Chapter Summaries

Misty asked May to travel with Xia You after the Ever Grande Conference and keep an eye on him, while the group made their way to Ever Grande City for the competition. As Xia You and Ash headed to see the sacred flame relay, conference officials debated how to handle Xia You’s participation, but John secretly supported him because he expected him to draw viewers.

• Misty asked May to take her place traveling with Xia You after the Ever Grande Conference and watch over him, and May agreed.
• Misty and May rejoined the group after the party, and the next morning Jessie and James abandoned another scheme when they noticed Xia You with Ash at the docks.
• After a two-day voyage, the group arrived in Ever Grande City; Xia You and Ash registered for the conference while Misty and the others went to find ramen.
• After learning that the sacred flame relay was underway, Ash and Xia You headed to see it and greeted Charles Goodshow on the way.
• Charles Goodshow met with conference officials, who worried that Xia You would dominate the tournament, while John privately resolved to support Xia You because he valued the ratings he would bring.

Xia You arrived in Ever Grande City, collected his Meteorite Key Stone and International Police reward, and chose his conference roster before beginning intensive training. At the Preliminaries, Eevee won his first match in forty-two seconds, and Xia You headed to Ash’s venue as Ash’s match was about to begin.

• Misty, May, and the others joined Xia You and Ash to watch the torch relay in Ever Grande City.
• Xia You collected the Meteorite Key Stone and received five million and an honorary Special Investigator certificate from the International Police.
• Xia You selected his Pokémon for the Ever Grande Conference, leaving Crystal Steelix and the Red Gyarados at Cerise Park, then trained separately from Ash for ten days.
• Xia You defeated his first Preliminaries opponent with Eevee in forty-two seconds.
• Xia You and Misty spotted the Team Rocket Trio selling food and drinks, then reached Ash’s venue as his match was about to start.

Xia You watched Ash win his preliminary match and met Ash’s rivals Masamune and Tetsuya before the Ever Grande Conference began. After the next tournament’s groups were announced, Xia You learned he would face Anthony, while reporters converged on him and Ash revealed that Xia You was the person he wanted to surpass.

• Ash’s Pikachu defeated a Hitmonlee with Iron Tail, and Xia You recognized how much Ash had improved.
• Xia You met Masamune and Tetsuya, then watched the Ever Grande Conference open with the Sacred Fire ceremony.
• Nurse Joy announced that contestants needed three Double Battle wins to reach the final tournament, and the group assignments placed Xia You against Anthony in the afternoon at F Arena.
• Anthony vowed to avenge his previous defeat by Xia You, while Viola arrived to interview Xia You and Mary and Dai also sought the exclusive interview he had promised them.
• Masamune asked Ash about Xia You, and Ash said Xia You was the person he wanted to surpass in his lifetime.

Xia You defeated Anthony in a Double Battle at F Arena, using Milotic and Metagross to overwhelm Anthony’s Pelipper and Magneton. After letting the battle continue so his Pokémon could adjust to the conference atmosphere, he finished the match to loud applause.

• Xia You postponed Viola and Mary’s interview, while Mary resolved to secure an exclusive interview with him.
• Xia You skipped scouting his opponents as Ash, Masamune, and Tetsuya prepared for their matches.
• Xia You sent out Milotic and Metagross against Anthony’s Pelipper and Magneton in the ninth match at F Arena.
• Milotic and Metagross countered Anthony’s attacks and steadily gained control despite his attempts to switch opponents and exploit type advantages.
• Xia You let the battle continue so Milotic and Metagross could grow accustomed to the conference atmosphere, while Mary and Dai filmed from the stands.
• Xia You ordered Milotic and Metagross to finish the match, defeating Pelipper and Magneton as the crowd cheered.

After defeating Anthony, Xia You learned that his next opponent was Liangping of the Winstrate family. Xia You began their second-round match with Blaziken and Eevee, and Eevee’s quick reactions disrupted Liangping’s coordinated attack and left Alakazam exposed to Flamethrower.

• Xia You met Ash and the others after his match, and Misty explained that Anthony had struggled with the arena’s atmosphere.
• Ash, Masamune, and Tetsuya advanced from the first round, while Ash narrowly won his match with Corphish’s help.
• Xia You learned that his next opponent, Liangping, was the strongest member of the Winstrate family.
• Xia You and Liangping opened their second-round match with Blaziken and Eevee facing Alakazam and Swellow.
• Eevee dodged Swellow’s dive and Alakazam’s Confusion, then struck Alakazam and broke its Barrier, letting Blaziken’s Flamethrower hit it.

