Ten days passed quickly. For an intermediate secret realm the size of several cities, ten days wasn't nearly enough time to explore every inch of it.
Most people who entered spent their time hunting for treasures. Along the way, they'd explore the realm, marking spots where they thought treasures might be hidden.
Julian, however, had an advantage—his trusty Dowsing Machine. The treasures he found outshone what the others could locate in that first wave of explorers.
Among his finds were Toxic Orb, rough diamonds, Mega Evolution stone, various evolutionary stones, and some special ores. But nothing compared to the Fire Crystal, the true treasure of the realm, which outclassed everything the others might have found.
Along with these, he also caught a cyan-qualified Slowpoke and a pseudo-Elite Steelix, making his trip even more fruitful.
As Julian emerged from the secret realm, he spotted his father, Jake, already waiting at the entrance.
Jake saw him and immediately walked over, looking Julian up and down with a scrutinizing eye. Satisfied that his son was unharmed, he patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Your mother's made dinner. She's just waiting for you to come back."
Jake didn't ask what Julian had gained in the secret realm. To him, the treasures were secondary.
It was only an intermediate realm, and with the Walker family's wealth, they could easily buy whatever treasures Julian might have found—except, of course, for the secret realm's core treasure.
His primary concern was Julian's safety and the experience he gained from the trip.
The second wave of explorers was due to enter the next day. Most of them came from aristocratic families outside Lake City but still within Yale Province.
It would take time for the secret realm to fully open to the public. Only after this second group of noble children emerged would other trainers be allowed entry.
It wasn't exactly fair to everyone, but in this world, fairness wasn't always guaranteed.
Once the realm opened for the general trainers, an abbreviated guide would be available for purchase.
This guide would be based on the information gathered from the first two groups of explorers, which helped balance the playing field between aristocratic trainers and those from ordinary families.
On the ride home, Julian filled Jake in on his findings.
When Jake heard about the cyan-qualified Slowpoke, his eyebrows rose in surprise. Then, as Julian listed off more—Toxic Orbs, rough diamonds, and the pseudo-Elite Steelix—Jake's shock grew with each item.
When Julian mentioned the Mega Evolution stone, Jake's eyes began to glaze over.
But the Fire Crystal, the realm's treasure, left him stunned into silence.
By the time they arrived home, Jake was still processing it all. Julian hopped out of the car and, without paying much attention to his dazed father, opened the front door. Instantly, he was greeted by the delicious aroma of home-cooked food.
"Son, you're back!"
Tina exclaimed, coming over excitedly. Like Jake, she gave Julian a quick once-over to make sure he was safe and sound.
She hadn't seen her son for ten days, and the relief on her face was obvious.
"Where's your dad?"
She asked, noticing Jake wasn't with him.
"Didn't he say he'd pick you up? Did you come back by yourself?"
A flicker of annoyance crossed her face. She was worried that Jake might have used Julian as an excuse to go fishing instead of picking him up.
"In the back," Julian replied, chuckling.
Moments later, Jake stumbled in, looking bewildered.
Tina gave him a confused glance. "What's wrong with your dad? He looks like he's in a daze."
Julian knew exactly why and laughed. "I think he's a bit… overwhelmed."
"Overwhelmed?"
Tina frowned, still not understanding what Julian meant, but she shrugged it off and turned her attention back to Jake.
"Come on, wash your hands. Dinner's ready."
"Okay, Mom." Julian grinned.
After ten days of takeout, Julian was more than ready for some of his mother's cooking.
Even though he'd been prepared for the trip, with plenty of meals packed, the taste of takeout couldn't compare to his mom's culinary skills.
Tina was a senior breeder, It was well known that most breeders had excellent cooking skills, her cooking—skills even surpassed that of a five-star chefs.
After a long stretch of mediocre food, Julian was eager to enjoy a proper meal.
-
Three days later, in the backyard forest.
Julian stood with Shellder and Slowpoke, who were meeting for the first time. Slowpoke's eyes lit up the moment it saw Shellder.
Usually slow and sluggish, Slowpoke suddenly bolted towards Shellder with surprising speed, planting its tail right in front of the clam-like Pokémon and turning to gaze at it expectantly.
