The sed round of the group stage was scheduled for Wednesday evening.

  Before that, Natsume faced the final exams for several courses at Tokyo Metropolitan Uy.

  These were practical training sessions for elective courses, including "Pokémon Care Studies," "Pokémon Battle Studies," and "Sinnoh Pokémon History."

  For the "Sinnoh Pokémon History" course, Natsume had mao impress even Professor Rowan, unsurprisingly seg the top spot in his year.

  The remaining two exams were held on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

  Fortunately, they didn't interfere with Wednesday's petition.

  That said, Natsume secretly wished for a legitimate reason to skip the match.

  On Monday, first-year students from the Finance Department faced their final practical training for "Pokémon Care Studies."

  A gray-haired professor patrolled the exam hall.

  Inside, four Berry Mixers were set up, with students grouped in fours.

  The exam required them to craft Pokéblocks.

  The didates stood nervously around the rumbling maes, their eyes glued to the equipment, fearing even the slightest mistake.

  In team-based Pokéblock crafting, any error could lead to failure!

  "Haah—"

  In the pin-drop silence of the , Natsume's yawn drew several side gnces.

  The profess him and said calmly, "Mind the time."

  Natsume's group only had three members.

  Kazuya wiped the sweat from his forehead and pined, "Yuuichi, didn't you say you'd dohis before?"

  Yuuichi forced a smile. "How was I supposed to know you'd mess up so many times?"

  The quality of the final Pokéblock depended on the number of mistakes made during crafting.

  Solo crafting was undoubtedly much harder than w in a team.

  Yuuichi had thought his experience would help cover for Kazuya's mistakes.

  But he never expected Kazuya to not only tribute nothing but also make things worse!

  "Alright, you two stop struggling. Let me ha," Natsume teased.

  "Just sit bad rex!"

  Hearing Natsume's words, Yuuichi was overjoyed and immediately stepped aside.

  But Kazuya firmly held onto the mae, deg righteously, "No way! We're a team!"

  Natsume chuckled awkwardly.

  Ten mier.

  The professor adjusted his gsses and carefully examihe group's finished product, letting out a soft "Hmm?"

  The crystal-clear Oran Berry Block was just half a step away from being top-tier quality!

  The profess Natsume and the others, asking calmly, "Did you really make this yourselves?"

  "Of course!" Kazuya thumped his chest. "It was all thanks to our releeamwork!"

  The professor nodded and recorded the score. "90 points. You three pass!"

  Yuuichi's eyes widened in disbelief.

  90 points?!

  Eveudents from the Pokémon Academy hadn't scored that high!

  As they left the , Yuuichi, still in shock, stammered, "We... got 90 points?"

  Natsume looked at him oddly. "We could've gotten 100."

  "Exactly!" Kazuya chimed in. "If you'd actually helped, Yuuichi, we might've aced it!"

  "I..."

  "Seems like I have a talent for crafting Pokéblocks after all," Kazuya muttered, rubbing his . "Maybe I should double major in Pokémon Care Studies?"

  Natsume smiled without a word.

  The system showed that Natsume's [Pokéblock Crafting Lv3] had leveled up to [Lv4].

  [Pokéblock Crafting Lv4: You have a low ce of crafting perfect-quality Pokéblocks. Success rate increases by 70% (Your crafting process is now on par with top Coordinators).]

  Natsume had retly discovered that accumuting proficy could level up skills.

  Lv4 was already master-level craftsmanship, meaning Natsume's Pokéblocks could fetch a high price.

  However, selling Pokéblocks required a professional lise.

  Natsume couldn't afford to spend a year or two pleting courses to bee a Nutritionist or Doctor.

  In the end, these Pokéblocks would only be Natsume's own Pokémon.

  The exam results were annouhe same day, and Natsume's group deservedly took first pce.

  The sudden good fortu Kazuya feeling dizzy.

  Yuuichi grabbed Natsume's haedly. "Natsume, I want to keep being carried ime!"

  "Same here!" Kazuya decred righteously.

  That night, Natsume returo his rented apartment.

  He found Gastly staring ily at a scroll, which sent a chill down his spine.

  "Whoa, you better be careful with that thing!"

  Luckily, Gastly hadn't fully deciphered [Blue Oak's Breeding Guide] yet.

  The day it finished lig the guide would likely be the day it started gnawing ooxiuscript].

  Natsume shuddered at the thought.

  He tried crafting Pokéblocks using Leppa Berries. Out of five attempts, noed in perfect quality.

  "Seems like the 'low ce' is really low," Natsume muttered.

  Meanwhile, Gastly opes gaping mouth and devoured aire bowl of Pokéblocks.

  Gastly: Choking (*⊙~⊙)

  "Whoa, you ate all of that?!"

  "Yonna drop dead tonight!"

  Leppa Berries had a stimuting effect.

  That night, the neighb stru site was filled with eerie howls, which reportedly sted until dawn.

  Early the m, Tuesday.

  Natsume headed to campus for the final exam of "Pokémon Battle Studies."

  The exam was held at Tokyo Metropolitan Uy's Arena.

  As a uy-level battle facility, it was well-equipped with prehensive safety measures.

  However, most of the nearly 20,000-square-meter arena was off-limits to students and only used during intercollegiate petitions.

  Some beginner-level fields were avaible but required prior booking.

  When Natsume arrived at the exam site, he found a rge crowd of cssmates gathered in front of the arena.

  The new gym teacher, wearing a baseball cap, blew a whistle and apologized, "Everyone, let's reschedule the exam for tomorrow, okay?"

  The crowd erupted in pints.

  "I have other csses tomorrow, sir!"

  "Yeah, we booked this time slot already. Why the ge?"

  Seeing a ce to skip the exam, Natsume suppressed a grin and nudged Kazuya. "Kazuya, what's going on?"

  Kazuya scratched his head. "Seems like the Battle Department he arena for extra training. They took it over st minute."

  "'t be helped. They're the pros, after all," Kazuya shrugged. "Let's head back to the dorm and py some games!"

  Natsume was about to leave when a otion broke out at the front of the crowd.

  A fident girl from the Finance Department stepped forward tue, "We booked this arena first!"

  "The Battle Department has top priority. It's written in the rules."

  "That's during petitions. This isn't intercollegiate season!"

  The teacher, Hayato, tried to calm everyone down. "Let's not get worked up. We discuss this!"

  "Discuss what? Are you guys just gonna stand by a us get pushed around?"

  As tensions rose, a girl with a ponytail emerged from the arena.

  "I'm a girl too. Let's talk this out."

  Yuuiudged Natsume and whispered, "That's Sakurako, the Fairy-type specialist I told you about!"

  "Even outside tour season, team members have priority access to the arena," Sakurako said, frowning. "I'm a freshman team member!"

  Her words silehe crowd.

  A freshman on Tokyo Metropolitan Uy's Battle Department team? How strong must she be?!

  "Being a team member doesn't make you special!" Kazuya shouted. "It's just you, not your whole css!"

  "Yeah!"

  "Stop making excuses. We booked it first!"

  "Being on the school team isn't something to boast about," Sakurako said, frowning. "If any of you beat me, I'll step down."

  Kazuya was left speechless areated sheepishly.

  The crowd fell silent.

  Teacher Hayato quickly intervened. "Everyone, let's e back ter. It's not a big deal!"

  At that moment, a red beam shot out from a Poké Ball.

  Gastly emerged, its eyes bloodshot and panting heavily!

  The effects of st night's Leppa Berries were still going strong!

  All eyes turo Natsume.

  Natsume smiled faintly, tightening his grip on the Poké Ball.

  Gastly, you little rascal.

  Don't make me take a!