The Duel Reenacted / Martial Arts Master Lizard

"This is called adult maturity, but for Phile, who is still a child, it is indeed a bit beyond his capabilities."

After the two finished their playful banter, You Zhi asked, "I heard that Wataru, one of the former Elite Four, is also participating in the competition. Why haven't I seen him?"

Alisa said, "Seed players like him don't need to participate in the preliminaries, including gym leaders. If they register, they go directly into the knockout stage. It's a kind of preferential treatment from the Pokémon League to its own people."

Phile asked curiously, "Won't anyone protest that it's unfair?"

Alisa said, "Those who are confident in their abilities don't care, while those who lack confidence would be thrilled. If Du participates in the competition, it means that at least four more people will lose their chance to advance."

"Indeed... The Pokémon League has come up with a great method. It only takes a day and a half to eliminate four-fifths of the participants, which is much more efficient than One for One arena duels," Phile remarked.

You Zhi and Alisa exchanged a glance, and the former said, "It's not four-fifths; this qualifier will eliminate at least ninety percent of the contestants."

"Hey, why? Each person gets two stars, and ten stars are enough to advance. Doesn't that mean five people advance to the next level?"

"That's the theoretical promotion ratio. In reality, there's a lot of waste. For example, people who haven't collected ten stars by the deadline lose the value of their stars. Or, people who have collected ten stars but continue to challenge others in order to reduce the number of participants in the elimination rounds."

"The first one is understandable, but what's the point of the second one? To reduce the number of people in the elimination rounds and have more duels, it doesn't seem worthwhile at all, does it?" Phile asked, puzzled.

You Zhi thought for a moment, then said meaningfully, "Maybe they find it interesting."

Phile blinked. "To do something that's bad for yourself just for fun, that's too reckless."

Alisa shrugged helplessly and said, "Unfortunately, true trainers are all a bunch of willful individuals."

Phile said, "It seems that I made the right decision not to choose the path of a trainer."

The three exchanged a smile.

Just then, the distant explosion of a Pokémon skill clashing startled Phile awake. He hurriedly said, "Oh no! We got so caught up in our conversation that we forgot about the important matter. You two should hurry up and get moving. Although there's still hope for advancement until the very last moment, there's no need to take any risks. Wouldn't it be safer to collect all the stars sooner? If something unexpected happens, it'll be too late to regret it!"

She quickly pulled the two unhurried individuals towards the edge of the arena, then looked around for weaker players who hadn't yet started fighting.

That's right, although the competition has just begun, many players have already summoned their Pokémon to battle.

Since the chief referee did not specify the duel method, the contestants decided on the rules themselves through discussion. As long as both parties agreed, the duel could begin. In theory, even a four-person free-for-all would be fine.

You Zhi looked around and found that most of the matches were single-elimination, with a maximum of two Pokémon involved.

This is understandable, since it's just the preliminary rounds and no one wants to reveal more information. Moreover, collecting ten stars within thirty-six hours means multiple battles, which is also a test of the team's depth. If six Pokémon are put into cooldown mode in the first battle, they simply won't be able to handle the subsequent battles.

Therefore, everyone unanimously chose to resolve the matter quickly.

Phile suddenly had a good idea. "That's right, the competition location is free to choose, which means we can choose a location that is advantageous to us and then wait for others to come to us."

Alisa said helplessly, "Everyone else thinks the same way, but the result is that they never see anyone. Generally speaking, only people who lack confidence in themselves choose this conservative tactic. Of course, you can also use this mentality to scheme against others, but it depends a lot on luck."

"That's true... Well, with your skills, you should be able to win even with unfavorable terrain, as long as you don't run into any particularly strong opponents."

Phile was like a first-time melon buyer, patting the melon here and there, trying to pick out a good one that was crisp, sweet, and juicy.

Suddenly, You Zhi said, "No need to look anymore, my opponent has arrived."

