The Labor Day Holiday.
"Boss, are you really not coming back to class??" Leo's voice crackled through the phone.
"Not going," Owen replied flatly.
It was May. There was only one month left until the most significant turning point in the lives of high school seniors: The College Entrance Exam (Gaokao).
Whether it was the rookie trainers from elite high schools or the regular students who only needed to focus on their academic scores, everyone was in full preparation mode. Tension, anxiety, excitement—everyone was feeling the heat.
Except for Owen. He was feeling perfectly relaxed.
"The envy is real! I hate you!!" Leo wailed.
Anyone who had participated and achieved a ranking in the Azure Province High School League was eligible for lowered admission requirements at various universities. Leo was no exception; after all, he was a core member of the fourth-place team.
However, Leo still had to take the exam. His academic grades were his Achilles' heel. Even with the lower score requirements and the bonus points from Pokémon battling, getting into a top-tier university was still a massive hurdle for him.
Unlike Owen, who had already been granted a full scholarship and guaranteed admission. Owen didn't even need to show up for the test if he didn't want to.
"Lynnea is planning on going to the Police Academy. What about you?" Owen asked.
Lynnea and Leo were the only two classmates Owen had stayed close with through senior year.
Once the exam was over, the original trio of the Rising Star Project would likely go their separate ways to chase their own dreams.
Lynnea came from a police family, her starter was a Growlithe, and her grades were excellent—getting into the Police Academy would be a breeze for her.
Leo, however, had been too embarrassed to say where he was headed until now.
"If it's possible, I obviously want to go to Magic Capital University... but my grades definitely won't cut it," Leo sighed.
"My dad said that if all else fails, he'll pay to send me to Magic Capital University's affiliated Battle and Business College. The entry scores are lower there."
Leo's father was set on the prestige of the Magic Capital University brand. If Leo wanted to become a professional trainer, it was the top choice.
"Good luck," Owen laughed. He hoped they could still be schoolmates. Battle students generally had an easier path than regular students, and with Leo's family background, he had a real shot at the affiliated college.
Owen hung up. Time was flying. A year had nearly passed since he became a trainer.
"Keep it up," Owen murmured to himself.
He spent his days writing papers, researching materials, and studying Poke-blocks. Training the Pokémon remained a daily routine, but he was no longer under the pressure of the tournament.
Drip~~
That evening, a notification sound chimed. Owen opened his messaging app.
Cynthia?
He was surprised to see her name pop up.
Cynthia: I heard you won the Su Province Rookie Tournament. Congratulations!
Owen sent his thanks.
Cynthia: Have you decided on a university yet?
Owen: Decided. Magic Capital University, Pokémon Research major.
Cynthia: (ゝω·)b
She sent a thumbs-up emoji. This was the specific major she had invited him to join months ago. Back then, Owen hadn't given a definitive answer. Now, it seemed he had made his choice.
Cynthia: A great choice~~ You're going to love Magic Capital University, Junior Owen.
Owen hesitated, then typed: By the way, Senior... how did your Professional Trainer assessment go?
Cynthia had vanished recently to take the exam. Since she was back online, did that mean it was over?
Cynthia: It went smoothly. Finished just in time for the Top Four (Elite Four) Tournament. I got lucky.
Owen: The Top Four Tournament...? Are you signing up for that?
The registration for the tournament was open to Professional Trainers under thirty. Cynthia definitely qualified, but she had literally just become a professional. She was a rookie among veterans.
Sarah: Mhmm...
Mhmm...??
Owen paused. He had almost forgotten that seasoned professional trainers had already lost to this "junior" before. Usually, Cynthia gave the impression of a soft, quiet scholar—bookish and gentle.
But when she stepped onto the battlefield, she transformed completely. Her aura became overwhelming.
It reminded Owen of a certain character: Cynthia.
Cynthia was the first female Champion to appear in the movies and the one who appeared most often in the anime. She was hailed by commentators as the "Beautiful Goddess of War."
Yet, outside of battle, she could be incredibly airheaded, struggle with simple choices, and would agonize for hours over which flavor of ice cream to pick.
Senior Cynthia... is probably that kind of person, isn't she? Even their names are the same. Her daily state and her battle state were two different worlds. He'd have to keep a close eye on this year's tournament.
While his classmates were busy with exams and teachers were busy with lectures, Owen was immersed in his own world.
He looked over the new move secret manuals he had requested from the Fairview Trainer Association. These were for Eevee, just so it wouldn't get bored.
Refresh: Lets the user rest and heals status conditions like poison, paralysis, or burns.
Heal Bell: Emits a soothing chime to heal the status conditions of the team.
Both were support moves with similar effects, perfect for Eevee to learn together. While Owen preferred high-offense moves like Shadow Ball, he knew support was indispensable.
Eevee's offense was already solid. It had defense in Sand Attack and Reflect, and interference in Swagger. What it lacked was recovery and utility. Only then would it be truly "all-purpose."
During the tournament, Owen had faced opponents who used poison, but they were usually too weak to land a hit. But imagine if Jean's Haunter had been a master of Poison-type moves as well as Ghost-types. If Eevee were poisoned and cursed, would they have still won?
"Both Refresh and Heal Bell are tools to clear status conditions. I hope Eevee can master them before we start university..."
Theoretically, Refresh shouldn't be too hard for Eevee, and Heal Bell shared similar principles. Two months should be more than enough.
As for Magnemite, there was no rush for new moves. It just needed to get more comfortable with what it already had. Unlike Eevee, whose strength was already "beyond rookie" levels, Magnemite was still very much in the beginner stage when it came to fundamentals and battle technique.
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