Chapter Summaries

Zhang Cheng defeated Han Tian to become an officially recognized Junior Champion Trainer, then spent more than half a year training before joining Modu University’s team for the National Tournament in Kyoto. He easily won his early matches and advanced to the Top Forty.

• Zhang Cheng’s Diancie broke through Salamence’s Barrier with Dazzling Gleam, defeating Han Tian and ending their assessment battle.
• Zhang Cheng registered as a Junior Champion Trainer, had his injured Pokémon treated, and returned to studying and training at Modu University.
• More than half a year later, Zhang Cheng learned about the National Tournament, qualified automatically for his university’s team, and traveled to Kyoto with the other competitors.
• The tournament began with 160 Trainers in an elimination round, and Zhang Cheng won his early matches to reach the Top Forty.

Zhang Cheng faced Chu Qing in the Top Forty match, recognizing him as the Trainer he had fought over an Evolution Crystal in the Yellow Sand Mountains. Their battle began with Pidgeot striking Chu Qing’s support-focused Furret, leaving the match underway.

• Zhang Cheng drew Chu Qing of Jinling University as his opponent and waited until their scheduled match at three in the afternoon.
• Zhang Cheng and Chu Qing recognized each other and exchanged angry taunts about their previous encounter before the Referee started the match.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Pidgeot, while Chu Qing chose Furret instead of his main Pokémon, Meganium.
• Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to discover Furret’s stat-boosting and Baton Pass strategy, along with her Relaxed Incense.
• Chu Qing ordered Furret to use Coil, and Zhang Cheng commanded Pidgeot to attack with Air Slash, which hit Furret before she could use Protect.

Chu Qing used Furret to stack four Coil boosts before passing them to Haxorus, while Zhang Cheng let the strategy succeed so he could identify Chu Qing’s main Pokémon. Zhang Cheng then had Pidgeot use Whirlwind, forcing Haxorus off the field and erasing its boosts.

• Chu Qing ordered Furret to use Coil repeatedly as Pidgeot attacked, while Zhang Cheng guarded against Toxic with Protect.
• Furret completed four Coils despite Pidgeot’s attacks, then used Baton Pass to transfer its boosts to Haxorus.
• Chu Qing celebrated as Haxorus gained tremendous Attack, Defense, and Accuracy boosts.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Pidgeot to use Whirlwind, which blew Haxorus away and forced it back into its Poké Ball, wiping out its boosts.
• Chu Qing stared in disbelief as Zhang Cheng’s move neutralized his strategy and revealed Haxorus as his main Pokémon.

Chu Qing sent out his evolved Steelix against Zhang Cheng's Pidgeot, then Zhang Cheng switched to Poliwrath to exploit Steelix's weaknesses. The chapter ended with Poliwrath pushing through Steelix's Dragon Tail during its Waterfall attack.

• Chu Qing sent out his Level 68 Steelix, and Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to assess its abilities and moves.
• Chu Qing ordered Stone Edge, but Pidgeot blocked the attack with Protect before Zhang Cheng recalled it.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Poliwrath and ordered Hydro Pump, which broke through Steelix's Wide Guard and damaged it.
• Zhang Cheng sent Poliwrath forward with Waterfall, while Chu Qing ordered Steelix to counter with Dragon Tail.
• Poliwrath withstood Dragon Tail and continued charging toward Steelix.

Zhang Chao’s Poliwrath defeated Chu Qing’s Steelix, then battled his Meganium. After Meganium’s Leaf Storm badly weakened Poliwrath, Zhang Cheng ordered Endeavor, and Poliwrath struck her with unusual power.

• Zhang Chao’s Poliwrath battered Steelix with Dynamic Punch, leaving it confused and unable to follow Chu Qing’s order to use Explosion.
• Poliwrath defeated Steelix with Submission, and Chu Qing sent out his Meganium instead of Haxorus.
• Meganium struck Poliwrath with Energy Ball, but Poliwrath threw her to the edge of the battlefield with Circle Throw.
• Meganium unleashed Leaf Storm, which broke through Poliwrath’s Protect and reduced its HP to a very low level.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Endeavor, and Poliwrath surged forward to strike Meganium.

