Chapter Forty: The Peerless Berserker Dean

"Here, rather than calling it an academy, it's more like a mountain—Academy Mountain," Joy said. "The entire range is our campus, not a single spot goes unused."

Such terrifying efficiency. He couldn't help but wonder if this hundred percent utilization included a multi-million-dollar lotus pond, as some places do. Surely no one would dare try such extravagance on Joy's territory. The dean herself was a warrior unmatched, a version of Joy no one could contend with.

"I heard from the driver that I'm staying in the teachers' dormitory area. Am I really getting my own room?"

"Not just a room, an entire suite," Joy replied. "Everyone has their own partners, so even the student dorms are basically private houses, complete with a courtyard and a pool."

Zhu Suihan was astonished. He liked this school already!

"The tall buildings you see are mostly teaching and research halls, housing various departments," Joy continued. "But unlike ordinary academies, only those who wish to further their studies after graduation can choose a specialization for more advanced learning. As for the teaching halls, there's nothing special about them. They're big, yes, but after a few late arrivals, you'll get to know them well enough."

A few random late arrivals? Well, that sounded like university spirit.

Zhu Suihan nodded. "I heard from the driver that Joy Academy also teaches combat?"

"Yes," Joy replied. "We don't expect you to compete for championships, but you must be able to protect yourself. Especially when you're assigned to disaster relief—some Pokémon with sensitive temperaments can be aggressive, and in those cases, you must subdue them."

That made sense. It was a standard rescue protocol: if you left the patient conscious, they'd become a danger to themselves and others.

"Oh, right, I nearly forgot something," Joy said. "Suihan, how many partners do you have right now?"

"One, Lapras. Am I getting a Chansey partner?" Zhu Suihan asked, recalling that Joy's most common Pokémon were Chansey, Audino, and Comfey.

Here, humans learn, and so do Chanseys. At least within the academy, Chansey isn't your partner but your classmate—a study group of sorts.

"No, you're a transfer student, so we didn't account for that in your allocation. For now, you won't have one," Joy said with a smile. "Would you like my partner to help you?"

Zhu Suihan shook his head decisively. "Better not. I might not learn much that way."

It was like online gaming—if you started off with a powerful player to carry you, you wouldn't find much joy in the game, nor would you develop your skills. You'd become nothing more than their puppet, unable to grasp even the basics.

"Besides, I have Lapras. She can heal, too."

The ball shimmered, Lapras delighted by Zhu Suihan's trust.

Exactly! Lapras couldn't fly, but she could do so much else. Though her healing moves weren't as varied as Chansey's, the value of Life Dew was undeniable. If Zhu Suihan could invent a device to store Life Dew, healing could become wild and free.

Reusable Potion 1.0: As long as the container was made, anyone's Life Dew could be stored inside.

Let Lapras fill a bottle; whoever was injured would get a mouthful, and even the most serious wounds could be stabilized until emergency treatment ended.

Wouldn't that tire Lapras out? No matter—there were plenty of other Pokémon in Joy Academy. Forming a Life Dew specialist squad would be effortless.

Now that the reusable potion was here, more interesting ideas could be devised for energy cubes. If eggs from Chansey or milk from Miltank could be incorporated, following the energy cube recipe, it would be a new kind of healing elixir.

Say what you will, Chansey's eggs and Miltank's milk are both top-notch in taste and effect. Add powdered Revival Herb and mix with Life Dew—few could detect any bitterness.

Far more effective than ordinary medicine.

What? You can taste it? Brilliant! I'll find you a job as a gourmet, and don't forget my referral fee!

"What are you thinking?" Joy noticed Zhu Suihan's shifting expression, the kind of micro-expression where a glint flashes in one's eyes.

"It's just a sudden idea—might become my research direction," Zhu Suihan replied. "If I can pull it off, even if it's a bit expensive, it would be a great achievement."

Joy nodded, not overly concerned. In her mind, Zhu Suihan might possess ancient secrets and could read archaic scripts. If he regained his past memories, he'd be a leader in history and linguistics.

