Chapter Forty-Four: Joy Jing: Students Are Far More Interesting Than Documents!

“What a simple second exam.”

Bamboo Years Cold grinned. The exam was to create energy cubes, not Poffins or Macarons—this was practically a gift for him.

Energy cubes are easy and quick to make, so their applications are broad. You could think of them as a nutritious version of instant noodles; and if made well, their aroma is no less enticing than other treats.

Of course, Ash should stay back for this one. His Poffins looked as though they’d been blasted by several rounds of a Typhlosion’s flamethrower, turning them into charcoal.

Concentrated doesn’t always mean refined—it can mean toxic. Not even ordinary Pokémon would dare taste them; Arceus, even with all its plates, would probably pass.

Sacred Ash can revive people, but Ash’s “Poffin Ash” is its antonym.

It could send people away.

Hopefully there won’t be a third exam…

As Bamboo Years Cold was enjoying the breeze in the corridor, he suddenly spotted Pure Joy coming towards him with a beaming smile, holding a Poké Ball.

“...Can I request a different exam instructor?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Pure Joy. “The final exam is a battle with me, to test every student’s combat ability.”

“You only have Lapras as a partner, so your exam will be the simplest—single battle.”

“I concede.”

After all, failing isn’t a bar to admission. Bamboo Years Cold disliked the idea of being inexplicably thrashed by a big shot far more.

Pure Joy: ?

“It’s not my Pokémon; it’s an academy staff member.”

“Then I still won’t fight.”

Your championship, my championship. Your commands, my commands!

He firmly resisted this big shot’s attempt to bully novices.

“I want a normal instructor. No, I demand the actual exam teacher set the challenge.”

Pure Joy smiled, “Why not be bold? Why can’t the real exam instructor be me? Who says the dean can’t teach?”

?

“How about this, Bamboo Years Cold? Let’s make a wager.”

Pure Joy dangled the bait, “You have a research project you want to pursue, don’t you? If you can defeat me in the exam, I’ll fund it.”

“Of course, if you accept the wager, my strength won’t be at the standard exam level—the difficulty will rise.”

At these words, Bamboo Years Cold sank into thought.

Though it was bait, it was almost irresistible.

He suddenly understood how the fish felt when hooked.

“What are the rules? Standard battle, or wild fight without restrictions?”

Pure Joy was surprised, “So you want a wild fight? Bullying elders isn’t a good habit.”

As expected of someone from ancient times—not used to standard battles.

“No, it’s just that wild fights suit my style better.”

Bamboo Years Cold weighed the Poké Ball in his hand. “If it’s a wild fight, I accept the wager.”

“Very well.”

Pure Joy nodded with satisfaction. As a dean who never wanted the position, the Joy Academy was stifling for her, a berserker at heart.

It was rare for such an “out-of-the-box” relic to appear before her; she felt her own spirit growing younger.

Of course, battle spirit was out of the question. In Pure Joy’s experienced eyes, Bamboo Years Cold was a greenhorn who couldn’t stir her desire to fight.

But if Bamboo Years Cold targeted her as the main objective, she might raise the difficulty another notch.

Respect the old, cherish the young—yes, respect the old, cherish the young!

She cared nothing for actual age.

“A wild fight in a standard arena—this is a bit abstract.”

Bamboo Years Cold flexed his wrist, “Dean, I have a question first. If I break academy property, I don’t need to pay for it, right?”

“No need,” Pure Joy chuckled. “You’re trying psychological warfare? That trick was played by countless people in my era.”

“Lapras!”

“Mightyena!”

That’s how wild fights are—you grab initiative by your own skill. No referee to call ‘start’.

Clearly, Pure Joy was well-versed in these time-grabbing tricks.

“Water Pulse!”

Boom!

Almost the moment the move was named, Lapras had already launched its Water Pulse!

“Hyper Voice!”

“Awooo!”

Mightyena howled skyward, dark purple energy rippling outward in waves, refusing to stop.

A Saiyan-style move, huh—never-ending energy!

Impressive lung capacity.

Moreover, Mightyena was shrouded in an aura signifying a rise in ability.

Ah, a combo of Howl and Hyper Voice.

No matter; as long as Water Pulse’s secondary effect lands, this battle won’t go awry.

Lapras isn’t the main attacker!

Water Pulse struck Mightyena, but it was like being squirted by a child’s water gun—barely noticeable.

Still, it triggered confusion!

“Thunder Fang!”

Pure Joy’s expression didn’t change. Even with Mightyena staggering, it managed to use Thunder Fang, but too slowly.

That wasn’t the worst.

The worst was already approaching!

Lapras hadn’t been intimidated at the start, nor did its speed increase after the status effect.

