Chapter 151: Arrival at Sai Island

"Ah," Kalia sighed, feeling helpless. Despite her efforts to protect the little Zapdos, it was ultimately taken away.

With the mysterious figures seizing the young Zapdos, its fate remained uncertain. It was unclear if Zapdos could catch up to them, and as for Julian, she hoped he would be alright amidst this chaos.

Although Zapdos and Moltres were powerful, they couldn't overcome such overwhelming numbers. The opposing group clearly belonged to a secretive organization with a well-planned operation.

"Don't worry; the Pokemon League will undoubtedly take action on such a significant event. Retrieving the little Zapdos is just a matter of time," Sean reassured her. As regional authorities, the Pokemon League governed the area and had the duty to protect Legendary Pokemon.

"Who exactly are these people?" Kalia asked. Each member seemed exceptionally strong, and their identical Pokemon indicated that they were not part of any ordinary organization.

"If I'm not mistaken, these individuals belong to the Dark Guild, an organization specializing in trading Pokemon. Even just their known members exceed ten thousand," Sean explained, his high status granting him insights into certain aspects of the Pokemon world.

"Dark Guild? Why hasn't the Pokemon League taken action to eliminate them?" Kalia was perplexed; such harmful organizations should be eradicated immediately.

"Some matters aren't as straightforward." Sean shook his head, recalling his initial confusion when he first learned about this guild. However, it's never that simple; where there is light, darkness invariably exists.

The Dark Guild.

This was Lian's first encounter with the name. In any world, trafficking organizations persist despite attempts to banish them due to the immense profits involved, fueling human greed.

Acquiring a rare Pokemon through theft incurs virtually no cost, while reselling it yields substantial profit. Few can resist the allure of such monetary gain.

***

As time passed, since the ship could not remain stationary, it slowed down its speed. A rescue team was organized to save the Trainers who had fallen into the sea; although they knew how to swim, many were injured.

Quickly, most of them were rescued, fortunately without any casualties. Some members of the Dark Guild managed to escape, while only a portion were captured.

Soon after, Trainers from the Pokemon League arrived on flying-type pokémon and took away the apprehended Dark Guild members.

The ship continued its journey towards Sai Island, estimated to arrive by early morning the next day.

Lian felt slightly disappointed, as he ultimately didn't defeat the Staraptor, meaning his combat rating would not be recorded. The level difference was too great, and his damage output wasn't sufficient. Despite using Flame Cage, stronger opponents could swiftly break free, unlike the more enduring Fire Spin.

His Control Rating still needed improvement; with a higher Control Rating, he could allocate more flames within the Flame Cage, prolonging its duration significantly.

This would potentially allow him to unleash second or even third Fire-type moves before the opponent escapes, making it truly a formidable restraining technique.

***

Despite numerous events unfolding, time continued unabated. The next morning, they arrived at Sai Island.

A massive island appeared before them, resembling a miniature continent from afar. Sai Island boasted diverse ecosystems, including mountains, rivers, dense forests, and grasslands.

The ship docked at Sai Island's harbor, where Kalia and Sean disembarked along with a few others, but not many passengers alighted.

Upon reaching Sai Island, Kalia noticed it was remarkably quiet. Compared to other academies, the Ruby Pokémon Academy had a relatively small student body of just a few thousand individuals.

With such a large island occupied by so few people, most areas remained spacious and uninhabited.

"It feels so empty here," observed Kalia, scanning her surroundings and barely spotting any humans, only occasional wild Pokémon sightings.

"Of course, this is the prestigious Ruby Pokémon Academy, not open to everyone. Follow me; I'll take you to Axel, or else you won't even get through the entrance," explained Sean.

The Ruby Pokémon Academy prohibited strangers from entering freely. If Kalia attempted alone, she would undoubtedly be stopped. However, accompanied by a student, she could gain access without issue.

"Alright." Kalia nodded; Axel hadn't provided her with any identification beforehand. She had assumed he would come to escort her but didn't expect him to be absent. Likely, he was too busy and simply forgot.

The Ruby Pokémon Academy covered an expansive area. Upon entering Sai Island's vicinity, they traversed through a forest before spotting a small town.

Sai Island not only housed the academy but also served as a small city where many people chose to live, working for the Pokémon Academy as their livelihood.

Once inside the town, the academy was not far away, although due to its vast size, using transportation was necessary to avoid getting lost inadvertently.

Within the town, the primary mode of transport were Normal-type Tauros. The fastest and most efficient option would have been flying-type Pokémon, however, there were limited flying types capable of carrying passengers, and navigating the skies posed certain risks.

Sai Island featured grasslands suitable for Tauros, making them the traditional choice for transportation. Although Tauros can be temperamental, once tamed, they become remarkably stable, ensuring minimal danger.

After renting the Tauros, Kalia and Sean climbed onto it, heading towards the Pokemon Academy.

Students at the Pokemon Academy generally enjoyed more freedom, evident by Sean's ability to venture out freely. However, this privilege was limited to those in Middle or Advanced Classes; beginners still needed to accompany their instructors closely while learning.

In the Middle Class, students had fewer classes, more free time, and frequent battles among peers were common.

The Advanced Class operated with minimal supervision; as long as they participated in academy-organized events and competitions, attendance was not strictly enforced.

Upon successful graduation from the Pokemon Academy, the primary benefit was becoming a high-level Trainer, allowing direct entry into the League Competitions. Apart from Trainers holding all eight Gym badges, most competitors in these tournaments were graduates of various Pokemon Academies.

A few exceptional academy students might have the opportunity to become Gym Leaders, though the chances were slim. Some others may fail to graduate, while the majority successfully complete their studies, becoming high-level Trainers eligible for the League Competitions.

Kalia showed little interest in the Pokemon Academy, primarily due to financial constraints. Although her father left her some savings, the costs associated with attending the Pokemon Academy far exceeded what she could afford.

"Are you interested in joining the Pokemon Academy?" Sean asked Kalia during their journey.

Although Kalia's current strength was not impressive, Sean showed keen interest in her Charmeleon. Despite being unevolved, it displayed remarkable power, even defeating his Braviary. Sean wondered how formidable it would become after evolving.

"My goal is to travel and challenge all the gyms along the way." Kalia shook her head, declining the offer.

"It seems our goals align with the League Competition." In essence, whether aiming to be a high-level Trainer or challenging eight gyms to earn eight badges, the ultimate objective for both paths leads to the League Competition.

However, challenging gyms is typically the route taken by average Trainers, while the Pokemon Academy caters more to those from affluent backgrounds, where money can resolve many issues.

The academy offers a systematic approach to training Pokemon, continually improving its methods. Here, one learns about type advantages, weaknesses, counter-moves, and various known and unknown strategies—all taught within the academy's curriculum.

"We're here."

Soon, riding on two Tauros, they gradually entered the academy grounds.