"Too strong! He's just too strong!"
"I'm so jealous of him! He actually has a Pokémon like Articuno!"
"No need to say anything else. This year's champion has to be him. Looking at it like this, no one can beat his Articuno!"
"I've already bet everything I own on him winning!"
"I'm going home right now to sell my house and raise my bet!"
"…"
The spectators in the stands were all discussing excitedly.
Without a doubt, Okano Shuzo and Articuno's dominant performance had once again conquered everyone.
In the hearts of the audience, he had firmly taken the throne as the favorite to win the championship.
"It's strong, sure, but I still can't tell exactly how strong it is."
Himeko sat in her seat and muttered quietly.
Articuno's performance really had been outstanding.
However, if it was just a matter of instantly defeating a Pokémon at the peak of Quasi-Elite Four-level with one blow, then a Pokémon at the peak of Elite Four-level could do the same.
So, based solely on Articuno's performance today, Himeko still could not tell whether this Articuno truly had the strength of a Third-tier Legendary.
Or whether, just as Shiko and Mew had said, there really was something off about it.
…
The first four rounds of matches ended.
At last, it was Himeko's turn to take the field.
Facing an opponent whose strength was a full step below hers, Himeko had no intention of holding back.
Gardevoir entered the battle. Relying only on her precise control over Psychic-type energy, she easily seized victory and advanced to the next round.
After five rounds and fifty matches ended, the one hundred contestants had been eliminated down to only half.
Next, the organizers would draw lots again.
Tomorrow, the next round of matches would be held.
The number of contestants would also sharply decrease from fifty to twenty-five.
When she returned to the residence, Himeko happened to receive tomorrow's match schedule from the organizers.
After glancing at her opponent, Himeko could not help smiling.
Her luck was pretty good.
This time, she had once again drawn an average-strength contestant.
They had only just reached Quasi-Elite Four-level.
Although they were a little stronger than today's opponent, dealing with them would still be no problem at all.
Gardevoir and Lopunny alone would be enough to handle it.
After checking her own match, she looked at Aisa's and Ukyo's situations.
Neither of them had luck as good as hers.
The opponents they had drawn were all at Elite Four-level.
Finally, Himeko found Okano Shuzo's match for tomorrow on the list.
"His opponent is also Elite Four-level…"
Himeko murmured to herself, and she could not help feeling a little expectant.
She still could not see through the true depth of that Articuno.
In tomorrow's battle, if Articuno could still dominate and instantly defeat an Elite Four-level opponent as forcefully as it had today…
Then that would mean its strength was at least among the latter two levels!
…
Early the next morning.
Himeko arrived in the resting room.
Today's twenty-five matches were the same as yesterday's.
They were also arranged into five rounds of matches.
Each round had five matches.
The ten arenas on the field had also been merged and reorganized once again, becoming five.
The size of each arena was now a full fold larger than before.
Himeko's match was still in the final round.
…
Ukyo and Aisa were still appearing in the first round to battle.
Once the two of their matches began, the situation was indeed not far from what Himeko had predicted.
Facing powerful opponents who were likewise Elite Four-level, the two of them could no longer display the same crushing momentum as yesterday.
Fortunately, Aisa and Ukyo's strength was still solid enough.
After a round of fighting, they still won with a major advantage and easily advanced to the next round.
The first round of matches ended.
Immediately afterward, the second round began, and it happened to be the round where Okano Shuzo would take the field.
Himeko's gaze turned toward Okano Shuzo, staring closely as his Articuno appeared.
The contestants on both sides took their positions.
The large screen above the field lit up.
The Trainers' portraits and the Poké Ball icons representing the number and status of the Pokémon they held lit up as well.
"Hm?"
Looking at the glowing screen, Himeko suddenly noticed that the icons lighting up on it seemed a little different from yesterday's.
(End of Chapter)
[200 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]