Chapter Summaries

Zhang Cheng’s Diancie endured Slaking’s attacks while Toxic steadily weakened it, then healed itself and prepared a finishing Light of Ruin. The chapter ended as Diancie summoned an Eternal Flower and began gathering energy for the attack.

• Diancie used Wide Guard to blunt Slaking’s Giga Impact, then struck it with Diamond Storm and further raised its Physical Defense.
• Du Ling switched Slaking to Hyper Beam, but Diancie’s Protect reduced the damage while Toxic continued draining Slaking’s HP.
• Zhang Cheng had Diancie use Heal Pulse to restore its health instead of risking Light of Ruin.
• Slaking recovered with Slack Off, but Toxic quickly cut its HP back to half.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Diancie to finish Slaking with Light of Ruin, and Diancie summoned an Eternal Flower to gather energy.

Zhang Cheng defeated Du Ling in training and learned more about the demanding Modu Pokémon Center assessment. After a week of training, he arrived at the Pokémon Center to take it on its behalf, confident he could win.

• Diancie defeated Du Ling's Slaking with Light of Ruin followed by Toxic, and both Trainers recalled their Pokémon after the match.
• Du Ling told Zhang Cheng that the League would send a Champion-level examiner and require the Pokémon Center's representative to be under twenty-four; he encouraged Zhang Cheng to pursue the assessment.
• Zhang Cheng continued training with his Pokémon for a week, raising their average level to 74.
• Zhang Cheng arrived early at the Pokémon Center, where Fang Lin told him the examiner was a young Trainer who had recently reached Champion level.
• Zhang Cheng assured Fang Lin that he was completely confident in passing the assessment.

Zhang Cheng reunited with Yuwen Tian, an old teammate from their mission days, and learned that he would be the examiner for the Modu Pokémon Center assessment. They began a six-on-six battle, leaving the assessment match underway.

• Zhang Cheng met Yuwen Tian at the training ground and recalled how they and Zheng Hao had once defeated the R Organization to secure an Evolution Crystal.
• Yuwen Tian explained that the Evolution Crystal had helped him become a Champion-level Trainer and that he had left Jiangzhe University to travel and train.
• Zhang Cheng realized Yuwen Tian was the League examiner, and Fang Lin worried their friendship might affect the assessment; Zhang Cheng promised to give the battle his all.
• Wang Kun announced the six-on-six rules, and Zhang Cheng and Yuwen Tian sent out Politoed and Honchkrow to begin the match.

Zhang Cheng’s Politoed battled Yuwen Tian’s Honchkrow in heavy rain, resisting confusion long enough to avoid a Dark Pulse. The chapter left Politoed high in the air, beginning a momentum-driven attack on Honchkrow.

• Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to assess Yuwen Tian’s Honchkrow and his own Politoed.
• Politoed entered the battlefield, and its Drizzle ability intensified the rain, extended by its Damp Rock.
• Yuwen Tian ordered Honchkrow to use Confuse Ray, confusing Politoed.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Politoed to use Hydro Pump, but Honchkrow blocked most of the attack with Protect.
• Yuwen Tian sent Honchkrow’s Dark Pulse toward Politoed, but Politoed resisted confusion and used Bounce to evade it.
• Zhang Cheng told Politoed to dive down and attack Honchkrow with its momentum.

Politoed knocked out Yuwen Tian’s Honchkrow with a follow-up Body Slam, and Yuwen Tian sent out Kingler to continue the battle in the rain. Kingler boosted his attack and blocked Politoed’s Hypnosis, then prepared a heavily strengthened Crabhammer as the fight continued.

• Zhang Cheng ordered Politoed to hit the grounded Honchkrow with Body Slam, knocking him out before he could counterattack.
• Yuwen Tian recalled Honchkrow and sent out Kingler, whose rain-boosted Water moves were strengthened by Mystic Water and Sheer Force.
• Kingler used Swords Dance to sharply raise his physical attack while Politoed was confused.
• Zhang Cheng got Politoed to recover from confusion and ordered him to use Hypnosis, but Kingler blocked it with Wide Guard.
• Yuwen Tian ordered Kingler to attack with Crabhammer, combining its power with Kingler’s boosts and the rainy weather.

