Chapter Summaries

Zhang Cheng’s Poliwhirl battled Fang Jin’s Pinsir and was knocked out by Close Combat, leaving Pidgeotto to face Pinsir. Meanwhile, Fang Yin’s Lickitung and Xiao Wei’s Cloyster continued their close battle, with both attacks striking at once.

• Fang Jin sent out Pinsir, and Zhang Cheng scanned him, discovering his strong Close Combat move.
• Pinsir and Poliwhirl traded attacks, then Pinsir broke through Poliwhirl’s Ice Beam with Close Combat and knocked him out.
• Zhang Cheng recalled Poliwhirl and sent out Pidgeotto, while Fang Jin worried about the Flying-type matchup.
• Fang Yin ordered Lickitung to use Rock Slide as Xiao Wei ordered Cloyster to use Water Pulse; the rocks and water rings hit at the same time.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei defeated Fang Jin and Fang Yin in their first-round match after Pinsir’s Rock Slide badly injured Ninjask, but Pidgeotto and Ninjask overwhelmed Pinsir. After the match, the teams became friends, and Zhang Cheng took his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center before the next round.

• Cloyster knocked out Fang Yin’s Lickitung, leaving Fang Jin’s Pinsir as his team’s last Pokémon.
• Xiao Wei sent out Ninjask to support Zhang Cheng’s Pidgeotto, but Pinsir’s Rock Slide struck Ninjask and buried it beneath rubble.
• Pidgeotto’s Hurricane badly injured Pinsir, and Ninjask escaped the rubble and healed some of its injuries with Leech Life.
• Fang Jin surrendered before Pidgeotto could finish Pinsir with Air Slash, and the referee declared Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei the winners.
• Zhang Cheng, Xiao Wei, Fang Jin, and Fang Yin became friends after the match, and Zhang Cheng went to the Pokémon Center to treat his Pokémon.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei began the second round of the tournament against Zhou Bai and Lin Yun. After learning their opponents’ Pokémon, Zhang Cheng changed their plan and decided to focus on defeating Exeggutor without using rain.

• Zhang Cheng waited for Poliwhirl and Pidgeotto to recover, then returned to the inn and rested with his Pokémon.
• The next morning, Zhang Cheng met Xiao Wei at the square, and Xiao Wei drew lot number one for their team.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s second-round opponents were Zhou Bai and Lin Yun, who sent out Exeggutor and Starmie.
• Zhang Cheng scanned Exeggutor and Starmie and judged Exeggutor the greater threat to their team.
• Zhang Cheng told Xiao Wei to avoid bringing out rain and focus their attacks on Exeggutor, and Xiao Wei agreed.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s Poliwhirl and Cloyster battled Zhou Bai and Lin Yun’s Exeggutor and Starmie, with both sides concentrating attacks on a single Pokémon. After Lin Yun used Starmie to shield Exeggutor from the Ice-type attacks, Zhang Cheng decided to switch Pokémon.

• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei attacked Exeggutor with Ice Beam and Aurora Beam, while Zhou Bai and Lin Yun targeted Poliwhirl with Bullet Seed and Swift.
• Lin Yun ordered Starmie to use Surf as Zhou Bai had Exeggutor use Synthesis, but Poliwhirl blocked Surf with Protect and Cloyster interrupted Exeggutor’s healing with Aurora Beam.
• Lin Yun proposed using Starmie to shield Exeggutor so he could attack, and Zhou Bai agreed.
• Exeggutor struck Poliwhirl with Bullet Seed while Poliwhirl and Cloyster attacked Exeggutor with Ice Beam and Aurora Beam; Starmie took the Ice-type attacks in Exeggutor’s place.
• Zhang Cheng realized Starmie resisted his team’s Water- and Ice-type moves and told Xiao Wei they should switch Pokémon.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s Pidgeotto and Ninjask defeated Lin Yun’s weakened Starmie by focusing their attacks on it. Lin Yun sent out Nidorina next, leaving the battle still underway.

• Zhang Cheng recalled Poliwhirl and sent out Pidgeotto, while Xiao Wei chose Ninjask and Zhou Bai recalled Exeggutor for Forretress.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei ordered Pidgeotto and Ninjask to attack Starmie as Lin Yun targeted Pidgeotto with Psywave.
• Forretress failed to reach Starmie in time, and Pidgeotto and Ninjask’s attacks left Starmie badly weakened.
• Lin Yun ordered Starmie to use Surf, but Pidgeotto’s Thief stole its Mystic Water before the attack landed.
• Ninjask struck Starmie with Fury Cutter and knocked it out, prompting Lin Yun to send out Nidorina.

