111: Advance to the Finals! Yurong Gym—The Challenger, Xiaoya!
"Li Yun, fall back now!"
Despite Square Man's Drapion being knocked out, his team still had the upper hand. He had already seen the unpredictable nature of Qin Yun's battle style and feared that Li Yun might suffer in a one-on-one confrontation.
At this moment, a more strategic approach coordinated teamwork was the best course of action.
However, Li Yun merely shot Square Man a look of disdain. She clearly had no intention of following his advice.
Boom!
Seviper's Poison Tail struck out, its power surging as it shattered the Hand of the Great Forest that Lurantis had summoned.
A smirk played at the corner of Li Yun's lips. Is this all you've got?
"Li Yun, watch out!"
Square Man's expression darkened when he saw how easily Seviper had destroyed the wooden attack. His unease grew.
"Captain, you're being too cautious. That's exactly why you lost to Lurantis," Li Yun scoffed.
Just as her words fell, the battlefield shifted. Thick vines erupted from the ground, forming a second Hand of the Great Forest, this time even faster than before. Seviper, caught off guard, was swiftly ensnared before it could react.
"Seviper!"
Li Yun's expression finally changed. She shouted urgently, "Seviper, use Bite to break free!"
But Square Man already knew.
It's over.
Qin Yun wasn't about to give Seviper a chance to escape. The moment the serpent Pokémon was trapped, Lurantis was already preparing its finishing move.
The verdant energy around Lurantis intensified as it summoned a swirling storm of razor-sharp leaves.
"Leaf Storm!"
Boom!
The turbulent whirlwind of green engulfed Seviper, resembling a hurricane of blades. The force of the attack was enough to make even professional trainers take notice.
"The sixth Special Attack boost…"
Square Man's face turned pale. He realized the true gravity of their situation.
Even though his team still had three Pokémon left, facing a Lurantis with a six-stage Special Attack increase was nothing short of a nightmare.
"Seviper is unable to battle."
The battlefield fell into a stunned silence. The Red Team hesitated to launch a counterattack, their morale plummeting.
This was the critical difference between casual trainers and professionals. A high-level trainer would have quickly reorganized their team, countered Qin Yun's setup, and launched a proper offensive.
But in this case, Qin Yun had completely dictated the pace of the battle.
The confidence in his strategy had paid off, allowing him to crush the enemy before they could adjust.
A small smile formed on Qin Yun's lips. Rivals this inexperienced make things much easier.
From the very start, he had anticipated how this match would unfold.
Even better, Ma Tao and the others had performed beyond his expectations. Their growth was evident not just in Pokémon stats, but in their real-world combat experience.
Qin Yun was certain that after this intense team battle, his teammates would see a huge improvement in their tactical abilities.
"We won!!!"
"Boss, that was amazing!!"
"Qin Yun, you're unstoppable!!!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from his teammates. But Qin Yun, already wary of the usual celebration tactics, made a swift escape before anyone could lift him into the air.
There's no way I'm getting tossed around again.
Finals secured.
This victory meant everything to them.
Even Lin Rouyu, who had been anxiously watching, finally let out a relieved sigh. A smile graced her face as she realized that Qin Yun had actually pulled it off.
"With this level of performance, our team might even be seeded in the bracket. If so, we'll avoid fighting other top-ranked teams in the first round."
"That would all but guarantee us a place in the Top 8."
Tournament seeding was determined by performance. If their team was classified as a seeded team, they wouldn't face the other three elite teams in the early rounds. This was a significant advantage.
"In that case, I'll treat everyone to dinner tonight!" Lin Rouyu announced.
"Awesome!"
For everyone on the team, this was a moment of celebration.
Advancing to the finals also meant less pressure moving forward. Lin Rouyu, in particular, felt an immense weight lifted off her shoulders. She had promised the school that they would at least reach the quarterfinals and now, they were just one step away.
Qin Yun observed the joyful expressions around him and smiled.
Now I just need to secure my next Gym Badge.
The Yurong Gym was next on his list. If he applied for a challenge now, he would likely get a battle scheduled shortly after the tournament concluded.
Qin Yun was confident. Outside of a few exceptionally strong Gyms such as the Provincial Gym he felt that he could take on any Gym Leader in the region.
"I have some errands to run. You all go ahead and eat without me," Qin Yun said.
"If you need help, let me know," Lin Rouyu offered. "I have some friends in Yurong City."
Qin Yun nodded, then departed while the others continued celebrating.
---
Yurong Gym—A Chance Encounter
"Yurong Gym isn't far from here."
Last night, Qin Yun had scouted the city, getting a feel for the layout. He had passed by the Gym but found it closed at the time. Otherwise, he would have applied for a challenge then and there.
Now, with plenty of time before the finals, he could finally proceed.
As he approached, he took in the Gym's impressive design. The exterior was adorned with sapphire-colored jade, a mark of its prestige. By his estimate, the cost of the building alone must have been in the tens of millions of Pokémon dollars, not even counting the facilities inside.
As Qin Yun stepped through the entrance, a lively voice called out.
"Hey! You're Qin Yun, aren't you?"
He turned to see a girl in a blue dress looking at him with an expression of excitement and curiosity.
"Do I know you?" Qin Yun asked, puzzled.
The girl giggled. "My name's Xiaoya."
She extended her hand enthusiastically. Qin Yun, maintaining his usual composure, responded with a polite handshake.
"Hello."
"Hehe, I bet you're wondering how I know your name!" Xiaoya said mischievously.
Qin Yun shook his head. "Not really."
After all, he had competed in multiple battles in Yurong City over the past two days. It wasn't surprising that people recognized him.
"Aww, you're no fun." Xiaoya stuck out her tongue. Whatever dramatic speech she had prepared, she now abandoned it.
"But wait! You're still in the tournament, right? What are you doing at Yurong Gym? Don't tell me… are you planning a Gym Challenge?"
Qin Yun nodded. "Yeah, I'm here to apply for one."
Xiaoya's expression turned playful.
"If that's the case, you might have to wait a long time."
"Why?"
"Because of the tournament, challengers are piling up! The queue is super long!"
Xiaoya stretched out her arms wide for emphasis, making herself look both cute and exasperated.
Qin Yun frowned slightly. If the waiting time was too long, he didn't want to waste hours standing around.
Xiaoya, noticing his hesitation, suddenly grinned.
"But… if you do me a favor, I'll let you skip the line and be the first to challenge the Gym!"
---
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