Shellder, a little confused, stared at Slowpoke's tail. It didn't understand what Slowpoke wanted, but something about that pink, wiggling tail made it feel the urge to bite.
It inched closer, mouth open wide, getting ready to chomp down on the tail.
Just as Shellder was about to bite, Julian's hand shot out, blocking the attack.
That was too close. The pair had almost triggered an evolution that Julian wasn't ready for. He didn't want a Slowbro.
"Metagross, keep an eye on them. Don't let Shellder bite Slowpoke's tail."
"Meta~"
Metagross hummed, lifting Shellder into the air with its Psychic.
Slowpoke gazed up at Shellder, who now floated a few meters above it. The short distance between them felt like an unbridgeable gap.
Slowpoke's eyes were filled with silent, soulful disappointment, as if the evolution had slipped just out of reach.
Julian, sensing its mood, reassured Slowpoke.
"Be patient. You'll have your Shellder soon enough."
Slowpoke, with its perpetually goofy expression, was one of Julian's most adorable Pokémon. Though its blank stare made it look clueless, its sadness was almost palpable, and Julian felt a twinge of guilt.
Deciding to document the evolution, Julian set up a camera.
Slowking was an undiscovered Pokémon, a new evolution form of Slowpoke.
In order to obtain the rewards offered by the Trainer Association, it was necessary to record the key steps of this unique evolution.
With everything ready, Julian called Slowpoke over and placed a King's Rock on its head.
"Alright, Shellder, bite the King's Rock."
Metagross released Shellder, who instantly chomped down on Slowpoke's head.
A bright white light engulfed Slowpoke, signaling the start of the evolution. As the glow faded, Slowpoke stood transformed—now a Slowking, sporting a spiral crown and carrying itself with a regal air.
"Slow~"
But as it opened its mouth to speak, the illusion of grandeur shattered. The silly sound broke the kingly image immediately.
Julian couldn't help but laugh. Despite its royal appearance, Slowking's voice didn't match its new status at all. It still had that same endearing, goofy charm.
"Hello, Slowking"
Julian walked up to Slowking, extending his palm with a mix of surprise and pride in his eyes.
This was the first Slowking in the world.
"Slowking!"
Slowking responded, grabbing Julian's hand gently.
Slowking is a unique Pokémon, evolving only when it merges with another Pokémon—in this case, Shellder.
The shell on its head, which looks like a crown, is alive and can even be removed.
Legend has it that Slowking evolves when a Slowpoke gains sudden intelligence due to Shellder's bite, causing toxins to flow into its brain. This awakens its latent intelligence and grants it extraordinary abilities.
It's said that Slowking's intelligence is now comparable to the top scientists in the world.
However, if the crown is removed, it goes back to a state where even simple arithmetic like "one plus one" becomes a challenge.
Metagross gazed curiously at Slowking, admiring its regal look—hands behind its back and a crown perched on its head. The new Pokémon looked quite distinguished.
Pokémon: Slowking (Water/Psychic)
Level: 22
Qualification: Cyan
Ability: Oblivious
Held Item: Twisted Spoon
Gender: Female
Moves: Tackle, Curse, Water Gun, Confusion, Yawn, Disable, Water Pulse, Power Gem, Swagger, Headbutt
Disc Moves: None
Genetic Moves: Scald, Trick, Calm Mind, Psyshock
Having just evolved, Julian hadn't yet taught Slowking any Technical Machines (TMs)/CD/Disc.
"One more month, and I'll have you reach Advanced level"
Julian said to Slowking, mentally noting its current strength.
At this level, Slowking could only handle lower-level opponents. Against stronger Pokémon, it would be a challenge.
Afterall Slowking's basic stats were still pretty normal, not having gone through system enchantments yet, making it hard to battle above it's own level
He glanced at Metagross, now level 55 and nearing the peak of the Advanced tier. Metagross could battle Pokémon at much higher levels, a testament to its raw power and potential.
Slowking, however, still had some work to do before reaching that stage.
"Slow~"
Slowking nodded, already aware that, among Julian's team, it was second from the bottom in terms of rank—only stronger than Aron, who had been with Julian for less than two weeks.
"Let's head back home"
Julian said with a smile, and Slowking followed him back to the house.
"pffft"
Inside, Jake was sipping tea, and the moment he spotted Julian with an unfamiliar Pokémon, he spat his tea out in shock.
