Destiny's Rival / Qualifier Rules ...

She could master the combat techniques taught by her master after practicing them five or six times, but the giant lizard needed to practice them dozens of times to learn them.

"The key lies in the new form. If I can master it, I'll definitely gain more of my master's approval," Mana secretly resolved.

After the Warrior Yihao exhausted the energy of the three Spirit Core and reverted to his original form, You Zhi retrieved him.

Alisa also snapped out of her reverie and remarked, "If other Pokémon could also evolve into Xyz Form, this change would alter the current state of Spirit Duel, and consequently affect all trainers."

You Zhi laughed and said, "Isn't that interesting?"

Alisa paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Indeed, while the dueling world isn't exactly stagnant, it's always good to have some new excitement. Speaking of which, you've collected all eight badges now, right? Next..."

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and she looked at You Zhi in surprise. "You're not planning to show your Xyz Form in the Pokémon League Tournament, are you?"

"Why not? Everyone should know about this good thing."

Seeing the delighted smile on You Zhi's face, Alisa couldn't help but look forward to the upcoming Pokémon League Tournament, eager to see the world's shocked expressions.

(End of this volume)

8

Chapter 273 Fate's Nemesis

The Quartz Plateau is located at the border of the Johto Region and Kanto Region, so the Quartz League, which was established there, is responsible for managing both regions and has long been regarded as the headquarters of the Pokémon Pokémon League.

Embarrassingly, due to the Utopia Incident, the former Elite Four were dismissed, and only Fighting-type King Bruno was spared after an investigation proved that he had been under Mind Control.

Fortunately, the Utopia Plan was thwarted at a crucial moment, preventing it from reaching the point of full-blown conflict. In terms of the scale of the disaster, it was far less severe than Dartz's actions. Furthermore, the Pokémon League's deliberate cover-up of the scandal meant that very few people knew the truth. From the outside, it appeared as if the three kings had inexplicably resigned at the same time.

In addition, the Quartz League previously had the champion Red, known as the strongest duelist, which saved it some face. However, last year, Red also quit under the pretext of recuperating from old injuries.

Holding this Pokémon League tournament was a last resort, but also a necessary one. The Quartz League didn't hide anything and directly stated that it would use this tournament to select the new Elite Four and champion.

As a result, trainers from all over flocked to the Quartz League, which, at least in name, was the Pokémon League headquarters, superior to other regions and far superior to a remote rural area like Alola.

The surge in applicants attracted a group of trainers who weren't interested in official positions but wanted to battle with trainers from all over the country and see more Pokémon.

For a time, the city where the Quartz League was located was overcrowded. Even on the Champion Road leading to the Quartz Plateau, trainers engaged in duels could be seen everywhere, and each of them was quite skilled.

You Zhi sat cross-legged on the back of the Spiked Dragon Queen and glanced at the terrain below.

"We've arrived. Let's land here; there's a no-fly zone ahead."

The Spiked Dragon Queen remained silent, skillfully reducing the power of her jets as she descended to the ground.

Initially, she was very resistant to the job of riding a mount, but she got used to it. Anyway, she couldn't beat them in a fight, and the other party was her trainer. Moreover, she found a bunch of powerful Pokémon in that Battle Frontier to be her opponents, allowing her to fight to her heart's content. Her rapid rise to level 38 is the best proof of that.

With legitimacy, power, and benefits, why resist? Just give in.

As a humanoid spirit, the Spiked Dragon Queen naturally couldn't land on all fours. As she approached the ground, she adjusted her posture, changing from horizontal to vertical. An ordinary person riding on her would definitely have been thrown off, but You Zhi jumped down from a height of ten meters and landed steadily.

Those around couldn't help but cast strange glances. Who was this? Why didn't he even have a non-humanoid mount?

They glanced at the Spiked Dragon Queen, sensing the elf's ferocity, and ruled out the possibility of her being weak. Then their gaze became even stranger—this man had a peculiar fetish!

