Eevee was resisting with everything it had, but Aurelia University High was not about to give it a chance to break free.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Having finished their power-up cycle, Houndoom and Flareon's strength had risen by an entire tier. They launched a fierce offensive while Golbat soared across the river channel, initiating a pincer attack. Aurelia High went straight for a full-frontal assault to suppress the struggling Eevee.
"That Ralts... actually knows Destiny Bond??"
Zoe sat back down, having mentally accepted the defeat. Meanwhile, other Professional Trainers nearby expressed their disbelief. Even among their circles, it was unheard of for a Ralts to wield such a high-level move at this stage.
"It's an Egg Move," Master Xu Zhi explained with a faint smile. "That Ralts was specifically purchased by its trainer from a top-tier Breeder. It's a special Pokémon bred specifically for its genetic legacy."
He continued, "This was one of the trump cards Aurelia High prepared for this tournament. Originally, it was likely meant for Wujin No. 1 or Phoenix City High, but they kept it hidden until now to use it against Fairview. It seems both their teachers and students hold this young man, Owen, in very high regard."
"Indeed. If that Eevee were allowed to roam free, the outcome would be uncertain. Using a 1-for-1 sacrifice to exhaust and restrict it effectively secures their victory."
"They certainly think highly of us..." Zoe huffed. Though she expected a loss, Aurelia High's tactics were "dirty." Using Destiny Bond to neutralize Eevee was a move that would surely leave Owen feeling frustrated.
None of the Fairview staff had anticipated the opponent hiding advanced moves like Destiny Bond and Ally Switch until the very last moment.
Ultimately, Fairview No. 1 proved unable to withstand the pressure without Eevee's full participation.
In the 4-on-4 that followed, Lynnea, Leo, and the others only managed to stall for twenty seconds before being wiped out. In that brief window, Eevee had only just managed to break free from the curse of the Destiny Bond.
The cost was high: Eevee was too exhausted to continue fighting at high intensity.
"Vee..."
Looking at its fallen teammates and the menacing Haunter, Houndoom, and Golbat closing in, Eevee took a small step back and bared its teeth.
If you've got the guts... come at me one by one.
Fairview No. 1 lost.
As of now, the only schools maintaining a perfect winning record were Aurelia University High and Wujin No. 1.
"Whew..."
Back in the lounge, Owen felt a lingering sense of indignation.
"You've done remarkably well to get this far," Ms. Nina comforted them. Leo and Lynnea kept their heads down; the match had ended so quickly they felt they hadn't even had the chance to put up a proper fight.
"Chin up."
Zoe entered the room after leaving the guest stands, frowning at the group. "Feeling discouraged already? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?"
"You won the previous matches largely thanks to Owen and Eevee. But a team battle isn't just about one trainer. This time, the opponent's team strength, coordination, and tactics were clearly superior. There is value in this loss!"
"Instead of sulking, think about how to improve yourselves. Which trainer hasn't lost before?"
Leo and Lynnea nodded sheepishly. After a moment of silence, Zoe pulled Owen aside.
"I have some responsibility for this too," Owen admitted. "I didn't anticipate moves like Ally Switch and Destiny Bond appearing so early..."
He sighed. If he had sensed it, even if they lost, they could have lost more "gracefully"—at least taking a few more of the opponent's Pokémon down with them. But in battle, there are no "ifs."
Zoe smiled. "That's the first time I've heard you talk like that." She had worried a genius like Owen wouldn't be able to handle a setback.
"But don't beat yourself up. Not even a group of Professional Trainers saw that coming. Egg Moves... no one would have looked for that in a rookie match. The knowledge gap involved is just too wide."
She patted his shoulder. "I came down to tell you that for the remaining team matches, you should participate and exert effort selectively. Prioritize your Individual Tournament above all else."
"Even though it's an individual result, you're still representing Fairview. Don't have any reservations."
Fairview's team record could no longer be perfect. Schools like Phoenix City or Wujin were no pushovers, and with the overall quality of Fairview's roster being lower, Owen and Eevee couldn't carry the whole team indefinitely.
Zoe knew it was time to make a tactical choice: Owen's personal performance was now the priority. At the very least, they couldn't let the team battles drag him down.
"You mean... for the Shadow Ball?" Owen whispered. The "Spiral Shadow Ball" technique was difficult to pull off in a 1v1 without teammates buying time.
He'd hoped to debut it in the team match against Aurelia, but the match ended too quickly under their crushing pressure.
"Yes," Zoe nodded. Owen instantly understood her meaning.
"Understood. I'll take the win in the Individual Tournament."
"Vee!! Vee!!"
After recovering its condition, Eevee was currently jabbing its paw at the smartphone screen, pointing at the news reports.
"First clash between Jean and Owen: Jean's superior tactics lead to Owen's defeat."
"Eevee falls into a trap; unable to lead Fairview to victory."
"Analyzing the individual tournament based on the team battle outcome..."
The more reports and posts Eevee read, the angrier it got.
"Look, here's one praising you," Owen comforted, seeing Eevee on the verge of a tantrum. He opened a post by a user named "Little Double."
"Incredible willpower! A Pokémon strong enough to withstand the brunt of a Destiny Bond—I, Little Double, officially dub you the 'Strongest Eevee'!"
Eevee: "..."
Eevee scrolled through the comments. Fortunately, there were still many supporters in this thread. Its mood brightened slightly.
"Vee!!" Eevee barked, complaining to Owen that Growlithe and Munchlax weren't pulling their weight. It insisted that Lynnea and Leo treat it to a big dinner.
"Deal, deal. They definitely should," Owen nodded.
Indeed, Eevee had been wronged. To be taken out by such a "dirty" trap right at the start... in a team battle like this, unless you have the power to win a 1-on-9, it's difficult to navigate. Even if you're slightly stronger, you never know what kind of gimmick the opponent will use to neutralize you.
Owen prided himself on being unconventional, but this time, they were clearly the ones who got played. He vowed to settle the score in the Individual Tournament.
As he continued browsing, he noticed that following the team loss, public opinion regarding him and Eevee had turned skeptical. Previously, the odds on who would win the championship between him and Jean were 40/60.
Now, in the blink of an eye, the betting odds had shifted to 30/70.
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