"Ding~"

  "Who is it?"

  Zoe looked at her pho was a message sent by Frank, followed by a proud face emoji.

  "My student had taken down nine, he is bound to defeat all ten. My students are s—are you envious?"

  "You really feel like you've won, huh?"

  On the Imperial Capital Uy side, Frank scoffed at the reply.

  Frank: "Seriously? Ag all high and mighty even now? Say something nice, and maybe I'll have Julian take ten minutes with your top student just to save you some face."

  Zoe: "Watch it, kid. You'll see soon enough."

  Nearby, Luis noticed his homeroom teacher's quick typing and ging expressions and nudged Hugo beside him.

  "Looks like Teacher Frank is texting his girlfriend," he whispered.

  Hugo raised an eyebrow. "You sure? He looks pretty angry to me."

  Luis grinned. "You don't get it. Women are creatures that men love and hate at the same time."

  "Oh? you talk like you have a girlfriend?"

  "ly. but I am ri theory."

  Frank put his phone ba his pocket and focused on Acacia across the venue. He could sense Zoe's fiden her from her words.

  Even if Acacia mao defeat Metagross, could she really take down the rainers behind him?.

  The world didn't have many prodigies like Julian. Frank doubted Acacia to be one of them.

  Across the field, the oppo had already taken out her Poké Ball. It wasn't any ordinary Poké Ball but a unique one—half green, half white.

  The Friend Ball: when a wild Pokémon is captured with it, it immediately bonds closely with the Trainer.

  At present, Friend Balls could only be found in ruins, and there were no manufacturihods found to produce them in the real world.

  Because of its ability to quickly increase the bond with a newly caught Pokémon, this Poké Ball was especially suited fh-level Pokémon that could be found i realms. It saves the Traiime in building trust, redug the risk of disobedience or desertion.

  What kind of Pokémon would be worthy of this rare ball?

  With the Friend Ball opening, Julian and the entire audience soon saw the Pokémon emerge.

  A flying Pokémon appeared in front of everyone.

  Its feathers an ice-blue so clear they looked as if they were crafted from ice. It had a of three dark blue, prism-shaped feathers on its head, red eyes, and a long, streamer-like tail.

  As it fpped its wings, moisture in the air densed into frost and snow, swirling around it in a mesmerizing dance.

  Looking at this Pokémon, the se felt like someone had hit pause. A deep, deathly siletled, with everyone frozen in their previous as.

  All eyes were on the majestic creature, mouths slightly open.

  They looked at the dang figure on the field in disbelief, as if they were seeing an illusion, closing their eyes, opening them again, and the se still remaihe same.

  "Artio"

  Julian whispered, looking at the Pokémon in front of him in surprise.

  Pokémon: Artio (Ice/Flying)

  Level: 60

  Qualification: Blue

  Ability: Pressure

  Item: Never-Melt Ice

  Gender: No Gender

  Moves: Gust, Mist, Powder Snow, Reflect, Ice Shard, Agility, A Power, Tailwind, Freeze-Dry, Roost, Ice Beam, Snoe, Hurrie, Haze, Freezing Gre, Sheer Cold

  Disc Moves: Hyper Beam, Light S, Icy Wind, Protect, Steel Wing, Icicle Spear, Avanche, Blizzard, Brave Bird, Air Ssh, Hail

  Geic Moves: None

  (T/N: There's no record or mention of Artio"s gender anywhere, some believe they are all female or male while others say it's a ratio of 1:1 and then es people who say it's gender less-that's what we are going with)

  --

  Artio, a Pokémon both Id Flying type, known as one of the three Divine Birds, is a sight few Trainers ever witness in person.

  Alongside Moltres and Zapdos, Artio is a legendary Pokemon.

  Though known as a legendary Pokémon aremely rare, a few lucky individuals have mao capture an Artio or endary Pokémon.

  Drakoria's Fire-type Elite has a Moltres, the Electric-type Elite from Aurantia has a Zapdos, and in a try ireme north, ae Trainer holds an Artio.

  (T/N: Aurantia is Australia)

  These three divine birds were among the most frequently discovered and captured of the known legendary Pokémon, though this was only retive to endary Pokémon.

  All three birds had been captured at some point, and many had seen videos, pictures, and other materials about them—though only through the i or books.

  Yet here, before everyone's eyes, was a live Artio, s gracefully, reminding everyohis was no s image but a living, breathing Pokémon.

  "Wooo!"

  The crowd erupted in deafening cheers, the audience's voices filling the sky above the field. Most people stared at Artio with a mix of awe and fanaticism.

  "Incredible! We're really seeing an Artio!"

  "My mom's asking why I'm kneeling to watch this live!"

  "This move from Shu Uy shows that it's still at the top"

  "Imperial Uy, the pressure's on you now!"

  Ian stared at Artio, feeling a pang of hopelessness. With a Pokémon like that on Acacia's side, how could he ever hope to keep up?

  "How did she mao find and cat Artio?" Luis murmured.

  Frank finally uood where Zoe's fiden Acacia came from—it was clear she'd known about Acacia's Artio all along.

  Artio had always inhabited the special advanced secret realm known as the Land of Extreme I Drakoria. Many from top families had vehere, hoping to capture it, yet most left without even a glimpse of its shadow.

  The Willow family had retly made an attempt as well, and now it seemed they had succeeded.

  This Artio though, was only at peak Advanced-level, it was likely a desdant of the one in the secret realm.

  "Iing"

  Julian murmured, a smile f. A legendary Pokémon was the perfect challenge for his Metagross, giving it the final push toward the pseudo-Elite level.

  After defeating her Pokémon, his level 59 Metagross was nearly at level 60. If not for its pseudo-legendary status, it would have already broken through.

  "You surrender now"

  Although Acacia's tone was calm, her expression radiated an unmistakable air of aloofness.

  With Artio by her side, she truly had the leverage to look down on her peers—and even some of the eion.

  "Oh?, Arrogant, are we?"

  Julian's voice turned icy. Although a child of an aristocratic family, he cked the pyful attitude ong his peers. Yet, deep down, a quiet pride always existed in his heart.

  He wasn't oo tolerate arrogance directed at him.

  Artio or not, Metagross was about to prove its strength.

  "Meta!"

  Metagross positioself in front of Julian, and in that moment, its intense gaze seemed te with Julian's own.