A family without a Heavenly King to lead it could only be considered a prominent family, not a top-tier one.
A family like the Zhang Family, whose patriarch's father had four Pokémon that had broken through to Champion level, was already beyond the category of top-tier families.
But now, the Zhang Family had become a thing of the past.
Yan Yuzhu had loved Shiny Pokémon since she was little.
She thought Shiny Pokémon had a unique kind of beauty.
When Yan Yuzhu first learned that Su Yi had a Shiny Flaaffy, she'd really wanted to meet him.
So when someone spoke ill of Su Yi, Yan Yuzhu immediately stepped forward to defend him, even though Su Yi hadn't known her at the time.
Unfortunately, Su Yi had been challenged by someone then, and she'd missed her chance to meet him.
After hearing that Su Yi had been accepted into Jingtian Academy in Shangjing City, Yan Yuzhu had chosen Jingtian Academy too.
After all, she'd ranked in the top hundred on the Trial Ranking and in overall academic results.
At the welcome party last night, Yan Yuzhu had wanted to step up and issue a challenge too, to see just how impressive the two top scorers in her year were. Unfortunately, she hadn't been among the ten challengers Gu Yuanfang had called on.
Today was only the second day, and she still hadn't seen Su Yi all day.
Yan Yuzhu had even ended up in the same class as Su Yi by sheer coincidence.
She hadn't expected to run into him at the Pokémon shop that evening.
Yan Yuzhu had brought one of her Shiny Pokémon with her: a pink Heracross.
"Heracross!"
Heracross greeted Su Yi first.
It was only because they were on campus that she could walk around with a Shiny Pokémon so openly. Otherwise, it would be easy prey for thieves.
"Hello. This Heracross is pretty impressive."
Since Heracross had greeted him—and its trainer was a pretty girl—Su Yi nodded in greeting too.
"Uh... 'Heracross' is...?"
Yan Yuzhu's mind stalled for a moment.
Su Yi suddenly realized that "bug king" was gamer slang, not an actual title here.
"Oh, I like calling Heracross the bug king. Its physical attack is just too strong after Mega Evolution."
Yan Yuzhu was completely stunned.
"Huh? Heracross can Mega Evolve?"
She'd never expected her first proper meeting with Su Yi to go like this.
Su Yi understood.
So some Mega Evolutions hadn't been documented yet?
That was fine. He could just include them in his Pokémon Research Summary and use it for his graduation thesis at Jingtian Academy.
"Su Yi, did you discover this yourself? I mean... Mega Evolutions for Heracross and others."
Yan Yuzhu suddenly leaned closer and asked softly.
"...More or less."
Su Yi suddenly remembered this girl. Hadn't she spoken up for him once before?
A faint fragrance drifted into Su Yi's nose.
Was it her natural scent?
Yan Yuzhu's face suddenly reddened a little as she realized she'd leaned too close.
Su Yi nodded to her, then went about his business in the Pokémon shop, buying the essentials and some Energy Cubes.
When he left the shop, he found Yan Yuzhu still waiting there.
"Um, Su Yi, I really like Shiny Pokémon. If it's convenient, could you let me observe your Shiny Ampharos? I'll treat you to dinner in return."
Today was Yan Yuzhu's first day of classes.
On the first day, the teacher had told everyone that throughout their studies, right up to graduation, they would all have to write a research summary about Pokémon—in other words, a graduation thesis.
Yan Yuzhu was very interested in Shiny Pokémon, so she'd settled on her topic that very day: a study of Shiny Pokémon.
She had a Shiny Heracross of her own, but Shiny Pokémon were extremely rare. At Jingtian Academy, the only person she knew who had one was Su Yi, with his Shiny Ampharos.
It was still early. The Pokémon Egg Hatching Accelerator would probably be ready by the time he finished eating and got back, so Su Yi nodded.
Having a girl watch Ampharos while they ate sounded pretty nice.
