Brock's Invitation (Bonus Chapter, Please Vote!)

Xia Chen never carried his troubles into the next day.

Early the next morning, he got up bright and early, full of energy. Drinking the Moomoo Milk Pidgeot had just delivered, Xia Chen ate breakfast while opening Pixiv as usual.

The video he had uploaded last night was footage from his first attempt at making Pokéblocks a few days ago. Xia Chen had high hopes for this video's view count.

Although his Pokéblocks had not turned out very well, Eevee and Feebas betraying each other had been entertaining enough. His camera had faithfully captured the whole scene.

Besides, this was Xia Chen's first video properly appearing on camera. With looks like his, surely it was worth at least a million views, right?

Xia Chen had guessed quite accurately. This video's views really did surpass one million.

One million and seventy thousand in twelve hours, even faster than his previous travel video.

Still, viral hits like this were rare. Xia Chen was not yet a well-known uploader, and his follower count had only just reached four hundred thousand.

Breakfast was just enough time for Xia Chen to watch through the video, packed with dense scrolling comments.

All sorts of amusing comments flew across the screen, making even his plain millet porridge taste much better.

Xia Chen made a quick summary. One-third of them were creatively complimenting his looks through memes—though, well, he had no idea whether the people posting them were male, female, or even human.

Another third of the comments were devoted to the part where the two Pokémon outwitted and backstabbed each other.

After thinking it over, Xia Chen decided not to take future videos in that direction.

It did make for good entertainment, but they were the first two Pokémon he had caught, and they would be with him for a long time. He needed to find a way to ease their relationship.

But then again, he did not seem to know why they were upset with each other in the first place.

The final third of the comments mocked Xia Chen's Pokéblock-making skills.

"You did great. Don't do it again!"

"Are you playing permutations and combinations over there?"

"Breaking Bad!"

That string of excessive comments ruined Xia Chen's good mood first thing in the morning.

Seriously, what did those people know? Could something a Breeder was experimenting with be called poisoning?

Xia Chen thought indignantly.

After breakfast, it was about time to leave for school. Before putting away his phone, Xia Chen took one last glance at the comments section.

One unexpected comment stopped him halfway through getting up.

Iron Will: "It is clear that Pigeon Master has many innovative ideas about making Pokéblocks. Next month, the World Breeders Association will hold a seminar on Pokéblocks. If you are interested, please contact me."

Shore of the Star River: "Low EQ: Breaking Bad. High EQ: innovative ideas. Brock, if you used that emotional intelligence on girls, you would've gotten married long ago!"

Yellow-Skinned Mouse: "After failing miserably in his pursuit of the opposite sex, has Brock finally awakened to his true orientation and set his sights on Pigeon Master? Don't do this!"

Ignoring those joking, meme-filled comments, Xia Chen focused entirely on Brock's message.

The World Breeders Association! A seminar about Pokéblocks!

Wasn't this exactly the way he had been looking for to gain advanced knowledge?

The seminar itself might not produce any conclusive results, but the summit would undoubtedly gather the world's top Breeders.

Perhaps some of those masters' methods could offer inspiration for his research into Beauty Pokéblocks?

No matter what, he could not miss this opportunity.

Xia Chen immediately sent Brock a private message. "Hello, Senior Brock. I'm very interested in the seminar you mentioned. It isn't very convenient to talk here, so if possible, let's add each other and discuss it in detail. My Piplup account is—"

He did not foolishly wait for a reply. After sending the message, Xia Chen hurriedly got up and headed out.

If he did not leave now, he would be late for school.

As everyone knew, most of the first day of school was spent collecting textbooks, bragging with classmates you had not seen all vacation, and listening to the homeroom teacher ramble on.

The second day of school was when the nightmare began.

Xia Chen had not expected that even in a world where Pokémon existed, mathematics would still be something he could not escape.

The reason Pokémon classes had math lessons was supposedly because science had proven that mathematics trained a Trainer's thinking and allowed them to make timelier, more advantageous judgments in battle.

Xia Chen did not know whether that was nonsense, but as a student, he certainly could not fight the enormous education system. He could only accept it.

Eevee, meanwhile, lay asleep in the desk compartment. Although Xia Chen did not think it would be more comfortable than sleeping in a Poké Ball, for some reason, Eevee had a psychological resistance to Poké Balls.

It was as if she became uneasy whenever she stayed inside one for too long.

After all, she had once lived as a stray Pokémon. Perhaps she had some past experiences.

Xia Chen did not dwell on it and continued listening carefully to the dull, tedious math lesson.

Xia Chen did not particularly like mathematics, but if he wanted to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a laid-back Gym Leader, then the more prestigious the university he got into, the better.

With no resources or background but a clear plan for his life, Xia Chen would not miss any opportunity that could change his fate.

Fortunately, high school mathematics in this world truly was only meant to train one's thinking. Having struggled through another world on hell difficulty, Xia Chen handled the pressure with ease.

The dismissal bell rang, and the classroom gradually erupted with noise—not only because the torment of math was finally over.

It was also because the next class was the one everyone had long been looking forward to: Pokémon Battle.

Several hundred kinds of Pokémon had been discovered in this world so far, and each had different traits and habits. Systematically teaching Pokémon Battle was no simple task.

The students' Pokémon also varied widely, so schools in different places used different methods of grouping them.

By Egg Group. By size. Or, more roughly, by land, sea, and air.

Gucheng High School had ample teaching staff, so naturally it was not so stingy. Instead, it assigned a dedicated teacher to each type.

Third-year students attended classes in small groups divided by type, making a total of eighteen small classes.

Because of the differences between types, class sizes varied greatly as well.

The Psychic, Ghost, Dragon, and Fairy type classes, which were relatively rare, had very few students. Even combined, they had fewer people than Xia Chen's class—the Normal type class.

Xia Chen looked at the Pokémon packed tightly around him: Meowth, Sentret, Buneary, Happiny...

Hmm? Why was there a Doduo here? Wasn't it a Normal type and Flying type Pokémon?

Why had it not gone to the Flying type group? Why insist on coming to the Normal type group to compete?

Faced with this question, Doduo's Trainer looked deeply resentful. "Because it's a Flying type Pokémon that can't fly, I'm afraid Doduo will be laughed at by the other Pokémon, so I came to the Normal type group."

Xia Chen nodded in understanding. He understood, he understood. Groudon wholeheartedly approved.