Four months flew by, and suddenly it was the sed half of senior year. On the first day back at school, the head teacher, Sam Nott, delivered some signifit news.

  "The Yale Province High School League is about to begin," he announced.

  "Everyone should know about this petition. The school will select five students to represent us. Those who excel in the league will receive early acceptance from uies in Drakoria."

  He tinued, "If you win the Yale Provincial High School League, you'll find yourself in high demand from the top uies in Drakoria, including Shuimu, Imperial Capital, Qing, and Modu."

  This prestigious high school league occurs annually, with simir petitions hosted in other provinces, all taking pce during the sed half of senior year.

  While the timing may vary slightly across provihe overall schedule remains sistent.

  Achieving a top-three finish in the provincial league grants access to the elite uies in the try, with provisions for early acceptao their programs.

  Every year, the champions from each provincial league are guaranteed early entrao these top institutions.

  The high school leagues represent the initial experienany trainers from various schools, with the top priority being to secure a spot on the roster.

  Every schoardless of its size or status as a provincial or national key institution, has just three allotted spots.

  This limitation sometimes leads students from stronger schools to trao weaker ones for a better ce at participation.

  "There are five pces avaible," Sam announced. "Tister, you must have three Pokémon. Those ied should sign up by Monday."

  Only trainers with three Pokémon register for the league. Even if a trainer possesses ae Pokémon, they are ineligible if they only have one.

  "Ding."

  "Mai: Participate in the silver-white high school league and achieve a ranking."

  "Reward: Based on your ranking."

  "here are no rewards for finishes outside the top ten."

  As expected, a task would arise from such a situation.

  on tasks include daily, random, and hidden objectives, but the mai has appeared only once before.

  This marks the sed occurrence. Mais are rare but offer valuable rewards; the first oowed the power of Aura.

  This time, the reward structure hinges on rankier pts promise greater rewards.

  "Julian, are you pnning to sign up?" Will asked.

  Julian had already gathered three Pokémon st semester.

  He nodded; even without the quest, he inteo ehe league.

  "This year, the Silver Trainer Association has increased rewards for the top three pared to previous leagues," Sam tinued.

  "The third-pce winner will receive a green qualification Pokémon egg along with a resource package worth 20 million."

  "The runner-up will get a green-qualified dragon-type Pokémon egg and 50 million in resources."

  "And the champion will be awarded a qualification Pokémon egg, a ticket to any advanced secret realm in the silver-white province, and a resource exge valued at 80 million."

  Sutig rewards have sparked excitement not just among students but even the head teacher, Sam Nott, who, due to his role, ot participate.

  During his own schooling, he too had peted in the silver-white high school league but didn't even break into the top 100, hence missing out on any rewards.

  "Don't get greedy; top 100 is good enough," he advised.

  "Not greedy at all," Julian replied fidently. "I just want to make it into the top three."

  "That's a bit greedy, don't you think? Focus on seg top 10 spots first," Sam suggested.

  These words ignited a petitive spirit among mae css students, who envisiohemselves making a name for themselves in the high school league—A se remi of the greats from the silver and white provinces, fiercely sought after by the fi colleges.

  Lake No. 1 Middle School is reized as a national key high school, but it has only five avaible spots, of whie has already been filled.

  Many of Julian's cssmates, who had signed up for the petitio a sense of helplessness in the face of his exceptional talent.

  Sharing a css with such a formidable petitor was a signifit burden for them. Throughout the first semester, they would face weekly intra-css tests, but no one was able to defeat Julian's Pokémon, not even with a serious effort.

  All fifteen students from the elite css applied, excluding the twur csses.

  "Han alsistered, so I doubt I have a ce," Will mented.

  If Julian was assured of his first-pce spot, then Han's position at sed was equally secure, leaving any hope for third, fourth, or fifth pce up frabs.

  Will had mao secure a top-six finish in the css once, but he struggled against Han, a water trainer with superior tactical skills and a well-established background from a promi local water family in Lake City. He knew he couldn't beat Han—at least not at this moment.

  "It's good you know," Julian replied ftly.

  Without a stroke of luck, Will would likely miss out on even fifth pce.

  "'t you say something uplifting?" Will shot a gre at Julian, upset that instead of fort, Julian was being blunt.

  "I'm just stating facts. Instead of dwelling on unrealistic hopes, why not focus oasks you tackle during your days off?"

  Will's financial situatioed him from properly g for his three Pokémon, so he often picked up local tasks through the Drakoria Trainer APP to make ends meet.

  The pay from these quests was just enough to sustain his Pokémon.

  "I'm pnning to take oask of catg Onix in the No. 1 Secret Realm. pleting it would exempt me from needing to take on more tasks for half a year," he shared.

  As members of the elite css, Sam had previously takeo the No. 1 Secret Realm, and the school covered their ticket expenses, making Will somewhat familiar with the area.

  "You have money for tickets?" Juliaioned.

  "Yes, as long as I finish the job, the tickets will be reimbursed," Will replied.

  "Just be careful, especially around the people in the secret realm," Julian cautioned.

  "Don't worry; my Charmeleon is very strong. If I plete this task, third pce might be mine," Will said fidently.

  "As long as you're happy," Julian replied, his tone indifferent.

  He chose not to offer to join Will, realizing that while they were friends, he didn't wish to take on the role of a caretaker.

  Will uood that Julian came from a wealthy family and that he could easily ask Julian for a loan or to apany him into the secret realm, but he opted to go alone.

  The journey of a trainer could be traveled together, but the path to the top was fraught with challenges and often difficult to navigate—even more so in pairs.

  "Buy a bottle of Max Repel; it should e in handy," Julian suggested, knowing that Max Repel could help ward off lower-level Pokémon.

  To reach the rocky area where Onix resided, Will o traverse the forest first, which was home to about seventy to eighty pert of the Pokémon in the first secret realm, including that Beedrill above level forty.