However, Yangbeila Branch School's strongest, Flula and Xixia, would both be competing tomorrow. Even as they stayed optimistic, they could not let their guard down.
"Shen Qi." Jixiang handed him a sports drink. "Finished warming up?"
"Oh, I haven't warmed up yet."
"Then where did you just run off to?!"
"Talk later."
Shen Qi rushed into the Training Room and called out his Pokémon to work through their Energy Chakras, keeping their control over Type Energy active.
His upcoming opponent... was called Yongxiang. He might not be as good as Flula, or he might be very strong, just less famous than Flula and Xixia.
The half-hour preparation period passed in a flash, and Shen Qi returned to the edge of the arena.
The battle was about to begin!
Shen Qi glanced toward the VIP seats, at the room he had been in earlier. Because of the one-way glass, he could not see Lorelei inside.
On his phone, Lorelei had sent him a message-not encouragement to win, but a reminder to fight with his usual mindset.
It was exactly what she had told him when he left the VIP room earlier.
For Pokémon High School, for myself, I have to win!
The referee announced that both contestants should take the stage and shake hands as a show of sportsmanship.
During Butch's match, his opponent Zhenyang had talked trash throughout the handshake, only to end up losing.
Opposite Shen Qi, the boy named Yongxiang was rather scrawny. His hair, parted three-to-seven, had been gelled until it gleamed, looking quite carefully styled.
"Shen Qi, right?" Yongxiang wore a confident smile. "You're very good at racing, but you also exposed your Pokémon lineup."
That hardly mattered. He had only shown his Pokémon; nobody knew his tactics or their strength.
"Thanks for following me."
"Heh