.
As Aron cast his line, the battle between Paul and Luke began. Paul sent out his Riolu, while Luke countered with Dratini. Looking at these rare Pokémon, someone might think they were common, but among the wealthiest in southern Riverland, access to high-quality Pokémon was practically a given. Riolu was Level 18 with Elite potential, and Dratini was Level 17, also with Elite potential.
With their family background, it is not surprising to prepare an Elite potential Pokémon.
The strength close to the Intermediate level is quite normal, after all, there are sufficient resources.
"These must be gifts from their families," Aron thought.
Despite their Pokémon's strength, both Trainers played conservatively, using basic commands. This was normal for new Trainers; their skills would improve with experience.
The onlookers, however, cheered at each exchange, captivated by the intensity.
There is no Attribute restraint relationship between Riolu and Dratini, Luke and Paul both chose to play steadily.
Eventually, Paul's Riolu emerged victorious.
"Don't get cocky! Dratini just takes longer to show its strength—I'll beat you next time!" Luke laughed, hugging his fainted Dratini.
"I'll be waiting," Paul replied, grinning.
Two more classmates eagerly took the field for the next battle.
Aron took the chance to check his fishing rod. The line was still and calm.
"Are there no Pokémon in this lake?" he asked aloud.
Paul laughed, "Nope, just regular fish and shrimp for safety reasons." Sitting next to Aron, he sighed, "Fishing isn't for me. Too much patience involved."
Aron smiled. "Then it suits me."
"Fishing takes patience and focus," Paul said with a grin. "Dad says fishing's good for humility."
He patted Aron's shoulder and chuckled, "You've got real potential as a fishing master, Aron!"
Just then, Aron felt a slight tug on his line. His eyes lit up—something had bitten!
He rose, holding the rod steady, ready to pull the fish in using standard technique.
Suddenly, the rod jolted hard. An intense force surged through the line, nearly shaking Aron's arm.
"It's a big one!" he gasped, bracing himself and taking hold with both hands.
Before anyone could react, a furious roar thundered across the lake. Water exploded as a massive creature surged from the lake, its crimson eyes locking onto Aron.
He froze.
It wasn't just a big catch.
It was something massive.