The Extreme Ice Gymnasium in Frostwind City is not located in the city itself but on the mountainside of Icepeak Mountain. Icepeak Mountain, covered in snow all year round, is an inhospitable and dangerous environment.
Before anyone can challenge the gym, they must first scale this perilous, snow-covered peak. This natural barrier means that only a few challengers ever attempt to take on the Extreme Ice Gym.
In general, unless their specialization attributes give them an advantage, most college students won't risk climbing Icepeak Mountain to earn the intermediate badge needed for graduation. The mountain's challenges are manifold: steep and treacherous terrain, rapidly changing weather, and encounters with untamed wild Pokémon.
In these remote mountains, untouched by human activity, nature reigns supreme. The wild Pokémon here exhibit their raw, primal instincts, adhering to the ancient law of survival of the fittest. Climbers must constantly remain vigilant, as they never know when they might become the target of a predator.
For Victor, however, these dangers are no longer intimidating. With his strength, he is confident in his ability to fend off any wild Pokémon, even those that bypass his partner, Carbink, to attack him directly. His abilities have significantly improved, making him more than capable of protecting himself.
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Profile: Victor
Name: Victor
Gender: Male
Age: 17 years old
Attributes: General, Fighting
Base Stats:
HP: 100
ATK: 100
DEF: 100
SPA: 100
SPD: 100
SPE: 100
Special Ability: Power of Aura (Intermediate)
Moves:
Aura Resonance
Aura Sphere
Protect
Power-Up Punch
Pokémon Team:
Carbink
Incineroar
Milotic
System Currency: 10
Items:
Infinite Flute
Victor's Special Love Energy Cube (contains miscellaneous items)
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On the island where he previously trained, Victor made sure to practice rigorously under the waterfall every day. In addition to honing his skills, he also unlocked two new abilities for himself.
It seems his journey is just beginning, and the challenges awaiting him on Icepeak Mountain may prove to be his ultimate test.
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Because Victor needed to save his system currency, he decided to work towards saving one million to purchase a Key Stone from the system mall. This would allow his Carbink, once it evolved into Diancie, to undergo Mega Evolution.
For some reason, Mega Evolution had not yet been discovered in this world, and there was no mention of Z-Moves or Terastallization online. Only the Galar Region Alliance across the sea had observed the phenomenon of Dynamaxing, which occasionally occurred randomly and drew the attention of numerous scholars.
To save money for the Key Stone, Victor chose to learn only two moves. While moves like Hyper Beam, Luster Purge, Close Combat, and Sacred Sword were tempting, they were far too expensive for him.
His decision to learn the two selected moves wasn't solely based on saving money but also on improving his ability to protect himself and buy time during battles. For example:
Protect: It could block the initial wave of attacks when ambushed.
Aura Sphere: After defending himself, he could launch a counterattack, buying enough time for his Carbink and other Pokémon to return and support him.
With these moves, combined with his Aura Detection ability, Victor felt confident in his ability to fend off attacks from Pokémon that excel at ambushing travelers in the snowy mountains.
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Preparations for the Climb
Victor had already purchased all the necessary climbing gear based on a guide he consulted. The guide also advised that newcomers should seek out experienced climbers to lead the way when attempting snowy mountain ascents.
Fortunately, as Frostwind City was located at the foot of the snowy mountains, it was home to many teams led by seasoned climbers who could be hired as guides.
Following the navigation on his device, Victor arrived at the Pokémon Center in the heart of Frostwind City. The Pokémon Center was similar to a large shopping mall, offering various services and conveniences for trainers.
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The Pokémon Center
The mall had everything, from food and clothing to housing and transportation, with numerous Pokémon shops scattered all over, making it overwhelming.
Victor's goal was to reach the Mountaineering Club on the third floor to find a reliable guide.
While waiting for the elevator, he noticed a billboard nearby:
> "On April 8th, a Pokémon item and rare Pokémon auction will be held on the top floor of the Pokémon Center by the United Chamber of Commerce."
"Note: To participate, you must have a membership card from the United Chamber of Commerce and make a reservation by April 7th."
Auctions?
Victor realized that since arriving in this parallel world, he had never attended an auction. Intrigued, he decided that once he arranged the mountain climbing, he would make a reservation for the auction.
Even though the Alliance cracks down on Pokémon poaching, auctions like this one are legal and transparent, offering Pokémon and items with clear origins. Meanwhile, illegally obtained Pokémon are sold on the black market.
Victor's family had been given a membership card from the United Chamber of Commerce due to his father's long tenure as a gym leader, and Victor had one too. This explained the chamber's influence and success, as they excelled at networking and managing relationships.
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Hiring a Guide
Reaching the third floor, Victor walked up to the Mountaineering Club front desk.
"Hello, are you here to join the club?" asked the friendly receptionist with a business smile.
"No, I need a guide to climb Icepeak Mountain to reach the Extreme Ice Gym halfway up," Victor replied.
"Let me check for you. When would you like to leave?"
"Umm..." Victor hesitated. He wasn't sure how long it would take to climb and challenge the gym, but he didn't want to miss the auction on the evening of April 8th.
"What's the earliest departure time?"
"The fastest is tomorrow morning. Is that okay?" the receptionist asked while typing.
"Okay, but I need to ask, do your guides have self-defense abilities?"
Victor wanted to make sure the guide could protect themselves. If the guide had no combat skills, Victor would have to take extra precautions, which would slow him down.
"Don't worry. Our club only allows professional trainers to lead climbs on Icepeak Mountain. We prioritize the safety of our customers," she assured him.
"Great, then please make the reservation. Can you scan the QR code?" Victor opened his payment QR code.
"Of course, just fill out this form."
After a beep, Victor noticed another 100,000 pokecoin had been deducted from his account. While this amount could have bought some basic Pokémon items, he understood it was the cost of hiring a professional guide, so he accepted it.
He filled out the form and handed it over. After a few minutes of typing, the receptionist smiled.
"Mr. Victor, the registration is complete. Here is the team leader's contact information. Two other customers are heading to the same destination. If you need anything, feel free to contact the club."
"Enjoy your climb!" she wished him as he prepared to leave.