The real Pokémon world was no different. Vulpix were rather precious, with great value both as battle partners and for their beauty.
Pokémon High School didn't keep Pokémon of that caliber... This one belonged to Qiu Yan.
With her unusual bearing and impressive Pokémon lineup, why would a family like hers leave their child studying at a lousy school in the middle of nowhere?
"Class 1-B, Qiu Yan."
"Has mastered Normal-type, Fire-type, and Poison-type energy. Energy Chakra confirmed open."
Even though they already knew the results, Iron Pipe's announcement still drew gasps of amazement.
Together with the well-raised Pokémon by her side, that made Qiu Yan the undisputed top student of the first year.
Then there was Xiao Chun...
He went up nervously, took the test, exchanged a few quiet words with the teacher, then suddenly let out a "Woohoo!"
"I can consistently sense Normal-type energy now!"
He had already been able to vaguely sense Normal-type energy. After Shen Qi's advice, a few days of sheer determination had actually worked a miracle, taking him another step forward.
Still, the gap between him and the girl he liked was enormous...
"Brother Chun, you're fucking awesome!"
"That's our Brother Chun!"
His buddies around him were still using the nickname "Brother Chun" that had stuck since the photography activity. They laughed and cheered together, without all those worries about what lay ahead. They were simply happy for their good friend's achievement, nothing more.
With the final Fundamentals of Energy Communication assessment over, the first semester's classes and exams came to a close.
The two-month summer vacation opened its arms like the blazing sun.
"Ahem..." On the platform, Teacher Jixiang cleared her throat. "Please return to your classrooms to note down your summer arrangements and homework."
"Awww!"
Reminded that they still had homework, the students filled the auditorium with groans.
Only after the class meeting ended did their gloomy faces brighten again. Now they could truly race toward summer vacation.
"Shen Qi, thank you so much."
Xiao Chun, seated beside him, was still beaming with the joy of successfully sensing energy.
"Don't mention it. Don't slack off too much over the break, either."
Pokémon High School remained open Monday through Friday during summer vacation. Students still trying to form bonds with Pokémon could come to school as usual, giving them more time to work toward becoming Pokémon Trainers.
"I won't." Xiao Chun clenched his fists. "I told my family I'm going somewhere else to work over the summer. I'll find a job that lets me interact with Pokémon. I don't mind getting paid less."
Xiao Chun had remembered Shen Qi's advice to spend more time around Pokémon.
Shen Qi just hadn't expected him to go this far. Island 6 had practically no jobs that fit the bill. He would have to go elsewhere-to the more prosperous Islands 1 and 2, or to Kanto.
"Good luck."
"Yeah!"
Around him, students were making plans in small groups to visit Island 6 Main Island or head elsewhere. Shen Qi quietly packed up his stationery.
Ever since the morning's assessment ended, Shen Qi's mind had already left school behind. His head was full of summer plans.
Students with excellent grades received less homework. He would start as soon as he got home and finish off his small pile of assignments by tomorrow.
Tomorrow night at 10 p.m., on Trail Mountain: Island 6's Tsareena versus Shan Sheng of the Perilla Racing Team.
He definitely had to watch the race. Whether Lilligant won or lost didn't really matter. Winning would be wonderful, but if she lost, they could work harder in the future. After all, Shan Sheng objectively had the stronger setup.
Next week, Chansey would return, and she would count as Shen Qi's Pokémon for sure.
With two months of vacation, he would have plenty of chances to visit Lilligant and raise her route progress.
"Speedy Hot Girl" was currently at 73%. He would use the break to push it to 90%, or even max it out.
It didn't matter whether Lilligant entered a Poké Ball before fulfilling her wish. Shen Qi would firmly steal her heart first.
Once he reached that point, if everything continued going smoothly, he could activate the [Script Detector] during summer vacation and try to find the next unknown scenario.
With his current finances, raising two Pokémon while slowly working on a third would definitely be manageable.
Summer vacation, here I come!!!
Chapter 56: Car Badge Duel
As the night deepened, Shen Qi put down his pen and shook out his aching wrist.
From the start of vacation yesterday until tonight, he had spent every moment outside his usual meals and rest rushing through homework.
Even with Shen Qi's excellent grades and the smallest workload, finishing everything in just over a day had left him exhausted.
The written homework was done. A few routine energy cultivation exercises remained, but those were no big deal.
The time was now 9 p.m.
In another hour, Lilligant's showdown with Shan Sheng would begin.
Shen Qi started the Little Sheep and rode toward Trail Mountain, turning onto a side road at the junction halfway up.
This road led to an old mine on Island 6. Built to handle heavy cargo transport, it was every bit as good as the main road outside. Once the ore ran out, the mining grounds had been abandoned after some basic revegetation work, but the road remained.
