034: A New Way of Fighting! Serena Admits Defeat
How could they possibly understand this brand-new combat system? Even Qin Yun himself was still figuring it out. If Fomantis could use this technique to enter its own version of a Fairy Mode, it would greatly increase its future battle potential.
"Ivysaur, full-power Razor Leaf!"
Wang Qiu felt an inexplicable sense of unease. He had a bad feeling about how this battle was progressing. If this continued, he might end up losing something he had never even considered before.
The razor-sharp leaves shot out from Ivysaur's bulb at high speed, spinning wildly through the air like blades. The sheer force of the attack cut through the air with a sharp whoosh before closing in on Fomantis.
But this time, under its strange pseudo-Fairy Mode, Fomantis could see the movement of natural energy in the air. In its eyes, the deadly Razor Leaf seemed significantly slower than usual almost as if time had slowed down. With a slight tilt of its head, it effortlessly avoided Wang Qiu's so-called perfect strike.
"What?!"
Wang Qiu's eyes widened in disbelief. That should have been a guaranteed hit!
"Was that just luck?" he muttered, his confidence shaken.
But he refused to accept this.
"Ivysaur, again! Razor Leaf!"
At this point, Wang Qiu's battle strategy was falling apart. He had lost control of the rhythm.
Qin Yun, on the other hand, remained calm.
"Fomantis, close the distance and use Finger Gun."
Yes Fomantis had learned Finger Gun, but its execution had always been unreliable. Normally, using it in battle was a huge gamble. But Qin Yun believed in Fomantis.
"Beep!"
Fomantis let out a sharp cry, its eyes filled with determination. Its movements were already faster than Ivysaur's, and with this heightened state of awareness, it became even quicker.
This was not a full Fairy Mode yet, but Qin Yun called it pseudo-Fairy Mode.
"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf! Cut her down!"
If Ivysaur had been a different type of Pokémon, Fomantis would have struggled. But Ivysaur's Grass-type moves gave Fomantis plenty of room to maneuver.
Ivysaur's attacks simply couldn't land. Meanwhile, Fomantis' Finger Gun although still unpolished was beginning to do noticeable damage.
The tide of battle had shifted. Victory was now within reach for Qin Yun.
Wang Qiu kept launching attacks, but they felt like punches hitting air completely ineffective.
"No... No way! This is impossible!"
Wang Qiu's voice cracked with frustration. His strongest Pokémon was losing to an opponent that, on paper, should have been weaker.
In the VIP Box
Principal Ma of No. 3 Middle School strolled over to the principal of No. 2 Middle School, whose face had turned an ugly shade of green. With an exaggerated sigh, Principal Ma said:
"Ah... looks like the finals are just going to be a civil war between our students."
The No. 2 Middle School principal's face twitched.
A civil war?!
It was true. With Serena's victory in the other semifinal match, the championship would be fought entirely between No. 3 Middle School students.
And after all the effort, the sponsorships, and the countless resources spent preparing his own students, all he had done was pave the way for another school to shine.
At that moment, Principal Wang Xue of No. 2 Middle School felt dizzy. The world seemed to spin around him then everything went black.
He fainted.
The stress was just too much.
The Path to Becoming a Pro Trainer
Wang Qiu's situation was dire.
The dream of becoming a professional trainer required six Pokémon, three of which had to be at the professional level. Only then could one apply for the certification exam.
Wang Qiu's Ivysaur was his greatest asset one he had obtained with massive financial backing. It had high potential, and with two evolutions left, it had the chance to become a powerhouse.
But now... it was losing.
All his plans were falling apart.
Qin Yun's Victory
With the final blow, Fomantis sealed the match.
[Ding! Congratulations, host! Victory achieved. 100 points awarded.]
Qin Yun glanced at the system notification. 100 points decent. Adding that to his previous two victories, his total earnings for the day reached 180 points.
The referee stepped forward.
"Winner: Qin Yun!"
The crowd erupted into cheers.
"Congratulations to Qin Yun for advancing to the finals!"
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena.
Unlike the semifinals, where prizes were awarded, there were no additional rewards for simply reaching the finals. The prize pool was divided among the top four, with higher placements receiving better rewards.
Qin Yun looked up at the screen displaying the final bracket.
"So my final opponent is... Serena?"
His expression became slightly strange. He hadn't expected the final battle of the prestigious Six-School Joint Tournament to be between him and Serena.
Serena had won her match effortlessly. The crowd cheered loudly, especially the students of No. 3 Middle School, who were thrilled.
After all, their school had completely dominated the tournament.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Serena Concedes
Just as the referee was about to announce a 30-minute break before the finals, Serena calmly stepped forward.
"Referee, I concede."
A hush fell over the arena.
Silence.
It was as if nobody could process what they had just heard.
"What?! Serena is conceding?"
"Why?"
Serena smiled gracefully, her demeanor as elegant as ever.
"I'm not on Qin Yun's level, so I'm conceding."
She spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Serena turned to Qin Yun, flashing him a sweet smile one that was so dazzling that it immediately triggered waves of jealousy among the audience.
"Qin Yun, let's be honest my Eevee isn't good at battling."
The arena went dead silent again.
The students who had lost to Serena's Eevee felt their faces go dark.
Not good at battling?!
They had struggled desperately against her, only to be told now that it wasn't even a battle-ready Pokémon?!
If they didn't know their own weaknesses before, they certainly did now.
Qin Yun, however, nodded in agreement.
Serena's Eevee wasn't particularly suited for direct combat. Her victories had been entirely based on skillful tactics and strategy.
The referee hesitated.
"Serena, are you absolutely sure?"
"I'm sure. Besides, there's no shame in losing to Qin Yun."
Her words were direct and sincere.
[Ding! Congratulations, host! Automatic victory awarded. 100 points received.]
With Serena's forfeit, the tournament had officially ended.
Awards Ceremony
At the awards ceremony, only the top four contestants were invited to the stage.
The head of the Pokémon Division himself was in charge of handing out the prizes.
With a faint smile, he stepped forward, followed by four assistants dressed in elegant cheongsams, each carrying a tray with the tournament's prizes.
For Qin Yun, this was only the beginning.
...
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