Pokémon Dominion: A New Earth

Chapter 9

The entire audience was stunned by the movement Ethan made. The classmate whose bonded Pokémon was a Magby had been grinning smugly moments ago, but now even his jaw had hit the floor.

Ethan's bonded Pokémon had already materialized, but seeing that no one had reacted yet, Ethan had to ask, "Uh… sir, do you know what my Pokémon is called?"

He wasn't sure how familiar people were with Moltres, judging by the information he'd found during a quick phone search earlier. This world didn't seem to have any records of Legendary Pokémon.

After all, even Elite Four-level Pokémon could dominate an entire city. If a Legendary Pokémon showed up, could humanity continue to live peacefully on Earth as they did now?

In other words, people in this world likely didn't know about Moltres yet...

Still, as an Elite Trainer, Professor Ryan's composure and insight were far above those of ordinary people. He glanced calmly at the fiery little bird perched on Ethan's hand and said, "There are still many undiscovered Pokémon in this world, so even I can't say for certain what your bonded Pokémon is. But its potential is undeniable. Your name is Ethan, right? Have you considered which university you'll attend?"

"Uh, honestly, I haven't thought about it much yet," Ethan admitted.

"In that case, you might want to consider joining the Pokémon Studies Department at Arcadia University," Professor Ryan suggested. "Of course, with your talent, even Summit University would fight to enroll you. But I'd still recommend Arcadia University since it's closer to home."

Professor Ryan was both thrilled and frustrated by the prodigious talent standing before him.

He was thrilled because the region had gained another promising Trainer with the potential to become a Master. However, he was frustrated because his specialty was Water-types, not Fire-types.

If Ethan's bonded Pokémon were Water-type, Ryan would've offered to mentor him on the spot—if Ethan was willing, of course.

Unfortunately, Ryan's own Fire-type Pokémon had been captured later in his career, not bonded at birth. As such, he wasn't proficient in Fire-type training and didn't want to hold back someone with Ethan's potential.

"If you decide to attend Arcadia University, I can introduce you to a mentor who specializes in Fire-types," Professor Ryan offered enthusiastically. "Have you ever heard of 'Blazemaster Anthony Steele'?"

"What? Blazemaster?! His apprentice?" gasped Tyler, who had been eavesdropping, covering his mouth in shock.

Anthony Steele—Title: Pokémon Master. Nickname: [Blazemaster]. Bonded Pokémon: "Infernal Blaziken."

One of his most famous battles took place on the southern border of the region.

Twenty years ago, Anthony Steele, then an Elite Trainer, was sent to mediate a conflict in the Aegis Isles. However, no one knows what went wrong during the negotiations. What is known is that Steele destroyed the entire island in a fit of rage. Not even grass was left.

A fisherman passing by described the aftermath: "The sky over the islands was ablaze, and the sea felt like summer in the middle of winter."

When investigators later arrived, they found only charred rocks and glass formations from the intense heat.

Despite protests from neighboring regions, the League defended Anthony Steele.

Displeased? Too bad—fight him if you dare! Arcadia had powerful Trainers to back him up.

Eventually, the incident was resolved, and when Steele was promoted to Pokémon Master, he earned the title [Blazemaster].

To Tyler, Pokémon Masters were like living legends—there were fewer than a hundred in the entire world! And now, a high school senior like Ethan might become the apprentice of one of these legends?

Even low-level universities would scramble to hire Trainers at the Elite level as instructors, underscoring the rarity of skilled Trainers.

And yet, here was Ethan, being offered a Master-level mentor before even enrolling in college? Tyler's envy was palpable.

Ethan, however, wasn't swayed by the enticing offer. Bowing respectfully to Professor Ryan, he said, "Thank you, sir. I'll consider Arcadia University, but I'd like to discuss it with my parents first."

With his talent and bonded Moltres, Ethan believed he could gain admission to the best universities in the world. Why settle for Arcadia when Summit University—or even international options—might be better?

Professor Ryan noticed Ethan's calm demeanor. After a moment's thought, he said, "Regardless, I highly recommend Arcadia University. It's close to home, and trust me, proximity to family during college is more important than you think."

Close to home? Professor Ryan had emphasized this point twice.

Ethan couldn't ignore the repeated advice. Straightening up, he replied seriously, "I'll think it over carefully and make a decision I won't regret."

"Good," Professor Ryan said with a satisfied nod.