Xia You let Eevee and Blaziken settle into the tournament battle before speeding up and defeating Liangping’s Alakazam and Swellow. After winning, he watched Tetsuya and Ash win their matches, then turned away Mary when she came to his room seeking an interview and tried to tempt him.

• Xia You predicted Alakazam’s Teleport and had Blaziken engulf it in flames, then Eevee struck it with Swift while Liangping struggled to protect it.
• Brock realized Xia You was holding back so Eevee and Blaziken could adjust to the tournament atmosphere, while Ash, Tetsuya, and Masamune mistook his patience for indecision.
• Xia You increased the pace of the battle, and Eevee and Blaziken knocked out Alakazam and Swellow to secure his second-round victory.
• Xia You watched Tetsuya defeat his opponent, then watched Ash crush his own opponent while Masamune’s match ran at the same time.
• Mary visited Xia You’s room alone that evening and offered an interview, using her appearance to try to draw him in.
• Xia You suspected Mary might be setting a trap and blocked her from entering his room.

Xia You advanced to the Ever Grande Conference Main Tournament, where the draw paired him against Tetsuya in the first round. Afterward, he celebrated with his friends and agreed to give Mary exclusive interview access in Hoenn.

• Misty and May interrupted Mary’s attempt to visit Xia You, and Misty brought May into his room; Xia You then sent Mary away.
• Xia You defeated his final preliminary opponent with Eevee and Metagross, advancing to the Main Tournament alongside Ash, Tetsuya, and Masamune.
• At the stadium, the thirty-two competitors received their groupings, and Xia You was drawn against Tetsuya in the first round.
• Xia You treated Ash and the others to a celebratory meal, while Tetsuya ate separately before their upcoming battle.
• Xia You agreed to interviews with Viola and Mary, giving Mary exclusive interview rights in Hoenn to discourage other reporters and avoid making an enemy of her.

Tetsuya trained for his upcoming match against Xia You, while Team Rocket’s Meowth warned him not to underestimate Xia You. The chapter revealed that the Pokémon League had stacked Xia You’s group with strong opponents, then began Xia You and Tetsuya’s Water Field battle with Blastoise facing Sceptile.

• Tetsuya noticed that his Pokémon struggled with nerves in the arena and wondered whether Xia You’s team would be affected the same way.
• Team Rocket’s Meowth appeared at the training field and warned Tetsuya that Xia You and his unrevealed Pokémon were far stronger than he could understand.
• Charles Goodshow told John that he had arranged strong contestants in Xia You’s group to prevent him from winning another conference, while John argued that Xia You could become a benchmark for Trainers.
• Charles Goodshow agreed to reconsider if Xia You still won despite the League’s interference.
• Xia You and Tetsuya began their first-round match at the packed Main Venue after the roulette selected the Water Field.
• Tetsuya sent out Sceptile, and Xia You answered with Blastoise as Ash, Misty, and Brock confidently predicted Xia You would win.

Xia You’s Blastoise dominated Tetsuya’s Sceptile by predicting its Double Team and overpowering it underwater, forcing Tetsuya to recall it. Tetsuya sent out Metagross, and Xia You answered with Dragonite as their next battle began.

• At the start of the match, Blastoise struck Sceptile with Hydro Pump despite its quick movements.
• Xia You identified the real Sceptile among its Double Team copies, and Blastoise hit it with another Hydro Pump.
• Blastoise chased Sceptile underwater, rammed it, and struck it with Withdraw, leaving it badly injured.
• Tetsuya recalled Sceptile and sent out Metagross, while Xia You recalled Blastoise and brought out Dragonite.
• Ash and Brock expected Dragonite to win, while Masamune wondered how Xia You would fare against Tetsuya’s strongest Pokémon, Meowth.

Xia You’s Dragonite used the Water Field to surprise Tetsuya’s Metagross, then defeated it underwater after a fierce exchange. Tetsuya accepted the loss as Dragonite won the round with less damage than Metagross, leaving him to choose his next Pokémon.

• Dragonite hid in a waterspout and struck Metagross with a super-effective Fire Punch, catching Tetsuya and the spectators by surprise.
• Tetsuya steadied himself after the opening blow and ordered Metagross into a fierce counterattack against Dragonite.
• Dragonite and Metagross fought across the sky and rocks, sustaining injuries as the crowd watched a battle that seemed evenly matched.
• Xia You seized an opening, and Dragonite dragged Metagross underwater, where it finished the battle with a point-blank Thunder Punch.
• The referee declared Metagross unable to battle, and Tetsuya recognized that Dragonite had taken far less damage than his Pokémon.

