"I'm going to find a string."
Noticing the look in Volcarona's eyes, Nathan chuckled and left the room. In the living room, he found a strong and durable string made from Caterpie's silk, threaded it through the soothing bell, and made a simple necklace.
Returning to the room, Nathan fastened the necklace around Volcarona's neck.
Although the little one's neck wasn't very prominent, it was still there. After securing the necklace, Nathan nodded in satisfaction.
Volcarona swayed its body, making the bell emit a pleasant chime.
Its eyes were filled with joy.
"Not bad."
Nathan patted Volcarona's head and then started making preparations.
Tomorrow, the school would be distributing starter Pokémon to the senior students. This didn't just mean Nathan would be getting a second Pokémon—it signified many other things as well.
Once the school distributed Pokémon, the Pokémon Centers and other departments in various cities would begin recording his profile, officially marking him as a trainer.
Of course, this was only the first step. To become an elite trainer and receive government subsidies, he would need to apply at a Pokémon Center and pass an evaluation.
Even so, he could now begin his journey—whether to challenge Gym Leaders across the country or participate in various official tournaments.
In short, it was an important milestone.
He needed to plan his next steps carefully.
"I have to prepare for training my new Pokémon. There's a chance I might end up with a Pokémon that primarily belongs to the Bug or Poison types." Sitting at his desk, Nathan pondered.
The school's distributed Pokémon weren't chosen at will. Instead, students selected from a row of Poké Balls.
Each school had a dedicated breeding facility behind it, and the Pokémon distributed were carefully nurtured by professional breeders.
These Pokémon were still relatively young but already capable of battling.
There was a wide variety to choose from.
What Pokémon one received depended entirely on luck.
Of course, there was no chance of selecting a Pokémon like Volcarona. Even the traditional starters from the original series wouldn't be available.
The options were mostly ordinary or somewhat rare Pokémon.
In terms of base stat totals, most ranged from 100 to 200.
The better ones had a base stat total of around 300 to 400, including their final evolutions.
That said, each time Pokémon were distributed, there were always a few exceptional ones whose final evolutions could surpass 500 in base stat total—but these were exceedingly rare.
Almost no one managed to obtain such Pokémon.
Not even students with connections could guarantee it. It was purely based on luck.
…
Having lived in this world for so many years, Nathan had made many preparations.
At first, after discovering that this world lacked things like Pokéblocks and certain abilities, he considered becoming a "plagiarist" and publishing these discoveries to amass wealth.
But in the end, he realized he had been overthinking it.
First of all, he couldn't create Pokéblocks out of thin air—it would take significant time and funds to figure them out. More importantly, the value of such a discovery was enormous.
Even if he managed to make them, the potential consequences could be dangerous.
The real world wasn't as simple as it seemed on the surface—darkness always lurked beneath.
As for research papers on abilities, Eevee's alternative evolutions, or even the possibility of reviving ancient Pokémon from fossils, these were out of the question. If he had really revealed such discoveries, he might have already been locked away for research.
Ultimately, it all boiled down to one thing—he lacked the strength to protect himself.
So, in the end, he focused on one thing only.
Planning training regimens for his future Pokémon.
He had prepared numerous training plans, tailored to the Pokémon he might capture in the future.
Some of these even included theories about teaching Fighting-type Pokémon techniques like the "Six Styles" from One Piece. It wasn't wishful thinking—there was a real possibility it could work.
Pokémon weren't humans.
Their potential was immense, and the power they could wield was extraordinary.
Even a common Pokémon like Beedrill, if trained well, could reach the level of an Elite Four member, or even a Champion, and might even stand against Legendary Pokémon.
After all, this was a real world. While base stats represented a Pokémon's potential, they didn't define their limits. Pokémon could break through their ceilings and achieve greater heights.
Take Volcarona, for example.
It had just reached Elite Four-level strength. But with the years of training, he had put into it, Nathan was confident Volcarona could hold its own against even the top-tier Elite Four members and possibly defeat them—regardless of whether they used pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
This was the confidence he had gained from years of dedicated training.
His Volcarona was not as gentle as it appeared on the surface.
Once it erupted in battle, it would truly live up to its reputation as the "Embodiment of the Sun."
"The school mainly distributes Bug, Grass, and Flying types. If I get a Bug-type..."
Nathan picked up a pen and began drafting his plans.
Fifteen minutes later, the sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts.
"Nathan, come eat dinner."
His mother's voice called from outside the room.
"Coming." Nathan responded and stepped out. His mother, carrying a takeout bag from the family restaurant, placed it on the table.
"Where's Dad?" Nathan asked.
"He's still busy at the restaurant. I'm just dropping off your dinner before heading back to help him. Hurry up and eat, then get some rest. Don't forget about school tomorrow." His mother reminded him.
Because of Pokémon, many families in this world hoped their children would become trainers.
If one reached the rank of an elite trainer, they would gain social status and be in high demand by large corporations, making it easy to earn a living.
If they became an elite among elites, their family could become wealthy.
As a result, many parents cared deeply about their child's first Pokémon. A strong starter could give a trainer a tremendous advantage.
However, Nathan's mother wasn't overly worried. She knew her son already had a powerful Pokémon.
Besides, even if Nathan didn't succeed as a trainer, he always had the family restaurant as a backup.
More importantly, Nathan had always been mature and responsible. His parents had faith that he would accomplish something as a trainer.
After his mother left, Nathan ate his meal alone, then returned to his room.
As time passed, he continued planning his training strategies while playing with Volcarona.
