Entrance Examination

The third day was the time when the college entrance examination scores were announced. Xiao Ran undoubtedly became the top scorer of the college entrance examination in Nancheng, and his score of 713 points made everyone feel despair. In addition, both Ye Ling and Jiang Cheng successfully reached the score line for Nanjing University, while Shen Yue's score was somewhat worse. However, as the daughter of a Gym Leader, she possessed special admission privileges and could therefore likewise enter Nanjing University to study.

"Classmates, after today, everyone will be scattered to the four corners of the earth, so I plan to use the remaining class funds to organize one last graduation trip. The location is set near Sweet Spring Lake next to Nancheng. How many people are willing to go?" After finishing the final class meeting, Tyranitar looked at the students under the podium and spoke.

Everyone had been classmates for three years, and with the college entrance examination in the past, from then on they would be scattered to the four corners of the earth. Some had been admitted to a Pokémon University, some to ordinary universities, and some had not passed anything at all. But without a doubt, from then on everyone's status and standing would be completely different, and wanting to sit together and play or fool around like this again was basically impossible. Pokémon Trainers and ordinary people were a world apart to begin with, so for many people, this might be the final collective activity among all classmates.

"Let's go together!" Jiang Cheng threw an arm around Xiao Ran and finished speaking.

"Go, go, go, sign me up!" Shaking his head helplessly, he figured he had nothing special to do during the summer vacation anyway, so taking a trip would be nice.

"NICE! Let's go! Let's go!" Jiang Cheng said excitedly, having already run over to Tyranitar to sign up.

There were forty-eight people in the whole class, and no one refused to go. In the end, Tyranitar set the departure time for a week later. Once the matter was settled, everyone scattered in all directions. Some who had tested well arranged to go play somewhere, while others who had failed to get into university waited to retake the exams or had already started looking for jobs. However, Xiao Ran and the others stayed behind, waiting to head to Pokémon University together.

Ordinary people only needed to wait for the results after filling out their college choices, but for those of them who had been admitted to a Pokémon University, there was still a very important matter, which was to attend the registration and practical examinations at the various Pokémon Universities. The college entrance examination scores were merely a stepping stone; the subsequent practical examination was the real key that determined whether one could successfully enter a Pokémon University.

This point was not a problem for Xiao Ran. He and Ye Ling belonged to the Awakened, and Shen Yue belonged to the Gym special admission, so the three of them only needed to report their arrival and did not need to participate in the university's practical examination. However, Jiang Cheng would not do, and he was also the only one among the four people who needed to take the test. He then dragged the three of them along to accompany him. Of course, Shen Yue wanted to go of her own accord; according to her, it was to watch how Jiang Cheng got beaten to a pulp.

This time there was no need to take the public bus. The school chartered buses to uniformly transport students to the various Pokémon Universities. The practical examinations started on the day the college entrance examination results came out and lasted for an entire month. As long as the enrollment capacity had not yet been filled, passing the examination resulted in immediate acceptance, and a teacher would take you to select your Starter Pokémon. The month or two of summer vacation was then a time for the school to observe the freshmen's ability to cultivate Pokémon, and whether someone was a dragon or a worm would be clear at a glance during the Freshman Tournament.

"What should I do? What should I do? I'm so excited! What Pokémon do you guys think I'll be assigned?" Standing in the Training Ground and watching those matches, Jiang Cheng said excitedly.

Since today was the first day, there were many people who had come to take the examination. After all, the earlier one passed the test, the earlier one could go pick a Starter Pokémon. Moreover, the enrollment quotas for each school were limited. While they said a month, a school like Nanjing University might not necessarily fill its quota for a full month, and perhaps it would be full in just a few days.

"What is there to be so excited about? If you still can't pass when you have a type advantage, then what kind of Pokémon Trainer are you trying to be? You might as well just go home and inherit the family business," Shen Yue curled her lip and dealt a blow.

Shen Yue, who had grown up living in a Gym, had seen plenty of Pokémon battles, and seeing the battles in the examination arena at this moment could not help but make her feel a little listless. The examining teachers were not even putting in much effort, yet the students being examined were utterly trashy. Clearly it was a situation of type advantage, but instead of using moves of the same type, they ran around using Tackle, or stood blankly in the arena without even knowing what they were supposed to do, which really made her feel worried about these people's futures.

"Nonsense! This kind of battle is naturally small potatoes to me. Just wait and see!" Jiang Cheng said loudly, and at that moment he happened to hear someone call his name, signaling that it was his turn to take the examination.

"Good luck!" Looking at the other's determined back as if marching to his death, Xiao Ran encouraged him.

Very soon, the three people sitting in the stands saw that burly figure in the No. 2 examination arena. Even from this far away, the few of them could feel the hand holding the Poké Ball trembling, but that was not fear, rather it was excitement and eagerness.

"This idiot, is he going to Crush Grip the Poké Ball to pieces out of excitement?" Shen Yue said as she stroked her forehead with a look of utter resignation.

"Haha, you never know about that!" Xiao Ran laughed, and at that moment Jiang Cheng finally summoned the Pokémon in his hand, whereupon a blue-and-white spherical Pokémon instantly appeared in the arena.

"Eh? What is this? Poliwag? It's Water-type!" Xiao Ran looked at the Pokémon Jiang Cheng had summoned and said.