Phile looked closely and saw a young man who looked like a lackey walking towards them. He stood in front of You Zhi, his expression solemn, and said in an extremely solemn tone, "I have been waiting for you to fulfill our destined battle. This is the first and the last duel!"

Phile and Alisa exchanged a glance, both astonished, realizing that appearances can be deceiving. This guy, who looked so weak, was actually You Zhi's nemesis!

You Zhi's luck is terrible; he's facing the toughest duel right from the start.

The two stared at each other in silence, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense, as if a battle was about to break out. Phile and Alisa subconsciously swallowed.

At this moment, You Zhi spoke up, "Sorry, I've been in combat training for the past three months and have seen so many people that I'm a little face-blind. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Harin! Harin! I'm the starting point for your life's turnaround, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"

The young man was furious and stomped his feet in anger.

Chapter 276 The Duel Re-enacted

You Zhi only has temporary face blindness; his memory is still normal. After a little recollection, he remembered who Harin was, so he said with certainty, "You can't be Harin!"

Why?

The young man was nearly driven mad.

"The Harin I know has absolutely no ability to obtain eight badges," You Zhi said decisively.

Needless to say, A-Tsuru of the Blackthorn Gym in the Johto Region is a formidable opponent, while the current Gym Leader of the Viridian Gym in the Kanto Region is Blue, a formidable rival to the strongest duelist Red. If he doesn't deliberately hold back, even professional trainers wouldn't be able to get a badge from him.

"..."

The young man was silent for a moment, then said, "The requirement for participating in the Quartz Tournament is eight badges, but they don't have to be from the same region, so you can choose to challenge the more approachable Gym Leaders in Kanto and Johto."

"Is that so?"

You Zhi turned to Alisa and asked.

"No, it must be eight badges from the same region, but the organizing committee intentionally favors local trainers. Therefore, only Kanto and Johto are considered to be from the same region. This is also an official explanation, since the two regions have long shared the same Championship Pokémon League."

You Zhi nodded and looked at the young man, saying, "Now I believe you are Harin."

"... You really do have a knack for accurately triggering people's anger, as always."

Harin took several deep breaths, finally suppressing his near-outburst of reason, and forced a smile, saying, "Trying to use psychological tactics to influence my emotions, it seems you lack confidence in your own abilities."

Feeling that continuing the conversation would only be a waste of time, You Zhi simply showed his bracelet and said, "How many stars do you want to bet?"

Harin paused for a moment, then said fiercely, "Two! This will decide our fates. If you can't beat me, your tournament journey ends here!"

You Zhi had no objections, and then asked, "The competition rules?"

"In singles, a maximum of two Pokémon can be used."

The two exchanged a glance, neither offering any further comment, and each drew a Pokémon Card from the void.

"Duel!" x2

A small Duel Barrier automatically unfolded, enveloping the two— the Quartz League had pre-arranged the dueling setup on Champion Road.

A flash of light appeared, and two elves appeared on the field: Hyosube and Demon Lizard Yihao.

Seeing this, Harin smiled slightly, "As expected, you also want to recreate that initial duel, the one we summoned back then."

In fact, You Zhi had no such idea. From an intelligence perspective, using the Demon Lizard Yihao would reveal the least amount of information, since it is a blank Pokémon with no special characteristics.

"However, I am no longer the same person I was before. Go! Hyosube, use the Aqua Jet!"

The kappa-like Hyosube, Hyosugu, spurted water from its body, spun around, splashed a wave, and pounced on the Demon Lizard Yihao with lightning speed.

The Aqua Jet weren't very powerful, but they were a preemptive strike, incredibly fast, and the Hyosube' figures were no longer visible to the naked eye.

However, the Demon Lizard Yihao stood still, seemingly stunned because it had lost track of its opponent. Suddenly, it flicked its tail and with a "snap," pulled Hyosube out of thin air.

Harin wasn't surprised; instead, he said with an air of matter-of-fact composure, "Indeed, you've become much stronger than you were back then. Only now do you deserve to be my lifelong rival!"

