Chapter Summaries

Xinhai registered for the Ever Grande Conference, checked into room E404, and studied the tournament rules while Eevee rested. After learning the schedule and battle formats, he arranged to meet his parents for dinner and left the Pokémon Center.

• Xinhai presented his Pokédex and eight Gym Badges to Nurse Joy, completed registration, and received the key to room E404.
• Xinhai settled into his room, let Eevee rest on the bed, and read the handbook's schedule for the qualifying rounds, elimination rounds, and finals.
• Xinhai messaged his mother Nami, who invited him to join her and his father for dinner, and he also updated Roxanne and Flannery that he had arrived.
• Xinhai collected Eevee and his key card, locked his room, and left the Pokémon Center to meet his parents.

Xinhai toured Ever Grande City with his parents, Nami and Yantai, before the tournament. As more Trainers arrived, he returned his focus to preparing for the preliminary rounds and told his parents he would skip further sightseeing.

• Xinhai met Nami and Yantai, then took them to a seafood street for dinner, where they encouraged him to focus on his battles and do his best.
• Xinhai accompanied his parents back to the Sea Breeze Hotel and returned to his own lodging with a sleepy Eevee.
• The next morning, Xinhai warmed up with his companions before riding to the harbor to meet his parents for lunch.
• Xinhai toured Wetland Park and the Coastal Promenade with Nami and Yantai, who took photos with him near Ever Grande Stadium.
• As Trainers filled the Pokémon Center ahead of the tournament, Xinhai told Nami he would spend the next two days preparing; she replied that she and Yantai would attend the opening ceremony.

Xinhai attended the Ever Grande Conference opening ceremony with Eevee and watched President Damaranch light the Sacred Fire. The ceremony continued with the contestants’ oath and an exhibition match between Poni and Drake.

• Xinhai traveled through the crowded streets to Ever Grande Stadium and entered through the contestants’ passage with Eevee.
• The Sacred Fire runner arrived with a Blaziken as the packed stadium cheered.
• President Damaranch welcomed the crowd, spoke about the Sacred Fire, and lit the cauldron with the runner’s torch.
• President Damaranch led the Trainers in reciting the oath.
• Poni’s Ice-type Pokémon battled Drake’s Dragon-type Pokémon in an exhibition match as the spectators cheered.

After the opening ceremony, Xinhai spent the evening with his parents and prepared for the tournament. The next morning, he learned that his first east-division match would be against Fujiwara Takuma and headed to battlefield three.

• Xinhai met his parents, Nami and Yantai, outside the stadium after the exhibition matches, and they encouraged him before parting ways.
• Xinhai returned to the Pokémon Center, made dinner for himself and his Pokémon, and went to bed early.
• The next morning, Xinhai and Eevee went to Ever Grande Stadium, where Xinhai was assigned to the east division.
• Xinhai checked the draw and learned he would face Fujiwara Takuma in round seven at battlefield three.
• When his match appeared on the schedule, Xinhai left the waiting area and headed to battlefield three with Eevee.

Xinhai defeated Fujiwara Takuma’s Crawdaunt in the first round of the preliminaries, then learned that his second-round opponent would be Hayase Misaki. He watched other battles while waiting for his match.

• Fujiwara Takuma sent out Crawdaunt, and Xinhai answered with Blaziken as their preliminary battle began.
• Crawdaunt attacked with Aqua Jet and Crabhammer, but Blaziken dodged and defeated it with Rock Smash Kick.
• The referee declared Xinhai the winner, and both Trainers recalled their Pokémon before Xinhai returned to the waiting area.
• Xinhai saw the second-round draw pairing him against Hayase Misaki in Arena Three.
• Xinhai watched Hayase and several competitors, observing their tactics as Magneton defeated Linoone with Thunder Wave and Zap Cannon.

Xinhai and Blaziken defeated Hayase Misaki’s Swampert in two attacks, then won consecutive matches against a Probopass and a Sceptile. Xinhai advanced through the tournament as the chapter ended after Blaziken’s victory over Sceptile.

• Xinhai sent out Blaziken against Hayase Misaki’s Swampert, and Blaziken split Swampert’s Surf with Quick Attack before knocking it out with High Jump Kick.
• Hayase Misaki recalled Swampert and left the field, while Xinhai and Eevee returned to rest before the next draw.
• Xinhai defeated his next opponent’s Elite-level Probopass with Blaziken’s Jump Kick and Rock Smash.
• Xinhai faced a Sceptile, and Blaziken pierced its Dragon Pulse with Flamethrower before knocking it out with two close-range strikes.

Xinhai advanced to the knockout rounds after Blaziken defeated a Pidgeot, then researched the strongest competitors and assessed his chances. The chapter ended with Xinhai replying to Ryosuke Onodera, who had congratulated him on advancing.

• Xinhai won his fifth, sixth, and seventh matches with little effort as Blaziken outclassed his opponents.
• Xinhai had Blaziken use Rock Slide to force Pidgeot into a predictable path, then finish it with Jump Kick and advance to the knockout rounds.
• Xinhai returned to the Pokémon Center and studied the profiles of the 256 knockout-round competitors on the tournament website.
• Xinhai reviewed the eight top-ranked contenders and judged that their deeper rosters of Gym-level Pokémon made them difficult opponents.
• Ryosuke Onodera messaged Xinhai to congratulate him, and Xinhai asked whether Ryosuke had advanced as well.