Chris finished a day's battle in just an hour and a half.
Sitting atop his Venusaur, Chris casually called out to the Grass Pokémon in front of him. "Are you sure you want to play hide and seek with me in the forest?" The massive Venusaur bulldozed through the terrain with ease, clearing out any opposing Trainers and their Pokémon in their path. One by one, opponents fell to his precise strategy, as Chris seemed to effortlessly predict where they were hiding.
After a string of crushing victories, the thirty Trainers opposing him dwindled down to just ten. Unable to face Chris head-on, they opted to retreat and target each other instead. With the second to seventh places determined, the final remaining Trainer stood no chance against Chris. In a show of sportsmanship—or perhaps desperation—they challenged Chris directly to end the torturous game. A single Vine Whip from Venusaur easily dispatched their Grotle, sealing Chris's victory.
It was expected that Water-type Pokémon would dominate this competition, but Chris's devastating tactics had neutralized most Fire-type Trainers early on. By the end, the few Grass and Water Trainers left could only watch as Chris claimed victory. Grass-types ultimately emerged as the tournament's unexpected champions, thanks to Venusaur's unstoppable power.
The tournament wrapped up faster than anyone had anticipated, prompting Trevor to move the "Sound Ascension" ceremony, originally scheduled for the next day, to that very afternoon. Trevor personally presented awards to the eight Trainers who had earned promotion qualifications. Starting from the lowest-ranked, the awards were given out until it was finally Chris's turn.
The moment Trevor held out Chris's qualification certificate, the room fell silent. As a Junior Breeder attending the camp, Chris should have been promoted to Intermediate. Yet, the certificate in Trevor's hand declared Chris a Senior Breeder—not even advance—a leap of two ranks, unprecedented in the camp's history.
Was there any objection? None. Chris's accomplishments were undeniable. His work in evolving a Bulbasaur into a Venusaur of such extraordinary power in just a month was something even a Master Breeder would find challenging. If anything, Chris was already worthy of the title of Master Breeder. However, as Trevor explained with an apologetic tone, the Breeders Association required a National Association meeting to bestow such a title. For now, Senior Breeder was the highest rank he could grant.
"Thank you," Chris said, clearly surprised by the recognition. The prospect of opening a breeding facility now seemed closer than ever.
"You deserve it," Trevor replied, handing Chris a second box. Everyone craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the treasure inside. Chris carefully opened it to reveal a blood-red Miracle Seed. Though its color was unusual, it was clearly imbued with enhanced abilities, making it a perfect match for Venusaur.
"Thank you again," Chris said, understanding that this reward was carefully chosen for him. Trevor smiled and added in a low voice, "If you ever need advice, just call me. Oh, and one more thing—start wearing a mask when you go out. You're going to be famous."
Chris blinked, confused. "Famous? What do you mean?"
Trevor didn't elaborate, stepping back and leaving Chris and the other seven Trainers to take the stage and accept the applause. The cheers were sparse. After all, over thirty Trainers had been eliminated in mere moments, and few of them could genuinely applaud Chris and the others who had triumphed in such a brutal competition.
In the evening, the Breeders Association hosted a reception and dinner on the first floor of the five-star hotel. This event, a traditional practice for all breeders, served as an opportunity for participants to socialize, forge connections, and discuss their experiences before departing the next day.
Despite lingering dissatisfaction among some breeders who had been soundly defeated by Chris, they couldn't deny his extraordinary abilities. It was clear to anyone with common sense that Chris was a "hidden dragon" poised to ascend to the pinnacle of the Pokémon world. As a member of Theodore's laboratory and a student of President Vladimir at Dragon University, his natural talent and expertise were undeniable.
Many breeders realized that Chris would soon rise to the ranks of the China's elite trainers. If they didn't take the chance to build a connection with him now, they might never get another. However, Chris had no intention of entertaining these overtures.
Much like Theodore himself, Chris despised the hassle of socializing. Instead of attending the reception, he opted to have his dinner delivered to his room. Seated by the floor-to-ceiling windows, he relaxed on the sofa, engrossed in his handheld gaming device.
On the screen, the protagonist was en route to Kalos by plane—a journey Chris could only dream about. "Thirty billion? No way I could afford that. Looks like I'll stay on Earth for now," he muttered to himself. The plane ride to Kalos within the game took just a day, and Chris used the downtime to review his character's inventory and Pokémon stats.
His gaze settled on the Miracle Seed gifted to him by Trevor earlier. Chris couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for such a thoughtful and powerful item.
Bloodthirsty Miracle Seed:
Grass-type move power increased by 40%. All Grass-type moves gain an Absorb effect. Absorb-related moves recover 20% more HP.
Absorb was a signature Grass-type ability, simultaneously dealing damage and restoring the user's health. Its progression—Absorb to Mega Drain to Giga Drain—offered increasing power. The strongest version, Giga Drain, with a base power of 75, allowed the user to recover 50% of the damage dealt.
With the Bloodthirsty Miracle Seed, however, Giga Drain's effective power became 105, and it healed 70% of the inflicted damage. Such a combination could leave opponents completely defenseless.
Chris envisioned a battle scenario. A rival's Pokémon would endure a lengthy battle against Venusaur, gradually depleting its health. But just when they thought they had the upper hand, Venusaur would unleash Giga Drain and fully recover, leaving their team in shambles. Even if the next Pokémon entered the fray, the result would be the same—a chain reaction leading to utter defeat.
By the time Venusaur swept through the opposing team, it would still be at full strength, brimming with energy. "If I were the one facing this… I'd probably just admit defeat on the spot," Chris mused. The mere thought left him smirking as he imagined the inevitable despair of his rivals.
For Chris, this victory was as effortless as it was decisive—a testament to his incredible skill and strategy.