Phile and Alisa exchanged bewildered glances. Why was this guy named Harin so arrogant? His summoned sprite was clearly ugly and weak. Could it be that this was an ugly duckling-like sprite that would undergo a dramatic transformation once it evolved? Like the White Stone of Ancients evolving into Blue-Eyes White Dragon?

As if guessing their thoughts, Harin said arrogantly, "It seems that this form alone is not enough to instill fear in you. Then evolve! May your fearsome form stir up waves in the deep sea, ruthlessly devouring the land. Roar, Roaring Sea Serpent!"

Amidst a flash of blue light, the Hyosube -like Hyōshū evolved into a gigantic, ferocious-looking sea serpent.

At the same time, Harin activated the newly crafted Spell Card: "Lions must gallop across the grasslands, eagles must soar in the sky, every elf has its own suitable environment for battle, I activate 'Sea'!"

[Field Spell: Sea]

[Effect: All face-up Fish-Type, Sea Serpent, Thunder-Type, and Aqua-Type monsters on the field gain 200 ATK and DEF; all face-up Machine-Type and Fire-Type monsters on the field lose 200 ATK and DEF.]

Suddenly, a large amount of water seeped from the surrounding ground, but it was contained within the Duel Barrier Bind and rose above the waists of the two people.

The giant sea serpent unleashed a massive wave, crashing towards the Demon Lizard Yihao. Although the Spell Card "Sea" only increased attack and defense by a mere 200, the power of the Water-type skill was greatly enhanced, much like fighting in a rainy environment.

You Zhi said, "I've seen this form before, and the Demon Lizard Yihao is Water Attribute, so the current environment is also favorable to it."

Seeing the oncoming waves, Demon Lizard Yihao showed no fear. He lowered his stance, assumed a sword-drawing posture, and just as the waves were about to hit him, he unleashed a powerful hand chop. The water clinging to his arm transformed into a high-frequency vibrating blade that shot out—the skill "Aqua Cutter."

The Aqua Cutter sliced through the waves, revealing the giant sea serpent hiding behind it. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Demon Lizard Yihao pounced out, delivering a High Jump Kick that struck the opponent squarely in the head, sending him flying with a loud "plop," creating a huge wave.

You Zhi kindly reminded him, "Use whatever trump cards you have quickly, or you might not have another chance."

"I made a mistake. Facing a formidable foe like you, I shouldn't have held back. So continue to evolve, awaken your ancient memories, activate the wild power etched in your genes, dominate the ocean with the power of spirals, transform, Spiral Dragon!"

[Spiral Dragon (8-star) Water]

[Lineage: Water]

[Level: 40]

[Attack Power: 2900 (3100)]

[Defense Strength: 2900 (3100)]

[Sea Serpent, Description: Legend has it that these sea dragons can create whirlpools to attack people. The spiraling waves emitted from their enormous fins can devour everything.]

The once slender sea serpent transformed into a plesiosaur-like creature, its body becoming enormous and stout, with webbed wings on its forelimbs and a long neck. Its head, however, remained largely unchanged from its pre-evolution form, equally ferocious and ugly.

Harin laughed loudly, "See that? This is the strongest form of the Hyosube, possessing overall racial stats surpassing even the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

The Spiral Dragon opened its mouth and spat out a thick jet of water at the Demon Lizard Yihao. It was a powerful Hydro Pump. If it hit, the Demon Lizard Yihao, who was only 4 stars, would definitely be instantly depleted of health, since the opponent had also received environmental buffs.

"Get out of the way!"

As You Zhi set down the next Spell Card, he issued the command for the Pokémon's special move.

The Demon Lizard Yihao was not hindered by the seawater at all, and used its agility to dodge the attack to the side.

But the Spiral Dragon followed up with its massive body, riding the waves and crashing into him with the Waterflow Rend skill. The Demon Lizard Yihao hurriedly retaliated with Mega Punch, but he couldn't counter the powerful impact of the opponent's weight and was sent flying.

