The Shocked Academy

Failing on the 8th floor after defeating six Altaria. [TN: I have changed eighth floor to 8th floor format for floor numbers.]

When the students received this news, they were in shock for a long time. Was this really an achievement possible for a student of the same age?

Thinking about their own progress, the best record from the Graduation Class students was only up to the 4th or 5th floor…

New students barely managed to reach the first or 2nd floor and couldn't help but feel a bit dejected.

Initially, Terrance challenging the Tower of Despair hadn't caused much of a stir—only a few teachers took notice. But with this latest challenge at the Tower of Confusion, Terrance's name quickly spread throughout Crown Academy.

Especially considering that Terrance showed no signs of stopping, causing several teachers to look on with strange expressions. They calculated the credits Terrance had earned just from Altaria alone—credits that would take most students six months, even one or two years, to accumulate.

Breaking records often came with extra rewards.

The academy convened a temporary meeting to discuss Terrance's progress. This student, who had returned after a year's absence, had surprised everyone.

"Forrest, what's that look on your face?" Teresa teasingly asked a man.

"Nothing," Forrest replied gruffly.

"Terrance from your class has started challenging the trial grounds and has been racking up credits like crazy," Julian said with a chuckle.

"As his homeroom teacher, shouldn't you be happy?"

Forrest snorted. He hadn't expected a simple reminder to lead Terrance to stir up the entire academy. Even the management couldn't help but step in to ask about the situation.

Although the resources behind these credits weren't much for the academy, Terrance was amassing credits at a terrifying rate. Each of his Pokémon's strength far exceeded that of his peers, and in less than a month, he had accumulated more credits than most students would over four years.

With such a huge amount of resources accumulating on one person, it was no wonder the academy's higher-ups were paying attention.

Forrest felt a mix of emotions—the student he had anticipated would excel in the field of Pokémon breeding had unexpectedly achieved such a high level of accomplishment in the Trainer field.

Glancing at Julian, Forrest knew that Terrance had spent ample time training battle skills under his guidance.

And then there was Teresa, who had imparted concepts of coordination and breeding. Meanwhile, he, the homeroom teacher, had mainly focused on teaching the standard foundational knowledge.

Forrest couldn't help but feel that there was a huge gap between them.

Several teachers sitting nearby looked at the strange trio with smiles and shook their heads helplessly. At that moment, an elderly woman cleared her throat and said, "Since he wants to challenge, let him do it. It's not as though the academy lacks resources. We should be glad to have such an outstanding student appear in the academy."

Victor, that old man, really has an eye for talent.

The academy had finally produced a Trainer with real promise, moreover he seems to be from humble beginnings.

After a moment of contemplation, the elderly woman asked, "Now, where were we?"

A man in a suit and glasses responded, "Dean, we must recruit Terrance into the academy's club. In a few years, he could aim for the Champion League, and in ten years, he might even become one of the Elite Four. It's essential to prepare him mentally for it."

"There's no need for that. He's already planning to graduate and is applying to follow the Gym Leader route," Julian replied.

And then… the teachers started arguing again.

"The Gym Trainer assessment is extremely difficult. Ever since the academy was founded, fewer than five graduates have ever passed, and even then, it took them years," said the man in the suit.

"Our academy's club is just starting out and needs a talented Trainer. As someone from our own academy, Terrance would be the perfect fit."

Teresa calmly replied, "As teachers, it's better to respect the students' own wishes. We shouldn't be making life plans on their behalf."

One of the teachers in charge of the club retorted, "He's still just a kid; what does he know? This is all for his own good. Once he gains fame in the Champion League or even becomes a top candidate for the Elite Four, he'll understand which path benefits him the most. Gyms may sound impressive, but there are only about ten that are truly well-known; the rest struggle even with basic operations. I don't recommend it."

A debate broke out between the teachers who were close to Terrance, led by Julian, and the teachers from the newly established club. Neither side was willing to yield.

Finally, the old Dean of Crown Academy sighed and said, "Terrance was recommended by Master Victor, who also agreed to respect Terrance's wishes, so let's not push him. The club can take things one step at a time, and besides, a Gym isn't something that's out of reach."

The Dean looked at Forrest and said, "You're Terrance's homeroom teacher, aren't you? Go ask him about his plans. If he intends to apply for a Gym in Sinnoh, the academy can offer him some support. If it's in another region, then he'll have to manage on his own."

Forrest's heart skipped a beat, remembering the Dean's close friendship with Bertha, one of the Sinnoh's Elite Four. He understood the underlying meaning behind her words: no matter what, Terrance would forever carry the academy's label. Whether he joined the club or became a Gym Leader, the fact that he was nurtured by Crown Academy couldn't be changed.

With the Dean's words, the teachers stopped discussing Terrance's path and shifted their focus to Terrance himself.

These credits would surely allow Terrance to make yet another big leap forward!

With proper use of the resources these credits could bring, applying to establish a Gym wasn't entirely out of reach.

…

…

That same day, Forrest invited Terrance to discuss his plans for establishing the Gym.

He subtly hinted that setting up a Gym in Sinnoh would receive the academy's support. But to Forrest's surprise, Terrance was resolute—he had already decided on the Gym's location.

What Forrest didn't know was that Terrance had already laid the groundwork to establish a Gym in Hoenn, centering it around Pokémon Contests. This approach would not only align well with Terrance's interests in the long run but might also be easier to implement than in Sinnoh.

"If that's all, I'll head back to challenge the Tower of Confusion…"

With that, Terrance bid farewell to Teacher Forrest. His Castform, Mismagius, Arcanine, and Beautifly still had plenty of room to grow. Each challenge they completed meant more credits, and while Terrance had already acquired a large sum of cash through collaborations with several companies, the resources that could be exchanged for these credits were both diverse and something that can save him a lot of trouble. Why not make the most of it?

Terrance had also figured out how he'd use these credits to improve himself and further his Gym plans. And for his Bug-type Pokémon dilemma? Credits could easily be exchanged for a promising Pokémon egg. With the numerous Pokémon in the academy, there was no shortage of Pokémon eggs—plus, there were other channels in the academy that he didn't even know of yet.

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