On June 30th, Imperial University celebrated its graduation day for seniors, as it always did around this time of year. In fact, most universities across Drakoria typically held their graduation ceremonies between late June and early July.
This year, though, the graduation ceremony at Imperial University was far more lively than ever before.
The reason was simple: Julian, Drakoria's newly crowned Champion, was graduating today. And not just graduating—he was graduating as a Champion.
The Trainer Academy at Imperial University gathered the most outstanding and talented trainers from across the nation, with the Special Recruitment Class being the cream of the crop.
Almost every year during graduation season, Imperial University produced one or two Elite–level graduates—which was already an incredible achievement.
But this year, Julian’s Special Recruitment Class produced four such Elites: Luis, Dalton, Hugo, and Mason.
Among them, Hugo had reached mid-stage Elite-level, while the other three were early-stage Elites.
Four Elite graduates—this undoubtedly set a new record for Imperial University.
However, the four of them could only serve as background characters now. Because this year, they shared the stage with someone far more monstrous—Julian.
A Champion-level graduate—who would’ve ever believed it?
In the grand auditorium, the president of Imperial University and the deans of various academies were presenting graduation certificates to the graduating students.
Of course, these certificates were only for non-trainer students.
What did trainers need graduation certificates for? Their own strength was the best proof of their credentials.
So instead of diplomas, the Trainer Academy awarded its graduates badges representing their trainer rank.
After the seniors from other academies received their certificates, it was finally the Trainer Academy’s turn.
The dean of the Trainer Academy—Daniel Turner, Julian’s second maternal uncle—stepped on the stage. He had originally been the vice dean, but had since been promoted.
At this moment, he was personally pinning badges on the graduates of Trainer Academy.
The color and material of each badge corresponded to the graduate’s rank:
- Advanced Trainers: Yellow badge, Bronze material
- Pseudo-Elite Trainers: Green badge, Silver material
- Elite Trainers: Cyan badge, Gold material
Generally, graduates from Imperial University’s Trainer Academy were at least Pseudo-Elites—except for the Special Recruitment Class, whose students were all at the late-stage or peak of Pseudo-Elite.
So if you graduated from the Trainer Academy as only a late-stage Advanced trainer, you’d truly be an embarrassment to the university.
It’d be justified if they didn’t even let you graduate.
Daniel had a fierce, intimidating face and a burly build—the kind of man who looked like a mafia boss walking down the street.
When pinning badges on Pseudo-Elite trainers, he’d crack a smile. But for those who were only peak Advanced-level, his face remained stern, leaving the graduates too afraid to say a word.
As for anyone below peak Advanced level—"go retake the year, damn it. If you dare come up here, I’ll hammer some sense into you myself."
Then it was the turn of the Special Recruitment Class.
When pinning badges on Luis and the other three Elite-level trainers, Daniel broke into a wide grin, patting each of them on the shoulder after fastening their badges.
"As expected of my nephew’s classmates—every one of you is truly exceptional," Daniel said with a laugh.
Luis and the others were still unaware of Julian’s relationship with Daniel.
"My nephew, Julian," Daniel explained, noticing their confusion.
"So Brother Julian is your nephew, Dean? No wonder he became a Champion at such a young age—your guidance must have played a huge part in it!" Luis exclaimed without missing a beat.
In fact, both he and Dalton had also reached the Elite-level largely thanks to Julian’s help.
Next was Shen, Julian’s high school classmate and a true tomboy. Although she also came from a trainer family, her clan was relatively small and offered limited support.
She was now a peak Pseudo-Elite trainer, and she had gotten this far entirely through her own hard work.
She had never once asked Julian for help, even during her most difficult times—a testament to her pride and independence.
After all the graduates from the Trainer Academy had received their badges, the once-bustling auditorium gradually fell silent.
Because everyone knew one person still hadn’t been called—the one for whom this graduation ceremony might as well have been held, with the rest merely being included along the way.
The president of Imperial University, an unassuming scholarly man, took the microphone:
"Imperial University has stood for more than three hundred years, producing countless scholars, breeders, researchers, and Elite-level trainers. Many have become pillars of Drakoria…"
The older one gets, the more one likes to reminisce, and after a lengthy reflection, the president finally circled back to the day’s main event.
"Enough digressions. Let us welcome today’s guest of honor—the seventh Champion of Drakoria, Julian Walker!"
Clap! Clap!! Clap!!!
Thunderous applause erupted, so powerful it seemed to shake the very foundations of the auditorium.
Especially Julian’s classmates from the Special Recruitment Class, clapped until their palms turned red.
They were Julian’s peers—even if most weren’t particularly close to him, they all had his private contact information. If they ever ran into a serious problem they couldn’t solve, they could ask Julian for help—and he probably wouldn’t refuse.
Having a Champion as a classmate? That was just beyond awesome.
When someone is only slightly better than you, you might feel jealous and try to catch up.
But when that person is so far ahead that their achievements are beyond your reach in a lifetime—all you can do is admire them.
People have always admired the strong—especially in a combat-oriented profession like Pokémon training, where strength was everything, that admiration became even greater.
A Champion was the absolute peak a trainer could aspire to reach.
More than 99.9% of trainers in this world would never even make it to the Elite-level, let alone Champion. To them, a Champion was an existence beyond reach—a distant dream.
As Julian slowly walked onto the stage, accompanied by the iconic silver-white Metagross, a signature presence of the Walker family, all eyes were fixed on him and Metagross.
In the past, some might have dismissed his rise to the Elite-level as a product of his privileged background.
But now, as a Champion, his lineage no longer mattered. If a powerful family alone could produce Champions, then every major clan in Drakoria would have one by now.
"The Trainer Academy of Imperial University has never had a Champion graduate before—so we never had a Champion-level badge—until now."
Daniel held up a purple badge, identical in design to the others but distinct in color.
However, the material used for this badge was actually a rare treasure—a testament to Imperial University’s generosity and commitment to honor its finest.
Daniel pinned the badge firmly onto Julian’s chest, then wrapped his arm around his nephew’s neck and roared to the students and faculty below:
"This is my nephew—my own flesh and blood! Tell me, isn’t he something else?!"
"HE IS!!!!"
*****
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