"During this afternoon's specialized courses, I'd like you to serve as my interpreter," Professor Rowan said.

  Natsume g the interpreter standing beside Professor Rowan, his academic advisor.

  Wasn't there already an interpreter?

  His academic advisor, Iouthed furiously, "What are you waiting for? Say yes!"

  Any guidance from a Pokémon Professor was incredibly valuable.

  Ichiro genuinely hoped Natsume would have more opportuo showcase his talents.

  "Well, it's like this..."

  Professor Rowan cleared his throat. "It's not that Ichiro-sensei's Japanese is g, but some teical terms require careful sideration."

  During the earlier css, Natsume had left a profound impression on Professor Rowan.

  This made the Professor want to learn more about the young man.

  Seeing no way out, Natsume nodded and followed Professor Rowan to the .

  " you get me some extra credit?" Natsume whispered to his academic advisor.

  "You idiot, seize this ce, and you might even secure a spot at Osaka Uy!"

  Natsume smirked. "Osaka Uy is just average. If I wanted a guaranteed grad school spot, I would've switched to eics long ago."

  Ichiro twitched his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

  By that afternoon, rumors about Natsume had spread throughout the entire grade.

  "That interpreter guy with Professor Rowan is so handsome!"

  "Are you dumb? That's Natsume, the top student from the finance department!"

  "Didn't you hear? Professor Rowan made a slip of the tongue, and Natsume corrected it during the transtion!"

  "Apparently, Professor Rowan invited Natsume to be his graduate student, but Natsume turned him down?"

  "Wow, Natsume's that big of a deal? He even turned down a guaranteed grad school spot!"

  "Not just any grad school spot—it was for the Pokémon Academy, a top-tier major!"

  "Isn't this a on-a-lifetime ce to bee a Trainer?"

  The rumors were rampant, but Professor Rowan's invitation wasn't baseless.

  Even after cluding his visit for the day, Professor Rowan remained amazed by the knowledge and demeanor of Tokyo Metropolitan Uy's students.

  Among them, the young man with both grad intellect stood out the most.

  "Natsume, huh..." Professor Rowan murmured to himself.

  Recalling Natsume's reason for deing the invitation, the usually stoic Professor couldn't help but smile.

  "Don't want to be a Trainer?"

  "Then how about joining my researstitute as a researcher?"

  Professor Rowan sighed. "Aside from thia, I've never met a young schor so well-versed in history."

  thia, the Sinnion Champion, was also a profound history schor who had once served as an assistant at Professor Rowan's researstitute.

  Thinking back to Natsume's fident demeanor when discussing Sinnoh's legendary Pokémon, Professor Rowan mused.

  "If it's the two of them, they might have a lot to talk about."

  After calming down, Professor Roenned a handwritteer and ha to his interpreter.

  "Ichiro-sensei, please deliver this letter of reendation to Natsume."

  Professor Rowan nodded.

  "If Natsume isn't ied in Fudan Uy... I reend him to Uy for further studies."

  Ichiro stared at the reendatioer in astonishment, feeling an overwhelming sense of disbelief.

  Uy was sidered a holy nd for Trainers worldwide!

  Especially its Pokémon Academy and Business School, which had produced legendary figures like Samuel Oak and Mr. Stohe president of Devon Corporation.

  In global uy rankings, Uy was on par with top Viridian League schools, often surpassing them in Pokémon studies!

  Ichiro couldn't help but feel excited for Natsume. "I'll make sure he gets it!"

  "Please also vey this to him," Professor Rowan added with a smile.

  "If he's ied in academia, my researstitute is always open to him."

  In just oernoon, Natsume had left an indelible impression on Professor Rowan.

  His knowledge and insights into Pokémon evolution alone were enough to leave the Professor in awe.

  Meanwhile, rumors about the top student Natsume tio spread like wildfire across Tokyo Metropolitan Uy.

