While quick victories are flashy, a war of attrition truly tests a Pokémon's fundamentals.
Ivysaur was the first to falter. Its once-piercing Vine Whip had become a burden, its vines no longer capable of lashing out with their former speed.
"Da-na~"
With a twitch of its snout, Ivysaur accidentally inhaled the swirling dust. As its vines grew heavy, it nearly lost its center of gravity.
Eevee, however, wasn't without her own exhaustion. Although she had slowed her pace to conserve physical stamina, her mind was weary. Dodging blow after blow with split-second timing had placed a significant mental load on her.
Fortunately, she remained uninjured. This kind of fatigue would vanish quickly with rest once the match concluded.
Eevee's advantage snowballed. Through steady accumulation, it became an overwhelming force that finally crushed Ivysaur's last line of defense. As they moved across the field, Eevee's afterimages continued to baffle both Ivysaur and Liden.
The Oriental Pearl Arena was an open-air stadium. Under the scorching sun, Liden—who had been in a state of high tension for the entire match—was drenched in sweat and on the verge of heatstroke.
Battling is as much a contest of the trainer's stamina and reactions as it is the Pokémon's. Compared to Liden, Owen was in much better shape, allowing him to provide clearer cues to Eevee as the battle reached its climax.
"Da-na..."
Ivysaur had been knocked back repeatedly but managed to stand up three times. Its willpower far exceeded any opponent Owen and Eevee had faced before. However, the dwindling stamina and the stinging pain racking its body finally made further combat impossible.
Thump!
Ivysaur began to wobble before collapsing onto the field. At this point, it couldn't even perform a basic movement. After the countdown, the referee made a swift call.
"Ivysaur is unable to battle! Therefore, the winner advancing to the Top 16 is... Owen!"
On the other side, the commentator delivered the news with visible surprise.
"After a grueling confrontation, Ivysaur was the first to fall. First, let's thank Liden and Owen for bringing us such an incredible match..."
Watching Ivysaur go down, Owen adjusted his hat and let out a long breath. Seed Players were indeed much tougher to crack.
This time, Eevee's monstrous reaction speed was fully exposed. Future opponents would likely prepare specific tactics to counter it—such as moves that restrict her range of movement. But exposing his cards was inevitable, and countering Eevee's reflexes would be easier said than done.
As the referee announced the result, the audience erupted in chatter, their faces filled with a mix of excitement and confusion.
"It felt like I was holding my breath the whole time. That was intense! How did that Eevee do it? She was so agile; it was like the Ivysaur was fighting thin air. What's that saying...?"
"Fighting a battle of wits against the air?"
"Exactly! That's the feeling!"
The crowd began to applaud both contestants. The match had been fascinating, largely because it lasted long enough for the audience to savor the back-and-forth exchange of moves.
"No, that's not it," muttered Hannah, who had been eliminated by Owen's trash talk earlier. She watched from the steps with a complex expression. "Liden and Ivysaur were plenty strong.
If it were my Cacnea, we wouldn't have lasted a minute against those vines. How did that Eevee do it? When they fought us, they weren't like this at all."
Hannah realized that she had underestimated them. Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, but she felt Owen and Eevee were still hiding even more cards.
While the matches continued, Owen had successfully left a deep impression on the guests. On the official Young Ho-Oh Cup forums, several threads about him appeared instantly. As the first "Dark Horse" to knock out a Seed Player, Owen was suddenly the center of attention.
"What, are you dazed? I told you we wouldn't lose," Owen said, waving a hand in front of Lynnea's eyes as he returned to the stands.
"You and Eevee... how are you so strong?" Lynnea asked, still in disbelief.
Her father, a Professional Trainer, had told her that the Young Ho-Oh Cup was a high-caliber rookie tournament. Almost every trainer in the Top 16 usually had a Professional Trainer backing them and providing rigorous guidance.
And then there was Owen.
"It's simple," Owen joked. "Eevee and I survived a Secret Realm together. This is nothing."
Entering the Top 16 brought Owen genuine joy, primarily because it meant he was officially in the money. The prize structure was as follows:
Rank Prize Money Additional Rewards
1st 100,000 Trophy, Held Item, Aurora Group Member Card
2nd 50,000 Held Item
3rd - 4th 30,000 Held Item
5th - 8th 10,000 One case of Pokémon Food
9th - 16th 5,000 None
For a high schooler like Owen, 5,000 was a significant sum.
One more win and the prize money doubles. If I get the championship, it's twenty times that!
Owen felt triumphant. He immediately sent the news to his parents. While they didn't fully grasp the prestige of the tournament, they were thrilled to hear he had placed and won prize money.
He then messaged Uncle Sam at the Starry Battle Club. There was a brief silence before the reply came: "Keep it up."
Owen didn't mind the brief response and moved on to the next person. The most explosive reaction came from Leo.
Owen making the Top 16 meant their "plan" was working; in Leo's eyes, Owen's stature had suddenly grown to legendary heights.
Meanwhile, the Psychology Club seniors were uncharacteristically quiet. Having predicted Owen would fail to reach the Top 16, they were now questioning their own reality. What kind of monster is our junior?
"When do you plan on leaving?" Owen asked Lynnea.
"I'm staying at my aunt's house here, so I have plenty of time. I'm staying to watch the rest of the Cup," Lynnea replied. "If you can make it to the final day without being eliminated, we can go back to Fairview together."
Owen rubbed his nose. "Well... that sounds like a plan. Eevee and I intend to keep winning all the way."
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