Chapter 277 Martial Arts Sect Lizard

"Well done, Spiral Dragon! That's it! Keep attacking and use your strengths to completely overwhelm the opponent!"

Seeing that he had gained the upper hand, Harin was overjoyed.

The Spiral Dragon let out a strange cry, gathered water on its body again, and charged straight at the dragon.

You Zhi calmly played a D-rank Spell Card: "I activate 'Different Dimension Boundary.' As long as I don't have any Instant-Activation Spell Card on cooldown, neither of our spirits can engage in battle."

The Spiral Dragon, which had been charging halfway, suddenly braked abruptly and came to a stop.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Demon Lizard Yihao rushed forward and delivered a High Jump Kick to his opponent, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

"Didn't they say that the elves couldn't fight each other?" Harin asked in astonishment.

You Zhi generously explained, "It's a hidden effect: when the Demon Lizard Yihao is on the field, only the opponent's Pokémon cannot battle."

Demon Lizard Yihao may not be good at much else, but he has a lot of Associated Card.

There are many Spell Cards that can block an opponent's attack, but in the D-tier, only "Different Dimension Boundary" stands out. After all, this card has significant limitations, and it can only block an opponent unilaterally by activating its hidden effect.

"What a troublesome card."

Harin clicked his tongue and had no choice but to abandon the "Subsea Raid" he was working on, and instead start working on a targeted Spell Card.

Taking advantage of the Demon Lizard Yihao unleashed a barrage of attacks on the Spiral Dragon, using a variety of powerful Fighting-type moves that struck its massive body with resounding thuds, like heavy hammers pounding a drum.

Now at level 48, its attack power is as high as 3145. If the Spiral Dragon's defense were not high enough, it would have exploded on the spot after just one attack.

Harin was extremely anxious, fearing that the Spiral Dragon would not be able to hold on. Fortunately, he was crafting an E-rank Spell Card, and he completed it before the Demon Lizard Yihao could launch a second attack.

"I activate 'Storm,' destroying all Spell Card on my field, and then destroying an equal number of Spell Card on my opponent's field."

A dragon Mystical Space Typhoon appeared on Harin's field, shredding the environmental spell "Sea." The seawater within the Duel Barrier receded, and then the tornado rapidly grew stronger, sucking in "The Different Dimension Boundary" and shredding it as well.

Seeing this, You Zhi, for the first time ever, praised, "Impressive! It's amazing that you could think of this card in an instant and break the deadlock with maximum efficiency."

Harin puffed out his chest and snorted twice, "Of course, I spent a lot of money to take a crash course and received special training. The phrase 'things have changed' is tailor-made for me now."

You Zhi recalled how he had summoned a bunch of meaningless E-rank cards to fill his deck and couldn't help but sigh, "I can tell you're poor."

"This... this has nothing to do with poverty, okay?" Harin retorted angrily. "Don't try to distract me! Spiral Dragon, keep attacking!"

The Spiral Dragon, battered and bruised, roared and unleashed a shockwave that sent the Demon Lizard Yihao flying. It channeled its anger into power and unleashed Waterflow Rend once more, launching an even more ferocious attack.

You Zhi instructed, "Even without environmental support, the Waterflow Rend are not unstoppable. Evolve, Demon Lizard Yihao."

Upon receiving the command, the Demon Lizard Yihao immediately unleashed the light of evolution, instantly transforming into a stronger Dire Lizard form. Bio-modified armor appeared on its body, and it spread its arms to confront the Spiral Dragon's impact head-on.

The two collided, producing a sound like a car accident. The residual force swept around, Divergent Lizard Yihao was ultimately outmatched, forced to retreat step by step and unable to maintain his footing.

Harin laughed heartily, "Hahaha, it's useless! The evolved Spiral Dragon is a Pokémon of the same level as Blue-Eyes White Dragon, not something a mere giant lizard can withstand."