The sky suddenly darkened, a veil of clouds rolling in as distant thunder rumbled. Hayato knew—heavy rain was coming fast.
"Damn it! If it really pours, there'll be nowhere to hide—especially with this kind of thunderstorm!"
A tree could block some raindrops, sure, but it was also a lightning magnet. Hiding beneath one was far from safe.
Hayato still remembered that day in his old world—sheltering under a park tree only to be struck by lightning. Even now, the memory made him shudder. He couldn't help but wonder: which hurt more, a real thunderbolt, or Pikachu's Thunderbolt? Either way, people like Ash, who could casually take an electric hit, were rare indeed!
The mountain terrain was complex and thick with trees, the view often blocked. Hayato figured a cave would be the best bet, so he hurried toward the nearest mountain peak.
Mist blanketed the foothills, visibility dropping to less than five meters. In such rain, the scenery looked almost dreamlike—like stepping into a hidden realm.
"Not a single dry spot in sight! What kind of cursed place is this?" he muttered in frustration.
As he trudged along, a wooden sign suddenly emerged through the mist. Several large characters were carved into it:
"Pokémon Technical Institute – 500 meters ahead."
"Pokémon Technical Institute? a Pokémon School Out here? Huh… doesn't seem like a prank. And five hundred meters isn't far."
He exhaled and tightened his grip on his bag. "Guess I'll take a look. A Pokémon School in the middle of the mountains—this I've got to see."
Normally, Pokémon Schools were established in populous cities, fully equipped and easily accessible, beloved by parents and children alike. Having one deep in the mountains was… odd.
After a quick jog, Hayato reached the school gates, drenched from head to toe.
"It really exists! But… the gate's locked. Is anyone even here?"
He thought it might be abandoned—until he spotted movement behind the fence.
"Hey, mister! Can you open the gate for me?"
The security guard blinked in surprise. "What's going on? You're not one of our students, are you?"
They began to talk through the gate.
"Little brother, may I ask what brings you here?"
"I heard about this school and came to have a look. I'm thinking about enrolling," Hayato replied, half out of necessity, half out of curiosity.
The guard's expression softened. "Ah, so that's how it is. All right then, come on in."
Inside, the campus sprawled wide and modern—multiple battle arenas, state-of-the-art training facilities, and impressive buildings arranged neatly. Clearly, this was no ordinary school.
"Are you the only one here, mister?" Hayato asked.
"Of course not! We've got over a hundred students. With this rain, they're all training indoors. I think there's some kind of competition going on today—it's quite lively."
From their chat, Hayato learned that this was a prestigious academy, one that charged astronomical tuition fees. Not something he could ever afford. Yet, the school was officially recognized by the Indigo League, and even offered direct entry slots into the League Conference—students didn't need all eight Gym Badges to qualify. No wonder it drew so much attention.
"So there's a shortcut after all, huh?" Hayato mused to himself. "Makes sense, though. In a place like this, earning badges would be easy. But this kind of closed-off training… it's not for me. You can't learn everything in a classroom—like survival, social skills, and the bond between Trainer and Pokémon."
Just then, the guard's phone rang. He took a quick call, then turned back to Hayato.
"Sorry, kid! Something urgent came up. Feel free to look around, but don't wander too far, all right?"
Hayato grinned. "Got it, don't worry!"
The indoor arena was massive, equipped with multiple battlefields. The ceiling was made of transparent, high-tech glass that allowed natural light to pour in—and even with the storm raging outside, powerful floodlights kept the arena bright as day.
"Wow, this place is amazing! Way fancier than any Gym I've seen. No wonder they call it a school for nobles."
The ongoing event was called "Challenge the Instructor." Students could battle their teachers, and if they won, they'd earn rare rewards—Technical Machines, Pokémon, even rare items. It was meant to motivate the students… but so far, not one had succeeded.
The crowd of students looked thoroughly defeated.
"No way anyone can beat them! The strength gap's too huge!"