Zhang Cheng’s Politoed was knocked out by Yuwen Tian’s Kingler, so Zhang Cheng sent out Kingdra to fight it. Kingdra overwhelmed Kingler with Surf and then erased its two Swords Dance boosts with Clear Smog, leaving Kingler’s only major advantage gone.

• Yuwen Tian ordered Kingler to leap after Politoed and strike it with Crabhammer, knocking Politoed out.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Kingdra, which used Surf to engulf Kingler and sweep it away.
• Yuwen Tian had Kingler use Swords Dance twice to raise its Physical Attack.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Kingdra to spread Clear Smog across the battlefield, removing Kingler’s Swords Dance boosts before it could block the smoke with Protect.

Zhang Cheng's Kingdra defeated Yuwen Tian's Kingler after Kingler's Guillotine failed, leaving Yuwen Tian to send out Electivire. The battle continued as Zhang Cheng looked forward to seeing how strong his old teammate had become.

• Kingdra cleared Kingler's stat boosts with Clear Smog, then struck it with Dragon Pulse after the rain ended.
• Kingdra unleashed Outrage, breaking through Kingler's Wide Guard and reducing its HP to about a third.
• Yuwen Tian ordered Kingler to gamble on Guillotine, but its attack failed and Outrage knocked it out.
• Yuwen Tian recalled Kingler and sent out Electivire as Zhang Cheng prepared to continue the battle.

Zhang Cheng’s Kingdra and Yuwen Tian’s Electivire exchanged powerful attacks as Electric Terrain and Ion Deluge shaped the battle. Kingdra recovered from confusion and launched another Outrage just as Electivire prepared a boosted Giga Impact, leaving their collision unresolved.

• Yuwen Tian had Electivire establish Electric Terrain while Zhang Cheng ordered Kingdra to attack with Hydro Cannon, badly wounding Electivire.
• Electivire retaliated with a Terrain-boosted Thunder Punch, striking Kingdra after confusion caused it to miss Protect.
• Yuwen Tian had Electivire use Ion Deluge to turn its next Normal-type move into an Electric-type attack.
• Kingdra recovered from confusion and attacked with Outrage as Electivire prepared to answer with Giga Impact.

Yuwen Tian's Electivire defeated Zhang Cheng's Kingdra, but then faced a Swampert that nullified its Electric-type attacks. After Electivire's Giga Impact failed, Swampert struck it with Mud Bomb and took nearly half its HP.

• Electivire broke through Kingdra's Outrage with Giga Impact, then finished it with Thunder Punch.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Swampert, whose Ground typing made it immune to Electivire's Electric-type attacks.
• Electivire charged Swampert with Giga Impact, but Ion Deluge had made the move Electric-type, so it did no damage.
• Swampert hit Electivire with Mud Bomb, costing it nearly half its HP.
• Yuwen Tian realized Electivire would need to try Fighting-type moves against Swampert.

Electivire’s attacks failed to overcome Swampert’s Mud Shot, and it was defeated despite trying Protect and Ice Punch. Yuwen Tian sent out Ferrothorn to exploit Swampert’s fourfold Grass weakness, while Zhang Cheng inspected her abilities and moves.

• Yuwen Tian ordered Electivire to attack Swampert with Hammer Arm, but Swampert’s Mud Shot weakened the blow and knocked Electivire back.
• Electivire tried to build up Dynamic Punch, but Swampert’s continued Mud Shot disrupted it, so Yuwen Tian ordered Protect.
• Electivire used Ice Punch through the protection barrier, but it failed to freeze Swampert, whose Mud Shot depleted Electivire’s remaining HP and defeated it.
• Yuwen Tian recalled Electivire and sent out Ferrothorn to counter Swampert with her Grass typing.
• Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to inspect Ferrothorn, learning that she was a Level 72 Grass- and Steel-type with Iron Barbs, high defenses, and low Speed.

Zhang Cheng's Swampert battled Yuwen Tian's Ferrothorn but was defeated after weakening it with Hammer Arm and Hyper Beam. Zhang Cheng then sent out Moltres, and Yuwen Tian ordered Ferrothorn to attack it with Acid Spray.

