Samron No.1 High School—the high school Nero currently attends.

  The final exams had already concluded two days ago, and now came the st event of the semester: the much-anticipated closing ceremony.

  Teachers always insisted that students arrive on time, just like a normal school day, emphasizing that teness was unacceptable.

  But in reality, the ceremony was often deyed for over an hour, making it a predictable routine…

  The school bell typically rang at 7:30 AM, but Nero didn't show up until after 8:00.

  The cssroom remained lively as ever—several boys huddled together, engrossed in online games, while the girls gathered in small groups, chatting away.

  As Nero passed by one of these groups, he caught snippets of their conversation. They were discussing which boys from different grades and csses were the most handsome.

  Nero took out a small mirror, examined his striking features, and ran a hand through his hair. A smirk formed on his lips.

  It seemed inevitable that they would soon mention him.

  Since this was the st reporting day of the semester, Nero's seat was near the back of the cssroom. After a recent seating rearrangement, his current spot was—

  Second-to-st row, by the window.

  "Nero!?"

  Lyle, who sat behind Nero, looked up from his phone only after Nero took his seat.

  "Mhm."

  Nero nodded.

  Lyle, being one of his best friends, wasn't weak in terms of ability either. He consistently ranked within the top ten in css. Nero recalled that Lyle's Pokémon was a Poliwhirl.

  After chatting for about ten minutes, their homeroom teacher, Ms. Lily, entered the cssroom.

  Following her were a few students acting as unpaid bor, carrying stacks of papers and dozens of winter break homework booklets.

  With the teacher present, the previously rowdy students immediately put away their phones and returned to their seats, awaiting instructions.

  "I have a little gift for everyone—this is the supplementary winter css agreement." Ms. Lily pointed to the stack of papers on the podium. "Remember, these extra csses are completely voluntary. The school isn't forcing anyone, and that's very important! But if an inspector comes by ter, you all must say that our school doesn't offer supplementary csses!!"

  "…They say it's voluntary, but if we don't sign up, they'll probably call our parents," Nero muttered under his breath.

  "You're all about to take the college entrance exam this year. Stay focused! This is the most important test of your life—the turning point of your fate…"

  Though Ms. Lily was retively young, just over thirty, her nagging personality was truly exhausting.

  After her long-winded speech, the css representative distributed the agreement forms. The students groaned in dismay.

  Winter break for seniors was already short, and now they had to spend it attending extra csses—it was downright unfair…

  Once the announcements were done, the entire school gathered on the sports field.

  The school administrators, with their most benevolent smiles, delivered the most dreaded words:

  "I'll keep this brief. I won't take up too much of your time…"

  What should have been a fifteen-minute ceremony dragged on for an hour and a half. Nero couldn't help but marvel at how familiar this process felt, no matter the world.

  …

  "Nero, are we heading to the Battle Club today?"

  "Sure, we've got time." Nero nodded in agreement.

  The Pokémon Battle Club was a pce where trainers could challenge each other in official matches.

  Since urban spaces were limited and most areas were filled with buildings, public battlefields were scarce. The Battle Club successfully addressed this issue.

  Unlike random battles in the wild, this venue had official referees, a structured environment, and a matchmaking system that paired trainers based on their skill level.

  Trainer rankings were divided into:

  Beginner, Normal, Elite, Veteran, Gym Leader, Quasi-Elite Four, Elite Four, and Champion.

  The same system applied to Pokémon.

  Nero wasn't entirely clear on the specific power levels of each rank, but he personally estimated that every ten levels roughly corresponded to one tier.

  Combusken was at the Normal rank, which, according to game data, pced it around Level 11-20. However, Nero felt that his Combusken was already nearing the Elite tier.

  As for the final tier, while some online discussions suggested that the Champion rank represented the pinnacle of strength, Nero believed there was an even higher level.

  That was… the legendary Master level!

  Nero had never encountered a trainer of this caliber before, so he couldn't define it precisely—just a vague intuition.

  "Welcome to the Pokémon Battle Club."

  The two friends arrived at the club's reception desk, where a professional-looking receptionist greeted them with a polite smile.

  "Hello, we'd like to participate in the Normal-ranked battles."

  Nero and Lyle handed over their club ID cards.

  The receptionist took their cards and asked, "Understood. How much would you like to wager on your battle?"

  The Battle Club not only provided official matchups but also allowed trainers to pce bets on their fights.

  Both trainers would contribute an agreed-upon amount before the battle, and the winner would take the pot while the loser walked away empty-handed.

  Every match needed to be taken seriously. Otherwise, a careless trainer could not only become someone else's stepping stone but also end up as a walking ATM.

  "300."

  They spoke in unison.

  "Alright."

  The receptionist swiftly entered the information into the system. "Please make the payment, then register your names and the Pokémon you'll be using. After that, you can wait in the preparation area. The club will soon arrange a suitable opponent for you."

  "Got it."

  Since they had already registered at the club before, many procedures were skipped.

  After paying the fee and registering their details, Nero and Lyle headed to the waiting area. Before long, a staff member escorted them to the battle arena.

  By then, Nero's opponent was already waiting on the other side of the battlefield.

  The opponent looked to be around the same age as Nero, but his uniform indicated he was from a different school.

  The Normal-ranked section had multiple battle arenas. Since it was only around 10 AM, the spectator stands weren't particurly crowded.

  However, with the New Year approaching, many people had already returned home for the holidays.

  Bored at home, some chose to come out, take a stroll, and watch Pokémon battles for entertainment.

  Higher-ranked matches required an entry fee, so most spectators preferred to watch the free Normal-tier battles.

  After the referee announced the rules, Nero threw out a Poké Ball.

  A fsh of white light—Combusken emerged onto the field.

  Upon seeing Combusken, the opposing trainer smirked and tossed his own Poké Ball…

  A fsh of light, revealing a long and rigid Pokémon standing before Nero.

  …

  Author's Notes:

  The level ranges are just rough estimates to give a sense of strength, unreted to move-learning progression.

  Since this is a real-world setting, strictly following the games' level-up move mechanics would be too limiting and not as fun.

  —————

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