In just about half an hour, Imperial Uy defeated Harbin Academy, showg a signifit gap in strength. However, Harbin Academy was also quite unlucky, as they ended up fag Imperial Uy, rahe top among the Five Elite Uies.

  Had they not entered one of the Five Elites, they might have secured a more respectable ranking.

  Among the Top Five, the only oppo Harbin Academy might dare to challenge would be Modu Academy.

  After all, Dragon-types are twice as weak to Ice, giving Ice-types a definitive advantage.

  Under simir ditions of strength, Ice-types typically dominate Dragon-types. That said, if the Dragon-type Pokémon are powerful enough, they ehe Ice-type attacks.

  Unfortunately for Harbin Academy, even though they were pced in a group with both Imperial Uy and Modu Academy. But due to bad luck they ended up fag Imperial Uy.

  Meanwhile, Modu Academy and Si Uy were locked in a fierce battle.

  Si Uy is a longstanding top petitor, sistently ranking iop ten of the Hundred Schools League. Just st year, they ranked sixth.

  This year, they aimed to break into the Top Five. To achieve that, defeating Modu Academy was a must.

  Taking down one of the Elite Five was their ticket to being one of the e themselves.

  In stark trast to Imperial Uy's swift victory, the match between Modu Academy and Si Uy was still ongoing, currently ihird round.

  So far, Modu Academy had won two matches, but it seemed uhey would win this third one.

  Modu's Pokémon was a Tyrantrum, while Si's angoro.

  Both Pancham and its evolved form, Pangoro, are iion of the Si region, as these species are found exclusively in a few secret areas there.

  With a devastating Ice Punch, Pangoro nded a direct hit on Tyrantrum's abdomen. The dragon Pokémon staggered and then colpsed, uo battle.

  Si Uy cwed back a victory, and Pangoro still had the strength to fight on.

  Soon, Modu Academy sent out their fourth petitor. Julian noticed something familiar about the trainer's appearand quickly remembered why—they bore a striking resembo Ian.

  Julian recalled that Ian had mentioned having an older brother who didn't attend Imperial Uy. This must be him.

  A quice at the rge s firmed his suspi: the name dispyed was Owen Drake.

  "Samence!"

  A Samence exuding the aura of a peak pseudo-Elite Pokémoered the battlefield. Its Intimidate ability activated immediately, causing Pangoro to show visible signs of fear.

  Among the Top Five Uies, if oo he wealthiest, it wouldn't be Imperial Uy, despite being ranked first. That title undoubtedly beloo Modu Academy.

  Raising Dragon-types es with numerous strict requirements, the most critical of which is a massive financial iment. If you don't have billions to spend on raising a Dragon-type, it's better to give up the idea altogether.

  Billions of dolrs were merely the initial iment for raising Dragon-types. The subsequent costs were even higher. Of course, this applied to pseudo-legendary Dragon-types specifically—other Dragon-types required less money and resources, but even those costs far exceeded those of most Pokémon.

  Because Modu Academy is entirely posed of people involved with Dragons—from students to teachers to the principal—it's essentially a haven for the wealthy.

  Almost any student you meet there might be the child of a city's richest ty or the offspring of a board member from a listed pany.

  At worst, their family owns aire district's worth of rental properties.

  If your family is rich, it doesn't guarantee you raise a Dragon-type, but anyone raising Dragons definitely es from a wealthy background.

  Near Modu Academy, high-end malls, luxury apartments, and a steady flow of influencers and celebrities domihe area.

  Julian could rete to this firsthand. For example, in his system store, a box of top-grade energy cubes fonite costs 1,000 points, whereas the same for Fire-types costs only 800 points.

  Ba the match;

  Samence's Intimidate ability had already weakened Pangoro's fighting spirit. bined with Samence's superior strength, it only took a few moves for Pangoro to be defeated.

  After the battle ended, Julian assumed Owen would tinue, but he surprised everyone by recalling Samence.

  Instead, a teammate stepped forward, sending out a Dragonite.

  While not every student at Modu Academy oseudo-legendary Dragon-type, those on the school team generally have at least one.

  Following this, other partits from Modu Academy sent out a Garp, Hydreigon, Goodra, and, earlier, Samend Dragohat brought the t of pseudo-legendary Dragon-types in this match to six.

  For most spectators, it was a feast for the eyes.

  What trainer could resist the allure of a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type? Unfortunately, harsh realities often forced them to give up on the dream.

  Some even abahe path of being a traiirely, returning to the life of an ordinary person.

  Even Julian couldn't help but marvel.

  When Hydreigoered the battlefield, its savage and brutal aura alpable, even through the protective barrier.

  It truly lived up to its reputation as the most violent pseudo-legendary Dragon-type.

  With three heads, Hydreigon's tral head served as its primary brain, but the two side heads also possessed thoughts of their own.

  If all three heads lose trol, there's no telling what destru could ensue—possibly even turning on its own trainer.

  Is where Hydreigon killed its trainer have happened iria.

  As a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type uo the Celestria, Hydreigon is exceedingly rare in Drakoria.

  Two hours ter, the match between Modu Academy and Si Uy finally cluded.

  In the end, Modu Academy defeated Si Uy with a record of five wins and three losses.

  Notably, they only fielded seven partits—their final team member didn't eveo battle.

  Siheir match had been the lo in this round, by the time it cluded, all the roup matches had already ended.

  "Looks like I'll have to dig through the match recs tonight. Time to pull an all-nighter"

  Lucas said, pressing his fingers against the gsses on the bridge of his rying to look as professional as he could.

  Though his ces of bei out in future matches were slim, gathering data for the team gave him a strong sense of involvement.

  "I really envy you"

  Julian said suddenly, patting Lucas on the shoulder. With his own Slowking stantly monit him, Julian didn't even have the ce to pull all-nighters fames or videos anymore.

  Lucas blinked in fusion.

  'Envy me? Envy me for what? It's me who envy you'

  "I envy yood liver. You detoxify, pull all-nighters, and still be fine. Youth is truly a blessing," Julian expined casually.

  Luodded subsciously but was stuhe sed.

  'What does he mean, 'Youth is truly a blessing'? I'm a year older than you! Why are you talking like an old man? or is your liver actually failing?'

  Lucas started overthinking: Could it be that Julian is s because he trains his Pokémoo the night?

  Tomorrow at 8:00, Imperial Uy and Modu Academy will pete to determihe top team in Group D, seg a spot in the finals.