Chu Qing's Meganium and Zhang Cheng's Poliwrath knocked each other out, and Zhang Cheng sent out Kingdra against Chu Qing's badly injured Furret. Furret used Trick to take Kingdra's Dragon Fang before Kingdra defeated it, leaving Chu Qing pleased with the item swap.

• Meganium recovered with Synthesis, but its Leaf Storm and Poliwrath's Ice Beam knocked out both Pokémon.
• Zhang Cheng and Chu Qing simultaneously sent out Kingdra and the badly injured Furret.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Kingdra to attack Furret with Dragon Pulse, while Chu Qing had Furret use Trick.
• Furret swapped its Relaxed Incense for Kingdra's Dragon Fang before Dragon Pulse knocked it out.

Chu Qing sent Weavile to battle Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra, and the two Pokémon exchanged attacks as Kingdra used Rain Dance to gain a speed advantage. The fight remained unresolved as Weavile boosted his attack with Swords Dance and prepared to counter Kingdra’s Hydro Pump with Throat Chop.

• Chu Qing sent out Weavile, and Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to check its stats and moves.
• Zhang Cheng had Kingdra use Rain Dance, activating Swift Swim and making it faster than Weavile.
• Weavile hit Kingdra with Ice Punch, but Kingdra retaliated with a rain-boosted Surf that overwhelmed Weavile’s Night Slash.
• Weavile and Kingdra clashed with Dark Pulse and Water Pulse, and neither attack gained an advantage.
• Chu Qing ordered Weavile to use Swords Dance, and Zhang Cheng responded with Hydro Pump.
• Chu Qing commanded Weavile to meet Hydro Pump with Throat Chop.

Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra defeated Chu Qing’s Weavile after Scald burned it and weakened its physical attacks. Chu Qing sent out Haxorus, leaving Zhang Cheng to face his strongest opponent yet as he fought for a place in the national top twenty.

• Weavile broke through Kingdra’s Hydro Pump and slashed it, but Kingdra burned Weavile with Scald.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Kingdra to use Surf, which overwhelmed Weavile despite Chu Qing’s order to attack with Ice Punch.
• Kingdra finished Weavile with Bubble Beam, and Chu Qing recalled it.
• Chu Qing sent out Haxorus, and Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to inspect its powerful stats and moves.

Chu Qing’s Haxorus battled Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra and Diancie, dealing damage to Kingdra before Diancie’s defenses and Fairy-type attacks overwhelmed it. The chapter ended with Haxorus trying to withstand Diancie’s Moonblast behind Protect.

• Chu Qing boosted Haxorus’s Attack with Swords Dance, but Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra erased the boost with Clear Smog.
• Haxorus struck Kingdra with Dragon Claw after Kingdra’s Outrage wounded it, knocking Kingdra out.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Diancie, whose Fairy-type shield stopped Haxorus’s Dragon Claw.
• Chu Qing ordered Haxorus to use Guillotine, but Diancie’s special power sent it flying before the move could connect.
• Diancie attacked with Moonblast, and Haxorus formed a Protect barrier to defend itself.

Zhang Cheng defeated Chu Qing after Diancie quickly knocked out Haxorus, then saw the final twenty contestants and encountered Su Qian, who warned him not to face him in the next round. Zhang Cheng dismissed Su Qian’s threat and later recalled their earlier battle, confident he could beat him again.

• Diancie struck Haxorus with Moonblast and Dazzling Gleam, knocking it out, and Chu Qing conceded the match to Zhang Cheng.
• Zhang Cheng watched the Top Forty round conclude and saw that Ye Tian and Liao Wu had advanced to the top twenty.
• Zhang Cheng noticed that nearly every contestant in the top twenty had a pseudo-Legendary Pokémon.
• Su Qian confronted Zhang Cheng and threatened him ahead of the next round, but Zhang Cheng mocked him and walked away.
• At the hotel, Zhang Cheng remembered facing Su Qian in a high-school two-on-two battle and remained confident he could defeat him.

Zhang Cheng faced Su Qian in the National Tournament’s round of twenty, and both Trainers entered the match determined to defeat the other. Su Qian’s Leafeon put Zhang Cheng’s Pidgeot to sleep and began boosting its attack, leaving the battle unresolved.

