On the field, the lingering heat from the explosion melted the falling snow, turning it into drifting mist.
Silence enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the crunch of Lucario's footsteps on the thin ice and snow.
"In an instant..."
Aurora recalled the wave of heat that had washed over her just moments ago, a trace of awe still lingering on her face.
Whether it was speed or attack power, Lucario had far exceeded her expectations. And that was without factoring in the stamina Lucario had already expended during training, or the effects of Abomasnow's intensified snowfall and the freezing air.
Was what she saw in the doubles match not even its full strength?
Aurora couldn't help rubbing her arms.
After warming up, her whole body had been toasty, and her thin clothing hadn't bothered her at all.
But this battle, which had lasted less than half a minute, left her feeling chilled to the bone.
Nearby, Abomasnow stirred in the snow, staggered to its feet, and trudged back unsteadily, keeping its hand pressed against the blackened burn on its side.
"Good work."
Aurora unclipped a Poké Ball from her waist and recalled Abomasnow.
She ran to retrieve her coat and backpack from under a tree, bundled herself up tightly, then caught up with Li Xiang, who was leaving via a side path.
"Divine Child! Divine Child!"
She called out in a strange, accented tone.
Li Xiang stopped reluctantly and turned around. "Just call me Li Xiang, please. Thanks. That 'Divine Child' sounds like 'auntie' in our language the way you say it..."
It had been a pleasant morning outing, despite the little interruption. But if he got back any later, Xu He's mood might not be so pleasant.
"It's getting late. Maybe we'll meet again sometime... Aurora."
With that, he turned to leave with Lucario, but Aurora wasn't ready to give up. She stepped directly in front of him. "I use WeChat too. Let's exchange contacts, Li Xiang. Please."
Weren't Far Northerners supposed to be aloof?
Not wanting to drag things out, Li Xiang pulled out his phone, quickly added her, and hurried off.
This time, Aurora didn't stop him. She just watched him go, breathing out clouds of cold air.
"Phew... Is he really only fifteen? And an academic trainer?"
The foreign girl murmured softly in her native tongue, clearly astonished.
Watching from the stands was one thing—only by actually battling him did she truly understand how strong Li Xiang was and how much pressure his opponents had to endure.
If Mist City really made it to the global level this year, there was no doubt Li Xiang would be an opponent no one could overlook—and one with terrifying growth potential.
"Other regions really have a lot of monsters as well."
Aurora pulled up her hood and disappeared into the quiet, wintry park.
At the hotel, several coaches were just knocking on doors, rousing everyone.
The timing was perfect.
Xu He saw Li Xiang and didn't say a word, just gestured for him to hurry back and get ready. In an unfamiliar city, he'd regretted letting Li Xiang go out alone almost immediately after agreeing.
But the kid had run off too fast, and in the blink of an eye he was gone.
Still, seeing him back safe, Xu He let it slide.
Li Xiang felt relieved, but as he passed by, Song Jie stepped out from the next room and gave him a light punch.
"You went running without me!" Song Jie complained.
Li Xiang shrugged. "I figured you could use some extra hibernation time."
After a quick wash, he joined the group and headed down for breakfast.
The main task for today was to familiarize themselves with the battle venue in advance. Taking the opportunity, Li Xiang mentioned his encounter with the Yeburg team member to Xu He and Su Qian.
"Impressive, junior. Just going out for a run and you bump into a pretty girl."
Su Qian's eyes curved in a teasing smile.
I didn't even say what she looked like, so how do you know she's pretty...
Li Xiang's eye twitched, but he didn't dare say it out loud. That would only make things worse.
He turned to Xu He.
The coach thought for a few seconds. "Yeburg, Aurora... I think I remember that name. I'll have the academic office look into her later."
"Okay."
Li Xiang nodded and quietly ate his breakfast, ignoring Su Qian's idle teasing.
After the meal, less than half an hour later, information on Aurora arrived.
Surprisingly, she was the vice-captain of the Yeburg team this year and had played toward the end of the Far North's Spring Tournament.
Also, she had transferred into Yeburg University mid-term. She hadn't appeared in last year's tournament because she hadn't enrolled yet.
And now she was already vice-captain.
Sure enough, Mist City wasn't the only school doing ridiculous things.
"A traditionalist trainer?"
Li Xiang looked at the brief description on the document. After all his guessing, he'd been right after all.
Aurora was indeed a traditionalist trainer. That was rare.
"Traditionalist trainer" didn't refer to trainers who hadn't attended university.
It referred to the type seen in anime and manga—those who ventured into the wild, faced wild Pokémon attacks at any time, braved dangerous natural environments, and traveled from city to city. They could be called adventurers or travelers.
In the past, this type of trainer was mainstream.
