When Aaron saw the Primeape, he suddenly remembered how he had defeated Aggron and shown off.
But he still hadn't claimed his reward yet!!
Damn it—he'd almost let the system keep it for itself.
"System, you still haven't given me my reward yet…"
Aaron roared in his mind.
"Ding~ You actually noticed..."
"Ding~ Congratulations on completing the mission: Defeat Aggron!! Rewards: Pokémon Candy ×1, Uo Uo no Mi, Mythical Zoan — Azure Dragon Form (Devil Fruit)..."
The long-overdue reward finally arrived.
And it was the Uo Uo no Mi—what incredible luck!!
Kaidou-sensei's Devil Fruit.
Not only did it grant a body as tough as indestructible diamond, but it also allowed the user to transform into a dragon, wielding dominion over fire, wind, lightning, and clouds.
In dragon form, the breath it spewed could turn into scorching flames capable of burning entire buildings to ashes.
Its beastlike roars could transform into thunderous lightning, and by twisting its massive body, it could whip up violent winds, creating countless tornadoes that caused widespread devastation.
It could also create flame clouds to serve as footholds in midair, and anything enveloped by those clouds would fall under its control.
Aaron recalled Kaidou-sensei's overwhelming abilities—hailed as the strongest creature on the surface of the world.
"Uo Uo no Mi… a dragon, born from a fish…!?"
"Isn't this Devil Fruit practically tailor-made for Magikarp and Gyarados!?"
Aaron instantly decided who this Devil Fruit should go to.
However, encountering a Magikarp or Gyarados with high potential wasn't easy.
For now, he could only keep it. If he truly couldn't find one, he'd have no choice but to let another Pokémon consume it.
Aaron then fed the newly obtained Pokémon Candy to Frogadier.
Snorlax had already reached the Intermediate (Peak Stage), so it would need Advanced-level Pokémon Candy to break through.
After consuming the Pokémon Candy, Frogadier reached the Intermediate (Peak Stage) as well—just one step away from advancing to an Advanced Pokémon.
Once that happened, it could evolve into Greninja and learn the Flying Thunder God Technique and Sage Mode!!
Top scorer in the college entrance exam!?
Aaron felt it was already within his grasp.
His spirit soared with ambition, and even the Primeape in front of him started to look a little cute.
So Aaron decided to let it go peacefully.
"Come out… Frogadier!!"
"Rasengan—beat it to death!!"
Aaron directly tossed out Frogadier's Poké Ball.
"Kshh—"
Frogadier made a stylish entrance. A blue sphere of energy gathered in its hands as its figure flashed forward.
Before the Primeape could even react, it was struck head-on by Frogadier's Rasengan. Its body spun wildly as it was blasted away, crashing heavily to the ground, its eyes swirling as it was knocked out.
"Aaron is insane..."
"Boss Frog is invincible..."
"So OP..."
The three roommates who had rushed over saw Frogadier instant takedown and immediately burst into shameless flattery.
Aaron rolled his eyes.
"Why are you guys here!?" he asked.
"Aaron… I think when we're out here, us boys need to stick together and protect ourselves."
"Yeah, yeah… it's too dangerous outside, especially for handsome guys like us!!"
"Strength in numbers. Let's team up—after all, the instructor didn't say we couldn't form groups..."
The three of them spoke with thick skins, putting on righteous expressions.
Aaron glanced at the shameless trio. If they wanted to cling to his leg, they could've just said so instead of beating around the bush.
Still, he didn't refuse. They were all from the same dorm, and forming a team had its benefits.
They could look out for one another.
And just like that, the four-man dorm group began surviving together in the forest.
...
Night fell.
Aaron found a cave near a small river and used it as their base. In the river, Frogadier suddenly leapt out, holding two fish in its hands—ordinary fish, not Pokémon—with another clenched in its mouth.
It hopped over to Aaron, who had just gotten the fire going, clearly seeking praise.
Seeing the fish Frogadier had caught, Aaron's eyes lit up. He patted Frogadier's head and praised it warmly:
"Frogadier, you're amazing!!"
"We've got food tonight...."
Frogadier squinted happily, enjoying Aaron's affection.
Aaron took the fish, cleaned them, skewered them, and placed them over the fire to grill.
Off to the side, Snorlax quietly watched the roasting fish, drool slowly seeping from the corner of its mouth.
At that moment, the other three returned as well, carrying some wild fruits.
Perfect for dessert….
"Aaron… your grilled fish smells incredible!!"
The chubby Hugo's eyes lit up as he walked over.
"It'll smell even better in a bit. I haven't added the seasoning yet..."
Aaron said with a faint smile.
Back in his old world, grilled fish was something every foodie loved.
He'd loved it back then, which was how he'd developed such solid grilling skills.
Once the fish turned golden, Aaron sprinkled on the seasonings, and an intense aroma instantly filled the air.
The three of them—along with Frogadier and Snorlax—couldn't help but swallow hard.
Their eyes were locked on the golden-brown grilled fish, burning with hunger like wolves that hadn't eaten in days.
What none of them noticed was that the scent drifted along the breeze toward the river.
In the water, a long blue silhouette slowly approached, drawn by the smell.
The blue figure surfaced behind them, revealing a ferocious Pokémon face.
Three horns jutted from its head, massive eyes stared forward, and a pair of fins flanked its body.
Below them was a huge, gaping mouth!!
It was a Gyarados!!
"Kshh—Kshh..."
The first to sense something wrong was Frogadier. It cried out twice and instantly assumed a battle stance, staring warily at the Gyarados on the river's surface.
"Huh!?"
"Holy—… a Gyarados!?"
"Run, run…! They say Gyarados are insanely aggressive—they attack humans on sight!"
The three of them froze when they saw the Gyarados on the river's surface, letting out startled cries as they hurriedly backed away.
"Gyarados!?"
Aaron's eyes, however, lit up.
Wasn't this exactly the Pokémon he'd been looking for!?
He only hoped its potential wouldn't be too low!!