The hosting location for the Annual Hundred Schools League changes every year. Last year, it was held in Lake City, Julian's hometown. This year, it was taking place in Haitian City, a coastal city in the central south province.
The league was scheduled to start on October 10th and would last about half a month. It was considered one of the few large-scale national events in Drakoria each year.
During the competition, participants would get to witness the top talents from universities across the country, showcasing their brilliance.
The Imperial University team arrived in Haitian City on October 8th, checking into the hotel arranged by the event organizers that evening. Joining them were their longtime rivals, the Shu University team.
Julian even spotted Acacia in Shu University's lineup.
It wasn't surprising though, that someone with a Legendary Pokémon like Articuno would be on team. However, it remained unclear if she was an official member or just a substitute.
After dinner, Julian planned to head straight back to his room, but his cousin Thea and her best friend Faye dragged him out for some shopping.
Haitian City wasn't just a coastal city; it was also a famous tourist destination in Drakoria, attracting countless visitors each year.
With the city now hosting the Hundred Schools League, the number of tourists had surged significantly.
Fortunately, the local government had made arrangements. Despite the influx of people, public order remained stable, with patrol officers frequently seen patrolling the streets with their Pokémon.
"There are so many Slowpoke here!" Faye exclaimed as she marveled at the abundance of Slowpoke in the area.
Slowpoke was considered the symbol of Haitian City and its guardian Pokémon. In the past, Slowpoke had played a key role in preventing a Pokémon riot that could have devastated the city. Combined with their adorable and gentle nature, they had become beloved by the residents.
And being a coastal city, Haitian City naturally had more Water-type trainers than other types. Many of these trainers also owned Slowbro, the evolved form of Slowpoke, which was a popular choice.
In fact, most Water or Psychic-type trainers from Haitian City typically had at least one Slowbro in their teams.
Now that the alternate evolution, Slowking, had also become an option, trainers had even more choices available to them.
It wasn't uncommon to see people walking around the city with Slowking by their side.
Slowking wasn't common even in the Imperial capital, but here Julian had already spotted three of them.
Slowpoke Park was a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Haitian City.
Built by the local government to commemorate Slowpoke's role in saving the city, the park featured a large Slowpoke statue at its center.
The park was home to nearly a thousand wild Slowpoke. Although they were technically wild, capturing one required the approval of the park's management.
Thea and Faye each held a Slowpoke in their arms, relishing the feel of the Pokémon's soft, squishy bodies.
"Thea, aren't you going to catch one?" Faye asked curiously.
Thea, was a Psychic-type trainer, so Slowpoke's typing aligned perfectly with her.
"No, my current Pokémon team is sufficient for now. If I ever need another, I can always catch one later," Thea said, shaking her head.
Julian activated his Probing Eyes to scan the Slowpoke in the park. Among them, only a small handful had Green potential, with most being below that.
It made sense—Slowpoke with Cyan potential were unlikely to be found here.
The Slowpoke here had likely been screened before being placed in the park.
The trio fed some food purchased from the park to the nearby Slowpoke, but the Pokémon, clearly unimpressed, ignored the offerings.
They had probably already been fed plenty by other visitors.
Julian then released his Slowking from its Poké Ball.
The moment Slowking appeared, the nearby Slowpoke seemed to sense its presence and instinctively turned their attention toward it.
Slowking let out a soft cry.
Slowking's appearance also caught the attention of other visitors, many of whom took out their phones to capture the sight of the Slowpoke seemingly paying homage to their king.
It was as if Slowking had stepped into a role as a grassroots leader, walking among its kind and inquiring about their well-being: what they ate, how they lived, and if they were doing okay.
(T/N: I will vote for you, Slowking)
Watching this unfold, Julian was amazed. This was the first time he had seen this side of Slowking.
Then again, it made sense. Slowking was, after all, considered the leader of the Slowpoke species. Checking in on its "subjects" was only natural.
Julian observed as Slowking pulled a pack of walnuts from the little bag it carried on its back and distributed them to the Slowpoke.
The famous scene unfolded: Slowking handing out walnuts.
After finishing its distribution, Slowking made sure to reserve three packs and brought them over to Julian, Thea, and Faye, handing one to each of them.
Julian: Totally unnecessary.
Another day of being reminded, how Slowking looked down on his intellect.
Slowking: "I am all out of walnuts."
"Got it, I'll buy more later"
Julian replied flatly while munching on a walnut. He had given up entirely. When it came to intelligence, Slowking truly stood above most humans and Pokémon alike.
Slowking didn't just care for Julian and carry him in games; it even helped with some of his written assignments.
The most remarkable part? Its handwriting was an exact match for Julian's. It was the perfect stand-in.
"Hey, little brother. Is that Slowking for sale?"
A voice suddenly broke the harmony.
Julian turned to see the source of the voice. His tone grew noticeably colder as he replied.
Although Pokémon with owners could technically be traded, such transactions needed to go through the Trainer Association. Private trades were illegal.
If not for the fact that his bag was already out of walnuts, Slowking would have gladly handed the man 100 packs just to send him on his way.
"Oh, I see. Well then, young lady, could I have your contact info?"
The man turned his attention to Thea, his gaze intense.
As one of the top ten beauties at Imperial University, Thea's stunning looks left little room for critique. Although Faye, wasn't on the same list, she was still attractive in her own right, just not quite on Thea's level.
"I'm a third-year student at Haitian City's Water-type Trainer Academy. Would you be willing to share your contact information?"
Seeing that Thea hadn't responded, the man continued.
Imperial University was a comprehensive institution, offering classes for all 18 Pokémon types.
However, specialized single-type academies were also abundant across Drakoria.
For example, the Haitian City Water-type Trainer Academy that the man mentioned focused exclusively on Water-type trainers.
In its niche, it was highly regarded.
Some specialized single-type academies were so exceptional that their top graduates outperformed those from Imperial University's in their field of expertise.
After all, by concentrating solely on one type, these academies could streamline resources, teaching staff, and literature to achieve unparalleled specialization.
"Sorry, you're too ugly. Not my type"
Cutting through the man's self-assured smile, Thea replied calmly.