Inside the entire battle classroom, a dead silence lasted for a full ten-plus seconds.
Then, the sound of discussion exploded from a whisper to a roar.
"Miss... Miss Giselle... lost?"
"How is that possible! That's the Head Student with the strength of three Badges!"
"That guy from the Training Faction... really only used one Pikachu?"
"A barbaric way of winning, completely disregarding tactics."
Several boys from Pokémon Technical Institute were flushed red, both shocked and indignant.
In the education they had received since childhood, battles should be like those of Giselle: precise calculations, type advantages, and move pool analysis.
But what was Roy's forced victory against type disadvantage just now?
Simple, crude, yet surprisingly effective.
It completely skipped all the "should-have-been" tactical maneuvering.
This was simply... simply a trampling of Academic Faction theory!
"But, but..."
A girl wearing glasses spoke in a low voice, her face a bit red:
"Don't you think... Classmate Roy was very handsome just now?"
These words seemed to flip a switch.
"Yeah, yeah!"
"He was so calm when commanding..."
"That line 'Wouldn't it be fine if I just win against her,' was simply bursting with confidence!"
"Pikachu is also so strong! Even though the type was disadvantaged, it won so decisively!"
Several girls' eyes had already lit up, and the way they looked at Roy held something more.
So what if he's from the Training Faction?
Strength is strength!
In an aristocratic Institute, there were many who naturally admired the strong.
Especially Jerry; she stood at the edge of the crowd, her breathing a bit hurried.
Her gaze closely followed Roy's figure, his words from earlier replaying repeatedly in her mind:
I prefer the whip to be in my hands.
These words seemed to have a magical power.
Under her school uniform skirt, those slender, beautiful legs wrapped in white over-the-knee socks were currently trembling slightly.
She imagined that scene.
"Ugh..."
Jerry's face instantly turned beet red; she hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to look again.
But the more she didn't dare think about it, the clearer the image became.
Her legs went weak, and she almost couldn't stand steadily.
"Jerry? Are you okay?"
A classmate nearby noticed her abnormality.
"No, it's nothing!"
Jerry snapped back to her senses, shaking her head in a panic.
Only then did she realize that the discussions around her were getting louder, with some boys even starting to shout indignantly about "it must be luck" or "have another match."
In the center of the field, Giselle was still slumped on the ground in that extremely ungraceful pigeon-toed posture, her long wine-red hair disheveled, her eyes hollow.
"This won't do..."
Jerry bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down.
Senior Giselle is embarrassed enough; I can't let so many people keep watching!
She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and said loudly in her usual discipline-maintaining tone:
"The battle is over! Everyone go back to your classrooms! Don't stand around here watching!"
A few students still wanted to say something.
"What, are your after-school reports all perfect?"
Jerry's tone became stern:
"Yuhiko! Take your people and leave first!"
Yuhiko opened his mouth, took one last look at the despondent Superior Young Miss, sighed complexly, and waved his hand:
"Let's go, everyone disperse."
The crowd then began to move reluctantly.
Before leaving, many girls secretly glanced back at Roy, their faces red... After most of the students left, Jerry walked quickly to the center of the field.
She crouched down and gently supported Senior Giselle's shoulder:
"Senior Giselle, let's get up first... the ground is cold."
Giselle was helped up mechanically, her legs still weak, almost leaning her entire weight on Jerry.
Those beautiful eyes were still staring blankly ahead.
At this time, Roy also walked over.
Pikachu followed, proudly wagging its small tail, its gaze toward Giselle clearly carrying the meaning of "How about that, isn't this Pika amazing!"
"Giselle."
Giselle trembled all over, her hollow eyes finally finding focus.
She raised her head and looked at Roy.
"Your understanding of book knowledge is very thorough, and your thinking is broad; it's indeed very good."
"Your calculations are precise, and every step fits the theoretical optimal solution. From the analytical data, you are indeed a favored child of heaven."
"But."
Roy changed the subject:
"Pokemon are not machines, and battles are not programs."
"They will grow, they will explode, and they will create miracles in desperate situations that data models cannot predict."
"You calculated the type advantages, the level gap, and the depth of the move pool."
"But you can't calculate the battle instinct forged in the true wild, in life-and-death struggles; it will be faster, fiercer, and more effective than any theory."
"Outside of books, you still have much to learn."
His voice fell.
Giselle stood there blankly.
She heard every word Roy said, but her head was buzzing, and she couldn't think at all.
Only some fragmented words swirled in her mind... Giselle... you... indeed... are a favored child of heaven... favored child of heaven... yes, I am a favored child of heaven... I am... but why... did I lose?
Although Giselle didn't take much in, Joe on the side was suddenly enlightened.
He murmured Roy's words:
"The wild... life-and-death struggles... battle instinct..."
"So... so cultivating in the wild can make one this strong?"
