"Quick! Quick! Quick! Elm, go get King's Rock!" Witherwood was already impatient, and Elm, being a workaholic, hurried out at once.
Tetsuya let out a long sigh. He had not even eaten dinner yet. Could he not even manage to get a meal at their Laboratory?
Soon Elm brought King's Rock. Witherwood placed King's Rock on Poliwhirl's head, but there was no reaction.
"Could it require some external condition…?" Witherwood circled around Poliwhirl.
"Try putting it into a Poké Ball and Transfer it once, and it will evolve… oh! But I do not know the reason either."
Tetsuya gave a half-reminder and half-feigned ignorance before sitting aside.
"Professor, it must be stimulated by the special electromagnetic waves of the Pokémon transfer device!" Elm said eagerly.
Witherwood nodded. "Quick, try it."
Next, Elm recalled Poliwhirl into a Poké Ball and Transferred it once between the two transfer devices in the Laboratory.
When Poliwhirl was released again, its body emitted a dazzling white light.
Witherwood and his student both stared fixedly at Poliwhirl, wishing they could press their eyes closer!
One truly had to admire these researchers…
Their pursuit of research results had already reached a fanatical level!
Thinking about it, was not his own pursuit of power and strength equally fanatical? It was just that what they pursued was different, but in essence, was it not the same?
After the white light faded, a Politoed appeared before the two of them.
"Wond… wonderful… wihahaha! It seems we will be preparing papers all night again~" Witherwood was already stirred with excitement. At this moment, his mental state did not resemble that of an old man at all.
"I will go prepare the materials!" Elm said and was about to leave.
At this moment, Witherwood seemed to remember something and said, "Wait! Put this matter aside first. There is something important I must handle…"
After saying this, Witherwood walked to Tetsuya and said, "Tetsuya, give me your ID Card. I will handle your scholar certificate."
"It can be processed now!?" Tetsuya was somewhat surprised.
"Of course. Professor Witherwood is currently the chairman of the Pokémon Research Association. All Pokémon scholar certificates are issued from him. Arranging one for you is a matter of minutes," Elm said.
This saved him quite a bit of time.
---◓---
Soon, a Pokémon scholar certificate symbolizing authority was placed into Tetsuya's hands.
"You are now a registered Pokémon scholar within the League. The certificate contains your identification number. You may check your information on the computer," Witherwood said.
Tetsuya checked his identification number on the computer. Sure enough, his identity information now included a [Pokémon Scholar Certificate], along with an achievement listing him as an important member of the research team for Politoed's Evolution.
It seemed that Witherwood was truly not bad. He had even added an achievement for him.
Tetsuya put away the certificate and said, "Many thanks, Professor."
"It is I who should thank you. I see that at such a young age you already have such insight into Pokémon research. Why not let me recommend you to Silver Academy to further your studies in Pokémon specialization? In the future, you will certainly achieve good results in the field of Pokémon research," Witherwood said.
Silver Academy is the highest institution in the Johto Region. It holds advanced teaching philosophies in Pokémon raising, research, and even battle. The entire academy is divided into several departments: the Pokémon Trainer Department, the Pokémon Breeder Department, the Pokémon Coordinator Department, the Pokémon Referee Department, and the Pokémon Researcher Department.
Countless outstanding Pokémon Trainers have graduated from Silver Academy.
This brings up the concept of academy-style Pokémon Trainers. Such Trainers account for a large proportion. Their advantage lies in having a very solid foundation of Pokémon knowledge.
In the wilderness, they can use what they have learned to avoid certain dangerous Pokémon. When Pokémon suffer minor injuries or fall into abnormal status conditions, they can also use available medicinal ingredients in the surroundings to provide timely healing. Compared to those who are ignorant of Pokémon knowledge, their chances of survival are much greater.
Another point is that they rarely make low-level mistakes in battle. Type advantages and move advantages are firmly memorized. By observing their teachers' battles or battle videos, they develop their own set of battle routines. When facing weaker opponents or Pokémon, they can handle them with ease.
On the arena of League competitions, academy-style Trainers can be recognized at a glance, because their battle styles are all similar and lack adaptability.
Even so, academy-style Trainers make up the vast majority of those who enter the main rounds of competitions. This is because many people are constrained by the Pokémon in their hands and by their own raising/training problems, leaving them at a loss against such routines.
Many academy-style Trainers achieve good results, yet very few reach the peak. Their theories and tactical routines help them achieve certain results, but they also limit their thinking and growth. Following rules rigidly and lacking flexibility predestines them to such achievements.
Any Elite Four member or even some powerful Gym Leader possesses their own unique battle style, with ever-changing tactics. It is absolutely impossible to easily grasp their weaknesses. They also possess mature team battle cores and can face all kinds of battles. Such things cannot be mastered without life-and-death combat, and they cannot be learned within an academy.
Moreover, regarding the foundational knowledge in the academy, he could only say that he was ahead of his time. He would never fall behind their educational standards. Therefore, he could only appreciate Witherwood's goodwill in his heart.
Tetsuya tactfully declined Witherwood. Witherwood nodded, simply indicating that Tetsuya had his own thoughts.
Soon Elm brought over two buckets of instant noodles. It seemed that the mentor and student were preparing to work through the night.
He himself did not have such energy. His stomach was already growling with hunger.
---◓---
There was no Pokémon Center in this small town. After leaving Witherwood's Laboratory, Tetsuya went to a restaurant in town and ordered some nourishing soup. Ditto had long since transformed back into a wristband on his wrist. Now it returned to its original form and began its dinner. After running all day, it was the most exhausted.
As for Golett's food, he took it out from Antel's backpack. Such high-investment Pokémon food was something he did not dare waste.
The food for Swinub and Piloswine was the same. However, the last bit of Everfrozen Ice had already been fed to the Shellder in Lake Slowpoke. Now that Swinub was present, Tetsuya could not conveniently take out Eternal Ice for Piloswine to lick, so they could only eat ordinary Pokémon food for the time being.