Chapter 18

"That makes sense."

The audience reacted with great excitement, all feeling the trip had been worthwhile.

At that moment, the livestream of the Sheng Hai New Star Cup saw its viewer count instantly gain another zero, increasing more than tenfold.

The Weibo keywords #Elite Four Xiao# and #Sheng Hai University New Star Cup# also kept climbing the trending charts.

Yes, even though Elite Four Xiao was not competing and had merely come to watch, he still caused a huge stir.

That was the influence of an Elite Four-level Trainer.

If famous Professional-level Trainers had popularity comparable to the biggest internet celebrities from Roy's previous life—

Then Elite Four-level Trainers were at least household-name national figures, known by young and old alike. Moreover, they were heroes who brought glory to the country and benefits to the people. Smearing them with false accusations was practically a crime.

In the VIP section.

Xiao Rong returned to his seat. His suit could barely conceal his slightly bulging belly. Wiping away his sweat, he smiled bitterly. "I'm already tired after standing for such a short while. Time spares no one. In the blink of an eye, I've reached retirement age..."

"Oh, you're being far too modest." Principal Fang of Sheng Hai University sat beside him, smiling. "Mr. Xiao became a Heavenly King at thirty-five. It has been eighteen years now, hasn't it? You are our country's longest-serving active Heavenly King. You're still going strong!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Professor Xing, whom Roy had met before, was also seated there. He nodded with a smile. "And Xiao Bin—I've met that child already. He's a little arrogant, but he's diligent and eager to learn, with a kind heart. He'll definitely become a pillar of the nation in the future!"

"Not to mention, you have another outstanding daughter..."

The few of them all looked toward the woman in the corner of the VIP section.

She looked to be in her early twenties, with exquisite and beautiful features, but her expression was so cold that she seemed almost devoid of emotion.

Xiao Muyi, twenty-three years old, a Professional-level Trainer, and the eldest daughter of the Superpower Heavenly King.

Xiao Rong laughed happily. As a Heavenly King, what flattery had he not heard before? Yet in recent years, he had especially enjoyed hearing people praise his two children. His daughter in particular was so outstanding that even he felt proud of her...

"Principal Fang, Professor Xing, please stop flattering me." Xiao Rong sighed. "I'll be doing well enough if I can hold on through this year's Elite Four ranking competition... I don't know how many people have their eyes on my position. They all think I'm easy to push around."

The annual Elite Four ranking competition was the nation's highest-standard official professional league, open only to a select few Professional-level Trainers.

The top four in regular-season points earned the right to challenge a Heavenly King.

If a challenger won, they would truly leap through the dragon gate and become the new Heavenly King.

Before Principal Fang and Professor Xing could exchange another few pleasantries, Xiao Muyi's emotionless voice rang out. "Father, in this year's Elite Four ranking competition, I will challenge you."

Hearing that, Xiao Rong burst into hearty laughter.

"Good, good, good."

"..."

Professor Xing and Principal Fang looked at each other.

What a scene of fatherly love and filial devotion.

Still, both of them felt a chill in their hearts. Xiao Muyi was only twenty-three. Did she already have the confidence to earn the right to challenge a Heavenly King?

Could that rumor be true?

While the important figures in the VIP section were chatting, the matches had long since begun.

It was not that they had failed to pay attention. It was simply that... the round of sixteen was boring.

The gap between recommended students and ordinary students was too great. Every year, the round of sixteen was nothing but one-sided stomps, with all eight quarterfinal slots claimed by recommended students.

Dark horses appeared far too rarely. In Principal Fang's sixteen years here, he had only encountered three.

Facing recommended students who had revealed all their trump cards and specifically prepared targeted tactics, all three dark horses had narrowly lost in the round of sixteen.

Only after the quarterfinals began, when recommended students faced one another, did the matches become worth watching.

However, when the announcement sounded, "The next match will be between recommended student Yang Dong and student Roy," Principal Fang perked up.

"Old Xing, this is the kid, right?"

"Mm." Professor Xing nodded. "It's him... He caught Riolu and defeated Lin Shixian."

"Riolu?" Xiao Rong curiously interjected. "Is it the descendant of that Lucario Old Luo left with you?"

After receiving Principal Fang's confirmation, the Superpower Heavenly King stroked his chin with interest.

"Born into an ordinary family? Interesting."

Roy had no idea that the Superpower Heavenly King had taken an interest in him. Otherwise, he would have been even more nervous.

It was Roy's first time stepping onto such a grand stage, and he was a little nervous.

There are so many people.

A rough glance at the stands showed at least two thousand people. It was a sea of heads. Roy had originally wanted to look for his parents, but he gave up.

The preliminary matches and the Pokémon Center matches had both been unofficial competitions, with arenas only the size of a basketball court. But Sheng Hai University's main tournament was organized according to major-event standards in every regard, and its area was enormous

Large screens surrounded the arena on all sides, displaying the competitors' information and Pokémon. They also captured and enlarged the battle scenes in real time, offering close-ups and slow-motion replays.