But research? If he could master the instruments, that would already be impressive.

"We're here. This is the cafeteria, and it's open all night. You can eat here any time," Joy explained. "There are many cuisines; an ordinary student who eats three meals a day here will finish two-thirds of the menu before graduation."

Wonderful—he liked the school even more.

Zhu Suihan was puzzled. "What's the point of an all-night cafeteria?"

"Some students do research or work shifts caring for seriously ill Pokémon. They're exhausted after work, so the all-night cafeteria is for them," Joy said. "A hot meal, and they can sleep well afterward."

Concerns about late-night weight gain weren't considered. For Joys, with their relentlessly busy schedules, it's a wonder not to lose weight if they don't replenish food and water.

Any job that keeps you busy can achieve the feat of eating without gaining weight, thanks to sheer exhaustion.

"It's about time—are you inviting me to dinner?" Zhu Suihan teased.

Joy couldn't help but glance at him. "Don't think I don't know how much you eat—Liubo told me everything."

"Your campus card and documents are ready, waiting at your dorm. The academy will cover your meal expenses for now, like a subsidy for impoverished students, but you'll have to pay it back."

Zhu Suihan was stunned. Was he a student taking loans for meals?

He had wanted to say he had money, but thought better of it. As a new student, he couldn't freely use lab equipment yet, so he'd try paying for access, starting with the reusable potion. When he could sell it to either Rocket Group or Joy Academy, covering the cafeteria's expenses for a month would be nothing—he could say so without batting an eye.

That would be the time to ask for a hefty sum, to replenish his little treasury. Anything less would be too soft-hearted.

"This is your new home; the key is at the door. No need to clean—just move in," Joy said.

"But be mindful—if you experiment or research in the dorm area, don't disturb others."

That was no problem. He'd just find a remote mountain spot nearby; how could he bother anyone?

"It's getting late. You can tidy up and head to the cafeteria. There's an exam tomorrow."

Zhu Suihan was confused. "Didn't I already take the test?"

"That was the psychological assessment. The actual exam is still ahead," Joy smiled. "Don't worry, for newcomers like you, we use models, not real injured Pokémon."

"I'll give you a hint—the models are randomized and cover a wide range. I don't know what you'll get."

Zhu Suihan's heart skipped a beat. "A wide range? How wide, exactly?"

"Don't worry, nothing extreme. The exam covers up to Sinnoh, and only common Pokémon," Joy smiled. "This is an academy, not a torture chamber."

Yet Zhu Suihan thought the scope sounded torturous enough.

He looked at Joy. "Are you just slacking off and heading home?"

"Smart kid. Besides the model exam, there are other basic knowledge tests. I hope you at least pass."

Pass, not excel—so those strange exams were inhuman after all?

But it made sense. As an old relic, passing was already a good outcome.

"But unfortunately, I'm not really an old relic," Zhu Suihan thought.

He found his empty house, and sure enough, all his documents and instructions were waiting at the door.

The class schedule would come after he passed the tests.

He called Iron Man and Chihui, then Liubo. Hearing about Joy's exam, Liubo laughed.

"Haha, that crazy woman was always like this. Don't mind her," Liubo said.

Zhu Suihan's curiosity was piqued. "Crazy woman?"

"Yeah, Joy's older than me by a few years. Back then, even the Elite Four and Champions had to behave around her," Liubo recalled. "She was known as 'Sister Jing,' a powerhouse. The older Joys suspected she must have been swapped with the Officer Jenny family at birth."

"She could fight and heal, and she straightened out many delinquents, making them see the light with her and Chansey's fists."

Her... fists? Definitely a berserker.

Liubo patted his little Swinub's head. "Don't worry, though she doesn't like being dean, she takes teaching seriously."

"Oh, good, I understand. Take care," Zhu Suihan said, then hung up.

He glanced at Lapras, who was exploring the living room.

He had a feeling his academy life would be surreal.

Never mind. Time to make his mark, starting with a small shock for the cafeteria staff's appetites!

"Lapras, let's go eat!"

Lapras cried out in delight.