The three of them walked into the vil. Julian headed to the kit to boil some water, preparing tea for his guests. While waiting for the water to boil, he grabbed a few snacks and pced them on the coffee table—mostly walnuts, apanied by other stuff.

  Watg Slowkier the kit again, Luis said enviously, "Brother Walker, your Slowking really takes care of everything!"

  Julian shrugged. "I don't know. My Slowking just likes taking care of the house."

  Slowking had only been introduced to the world today, and while there would definitely be more Slowking iure, not all of them would be like his. Whether they would have the same traits as his Slowking was uain.

  Luis hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Brother Walker, I ask you something?"

  Julian g him. "Sure, as long as you're not asking me how to boost your Aura abilities."

  "No, no, it's nothing like that!, it's definitely something you do," Luis shook his head quickly.

  "Do you still have any Kings Rock, Brother Walker?"

  With the emergence of Slowking, the key item for its evolution, Kings Rock, had bee widely known. Though it had been discovered many years ago, no one ks purpose until now.

  The number of Kings Rocks discovered had always been small. In the past, they were sold as decorative items, but retly, all the Kings Rocks on the market were bought up.

  With Slowking's sudden emerge's easy to figure out who bought them.

  For those who didn't already have Kings Ro their possessioing one now was nearly impossible.

  Currently, the price of Kings Rock had skyrocketed to 50 millio remained priceless due to its scarcity.

  Previously, people didn't know its use. Even if some were found i realms or ruins, they might have bee behind because they seemed unnecessary or cumbersome.

  Julian smirked. "I get why Walter would ask for one since he's a Water-type trainer, but you? You're aype specialist."

  Luis grinned. "Brother Walker, Id Water go hand in hand!"

  It was true—Many water-type Pokémon used various Ice-type moves, while fewer of the Ice-type used Water-type moves.

  Through TMs, Slowking could also learn many Ice-type moves.

  "Brother Walker, I'm not asking for it for free. I'll trade this Ice Stone for it."

  Luis pulled a small box from his pocket. Inside was a shimmering blue stone, cold to the touch.

  Ice Stones were much rarer than Fire, Water, or Thuones, and the one Luis held retty good—between high to top-level.

  Its value was more or less equal to that of a Kings Rock.

  Walter, standing beside him, held out his own offer. "I've got a Mist Gem for you."

  The Mist Gem could increase the power of Water-type moves.

  (T/N: couldn't find it, should be a AU thing.)

  Juliahe items for a moment. "Hold on."

  He went upstairs aurned with two Kings Rocks in hand.

  Meanwhile, Slowking had finished boiling the water and bought out the tea for the three of them.

  "Here, take these. You don't o give me anything iurn," Julian said.

  Handing the Kings Rock to both of them, Julian deed their offers of exge. The Ice Stone and Mist Gem were of no use to him, and his family had no she of such items.

  Seeing Julian's refusal, Walter hesitated for a moment, but Luis, standing nearby, wasted no time, accepting his with a grin. "Thanks, Brother Walker! You're the best!"

  "Don't just stand there. Take it," Luis said to Walter. "Do you really think Brother Walker needs your stuff?"

  At that, Walter finally accepted the Kings Rod said, "Thank you."

  Julian nodded. While Luis was more familiar and pyful, Walter was much more reserved.

  Julian had initially bought Kings Roanage certain family affairs. Even if he hadn't given it to Luis and Walter today, their family backgrounds meant they would eventually acquire one.

  Everyone in the special recruitment css came from well-off families, and Julian wasn't the type to act arrogant because of his own background.

  It made seo stay on good terms with them. Besides, her Luis nor Walter had bad personalities. Luis's cheeky attitude, calling him "brother this and brother that" so openly, made it hard for Julian not to give it to him.

  ---

  The scorg su down on the special css as they stood in formation, fag a dark-skinned instructor with a serious expression.

  Military training was something every uy student dreaded, and even after crossing in a world with Pokémon, there was no esg it.