"Mm, the one summoned by that examining teacher seems to be... Geodude? Rock- and Ground-type, the advantage is huge!" Shen Yue looked at the opposing Pokémon and said, her pretty eyebrows already slightly unfurling. Although she had constantly beaten down the other boy with her words, in her heart she was actually quite nervous.

"Yeah, I originally thought the examining teacher would use a Fire-type Pokémon, but I didn't expect it to be Geodude. It's even more afraid of water than ordinary Fire-type Pokémon!" Xiao Ran said.

According to data from the games in his past life, Fire-type Pokémon only took 2x damage from Water-type attacks, but Geodude, which possessed the Ground and Rock types, would suffer a full 4x damage if hit by a Water-type attack. Although this kind of calculation could not be directly applied to reality, it also illustrated from the side how thoroughly Poliwag countered Geodude.

"In that case, as long as this Poliwag has learned Water-type moves, then as long as it guarantees a hit, it basically wins," Ye Ling, who had been sitting quietly to the side all along, spoke up at this moment.

"Yes, as long as it can hit!" Xiao Ran shrugged and smiled.

Why was it that despite having a clear type advantage, a large number of examinees were still eliminated? A very large part of the reason was simply because their moves failed to hit the opponent.

Lacking combat experience and only knowing how to rush forward blindly—this was not a game where you take a hit and I take a hit; this was a real battle, and other people were not going to just stand there and let you hit them. That required tactics, layout, and creating that fleeting opportunity. These were not things that this bunch of newly graduated high school students possessed, which was why talent—a Pokémon Trainer's talent—was needed.

"Poliwag, use Hypnosis!" Amidst their chatter, the battle in the arena had already begun, and Jiang Cheng, whose heart was racing with excitement, did not wait and struck first.

"Status-class moves used first to test the waters—this Poliwag isn't bad; it has already learned Hypnosis," Xiao Ran praised when he saw those rings of invisible light waves spreading outward. Hypnosis was not something every Poliwag could comprehend.

"Dodge it, use Rock Throw!" Naturally, the examining teacher was not going to fall for it so easily. Poliwag's Psychic power was not strong, and wanting to evade its Hypnosis was quite easy. He then casually tossed a rock toward Poliwag.

"Pound!" Watching the Rock Throw hurtling straight toward them, Jiang Cheng did not have Poliwag dodge like other novices, but instead had it use Pound against the incoming stone.

"Nice!" Seeing the Rock Throw batted back, Shen Yan immediately praised. This counter-attack could be said to have been executed extremely beautifully.

It would be very difficult for Poliwag, currently executing Hypnosis, to dodge this Rock Throw. The best method was to use a move to smash the rock to pieces, but regardless of which move it was, none of them surpassed this Pound, which directly batted the opponent's attacking means right back in reverse.

Never mind them, even the teacher examining Jiang Cheng could not help his eyes light up at this moment. Finally, a fairly decent examinee had appeared; based on this single move alone, it was already enough to admit him. However, wanting to win against him just like this was impossible.

"Geodude, charge up and use Sand Attack!" Geodude was a Rock-type to begin with, so getting struck by a stone was of no consequence. At the examining teacher's command, not only did it refuse to dodge, but it actually charged straight ahead against the rock.

Jiang Cheng had not expected the opponent to actually do this, and flustered for a moment, he let the opponent close the distance. Struck by the Sand Attack, Poliwag's eyes could no longer open.

"Follow up with Tackle, finish it!" The examining teacher issued the final command to Geodude.

"Poliwag, use Water Gun on the ground, jump!" Seeing Geodude rushing over, Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth and shouted.

Hearing his words, Poliwag stopped worrying about the sand that had gotten into its eyes, its belly puffed out, and a thick column of water sprayed directly toward its feet, while its own body leaped high into the air, borrowing that momentum.

"Talk about a fast reaction!" Seeing Poliwag successfully dodge, Shen Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"It's not over yet. The crucial part is coming next!" Xiao Ran stared intently at the arena and said.

At this moment, Geodude, which was using Tackle, plowed headlong into the column of water Poliwag had not yet fully dispersed, suffering not-inconsiderable damage. However, the sand in Poliwag's eyes had not been cleared away, and it likewise lacked the ability to counter-attack, unable to provide a complete response to Jiang Cheng's orders for the time being.

"Geodude, Endure, then use Take Down!" Looking at Geodude's condition, the examining teacher knew the chances left for it to attack were running low. After all, the type disadvantage was extremely severe, and being able to fight to this point was already very good; the student opposite indeed possessed the qualifications for admission.

"Be careful, use Water Gun straight ahead!" Looking at Poliwag, which was still rubbing its eyes, Jiang Cheng shouted loudly. Fortunately, Take Down was almost impossible to redirect mid-charge, and Poliwag only needed to fire a Water Gun directly ahead.

This time Poliwag finally responded. Seeming to sense that crisis was approaching, it released a Water Gun straight ahead, hitting Geodude square in the body. However, Geodude, having used Endure, did not collapse from this; instead, it charged forward even more fiercely.

"Boom!" A violent roaring sound echoed. The ground where Poliwag was located was smashed into a large crater, and Geodude lay inside covered in injuries. At the same time, a blue figure slowly landed right beside it—it was Poliwag, which had just been continuously rubbing its eyes.