Ch. 141First Years Win!
Chapter Summary: “First Years Win!”
Key Plot Points and Events
- After Xie Xie is eliminated, the duel narrows to two battlefields:
- Z1 fights Yuanen Yehui, Duanhun Xiao, and Bai Hanying alone.
- Z2 battles He Xiaopeng and Ye Xingmo.
- Despite being outnumbered, both Z1 and Z2 quickly gain the upper hand. Their strength and endurance astonish both the competitors and the spectators.
- Z1 overwhelms Yuanen Yehui with relentless Dragon Claw attacks. He moves at extraordinary speed and shows no signs of fatigue, rendering Duanhun Xiao’s Killing Sound ineffective and forcing Bai Hanying to devote her Soul Power to supporting Yuanen.
- Z2 bombards Ye Xingmo and He Xiaopeng with repeated ranged techniques, including Dragon Breath, Hyper Beam, Dragon Pulse, and Lock-On. Its attacks continue without weakening, eventually exhausting both second-year students.
- Su Yu explains that Zygarde Cells can absorb sunlight, allowing Z1 and Z2 to replenish their energy during the daytime. As a result, their Soul Power appears virtually limitless.
- Ye Xingmo and He Xiaopeng are defeated first, followed shortly by Yuanen Yehui. Z1 and Z2 then eliminate Duanhun Xiao and Bai Hanying.
- Shen Yi announces that the first years have won. What began as an evenly matched battle becomes a decisive victory once Z1 and Z2 enter the fight.
- Afterward, the first years celebrate while the second years are left stunned by the overwhelming defeat.
- Su Yu then senses that the coordinates of the legendary Legacy Tablet have appeared. However, he also detects that the Slate connected to it may have been altered or controlled by an external force.
- Su Yu immediately orders Team Rocket’s strongest squad to begin searching for the Legacy Tablet.
Character Developments and Interactions
- Z1 and Z2 reveal themselves as exceptionally powerful combatants. Their stamina, offensive power, and unusual abilities make them appear even more extraordinary than conventional “monster-level” geniuses.
- Tang Wulin senses a familiar, almost familial connection to Z1, suggesting a deeper relationship or shared origin that has not yet been explained.
- Yuanen Yehui shifts from confident fighter to desperate defender. She initially believes Z1 will eventually exhaust himself, but becomes alarmed when he remains at full strength.
- Ye Xingmo and He Xiaopeng attempt to win through endurance, believing their Soul Power reserves are superior. Their confidence collapses when Z2’s attacks continue indefinitely.
- Holy Spirit Douluo Yali senses a mysterious danger from Z2 despite the enormous difference between their cultivation levels. This suggests that Z2 possesses hidden qualities beyond its visible three-ring strength.
- Su Yu remains calm because he trusts Z1 and Z2’s capabilities, though privately he admits that he did not know their full potential. His mood changes sharply after detecting the altered Slate, shifting from satisfaction to concern.
- Wu Siduo is amazed and excited by the battle, while Su Yu reminds her not to become impatient.
- Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu are deeply shocked by Z1 and Z2’s abilities, especially their green Soul Rings, unexplained endurance, and possible dependence on sunlight.
- After the victory, Z2 happily describes the fight as “fun,” contrasting with Su Yu’s growing concern over the Legacy Tablet.
Significant Themes
- Unexpected reversal and hidden strength: The first years appear disadvantaged, but Z1 and Z2 completely transform the battle.
- Limits of conventional power systems: Z1 and Z2’s green Soul Rings, seemingly infinite energy, and Pokémon-based techniques challenge the scholars’ understanding of Martial Souls and Soul Power.
- Endurance versus adaptability: The second years rely on superior expected reserves, but fail because they misunderstand the source of their opponents’ strength.
- Sunlight and regeneration: The daytime setting becomes strategically decisive, allowing Z1 and Z2 to replenish their energy and sustain overwhelming attacks.
- Victory paired with danger: The first years celebrate their triumph, but Su Yu’s discovery that the Slate has been altered foreshadows a more serious threat.
- The unknown and the supernatural: Z1 and Z2’s origins, their connection to Su Yu and Tang Wulin, and the Legacy Tablet’s apparent corruption remain unresolved mysteries.
Overall Significance
The chapter marks a dramatic victory for the first years and establishes Z1 and Z2 as extraordinarily powerful, nearly unstoppable combatants. Their performance shocks students, teachers, and even high-level experts. However, the victory is immediately followed by a new mystery: the Legacy Tablet’s coordinates have surfaced, but the Slate may have been tampered with, setting up the next major conflict.