"It was actually Bite!"
On the guest platform, several judges who had been watching since the qualifiers spoke up in surprise.
"They hid it so deep. Saving it until facing a Ghost-type for maximum surprise... smart move."
"Against a Pokémon like Misdreavus, you have to end things quickly. An opportunity for a counterattack like that usually only comes once," another guest remarked.
"But... this Eevee's reaction speed is truly staggering. Even against a phantom-like Ghost-type, she can react that fast. Incredible."
A newly arrived Professional Trainer guest asked curiously, "Could that dodge have been luck?"
"Definitely not," the representative from the Metropolis Trainer Association explained with a smile, detailing Eevee's "sixth sense" and reflexes for the benefit of the newcomers.
"I see. Extraordinary sixth sense and reaction speed, huh?" The professional trainers stroked their chins, their curiosity toward Owen and Eevee intensifying.
"Come to think of it," one of them noted, "isn't this Owen the same kid from that interview video?"
They looked at Owen with newfound interest. The answers he gave in that interview certainly didn't sound like the typical rambling of a rookie trainer.
Before long, the third match—the clash of Seeds from Groups E and F—commenced. It was the Group E Seed's Onix versus the Group F Seed Hugo's Beedrill!
"Hugo has met his match," Owen muttered. He had returned to the stands to watch with Lynnea.
Seeing that Hugo—the one who had eliminated her—was facing a tough opponent, Lynnea's mood immediately brightened. "Beedrill versus Onix? Hmph, looks like Hugo's journey ends here."
"Actually, it's the opposite," Owen interrupted her fantasy. "Onix looks like it has the advantage, but it's actually not that hard to deal with."
Owen and Eevee weren't particularly worried about the giant rock snake. If Eevee could outmaneuver it, the even more agile, flying Beedrill had nothing to fear.
While Onix possessed immense power and defense, its massive size made it sluggish. A rookie trainer wouldn't have had enough time to help an Onix overcome that inherent weakness.
"As long as Beedrill is careful and avoids the Rock Tomb, it will slowly take control of the pace," Owen explained.
"Oh..." Lynnea nodded, only half-understanding.
Once the battle started, it went exactly as Owen predicted. Beedrill employed "kiting" tactics. While it lacked Eevee's predictive reflexes, its flight allowed it to gradually wear Onix down. Using Focus Energy paired with Pin Missile and Venoshock, it systematically drained the giant's stamina.
"That Beedrill is so strong," Lynnea sighed. She pulled out her phone during the lull before the next match. "The classmates in the group chat want you to say something. Everyone's asking how you got so powerful. Aren't you going to say anything?"
Owen shook his head. "Not now. I need to focus on the next match."
Chatting in the group right before a serious task... it ruins the momentum.
Owen watched the fourth match with intense focus, a look Lynnea didn't miss. "Are you worried about Lana Shaw?"
"She's an apprentice from the Winter Dojo," Owen said. "Her Snorunt's Ice-type moves are powerful. Whether it's the Onix or the Beedrill that advances, I suspect Lana will eventually eliminate them."
Owen continued his assessment: "Miles from Group A, Lana from Group H, Aria and her Abra from Group L, and Wenyu with his Torkoal from Group P... these four are likely the top tier among the Seeds."
These were the four trainers Owen respected the most. If his judgment was correct, these would be his primary obstacles.
"I expect Lana to beat Hugo. Aria and Wenyu should also advance. Who wins between those two? Hard to say, but I'm leaning toward that Abra..."
"Did you analyze all of this yourself?" Lynnea asked, impressed.
Owen rubbed the back of his head. "People on the forums analyzed it, but it matches what I'm thinking."
"Tch..."
As predicted, Lana from the Winter Dojo won the fourth match. Watching the whole thing, Owen felt a chill. That Snorunt's ice energy was incredibly pure; it consistently one-shotted its opponents.
Eevee could absolutely not afford to get hit. However, given Snorunt's slow attack speed, it shouldn't be too much of a threat to a high-reflex Eevee.
The rest of the brackets played out mostly as expected.
It wasn't until the Group L match featuring Aria that Owen turned his gaze toward the guest platform with real gravity.
He looked at Lu Hai from Metropolis University. For a student to be a guest at such an event spoke volumes about his strength—and his identity. As an apprentice of the Heaven's Heart Dojo, Lu Hai was one of the few natural Psychics in the country.
And Aria, according to forum leaks, was also a Heaven's Heart apprentice—another Psychic.
In Owen's eyes, this Abra was even more dangerous than the Mr. Mime from earlier. He had a gut feeling that Aria and Abra were the most dangerous pair in the tournament, even if they hadn't shown their full power yet.
Perhaps he felt this way because, in his previous life, he had been traumatized by Sabrina in the Pokémon anime. Psychics who could turn people into dolls were not to be trifled with.
Though Aria probably isn't that scary, Owen reasoned. In reality, Psychics who can bend spoons with their mind are considered impressive.
The final match for the Group P Seed saw Wenyu's Torkoal incinerate the opposition with Fire Spin.
Against that Fire Spin, Eevee might actually need the Counter Shield to protect herself, Owen thought.
In less than a morning, the Top 8 list was finalized. The tournament's doctors took over the care of the Pokémon.
For "rookie-level" injuries, a single healing move from a Chansey was often more effective than any medicine, restoring the Pokémon to peak condition instantly.
Man, Chaiseys are strictly regulated by the state. Ordinary trainers can't get them. Otherwise, I'd love to catch one. Self-sufficiency would be so nice!
After the session ended, Owen bid farewell to Lynnea and hurried away. He was scheduled for the very first match of the afternoon.
After a quick lunch, he and Eevee needed to refine their strategy for the Quarter-finals!
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