• The draw paired Zhang Cheng with Su Qian, who vowed to beat him, while Chu Qing warned Su Qian not to underestimate his opponent.
• Zhang Cheng and Su Qian exchanged taunts before the referee started their match.
• Zhang Cheng chose Pidgeot to counter Su Qian’s Leafeon, and his Detection System revealed Leafeon’s stats and moves.
• Pidgeot hit Leafeon with Hurricane, but Leafeon’s Grass Whistle put Pidgeot to sleep.
• Su Qian ordered Leafeon to use Swords Dance twice, boosting its physical attack while Pidgeot remained asleep.

Zhang Cheng's Pidgeot defeated Su Qian's Leafeon after overcoming its boosted attacks and preventing it from recovering with Synthesis. Pidgeot took heavy damage from Leafeon's final Hyper Beam but remained able to fight.

• Zhang Cheng sent Pidgeot's Brave Bird against Leafeon's Leaf Blade, and Pidgeot knocked Leafeon to the edge of the battlefield.
• Su Qian tried Grass Whistle again, but Pidgeot blocked the sound with Protect and countered with Air Slash.
• Leafeon used Protect and attempted Synthesis, but Pidgeot shattered the barrier and interrupted the recovery with Air Slash.
• Su Qian ordered Leafeon to use Hyper Beam at close range, badly injuring Pidgeot.
• Zhang Cheng had Pidgeot finish Leafeon with Air Slash, and Leafeon fainted.

Su Qian sent out Gengar, who quickly knocked out Zhang Cheng’s weakened Pidgeot. Zhang Cheng brought in Poliwrath and used Rain Dance to boost its speed, and the chapter ended with its Hydro Pump overpowering Gengar’s Shadow Balls.

• Su Qian sent out his level 69 Gengar, and Zhang Cheng recognized the speedy Pokémon from their previous battle.
• Gengar struck Pidgeot with Dark Pulse, but Pidgeot blocked it with Protect and began gathering a Hurricane.
• Su Qian ordered Gengar to use Thunderbolt before Hurricane formed, knocking Pidgeot out.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Poliwrath and used Rain Dance to activate its Swift Swim speed boost.
• Gengar tried to burn Poliwrath with Will-O-Wisp, but Poliwrath dodged and fired Hydro Pump.
• Poliwrath’s rain-powered Hydro Pump shattered Gengar’s Shadow Balls in their midair clash.

Zhang Cheng’s Poliwrath overwhelmed Su Qian’s Gengar, but Gengar used Destiny Bond and Explosion to take Poliwrath down with it. Both Trainers had lost two Pokémon, and Zhang Cheng wondered whether Su Qian would send out Charizard next.

• Zhang Cheng ordered Poliwrath to chase down Gengar with Waterfall, badly injuring it despite Gengar’s attempts to dodge.
• Su Qian had Gengar use Protect to withstand another Waterfall, then Zhang Cheng ordered Poliwrath to attack with Brine.
• Su Qian activated Gengar’s Destiny Bond, but Zhang Cheng had Poliwrath disperse the Brine before Gengar could rush into it.
• Su Qian ordered Gengar to use Explosion, knocking Gengar out and triggering Destiny Bond to defeat Poliwrath as well.
• Zhang Cheng and Su Qian each lost two Pokémon, leaving a four-on-four battle as Zhang Cheng considered whether Su Qian would send out Charizard.

Zhang Cheng’s Swampert battled Su Qian’s Lapras, whose Water Absorb ability and Ice-type attacks made her a difficult opponent. Lapras healed from Swampert’s Waterfall and countered with Blizzard, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Zhang Cheng sent out Swampert, while Su Qian chose Lapras instead of his ace, Charizard.
• Lapras opened with Sheer Cold, but Swampert blocked it with Wide Guard.
• Swampert attacked with Mud Bomb, and its power broke through Lapras’s Ice Beam and struck her lightly.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Swampert to use Waterfall, but Lapras absorbed the Water-type attack and recovered some of her injuries.
• Lapras unleashed Blizzard, battering Swampert with icy winds and snow.

Zhang Cheng poisoned Su Qian’s Lapras and forced Su Qian to switch in Garchomp, his powerful counter to Diancie. Garchomp badly weakened Swampert, blocked its second Toxic attempt, and faced Swampert’s Ice Beam as Su Qian ordered Dragon Claw to break it.

