Mark ignored Joe's attempt to stop him and walked straight into the academy, where students glared at him with furious eyes.
"Oh, the academy's environment is actually quite nice!" Mark admired.
"Of course it is! This is a school for the elite—nobles and wealthy families! But someone like you, a commoner, wouldn't understand!" a beautiful female voice replied.
Mark turned toward the voice. There she stood—the famed Top Student! Without a doubt, an absolutely stunning beauty! No wonder in the original tale even Ash, the forever clueless trainer, would turn red-faced around her.
"Yeah, I wouldn't understand," Mark scoffed. "But what's the use of a perfect learning environment if it's filled with people who only study behind closed doors and graduate to play a mockery of the Pokémon League—getting eliminated in the first round?"
"What did you just say?!" The students around him were enraged. In a flash, they pulled out their Poké Balls, ready to battle to the death.
"Enough! Stand down!" the Top Student stepped forward. "The questions you asked those students just now—they've already told me about them. They are indeed profound topics. Anyone with such knowledge can't be a nobody. Now tell us your name."
"I'm Mark. I didn't mean to give those students a hard time—I just couldn't stand their attitude," Mark replied calmly.
"Mark…" the Giselle frowned thoughtfully. "That name sounds familiar… Never mind who you are! But that thing you said about our academy's graduates only making it through one round—I won't let that slide! Every graduate from this academy has a solid foundation in knowledge and Pokémon expertise. We've studied strategies from the Elite Four and even Champions! We're not something you can look down on! Let's battle—let me teach you a lesson using our academy's knowledge!"
"I never refuse a battle," Mark said, "but I don't want to waste time. How about a one-on-one match? We each send out one Pokémon at the same time."
"Fine! No problem! Go, Graveler!"
"Go, Beldum!" Mark responded almost instantly.
The opponent's Graveler was at the lower Elite rank, while Beldum was slightly weaker. Although Steel-types resist Rock-types, Ground-types are also strong against Steel-types—so Mark was clearly at a disadvantage here.
"One of Hoenn's rarest Pokémon—Beldum—and it's even a shiny form! You really do have an unbelievably rare Pokémon! But what's the use of sending out something that only knows Tackle? You're so arrogant!" The Top Student's knowledge of Pokémon was impressive, and she immediately recognized Beldum. But that only made her more dismissive of it. Unlike Ash's team from earlier, who didn't know Beldum only knew Tackle, she considered this battle beneath her.
"Beldum, use Tackle!" Mark grinned. Since the opponent was so dismissive, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity. If they underestimated him, it would be easy to turn the tables.
"Hmph, fine! Graveler, use Rollout! Let it hit you!" True to expectation, the Giselle didn't even regard Beldum as worthy of defense. She directly ordered Graveler to absorb Beldum's Tackle without hesitation.
Beldum crashed into Graveler again and again. Though Graveler took some damage, it barely noticed. Besides, Tackle also harms the user slightly—perhaps the Giselle was hoping that Beldum would wear itself out before Graveler even faltered. She didn't realize that Beldum's attacks were always hitting the exact same spot on Graveler's body, where tiny cracks had already started to appear.
"Graveler, hit it back with Body Slam!"
The two clashed together, and Beldum deliberately loosened its force, getting blasted backward.
"Hahaha! Look at that guy over there! How embarrassing! He's no match for the Top Student!" the students around them mocked.
"Completely useless!" Their praise for the Giselle made her even more arrogant, and so did the approval of her Graveler.
"This is a great opportunity! Beldum, use Iron Head!" Mark thought to himself. With both Graveler and the Giselle full of weak spots, how could he let the chance slip away? Hearing Mark's call, Giselle froze for a moment, but disbelief clouded her face. The textbooks clearly stated that Beldum only knew Tackle. There couldn't be a mistake! She convinced herself that Mark must be bluffing.
But when Beldum's Iron Head struck the cracks on Graveler's body, the Giselle's eyes snapped open in shock. The hit landed perfectly, dealing incredible damage! If Graveler hadn't had such high defenses, it might have lost the fight instantly.
"How could this be?! How can Beldum use Iron Head? It's impossible!"
"Does the textbook always tell the truth? You're too narrow-minded, aren't you, Top Student?" Mark sneered.
"Damn it! Graveler, use Stomp!"
Stomp is a powerful Ground-type move that deals significant damage to Steel-types and also reduces their speed. But Beldum's ability, Clear Body, renders speed-reducing effects useless, so only the damage itself mattered.
"Beldum, use Iron Defense!"
Beldum responded by drastically boosting its defense.
"Even defensive moves, huh? Then use Arm Thrust!"
The Giselle commanded Graveler to unleash an even stronger Fighting-type move.
"Hmph! Fighting-type, is it? Then, Zen Headbutt!"
Beldum's Psychic-type move completely overpowered the Fighting-type attack.
"This is Psychic?! Why?! This is impossible!"
The Giselle's composure shattered. She stood frozen, unable to move. Nothing hits harder than having a deeply held belief overturned.
"It looks like your opponent has lost the will to fight! Let's end this battle! Beldum, use Iron Head!"
Mark ordered Beldum to strike again—and this time, Graveler was blasted out of the field, completely defeated.
"How could this be?! The Top Student lost?!"
The surrounding students gasped in disbelief.
"What an ugly battle! Do they really have no solution when theory doesn't work?!" an old man walking by commented.
"Grandpa, I'm sorry! I lost!" the Giselle cried miserably.
"Hello! I'm Mata, her grandfather and the principal of this school! You must be the famous Young Professor, Mark!" the old man greeted.
"Yes, that's me. Do you know me?" Mark asked.
"I know Professor Oak! You're his most proud disciple! Every time he meets you, he brags about how outstanding you are! But he wasn't exaggerating—your reputation is well deserved. I actually expected you might say those questions from our academy… Would you have time to come to the principal's office and discuss it in detail?" Mata invited warmly.
"With all due respect, I'm happy to accept your invitation!" Mark responded politely. He followed the old man into the principal's office.
"In fact, I've been trying to figure out how to solve this problem myself. I believe the only way is to find someone who can break the old patterns. Now that I've seen you, I think you're the one! Would you like to join our academy? We'll give you all the resources you need—even rare Pokémon—to help you excel in the League!" Mata offered.
"I appreciate it, but I feel I'm better suited to travel on my own. And as for Pokémon, I believe in fate. The Pokémon meant for me must be waiting somewhere," Mark politely declined.
"Even though I suspected as much, don't you want to reconsider?" Mata asked again.
Mark shook his head once more.
"Enough! Grandpa, this guy clearly looks down on our academy! Don't invite him again!" The Giselle stomped in angrily.
"Oh my, Top Student, you've recovered your spirit already!" Mark teased.
"Don't call me Top Student! That's just a title here! My real name is Giselle !" she snapped.
"Haha! Since that's the case, how about I change my request? Mark, would you take Giselle with you on your travels and help her grow?" Mata suddenly proposed.
"What?!" Giselle and Mark shouted at the same time.
"Grandpa! There's no way I'm traveling with that annoying guy!" Giselle scoffed.
"Giselle, haven't you noticed what's happening today? You've become a trainer who only talks about theories! If you want to grow, you must experience everything—people, places, and battles! I can't let you travel alone, but with Mark by your side, I'd feel much more at ease!" Mata reasoned.
"Fine… for you, Grandpa… for the academy… and for my future growth… I'll travel with him," Giselle finally relented after thinking it over.
"These two are hopelessly self-centered! Did I agree to this?" Mark thought with helpless amusement.
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