Love who was cleaning, silently wiped the tea off the table without a word.
"Julian, what kind of Pokémon is that?" Jake asked, still in disbelief.
"Oh, just another evolutionary form of Slowpoke," Julian said nonchalantly. "I stumbled upon it while doing some research. Guess I got lucky."
Jake, of course, didn't buy that explanation. New Pokémon evolutions hadn't been discovered in over a decade. Among the many Pokémon they study their main focus was on Eevee.
But many scholars had spent their entire lives studying Pokémon without such breakthroughs.
The idea that Julian had "accidentally" discovered a new form seemed like an obvious stretch.
Among the treasures Julian had found in the secret realm, there had been a priceless Fire Crystal. That discovery had already stunned Jake, but now this—an entirely new evolutionary form of Slowpoke—was even more shocking.
After all, it can be said that Julian was lucky enough to get treasures in the secret realm.
But being able to discover a new evolutionary form of Slowpoke was not a matter of luck. If you didn't have the relative research and foundation in this area, there was absolutely no possibility of this.
"Alright, seriously, how did you discover Slowpoke's new evolution?" Jake asked, his tone now more serious as he leaned forward.
At that moment, Love, the Indeedee, put down her cleaning rag and shot Jake an angry look for talking so harshly to Julian, she considered Julian her own cub.
"Ahem—I'm just worried he might go astray"
Jake muttered, noticing Indeedee's disapproving glare. He really didn't want to make his wife's Starter Pokémon angry. If it hadn't been for her, the process of chasing Tina would have been much smoother.
"Dad, don't worry," Julian said with a chuckle. "I didn't steal anyone's research. This is all my own work."
Julian understood why Jake was concerned. The idea that he might misuse his family's status to steal research was a valid worry.
If that happened, it wouldn't hurt the Walker family financially, but their reputation, built over two centuries, would be severely damaged.
Hearing this, Jake's expression softened. He knew his son well enough to trust that Julian wouldn't stoop to such things. He was just being overly cautious.
"You've really been researching Pokémon evolution?"
Jake asked, still finding it hard to believe.
Although he ruled out the possibility of Julian stealing other people's research results, he still did not believe that Julian had researched it himself. It was very likely that someone had helped him.
"Well, I've developed an interest. I'd like to become a part-time Pokémon scholar alongside being a Trainer. I bought a lot of books and research material not too long ago."
In order to reduce the doubts of his family to the greatest extent, Julian had done enough preparations.
Jake recalled helping Julian acquire various research documents from Pokémon scholars and labs, using his connections. It was clear Julian had done his homework.
"So, after reading books for just over a month, you managed to discover a new Pokémon evolution?" Jake asked, still skeptical.
"Yep. Your son's a genius," Julian replied with a grin
Jake, momentarily speechless, had to admit he was proud. His son was indeed talented, not just as a Trainer but also in Pokémon research.
He had done in a month what scholars couldn't achieve in decades.
"Wait, you need to tell your aunt about this. It'll benefit you," Jake said after a pause.
"I know. I already made a video recording of Slowking's evolution. I was just about to send it to her, but you stopped me here."
Julian's aunt was a well-known Pokémon scholar in Drakoria with a solid reputation both at home and abroad. In fact, she was considered a strategic asset, always accompanied by Elite bodyguards whenever she traveled for research.
Among John Walker's three children, Julian's aunt was by far the most accomplished, even more so than Henry, the wealthy businessman and Jake, the National Gym Leader.
After recording the video of Slowpoke's evolution into Slowking, Julian sent it to his aunt, Quinn Walker. However, he didn't hear back from her until later that night when she finally called. Julian figured she'd been busy all day, studying the video and not checking her phone.
Julian told his aunt the same thing he had told Jake earlier.
In terms of intellect, his aunt, a top-tier Pokémon scholar, was far sharper than his father.
While Jake had his doubts, Quinn believed Julian's story without hesitation.
It wasn't that Quinn was easier to fool than Jake, but she understood that sometimes the greatest discoveries come from unexpected accidents—often stumbled upon by those with a natural genius for the subject.
"Aunty, I'll send Slowking to you right away"
Julian said after chatting with her for a while.