Xiao Wei and Zhang Cheng focused their attacks on Nidorina and Pidgeotto, leaving both Pokémon badly hurt as the battle shifted under Poliwhirl’s Rain Dance. Zhou Bai sent out his weakened Exeggutor to counter the Water-types, but Cloyster’s Aurora Beam knocked it out, and Poliwhirl was left injured by Exeggutor’s Bullet Seed.

• Xiao Wei ordered Ninjask to use Gust on Nidorina while Zhang Cheng had Pidgeotto use Hurricane.
• Lin Yun had Nidorina poison Pidgeotto with Toxic, and Zhou Bai ordered Forretress to hit it with Flash Cannon; Zhang Cheng then recalled the badly hurt Pidgeotto and sent out Poliwhirl.
• Zhang Cheng had Poliwhirl summon Rainy Weather, and Xiao Wei recalled Ninjask and sent Cloyster back into battle.
• Zhou Bai recalled Forretress and sent out his weakened Exeggutor, prompting Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei to attack it with Ice Beam and Aurora Beam.
• Nidorina blocked Poliwhirl’s Ice Beam for Exeggutor, but Cloyster’s Aurora Beam knocked Exeggutor out; Exeggutor’s Bullet Seed also injured Poliwhirl, and Zhou Bai recalled Exeggutor.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei tried to eliminate Lin Yun and Zhou Bai's weakened Nidorina, while Forretress protected it and Nidorina knocked out Poliwhirl. Pidgeotto returned to the battle badly poisoned, and Zhang Cheng urged Xiao Wei to defeat Nidorina before Pidgeotto succumbed.

• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei targeted Nidorina with Poliwhirl's Bubble Beam and Cloyster's Water Pulse, but Zhou Bai sent Forretress to block both attacks.
• Lin Yun ordered Nidorina to hit Poliwhirl with Venoshock, leaving Poliwhirl at critical HP.
• Zhang Cheng told Poliwhirl to use Endeavor on Forretress, but Zhou Bai blocked it with Protect.
• Lin Yun's Nidorina knocked Poliwhirl out with Double Kick, then Xiao Wei's Cloyster badly damaged Nidorina with Spike Cannon.
• Zhang Cheng recalled Poliwhirl and sent out Pidgeotto, whose severe poison immediately took effect.
• Zhang Cheng warned Xiao Wei that they had to defeat Nidorina before Pidgeotto went down.

Lin Yun and Zhou Bai’s team struggled against Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s strategy of using Cloyster to keep Nidorina from attacking while Pidgeotto wore down Forretress. Lin Yun finally ordered Nidorina to use Venoshock on Pidgeotto, and Xiao Wei sent Cloyster’s Water Pulse at Nidorina in response.

• Lin Yun ordered Nidorina to use Venoshock on badly poisoned Pidgeotto, but Pidgeotto blocked it with Protect.
• Xiao Wei attacked Nidorina with Cloyster’s Spike Cannon, but Forretress took all five spikes for her.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei agreed to have Pidgeotto attack Forretress while Cloyster watched Nidorina and threatened to strike if she attacked.
• Pidgeotto hit Forretress with Hurricane and Air Slash as Forretress continued protecting Nidorina.
• Lin Yun ordered Nidorina to use Venoshock on Pidgeotto, and Xiao Wei immediately ordered Cloyster to hit Nidorina with Water Pulse.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei defeated Zhou Bai and Lin Yun in a close Pokémon battle, leaving Cloyster as the last Pokémon standing. The Referee declared them winners and advanced them to tomorrow’s third round.

• Nidorina knocked Pidgeotto out with Venoshock, but Cloyster’s Water Pulse then defeated Nidorina.
• Forretress used Pin Missile, and Cloyster countered with Spike Cannon, landing one spike after the other attacks canceled out.
• Forretress fired Flash Cannon, but Cloyster blocked it with Protect and confused Forretress with Supersonic.
• Forretress hurt itself while confused, then fell to Cloyster’s Aurora Beam.
• The Referee declared Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei the winners and advanced them to tomorrow’s third round.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei advanced to the quarterfinals and faced local Trainers Wei Shi and An Feng, whose Rock- and Ground-type Pokémon were vulnerable to their Rain Team. The battle began with Waterfall heavily damaging Graveler, and Cloyster followed up with Water Pulse as Dugtrio moved to help.

• Zhang Cheng rested and cared for his Pokémon before heading to the battlefield the next morning with Xiao Wei.
• Xiao Wei drew the first match and identified their opponents, Wei Shi and An Feng, as local Trainers who favored Rock- and Ground-type Pokémon.
• Both teams sent out their Pokémon, with Xiao Wei choosing Cloyster and Poliwhirl against Graveler and Dugtrio.
• Zhang Cheng scanned Graveler and Dugtrio, learning their levels, abilities, moves, and other details.
• Graveler attacked Poliwhirl with Mega Punch, but Poliwhirl countered with Waterfall and lost less health than Graveler.
• Cloyster launched Water Pulse at the badly hurt Graveler, while An Feng ordered Dugtrio to use Headbutt to help him.

