Surrounded by fanatical students, Duraludon helplessly pinched the two Poké Balls in his hands, casting a pleading look toward the senior responsible for the competition level.
'Hurry and save me, your competition contestant is being rubbed by others.'
"Hahaha, this is just too funny," Everyone in the plaza was amused by Duraludon's silly expression and burst into laughter.
"Alright, let Duraludon go quickly, or else he'll get mad in a while," The senior in charge of registration stepped forward and blocked the others at a distance of more than a meter from Duraludon.
She wore a blue tight-fitting leather suit, a yellow silk scarf on her head, and a pair of inverted-triangle eyes that looked bright and energetic.
Her signature bangs crossed at the tip of her nose, a solid tsundere + abstinent type.
Hearing her words, the students who were kept away quickly nodded.
"We got it, Senior Carmine."
"Sigh, that's the good way," Carmine curiously tiptoed and patted Duraludon's shoulder.
"Big guy, did you get separated from your trainer?"
"Do you know which class he's from? You can tell my Pokémon and let my Pokémon take you to find your trainer."
Duraludon shook his head and pointed at the registration form in Carmine's hand.
Carmine blinked, guessing Duraludon's meaning, "You want to register on behalf of your trainer?"
"Roar!", Duraludon nodded vigorously.
"Alright then," Carmine smiled, her eyelashes curling as she reached out her palm toward Duraludon.
"You really are a good child. Then hand over your trainer's identity card."
Pokémon helping their trainers register is also a fairly common thing at Blueberry Academy.
However, most of them are high-intelligence Pokémon like Bronzong, Gothitelle, Indeedee, and Slowking.
That this Duraludon could do this clearly showed he had good intelligence.
Soon, Carmine helped Duraludon complete the registration.
"Your trainer is participating in the ranking match for the first time, so later you'll be competing against the lowest-ranked contestant. For now, you can go wait on the side."
"Just in time, when your match starts, your trainer might be here already."
Duraludon nodded, hesitated for a moment, and took out a small cookie to hand to Carmine.
"ROAR!"
Carmine pointed to her nose, "You're saying this is to thank me?"
Duraludon squinted his eyes, nodded slightly, and extended his claw to indicate that this was very delicious.
"Alright, I'll eat it in a little while."
Duraludon: "???"
'Did she misunderstand something?'
'I meant for you to feed it to a Pokémon!'
'Why does everyone in this school love eating Pokémon food so much?'
'But… won't it chip their teeth?'
'Forget it, the human world is too complicated, the great general won't care!'
Duraludon found a place to obediently stand, and began discussing the lineup order with Gyarados and Dragonair inside the Poké Balls.
While they were discussing tactics, a male contestant in swim trunks not far away glanced at his number card and lightly crushed it.
According to the rules, each registered contestant can challenge upward five times, and at the same time must accept up to five challenges.
If he wasn't mistaken, his first match today would be against Duraludon's trainer…
'Damn it, I want to forfeit!'
His Pokémon were beginner types like Ivysaur and Exeggutor, going up against Duraludon with that?
After hesitating for a moment, the swim trunks guy still sat down in his seat.
After all, since he was here, could he still run away?
That would truly be a laughingstock.
More than ten minutes passed, and today's registration ended.
Carmine stood at the very center of the arena and reannounced the competition rules and the list for the first match.
"I now announce: Raymond and Axel, enter the field to begin battle!"
The swim trunks guy took a deep breath and walked to the center with his Poké Balls.
At the same time, he made a plan.
He would just fight a little and surrender, then follow behind Axel and challenge all the people he had defeated.
Using his own nearly full-condition Pokémon to challenge those already beaten by Axel. This way, at the very least, he could rise three ranks.
Thinking of this, the swim trunks guy couldn't help but give himself a thumbs-up.
"As expected of me, truly too clever!"
Just then, a surprised murmur came from under the stage.
"Why hasn't this Duraludon's trainer come yet? Isn't this a free win?"
'Trainer not here?'
The swim trunks guy quickly turned around, and his eyes instantly lit up.
If the opponent's trainer didn't show up, maybe today would be his lucky break.
Although Pokémon themselves are powerful, their control over battle details is far inferior to human trainers.
As long as he controlled things well, maybe after today he, Swim Trunks Guy, could get the nickname "Dragon Slayer Raymond".
"Senior Carmine, can we start?"
"It can start, but…", Carmine glanced at Duraludon, a bit of worry in her eyes.
"Little guy, maybe your trainer was held up and didn't come. Do you want to concede first?
Without your trainer, your strength will be greatly reduced."
"Roar!", Duraludon waved his claw, making a nonchalant expression.
'Fighting these kids still needs my trainer?'
'Then how can I be the great general of dragonkind!'
"Okay then, let's get ready to begin the match."
Due to competition rules, Carmine didn't try to persuade him any further.
"This match is part of the academy's ranking competition."
"If the challenger wins, they take the defender's ranking, and the defender drops one position."
"If the challenger loses, they must pay the defender 10 Blueberry Points."
"Both sides may send out up to three Pokémon, and can switch freely during the match."
"Do you understand the rules clearly?"
Swim trunks guy nodded, "Understood."
"ROAR!"
"In that case, let's begin the match!"
Hearing the whistle for the start of the match, the students below the stage were all full of envy.
That's Duraludon, known as the early bloomer Pokémon.
Just after hatching, it already possesses physical qualities comparable to second-stage starter evolutions.
Plus, with its noble Dragon + Steel type, it has virtually no weaknesses.
Ordinary people probably couldn't beat a Duraludon in their whole lives, which is why earlier so many people ignored the line and ran up to touch the dragon.
But now, swim trunks guy got this chance.
"This guy can brag about this for a lifetime, I'm so jealous."
"Damn it, I was ranked just before Raymond. If I had known, I wouldn't have beaten him yesterday."
Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, Duraludon revealed a trace of a human-like smile.
He suddenly understood why Axel had let him come fight alone.
Only this way could they lower the enemy's guard.
If his trainer showed up, wouldn't that scare off a few of them?
'This move, my great general's trainer is truly top-tier!'
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