His aunt hung up, reminding Julian to send Slowking over as soon as possible and instructing him not to announce the existence of Slowking until her research report was ready.
Julian knew the drill well. Other than his parents and Quinn, no one else knew about Slowking yet, although he assumed his father had already informed his grandfather.
With a Pokémon teleporter at home, it was easy to send Slowking to Quinn. He grabbed Slowking's Poké Ball and spoke to it.
"Slowking, you'll be heading to my aunt's place. Be sure to cooperate with her, okay? You'll be back soon," he assured.
The Poké Ball shook slightly, a sign of Slowking's understanding.
After placing the ball on the teleporter's slot and entering the coordinates, a quick flash of electricity signaled that Slowking was on its way to Quinn's lab.
At her lab near Norman, Quinn eagerly grabbed the Poké Ball as it arrived. The moment she opened it, Slowking appeared, standing calmly with its hands clasped behind its back.
Several of her assistants were present, their eyes lighting up with excitement at the sight of a Pokémon they'd never seen before.
Quinn's own gaze was the most intense of them all.
Even Slowking, usually unfazed by external reactions, felt a drop of cold sweat form on its forehead from all the attention.
Meanwhile, back at home, Julian was lounging on the sofa when he heard a knock on the door.
He stood up quickly and opened it, finding a Pidgeotto wearing a delivery helmet, clutching a takeaway bag in its talons.
"Pidge~"
"Thanks," Julian said with a smile, accepting the food.
The Pidgeotto gave a small nod before flying off to make its next delivery.
As Julian turned back inside, he was startled to find the family's steward/Housekeeper, Love, standing there with a disapproving look.
"Ah... you're still awake, Love?"
Julian asked awkwardly. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already eleven at night. Normally, Love would have retired for the night by ten, ready to prepare breakfast for the family in the early morning.
Love, known for her dedication to the family's well-being, was not a fan of takeout, as she deemed it unhealthy.
Julian felt a little guilty, knowing he'd been caught red-handed.
"Uh, it's just barbecue, not snail noodles or anything too smelly. And besides, I don't even like those. That's more Mom's thing"
Julian quickly explained, hoping to soften the steward's glare.
As a neat freak, Love had a strict rule against foods with strong smells, like stinky tofu or durian, and would be mortified if anyone dared eat them at home.
Love glanced at the takeaway bag, gave a resigned sigh, and retrieved a can of Coke from the fridge, setting it on the coffee table before heading back upstairs.
Love: "Rest after eating, and don't stay up too late playing on your phone"
Love instructed before disappearing upstairs.
"Yes"
Julian nodded like a good child.
Cute.JPG.
Julian exhaled, relieved. The pressure from Indeedee always felt similar to dealing with an Elite trainer—especially given how essential she was to the smooth running of their household. Julian knew better than to push his luck.
Even his mother, Tina, would tread carefully around Love. If she ever quit, the family's daily life would fall into disarray.
It was as if Indeedee was the backbone of their home life, just as much as Jake was the pillar outside.
Julian sat back down, opening the Coke. His eyes caught sight of the Pokémon endorsement on the can. The design had changed from Blastoise to Milotic, alongside a handsome middle-aged man known for his acting in Drakoria.
His partner, Mines the Milotic, was renowned for its Elite-level battle prowess.
As Julian unwrapped his barbecue, Meltan, who had been resting upstairs, appeared at his side, its little eyes fixed on the food.
"Here, but don't eat too much"
Julian said, handing Meltan a skewer of lamb.
Meltan accepted it gratefully, munching happily.
Just as Julian settled back to eat, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, seeing a message from Will.
Will: Hey, have you entered the new intermediate-level secret realm yet? It opens to the public tomorrow. If you haven't, we could form a team together.
Julian: I was part of the first batch, already been there.
Will: Damn! You lucky son of an aristocrat. Can you share some useful tips, brother?
Julian chuckled, recalling the second group that had probably just returned. It seemed like they were starting to prepare for the public opening.
Julian: Head southeast as soon as you get in, and keep going for about a day. There's a volcano area with some good finds.
Julian remembered that the Dowsing Machine had shown about ten red dots around the volcano's mouth, within a radius of 20km.
Julian had already claimed the most valuable treasure there, a fire crystal, but he knew the smaller ones could still be useful to Will.