• Yuwen Tian had Ferrothorn try Leech Seed, but Zhang Cheng blocked it with Swampert's Wide Guard.
• Swampert struck Ferrothorn with Hammer Arm, then hit it with Hyper Beam, bringing Ferrothorn's HP below half.
• Ferrothorn finished the immobilized Swampert with Energy Ball, and Zhang Cheng recalled it.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Moltres, surprising Yuwen Tian, who then commanded Ferrothorn to use Acid Spray.

Zhang Cheng’s Moltres knocked out Yuwen Tian’s Ferrothorn with Heat Wave, but Yuwen Tian sent out his Flash Fire Typhlosion to challenge it. After their first exchange left Typhlosion badly hurt, Yuwen Tian ordered Wild Charge, and Zhang Cheng had Moltres evade with Fly.

• Zhang Cheng’s Moltres vaporized Ferrothorn’s Acid Spray and knocked Ferrothorn out with Heat Wave.
• Yuwen Tian recalled Ferrothorn and sent out his starter, Typhlosion, whose Flash Fire ability Zhang Cheng confirmed with the Detection System.
• Zhang Cheng had Moltres use Air Slash while Yuwen Tian ordered Typhlosion to attack with Flamethrower; Air Slash badly wounded Typhlosion, while Flamethrower did little damage to Moltres.
• Yuwen Tian rallied Typhlosion and ordered him to use Wild Charge against Moltres.
• Zhang Cheng told Moltres to evade Wild Charge with Fly.

Moltres defeated Yuwen Tian’s Typhlosion after overcoming its powerful Burn Up, leaving Yuwen Tian to send out his final Pokémon. Zhang Cheng discovered that the Metagross was a fast, Mega-capable Steel-type threat, a type that endangered his Diancie.

• Typhlosion missed with Wild Charge, and Moltres struck it with a powerful aerial attack.
• Yuwen Tian ordered Typhlosion to use Burn Up, but Moltres broke through the fire with Sky Attack and knocked it out.
• Yuwen Tian recalled Typhlosion and sent out his final Pokémon, Metagross.
• Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to inspect Metagross and recognized the danger its Steel-type attacks posed to Diancie.

Yuwen Tian’s Mega Metagross defeated Zhang Cheng’s worn-down Moltres, but Zhang sent out Mega Ampharos and began strengthening its defenses. The chapter ended with Mega Metagross charging at Ampharos to interrupt its second Cotton Spore.

• Yuwen Tian Mega Evolved Metagross and used Zen Headbutt to knock out Zhang Cheng’s injured Moltres after it landed a super-effective Flamethrower.
• Zhang Cheng recalled Moltres and sent out Ampharos, then used an Evolution Crystal to Mega Evolve it.
• Yuwen Tian had Mega Metagross set up Light Screen to reduce Mega Ampharos’s special-attack damage.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Mega Ampharos to use Cotton Spore twice to raise its Physical Defense.
• Yuwen Tian ordered Mega Metagross to attack with Zen Headbutt before Ampharos could further bolster its defenses.

Zhang Cheng used Mega Ampharos’s boosted defenses and paralysis to set up a powerful counterattack against Yuwen Tian’s Mega Metagross. Mega Ampharos’s Dragon Pulse overcame Meteor Mash, leaving the battle’s outcome poised on the damage from the final strike.

• Mega Ampharos endured Mega Metagross’s Zen Headbutt after boosting its Physical Defense with Cotton Spore.
• Zhang Cheng had Mega Ampharos paralyze Mega Metagross with Thunder Wave, then use Charge to strengthen its Special Defense and its next Electric-type move.
• Mega Ampharos’s Zap Cannon struck after paralysis prevented Mega Metagross from completing Protect, leaving Mega Metagross with only a third of its HP.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Dragon Pulse while Yuwen Tian countered with Meteor Mash, but Dragon Pulse overpowered the Steel-type energy and slammed into Mega Metagross.

Zhang Cheng defeated Yuwen Tian, but Wang Kun changed the assessment rules and demanded a second match in five days. To help Zhang Cheng prepare, Fang Lin shared information about a Zeraora at an abandoned power plant on the Huaxia–Northern Europe border.

