Time passed quickly. On the day after they visited the training hall, Director Yanagi summoned the few students who had found Key Stones to receive their rewards.
While the others received various held items, Yoshino Eichi's reward was unique. He was given a blue fragment that looked as if it had broken off from a larger gemstone.
"A friend of mine accidentally discovered several of these fragments in the Hoenn region," Director Yanagi explained, "Giving this to a Water-type Pokémon can significantly improve its talent and the power of its Water-type moves."
Director Yanagi possessed several of these fragments. Had he not felt that Eichi was exceptionally talented and had a bright future, he never would have parted with one.
Eichi accepted the blue gem fragment. The moment he heard it originated from the Hoenn region, he immediately thought of Kyogre.
Feeling the surging energy within the fragment, he secretly wondered if it truly had a connection to the legendary Pokémon of the sea.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Everyone remained immersed in their respective training, preparing for the exchange match between the two academies in four days.
On this day, Director Yanagi gathered everyone in his office once again.
The group stood across from the desk, facing Director Yanagi, Miss Lin, and Teacher Rondo. After seeing that everyone had arrived, Director Yanagi cleared his throat.
"Ahem, I know you are all very busy, but I've called you here because there is something important to discuss," Director Yanagi said.
He glanced at Miss Lin, who understood the signal and distributed a thick stack of documents from the desk to each student.
"The materials Miss Lin is handing out contain data on your upcoming opponents," Director Yanagi continued, "I went to great lengths to obtain this. As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"
Eichi began to look through the documents. The information was quite detailed, covering names, birthplaces, appearances, and past battle records. Most importantly, it listed their frequently used Pokémon.
As Eichi skimmed the pages, Director Yanagi added, "Among them, you must pay special attention to the one named Asen."
"He is the champion of the Indigo Academy Freshmen Tournament. His strength is formidable," Director Yanagi warned.
Eichi flipped to Asen's page. It included a photo and various details, though compared to the others, his information seemed somewhat sparse.
Eichi noted his most commonly used Pokémon: Nidoking, Slowking, and Mismagius.
"Besides Asen, there are two others you should watch out for: Mizuki and Shino," Director Yanagi said.
Eichi flipped through the files. Mizuki was the runner-up of the Freshmen Tournament, frequently using Machamp, Wartortle, and Raichu. Shino was also a top-tier competitor, often using Ivysaur, Dewgong, and Kadabra.
"In addition to those three, you should study the others carefully," Director Yanagi concluded, "Don't let yourselves be caught off guard and suffer an embarrassing defeat."
After returning to his room, Eichi reviewed the documents briefly and then set them aside. Aside from Asen, who piqued a small amount of interest, the others failed to excite him.
The holidays ended quickly, and over the next few days, the rest of the students gradually returned.
The academy regained its usual bustle, and excitement grew for the upcoming exchange match. Students from the first to third years were all looking forward to the battles against Indigo Academy.
However, many were disappointed to learn that this exchange match would have no audience. It was to be held privately, meaning they wouldn't be able to watch.
Time flew by, and three more days passed. It was now the day before the exchange match.
At noon, Director Yanagi gathered Eichi and the others at the plaza, alongside the second and third-year upperclassmen. A large crowd of teachers and students had assembled. Fortunately, everyone remained orderly, speaking only in hushed whispers.
Suddenly, Eichi heard someone calling his name.
"Eichi!"
He turned to see Yuli. She was as beautiful as ever.
"Senior Yuli, it's you!" Eichi greeted her.
"Junior Eichi," Yuli said with a smile, "Are you confident about this exchange match?"
"I have some confidence," Eichi replied.
"I don't believe you," Yuli laughed, "I heard from Director Yanagi that you're just way too humble."
Eichi felt a bit awkward at being exposed. Director Yanagi again, he thought to himself.
Just then, the sound of engines rumbled. Someone nearby shouted, "They're here!"
The two immediately ended their conversation and looked toward the entrance. A bus came into view.
As the orange-red buses entered the academy, fireworks were set off at the gate to welcome the staff and students from Indigo Academy. Three buses and one off-road vehicle parked in the plaza. As the doors opened, Director Yanagi led the crowd in a round of applause.
A middle-aged man in his forties with grey hair and sharp eyes stepped off first. He shook hands with the Vice Principal and the other officials.
The teachers exited first, followed by the students. Eichi's group was waiting near the last bus. After finishing his greetings with the leaders, Director Yanagi hurried over.
Four teachers stepped down first, followed by the students. The first student to disembark was Asen.
Eichi spotted him instantly and froze for a second. Then, a playful smile crossed his face.
This Asen was the same person Eichi had met on the cruise ship—the one who hid a Haunter in the shadows.
This time was no different, except the Haunter had already evolved into a Gengar. Furthermore, he wasn't showing his true face; he was wearing a realistic human skin mask.
This is interesting, Eichi thought. Why would he wear a mask instead of showing his real face?
Director Yanagi welcomed them warmly, gathering everyone from Indigo Academy together. Led by the academy officials, the guests began a tour of the Silver Academy campus.
Along the way, Asen occasionally stole glances at Eichi. He thought Eichi hadn't noticed, but Eichi was aware of his every move.
After following the tour for a while, Eichi began to feel bored. He felt this was a waste of his time. As he looked around, he noticed Sato acting strangely. Sato was looking at a female student from Indigo Academy with a very grim expression.
The girl was beautiful with a cold, powerful aura. It was clear her peers looked up to her. Judging by her stature, she was likely a third-year student.
Eichi approached Sato quietly. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at her like that?"
Sato remained silent for a moment before whispering, "She's my sister."
Eichi's eyes widened. "Your sister?"
He asked confusedly, "Then why didn't you say anything? Why aren't you going over to talk to her?"
"My sister and I don't have a very good relationship," Sato said quietly, "The only reason I applied to Silver Academy was because of her."