Will: Thanks, bro! I will give a hug when we meet.
Julian: F*** off.
As his only friend in high school, Julian wanted to help Will whenever he could, and he was also optimistic about Will. If there was no accident, it was certain that the other party would become at least pseudo-Elite in the future, and more if he was lucky.
Although Will himself wanted to be a champion.
Finishing his meal, Julian tossed the empty Coke can to Meltan, who happily grabbed it, and he headed upstairs.
His room was peaceful, with most of his Pokémon already at rest, except for Steelix who was too big.
Metagross lay on its back, seemingly dreaming of something pleasant, while Lucario sat cross-legged, meditating. When the door creaked open, Lucario's eyes flicked open for a moment, but seeing Julian, it closed them again.
Dragonair had sprawled out on Julian's bed, its head and tail hanging off the sides, and Aron was gnawing contentedly on a rough diamond, occasionally blowing on it to examine its glittering surface.
Julian smiled. His Pokémon were more than just teammates—they were family.
"997, 998, 999, 1000."
Julian stood in the backyard, holding his Steelix as he finished his squats. Deep five-centimeter footprints were left in the ground beneath his feet. When the count reached 1,000, Julian threw Steelix onto the ground with a grunt of effort.
Steelix glared at Julian, a bit resentful.
Whenever Julian needed something, he would sweetly call Steelix, but as soon as he was done, all the love disappeared.
Julian's parents weren't home to witness this, and it was a good thing too. If they had seen him pulling off such a stunt, they'd probably think he had lost his mind.
"Ding! Daily task complete"
"Reward: 50 Meltan candies, 200 points."
Julian wiped the sweat off his brow, but he wasn't too tired. He muttered to himself, "Finally, I've collected 400 candies."
Meltan needed exactly 400 candies to evolve into Melmetal, its final form. Although candies could be purchased from the system store, Julian found them too expensive. He preferred earning them through daily tasks.
Julian wasn't in a rush to evolve Meltan. He tried to convince himself that he wasn't just holding onto his points, but deep down, he knew that was part of it.
Now that the 400 candies were finally collected, the thought of Meltan evolving into the Mythical Melmetal excited him.
After finishing his workout, Julian called his other Pokémon over: Metagross, Steelix, and Dragonair. Aron and Meltan trailed behind them.
He set out food for each of them.
Aron chomped happily on rough diamonds, mixed with a bit of fire ore.
Meltan, on the other hand, was more interested in Aron's discarded shell. It gnawed on the bits left over from Aron's last molt, its face lighting up with joy.
Meltan had a peculiar fondness for Aron's shell. While Julian had many other Aron shells stored away, Meltan preferred those from Julian's Aron itself, deeming the others worthless. Meltan was picky like that.
Meltan: Those are all rubbish.
Steelix, meanwhile, enjoyed its high-grade steel energy cubes.
It often thought about how its life had changed for the better since meeting Julian.
Leaving that secret realm behind and finding a human companion who fed it well and helped it grow stronger was the best decision Steelix had ever made.
All Steelix had to do in return was help in battles, and that was something it excelled at.
Steelix felt like it had struck the best deal of its life.
"Jigglypuff~ jiggly~...."
Just then, a familiar tune played on Julian's phone—a ringtone of Jigglypuff's song. It was Shen calling.
"Hey Julian, I'm already at the door."
"Oh, wait for me, I'll come let you in."
Julian hung up, realizing he had gotten so caught up in the excitement of collecting Meltan candies that he'd forgotten Shen was coming over.
He quickly went to open the door and led Shen inside.
"It's my first time at a national gym trainer's house. That battlefield out back is huge!" Shen exclaimed, amazed by the size of Julian's backyard.
For a trainer who could challenge a national gym, the minimum standard was pseudo-Elite, so the battle field had to be big.
"Yeah, it's alright," Julian replied, casually brushing it off.
"This is Love, our family's steward," Julian introduced, gesturing toward the Indeedee.
"This is an Indeedee right?, i have heard some of them take cares of the queen in certain countries, She looks so gentle" Shen looked at Love with excitement.
"She is gentle," Julian replied with a smile, "but not without her moments."
Indeedee, were quite rare in Drakoria. They weren't found in any of the secret realms, and most originate from other distant countries.
