Watching the astonishing scene on the battlefield, the air suddenly fell silent.
While shocked by Riolu's strength, everyone felt a little... embarrassed.
After all, just moments ago, most people present had been contemptuous of Roy, with some even openly mocking him.
No one expected the slap in the face to come so quickly.
Fortunately, everyone was mature enough to adjust to the awkwardness.
Soon, people began whispering among themselves.
"Yeah... he's pretty strong."
"More than just pretty strong... the speed and power of that Riolu—let's be honest, most of us here would be defeated in one move."
"Seriously, is Roy really from an ordinary family?"
"I thought he was just making noise for attention, but he's actually a dark horse."
"Look at Callan's expression—he's completely calm. Did he already know Roy was this powerful?"
Students from ordinary backgrounds grew excited about this unexpected dark horse.
Those with sharp observation skills noticed something unusual about Callan, the recommended student.
Others were simply enjoying the drama, pulling out their phones to post about it on the university forums.
Callan maintained a calm exterior, but secretly nodded in approval.
'Good, that Riolu's performance is consistent with yesterday's battle, so the strategy I prepared should work.'
Yesterday's defeat had kept Callan awake with frustration. In his opinion, the outcome of that battle had hinged on just one moment.
There wasn't much difference in their Pokémon's abilities, but he was superior as a trainer. Callan believed he lost purely because Riolu had unexpectedly unleashed its potential at a critical moment.
He knew that with Roy's skill level, he would definitely advance from the qualifiers, giving them a chance to meet in the knockout rounds. So, overnight, he had devised a strategy specifically to counter Roy and Riolu.
He hadn't expected they would face each other in the qualifying stage.
"Perfect, I can redeem myself sooner than expected."
Callan couldn't help but show an excited expression as he stood up from his seat.
Next up was his turn to battle.
Walking into the competitor's tunnel, he passed Roy returning from his match. Callan whispered: "Roy, don't lose before facing me... Otherwise, you won't be worthy of being my rival."
"..."
Roy looked back at him with a puzzled expression.
Were they that close?
And rivals...
Men and their competitive obsessions...
Though slightly amusing, Roy also raised his guard. His opponent had deeper roots in the trainer world, and likely had some tricks up his sleeve. He couldn't risk an upset.
Even if qualifying wasn't at stake, he didn't want to lose a single match.
A strong desire to win was an essential quality for becoming a top trainer.
Roy touched the Poké Ball at his waist and made a decision.
"This is perfect. I can use the match against Callan to test Riolu's various abilities when he removes 'that'..."
After returning to the waiting room, Roy watched as Callan predictably defeated his opponent in seconds.
The qualifiers progressed rapidly, with almost no rest time between matches.
The injuries sustained by novice Pokémon were minor compared to what the advanced "recovery machine" technology of this world could handle. Healing took mere moments, so there was no concern about Pokémon fatigue.
This advanced recovery technology was sufficient for battles below the professional level.
According to rumors, battles between professional trainers caused injuries that required days of rest, beyond what the recovery machines could fully heal. The reasons remained unclear...
Roy's second match soon began.
Riolu's opponent was a Psychic-type Drowzee.
In terms of type matchups, Riolu as a Fighting-type was at a significant disadvantage.
However, the battle still proved straightforward. The essence of Psychic-type moves was substantive mental energy, but if you couldn't even match your opponent's speed, Psychic attacks became meaningless.
Under Riolu's overwhelming physical superiority, Drowzee only lasted two rounds before being defeated.
This silenced those who had thought Riolu's quick victory against Onix was merely due to type advantage. They were forced to acknowledge the emergence of this 'dark horse.'
In Group F, Roy and Callan led the standings. Hardly any of their opponents survived beyond three rounds.
Callan's performance aligned with expectations for a recommended student.
But Roy's performance defied common sense.
So, Roy and his Riolu once again became the subject of heated discussions on the Capital University forums.
"I'm in Roy's group. He's incredibly strong, probably at the level of a recommended student."
"I was there when he battled. His Riolu's speed is abnormal—his opponents couldn't even react."
"I'm shocked that Riolu was trained to this level in just one week. Are we sure he didn't hide his background? Was he really born to an ordinary family?"
"Can you stop exaggerating? You trainers from ordinary backgrounds are so clueless. Just because someone wins, you think they're strong? Laughable~~"
"Hey jerk, watch your mouth!"
A recommended student using the username 'Elite_Trainer' started mocking others, instantly triggering a flame war.
True to his username, he posted a screenshot showing himself leading his group's standings, continuing to provoke others.
This behavior made even other recommended students frown in disapproval.
At that moment, a heavyweight figure entered the conversation.
"Who's the recommended student in Group F?"
The arrival of this Elite's son immediately drew everyone's attention back to Group F.
Someone responded quickly:
"Callan, the apprentice of the local Gym Leader."
"Ah, him." Cade sounded as if he recognized Callan. "If Roy can defeat Callan, then he truly is at the level of a recommended student..."
If defeating a recommended student means you're at the level of a recommended student?
Many freshmen found this confusing, like saying "water is wet"...
Some wondered if this statement was meaningless.
But soon, someone stepped in to clarify:
"Recommended students are connected to professional-level trainers affiliated with the university. With their reputation as guarantee, they receive unconditional enrollment and the highest level of resource allocation—however, professional trainers are human too, and they can make mistakes."
"Some recommended students just have accumulated resources but are actually somewhat lacking in skill."
"Recommended students who perform poorly in the three major exams—entrance, midterm, and final—can be eliminated. Their recommended status can be transferred to high-performing rookies, with the lowest performers being cut."
"So, the 'recommended student level' refers to those who can firmly maintain their recommended status over time."
This explanation was detailed enough that even a child could understand.
Simply put, Callan was a rock-solid recommended student with genuine talent. If Roy could defeat him, it would prove Roy had what it took to maintain recommended student status in the future.
"Wait," a well-known senior interrupted, "Has there ever been a case in our university's history where recommended student status was transferred after the entrance examination?"
Those in the know fell silent momentarily.
Talented individuals emerged regularly, and over the years many dark horses had appeared in entrance examinations. They had employed unexpected strategies or caught recommended students off guard, causing upsets.
However, there had never been a 'transfer of recommended student status' in Capital University's entrance examinations.
In the main tournament, recommended students had never lost to ordinary students.
The quarterfinals had always been dominated by recommended students.
The reason was simple.
Resources were paramount on a trainer's path, especially for beginners. For novice trainers, resources determined 99% of outcomes.
Born to an ordinary family, without money and resources, without knowledge and connections, without a famous mentor to guide you...
How could you possibly compete with second-generation trainers?
Causing an upset once in the qualifiers was already defying expectations. No recommended student would hold back in the main tournament.
The university provided the best ladder for advancement. It offered various channels to obtain resources and gave many people the opportunity to rise.
...Impossible. This Roy definitely couldn't do it.
...A miracle, could it really happen?
...Could they witness history in the making?
All these thoughts ensured that almost everyone at the university paid close attention to the final match of Group F.