Xia You’s Scizor overwhelmed Tetsuya’s Shiftry with its type advantage, leaving Tetsuya more discouraged as he recalled Shiftry and sent Sceptile back out. Xia You then chose Jolteon despite its disadvantage against Grass types, leaving Tetsuya wondering what his confident opponent was planning.

• Xia You and Tetsuya sent out Scizor and Shiftry for the third round, while the spectators debated who had the advantage.
• Scizor ignored Shiftry’s deceptive tactics and drove him back with attacks, exploiting the type matchup.
• Tetsuya tried to knock Scizor into the water, but Scizor countered with X-Scissor and knocked Shiftry into the pool, where he lost consciousness.
• Tetsuya recalled Shiftry and sent Sceptile back onto the field, while Xia You recalled Scizor and chose Jolteon.
• Tetsuya was relieved that Xia You had not sent out Blastoise, but he was puzzled that Xia You had chosen an Electric-type Pokémon against Sceptile.

Xia You defeated Tetsuya’s Sceptile with Jolteon, then began the second half of the match on the Grass Field with Tyranitar against Donphan. Tetsuya launched his Sandstorm-and-Rollout finishing move, leaving Donphan charging blindly toward Tyranitar as the chapter ended.

• Jolteon used Pin Missile and Quick Attack to defeat Tetsuya’s Sceptile, giving Xia You his third victory.
• Meowth, disguised as a snack vendor, watched Tetsuya and continued selling with Jessie after recalling that he had already warned him.
• The field-selection wheel landed on the Grass Field, where Tetsuya sent out Donphan and Xia You chose Tyranitar.
• Tyranitar’s intimidating presence briefly frightened Donphan before Tetsuya calmed it and the battle began.
• Tetsuya ordered Donphan to create a Sandstorm and use Rollout, sending it charging into the obscured field toward Tyranitar.

Tyranitar defeated Tetsuya’s Donphan inside the Sandstorm, leaving Tetsuya shaken by the gap between himself and Xia You. Determined to defeat at least one of Xia You’s Pokémon, Tetsuya sent out his strongest Pokémon, Meowth, as Xia You’s Venusaur entered the field.

• Tetsuya’s Donphan attacked Tyranitar with Rollout inside the Sandstorm, but Tyranitar stopped him with Superpower and struck him down with Thrash.
• When the Sandstorm cleared, Donphan lay unconscious in a crater, and the commentator explained how Tyranitar had defeated him.
• Tetsuya realized Xia You had won without giving Tyranitar any commands and wondered whether Xia You might be as strong as the Elite Four.
• Xia You recalled Tyranitar and released Venusaur, while Tetsuya recognized that he was unlikely to win the battle.
• Tetsuya sent out his strongest Pokémon, Meowth, determined to defeat at least one of Xia You’s Pokémon, and the Team Rocket Trio’s Meowth watched hopefully.

Xia You’s Venusaur faced Tetsuya’s ace Meowth in a close-range battle, where Meowth revealed its speed and hidden Thunderbolt. Venusaur dodged the attack and struck Meowth with Seed Bomb, leaving the burned Pokémon hurt but still determined to fight.

• The referee started the match, and Meowth charged at Venusaur, dodging Razor Leaf before Venusaur’s Vine Whip stopped its advance.
• Tetsuya sent Meowth in again, and it raced through Venusaur’s Sleep Powder to slash Venusaur at close range.
• Meowth used Thunderbolt to burn away the Sleep Powder, but Venusaur had already retreated with its vines and avoided the attack.
• Xia You ordered Venusaur to use Seed Bomb; Meowth dodged the seed but was caught in its explosion and suffered burns.
• Tetsuya regretted failing to notice the attack in time, then refocused on the battle as Meowth continued fighting.

Xia You defeated Tetsuya six to zero and advanced to the Round of 16, while Tetsuya left to resume his travels. Ash then began his match against Tate at the Ever Grande Conference, opening with Torkoal against her Venomoth.

• Meowth briefly rallied against Venusaur with Double Team, Technician-powered attacks, and Iron Tail, but Venusaur defeated him with Solar Beam.
• Tetsuya sent out Hariyama for his final battle, but Xia You's Tyranitar overwhelmed it, completing a six-to-zero victory and eliminating Tetsuya.
• Tetsuya acknowledged Xia You's strength, then left to travel; Xia You joined Misty, Ash, and the others afterward and encouraged Ash before his match.
• Xia You and the group watched Ash's Round of 16 qualifying battle against Tate, a Trainer from Lilycove City, at the Ever Grande Conference main Battle Arena.
• The first field was a Rock Field, and Ash sent out Torkoal while Tate opened with Venomoth.