He suddenly looked at Roy, his eyes bursting with an unprecedented light:
"It's not just levels! It's also those techniques that books don't teach at all! That... that kind of true battle awareness!"
"I get it! I really get it!"
Joe's voice was trembling with excitement:
"Academic Faction training is like raising flowers in a greenhouse—pretty, but unable to withstand the wind and rain!"
"And the Training Faction... is a sharp sword tempered in the struggles of the wild!"
As if he had made a major decision, he clenched his fist tightly:
"I want to drop out!"
"I'm going back to discuss it properly with my parents! I want to embark on a cultivation journey! Just like Brother Roy, go to the wild, and grow in true battles!"
After speaking, Joe didn't even wait for Roy to respond before turning and sprinting out of the classroom.
His footsteps were unprecedentedly light and firm... almost at the same time.
In Roy's mind, the system's notification sounded:
[Helped Joe find the correct Trainer path, used Pokemon education to defeat the Academic Faction's new generation genius—Giselle—and broke her pride. Completed.]
[Distributing rewards...]
[High-quality Miracle Seed has been placed in the system inventory.]
[Basic Rare Candy *3 has been placed in the system inventory.]
A nearly imperceptible curve formed at the corner of Roy's mouth.
Task completed, rewards obtained.
There was no longer any reason to stay here.
He turned, preparing to leave.
When passing by the still-despondent Superior Young Miss, his footsteps paused.
"The logic that Joe can understand."
Roy turned his head, looked at Giselle's fair and tender face, and added casually:
"Giselle, you should be able to understand it too."
After that, he said no more.
He walked straight toward the door of the battle classroom.
Misty and Delia looked at each other and quickly followed...
"Wait!"
Giselle suddenly spoke.
Roy stopped but didn't turn around.
"You... where are you going?"
When Giselle asked this, she herself was stunned for a moment.
Why did she ask that?
But that inexplicable panic in her heart just couldn't be suppressed.
It was like... like something important was about to slip away from before her eyes.
"Continue my journey, collect Badges."
Roy's answer was very concise, and he asked back casually:
"What? Does the Miss Giselle want to come with me?"
"I don't want to!"
Giselle straightened her back almost as a reflex, regaining her arrogant tone:
"I am the rising star of the Academic Faction! The Head Student of Pokémon Technical Institute! How could I mix with a barbaric Training Faction person like you!"
"Oh."
Roy gave an acknowledging sound and raised his hand again, ready to open the door.
"Wait!"
Giselle called out to him again.
This time, there was something else in her voice.
Hesitation.
Struggle.
And a hint of... expectation that she hadn't even noticed herself.
"Your goal... what is it?"
She asked.
Roy hadn't answered yet.
"His small goal~"
Misty leaned in playfully and answered for Roy with a grin:
"Is to be the Indigo League Conference Champion!"
Champion?
Small goal?
Giselle was stunned at first.
immediately.
"Heh."
She smiled.
It wasn't the usual condescending, mocking smile.
But a smile that was truly ignited by something.
"Even prouder than me..."
Giselle spoke softly, then took a deep breath, her proud expression returning to her beautiful face.
"Fine!"
"Only then are you worthy of being my opponent!"
Giselle stared at Roy's back, her words clear and firm:
"Then the Indigo League Conference it is!"
"Next time we meet, I will defeat you head-on on the stage of Kanto's largest tournament!"
Roy glanced at Giselle, smiled faintly, didn't reply, but just waved his hand, pushed open the door of the battle classroom, and walked out with Misty and Delia.
The door slowly closed.
Cutting off the light from outside... The classroom fell back into silence.
The smile on Giselle's face faded bit by bit the moment the door closed.
But that hollowness and despondency did not reappear.
In its place was a complex, burning emotion.
"Senior Giselle, are you okay?"
Jerry asked cautiously.
Giselle didn't speak.
She just waved her hand.
Signaling her to leave as well.
"Then... please rest well, Senior."
Jerry didn't dare say more, bowed, and walked quickly toward the door.
Before leaving, she couldn't help but look back.
In the dim classroom, Giselle sat casually on a chair.
Her head was lowered, and her wine-red hair covered the side of her face.
Her expression was unclear.
But her hands, hanging at her sides, were tightly clutching her skirt.
Clutching it very hard.
Jerry gently closed the door.
The corridor was empty; the students had already dispersed.
She leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh of relief.
Just then, from the end of the corridor, the hurried sound of high heels clicking on the floor was heard.
Da, da, da... The rhythm was fast, showing the owner's anxiety.
Jerry subconsciously looked up.
She saw a beautiful female teacher dressed in a deep purple professional suit walking hurriedly toward the battle classroom.
Black stockings wrapped her long, shapely legs; with every step, a glimpse of the tight curves at the base of her thighs could be seen between the swaying of her skirt.
Her fullness was held high under her shirt, rising and falling with her quick steps.
On that exquisite, mature face, worry and urgency were written all over...