Chapter 54: The Sought-After Larvitar
The North Campus was huge, so electric transport carts were stationed everywhere for student use. These small carts could easily fit four people and were equipped with an auto-drive system.
Kenji set the destination, and the cart began to move, gliding silently through the neighborhood of identical four-story villas. The research lab wasn't far, and he arrived in about ten minutes.
Several other carts were already parked out front. Kenji got out and walked toward the entrance, where a woman in a white lab coat was waiting. She wore gold-rimmed glasses, and her blonde hair was tied up in a neat bun.
"Hello, Kenji-kun," she said with a bright smile, extending her hand. "I'm one of the researchers here, Ayumi."
Kenji was momentarily surprised but quickly recovered and shook her hand politely.
"If you don't mind, could you wait just a moment? The other student should be here any second," Ayumi requested.
Kenji didn't mind and nodded.
Just a couple of minutes later, another cart pulled up. A girl with short, white-dyed hair, wearing black shorts and a black t-shirt emblazoned with a large skull, stepped out.
Kenji glanced at her once before looking away.
"Hello," Ayumi said, repeating her introduction. "I'm Ayumi, from the lab. You must be Yuki?"
The white-haired girl just gave a "cool" grunt of affirmation and said nothing else.
"Please, follow me, both of you."
With both students present, Ayumi led them into the institute. As they passed through the main doors, Kenji looked around in amazement. Beyond the entrance, a single path led toward the main building, flanked on both sides by vast, open-air ecosystems—sprawling grasslands, ponds, and small forests.
He could see starter Pokémon like Bulbasaur and Torchic playing in the grass, while rarer Pokémon like Horsea and Marill swam peacefully in the ponds. It reminded him of Professor Oak's lab from the anime, a massive sanctuary where Pokémon roamed free.
These Pokémon, raised at the lab, clearly lacked the aggression of their wild counterparts. A small Eevee even waved at Kenji when it noticed him looking.
Yuki, in contrast, walked with her gaze fixed straight ahead, seemingly completely uninterested in her surroundings.
Ayumi led them into a secure room. Inside, under a heavy glass-domed case, sat three Ultra Balls. She scanned her fingerprint, and the case hissed open. She picked up the three Poké Balls and released the Pokémon inside.
Three small figures appeared.
One was a blue, serpentine Pokémon with large, violet eyes and white, fin-like "ears."
The middle one was a round, shark-like Pokémon. It was deep blue with a red underbelly, short, stubby arms, and even shorter legs.
The one on the far right was a greyish-green creature with a blunt horn on its head. It looked timid and shy, its red eyes darting around nervously.
"These three are the pseudo-legendary Pokémon native to our nation," Ayumi explained. "Dratini, Gible, and Larvitar."
As she spoke, Kenji was already scanning them.
Dratini
Level: 6
Ability: Shed Skin
Potential: C-
Gible
Level: 5
Ability: Sand Veil
Potential: C+
Larvitar
Level: 5
Ability: Guts
Potential: B
Of the three, the Larvitar had the highest potential.
"Alright, which one of you would like to choose first?" Ayumi asked.
"I want the Larvitar," Kenji said.
"That one," Yuki said at the exact same time, pointing.
Kenji followed her finger. Sure enough, she was pointing at the B-Rank Larvitar. Startled by the sudden attention, the small Pokémon yelped and scrambled to hide behind the Gible.
Ayumi raised an eyebrow, surprised that they had both chosen the same one.
"Uh... I'm afraid there's only one Larvitar," she said awkwardly.
Before Kenji could respond, Yuki turned to him, her expression cold. "Let's battle. Winner gets the Larvitar."
Ayumi's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "What do you think, Kenji-kun?"
Kenji nodded. "I have no objections."
Yuki glanced at the three Poké Balls on Kenji's belt. "3v3."
"Fine."
Neither of them was in the mood for small talk. Ayumi, looking pleased, led them to an indoor battle field.
"In that case, I'll be the referee," she volunteered, standing to the side.
Once Kenji and Yuki had taken their positions, Ayumi announced the rules. "This will be a 3-on-3 battle. Each trainer will use three Pokémon. You may not substitute your Pokémon during the match."
"Battle... begin!"
"Go! Gyarados!"
"Houndoom! Go!"
"ROOOOAAAAAR!"
A beam of red light shot from Kenji's ball, and his massive, blue Gyarados materialized on the field, its roar shaking the room. Having had time to grow, it was now a terrifying nine meters long, significantly larger than the 6.5-meter average.
Across the field, Yuki's Pokémon appeared: a large, black dog-like creature with a white, bone-like exoskeleton, massive curved horns, and a devilish, spiked tail. It looked like a true hellhound, crouching low and growling, ready to pounce.
Houndoom
Level: 39
Ability: Flash Fire
Potential: B+
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