• Zhang Cheng used Toxic to poison Lapras, then ordered Swampert to attack from range as the poison steadily drained Lapras’s HP.
• Su Qian recalled Lapras and sent out his level 68 Garchomp, equipped with Soft Sand to strengthen Ground-type moves against Diancie.
• Su Qian ordered Garchomp to use Dragon Rush, and the attack shattered Swampert’s Protect barrier and left Swampert with dangerously low HP.
• Zhang Cheng tried to poison Garchomp with Toxic, but Garchomp blocked the venom with Protect.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Swampert to fire Ice Beam at Garchomp, and Su Qian commanded Garchomp to break it with Dragon Claw.

Su Qian Mega Evolved Garchomp and used its boosted Earthquake to defeat Zhang Cheng’s Swampert. Zhang Cheng sent out Diancie to face Mega Garchomp, while keeping Diancie’s own Mega Evolution secret.

• Swampert froze Garchomp with Ice Beam, but Su Qian activated an Evolution Crystal and Mega Evolved it.
• Mega Garchomp broke free of the ice and struck Swampert with Earthquake, breaking through Wide Guard and knocking Swampert unconscious.
• Zhang Cheng recalled Swampert as Trainers discussed Mega Garchomp’s power, while Ye Tian said Diancie would still defeat it.
• Su Qian challenged Zhang Cheng to send out Diancie, and Zhang Cheng accepted.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Diancie without Mega Evolving, choosing to keep its Mega Evolution stone and power hidden.

Zhang Cheng and Su Qian battled as Diancie and Mega Garchomp traded powerful attacks, with Mega Garchomp gaining the advantage through Sand Tomb, Sandstorm, and Earth Power. Diancie then used Floral Healing to recover completely, leaving Su Qian and the watching Trainers stunned.

• Zhang Cheng had Diancie use Moonblast while Su Qian ordered Mega Garchomp to trap it with Sand Tomb.
• Su Qian had Mega Garchomp summon Sandstorm, activating Sand Force and boosting its Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-type moves.
• Diancie struck Mega Garchomp with Dazzling Gleam, and Mega Garchomp retaliated with Earth Power alongside the continuing Sand Tomb, severely injuring Diancie.
• Zhang Cheng used Floral Healing to restore Diancie to full health, shocking Su Qian and the spectators.

Zhang Cheng’s Diancie defeated Su Qian’s Mega Garchomp with Light of Ruin and Diamond Storm, while Floral Healing restored Diancie’s injuries. Su Qian refused to surrender and sent out Charizard, prompting Zhang Cheng to recall Diancie and choose Ampharos for the next battle.

• Su Qian ordered Mega Garchomp to use Drill Run, but Zhang Cheng countered with Diancie’s Light of Ruin, which badly wounded Mega Garchomp and also injured Diancie.
• Zhang Cheng had Diancie use Floral Healing to recover, then ordered Diamond Storm to end Mega Garchomp’s battle.
• Su Qian recalled his defeated Garchomp after it lost consciousness and its Mega Evolution ended.
• Su Qian refused to surrender and sent out Charizard, his Starter Pokémon.
• Zhang Cheng checked Charizard’s data, recalled Diancie, and sent out Ampharos to give it battle experience.

Zhang Cheng mega evolved Ampharos and used its powerful Zap Cannon to overwhelm Su Qian’s Charizard. After Ampharos finished Charizard with Thunder, Su Qian surrendered, and Zhang Cheng advanced to the top ten.

• Su Qian ordered Charizard to attack Ampharos with Flamethrower, and Charizard’s fire overpowered Ampharos’s Thunderbolt.
• Zhang Cheng mega evolved Ampharos after it took the reduced force of Flamethrower.
• Su Qian sent Charizard’s Inferno against Mega Ampharos, but Zhang Cheng countered with Zap Cannon.
• Zap Cannon struck Charizard, leaving it badly injured and barely able to stand.
• Zhang Cheng had Mega Ampharos use Thunder to defeat Charizard, and Su Qian recalled it and conceded.
• The referee declared Zhang Cheng the winner and announced that he had advanced to the top ten.