A total of 36 teams participated in the Yale Provincial High School League, organized into 9 groups with 4 teams each.
From each group, one team qualified to move on to the next round.
Julian and his teammates were placed in Group E, which also included three other teams from different cities within Yale Province.
The team matches would be streamed live on television and online, making them accessible to a wide audience.
Each venue has a seating capacity of 50,000, although this is considered a secondary venue.
The main venue for the finals will host between 400,000 and 600,000 spectators.
The matches in all 9 groups were played simultaneously, which saved time and allowed for a quicker transition to the eagerly anticipated individual competitions.
In the Silver Conference, there are typically 20 secondary venues alongside a main venue.
Ordinary matches utilize the smaller venues, while significant matchups are held in the main venue.
The live broadcast features nine small screens, each displaying different matches.
Viewers can click on any of these screens to focus on the group they wish to watch in greater detail.
"The team competition is so dull; I can't wait for the individual matches," one viewer remarked.
"I'll make a bold prediction: Link Middle School will win the team competition!" another user chimed in.
"You're out of your mind," someone replied.
"No. 1 Middle School from Lake city is the best!" another commented excitedly.
"Hey, check out Group E—this Trainer actually has Lucario and has already defeated three opponents!" someone pointed out.
Within the Group E competition venue, Sam unexpectedly sent up against Julian first.
Having decisively defeated the previous three opponents using Lucario, Julian now faced the fourth challenger.
"I'll take her down; leave the final one to me!" Will shouted from the sidelines, hoping Julian would save one opponent for him.
Nevertheless, Julian was determined to gain experience for Lucario, no matter how small the challenge.
Julian's next opponent was a beautiful girl, whose charm belied her youth.
"Hold on, little brother. Can you take it easy on me? We might have a story to tell in the future," she teased, winking at Julian.
Julian remained unfazed, while Will and the audience found it hard to contain their reactions.
"I think I might be in love," Will muttered, clutching his heart.
The chat exploded with comments:
"High schoolers these days are ruthless!"
"What a feast!"
"Just back out already!"
"What exactly is she doing?" Chase remarked on the girl's playful demeanor, referring to her as a "vixen."
"If you stay quiet, I'll take it as a promise," the girl said.
The girl smiled and elegantly tucked her hair behind her ear, showcasing her sparkling earrings.
"Let Infernape take the stage!" she announced.
As the Pokémon entered, flames erupted around it, fixating its gaze on Lucario.
Known for its fiery temperament, this Pokémon was hard to handle when angered.
"Force Palm!"
Julian commanded.
"Flamethrower!"
The girl shouted in response.
Though the Flamethrower was fast, Lucario moved even quicker.
Before the flames reached him, Lucario's palm struck the Infernape's belly.
The impact sent the fiery creature back over ten meters, and Lucario kept up the pressure.
The girl, caught off guard by Lucario's speed, mistakenly called out,
"Infernape, Fire Punch!"
Unable to regain control while hurtling backward, the Pokémon executed its Fire Punch awkwardly, resulting in a lackluster attack.
"Bone Rush," Julian said.
Lucario summoned a white Bone Club and struck the Pokémon with a relentless flurry.
The overwhelmed Infernape had no strength left to retaliate, and with a final, powerful swing, Lucario landed a blow to its head, rendering it unconscious.
"Infernape is unable to battle, Lucario wins!" declared the referee as he signaled the match's conclusion.
"Hmph, I hope you stay single forever," the girl huffed, withdrawing her defeated Pokémon;
Leaving Julian to contemplate that had he not held back for her sake, Lucario could have finished the fight with just one move instead of two.
-
"Julian, you're unbelievable. How can you possibly end the match in two moves for such a stunning girl? Instead, You should aim for an instant knockout so she realizes your power and starts to idolize you," Will exclaimed.
Shen, who was standing nearby, shot Will a bewildered look. "You really believe what you just said?"
"Absolutely! A decisive victory makes women admire you and fall for you," Will replied confidently.
"Where did you hear that?" Shen asked, curious.
"An emotional influencer on Douyin mentioned it," Will explained.
(T/N: A streaming platform)
"Do you think they're wrong?" Will inquired.
"Definitely!"
Shen scoffed.
Being defeated in two moves in front of so many witnesses is already humiliating, and this guy was talking about a one move K.O., if the other party didn't hate him to death that would be a miracle.
"Next,"
Julian announced, ready for the next challenge.
At that moment, the chat erupted with excitement.
"666, so dominant!" one user chimed in.
"This is definitely a one man show," another added.
"Julian, I'll remember this humiliation you brought upon our school, and I'll make sure to get even," someone else posted.
"How are you going to do that? With just words?" came a sarcastic response.
"Lucario's so cool; I'm in love with him, husband Pokémon!" someone gushed.
(TL/n: no humanxpokemon relations people)
Typically, the final match is where the strongest opponent participates, and while their strength surpassed the previous four challengers, it was still limited.
"Aura Sphere!"
Julian commanded.
"Bang!"
"Mightyena has lost its ability to fight. Lucario wins!" the announcers declared.
The referees couldn't help but view Lucario with newfound respect.
As officials in such a high-profile event, their judgment was critical, yet they found it hard to grasp how Lucario, after five consecutive matches, was still so strong.
Even without injuries, continuous battles would surely take a toll, but Lucario appeared to be in peak form.
'Lucario can easily face off against pseudo-Elite Pokémon, not to mention the Advanced-level Pokémon like the one now standing before him, Lucario can play with them whole day.' thought Julian.
Taking them down felt like a walk in the park.
"I can't believe it—"
The final opponent stared in disbelief at the defeated Mightyena, feeling like Julian was bullying him.
In the previous matches, others at least had a chance to execute a second move, yet against him, Julian ended the match in one move, Wouldn't it make it seem like that he was weaker than the first four.
"Let's go,"
Julian said, returning Lucario to its Poké Ball and feeling a twinge of discomfort from his rival's resentful gaze as he quickly exited the stage.
*****
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