Wei Shi and An Feng replaced their weakened Graveler and Dugtrio with Gligar and Shuckle to counter Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s Water-type Pokémon. The battle continued with Gligar taking heavy damage from Bubble Beam while Shuckle’s Rock Blast barely hurt Poliwhirl.

• Dugtrio and Graveler took heavy damage from Cloyster and Poliwhirl, so Wei Shi and An Feng recalled them.
• Wei Shi sent out Gligar, and An Feng sent out Shuckle; Zhang Cheng inspected both Pokémon’s abilities and moves.
• Zhang Cheng decided to focus on Gligar and had Xiao Wei order Cloyster to use Water Pulse, which Gligar blocked with Protect.
• Zhang Cheng ordered Poliwhirl to use Bubble Beam while Gligar was vulnerable, and the attack took a third of Gligar’s HP.
• An Feng ordered Shuckle to use Rock Blast on Poliwhirl, but the four hits caused only minor damage.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei used Rainy Weather to strengthen Poliwhirl and Cloyster’s Water-type attacks, defeating Wei Shi’s Gligar and Graveler. An Feng’s Shuckle and Dugtrio also fell, leaving Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei with an overwhelming victory.

• Zhang Cheng had Poliwhirl summon Rainy Weather, and Cloyster’s boosted Water Pulse knocked out Wei Shi’s Gligar while Shuckle’s Acid only slightly damaged Cloyster.
• Wei Shi sent out Graveler, which used Self-Destruct against Poliwhirl and Cloyster, but the blast left both of Wei Shi’s Pokémon unable to battle.
• An Feng had Shuckle attack Poliwhirl, but Poliwhirl’s Bubble Beam and Cloyster’s Spike Cannon overwhelmed and knocked out Shuckle.
• An Feng sent out Dugtrio, and Poliwhirl’s Waterfall and Cloyster’s Water Pulse defeated it before it could attack.

After advancing to the semifinals, Zhang Cheng used a system reward to let Poliwhirl switch between its Politoed and Poliwrath forms. The new evolutions strengthened Zhang Cheng’s team ahead of the next day’s match, while Mega Evolution remained unavailable.

• After Dugtrio was defeated, Zhang Cheng met An Feng and Wei Shi through Xiao Wei, and the four watched matches and shared a meal.
• Back at the Inn, Zhang Cheng worried that his Pokémon needed to grow stronger before the semifinals and considered evolving Poliwhirl with a Water Stone.
• Zhang Cheng claimed the system’s Bond Phenomenon reward and chose Poliwhirl, gaining a connection that allowed it to switch between evolved forms.
• Poliwhirl changed into level 27 Poliwrath, whose A+ potential, Fighting type, Submission, and Circle Throw increased its combat strength.
• Poliwrath switched into Politoed, retaining A+ potential and gaining Drizzle, Perish Song, and Swagger.
• Zhang Cheng asked about Mega Evolution, but the system said the feature needed more time to become available, and he resolved to win the tournament.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei began their semifinal battle against the Jinling No. 1 High School cousins Xiang Chen and Xiang Liang. The match opened with both teams targeting Ivysaur and Politoed, leaving the battle underway.

• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei drew the first semifinal match and learned they would face Xiang Chen and Xiang Liang, visiting students from Jinling No. 1 High School.
• The four trainers sent out Politoed, Cloyster, Combusken, and Ivysaur, and Zhang Cheng checked the opposing Pokémon’s stats.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei agreed to focus their attacks on Ivysaur, while Politoed’s Drizzle brought heavy rain to the battlefield.
• Xiang Liang ordered Ivysaur to attack Politoed with Energy Ball, but Politoed blocked it with Protect.
• Xiao Wei commanded Cloyster to hit Ivysaur with Aurora Beam, which dealt heavy damage.
• Xiang Chen ordered Combusken to attack Politoed with Double Kick.

Xiang Chen, Zhang Cheng, and Xiao Wei attacked Ivysaur and Politoed, and Ivysaur eventually fainted. Xiang Liang sent out Jumpluff, leaving the battle poised for Zhang Cheng to handle her while Xiao Wei targeted Combusken.