Ignoring the stares of others, You Zhi arrived at the cave entrance and asked the staff member sitting there, "Is it still too late to register for the Pokémon League Tournament?"

The staff member, experienced and knowledgeable, knew that the fetish of using female Pokémon as mounts was nothing new to the trainers they had served. With a formulaic smile and tone, he said, "Of course, the deadline is tomorrow. The requirement for participating in the Pokémon League Tournament is obtaining eight Gym Badges. Please show them to me."

You Zhi took out a delicate little wooden box and handed it to the other person.

After inspecting the box with equipment, the staff returned it and handed over a piece of paper. "Confirmation complete. Please fill out the registration form."

You Zhi glanced at it; it was all very basic information. Things like names and addresses could be made up, and the other party wouldn't verify them. After all, this was a competition where you could only rely on your own strength. The prize money was pitifully small, so it was pointless to have someone else play for you. They didn't even require you to fill in the Pokémon you used.

However, there are warning clauses: you cannot use someone else's Pokémon, and the Pokémon you participate in the competition must have been held for more than three months; otherwise, it will be considered a violation, and you will be disqualified from the competition immediately upon verification.

You Zhi calculated the time and realized that the Spiked Dragon Queen would not be able to participate in the preliminaries, but the other Pokémon would not be affected.

"I've filled it out." He handed over the registration form and casually asked, "Why did you set up the registration point here? Couldn't you have set it up at the competition venue?"

"It's an unwritten rule to prevent substitutes from taking your place, and it also serves as a warning," the staff member pointed to the tunnel behind them. "There are many powerful Pokémon in the Champion Road. If you don't even have the strength to pass through this tunnel, you shouldn't participate in the competition and embarrass yourself."

Another staff member said, "There's another custom: if two trainers are sworn enemies, they will duel each other just as they are about to emerge from the tunnel. Regardless of the outcome, the duel will settle all past grudges, and they will truly step onto a new stage in their lives as professional trainers."

You Zhi thought back for a moment, and realized that there seemed to be such a setting in the Pokémon Yugi: before challenging the Elite Four, there would always be a battle against a rival.

So he nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly, and said, "That makes sense."

Just as I was about to enter the tunnel, a surprised voice came from behind me. "You Zhi, are you here to register today too?"

Turning my head, I saw Yuan Ying, looking dashing and spirited.

"Hmm, what a coincidence," You Zhi joked with a smile. "I guess it's fate."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ying blushed slightly. She didn't deny it, but still explained seriously, "I've been receiving special training from my father for this competition. I'm much stronger now than when we parted. If we meet in the competition, don't blame me for not holding back."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I'm actually looking forward to it."

You Zhi stopped and waited for Yuan Ying to finish filling out the form before asking the staff, "If the two of you enter the tunnel together, it's like lowering the difficulty of the test. Does that count as a violation?"

The staff member shrugged and said, "It's an unwritten rule, just like I said."

"Learn."

You Zhi invited Yuan Ying to join him.

Yuan Ying readily agreed, but couldn't help asking, "What rule is it?"

You Zhi recounted his previous conversation with the staff.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I think I've heard something similar... However, while the wild Pokémon here are stronger than in other places, they're unlikely to pose a threat to a trainer who has obtained eight badges. After all, trainers walk through this tunnel every day; if there were any rare and powerful Pokémon, they would have been caught long ago." Yuan Ying said dismissively.

In fact, the two didn't encounter many Pokémon while passing through the tunnel. Even when they did, the Pokémon would turn and run away, giving them no chance to fight.

Pokémon that can't judge a trainer's strength have already been defeated.

The two walked and talked without encountering any obstacles, and arrived at the tunnel exit smoothly.

"You Zhi, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you here since I received the news. Aren't you surprised?"

At the tunnel entrance, Alisa stood with her hands on her hips, her blonde hair gleaming in the setting sun.

Then, the two girls' eyes met.

For some inexplicable reason, You Zhi heard the sound of sparks flying.

Chapter 274 Preliminary Round Rules

The two girls stood, one outside the cave entrance and the other inside, gazing silently like statues, motionless.

