🎄 Christmas Special Discount 🎄From December 23 to December 25, there will be a public 50% discount on the following tiers:Intermediate Trainers, Advanced Trainers, Elite Trainers, Elite Four Trainers, Champion Trainers, and Legendary Trainers.
🎆 New Year Discount 🎆There will also be a 50% discount, but it won't be public. On December 31, the discount code will be published inside the chapters, so stay tuned 👀✨
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Very soon, a month passed silently.
During this month, Ethan Black had rarely behaved like a good student.
One had to know that, if it were in the past, not arriving late and not leaving early would have been something completely impossible for a "poor" student like him.
But ever since he had traveled to this parallel world with Pokémon, he had read books he had never opened in his first eighteen years. Now he could even, like a good student, listen to classes with total seriousness.
"Indeed, interest is the best teacher."
In the dormitory, Ethan Black, with a satisfied expression, put away his books and prepared to go to class that day.
After attending classes for so long, he felt that he had gained a lot. Now, even if he entered a Secret Kingdom again, he was confident he could handle himself quite well.
And as long as he graduated smoothly from this Intermediate University Campus, he would surely be able to face survival tests in the wild without problems, and passing the advanced trainer exam would only be a matter of time.
"Ethan, Ethan!"
"Hurry up, the beginning-of-the-month ranking battle is about to start!"
Just as Ethan Black opened the dormitory door, he saw Kyle Miller and Jasper Reid rushing toward him.
"Beginning-of-the-month ranking battle?"
Ethan Black froze for a moment, and then suddenly realized.
Today was March 1st, the day when the ranking battle was held each month.
According to the result of this battle, the university would decide the resource distribution for that month.
Moreover, as members of the university reserve team, they had to ensure they remained within the top ten rankings.
When Ethan Black arrived at the training field, a large number of new students had already gathered there, all with clenched fists, ready for battle, waiting for the competition to officially begin.
In addition to the new students gathered in the center, many intermediate campus veterans were observing around them.
The new students had their own evaluation, in which the veterans could not participate. However, at the end of this year, all the new students would become veterans, and then they would have to compete with them for resources. So these veterans had come to get to know their future rivals in advance.
At the scene, in addition to the new and veteran students, on the main platform at the front stood all the professors of the intermediate campus, as well as the instructor of the university team: Leonard Langford!
"It's Professor Langford!"
When Ethan Black and the others looked toward him, Professor Langford was also watching them.
As the university team's trainer, Leonard Langford had to primarily observe the performance of the ten university team members.
The other professors, however, focused on other students. In the evaluation of the ranking battle, the final result did not depend solely on victories.
In addition to the battle ranking, technical subject grades and the professors' evaluation of the students' potential also counted heavily, although battle performance carried the greatest weight.
Those new students who showed outstanding performance and potential would receive training plans more suited to their profile.
When Leonard Langford saw that all the new students had arrived, he looked at his watch and said loudly: "Time's up. Silence."
His voice was not thunderous, but it was full of energy and carried a natural authority that made all the new students adopt a solemn expression.
"The combat rules are very simple: free challenge."
Leonard Langford, in a firm voice, briefly explained the rules of the beginning-of-the-month ranking battle.
This was held on the first day of each month, and the rules were free challenge: a lower-ranked student could challenge anyone with a higher rank.
If the challenger lost, their position would not change; if they won, they would switch places.
Thus, once there were no more challenges, the final ranking would be set, and the professors would take it as a reference to decide the definitive classification.
"You've already seen the previous results, but now I'll announce them again."
Following Leonard Langford's signal, a professor behind him stepped forward and projected a list onto the wall of the platform.
Ranking:
1st – Ethan Black
2nd – Patrick Mills
3rd – Claire Dawson
4th – Lucas Silver
...
On the list, it was evident that, after incorporating the technical subject grades and potential evaluations, the ranking had changed.
Although the names in the top 10 had not changed, Lucas Silver and Marcus Foster, who had not participated in the annual evaluation, had been pushed down to fourth and fifth place.
Except for Ethan Black, who remained in first place, the veterans had risen significantly, occupying second and third place. Jasper Reid and Kyle Miller had been relegated to ninth and tenth place.
...
"Ethan Black? Why is he still number one?"
"He's just a rookie, and his Pokémon is such a common one. How can he still be in first place?"
"Exactly, exactly. Lucas Silver and Marcus Foster, even though they're rookies, come from powerful families. But does Ethan Black also have some big backing behind him?"
Upon seeing the first place, many veterans who had moved from the Beginner Campus to the Intermediate Campus exclaimed in surprise.
Among the new students who had advanced, only a few like Ethan Black had reached the intermediate level in their first year of university; most were from the Beginner Campus veterans.
That's why the majority did not know Ethan Black, only that he was a distinguished talent at the university.
Although they had seen the previous ranking, since Ethan Black and four others had not participated in the annual evaluation, they had not taken it seriously.
But now, with this official list, his number one position was too eye-catching, causing many to suspect that something was being concealed.
By contrast, no one doubted Patrick Mills and Claire Dawson, who were recognized figures by all.
"Bah, whether it's a trick or not, we'll find out in battle!"
"Besides, these top ten are only there because they're on the university team, but on the intermediate campus, strength rules. If I defeat any of them, I'll become a new team member!"
After the initial surprise, many new students revealed cold, eager smiles, wishing for the battle to begin immediately.
There was no need to raise suspicions: there was no way to hide anything. As soon as the ranking battle began, any false standings would be exposed easily.
(End of Chapter)