• Politoed and Cloyster hit Ivysaur with Ice Beam and Aurora Beam while Ivysaur used Giga Drain on Politoed and Combusken struck Politoed with Brick Break.
• Ice Beam froze Ivysaur, and Politoed recovered health from Giga Drain as it drained Politoed.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei ordered Politoed and Cloyster to attack the frozen Ivysaur again, knocking her HP to zero.
• Xiang Chen continued attacking Politoed with Combusken's Double Kick, reducing Politoed to about a third of its HP.
• Xiang Liang recalled Ivysaur and sent out his final Pokémon, Jumpluff, who used Cotton Guard to raise her Defense.
• Zhang Cheng told Xiao Wei to focus on Combusken, and Xiao Wei ordered Cloyster to use Water Pulse on it.

Xiang Liang and Xiang Chen tried to wear down Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei’s Pokémon, while Perish Song put Jumpluff on a timer. The battle continued with Combusken and Pidgeotto badly damaged, and Jumpluff’s Bullet Seed pierced Cloyster’s Protect.

• Politoed used Perish Song on Jumpluff, forcing Xiang Liang to abandon its defense boosts and attack before it fainted.
• Jumpluff hit Politoed with Seed Bomb, but Zhang Cheng recalled Politoed and sent out Pidgeotto, which resisted Grass-type moves.
• Combusken struck Pidgeotto with Flame Charge, and Pidgeotto answered with Hurricane, leaving Combusken at critical HP while Flame Burst reduced Pidgeotto to about a third of its HP.
• Xiang Liang ordered Jumpluff to attack Cloyster with Bullet Seed, and Cloyster’s Protect failed to stop the seeds because Jumpluff had Infiltrator.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei's Pokémon defeated Combusken and Jumpluff, while Xiang Chen sent out Flareon to continue the battle. Politoed restored the rain and used Perish Song on Flareon, leaving Xiang Chen's team with little chance to recover.

• Jumpluff's Infiltrator let its Bullet Seed bypass Cloyster's Protect, and Zhang Cheng explained the Ability to Xiao Wei.
• Cloyster and Pidgeotto's attacks knocked out Combusken, while Jumpluff's Bullet Seed left Cloyster badly weakened.
• Xiang Chen sent out Flareon, and Zhang Cheng checked her data and judged that his two Water-type Pokémon had the advantage.
• Politoed's Perish Song took effect and knocked Jumpluff out, and Zhang Cheng recalled Pidgeotto before sending Politoed back into battle.
• Politoed's Drizzle brought back the rain, and Zhang Cheng ordered it to use Perish Song on Flareon.

Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei defeated Xiang Chen’s Flareon and advanced to the tournament finals. Zhang Cheng stayed to watch the next match so he could assess the opponents they would face tomorrow.

• Politoed used Perish Song again, and Xiang Chen ordered Flareon to attack Cloyster with Fire Fang.
• Cloyster blocked Fire Fang with Protect, then Politoed and Cloyster struck Flareon with Waterfall and Water Pulse.
• Politoed and Cloyster launched Bubble Beam and Spike Cannon together, defeating Flareon before Perish Song took effect.
• The referee declared Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei the winners and announced that they had advanced to the finals.
• After speaking with Xiang Chen, Zhang Cheng stayed to watch the next match and scout the finalists’ opponents.

Li Wei and Li Xue defeated their Magnolia Town opponents in the semifinals, setting up a final against Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei. Zhang Cheng inspected the sisters’ Pokémon and was preparing for the match when Li Xue approached him to introduce herself.

• Li Wei and Li Xue used their Water-type Pokémon to defeat Onix, Hitmonchan, and Kingler, while protecting themselves from Onix’s Self-Destruct.
• The Magnolia Town Trainer conceded, and the referee announced that Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei would face Li Wei and Li Xue in the final.
• Zhang Cheng inspected Wartortle and Dewott’s stats and decided to keep his current opening lineup because he had not seen the sisters’ second Pokémon.
• Li Xue approached Zhang Cheng, confirmed he was their opponent, introduced herself, and extended her hand.

Zhang Cheng prepared Poliwrath for the Double Battle finals, then teamed up with Xiao Wei against Li Xue and Li Wei. The match began with all four Water-type Pokémon, and Zhang Cheng’s opening strategy targeted Dewott while Poliwrath stole Wartortle’s Mystic Water.

• Li Xue blushed after Zhang Cheng held her hand, then left the competitors' lounge with Li Wei.
• Zhang Cheng chose Poliwrath for the finals because rain would boost its Swift Swim Ability, then changed Politoed into Poliwrath form.
• Zhang Cheng and Xiao Wei met at the venue and faced Li Xue and Li Wei in the finals.
• Li Xue had Dewott use Rain Dance, and Zhang Cheng told Xiao Wei to focus their attacks on Dewott.
• Cloyster hit Dewott with Water Pulse, while Wartortle struck Poliwrath with Waterfall.
• Poliwrath used Thief during Wartortle's attack, damaging it and stealing its Mystic Water, then Zhang Cheng ordered Waterfall against Dewott.