042 Campus Tournament, Sweep
As soon as Qin Yun stepped into the classroom, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd of students.
In the corner, Luo Qing sat with a complicated expression on his face. He had seen Qin Yun attract attention before, but today, for the first time, it stung.
There was a time when Luo Qing believed he could surpass Qin Yun. They had been rivals in the past, with Qin Yun only slightly ahead. But now? The gap was overwhelming.
Luo Qing had failed to even break into the top 128 in the recent tournament, while Qin Yun had emerged as the undisputed champion. The sheer difference in their abilities was suffocating.
The jealousy and competitiveness Luo Qing once felt had been smothered, replaced by something he never thought he'd feel admiration.
"Qin Yun."
He didn't know where the courage came from, but Luo Qing stepped forward and called out to him.
The noisy classroom immediately quieted.
Qin Yun turned to look at him, half-expecting another taunt. He had grown accustomed to Luo Qing's sharp tongue, and so had their classmates. Many were already waiting to see what Luo Qing would say this time.
But instead of his usual bravado, Luo Qing's voice was steady.
"Qin Yun, you're strong."
His words stunned everyone. They had expected him to issue a challenge, not acknowledge defeat.
"I'm not your rival anymore," Luo Qing continued. "And, honestly… I probably never will be."
A self-deprecating chuckle escaped his lips, as if he was laughing at his past self.
Qin Yun blinked in surprise. Did he hear that right? Luo Qing, the same person who constantly tried to compete with him, was now conceding outright?
"Your talent is undeniable," Luo Qing added. "I have no doubt that you'll become an Elite-level trainer one day. Maybe even more than that. So even though I lost to you… I'm proud I had the chance to battle you."
Was that really something to be proud of? Qin Yun wondered.
Before anyone could react, Luo Qing, his face flushed with embarrassment, turned and ran out of the classroom.
He had no idea why he blurted all of that out in front of everyone it had just felt right.
…Not that kind of feeling, though.
The moment quickly passed, and soon, Su Leyan arrived in the classroom. Her usual warm smile was directed at Qin Yun.
She didn't say much, but her eyes gleamed with excitement. Today was a big day the ring battle was about to begin.
---
The Tournament Begins
The tournament format was simple: whoever held their ground the longest would be the champion.
As soon as the match was announced, Qin Yun stepped forward.
It wasn't about showing off every victory in the ring earned valuable points. And since points could be exchanged for resources, Qin Yun wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.
The moment he entered the battlefield, a wave of challengers surged forward.
It wasn't that they believed they could beat him. They just wanted to say, "I once battled Qin Yun!"
Qin Yun was a celebrity in the school now. Facing him, even in defeat, was something to be proud of.
Seeing the enthusiasm, Qin Yun chuckled to himself. Had he underestimated their excitement?
His first Pokémon was Torchic he wanted to strengthen its real battle experience.
Pokémon: Torchic
Type: Fire
Ability: Speed Boost
Strength: Beginner Advanced
Potential: High Top-Tier
Moves: Ember, Quick Attack, Peck, Agility, Flamethrower, Shave, Iron Defense, Tempest Kick
In addition to its natural moves, Torchic had learned techniques from the Six Powers, a style inspired by elite combat arts.
Shave (Soru): A technique allowing for rapid movement.
Iron Defense (Tekkai): Temporarily hardens the body to reduce damage.
Tempest Kick (Rankyaku): A powerful leg-based cutting attack.
By integrating these techniques with its natural Pokémon abilities, Torchic had become a formidable fighter.
"The first challenger please step forward!"
A student walked onto the battlefield, glancing nervously at Qin Yun.
"What?! Qin Yun's using Torchic?" he blurted out. "That's a starter Pokémon! How am I supposed to fight that?!"
The audience chuckled, but the student sighed in defeat. He had only come up for fun, not expecting a real fight.
"…Go, Rattata."
A low-potential, entry-level Rattata appeared on the field. Its only move? Tackle.
The match was over before it even started.
Torchic allowed Rattata to attack first, dodging each strike gracefully before delivering a single Tempest Kick knocking Rattata out instantly.
[Victory Achieved. 2 Points Earned.]
Two points wasn't much, but when converted, it amounted to 20,000 Pokémon Dollars more than half a year's salary for an average worker.
"Just as I thought points are valuable," Qin Yun smirked.
And so, the battles continued. One by one, challengers stepped forward, only to be swiftly defeated.
Torchic's speed and endurance had vastly improved thanks to Qin Yun's rigorous training. Against these school-level opponents, it barely broke a sweat.
By the time dozens of battles had passed, most students had given up hope of winning.
But then
"Qin Yun! I'm up next!"
A familiar voice called out.
Luo Qing.
He had returned to the battlefield, standing tall, fire burning in his eyes.
Unlike before, he wasn't here to prove he was better than Qin Yun. He already knew that wasn't possible.
This was his final chance to at least put up a fight before Qin Yun left him in the dust forever.
"Come at me, then," Qin Yun said with a smile.
Luo Qing gritted his teeth and threw his Poké Ball forward.
"Go, Makuhita!"
A bulkier, more determined Makuhita appeared on the field.
Its strength had improved since their last encounter. It was now Entry-Level Intermediate and looked on the verge of a breakthrough.
Makuhita locked eyes with Torchic.
It wasn't afraid.
Neither was Luo Qing.
This would be his last real battle against Qin Yun.
And he would give it everything he had.
---
Meanwhile…
Far from the school, in Rongcheng, Serena stood in the middle of a Contest Hall.
Beside her were Eevee and Fennekin, both of whom had been training tirelessly.
"Qin Yun must have gotten even stronger these past two weeks…" Serena murmured, determination flashing in her eyes.
She clenched her fists.
"I can't afford to fall behind."
She didn't want to just admire Qin Yun from the sidelines.
She wanted to stand beside him.
"Eevee, Fennekin we're going for the championship!"
The battle for Rongcheng's Pokémon Contest title had begun.
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