"Even with type advantage, we still lose! The teachers are monsters. Guess we need a lot more training before we earn anything."
Hayato noticed the students were split into two groups—those who had already battled, and those who hadn't. There was no registration or verification process, so it was easy to slip in unnoticed.
"Perfect! A chance to sneak in and maybe win a prize. Who knows? Maybe I'll snag myself a Ponyta," he thought with a sly smile.
Without hesitation, he quietly joined the line of unchallenged students. Since the semester had just begun, few people knew each other well, so his sudden appearance didn't raise suspicion.
The battles were all one-sided. The teachers were clearly trying to intimidate the newcomers, showing off their strength to build authority and push the students to improve.
At last, the final challenger stepped onto the field—Hayato.
"Teacher Kura'i, shall we begin?" he said confidently.
Instructor Maiko Kura'i raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You don't look discouraged like the others. That's good—but don't expect me to go easy on you! Come out, Nidoqueen!"
Nidoqueen, the Drill Pokémon. Its tough skin is like armor. It charges fearlessly into any attack.
Hayato felt the pressure immediately. His Haunter wouldn't stand a chance—this Nidoqueen was clearly well-trained. Earlier, she'd used Ice Punch and Thunder Punch, moves only teachable through TMs. That alone proved how valuable this school's teachers were—and why powerful Trainers were drawn to teach here.
"Base stat total 505, Poison and Ground type… Toxic only does half damage. Not sure if Umbreon can hold out," Hayato muttered, then made his decision.
"Go, Umbreon!"
The crowd murmured in confusion the moment his Pokémon appeared.
"Huh? What kind of Pokémon is that? I've never seen it before!"
"It's so cute—and looks strong, too!"
Their chatter didn't delay the match.
"Umbreon, use Toxic!"
"Nidoqueen, use Body Slam!"
Nidoqueen lunged forward, leaping high and crashing down with tremendous force. The move was devastating for heavy Pokémon.
"Umbreon, dodge with Quick Attack!"
A murmur ran through the audience—using a priority attack to evade?
A male teacher nearby smiled knowingly. "See that? Smart thinking. Quick Attack may not deal much damage, but it's fast enough to dodge slower moves like Body Slam."
Sure enough, the toxic attack landed successfully, though Nidoqueen barely reacted at first. Her Body Slam hit nothing but the ground, shaking the field.
Maiko chuckled. "Oh? Nicely done! You actually dodged it. Teacher's impressed!"
"Thank you, ma'am!" Hayato replied with a grin.
Her expression sharpened. "But don't get cocky. Nidoqueen, Thunder Punch!"
Nidoqueen's fist crackled with lightning as she charged.
"Umbreon, jump and evade!"
"Just as planned! Nidoqueen, pick up speed and strike again!"
Despite Umbreon's agility, it couldn't completely outmatch Nidoqueen's raw experience. The punch connected squarely—but even so, Umbreon stood firm. Its defenses held.
"What incredible endurance! It took that hit and barely flinched!" someone gasped.
The poison was now taking its toll on Nidoqueen, her breathing labored.
Maiko frowned. She couldn't afford to lose in front of her students. "Nidoqueen, finish this quickly—Ice Punch!"
Hayato smirked. "Umbreon, full defense—then use Moonlight!"
The moonlight move's recovery was weaker under rain, but even so, Umbreon restored nearly a quarter of its stamina—more than enough for a drawn-out fight.
"A healing move? I see… So you're Dark-type, aren't you? Then let's end this—Nidoqueen, Superpower!"
Hayato's eyes widened. "A Fighting-type attack? This is bad! Umbreon, use Last Resort!"
Last Resort—a powerful finishing move that only worked once all other moves had been used.
The two Pokémon clashed head-on, energy bursting across the arena. When the dust settled, Umbreon stood trembling but upright, its fur shimmering under the floodlights—while Nidoqueen collapsed, defeated.
The entire arena fell silent.
Hayato exhaled, smiling faintly. "That was a tough one…"
(End of Chapter)