  Ba the dormitory, Kazuya elbowed Natsume excitedly.

  "Natsume, what kind of questions did that old man ask you?"

  "About Milotic's evolution," Natsume replied indifferently. "And his thoughts on the Red Gyarados phenomenon."

  "Whoa, you could answer such tough questions?!"

  "Whoa, you 't even handle something this simple?!"

  Natsume pondered. Shouldn't these be on knowledge?

  How could they be sidered major research topi this world?

  Just then, Ichiro knocked on the dormitory door and asked Natsume to step out.

  "This is a letter of reendation from Professor Rowan."

  Ichiro swallowed hard.

  "Take a good look. This isn't some ordinary school like Osaka Uy!"

  "This is Uy, the holy nd for Trainers worldwide!"

  At the mention of "Trainer," Natsume immediately put the letter down.

  Natsume said seriously, "It's not that I don't want to go to Uy, but I love Tokyo Metropolitan Uy too much."

  "Cut the crap!" Ichiro was exasperated.

  "This is a on-a-lifetime ce to bee a Trainer!"

  "I'm serious."

  Natsume's face was sincere, even squeezing out a tear. "My love for Tokyo Metropolitan Uy runs deep."

  Ichiro was so frustrated he could spit. He shoved the letter into Natsume's hands and gritted his teeth.

  "I'm doh you. Do whatever you want!"

  Looking at the ly writteer, Natsume sighed and tucked it into his pocket.

  Ba the dormitory, Kazuya, who was reviewing "Criminal Law" on his bed, rubbed his reg hairline and casually asked,

  "Hey Natsume, why did you turn down Professor Rowan's guaranteed grad school spot?"

  Natsume g the "Criminal Law" textbook.

  "I'm scared of dying!"

  Aside from being a Trainer, being a Researcher was the sed profession Natsume wao avoid.

  Hadn't they seen it? Industry leader Professor Samuel Oak almost suffocated to death from a Muk;

  Professor Bill, the pioneer in unication studies, sed bodies with a Rattata, reenag "Your Name";

  Professor Birch from the Hoenn Region was stantly chased and bitten by Zigzagoons...

  This wasn't an anime. If you got hit by a Thunderbolt, you'd die!

  The bloody examples were right in front of them.

  So, Trainers were off-limits, and Researchers were even more so!

  Meanwhile, Yuuichi, who was dreaming of being a Trainer and dressed expensively, was flipping through a paper Pokédex.

  "Natsume, there's a 'Piplup Cup' Trainer petition hosted by Piplup In Minato Ward. Want to participate?"

  "Are you going there to feed yourself to the Pokémon Academy?"

  Kazuya snorted. "Besides, Natsume doesn't even have a Pokémon. How's he supposed to pete?"

  "I have a starter Pokémon."

  "What? When did you catch that?"

  Natsume pulled out a Poké Ball. A red light flickered, and the room temperature instantly dropped by 5°C.

  Yuuichi, who was cheg the registratioails on his phone, suddenly saw a ghostly face pop up on the s, startling him so much he fell to the floor.

  "Whoa! You scared the hell out of me!"

  Kazuya rolled on the bed, ughing. "You idiot, you're scared of a Gastly?"

  As he spoke, Gastly slowly turs head, its mouth stretg to its tongue, revealing a long, crimson tongue, and gave Kazuya a friendly smile.

  Kazuya's face turned pale.

  "Whoa, Natsume, yastly is pretty impressive!"

  Yuuichi excitedly examined Gastly.

  "Looks way strohan the Gastly from the Battle Departme door!"

  "Gastly!"

  Gastly grinned proudly, narrowing its eyes and nodding at Yuuichi.

  Kid, you've got good taste!

  Natsume recalled Gastly. "Alright, enough chit-chat. I o get bay pce for a live stream."

  "What? Natsume, you're not pnning to pete?!"

  "I've said it a million times, I don't want to be a Trainer!"