Not Intimidate or Quick Feet—overconfidence, perhaps?

Good, good. It’s single battle!

Bamboo Years Cold circled to the side, the sticky ball in his hand hit Mightyena, then he threw another!

Interestingly, when Bamboo Years Cold raised the sticky ball to throw, Pure Joy dodged with agility wholly unfitting her age.

The smack echoed, and Pure Joy paused, expecting the sound of the projectile hitting the ground—but nothing, nor did her peripheral vision catch it.

The projectile’s target was Mightyena from the beginning?!

“Mightyena, target the trainer—Tackle!”

“Woof...”

Pure Joy’s only answer was a weary whimper; Mightyena lay exhausted, its body covered in dust and berry fragments, twitching feebly.

“Water Gun!”

“Wuu!”

A Water Gun, faster and stronger than usual, struck Mightyena, sending it off the field and onto the lawn, spiraling into dizzy-eyed defeat.

Bamboo Years Cold squinted. “Lapras, target the dean—Ice Beam!”

Pure Joy laughed, standing firm as Ice Beam came her way, her Poké Ball opening automatically.

“Happy~”

The pink egg Angel raised an invisible shield, easily blocking the Ice Beam.

Lapras: ?

Wasn’t this supposed to be a single battle?

“Blissey...”

Bamboo Years Cold raised another sticky ball.

Come, Blissey, let me test your purity!

“Stop! Exam over!” Pure Joy glared at Bamboo Years Cold. “You want to keep fighting?”

“Sorry, didn’t process that, didn’t process that.” Bamboo Years Cold coughed and put away the sticky ball, refusing to admit he intended to test Blissey’s defense.

“Happy.”

Blissey shook her head—this youngster isn’t honest.

She could have shrugged off that Ice Beam, but her old partner was behind her, so she used Protect.

Clearly, the Ice Beam only gave a slight tremor, not enough to break her shield.

“Good, your coordination is excellent.”

Lapras bumped heads with Bamboo Years Cold in celebration, while Pure Joy watched him with an odd expression.

The Pokémon’s strength hadn’t really been tested, but the trainer’s certainly had.

If this were a true wild fight, Bamboo Years Cold’s aim would be to knock the trainer out with a single blow.

The rules were wild fight, so even after Mightyena lost the ability to battle, and with Pure Joy not calling a halt, Bamboo Years Cold kept attacking.

To put it kindly, he was following the rules, but in truth, it was pure hunting.

“You might not be suited to standard battles.”

Pure Joy said, “That gadget was interesting. I never expected trainers to carry items in battle.”

Dean, you probably don’t know the value of an insulated glove—a magical item that can hold a hundred thousand volts in your hand.

Bamboo Years Cold breathed out. “That’s just one of many.”

Pure Joy was curious. “One of many?”

“Yes, that’s for Pokémon. There’s another designed for trainers.”

Bamboo Years Cold held up a heavy ball as demonstration. “This one.”

Pure Joy: ?

Understood. If he met an enemy in the wild, not an opponent, Bamboo Years Cold would become a merciless throwing machine.

A heavy ball for enemy trainers, sticky balls for Pokémon.

“Well then, you transfer students never fail to surprise me.”

Pure Joy smiled. “You’ve passed. Congratulations—your final exam result is excellent.”

Bamboo Years Cold scratched his head. “To be strict, I don’t care about the grade; I care about the wager.”

He didn’t know if the reusable potion research would succeed, so he could imagine the costs would be greater than expected.

Since someone was willing to pay, Bamboo Years Cold wouldn’t hold back.

“You’ll have what you need. If it’s just a laboratory, I as dean can easily arrange it for you.”

Pure Joy pointed at the sticky ball in Bamboo Years Cold’s hand. “Can you satisfy my curiosity—what is that?”

“Another way to use berries. The principle is to use capture energy to affect Pokémon’s status, accelerating their stamina drain.”

Pure Joy nodded. “Now I trust your love for research a bit more.”

“Well, let’s get back to business.”

Pure Joy stepped forward and handed the student ID to Bamboo Years Cold.

“Welcome to the academy, freshman. Remember to go to the office building for a photo.”

Bamboo Years Cold flipped through it casually. “I saw those smart devices in the classroom—I thought paper IDs were obsolete.”

“These days, the internet gives us great convenience, but sometimes it’s more than just an ID—it’s a piece of time.”

Pure Joy smiled, “When you touch it, you feel the past, even smell its days, feel the warmth of the sun.”

“If you gain more partners, one day when you pick up your ID again, or step into a familiar setting, you’ll remember how your partners once were.”

“A majestic dragon can also have its adorable moments.”