  The instructor for their military training was a senior student from the Third Military Academy. His deeply tanned face made it hard to believe he was still a student.

  Thinking about this, Julian couldn't help but recall Will, who was also at the Third Military Academy. When they meet again, Julian imagined he might be just as sunburned.

  With his strong physique, though, military training was hardly a challenge for Julian.

  It had been more than two hours sihey started, and although his body could ha, he was still feeling the exhaustion.

  Finally, the instructave them a break.

  The training ground was shared by several csses. Nearby, students from the Fighting css were also taking a break.

  (T/N: for anyone whot cough-me, csses were divided acc to types except for the special css)

  Suddenly, three boys and one girl from the Fighting css approached the special recruits.

  "Hey, you recruits over there! Any of you brave enough to spar with us?"

  The one leading the group was a muscur boy named Kong, his military uniform stretched tight over his biceps.

  All the members of the special css came from aristocratic families, and that sense of superiority rahough it had been tempered by their elders.

  So, when someone dared to shout at them, Luis was the first to step up. "Who dares to act wild in front of me?" he said.

  Fatigued from military training and full of pent-up frustration, Luis wasn't going to let this challenge slide. "You, with the sy arms and legs—e over a's see what you've got."

  The boy s Luis. "I am afraid you won't even be able to take o"

  "I've been training in martial arts since I could walk. You're about tret that" Luis said fidently.

  Julian hadn't expected that Luis knew martial arts ahat he had uimated him.

  Luis who was boasting so fidently leaned over and whispered in Julian's ear, "Brother Walker, stop me."

  Julian: (??_?)

  "Step aside Luis, I will take him on!"

  Before the situation could escate, kate stood up a out a sharp shout, full of energy.

  "Okay"

  Luis sat down obediently.

  There were three Fighting-type trainers in special css, two girls and one boy, whicluded Kate and Shen.

  "Kate, Baguazhang."

  "Warren, Xingyiquan."

  (T/N: Expi the end of chapter, plus something else I want to say too)

  Both reported to each other about their respective martial arts.

  The instructor didn't interfere, and soon the surrounding military training csses gathered to watch, f rows to give the two enough space.

  "Shen, which is stronger, Xingyiquan uazhang?"

  Luis came to Shen and asked in a low voice.

  Shen shook her head. "It's not about which style is stronger. It's about who's the better fighter."

  "e on, Kate! Show him who's boss!"

  Luis shouted enthusiastically.

  ****

  T/N: Baguazhang: It is one of the three main ese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being tai chi and xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice. Baguazhang literally mea trigram palm", referring to the bagua "trigrams" of the I g, one of the s of Taoism. It is a versatile martial art, suitable for self-defense and petition. Its circur movements allow practitioo adapt to multiple attackers and ging situations, making it an effective system for real-world self-defense sarios.

  Xingyiquan or Xingyi: It is also known as "Form-I Fist" or "Mind-Form Boxing," is a traditional ese martial art that emphasizes internal energy (qi) cultivation for bat effectiveness. Overall, It is a traditional ese martial art that focuses on internal energy cultivation, powerful movements, and coordiraining. Its unique blend of physical teique aal i offers practitioners a path to martial excellence, personal growth, and self-discovery.

  -Now for the thing I wao tell everyone, Just to be clear, I haven't gotten anythiive reted to this yet but just in case:

  As you guys have noticed I leave some things that are ese as it is like food and martial arts or there might be more and I do that as a respect to the author's culture and in. These things to me are not iegory of nationalism we see in the novels but just a part of one's culture, and to those who might say but this is a Pokémon fanfic, yep absolutely a Pokémon fanfic taking p a on alternate Earth, so yeah if they don't sit well with some, I 't do anything about that.

  Now that we are doh that, I want to say thank you guys for all the love and support you have given to this so far. I really appreciate it.

  Thanks a lot to all of you <3.