Ash faced Tate in the Ever Grande Conference, falling behind after Torkoal and Pikachu were defeated before Glalie struck back and took down Dugtrio. Tate sent out Misdreavus to battle Glalie, and her choice to advance through Ice Beam left Xia You suspecting a ruthless plan.

• Tate used Venomoth to disable Torkoal's Withdraw, then switched to Golduck and defeated Torkoal with Water Gun and Fury Swipes.
• Ash sent Pikachu against Tate's Dugtrio, but Dugtrio trapped him in Sand Tomb and knocked him out after Ash recklessly ordered an Iron Tail clash.
• Ash sent out Glalie, which forced Dugtrio out of the ground with Headbutt and defeated it with Ice Beam.
• Tate sent out Misdreavus, and it kept approaching Glalie while enduring Ice Beam, prompting Xia You to recognize Tate's plan.

Ash and Tate’s match shifted in Ash’s favor as he won several rounds, but Tate’s final Pokémon, Walrein, suddenly defeated Swellow and Corphish in succession. Ash sent out his last Pokémon to face a nearly unscathed Walrein.

• Misdreavus used Destiny Bond to take Glalie down with it, making their round a draw and leaving Tate one Pokémon ahead.
• On the Water Field, Ash’s Corphish defeated Tate’s Golduck and evened the score.
• Ash’s Swellow defeated Tate’s Venomoth and then Scizor, putting Ash ahead three to five.
• Tate sent out her final Pokémon, Walrein, which defeated Swellow and Corphish in quick succession.
• Ash threw his final Poké Ball to challenge Walrein, which had built momentum and remained almost unscathed.

Ash defeated Tate’s Walrein to advance to the Round of 16, while Masamune also won his match. The new pairings set Ash against Masamune and Xia You against another powerful Trainer, whom Charles Goodshow had deliberately selected to stop him.

• Ash sent out Grovyle as his final Pokémon, and it defeated Tate’s Walrein after overcoming its Mimic-powered Quick Attack and landing a decisive Leaf Blade.
• Ash reunited with Xia You, May, Max, and Misty after his victory, while Masamune easily won his own match and advanced.
• Ash, Masamune, and their friends celebrated their progress at a pizza restaurant before the Round of 16 pairings were announced.
• Ash and Masamune discovered they would face each other in the first match the next day, and Masamune ran outside with Ash chasing after him.
• Xia You learned that his opponent was a formidable female Trainer, while Charles Goodshow watched him and revealed he had arranged the matchup to try to stop Xia You.

Ash and Masamune’s round-of-sixteen match began with Masamune too conflicted to battle effectively, but Ash’s encouragement eventually brought back his fighting spirit. After Corphish and Swampert drew in an exciting clash, the match resumed on the Grass Field, where Steelix defeated Pikachu and left the contest ongoing.

• Ash and Masamune began their match on the Ice Field, where Masamune’s Girafarig battled poorly and lost to Ash’s Corphish.
• Masamune hesitated after Girafarig’s defeat, but Ash shouted to him and prompted him to send out Growlithe.
• Masamune regained his fighting spirit, and his Swampert fought Corphish to a draw after a fierce exchange.
• The halftime break ended, and Ash’s Pikachu faced Masamune’s Steelix on the Grass Field.
• Steelix defeated Pikachu with Iron Tail, giving Masamune a win in the second half.

Ash and Masamune fought through a fierce series of battles, with their score repeatedly returning to a tie. Their final Pokémon, Ash’s Glalie and Masamune’s Metang, began the deciding match, which ended with Glalie turning Metang’s reflected Ice Beam back on it with Icy Wind.

• Masamune’s Steelix defeated Ash’s Torkoal despite its type disadvantage, giving Masamune two consecutive wins.
• Ash’s Grovyle beat Steelix, then lost to Masamune’s Gligar; Grovyle and Ash’s Swellow later traded knockouts with Gligar and Masamune’s Swellow.
• May secretly ate all of Xia You’s snacks, and Xia You told her he expected Ash to win the close match.
• Ash sent out Glalie while Masamune chose Metang for the deciding battle, and Metang gained the early advantage by reflecting Glalie’s Ice Beam with Confusion.
• Ash had Glalie use Icy Wind to redirect and strengthen the reflected Ice Beam, striking Metang with both moves at once.