Recaps

Zhang Cheng defeated Ye Tian in the Intercollegiate League and passed Han Tian’s Challenge Tower assessment, despite Han Tian’s illegal use of Salamence. Months later, Zhang Cheng reached the National Tournament’s Top Forty and began a match against Chu Qing, where Poliwrath battled through Steelix and faced Meganium.

• Zhang Cheng’s Butterfree, Vanilluxe, Pidgeot, and other Pokémon fought Ye Tian’s team before Hydreigon faced Zhang Cheng’s Diancie.
• Diancie exploited its Fairy-type advantage to defeat Hydreigon, giving Zhang Cheng and Modu University the victory.
• Zhang Cheng entered the Challenge Tower and defeated Han Tian’s Nidoking, Victreebel, Rhyperior, Gyarados, and Snorlax with his Pokémon.
• Han Tian sent out Salamence despite the assessment restrictions, and Zhang Cheng used Diancie to defeat it and complete his assessment.
• Zhang Cheng registered as a Junior Champion Trainer, returned to Modu University, and later qualified for the National Tournament, reaching the Top Forty.
• Zhang Cheng faced Chu Qing, whose Furret passed stat boosts to Haxorus, but Zhang Cheng’s Pidgeot used Whirlwind to erase the setup.
• Zhang Cheng’s Poliwrath confused and defeated Chu Qing’s Steelix, then battled Meganium as she hit it with Leaf Storm.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Poliwrath to use Endeavor, and Poliwrath surged forward to strike Meganium.

Zhang Cheng defeated Su Qian to reach the top ten, where he began a match against Lu Luan. As Ye Tian advanced by defeating Liao Wu, Zhang Cheng’s ongoing battle with Lu Luan left Ampharos facing a badly injured Bisharp.

• Zhang Cheng defeated Chu Qing after Kingdra beat Weavile and Diancie knocked out Haxorus, then he advanced through the Top Forty round as Ye Tian and Liao Wu also reached the top twenty.
• Zhang Cheng defeated Su Qian in the next round, overcoming Leafeon, Gengar, Lapras, Mega Garchomp, and Charizard to reach the top ten.
• The top ten draw paired Zhang Cheng with Lu Luan and Liao Wu with Ye Tian, whose battle saw Mega Lucario and Hydreigon defeat Liao Wu’s team.
• Zhang Cheng opened against Lu Luan with Poliwrath, which defeated Greninja before Flygon knocked Poliwrath out.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Togekiss, whose critical Dazzling Gleam forced Lu Luan to recall Flygon, but Gigalith’s attacks made Togekiss withdraw.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Kingdra, which defeated Gigalith after Lu Luan’s repeated Sandstorms and interrupted its attempt to use Explosion.
• Lu Luan’s Bisharp defeated Kingdra with Guillotine, but Zhang Cheng’s Ampharos struck the already injured Bisharp with a devastating Thunder.

Zhang Cheng defeated Lu Luan, Jiang Chi, and Qin Yi to advance through the tournament bracket. After a hard-fought semifinal, he prepared to face Ye Tian in the final.

• Zhang Cheng defeated Lu Luan with Diancie and Ampharos, advancing to the quarterfinals as Lu Luan later won the repechage.
• Zhang Cheng defeated Jiang Chi in a battle that ended with Diancie knocking out Mega Gengar, while Ye Tian also advanced to the semifinals.
• Zhang Cheng defeated Qin Yi's Primarina, Gardevoir, Tsareena, Jynx, and Mega Altaria with his Pokémon, leaving Mega Diancie to face Goodra.
• Mega Diancie endured Goodra's Water-type attacks, healed herself, and knocked Goodra out with Dazzling Gleam.
• Zhang Cheng advanced to the final against Ye Tian, then took his Pokémon to recover and praised Diancie as she fell asleep in his arms.

Zhang Cheng defeated Ye Tian to win the National Tournament, but Ye Tian was rescued before the League could arrest him. Zhang Cheng then passed the Challenge Tower assessment and officially became a Champion-level Trainer, while wondering whether he and Ye Tian would become enemies.

• Ye Tian and Zhang Cheng began their tournament final, and Mega Lucario defeated Ampharos before Zhang Cheng’s Poliwrath knocked it out.
• Ye Tian’s Butterfree defeated Poliwrath, but Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra knocked Butterfree out and Tyrantrum later defeated Kingdra.
• Zhang Cheng’s Swampert and Togekiss fell to Ye Tian’s Tyrantrum and Hydreigon, while Hydreigon and Mega Diancie knocked each other out.
• Zhang Cheng used Mega Diancie’s Skill Swap and Heal Block to defeat Ye Tian’s Aegislash and win the National Tournament.
• League officers attempted to arrest Ye Tian, but a masked man rescued him with Alakazam after a Salamence killed the officers.
• Zhang Cheng began his Champion-level assessment with Chen Shan, and Poliwrath, Ampharos, and Swampert defeated Abomasnow, Froslass, and Walrein.
• Zhang Cheng’s Pidgeot defeated Venusaur before Aggron knocked Pidgeot out, and Mega Swampert then defeated Chen Shan’s Mega Aggron.
• Articuno knocked out Mega Swampert, but Zhang Cheng’s Diancie defeated Articuno and secured his Champion-level Trainer title.