Can I Spend New Year at Your House?

Kieran blocked Mingyou outside the courtyard. He was wearing Blueberry Academy's autumn uniform, which he apparently hadn't changed out of since leaving school for the break.

Everything else about him was different. His hairstyle had barely changed, but his face was grim, and his eyes... They held the dark look of someone willing to do anything to get what he wanted.

He's changed way too much...

Mingyou studied him. Kieran now gave him the same feeling as the Ogre in the Kitakami story—the one that had killed the Loyal Three—even though Mingyou knew that story was false.

Beside him, Akari shook her head helplessly and nudged his arm with her elbow. "He's one of the Blueberry League's Elite Four now. He's strong, so be careful..."

"Huh?"

Mingyou stared at her in confusion.

One of the Pokémon League's Elite Four? Was she kidding? Had Red possessed him, or had he suddenly acquired some kind of system cheat? How could he have improved that much in just a few months?

"I mean the Blueberry League at Blueberry Academy. It's basically a ranking for an in-school competition. First place is the Blueberry Champion, and Kieran is currently fifth—the lowest of the Elite Four."

Akari's explanation cleared it up. She had really startled Mingyou for a moment. He'd thought Kieran was an actual member of the Elite Four, but it was a school ranking.

Still, at a school like Blueberry Academy, where education centered on Pokémon battles, reaching the top five said plenty about his strength and talent.

He's worked hard!

Whatever else had happened, improvement was a good thing.

Akari sighed and shook her head. "Working hard is good, of course. But he won't even listen to Carmine anymore. He snaps at her, and he never holds back in school matches. He's left