Elm's words were extremely fair and well said.
After he finished speaking, Sycamore stood up next.
"I also believe Shiro's research results are enough to complete the professor conferment."
"I agree..." Juniper immediately rose and followed.
With more than three professors giving approval, the first stage was passed. No one in the room was surprised.
This was actually the normal process for granting a researcher the title. Usually, one or two professors would play the bad cop first, then the others would offer some praise and allow the candidate to pass.
But this time, Oak had personally rejected it. That was clearly a signal to the researchers present to vote against Shiro.
In fact, by the time the conference had reached this point, even the dullest and least observant researcher could sense that something was wrong.
After all, the earlier people who stood up to question Shiro were all from Oak Research Institute. They had been picking at him nonstop. Combined with some rumors spread during the break, news that Oak and Shiro did not get along had already circulated.
Although Shiro was a famous genius researcher and the Galar Champion, Oak was currently the number one Pokémon expert and the leading figure of the academic world.
In the hearts of many researchers, the trainer Shiro from Galar naturally could not compare to the kind and respected Professor Oak.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became strange.
Fortunately, the host quickly walked onto the stage and announced, "Alright, since that's the case, Researcher Shiro has received approval from more than three professors. Next, we will begin the official voting stage."
The host spoke with a serious expression.
"As long as he receives approval from two-thirds of the researchers present, Researcher Shiro will complete the conferment, become a professor, and gain the qualification to establish a research institute."
With that, every seated professor and researcher was handed a small and simple device for anonymous voting.
There were only two buttons on it, approve or oppose, each marked with different colors.
"You have five minutes to think and vote. After five minutes, the results will be locked and cannot be changed!"
After saying that, the host waved his hand, and every voting device immediately lit up, showing they were ready to be used.
On stage, Shiro slightly furrowed his brows and called inwardly, 'Mesprit! A!'
Mesprit and Unown A immediately joined hands and released their psychic power, quietly covering the entire venue.
Everyone in the hall, along with the devices in their hands, became clearly visible.
Even though Oleana had said the company would help him and had already taken action, Shiro would not place all his trust in them.
No matter how much the company bribed people, there would definitely still be diehard supporters of Oak below.
If the result looked bad, then he would use this backup plan and cheat directly with psychic power…
Shiro was already very experienced when it came to cheating with psychic abilities.
Below the stage, the voting devices clicked constantly as everyone focused on the small machines in their hands.
In the front row, Oak rubbed the device in his hand. He raised his head slightly and happened to meet Shiro's gaze on stage.
Oak revealed what he believed was a kind smile. Then, right in front of Shiro, he pressed the green approval button. After that, he released it and placed the device on the armrest of his seat without touching it again.
If it had been an ordinary researcher, after receiving Oak's praise and support at the start, then seeing this scene, they would probably trust him completely.
How could a Professor Oak who supported him so much secretly order the other professors to oppose him?
Bzzt... Bzzt...
The sound of the devices became even more frequent. It was not because people had just started pressing them, but because many researchers still could not decide what to choose. They kept switching between approve and oppose due to hesitation.
That sound brought enormous pressure.
Even those who were not directly involved, like Rowan and the researchers beside him, were starting to sweat nervously.
The hundred or so people in this hall would decide who became a Pokémon Professor. They were also deciding whether to acknowledge the research that had cost a researcher immense time and effort. If it was rejected, it would undoubtedly be a huge blow.
After all, Shiro had already entered the Academic Summit, applied for professor conferment, and passed the first stage.
If he failed at the most critical step, any researcher in that position would inevitably lose emotional balance.
There had already been several researchers in the past who lost control of their emotions in the hall after failing at the final step.
Researchers relied on luck, talent, and inspiration.
If they failed this time, they might never produce research results better than what they had now. Without the backing of a major laboratory, they might never again enter the Academic Summit in this lifetime.
Numerous people tightened their hands as the tiny devices kept switching between approve and oppose.
On stage, Shiro narrowed his eyes slightly. In his vision appeared a data chart formed by the combined psychic power of Mesprit and Unown A, clearly showing the results of every voting device.
Among the hundred or so people, around twenty were firmly in favor. Most of them were people Shiro knew well, such as Professor Rowan, members of Rowan Research Institute, Professor Sycamore, and others.
Another twenty or so were firmly opposed. All kinds of people were among them, and Shiro only recognized a few. The ones he knew were those who had recently gone on stage for their own conferment, and every one of them had pressed oppose.
The remaining sixty or so were hesitating constantly, thinking between approval and opposition...
Or rather, they were thinking about whether to betray Oak.
Oleana had already explained in detail how the company helped. There were no fancy tricks involved.
It was simply the power of money.
Macro Cosmos had offered each researcher ten million Pokédollars as a "research donation."
For researchers, money was extremely important. But compared to the authority of Professor Oak, it still required careful consideration.
"Only the final two minutes remain!"
The host shouted, and the sounds of buttons being pressed below became even more intense.
Even Oak in the front row frowned deeply and several times wanted to reach for the voting device on the armrest.
He could not imagine what Shiro had used to make these researchers hesitate so much.
For every individual researcher, this professor conferment had nothing to do with them. Even if Shiro truly possessed astonishing talent and outstanding achievements, enough to earn everyone's recognition, it had no connection at all to any specific researcher sitting in this hall.
On the contrary, if they pressed the oppose button and caused someone whose talent and achievements far surpassed their own to fail as well, the satisfaction gained from that would be incomparable.
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