After spending another $500 to order a fresh batch of Moomoo Milk, Evan Lane glanced at the balance in his account.
He still had a little over $3,000 left, enough to cover next week’s expenses.
In terms of funds, Evan was no longer quite so tense.
Tomorrow’s assessment offered a $5,000 prize for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $2,000 for third place.
This was also one of the school’s ways of motivating ordinary students.
Although Evan was not arrogant enough to think he would definitely take first place, he was still very confident about placing in the top three.
After eating the fragrant dinner his mother had made, Evan took a hot shower and crawled into bed, exhausted from head to toe.
While Snivy had been training, Evan had not been idle either.
Not only did he need to practice throwing Poké Balls, he also needed to train his own body.
After all, if he wanted to become a qualified Trainer, having decent physical fitness was essential.
In the future, he would often need to trek long distances through the wild.
Early the next morning, Evan woke up in a wave of suffocation.
Looking at the Snivy wrapped around his neck, he nearly passed out again.
“Snivy, don’t use Wrap on me!” After a round of struggling, Evan finally recalled the reluctant Snivy into her Poké Ball and hurried toward school.
Since today was the day of the battle assessment, all students had gathered at the training field early in the morning.
Looking at the four class formations on the field, as well as the battle zones that had already been divided up, Evan walked toward the Class B group.
There were four classes in this year’s senior grade, with around forty students in each class.
However, only the top twenty students would be able to enter the elite class.
More than 160 students competing for twenty spots.
The competition could not be called anything but intense.
“Everyone is more or less here, so I’ll explain the rules for today’s battle assessment.” Principal Marcus Greenhill’s voice instantly quieted the previously noisy training field.
“In a moment, you will be randomly divided into ten groups and compete in one-on-one elimination battles.
After the top ten are selected, there will be ranking battles.
Students who do not enter the top ten do not need to be discouraged.
You will enter a second elimination round to compete for the remaining ten spots.” Seeing the solemn expressions on the students’ faces, Principal Greenhill revealed a satisfied smile.
“Very well.
The battle assessment officially begins!” Once the principal finished speaking, the homeroom teachers from the four classes began holding lottery boxes and letting the students draw lots one by one.
Looking at the paper slip in his hand that read “Field Seven,” Evan let out a sigh of relief.
“Evan, lucky for you, you got Field Seven.
Otherwise, Charmander and I would have eliminated you in the first round!” “Char!!!” Looking at Connor Hale, who was holding a slip for Field Five and laughing wildly alongside his Charmander, Evan sighed helplessly and walked toward Field Seven.
“Huh?
Why are Evan and Snivy ignoring us?
Fine!
We’ll fight our way into the top ten and show them!” “Char, Char!” Evan did not look back at the fired-up duo behind him, because he knew their plan was probably going to fall apart.
Just now, Evan had seen Lucas Ember bringing his Charmander toward Field Five as well…
When Evan arrived at Field Seven, he looked around and suddenly his eyes lit up.
He immediately walked over to an acquaintance and prepared to chat.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Liam West.
What are the odds?
This is way too much of a coincidence.
If we happen to meet later, you’ll have to go easy on me.” Looking at the smiling Evan in front of him, Liam suddenly shivered.
The Machop beside him met Snivy’s gaze and hurriedly hid behind Liam.
A few days ago at the training field, they had personally seen this harmless-looking little snake split a target in half with one Iron Tail.
One had to know that training targets were extremely durable.
Machop did not even dare imagine what would happen if that Iron Tail landed on its body.
It would probably be sent flying straight out of the battle court, right?
Liam was sweating hard.
He silently cursed his own bad luck.
How had he ended up assigned to the same field as this walking disaster?
In truth, after failing that Pokémon knowledge assessment, Liam still had not taken Evan seriously.
In Liam’s view, that was all book knowledge.
A Trainer had to be strong in battle.
That was what really mattered.
It was only during battle class, after seeing Snivy and Charmander fight, that he understood Evan had not only mastered Pokémon knowledge.
His battle ability was also absurdly strong.
Even the battle class teacher did not interfere with Evan and Lucas’s training.
During breaks, he even had students observe their battles.
Now almost every senior student knew that although there were technically twenty elite class spots, after counting the female Trainer with Squirtle, along with Evan and Lucas, there were really only seventeen spots left.
“Ahem.
Evan, you’re joking.
I’ll be hoping for your guidance later.” Liam’s face was piled with smiles, and there was no sign of his former arrogance.
Liam West might bully the weak and fear the strong.
He might be arrogant.
But he was not stupid!
If he acted tough now, the one suffering on the stage later would be his Machop!
Watching Liam leave with a deeply moved Machop, Evan turned around and began educating Snivy.
“See that?
Only when we’re strong will others respect us.
So we have to keep training hard from now on!” Snivy nodded in agreement.
But then she felt as if Evan was lecturing her, so she turned her head to the side again.
“Sni, Sni.” Evan had long since grown used to Snivy’s proud little attitude.
Now, he only found it terribly cute.
Aside from training, Evan had also not neglected Snivy’s mental education.
During rest time after training, he often described Rayquaza’s strength and appearance to Snivy.
Every time the little one heard those legends, her eyes would shine, and she would train even harder afterward.
“Evan Lane from Class B, please proceed to the side of the field and prepare.” Hearing the announcement, Evan walked to the edge of the field.
On the battle court, a Poliwag and an Oddish were currently battling.
In the end, under Oddish’s Absorb, Poliwag lost its ability to battle.
After all, when the strength gap was not large, type advantage became the deciding factor.
When it was Evan’s turn to step onto the field, his opponent was a tanned boy with a buzz cut.
As the boy pressed the button on his Poké Ball, a Pidgey appeared on the field.
The buzz-cut boy’s heart had already gone cold when he saw that his opponent was Evan.
Evan and Lucas were already considered school celebrities.
They had even been given the title “training maniacs.” Supposedly, no matter what time someone went to the training field, there was a very high chance of seeing those two there.
“My Pidgey can fly.
Hopefully, it can keep his Pokémon contained.” The buzz-cut boy calculated his strategy in his heart.
As a whistle rang out, the referee’s command followed.
“Battle start!” “Snivy, use Glare, then follow up with Iron Tail!” The moment the battle began, Evan did not hesitate at all and immediately commanded Snivy to launch an attack.
He would not underestimate his opponent.
The instant Snivy heard Evan’s command, she activated Glare.
Pidgey, which had been preparing to fly into the air, suddenly felt its entire body go numb.
Immediately afterward, a flash of white light rushed toward it, and it lost the ability to battle on the spot.
“Pidgey is unable to battle.
Winner: Evan Lane!” As the referee blew the whistle, the buzz-cut boy stared blankly at Evan, who had already left the battle field.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, no sound came out.