The annual Yale Provincial High School League is set to kick off, capturing significant media attention lately. Naturally, colleges and universities with championship titles have become the focus of various media interviews.
The league begins with team competitions, followed by individual contests once the top three schools are established.
In the team events, strong teammates can sometimes help less skilled players secure victories,
but the individual competition truly tests personal abilities, garnering more public interest.
On Monday, Lake Middle School conducted a trial to select five main contenders and three additional candidates.
Among the elite class, all fifteen students registered for the competition, while two regular classes, totaling fifty students, saw only twenty participants sign up.
It's not that the elite class exudes overconfidence; rather, the high school league requires a minimum of three Pokémon to compete.
Elite class students are fully equipped, whereas most from the regular classes possess only two Pokémon.
With thirty-five participants in total between the two regular classes, Julian, despite being the clear favorite, must still navigate the selection process to secure a main contender position.
The competition rules are straightforward: head teacher Sam designates five main contenders, and anyone wishing to challenge them must take the initiative.
If a challenger wins in a one-on-one match, they take over the main spot.
However, once a main contender, they can be challenged by others, with a maximum of seven challenges allowable.
Julian(Steel), along with Will (Fire), Han (Water), Zosh (Ground), and Shen (Fighting), were selected for the main lineup, surprising Julian when Will was also included, albeit temporarily.
The five would soon face a wave of challenges from thirty contenders.
Winning would secure their main positions, while losing would demote them to challengers.
Among the group, Will was seen as the most vulnerable target right from the start.
But in a stunning turn of events, his Charmeleon evolved into Charizard, allowing him to defeat three challengers in a row with the help of his new Pokémon.
However, Charizard took significant damage in the process, and if further challenged, Will might have to rely on Pidgeotto or Camerupt for the next four matches.
Fortunately, Will's impressive display seemed to deter future challengers, who opted to go after the other three main contenders instead.
The reason was clear: no one dared to challenge Julian.
The elite class students understood that Julian's skill set was unmatched, and to challenge him would only risk embarrassment and damage their confidence.
Yet, a few brave souls remained undeterred.
Notably, someone from the regular class stepped forward to challenge Julian directly.
"I'm afraid this guy hasn't woken up yet."
"I know him, the first in the second class, seems to have always wanted to enter our elite class"
"He's a Fire Type Trainer" someone added, followed by the snide remark, "Talk about delusions of grandeur."
As Julian faced off against his challenger, he could hear Will's encouraging voice resonate in his ears,
"Julian, teach this arrogant guy a lesson."
Although they were both fire trainers, Will had always harbored a sense of rivalry against him.
"Fang, I'd appreciate a good match," Julian stated calmly before tossing out his Poké Ball.
With a flash of white light, a striking Lucario emerged on the battlefield.
-
Pokémon: Lucario (Fighting/Steel)
Level: 42
Qualification: blue
Ability: Inner Focus
Props: Muscle Band
Gender: Male
Moves: Quick Attack, Endure, Feint, Metal Claw, Aura Sphere, Rock Smash, Metal Sound, Bone Rush
Disc Moves: Low Sweep, Brick Break, Agility, Sword Dance, Dig, Bulk Up, Focus Blast, Dark Pulse
Genetic Moves: Mind Reader, Close Combat, Force Palm, Thunder Punch
Even though a semester seems brief, it's more than enough time for Julian to elevate his Pokémon to an Advanced level.
Lucario has transformed from an adorable creature into a tall, striking figure, drawing excited screams from girls as it emerged from the Poké Ball.
"Oh my gosh, he's so handsome!"
"Breaking the law—this is a crime!"
"I want a Pokémon like that too!"
Despite the commotion, Lucario remained unfazed. It scanned the field and noticed for the first time that its rival trainer, Fang, hadn't yet sent out a Pokémon.
Upon seeing Lucario, Fang trembled under its gaze, momentarily forgetting to release his own Pokémon.
It wasn't until Sam, the referee, nudged him that he recognized the urgency of the situation and reluctantly issued a command.
"Magcargo!"
Fang quickly called forth his strongest Pokémon.
"Magcargo, use Flamethrower!"
"Aura Sphere!"
Magcargo unleashed a torrent of flames, but before they could travel far, the oncoming Aura Sphere dissipated the attack.
"Bang!"
Magcargo could only watch in shock as the Aura Sphere overwhelmed its Flamethrower, striking it directly. With a crushing sound, it collapsed, its vision darkening.
"Lucario wins," Sam declared.
The idea of type advantages was rendered meaningless; Magcargo didn't even have a chance to fight back.
Fang felt a rush of embarrassment; his strongest Pokémon had fallen in a single hit, especially knowing that Julian's top Pokémon was the formidable silver Metagross.
He regretted challenging Julian, glancing around discreetly for anyone who might witness his humiliation.
Yet, no one seemed to mock him; they were all too shocked by the recent turn of events, realizing they could very well face the same fate.
In a daze, Fang recalled Magcargo and left the arena, while Julian allowed Lucario to remain out, eager to see if any more challengers would step forward.
However, after standing for five minutes in silence, no one dared to approach him.
"Julian, you can head back now," said Sam, the head teacher.
With Julian returning Lucario to its Poké Ball, both challengers and the other four fighters felt a wave of relief.
Julian's presence had exerted immense pressure on everyone, including the other top contenders, who knew they were unlikely to perform better than Fang had.
Particularly, Han observed Julian with mixed emotions.
Back in the early days of high school, he could at least hold his own against Julian's Pokémon, causing him some trouble.
But over time, the gap between them had only widened.
If Han's progress could be likened to that of a car, Julian's was akin to a rocket.
*****
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