Ampharos, Frogadier, Combusken, and Vibrava all ate together with Yan Yuzhu's Pokémon. Jingtian Academy's dining hall was ridiculously huge, since they'd made room for students to eat with their Pokémon.
After dinner, Yan Yuzhu had gotten a good look at Shiny Ampharos and was thoroughly satisfied.
"Su Yi, at the end of this month, the academy will hold a Class Battle Competition for every class. There'll be rewards for the top three. Are you going to take part?"
Yan Yuzhu asked as they were about to part ways.
Su Yi thought it over. By the end of the month, the two Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon he'd hatched would probably be strong enough to fight, so he could join in for fun.
"Yeah, if I have time. See you."
The two exchanged contact details and added each other on WeChat.
Su Yi returned to his dorm and immediately took the Pokémon Egg Hatching Accelerator out of Spatial Storage.
He took a closer look. Ninety-nine percent!
It was almost done. He'd gotten back just in time!
After waiting another ten minutes or so, the little Pokémon inside the two Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Eggs finally began to hatch, as Su Yi watched eagerly.
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Cracks appeared in both Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Eggs, one after the other.
"Come on out, you two..."
Su Yi rubbed his hands together. Would he get lucky this time?
"Hopefully, they won't have the same type..."
As Su Yi watched in anticipation,
one of the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Eggs finally finished hatching.
"Yoo..."
A grayish-green little Pokémon appeared first!
Its body looked as though it were made of armor, and there was a diamond-shaped red plate on its belly.
As soon as it appeared, it didn't even open its eyes before yawning.
"Yoo..."
Only then did it slowly open its eyes.
The first thing it saw was Su Yi's face.
"Yoo..."
The moment it opened its eyes and saw Su Yi, the little Pokémon instinctively waved its tiny claws, as if asking to be picked up.
It was a Larvitar!
The juvenile form of Tyranitar!
Rock and Ground types.
"Haha, little one, nice to meet you."
Su Yi cheerfully greeted the little Pokémon. This was the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Egg the alliance had awarded him on behalf of Heavenly King Moss. It was a baby Tyranitar, all right. He wondered what its potential was.
"Pokémon": Larvitar "Potential": Purple "Level": Lv. 1 "Type": Rock, Ground "Ability": Guts "Moves Learned": Tackle, Leer, Rock Throw
Three moves?
Su Yi: →_→
It was fine, little one. As you grew over time, you'd awaken more and more moves.
Su Yi reached out, picked Larvitar up, and gently rocked it.
If an ordinary person picked this thing up, it'd be a real struggle. It sure is heavy. Good thing I'm much stronger than I used to be. Holding it is no problem.
Feeling Su Yi's embrace, Larvitar seemed even more at ease. Before long, it fell asleep.
As if trying to compete for attention, the moment Larvitar fell asleep, the other Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Egg began to hatch completely too.
"Met?"
The little Pokémon that appeared this time... well, it couldn't really be called little.
Its whole body looked like steel, like a steel arm, and it had only one red eye on its head.
Its claws underneath looked rather fearsome.
It was a Beldum, but it was platinum-colored.
That was right: a Shiny Beldum, platinum-colored.
Beldum opened its eyes too and immediately saw Su Yi.
Of course, the next moment it also saw Larvitar in Su Yi's arms.
"Met..."
Beldum floated in the air and charged toward Su Yi.
Thankfully, Su Yi was quick. He freed his other hand and caught Beldum too, stopping it from crashing into him.
Good grief, each one was heavier than the last!
Larvitar in one arm, Beldum in the other...
But was Beldum different from Larvitar?
After all, this Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Egg had been the system's reward for completing Main Quest 1!
With that thought, Su Yi used his Eye of Investigation on Beldum again.
"Pokémon": Beldum (Shiny) "Potential": Silver "Level": Lv. 1 "Type": Steel, Psychic "Ability": Clear Body "Moves Learned": Headbutt
Emm...
Sure enough, it only had one move.
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