Chapter 512: Elite Trainer Residences, Braveon Returns!

With Tristan handling things, every door opened for Aaron.

Registration, enrollment records, residence paperwork—everything was finished in half an hour.

Aaron had to admit it.

Special treatment felt fantastic.

Afterward, Tristan brought him to a quiet residential section lined with detached houses. A sign at the entrance read:

Elite Trainer Residences.

"This one is yours."

Tristan handed him a key and pointed toward Residence 1.

"Residence 2 next door belongs to Braveon, number two on the Hidden Dragon Ranking. He's already on his way back."

"You'll probably meet him soon."

Aaron took the key with a smile.

"We already know each other. Braveon and I are good friends."

Tristan blinked, then laughed.

"Even better. Now you two practically live together."

Aaron: "..."

Live together?

Residence 1 and Residence 2 still had an entire wall between them.

Although...

If they knocked the wall down...

"Ahem."

Aaron immediately killed that train of thought.

"I've still got Student Council work to deal with, so I'll leave you here," Tristan said. "There's freshman orientation tonight. The full schedule is in your handbook."

"Freshman training camp starts tomorrow and runs for seven days. After that comes the Intercollegiate Freshman Tournament between Crown City's three premier Pokémon universities."

He sighed theatrically.

"Freshman year. I'm almost jealous."

"Thanks, Tristan."

"Call me if you need anything."

Tristan climbed onto Charizard and waved before taking off.

Flying around campus on a Pokémon required a campus flight permit, so not just anyone could do it.

Aaron watched Charizard disappear into the distance.

Now that was a good way to show off.

He opened Residence 1 and stepped inside.

A wall enclosed the property, and beyond the gate lay a courtyard of roughly a hundred square meters. Flowers and trees filled the yard, with a small stream running through it and fish swimming beneath the surface.

"Everybody, come out."

Aaron released his team.

Frog Boss, Snorlax, Gyarados, Sceptile, Infernape, Charizard, Beedrill, Zeraora, and Froslass Queen all appeared in the courtyard.

Corviknight came out as well, having shifted into physical form.

"Grenin!"

"Rooar!"

"Snor... lax!"

The courtyard immediately became much more crowded.

Good thing it was large. Gyarados alone would have made a normal yard impossible.

"Zera! Zera!"

Zeraora pounced on Aaron the moment it appeared and rubbed its fluffy face against his cheek like an oversized cat.

"There you are."

Aaron scratched through its fur.

Because of Zeraora's identity, he almost never let it out in public. Places like this, with no strangers around, were one of the few opportunities it had to relax outside its Poké Ball.

"Rooar!"

Gyarados promptly scooped Aaron into its mouth.

Its eyes crinkled with delight.

That was apparently its idea of an affectionate greeting.

Aaron had long since stopped fighting it. He climbed back out, wiped drool off his face, and slapped Gyarados lightly on the cheek.

"Seriously, hurry up and learn Dragon-Human Form already. Turn into Kaido or something."

"I'll even get you a kanabo."

Gyarados stared at him.

What the hell was he talking about now?

Why would I need a kanabo?

Does he want me to shove it up his ass?

What a weird hobby.

Aaron, blissfully unaware of Gyarados's interpretation, let the Pokémon roam around and went inside.

The residence had three floors, decorated in a traditional Hualis style that suited his tastes. The bathroom was enormous, complete with a bathtub large enough for two people, and every basic necessity had already been stocked.

"As expected of one of Hualis's top universities. They call this student housing?"

"This is basically a five-star hotel."

Crown University certainly had money to burn.

Aaron took a long bath, dropped onto the bed, and fell asleep without realizing it.

By the time he woke up, it was already seven in the evening.

Ding-dong.

"Hm?"

"When did I fall asleep?"

He headed downstairs. His Pokémon were still playing in the courtyard, and Corviknight had taken physical form. Seeing her so obviously happy made Aaron smile.

Then he opened the front door.

A familiar face stood outside.

"Braveon. You finally made it back."

Aaron pulled him into a tight hug.

"Hahaha! Long time no see."

Braveon's blue hair looked darker than Aaron remembered, and a faint blue light flickered in his eyes.

Through the Bond Phenomenon, Aaron could sense a powerful force lying dormant inside him.

The training trip had clearly paid off.

"So?" Aaron asked. "How much of your Aura can you control now?"

"Ninety percent."

Braveon grinned.

"And at the Intercollegiate Freshman Tournament, I'll finally get to fight you."

"I'm not losing, Aaron. Better be ready."

Aaron's smile sharpened.

"I was about to tell you the same thing."

"I'm not losing either."

The two stared at each other.

For an instant, red and blue energy seemed to press against one another, lifting grains of dirt from the courtyard.

Then both of them smiled.

...