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Chris arrived at Dragon University by plane. As soon as he disembarked and walked through the VIP terminal, he spotted a black town car parked in front, waiting to take him to campus.
Having Wanda as an assistant meant she handled small details like booking flights and arranging transportation in advance, leaving Chris with nothing to worry about.
The level of comfort made Chris silently thank Denver for suggesting he hire her!
Arriving at Dragon University by car, Chris had barely walked through the campus gates when he heard someone calling out to him.
"Is that Junior Chris?!"
The voice carried a mix of uncertainty and excitement.
Chris looked up to see a beautiful senior girl in white sportswear with a tennis racket in hand, but... he didn't recognize her at all.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"It really is Junior Chris!" the senior exclaimed in surprise. "Junior Chris, I'm such a fan! Can I take a photo with you?"
As she spoke, she pulled out her phone.
When students nearby heard the name "Chris," they immediately glanced over.
Chris suddenly felt uncomfortable. He was wearing a mask—how had anyone recognized him?
Could she be... a genuine fan? More likely an overzealous one!
"Well... maybe next time. The principal is expecting me!" Chris said, preparing to make a quick exit. He knew perfectly well that if he agreed to take a photo with one person, half the school would line up for the same.
He didn't want to waste an entire day on this.
"Brother Chris, wait! If you can't take a photo, could you at least sign something?" Seeing Chris trying to escape, the senior girl persisted, chasing after him.
When others heard that the person running away was Chris, several more female students who were also fans joined the pursuit.
Turning a corner, Chris made his escape by releasing Gardevoir and teleporting directly to the principal's office.
Fortunately, it was class time, so the campus pathways weren't crowded. Otherwise, Chris suspected he would have been surrounded after just a few steps—possibly leading to a Stomp incident if things got out of hand.
"What? You were just chased by fans?" Principal Vladimir observed Chris's breathless state and Gardevoir's sudden appearance, immediately understanding the situation with an amused smile.
"Professor, I nearly didn't make it," Chris complained. "Is there any way I can walk around without being recognized?"
With his growing reputation, masks alone clearly wouldn't be enough going forward.
"My method is to train a Zoroark," Vladimir said, taking out a Poké Ball and releasing its occupant.
A Zoruark with black and red fur appeared, raised its paw as if dripping water onto an invisible screen. Faint ripples spread outward, blurring Vladimir's face. When it came back into focus, Chris saw only a nondescript face with unreadable features.
"Is Zoroark's Illusion ability really that effective?" Chris was intrigued.
He made a mental note to check where Zoroark could be captured in his handheld game later.
"Professor, I'm here about graduating early. You mentioned an exam—what kind of test will it be? A battle where I choose four Pokémon from six?" Chris asked. He had inquired about this before arriving.
If it was a written test, early graduation might be challenging.
Although his breeding knowledge was excellent, written tests covered specific textbook content. Unless he had photographic memory, completing the entire university curriculum in a short time would be nearly impossible.
Vladimir had already agreed to accommodate Chris. Considering Chris was already a certified Gym Trainer, he genuinely didn't have much time for regular classes. The textbook material could be covered separately—Vladimir would provide Chris with reading lists and exam papers annually.
It was equivalent to the classroom instruction being delivered by Professor Vladimir online instead.
"The four-from-six battle is an exam for ordinary students seeking early graduation. You're different," Vladimir explained, still contemplating the appropriate graduation test for Chris.
Typically, when a student proposed battling as an evaluation method, Vladimir required them not only to pass written exams but also to face opponents with significant battle prowess—hence the four-from-six format.
However, a standard four-from-six battle against Chris, who had already achieved Gym Trainer status, would be meaningless. He needed something more challenging and purposeful.
Chris's expression soured. So... did geniuses have to bear greater burdens?
"Tomorrow at 5 AM, report to the Trainers' Association in Dragon City and take the Pokémon Ranger's special flight to the grasslands to assist Stephen."
"Your assessment will be to work with him to apprehend criminal organizations operating along the border!"
Vladimir believed what his student lacked most was experience in high-stakes battles where defeat wasn't an option!
True strength was forged through blood and fire.
This assignment would primarily expose Chris to the harsh realities and darker aspects of the world beyond the protective ivory tower of academia.
As for Chris's safety, he already possessed Gym Trainer-level combat abilities and had a Psychic-type powerhouse by his side.
Stephen had also promised to look after Chris, so there was little cause for worry.
Unlike Professor Vladimir's cautious approach, Chris's eyes lit up with excitement.
Pokémon Rangers?
This was familiar territory! He'd even created a special folder in his study materials about them.
He'd recorded strategies to defeat them.
Chris began wondering what the villainous teams in this world would be like.
"Well then, Professor, I should get going." Chris planned to pick up Vigoroth and Smeargle that afternoon. The two Pokémon had been staying at Tony's Gym for almost a month.
Tony had already messaged Chris to come retrieve them. He hadn't been able to do so earlier because he was still in Green Valley, so they'd remained at Tony's Gym.
"Wait, don't leave yet." Vladimir quickly caught Chris as he was about to depart and placed an Eevee in his arms.
"Help me check its Individual Values."