—"If a person has no dreams, then how are they any different from a Magikarp that only knows Splash?"
This was basically the Pokémon-world version of
"If you don't have dreams, how are you any different from a salted fish?"
Sure, the second line had been said so many times it had long since turned into a stale meme—
eventually evolving into the even more hopeless conclusion:
"Even if a salted fish flips over… it's still a salted fish."
But that first line?
Hearing it spoken aloud in the Pokémon world—spoken by Serena, no less—was unexpectedly powerful.
It hit hard.
Miss Mimosha had always dreamed of becoming a Pokémon medical instructor, someone qualified to teach.
Yet after repeatedly failing the official Pokémon League examinations, after hitting wall after wall, her confidence had gradually eroded.
Fear had crept in.
Fear of trying again.
"I really admire your drive… and your Gible's courage too,"
Miss Mimosha said softly, nodding.
Then she hesitated and asked,
"But… can you really do it?
Competing as a non–Pokémon Battle major and defeating students from the Battle Department—
that's not an easy task."
Different fields had different specializations.
That was only natural.
"I'll win~!"
Serena nodded firmly, her voice filled with confidence.
"Kapu!"
Fully recovered, Gible sprang up from the medical bed in a perfect Magikarp-style flip, stood upright, and raised both tiny fins in a flexing pose.
There wasn't even time to mourn Gojo Satoru's death—
The ones rushing straight onto the battlefield were Serena and her Gible.
"Then I'll be cheering for your victory,"
Miss Mimosha said with a gentle smile.
The Sprout Cup at Shanghai University, as the name suggested, was a competition designed for freshmen.
Because of that, all matches were 1v1 battles.
After all, new students usually didn't have the time, resources, or experience to raise more than their starter Pokémon.
This tournament was less about cruelty and more about encouragement—a beginner-friendly event.
After three days of intensive training, Serena and Gible were in peak condition.
Training time was over.
Now came the real thing—
actual combat experience.
Pokémon that were known as late bloomers were called that for a reason.
Their growth cycles were long.
In game terms, they needed more experience points to level up, and more levels to evolve.
Because of that—
Serena couldn't wait any longer.
She was eager to dive straight into the so-called fish pond.
As a student outside the Pokémon Battle Department, starting from the earliest qualifying rounds was perfect.
It was like releasing a hungry shark into a pond full of fish—
not a single bit of experience would go to waste.
"Now commencing the Sprout Cup Freshman Challenge!"
The tournament took place inside Shanghai University's massive stadium.
Over three hundred participants had signed up.
The venue buzzed with noise and excitement.
As one of the campus infirmary's doctors, Miss Mimosha sat in the medical section that doubled as part of the audience, watching the matches while standing by to treat seriously injured Pokémon.
Even the preliminary rounds alone would last the entire day.
"Group D, Round Three—
Student Serena, Department of Business Administration,
versus Student Wang Yilun, Department of Pokémon Breeding."
"Group D, Round Three—
Student Serena versus Student Wang Yilun."
"Both contestants, please prepare."
"..."
The announcement echoed three times before Serena finally walked onto the battlefield at an unhurried pace.
There was no need to arrive early to scout opponents.
She didn't think revealing Gible—a late-blooming Pokémon—would cause much attention anyway.
At most, it would spark curiosity or envy.
After all, by now, plenty of people already knew she had a Gible:
her roommate Chen Lidong, the gym staff, and Miss Mimosha herself.
And yet—
Nothing had happened.
Villains who forcibly stole other people's Pokémon were, even in the Pokémon world, a rare minority.
Still—
Keeping a low profile never hurt.
"Both trainers, please take your positions.
Release your starter Pokémon when the countdown ends."
"Three.
Two.
One—!"
"Go, Munchlax!"
Wang Yilun, a student from the Pokémon Breeding Department, looked round and well-fed himself.
Anyone who could raise themselves this well clearly knew how to take care of Pokémon too.
His starter being Munchlax genuinely surprised Serena.
It wasn't that Munchlax was especially rare—
But Pokémon like Snorlax and Munchlax were notoriously expensive to raise.
Anyone who could afford one either had a gold mine at home—
Or at least ran a restaurant.
So it was true after all.
Rich kids were rich everywhere—even in the Pokémon world's Donghuang region.
Unforgivable!
Still—
This was perfect.
A Pokémon with massive HP meant massive experience value.
The best kind of punching bag.
Serena threw her Poké Ball.
"For my very first official match… I'm counting on you."
"Go—Gible!"
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