When Luis returned, he arrived just in time to witness Mega Steelix taking on Kommo-o—and then quickly losing.

  This sight left him startled, and as he came back to his senses, he realized that Kommo-o beloo Coach Wade, and Alex was awkwardly getting ba his feet from behind them.

  "Alex's spot goes to you"

  Wade said as he recalled Kommo-o. He gave Julian an approving look—not for defeating Alex, but for having the ce to go up against a top-tier Elite Pokémon like Kommo-o.

  Wade had a certain uanding of Julian's strength, aing Alex wasn't too surprising.

  What caught his attention, however, was that Juliaeelix instead of Metagross to take down three of Alex's Pokémon. That was a bit ued.

  "Lucas, what about you? Are you challenging today, or waiting for tomorrow?"

  Wade turo audent.

  Lucas, the sophomore representative, hesitated before replying; "I'll challeomorrow."

  He looked a bit embarrassed, knowing that Julian had just set the bar high with his bold move, while he opted to wait.

  But he reminded himself that Julian was abnormal, while he sidered himself a normal guy—not someone who o match up against the extraordinary.

  Tonight, he po research the school team members and find an easier target for his matorrow. Pig a "soft persimmon" might be his best bet.

  Wade nodded, not surprised by Lucas' choice.

  "Little Julia, you're amazing!, sister's so proud of you"

  Thea cheered as she skipped over, reag out to ruffle his hair, only to have him push her hand away without hesitation.

  Calling him "Little Julia" was ohing, but trying to mess with his hair? That wasn't happening.

  "Not very cute"

  Thea muttered, rubbing her hand where he'd pushed it away, and then gave him a dissatisfied gre.

  "o meet you, I'm Faye"

  Said the girl o Thea.

  "Julian"

  "Faye, you lost the bet. Pay up!" Thea urged.

  Faye pouted, cheeks puffing in frustration. "Fine, I'll give you your stuff whe back," she said, shooting a gre at Julian.

  "This is all your fault; you made me lose."

  Julian: (⊙▽⊙)

  "e on, little Julia! Let me introduce you to the others—we're teammates now."

  Thea, excited from winning her bet, happily pulled him over to meet the rest of the team, quietly regretting she hadn't bet more.

  She should have really gone all out and squeezed Faye, the little "rich girl," a bit more.

  "Everyohis is my cousin. We will be teammates from now on. There's o introduce his name—you must know him."

  "As his seniors, introduce yourselves now, so when my cousin bees ae, he might help you iure"

  Though she spoke jokingly, the others didn't take it that way.

  Julian was the sole heir of the Walker family, and with the talent he'd already dispyed, his rise to the rank of Elite seemed assured. He might even bee a pseudo-Champion or even Champion someday.

  They weren't fools; when faced with a rising star like Julian, they k was wiser to make friends than enemies.

  There was a good ce they might need his help one day.

  So, each of them dropped their airs of superiority.

  "I'll go first—Max, fourth-year, school team captain, Dark type," said the captain.

  He was about 5'7", average-looking, a remihat appearances be deceiving.

  "Paul, fourth year, Fire type."

  "Finn, fourth year, Water type."

  "Mark, fourth year, Electric type."

  "Simon, third year, Ghost type."

  "Faye, third year, Fairy type."

  These six, along with Thea and the defeated Alex, made up the school team's eight members.

  But now, Alex's spot had goo Julian.

  "Julian, first-year, Steel type," he introduced himself, dispying the courtesy expected of him, even if they knew who he was.

  Thea sychic-type Trainer, making the curre-person team one where each Trainer specialized in a uype.

  Eae of these members came from the special recruit css for each year. Max was the fourth-year representative, while Simohe sed spot ihird year, just behind Alex.

  Alex, as a third-year representative, had lost to Julian, the first-year representative. The news of his defeat reading across campus at lightning speed.

  Battlefield No.1 was close to areas #2, #3, and #4, so their battle naturally attracted some attention.

  Ohe spectators identified both petitors, even mathered.

  Alex was a well-known figure at Imperial Uy and a role model for many Trainers from ordinary families.

  His success demonstrated that anyone, regardless of background, could bee a representative student and even challehose from iial families.

  His club, the "Civilian Society," had bee the dream club for many Trainers from humble backgrounds at Imperial Uy.

  But now, their idol had beeed by Julian in the most straightforward ossible, with hardly any ce to fight back.

  In a third-year , Zed, who was attending a lecture, was daydreaming about finding Hannah after css. His thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing non-stop in his pocket.

  Curious about who was b him with messages, he took out his phone.

  As soon as he opehe app, Zed saw nearly a hundred unread messages in the Civilian Society group chat.

  "What happened? Why's the group so lively today?"

  He muttered to himself, curious about what had stirred up the chat.

  "The president got defeated by Julian!"

  "What nonsehe president is known for defeating rich family kids—no way he'd lose to that freshmen!"

  "He really lost. I was there in person."

  A video clip followed, and after it pyed, the group exploded.

  "That kid must've used some shady trick!"

  "That Steelix 't be his. His Elite-level grandpa probably raised it for him ages ago!"

  "Brothers, who's with me to avehe president?"

  Zed sat there, stunned, bnkly staring at the messages. In his mind, President Alex had always been uable.

  Although he himself had also lost to Julian, he'd hought Julian could surpass Alex in strength.

  tless others were having the same rea, scrolling through the updates in shock.

  At the same time, a new post popped up on Imperial Uy's forum:

  "King Julian easily defeats the third-year representative, wins a spot on the school team."

  The post was, of course, from Luis.

  Shamelessly, he'd even rallied his cssmates from the special recruit css to like and ent, boosting its visibility.

  Thanks to this, the post quickly hit the top of the trending list and was seen by tless students browsing the forum.

  Those who'd once beeed by Alex—many from powerful families—finally saw their ce to vent. They flooded the ents se, celebrating the upset.