Even the slow-witted You Zhi immediately realized there was a story between the two, and couldn't help but sigh: Sure enough, the tunnel entrance would trigger a showdown between rivals, this is too accurate!

Just as he was pondering whether to ease the tension or simply volunteer to be the referee, Yuan Ying spoke first, breaking the deadlock. "Long time no see."

Alisa nodded in response, "Yes, if you think about it, it's been almost three years since graduation."

Contrary to You Zhi's guess, the two spoke very calmly, without much hostility or the enthusiasm of meeting an old friend in a foreign land. It was as if they were two students from neighboring classes who knew each other and had reunited after graduation.

After exchanging lukewarm greetings, the two fell silent again.

After a while, Yuan Ying took the initiative and said, "I just learned that the exit of the Champion Road has a tradition of rivalry duels, which means settling past grudges. Shall we have a match here?"

Alisa's face clearly showed interest, but after a while, she shook her head and said, "Let's forget it. You and I are neither sworn enemies nor have any personal grudges. Although I wouldn't mind competing with you, the Pokémon League Tournament officially starts in three days, so there's no need to rush."

"I agree. It would be best if we could meet in a major competition, but if not, we can decide the winner based on our respective rankings."

"You said 'ranking' instead of 'round,' which means you're very confident in your abilities."

"If a duelist doesn't even have the confidence to win the championship, why bother participating in the Pokémon League competition? Wouldn't it be better to be a trainer?"

"Heh, it's rare that we agree on something."

Another awkward silence ensued.

Yuan Ying spoke first, "Now that you've finished speaking, could you please make way for me?"

Alisa crossed her arms and said haughtily, "I didn't come here waiting for you."

Yuan Ying reached out and hooked her arm around You Zhi's, as if asserting her ownership, and said, "As a noble young lady who prides herself on her excellent lineage, you should at least know the etiquette of first come, first served."

"... Never mind, I'll come find you again later."

Alisa said this to You Zhi, then turned and left without even glancing at Yuan Ying.

After they disappeared from sight, You Zhi asked Yuan Ying curiously, "What's your relationship with her?"

"We went to the same school, a private school that only admitted children of nobles and commoners with exceptionally good grades. The noble students often bullied the commoner students. In the past, there was a strong principal to keep things in check and maintain school discipline, but this year's principal was a complete coward, and the teachers dared not do anything about it. As a result, this kind of group bullying became even more rampant. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I simply organized all the commoner students into a group to fight against those noble students who liked to bully others."

"It must be admitted that the noble students who like to bully others are actually a small minority. Most noble students, even if they look down on commoners, simply ignore them and disdain using bullying to show off their status. However, because I organized a group, I clearly distinguished between commoners and nobles and put the confrontation between the two sides on the table. As a result, even those noble students who do not bully others will stand on the opposite side because of their status."

"The most core group among the noble students is called the Rose Society, and Alisa happens to be its president... You can probably guess what will happen next. Although Alisa and I have no personal grudges, conflicts are inevitable due to our respective positions and supporters. Sometimes, even if you don't want to, you have to stand up, otherwise you and those behind you will be in trouble."

Yuan Ying's tone was full of helplessness.

You Zhi said, "You two have already graduated, so you don't need to care about stances or the opinions of supporters. Why are you still acting like sworn enemies?"

"If you act out a fake relationship too much, you'll unconsciously start to believe it's real, especially among girls. They often get entangled with each other for a lifetime over trivial matters. Anyway, now you want me to shake hands with her and make peace, and say with a smile that everything is over? I can't do it, and neither can she."

Yuan Ying sighed deeply, then clenched her fist. "This Pokémon League Tournament is a good opportunity. We can settle all our grudges through duels. That's the way trainers should solve problems!"

"... As long as you two are happy."

Realizing that he had no say in the matter, You Zhi immediately abandoned the idea of playing peacemaker, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with the way the two of them handled it.

In a world where elves exist, there's no problem that can't be solved by Spirit Duel.

