Chapter 518: The Freshman Orientation Ends

Golden flames surged around Infernape as streams of red energy poured into its fist.

In seconds, that energy compressed into a blazing sphere like a miniature red sun. The air around it seemed to warp. Cracks spread through the hard ground, and loose stones began lifting into the air under the pressure.

The power had been compressed to its limit.

"Infer!"

Infernape roared as Golisopod charged.

Then it kicked off the ground hard enough to shatter the surface beneath its feet and became a streak of red light.

Red and blue collided at the center of the arena.

Infernape's Apotheosis-level Super Kaio-ken.

Golisopod's Apotheosis-level Razor Shell.

The red sphere and blue energy blade smashed together.

BOOOOM!

For an instant, the entire field seemed to freeze.

Then the explosion hit.

The blast thundered across Crown University and shook the sports field beneath everyone's feet. A violent shockwave tore away from the center of the collision, launching hats, loose papers, and more than one unfortunate administrator's wig into the night sky.

Students braced themselves against the wind. Several girls in skirts desperately fought to keep them down, while a suspicious number of boys suddenly discovered that they had excellent eyesight.

Suffering all around.

Mostly suffering.

Probably.

...

As the shockwave faded, everyone stared toward the battlefield.

The smoke gradually cleared, revealing a crater nearly two meters deep at the center of the arena. Infernape and Golisopod were both still standing inside it, heads lowered.

No one made a sound.

Then Golisopod swayed.

Its legs gave out, and the armored Pokémon crashed onto the rubble, eyes spinning.

It was done.

Infernape remained standing.

The flames atop its head burned red and gold as it raised its head like the Monkey King himself.

"INFER!"

Its roar rang across the field.

Champion Edmund raised his hand.

"Golisopod is unable to battle!"

"The winner of this freshman exhibition match is Aaron!"

The field erupted.

"AARON! NUMBER ONE!"

"THAT WAS INSANE!"

"Aaron, I want to have your monkey babies!"

"DAD! ADOPT ME!"

"AARON! AARON! EVERYBODY'S ROARIN'!"

"Braveon was amazing too! What a fight!"

"Braveon, keep it up! I still love you!"

...

The battle had won over both sides of the crowd. Win or lose, the two freshmen had given everyone exactly the kind of spectacle they had hoped for.

This was Pokémon battling.

This was youth at full throttle.

This was university life.

"Come back, Golisopod. You did great."

Braveon recalled his Pokémon and looked down at the Poké Ball with a smile.

"You just happened to run into an even bigger monster."

Infernape: Who are you calling a monster? Want a punch too?

Braveon walked over to Aaron.

"I'll let you have this one."

"At the Intercollegiate Freshman Tournament, I'm taking that win back."

Aaron snorted. "Keep dreaming. You're not beating me."

"Tch. I'm not that easy to discourage."

"Hahahaha!"

Champion Edmund walked over, clearly delighted by what he had seen.

"You two were impressive. At this year's Intercollegiate Freshman Tournament, I want you to wipe the floor with Pokémon Elite Defense Academy and Imperial Elite Pokémon University."

He pointed at them.

"Especially Imperial Elite."

"As long as nobody dies, I'll cover the rest."

Aaron raised an eyebrow.

"President, you sound like you really hate Imperial Elite Pokémon University."

"There's a story there, isn't there?"

Edmund's expression immediately soured.

"Don't get me started. That school is packed with rich kids, and half of them walk around like they own Hualis. If we don't beat them, who are we supposed to beat?"

He folded his arms.

"Last year, Imperial Elite crushed both Crown University and Pokémon Elite Defense Academy at the Intercollegiate Freshman Tournament. I still haven't gotten over it."

"They're that strong?" Aaron asked.

"They have some of the best resources in all of Hualis. Give them a Poochyena and they could probably turn it into a hellhound." Edmund clicked his tongue. "And annoying as it is, plenty of those rich kids really are talented."

Imperial Elite Pokémon University had far more students with awakened Psychic abilities than either Crown University or Pokémon Elite Defense Academy. Powerful families could pass those gifts down through generations, and wealth gave their children access to the best Pokémon, training facilities, tutors, and resources from the beginning.

Some people started halfway up the mountain.

Others could climb for ten years and still never reach the same point.

That was the kind of gap money, talent, and inheritance could create.

...

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