Before he knew it, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
…
The next morning.
By the time Nathan woke up, it was already seven o'clock. After washing up, he fed Volcarona an energy cube before heading to school.
On the way, he grabbed breakfast—a couple of fried dough sticks and a cup of soy milk.
By the time he reached the school gate, he had just finished eating.
Wiping the grease from his mouth, Nathan spotted a familiar figure at the entrance and smiled.
"Cutting it close like me, huh?"
"I just stayed up late last night." Lily Chase rolled her eyes.
She was Nathan's classmate and childhood friend—they had grown up together and gone to the same schools.
"Nervous?" Nathan asked with a grin.
"Of course!" Lily nodded. "We're getting our Pokémon today. I really hope I don't get a Bug-type—I hate them the most."
She was quite beautiful, with long black hair and a tall figure, resembling the elegant senior girls from anime.
She had plenty of admirers at school.
But around unfamiliar people, she was cold and distant. Only with friends did she reveal her true personality.
"Ever heard of Murphy's Law? The more you don't want something to happen, the more likely it is. So don't overthink it—just wait and see." Nathan shook his head.
Most girls disliked Bug-types. After all, real-world Bug-type Pokémon weren't as cute as their anime counterparts.
Chatting as they walked, the two headed toward the field.
By the time they arrived, many senior students had already gathered.
Standing in front of them were their homeroom teachers, the principal, and a table filled with Poké Balls.
"Nathan, Lily, hurry up! You two are the last ones."
Their homeroom teacher, William Yates, waved them over.
The two quickly joined their class, standing quietly as they waited.
"Nathan, do you have any expectations for the new Pokémon?" The homeroom teacher, William, was an elegant middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses. He came over to Nathan and asked.
The Poké Ball around Nathan's neck had led many to believe that he already owned a Pokémon, but no one knew what kind it was. Nathan had never taken it out at school, after all. A Pokémon like Volcarona, with such potential, would definitely attract too much attention if revealed.
"I hope it's a Psychic or Ghost-type," Nathan said with a smile, scratching his head.
"You sure have big dreams," the homeroom teacher chuckled, patting Nathan's shoulder. "Psychic and Ghost-types are usually seen as powerful and mysterious, the kind of Pokémon many trainers desire."
"Though there are some Psychic and Ghost-types among the Pokémon the school is distributing, the numbers are very limited. There's only one of each. Whether you get one depends on your luck," Teacher William continued with a smile.
"Hahaha, maybe I'll just hope I don't get a Bug-type instead," Nathan shrugged, explaining that the Bug-type Pokémon distributed by the school were mostly common ones with low potential.
"By the way, kid, it's about time. Want to reveal what Pokémon is in your Poké Ball?" Teacher William suddenly leaned in close to Nathan, winking.
A nearby chubby boy also leaned over, grinning mischievously. "Yeah, boss, what Pokémon is it? Let me see! You've got us all so curious."
The chubby boy was called Sam Zane, also known as Sam the Fatty, Nathan's deskmate since high school and a close friend.
"Guess away. I'll let it out when the time's right," Nathan shook his head. There was no need to show Volcarona now, especially since it was already at the level of a champion Pokémon. Plus, Volcarona had incredible potential, so it wasn't the right moment to reveal it.
Teacher William had already anticipated this answer and didn't press the matter further. Instead, he said, "If you get the chance, you might want to consider participating in the Trial Tournament once you get your second Pokémon."
"Trial Tournament?" Nathan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Is it starting soon?"
"Yep, and it just so happens that it's being held in our Poplar City," Teacher William nodded.
The Trial Tournament was a competition designed to help senior students with their new starter Pokémon grow. It was officially organized, with many cities taking part. Each round of the tournament was exciting, drawing attention from all over the country.
Anyone who achieved a good ranking would gain the attention of top universities and receive generous rewards. The school itself would also provide certain resources to support its students.
In this world, being a trainer meant that unless you came from a wealthy family, resources were scarce for ordinary people because they were so expensive. Just the food for a Pokémon could cost hundreds of dollars, and some Pokémon with big appetites could eat over a thousand dollars' worth in one meal. On top of that, there were nutrition liquids, medical items, and evolution stones.
Evolution stones and held items were particularly expensive, with some starting at over a hundred thousand, and the rarest ones could cost millions.
If someone could win the Trial Tournament, it would attract the attention of elite universities, who might even offer to invite you to study there after graduation and provide some resources to help you further your training.
Nathan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "When does the competition start, Teacher William?"
"Just call me 'Teacher,'" Teacher William said with a smile, tapping Nathan's head and adjusting his glasses. "It's still half a month away, so there's no rush. And every year, after you students receive your starter Pokémon, you're given a long break, so you can take time off to train and raise your Pokémon. You can use this time to participate. It's also a good way for your second Pokémon to gain battle experience quickly."
"Although I don't know what your first Pokémon is, don't underestimate the competition. The champions of the different trial tournaments usually come from Imperial City or Magic City, places filled with wealthy families. Some of them already have a high-quality Pokémon as a starter, which they acquire when they're still young, so you might face some tough opponents."
"Heh, Teacher, forget about the rest. I just want to know, if I win the championship, what kind of support will the school provide?" Nathan asked with a grin.
"Isn't that obvious?" Teacher William replied. "Our school has never won a Trial Tournament championship. Not even making it into the top sixteen has happened. If you win the championship, aside from cash support, the school will do its best to help you get rare resources, learning machines, anything you request. They'll pull out all the stops."
Nathan's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He seemed particularly intrigued by the prospect.