In the landscape of high school Pokémon competitions, Danning High School had historically maintained an average performance level very similar to Fairview No. 1.
Consequently, the Danning starter that Owen and Magnemite were currently facing wasn't exactly a top-tier threat. In terms of raw skill, he was roughly on par with Fairview's own Sarah or Caleb.
After defeating the Snover, Magnemite had secured three consecutive victories, but its stamina was visibly beginning to wane.
"Want to keep going?"
Judging that Magnemite still had enough spark for one last round, Owen turned his gaze toward the final boy remaining from the Danning group.
"Let's do it."
Having been pushed this far with a crowd watching, the final student couldn't exactly back down. He gritted his teeth and stepped up to replace his teammate.
Is there any regret medicine for sale?
April and Maya, the two girls who had lost first, were feeling a deep sense of remorse. Three of them had gone up in a row and failed to take down a single Magnemite; the embarrassment was stinging. If word of this reached their classmates or teachers, they'd never hear the end of it.
The battle between Magnemite and the fourth Pokémon was a grueling one.
However, because most rookie trainers are inexperienced at handling Psychic-type maneuvers, they lacked the tactical tools to counter Magnemite's flow. From start to finish, Magnemite never lost its footing, keeping the momentum firmly in its magnets.
Two minutes into the match, both Pokémon landed heavy blows simultaneously. Magnemite, bolstered by its superior willpower, managed to hover back into the air first.
This meant that all four Danning High trainers had fallen to a single Magnemite.
"Psychic moves are such a cheat... Wait, I think Munchlax can learn Psychic, right?" Lown muttered, watching Magnemite finish the fight with such cool precision.
He was already mentally calculating the cost. If a problem could be solved with money, it wasn't a problem. I wonder how much it'll cost to teach that to my glutton...
As the match concluded, the Danning four were left speechless. Owen saw that Magnemite was truly exhausted and glanced at the surrounding crowd of students. It was a bit of a shame; so many potential "EXP" sources were standing right there.
Forget it, let's get Magnemite some rest first.
Owen abandoned the idea of bringing Eevee out for a round. With Eevee's current strength, she didn't need to farm experience from this level of competition anyway.
"Good matches. See you in the official tournament," Owen said with a polite smile to the Danning group. "Hey, Lown, let's move."
Seeing the Danning students offer only half-hearted, reluctant nods, Owen chuckled and headed for the exit.
"Coming!" Lown scurried after him, casting a look of pity back at the Danning team—and frankly, at everyone else watching.
He could only imagine the look on their faces if they ran into Owen in the official tournament, only to realize his real ace was a terrifyingly strong Eevee.
Owen and Leo climbed the steps toward the exit of the battle village. Suddenly, several figures blocked their path.
"Long time no see." Brandon, the Captain of Riverside No. 1, stepped forward to intercept them.
"Oh, it's you guys." Owen and Leo recognized the familiar faces from the exchange match and grinned.
"Are you the Captain of the Fairview team now?" Brandon asked.
"That's right," Owen nodded, not bothering to hide it.
"Good... We probably won't cross paths in the preliminaries, but I hope to see you in the main bracket and the team battles. Don't go losing too early." Brandon's expression was deadly serious.
As a top student at Riverside, being easily defeated by Owen last time had been a massive blow to his pride. These past few months of "hellish training" had been fueled entirely by his desire to get a rematch with Owen.
"No problem. Let's have a great match when the time comes." Owen's lips curled into a confident smile. Being someone's "final boss" goal felt pretty good.
The Riverside team stepped aside, and Owen and Lown walked out of the training grounds. For the contestants from various schools, this encounter served as a reminder: the storm was coming.
April 20th, 9:30 AM
The Provincial High School Pokémon League officially opened.
The crowd had gathered early, filling the stands in anticipation of the ceremony. In the Fairview No. 1 section, underclassmen and teachers filled the seats.
Leaders from various schools, high-ranking officials from the Trainer Associations, and provincial dignitaries arrived one after another.
The morning was dedicated to the opening ceremony. The media cameras weren't focused on the players yet, but rather on the VIPs:
The Vice Chairman of the Aurelia Trainer Association.
The Director of the Provincial Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Representatives from the Aurora Group.
Leadership from prestigious local universities like Aurelia University and Normal University.
"Unbelievable. There are more guest speakers than actual contestants," the students in the stands grumbled. They were here for the battles, not a three-hour marathon of speeches.
Soon, the arena—from the VIP boxes to the nosebleed seats—was packed.
"Quiet, everyone!"
A young man with a booming, resonant voice stepped into the center of the field. Sitting on his shoulder was a small pink and blue Pokémon, looking out at the crowd with a cheerful grin.
"Mime-mime~!"
"This is my partner, Mime Jr. I am your host, Lin, from the Aurelia Trainer Association. I will be your master of ceremonies and will introduce the rules of the competition."
With Mime Jr. by his side, Lin commanded the room. He held the microphone and the crowd's attention with practiced ease. He began by explaining the mission of the league before slowly announcing the names of the twenty participating schools:
"...Riverside No. 1, Salt River Middle School, Liang City High... Fairview No. 1... Green Sea Senior High..."
"A total of twenty schools and two hundred contestants—the rising stars of the new generation in the Province. Before we begin, let us welcome the athletes to the field!"
In the tunnel outside the locker room, the ten members of the Fairview team were lined up.
Hearing the cue, Owen took the lead, stepping out into the center of the massive stadium. Two hundred of the most elite rookies in the province followed, but the captains at the front of each line received the lion's share of the spotlight.
The applause was deafening, and camera flashes flickered like a strobe light. Owen led his team to their designated spot.
Whoosh. Feeling the pressure—which was significantly heavier than the Junior Phoenix King Cup—Owen took a deep breath.
Stay calm. We're the strongest.
Following the athlete's oath and the final leadership remarks, Wang Lin began to introduce the specific rules of the tournament to the roaring crowd.
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