On his way up, he could already see objects resembling red glow sticks standing on either side of the junction.
Racers had to apply to the Island 6 Security Bureau and receive approval before holding races like this late at night or on deserted stretches of road.
Unless they took place on abandoned roads, private roads, or dedicated tracks, even amateur races had to follow these safety procedures.
"It's lively here."
The platform where the mining operations had once stood was ablaze with lights. With summer vacation coinciding with the weekend, nearly two hundred spectators had gathered. Add in the organizers from Island 6's docks and the wild Pokémon watching the fun, and the noise rose from every direction.
Shen Qi parked the Little Sheep by the roadside. The two race cars were already driving laps.
Shan Sheng had fitted brand-new semi-slick tires. At high temperatures, they gained traction much like slick tires, but they also worked normally when cold. They weren't as demanding as full slicks, which couldn't be used for open-road racing.
"Lilligant, I'm here."
At close range, Shen Qi's thoughts reached her directly through the game interface.
[Okay, I'm warming up the car.]
"Did you get Semi-Slick Tires too?"
[No... Those are so expensive. I spent my money on the brakes.]
Lilligant's car had already been upgraded with four-piston Big Brembo Calipers, which were more powerful than standard brake calipers. This time, she had fitted new racing brake pads.
Standard brake pads could only handle operating temperatures of around two hundred degrees. Under aggressive driving, exceeding that temperature would severely reduce braking performance, or even wear the pads away entirely.
Shen Qi had provided a textbook example of what not to do. When he chased Lilligant, his brakes had sounded like a knife being sharpened toward the end. The pads had actually worn away, leaving their metal backing grinding directly against the brake discs. It had been extremely dangerous.
Lilligant's racing brake pads could still provide consistent braking even at four hundred degrees.
The drawback was that they needed warming up. Until they reached one or two hundred degrees, they performed worse than the original standard pads.
They were a little like slick tires, which offered less grip than ordinary tires before reaching the right temperature.
"Lilligant, don't put too much pressure on yourself."
Shen Qi still felt the same way. He wasn't that fixated on winning or losing.
She should give it her all and aim for victory. If she lost, it would just be one attempt at a countryside race.
[I know. I have no advantage in Racing, and I'm at a disadvantage on the Pokémon side.]
Lilligant had to drive and place moves in the Skill Slots herself. That inevitably divided her attention and caused delays, making her less coordinated than a Pokémon Trainer paired with a Pokémon partner.
Her past races had all been the same. Those were the constraints she faced.
Hearing Lilligant assess things this way, and seeing no additional ominous warnings from the narration, Shen Qi relaxed.
Actually, when it came to a racer's mindset, Lilligant certainly had more experience than Shen Qi. She had weathered life-and-death crises. There was no need to worry too much about her.
"Shen Qi."
A familiar voice called from behind him.
"Uncle Dev, you all came too."
The people nearby all ran small businesses at the Market. A row of Little Sheep scooters stood parked by the road.
"It's been ages since we watched a race. The Market opens later tomorrow, and this race happens to be pretty special."
The vendors had no concept of taking weekends off. But since workers with weekends off got up later, the Market also opened later, giving the vendors something like half a morning of free time.
While Shen Qi chatted with the islanders, Shan Sheng stopped his race car and walked over to the other side.
Lilligant knew he wanted to talk, so she stopped her car too and lowered the window a crack.
"Tsareena, I hope you'll give it everything you've got today."
Lilligant nodded. "Of course."
Shan Sheng couldn't understand Pokémon speech, so the Pidgey on his shoulder translated for him.
With training, birds capable of learning Mirror Move could communicate directly in human language. With their enormous population, Pidgey were the most common translators.
"No, I want both of us to stake our honor as drivers and have a serious showdown."
Shan Sheng traced a circle with his finger. "Car Badge Duel."
It was a racing-world custom. Instead of wagering money on the result, the loser handed their car's emblem to the winner. Unless they won it back in a rematch, they weren't allowed to replace the emblem for six months.
Using Car Badge Duel rules gave the race something of the air of a knightly duel. As Shan Sheng had put it, a driver's honor was at stake.
Lilligant shook her head. Other cars could take part in a Car Badge Duel, but not this one.
It was a keepsake from her former Pokémon Trainer. How could she risk losing its emblem?
"Think it over." A strange smile curved Shan Sheng's lips. "I've already learned where this car came from. Quite a story. What a shame if you can't stake your honor on a race."
Where the car came from...
At those words, Lilligant's pupils trembled violently...
Ever since taking possession of the pink race car, Lilligant had lovingly cared for it. Through every replacement part and every round of maintenance, she had never changed its original appearance.
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