In Drakoria, people usually only see them in top-tier establishments like private hospitals, luxury sanatoriums, or five-star restaurants.
There are distinct differences between male and female Indeedee.
Male Indeedee have upward-facing horns and a more intense appearance with darker purple and black tones, while their eyes remain half-open and their faces expressionless.
Females, like Love, have drooping horns, warm smiles, and soft purple-red markings around their eyes. Their white coloring stands out more than the males, giving them a more approachable and gentle appearance.
Males often serve as housekeepers, while females are well-suited as maids.
Julian's family had chosen Love, a female Indeedee, for her gentle yet firm demeanor.
She seemed particularly proud today, as it was the first time Julian had brought a female classmate home. Love felt like her "cub" was growing up.
After offering Shen a cup of tea, she placed a glass of Moomoo Milk in front of Julian.
"Cough—can I have tea too?" Julian asked, a bit embarrassed.
Love gave him a knowing smile.
Despite being almost an adult, Julian couldn't escape the daily glass of Moomoo milk she insisted he drink.
In her eyes, it was essential for health, much better than soda or any other drink. She poured it every day, not just for him, but for the whole family.
Begrudgingly, Julian accepted the milk, not wanting to argue. Shen chuckled beside him.
"Want some too?" Julian offered sarcastically.
"No thanks," Shen laughed. "I'm not a fan of the taste."
Julian took a sip of the milk, which was worth over 5,000 a glass.
It came from a pseudo-Elite Miltank, and such milk was highly prized among the wealthy. It wasn't something you could just buy at a regular market.
After their tea and milk, Julian led Shen to the backyard, where his Pokémon were gathered.
"Wow, Steelix and Aron! Are they your new Pokémon?"
"And how is this Aron so big?"
Shen marveled, especially impressed by Aron's size.
"Yeah, Steelix was caught in the new intermediate secret realm, and Aron's actually a Totem Pokémon," Julian explained.
There was no need to keep a secret as Aron will be revealed as a Totem anyway.
"It's good to have a rich family, Totem Pokémon, Metagross, and a future Dragonite" Shen said.
Julian smirked. "Don't be sour, there are some things you just don't get at birth—and probably never will."
Shen: (⊙o⊙)…
At this moment, Shen felt that Julian was being possessed by Will, and it was not so fun to talk anymore.
"You really want to learn Bajiquan from me?"
(T/N: Bajiquan is a traditional Chinese martial art that features explosive, short-range power in close-combat and is well known for its rapid elbow and shoulder strikes. Its full name is kaimen bajiquan)
Shen decided not to talk about Pokémon with Julian anymore. Every time she brought it up, it just made her feel inferior. Still, her eyes couldn't help but covet Lucario, who was using Calm Mind to exercise the power of its aura.
The sight of Lucario's appearance and fighting ability hit the heart of Shen, a Fighting-type trainer.
"Of course," Julian nodded.
He thought of learning Bajiquan after gaining the Mega Pallet Town physique. It made sense to learn martial arts to maximize the potential of his body.
As for why Bajiquan and not another form of martial arts? Well, the name itself carried enough weight.
It's often said, 'In literature, there's Tai Chi to calm the world, and in martial arts, there's Bajiquan to stabilize the universe.'
Tai Chi was known for its slow, graceful movements, and Bajiquan, for its explosive power. Julian found this a fitting reflection of what he wanted.
In Drakoria, there were many schools of Bajiquan. You can even find some of the basics online, but the real teachings are passed down through family lines.
Since Shen's family was highly regarded in the world of martial arts, it made sense for Julian to approach her. After all, any random teacher he found wouldn't be as good.
"You just need to teach me the techniques that can be shared," Julian said.
Most martial arts families have strict rules about which techniques can be taught to outsiders.
Julian wasn't part of Shen's family, so he didn't expect to learn their core techniques, the ones that gave them their edge.
He didn't mind that, though. Even with basic moves, his enhanced physique would amplify their power.
The idea of eventually being able to fight alongside a Machamp or spar with Lucario excited him.
"I haven't even learned all the core moves yet, so don't get any ideas," Shen replied.
Her family didn't have any gender-based restrictions, but the core techniques were only taught to direct descendants. Since Shen was one of them, she was on track to learn them eventually.