That evening, Alisa came to invite You Zhi to dinner as promised, completely ignoring Yuan Ying was standing next to her.

Yuan Ying had the same attitude, treating each other like air and leaving everything to be settled in the duel.

The following days passed peacefully without any unexpected incidents. You Zhi had prepared for the tournament for three months and no longer needed to cram at the last minute. Therefore, he focused on conserving his energy and didn't even go to the Champion Road to spar with trainers.

Soon, the day arrived for the official start of the Pokémon League Tournament.

Contestants from all over the country gathered together, filling the huge square to capacity, and the stands were also packed with tourists who came to see the contestants.

First, there was the opening ceremony of the competition, with speeches from leaders.

Perhaps out of consideration for the players' feelings, the Pokémon League chairman's opening remarks were very brief, lasting less than three minutes. Subsequent segments were also kept to a minimum. After all, if a player lost patience, who knows what might happen? Even if security intervened in time, it would still turn into a scandal.

In this world, power cannot withstand the skills of Pokémon. Unless the person in power is a powerful trainer, they must yield to the wrath of a commoner.

Therefore, the opening ceremony ended in less than fifteen minutes. The chief referee took his place and stood in front of the podium, announcing, "Due to the overwhelming number of participants in this Quartz Tournament, far exceeding expectations, the organizing committee, after careful discussion, has decided to change the preliminary round rules in order to save as much time as possible and shorten the process."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the chief referee raised both hands, one holding a silver-white bracelet with many grooves and the other holding two stars, and continued to explain, "After the competition begins, all participants will be given a bracelet and two stars. Each bracelet has ten star-shaped grooves."

As he spoke, he inserted two stars into the grooves of the bracelet, then put the bracelet on his wrist, indicating, "The rules are simple: as long as you fill one bracelet, you'll qualify for the knockout stage. The time limit is thirty-six hours. Obtaining stars through means other than Spirit Duel is prohibited, as is sneak attacks. The area of operation includes the League Center and Champion Road. Violators will be disqualified from the competition."

He paused, then declared in a firm and resounding tone, "Now, I declare the Quartz Tournament officially open!"

Chapter 275 The Battle of Destiny

After receiving their wristbands and two stars from the staff, the contestants quickly left the venue, afraid of being targeted by anyone.

You Zhi didn't rush to leave. He slowly embedded the two stars into the bracelet, then looked around the scene. He didn't see the expected face, but he did see someone who shouldn't be there.

"I'm here!"

Phile, assuming You Zhi was looking for him, excitedly waved and pulled Alisa along as they jogged over.

"You've also signed up for the Quartz Tournament?"

You Zhi glanced at the other person's wrist but didn't see a bracelet.

"It's a shame, although I wanted to participate too, I didn't collect all eight badges. I'm just here to cheer you on as a spectator." Phile chuckled, then asked curiously, "Everyone else has left, aren't you two going to get moving?"

You Zhi said, "There's no need. According to the rules of this competition, being one step ahead or one step behind makes no difference."

Alisa chimed in, "That's right. Theoretically, three duels are enough to collect all the stars, and with some special methods, one duel might suffice."

"Hey, Alisa, you're not going to cheat, are you?" Phile raised his index finger, putting on a serious expression. "No way! We're all law-abiding students, and the head referee said at the opening ceremony that stars can only be earned through Spirit Duel. If we're caught cheating, we'll be disqualified."

Alisa explained, "There's no need to cheat. The only rule in the competition is to obtain stars through Spirit Duel. There's no set standard for star duels. In other words, if someone is willing to trade eight stars for your two stars in a duel, that's perfectly allowed."

"But how could the other party possibly accept such severely disadvantageous terms?"

"It's very simple. One star short plus one million, someone will definitely be willing to take the gamble. Besides, I don't need the other party to go easy on me. It's a fair and just duel, completely in accordance with the rules."

Phile thought about it and it didn't seem like there was any problem, but she deliberately said in a disdainful tone, "You've actually learned to use dirty money to seduce others, Alisa, you've really gone bad."