036 The Dark-Bellied Horse School! The Biggest Winner
"Wow, it's Torchic!"
"I'm so envious! The Blaziken that Torchic evolves into is not only incredibly powerful but also one of the most stylish Pokémon!"
Torchic is one of the starter Pokémon from the Hoenn Region. Since Jiang Cheng is part of the Hoenn War Region, many students here have a favorable impression of it.
"I still think Swampert looks cooler."
"Swampert?"
All eyes turned toward the student who made the statement. Even Qin Yun glanced at him in surprise. Swampert, handsome?
Sure enough, the world is full of people with unique tastes.
"How does it feel?"
The director, noticing Qin Yun's surprised expression, asked with a smile.
To be honest, he was quite satisfied with Qin Yun. If not for the fact that his daughter was still in elementary school, he might have even considered introducing them.
"Although, the age difference between third grade and third year of high school isn't even ten years… It's not entirely unacceptable."
If Qin Yun knew what the director was thinking, he would probably be so startled that he'd refuse the reward on the spot.
"Feels great!"
Qin Yun picked up Torchic. The little Fire-type sensed his warmth and didn't resist. Instead, it curiously observed him, trying to understand its new Trainer.
Pokémon Centers place Pokémon bred for distribution into specially-designed Poké Balls that help establish a baseline level of trust with their Trainer upon release. Otherwise, Rookie Trainers would struggle to bond with their new Pokémon, making early battles and training more difficult.
Qin Yun gently stroked Torchic's head, causing the Pokémon to chirp happily.
"You must be hungry, Torchic. Here, try this energy cube."
He took out an intermediate-tier energy cube from his bag. Since he hadn't prepared in advance, the cube wasn't Fire-type specific.
"Tor…?"
Torchic tilted its head curiously. But as soon as it caught the scent of the cube, its eyes lit up. Without hesitation, it snatched the cube and began eating enthusiastically.
"Tor! Tor-chic!"
Its chirps of delight made it clear it tasted amazing!
Many audience members gasped.
"That's an intermediate energy cube!"
"That's 10,000 Poké Dollars right there! He just gave it away like it was nothing…"
Many students were in shock. To them, that was months' worth of pocket money. Even elite students found it difficult to afford such luxuries for their Pokémon.
Even the director was momentarily taken aback before breaking into laughter.
"It seems you really like this Torchic, Qin Yun."
Qin Yun nodded.
"However," the director said seriously, "resources are limited. To be a great Trainer, you need to manage them wisely and make sure they're used where they'll have the most impact."
The director had once dreamed of becoming a professional Trainer himself, but he knew firsthand how difficult the path was. After struggling for years, he eventually gave up.
"I understand."
Qin Yun smiled and nodded. He appreciated the director's advice, but with his 100x Boost System, he had no intention of holding back on his Pokémon. They were his most important partners, and he wanted to give them the best of everything.
The director nodded approvingly. Mistakes can be corrected, but a Trainer unwilling to learn is doomed to failure.
"Good. Here's my contact information. If you ever run into difficulties, feel free to reach out."
The director handed Qin Yun a business card before leaving.
The champion's reward a medium-potential Torchic was easily worth over 1.3 million Poké Dollars. Considering this was just a regional joint entrance competition between six schools, such a prize was astonishing. It was thanks to the persistent efforts of Jiang Cheng No. 3 Middle School that these rewards had been secured.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Academy…
In the VIP box, Ma Xiao, the headmaster of Jiang Cheng No. 3 Middle School, wore a beaming smile. Despite being in his seventies, he looked absolutely delighted.
"I must apologize to the Royal Academy," he said, barely containing his laughter. "Thank you so much for helping us secure Torchic! Your generosity is truly appreciated."
Wang Xiao, the headmaster of the Royal Academy, looked as if he wanted to bury himself alive. His face was completely drained of color.
Jiang Cheng's victory wasn't just big it was going to make waves across all of Petalburg Province.
He had confidently declared that his son would win the championship. To secure that victory, he had poured a massive amount of resources into ensuring a favorable outcome.
But now?
Total humiliation.
"Useless."
Wang Xiao spat out the word in disgust and stormed out of the room.
If he stayed any longer, he might not be able to resist the urge to strangle his son, who had been pampered as a 'genius' since childhood.
Back at Jiang Cheng No. 3 Middle School
Everyone at No. 3 Middle School was celebrating.
"What a great day for our school!"
The dean of students was practically glowing with pride.
"Qin Yun and Serena really came through for us. A champion and a runner-up finish! At this rate, we might even have a shot at surpassing No. 1 Middle School this year."
The headmaster nodded, though he remained cautious.
"Beating No. 1 Middle School is still tough. They have several prodigies on par with Qin Yun. Not to mention her…"
His expression darkened slightly as he mentioned her.
Even now, he regretted not securing May as a student back when he had the chance.
But he quickly let go of that thought. He was already too old to train May properly.
The headmaster of No. 1 Middle School, however… he was still capable. He had been just as influential as Norman back in the day, and he had many talented Trainers under his guidance.
"It was the right decision to let May go," he finally admitted.
In the Principal's Office
Qin Yun and Serena sat together, facing their homeroom teacher, Su Leyan.
Of everyone, Su Leyan was easily the biggest winner today.
Not only had her students secured both the champion and runner-up spots, but they were both from her class!
As a result, she had skyrocketed in reputation overnight.
Originally, she was on track to be promoted to Grade 12 after three years. But now, she had jumped straight to Grade 12 status immediately!
The principal had even promised her an official "Gold Medal Teacher" award by the semester's end, which would further boost her career.
It was the kind of promotion every teacher dreamed of.
"You two did an amazing job," Su Leyan said, smiling at Qin Yun and Serena the golden boy and girl of Jiang Cheng No. 3 Middle School.
"By the way, Teacher Su," Qin Yun said, grinning, "remember what you promised me last time?"
"Promise?"
Su Leyan blinked, confused.
"My unlimited vacation request."
The smile on Su Leyan's face instantly froze. A hint of embarrassment flickered in her expression.
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