• Mega Metagross ran out of energy and reverted to Metagross after Yuwen Tian lost to Zhang Cheng.
• Wang Kun claimed the assessment required two consecutive victories and scheduled another match for five days later, prompting Zhang Cheng to challenge him over the changed rules.
• Yuwen Tian explained that he had only been hired for the match, then said goodbye after dining with Zhang Cheng and Fang Lin.
• Fang Lin worried Wang Kun would find a stronger Champion-level Trainer, and Zhang Cheng acknowledged the risk.
• Fang Lin offered Zhang Cheng a lead on a Mythical Pokémon, revealing that a Zeraora was said to be deep inside an abandoned power plant on the Huaxia–Northern Europe border.

Zhang Cheng learned from Fang Lin that a Zeraora lived in the Abandoned Power Plant and hurried there to catch it. He found the level 73 Mythical Pokémon, but it refused to join him, so Zhang Cheng sent out Diancie for a one-on-one battle.

• Fang Lin told Zhang Cheng about a Zeraora at the Abandoned Power Plant and warned him that it was strong.
• Zhang Cheng collected his recovered Pokémon, bought supplies and high-grade Poké Balls, and flew to the plant on Moltres.
• Zhang Cheng avoided the colony of Electrode and traveled deeper into the plant, where he found increasingly powerful Electric-type Pokémon.
• Zhang Cheng reached the main power supply room and scanned the level 73 Zeraora, which had S-rank potential and the Volt Absorb ability.
• Zeraora warned Zhang Cheng to leave, then refused his invitation to become partners and prepared to attack.
• Zhang Cheng sent out Diancie to face Zeraora in a fair one-on-one battle.

Zhang Cheng and Mega Diancie battled Zeraora, defeating it with Light of Ruin. After Mega Diancie recovered, Zhang Cheng caught Zeraora with his thirty-third Poké Ball.

• Zhang Cheng had Diancie Mega Evolve and defend against Zeraora’s Wild Charge with Wide Guard.
• Mega Diancie struck Zeraora with Diamond Storm, but Zeraora recovered and charged again with Thunder Punch.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Mega Diancie to use Light of Ruin, which knocked Zeraora unconscious.
• Mega Diancie used Recover while Zhang Cheng threw Poké Balls until he caught Zeraora with the thirty-third one.

After catching Zeraora, Zhang Cheng encountered Mark, a Trainer from Northern Europe, who challenged him to a battle for the Mythical Pokémon. They agreed to a four-on-four match in the Abandoned Power Plant, and the chapter ended as Mark ordered Zebstrika to attack Zhang Cheng’s Ampharos with Thunderbolt.

• Zhang Cheng recalled his healed Diancie and headed to the exit of the Abandoned Power Plant.
• Mark confronted Zhang Cheng and proposed a battle, with Zeraora going to the winner; Zhang Cheng accepted to avoid a larger fight that could endanger them both.
• Zhang Cheng and Mark introduced themselves and agreed to a four-on-four match, keeping two Pokémon each in reserve.
• Zhang Cheng chose Ampharos while Mark sent out Zebstrika, and Zhang Cheng used the Detection System to inspect his opponent’s Pokémon.
• Mark ordered Zebstrika to use Thunderbolt against Zhang Cheng’s Ampharos.

Zhang Cheng’s Ampharos decisively defeated Mark’s Zebstrika, but Mark sent out Hippowdon to counter it. Ampharos paralyzed Hippowdon and launched Dragon Pulse, leaving their battle underway.

• Ampharos overwhelmed Zebstrika with Thunderbolt, Thunder, and Zap Cannon, knocking it out despite its resistance and Protect.
• Mark recalled Zebstrika and sent out his level 72 Hippowdon, whose Sand Stream ability created a sandstorm across the battlefield.
• Zhang Cheng had Ampharos use Thunder Wave, paralyzing Hippowdon and further slowing the Ground-type Pokémon.
• Mark ordered Hippowdon to use Bulldoze as she advanced slowly toward Ampharos.
• Zhang Cheng countered with Dragon Pulse, which Ampharos fired at Hippowdon.