The biggest difference between them and academic trainers was that their battles were often merciless, with every move aimed to kill, making them far more dangerous for both humans and Pokémon.
Sometimes they would even fight alongside their Pokémon—like in the special manga where Mewtwo fought Deoxys, and Ash charged in headfirst.
Unfortunately, as technology advanced and times changed, with battles becoming more competitive and entertainment-oriented, traditionalist trainers were becoming rarer.
Just like many martial arts schools in Zhuxia that couldn't transition from master-disciple traditions to service-oriented businesses, they faded from the mainstream and became niche hobbies.
One couldn't help but sigh at the changing tides.
Among them, traditionalist trainers were generally believed to have superhuman physiques. Like the masters and senior sisters in martial arts gyms, they seemed to have unlocked genetic limits.
Many supporters of the "Pokémon-human transformation theory" believed they were atavistic.
No wonder she wasn't afraid of the cold or getting sick, running around in a tank top on freezing days.
Li Xiang thought to himself.
The document didn't contain much information about her, but judging from Abomasnow's performance, Aurora was clearly a skilled trainer.
If it weren't for Lucario having borrowed some of Incineroar's super-hot flames recently and being fully warmed up and in high spirits, it might not have been able to knock out Abomasnow in one hit.
Aurora Veil was tough—that was Lucario's feedback after the match.
Powerful opponents really were everywhere.
Li Xiang put down the document.
In the afternoon, the snow stopped and the sun came out. Everyone headed to the venue to get familiar with the battle conditions.
An outdoor match was certain.
As they scanned the stands, they noted it was a thirty-thousand-capacity arena.
"Will it even fill up?"
"In this weather, freezing cold and outdoors? I doubt it."
Some senior sisters murmured behind him. Lingcheng was a special case—even if tickets were sold, it was normal for people not to show up.
If things moved quickly, all five matches could be finished in one morning, or even in two hours. It was about as long as watching a movie.
Television and online streaming were where the real viewership was.
But Li Xiang knew that even if the stands didn't fill naturally, Haizhou University would find a way to pack them. It was a matter of home-team pride.
Empty seats would be an embarrassment—not just for Mist City.
Miao Shuang, walking at the back, overheard the comments and a mysterious smile crossed her face.
The next day arrived.
A bitterly cold, bone-chilling wind numbed their toes. The ground was wet, and the snow had turned to slush.
And yet, outside the stadium, the crowd was still packed.
Many held signs supporting Mist City's team, waving them at the roadside and shouting encouragement.
This came as a surprise to some of the newer team members. They had clearly underestimated Mist City's draw.
Li Xiang spotted familiar signs and familiar faces again. He exchanged a glance with Song Jie, both at a loss for words.
There was nothing to say. As trainers, all they could do was battle. Victory was the best repayment.
They entered the venue.
There was no lounge this time. Both teams took their positions in the open-air arena, warming up and preparing, waiting for the official start.
The audience was guided to their seats. The viewing experience wasn't bad—the wind was blowing from the front, and with the black tech activated, even the cold air was blocked.
Haizhou's team, as the home side, had arrived earlier. They looked a bit nervous.
It couldn't be helped. When the weaker team faces the stronger one, nervousness is inevitable.
The gap in raw strength was real—unlike in games where both sides start at fifty-fifty with full items. Winning here required real-time performance and luck.
Of course they were nervous.
Just as Xu He had expected, once the audience was seated, the referees and commentators were in place, and the cameras were rolling—
The jeering began.
At first, it was scattered. But as more voices joined, guided by certain people to find a rhythm, it swelled into a synchronized roar:
"Mist City Will lose! Mist City Will lose!"
Accompanied by thumbs-down gestures.
No curse words, and the gesture wasn't as crude as the middle finger, but it was undeniably uncivilized.
If this turned into something like football hooliganism—Pokémon battle thugs—that would be a laugh. But it all depended on whether the United Universities were willing to step in.
Many of the senior sisters turned pale at the sudden wave of noise. Fortunately, Mist City's supporters weren't there to stay silent.
The two sides began jeering at each other.
Haizhou had more people and more volume, but Mist City's side held their ground.
The arena grew louder and louder!
But people only had so much energy. After a while, the noise gradually died down.
They'd save their voices for when the players stepped onto the stage—that was when the psychological pressure would really hit.
"Finally quiet."
Su Qian rubbed her ears, gave her teammates a reassuring smile, and eased everyone's nerves.
Before long, the referees took their positions. The staff began guiding the first players from each side onto the field.
The chosen terrain was Grassland Field.
The best option.
"I'm going."
Abigail stood up slowly, shedding her thick down jacket to reveal a lean, upright frame.
She looked at her expectant teammates, said nothing, and simply raised a clenched fist in a small wave.
No words were needed.
Her unwavering confidence hung behind her like a billowing cape.