"You must be a bit slow then," Julian said, smirking.
Shen: (▼~ㄨ)
'Why is she looking at me like that? It's true. She's almost eighteen, and still haven't learned the family's core techniques.'
"If you want to learn, you need to start with the basics," Shen said firmly. "Horse stance."
"You stand in that for three years before you even get started."
The color drained from Julian's face.
Horse stance is a foundational practice in martial arts. It strengthens the legs and core, making it harder to be knocked down and quicker to counterattack.
Shen remembered how hard it had been for her as a child, standing in that position for two years straight before she could move on to anything else.
She wasn't too sympathetic, though. She imagined Julian suffering through the same thing and couldn't help but feel a little gleeful.
"How long do I have to stand?" Julian asked.
"Until the sun goes down."
Julian glanced at the clock. It was only nine in the morning. That meant he'd be holding the stance for almost the entire day.
"I'm not joking," Shen said when she noticed his doubt. "If you don't take this seriously, I'm out."
Julian had already researched martial arts before asking to learn Bajiquan. He knew she wasn't lying; standing in a horse stance was indeed how most martial arts training started. You needed to build a solid foundation before learning anything else.
-
Seven days later, in Julian's backyard.
Shen's face was stiff. The confident light in her eyes had dimmed. Why, oh why, had she agreed to teach Julian?
Julian had gone from horse stance to punching and kicking, already showing clear proficiency. Each of his movements caused the air to crack with power. Shen couldn't believe what she was seeing.
It had taken him just seven days to become this good. Shen was starting to regret ever teaching him.
She had thought that while she might not be as skilled as Julian on the Pokémon battlefield, she would at least have martial arts as her domain. But now, Julian was catching up to her here too.
Have you ever seen someone who moves like they've taken a stimulants, but without the actual stimulants?
Julian's body wasn't normal. It was beyond human.
The person in front of her wasn't Julian at all—it was a Machamp in disguise.
"Teacher Shen, I finished today's practice. How does it compare to yesterday?" Julian asked with a smile.
Julian didn't know the meaning of fatigue, thanks to his Mega Pallet Town physique. And the way he had mastered Bajiquan so quickly only made him more aware of his body's capabilities.
"It's alright. Don't get cocky. I reached this level in just three days," Shen said, attempting to salvage some of her pride.
Shen: Can't I just lie a little to save face?
"Teacher Shen, you're amazing!"
Julian gave her a thumbs up, not doubting her words at all. If it took him seven days, then it was only natural for someone like Shen, who came from a martial arts family, to have learned in three.
Seeing Julian's genuine admiration, Shen raised her head proudly, showing off her slender neck. "You're still far behind, Julian. Far behind."
In that moment, Shen felt like she could accomplish anything.
"From now on, you just need to practice regularly. I don't have anything else to teach you," Shen said.
She had taught Julian all she could, short of the core techniques.
Julian nodded.
"When do you plan on heading to Imperial University?" Shen asked.
The universities would begin their semester on September 1st. It was already mid-August, and both Julian and Shen had been specially recruited by Imperial University. They would likely be in the same special recruit class.
"Probably around the 25th," Julian replied.
"Then let's go together."
"Why? You got plans?"
"Yeah, I'm visiting one of my grandpa's friends. He's an inheritor of Hongquan."
(T/N: Hongquan a form of Chinese martial arts is characterized by its emphasis on fluid movement, circular patterns, and explosive power. The style is known for its unique "five animal" forms, which mimic the movements of a tiger, leopard, snake, crane, and dragon)
Julian nodded. He wasn't too familiar with martial arts styles, but he had learned a bit from Shen.
"I'm going to meet my Aunt."
Julian's Slowking had been sent to his Aunt for research in the capital. She had recently finished her study and was writing a paper on it.
She had asked Julian to visit on the 25th so he could co-sign the paper. Even though he hadn't written the thesis, Julian had discovered Slowpke's alternate evolutionary form, making him a co-author.
Once the paper was published, Slowking would be publicly recognized.
After making plans with Shen to travel together on the 25th, she said goodbye to Julian's parents and left.
"Come back tomorrow," Jake, Julian's father, said with a smile.
Shen: Come back? Not if I can help it! I'll be lucky if I survive the embarrassment of today.