Another period of time passed.
Owen, Eevee, and Magnemite were still "freeloading" at the Aurelia General Hospital. At first, it was an adjustment, but after a while, it became quite addictive.
For Eevee, aside from the mediocre Wi-Fi, the food and high-end nutritional supplements were better than what she got back in Fairview.
However, while living off the grid and skipping class was tempting, Owen was still well aware of his responsibilities as a student.
He actually... really wanted to go back to school.
Because the Provincial High School Pokémon League was about to begin!
Since the start of the second semester for the seniors, Fairview No. 1 High School had undergone nearly two months of intensive training and selection.
The final seven official members of the school team had finally been confirmed. Although he heard the school had kept his name on the starting roster, Owen was still worried he wouldn't make it back in time.
He looked at the physical exam notice for Eevee in his hand and let out a long breath. This should be the final check-up.
During their two-month stay in Aurelia, Eevee hadn't shown a single abnormal symptom. This was incredible news. It meant that as long as this last test came back clear, they could finally be discharged and return to school.
News from Fairview
Leo: "Boss, the competition is starting soon. You can make it back, right?"
Owen: "Should be no problem."
Leo had messaged Owen to check in.
Leo: "That's a relief. Without 'Goddess Eevee' carrying us, I'm feeling a bit anxious."
Owen: "???" Why is it Eevee carrying you and not me?
Leo: "By the way, Boss, check this out."
Leo: "[Munchlax_Sleeping.jpg] [Munchlax_Rolling.jpg] [Munchlax_BodySlam.jpg]"
Leo: "[Munchlax_SleepTalk_Combo.mp4]"
Leo sent over three photos and a video. In the photos, Munchlax was fast asleep, but its body was busy: Ice Punch, Rollout, Body Slam! One move per photo. In the video, the sleeping Munchlax transitioned between these moves with fluid, violent precision.
Leo: "Hehe, Boss, Munchlax's Sleep and Sleep Talk combo is getting smoother and smoother. How's Eevee doing? She can probably use Shadow Ball pretty well by now, right?"
Owen stared at the screen in silence. Well used? The power is practically approaching a Z-Move. He didn't want to say it for fear of crushing Leo's spirit.
Leo and Lynnea had visited Owen twice during the winter break. Once school started, Owen told them to focus on their studies and stop coming. Over the last three months (including the break), the original "Rising Star Project" trio had all made massive strides.
Owen was genuinely impressed by the Munchlax video. Normally, a Munchlax wouldn't improve this quickly, but considering Leo's "spend money like water" cultivation method, this level of performance was actually reasonable.
"Eevee, look at your teammate." Owen showed her the video.
"Vee~" Eevee spared it a glance and then pouted in boredom. She couldn't believe he interrupted her gaming for this. No matter how much the "little fatty" improved, he wasn't beating her! (The "little fatty" in Eevee's eyes referred to Munchlax, not Leo.
A bit arrogant, but... Owen scratched his head. Eevee had the right to be arrogant. She was the one with the biggest growth.
According to the doctors, Eevee's mental power was now on par with the "Ace" Pokémon of official team members from top-tier universities. And that was comparing her to Psychic or Ghost-types that specialize in mental power.
She was becoming more and more like the "Pikachu" of this world—a cute exterior hiding elite acting skills and terrifying strength.
Moreover, Eevee hadn't even fully tapped into her mental power advantage yet; it was mostly tied up in Substitute, Reflect, and Swagger.
If she could learn a direct mental attack, she could play with Leo's Munchlax like a toy. Even now, Owen suspected few rookie trainers could resist her Swagger.
With her boosted mental power combined with rage energy, she could essentially flash-fry the sanity of most opponents, leaving them confused and helpless.
Even Magnemite, who used to ignore Swagger, was now defenseless against it. These days, if it got hit, it wouldn't just be a Magnemite—it would be an "Exploding-with-Rage-Mite."
"Not bad, you've improved..." Owen typed back to Leo with the air of a hidden master.
Leo: "Emmm..."
From those four words, Leo deduced that Owen was either bluffing or had become even more of a monster. His gut told him it was the latter.
Owen chatted with Leo, catching up on the changes at school. The "Rising Star Project" had expanded from three members to five.
The new additions were the sturdy Caleb and a girl from the neighboring class, Dasha. This didn't surprise Owen, though their support level definitely wouldn't match the original trio's.
Additionally, Mr. Lee from the Psychology Club had restarted club activities and recruited four underclassmen. One was a computer genius who had won national awards and aimed for the National Defense University.
Before Owen's return, the school team captaincy had been temporarily handed to Lynnea. With a family heritage of professional training, Lynnea had progressed faster than Leo.
If it weren't for the strict training regimen for her "police dog" Growlithe, she probably would have used a Fire Stone by now. Once evolved, an Arcanine would be no weaker than the Magmar they faced from Ouzhou No. 1 High School.
"Everyone has changed so much," Owen mused.
It seemed his dream of using Magnemite to crush Leo and Sarah wouldn't happen immediately. Magnemite's progress had been steady—learning the new move Magnet Bomb—but its growth was more "by the book." It likely wouldn't see a massive leap in power until its evolution.
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