The competitors were even equipped with dedicated microphones to amplify their voices and prevent interference from the large venue and the noise from the stands.

Beyond his nervousness, Roy felt a long-lost excitement. It was not just him—his Poké Ball at his waist had been trembling continuously since earlier.

—The stage had already been set.

This was the first stage where Roy would announce his arrival to this world!

Inside the arena.

"First to enter is Competitor Roy from the non-recommended student group..." The host paused, seemingly having noticed something surprising, then shouted dramatically, "This competitor's Pokémon is actually Riolu!"

"Anyone familiar with Sheng Hai University knows that this school only raises one Riolu..."

"The descendant of Heavenly King Luo's ace Pokémon, Lucario!"

"And that's not all!" The host waved grandly, and Lin Shixian's competitor profile appeared on the big screen. "During the preliminaries, he defeated the competitor who just entered, Lin Shixian, in a major upset despite not being a recommended student. He is an incredible dark horse!!"

Lin Shixian, who had just left the arena after his match, darkened.

Roy's popularity had always remained within Sheng Hai University, and few outsiders knew about him.

Uninformed livestream viewers and spectators immediately began voicing their surprise in the chat and the stands.

"Heavenly King Luo's Lucario, our Dragon Country's strongest Fighting-type Pokémon?"

"Holy crap, how many years has it been since Sheng Hai University produced a dark horse?"

"What's the point? I want to laugh. Which dark horse in history ever made it into the quarterfinals?"

"This is getting more and more interesting."

Seeing the enthusiastic response from the livestream and the crowd, the host's smile became increasingly unhinged as he continued, "Competitor Lin's strength is plain for all to see. He is the prized disciple of Shenghai's local Grass-type Gym Leader. The fact that even he was defeated is enough to show Competitor Roy's strength..."

"And Competitor Roy's opponent in this match is likewise the prized disciple of a local Shenghai Gym Leader. Yang Dong, the recommended student from the Fighting Gym!"

"If Competitor Yang Dong wins, then it seems the Fighting Gym might be just a little better than the Grass-type Gym at nurturing newcomers~"

Using a tone that practically said, "But I only feel sorry for big brother," the host deliberately stirred up trouble.

"Competitor Yang Dong's Pokémon is—"

"Mankey!"

Roy had already gathered some basic information about his opponent, so he was not surprised.

Mankey was not a rare Pokémon. On the contrary, unlike Lucario and Riolu, which were foreign species and extremely rare, Mankey had many habitats in Dragon Country. It was a native Pokémon that the public knew very well.

For many people, their first Fighting-type Pokémon was a Mankey.

But having large populations did not mean this Pokémon was easy to train.

Like Pikachu, Mankey was the bad-tempered type.

They lost their tempers at the slightest provocation, and ordinary Trainers found their explosive nature difficult to handle.

But Yang Dong was clearly an exception.

After all, one of the Fighting Gym's main Pokémon was Primeape, Mankey's evolution, which had an even fiercer temper.

No wonder she's confident she can beat me. Roy took out his Poké Ball and thought, In a Fighting-type mirror match, she probably thinks there's no way I understand fighting better than she does.

At the referee's command, both sides threw their Poké Balls at the same time.

The moment Yang Dong's Mankey appeared, it gave off a distinctly different feeling.

Mankey was a primate-shaped Pokémon covered in pale yellow fur, with brown extremities. It had a pink nose resembling a pig snout, three fingers on each hand and foot, and a long, flexible tail.

Wild Mankey averaged only half a meter in height, but this one stood at 0.7 meters. It was exceptionally well developed.

Moreover, the instant it entered the arena, it began bouncing continuously on the balls of its feet, both hands raised above its head in a strange opening stance.

—Martial arts.

This was a traditional civilization Dragon Country had possessed since ancient times.

In Roy's previous life, martial arts had long declined with the development of technology, leaving behind only jokes like the "Lightning Five-Fist Flurry."

But in this world, martial arts had found another path.

It had been refined into martial arts suited for Pokémon.

Dragon Country's Fighting-type Pokémon practiced martial arts. This distinctive trait caused Fighting Pokémon to flourish in Dragon Country, making them exceptional even on the international stage.

The flag signaling the start of the battle fell, and Roy and Yang Dong gave their commands at the same time.

""Quick Attack—!""

Fighting Pokémon specialized in close combat. Finding every possible way to approach the opponent, stick to them, and take them down in one combo was an unchanging rule.

In the blink of an eye, the two Pokémon crossed the hundred-meter-plus arena and collided head-on.

Both retreated ten meters before stopping, evenly matched.

That strength and speed really are something...

Yang Dong was thrilled and acknowledged her opponent's strength.

"Mankey, Focus Energy!"