"Vulpix! We've got the championship in the bag! When we get home tonight, we'll celebrate with a feast!"
At the word "feast," Vulpix's eyes lit up even brighter, and he nodded his little head like crazy!
"Vul!" Big portions!
Compared to the easygoing cheer on their side, the other competitors weren't doing nearly so well. Every one of them struggled to drag their heavy bodies to the final supply station. For these competitors, this was a true test of the limits of their stamina and willpower.
Meanwhile, Hu Bin was practically playing around. What damned test of stamina and willpower?
The other competitors and their Pokémon stared numbly at Hu Bin and Vulpix's retreating backs. What was the point? No matter how hard they ran, they couldn't beat those two!
They might as well rest up properly and fight for second place!
After all, Yi Nanzi and Cyndaquil had only trained for a month, and unlike Hu Bin and Vulpix, they didn't have a cheat. Their stamina was soon nearly exhausted. Sweat dripped steadily onto the ground as they gasped for breath.
Meanwhile, Jin Kaiwei didn't have much stamina left either. Both he and Raichu were nearing their limits.
They wouldn't normally have been this tired, but they'd pushed too hard during the first leg and burned through too much energy. The rest they'd gotten afterward hadn't been enough to make up for what they'd spent!
An eerie silence hung over the entire supply station. No one had any energy left to talk. They just kept gasping for breath!
After resting for a while, all the competitors and their Pokémon gritted their teeth and set off to finish the final five kilometers.
Hu Bin and Vulpix were far ahead. By now, they could see everyone cheering them on. In the distance, Qin An, Wu Jin, and Liu Yi were waving frantically at him!
Hu Bin and Vulpix were now just a hundred meters from the finish!
The staff had already stretched out the red tape, waiting for the champions to arrive.
"Vulpix, let's pick up the pace and claim our victory!" Hu Bin said to Vulpix with a smile.
"Vul!" Charge!
Hu Bin and Vulpix let out a roar and poured every last ounce of strength into an all-out sprint toward the finish!
The entire crowd went wild, welcoming the champions with thunderous applause and cheers!
Watching Hu Bin's focused expression, Qin An's heart pounded nonstop. Throwing her ladylike image aside, she shouted wildly, "Go, Hu Bin! Charge!"
Wu Jin and Liu Yi were howling with excitement too!
In that final second, everyone instinctively held their breath and watched Hu Bin and Vulpix cross the finish line. After one last moment of silence, the entire crowd erupted into a storm of applause and cheers, celebrating the new champions!
The commentator excitedly announced, "We have our champions for this year's Spring City Marathon! They are contestant Hu Bin and his partner, Vulpix! Let's give our champions our warmest applause!"
Thunderous applause filled the venue in congratulations to Hu Bin and Vulpix.
"Awesome! You're amazing, Bin!"
"Demon king! You're incredible!"
Hu Bin and Vulpix stood where they were, basking in everyone's applause and cheers. Holding Vulpix in his arms, Hu Bin raised a hand to wave at the crowd. Vulpix was just as excited, waving his little paws nonstop, unable to stop smiling!
Meanwhile, the other competitors had entered their final push—the last kilometer.
Yi Nanzi and Cyndaquil had reached their limits. Their pace had slowed considerably, and they had now fallen out of the top ten. Although Jin Kaiwei was also nearing his limit, he still held firmly onto a place in the top ten!
By then, Hu Bin had found Qin An and the others and joined them in cheering for Yi Nanzi. He wasn't in any mood to flirt with Qin An. All their attention was on Yi Nanzi as they prayed he would make it to the finish.
With two hundred meters left, the competitors could see the distant spectators cheering them on. But none of that registered now. All they wanted was to cross the finish line.
Seeing the state Yi Nanzi was in, Jin Kaiwei couldn't help smiling smugly. "Just as I thought, you're no match for me. I'm still strong!"
Yi Nanzi saw Jin Kaiwei's smug smile and wanted to overtake him, but his body wouldn't cooperate. His entire body felt heavy, and even lifting his eyelids was difficult. He could pass out at any moment.
Soon, the competitors in second through eighth place all crossed the finish line.
Jin Kaiwei was also very close to the finish now. Yi Nanzi was tired—so very tired.
With difficulty, he spoke to Cyndaquil, who had worked so hard alongside him. "Cyndaquil, thank you for tr-training with me for so long. I might embarrass myself this time. I feel like I've got nothing left!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yi Nanzi's legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground. He stared at the finish line ahead and Jin Kaiwei's retreating back, unwilling to give up.
Hu Bin and the others clenched their fists tightly, their palms sweating!
When Cyndaquil saw Yi Nanzi fall, his tears wouldn't stop. He knew his trainer had worked incredibly hard, and he was happy and proud to have a trainer like him.
But Cyndaquil could also feel his trainer's frustration. Not wanting his trainer to suffer, he bit down on Yi Nanzi's clothes through his tears and desperately tried to pull him forward.
But Cyndaquil was simply too small. He couldn't move Yi Nanzi even a single step.
Cyndaquil cried out desperately, "Cynda! Cynda!" Come on, Trainer!
Seeing this from a distance, Hu Bin and the others clenched their fists even tighter and called out to Yi Nanzi with still greater force.
Through his haze, Yi Nanzi saw Cyndaquil's tears and heard his friends calling to him nonstop.
With every ounce of strength he had, Yi Nanzi let out a desperate roar and shakily rose to his feet.
Moved by Yi Nanzi's determination, every spectator kept cheering for him and Cyndaquil!
Yi Nanzi looked at his Cyndaquil and gave him a radiant smile. "Let's go, Cyndaquil. Let's claim our victory!"
Seeing his trainer back on his feet, Cyndaquil wept with joy and nodded frantically at Yi Nanzi.
"Cynda!" Let's go!
At that moment, Cyndaquil was engulfed in white light once more. This time, the light didn't stop. Instead, it shone brighter and brighter.
The entire crowd held their breath as they watched. Looking at his evolving Cyndaquil, Yi Nanzi cried, tears streaming down his face.
Yi Nanzi was deeply moved and comforted. I'm not fighting alone. Cyndaquil is always by my side, no matter what, never leaving me. Thank you, Cyndaquil!
The white light faded, and Cyndaquil's evolution was complete. An imposing Quilava stood before Yi Nanzi and gave him a radiant smile!
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