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Jacob and Kyle continued their friendly banter all the way to the Bug-type Gym, their voices echoing through the streets as they finally arrived at the official check-in counter for the College Cup. The energy around the registration area was electric, with trainers from across the region gathering for what promised to be an unforgettable competition.
Jacob's appearance immediately caused a noticeable stir among the assembled crowd. While his name might not have been known in every household across the country, he had certainly earned considerable recognition and respect throughout Starlight City. His recent performances and growing reputation as a skilled trainer had not gone unnoticed by the local Pokemon community.
Pushing through the densely packed crowd of excited trainers and spectators, Jacob finally managed to reach the busy check-in counter. As he looked around, he spotted many familiar faces from his past, including Amelia, whom he hadn't seen in quite some time. Her presence at the competition didn't particularly surprise him, as he occasionally received updates about her progress and achievements whenever he spoke with his father and older brother during their regular phone calls.
According to their reports, Amelia had been making remarkably rapid progress in her training, and they consistently praised her natural talent and dedication to improvement. It was abundantly clear from their tone and enthusiasm that both his father and older brother held Amelia in very high regard, viewing her as one of the most promising young trainers of their generation.
Amelia stood gracefully near the check-in counter, her slender and elegant figure immediately drawing attention from those around her. Her unique temperament and delicate facial features helped her stand out effortlessly in the crowded space, giving her an almost ethereal presence that was difficult to ignore.
"Long time no see, Amelia," Jacob called out with a friendly wave, making his way through the crowd toward her. After not seeing her for several months, Jacob couldn't help but notice that Amelia had become even more beautiful than he remembered. He approached her with a genuine smile, pleased to encounter a familiar face in the sea of competitors.
"Long time no see, Jacob," Amelia responded, her voice carrying its characteristic gentle quality as her gaze settled on him. There was a warmth in her expression that suggested she was equally pleased to see him again after their time apart.
The two exchanged these simple but heartfelt greetings before the flow of the crowd naturally carried them in different directions. Both understood that while it was nice to reconnect briefly, they would need to focus on their respective preparations for the competition ahead.
Along with the registration process, each participant was required to complete a random drawing of lots that would determine their placement in the tournament bracket. This moment always carried particular tension, as a favorable draw could mean the difference between an early exit and a deep tournament run.
Jacob reached into the container and drew number 135, placing him in the upper bracket of the competition. Meanwhile, Kyle's draw landed him a position in the lower bracket. Upon seeing this result, Kyle visibly breathed a sigh of relief, clearly grateful that he wouldn't have to face Jacob until potentially the final rounds of the tournament.
Despite his constant verbal bravado and the fact that he never showed any fear of Jacob in their conversations, Kyle privately acknowledged that his Pokemon would likely struggle against Jacob's powerful Sceptile in an actual battle. The prospect of avoiding that confrontation, at least initially, was undeniably comforting.
"Kyle, are you feeling relieved that I'm not in the same bracket as you?" Jacob asked with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease his friend about the favorable draw.
Given Kyle's naturally stubborn personality, he would never admit to such feelings openly. True to form, Kyle assumed his most fearless expression, turning to face Jacob directly. "Me, afraid of you? That's ridiculous. With this draw, you're the one who got lucky not being in the same bracket as me. Otherwise, reaching the top four would have been your absolute limit."
"How about we have a practice battle right now to settle this?" Jacob suggested playfully.
"Forget it, I don't want to battle you," Kyle replied dismissively, waving his hand. "You're too weak to be worth my time."
The two friends continued their good-natured argument as they left the Bug-type Gym together. Kyle needed to return home to prepare thoroughly for the next day's matches. Although he maintained his fearless attitude verbally, he possessed a clear and realistic understanding of his own strength level. He planned to spend the evening studying his potential opponents and developing comprehensive strategies for the battles ahead.
Jacob also made his way back to his family home, his mind already turning to the various preparations he needed to complete before the competition began in earnest.
Upon entering his bedroom, Jacob carefully closed the door behind him and moved to his desk. He gently pulled open one of the drawers, revealing an exquisite gift box that he had been keeping safe for several days. Teacher Nina's birthday was approaching in just a few days, and considering everything she had done to support and guide his development as a trainer, Jacob had wanted to prepare something truly special for the occasion.
Inside the elegant box lay a beautiful hairpin, expertly crafted and inlaid with both an Evolution Keystone and a Mega Pidgeotite. The combination created a stunning piece of jewelry that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing, representing the perfect blend of beauty and practical utility.
Jacob currently possessed two Evolution Keystones, giving him some flexibility in how he chose to distribute these valuable items. He had originally considered giving this particular Evolution Keystone along with a Mega Houndoominite to his older brother as a gesture of familial support. However, after careful consideration and extensive deliberation, he had ultimately decided to present this Evolution Keystone to Teacher Nina instead.
This decision served multiple purposes that aligned with his long-term goals. On one hand, it would express his genuine gratitude for all the guidance, support, and opportunities she had provided throughout his training journey. On the other hand, he hoped this generous gift might encourage Nina to secretly assist him in collecting additional Mega Evolution stones, a process that had proven frustratingly slow when attempted on his own.
Jacob had discovered that his independent efforts to locate rare stones like Mega Salamencite and Mega Charizard Y stone had yielded disappointing results. With the resources and connections available to the Long family, however, the progress of his collection efforts would almost certainly accelerate dramatically.
Moreover, with the recent addition of Iron Valiant to his team, Jacob's confidence in his abilities as a trainer had reached new heights. He felt more prepared than ever to handle the challenges that lay ahead.
These carefully chosen stones would serve as both a heartfelt birthday gift for Nina and a subtle reference point for future collaboration, demonstrating the types of items he was most interested in acquiring.
Jacob meticulously re-wrapped the hairpin, ensuring it was properly secured within the gift box before calling a local delivery service to arrange pickup. He had originally hoped to present the gift to Teacher Nina in person, which would have been more meaningful and personal. Unfortunately, his commitment to remaining in Starlight City for the College Cup made that impossible, forcing him to rely on professional delivery services instead.
After the delivery representative departed with the precious package, Jacob returned to his bedroom and settled into his desk chair. He spent the next several hours carefully organizing and reviewing his various accomplishments and acquisitions from the past month, wanting to ensure he had a clear understanding of his current resources and capabilities.
First and most significantly, his recent capture of four new Pokemon had dramatically expanded the diversity of his team. His collected Pokemon types had grown from the original five—Dragon, Flying, Fire, Grass, and Ghost—to an impressive total of ten types: Dragon, Flying, Fire, Grass, Ghost, Fighting, Fairy, Psychic, Normal, and Poison. This achievement had earned him the first-stage reward for the 'All-Type Master' quest: a valuable Tera Orb that would provide new strategic options in future battles.
Secondly, his recent efforts to acquire Mega Evolution stones through various online marketplaces and trading networks had yielded three additional stones: a Mawilite, a Lucarionite, and a Swampertite. While these acquisitions were certainly valuable, Jacob felt a pang of disappointment that he still hadn't managed to locate the Mega Charizard Y stone he had been longing to obtain for months.
Finally, there were the substantial rewards he had earned from his successful completion of the Dream Secret Realm expedition. This challenging venture had provided him with three high-quality treasure chests, each guaranteed to contain A-rank items or better. The first chest had yielded a 'Qualification Reward,' a rare enhancement that automatically improved the qualification level of whichever Pokemon in his team currently possessed the lowest potential. This boost had elevated Scorbunny's qualification from its previous level to
Champion status, representing a significant improvement in the Pokemon's long-term prospects.
The second chest had contained an S-rank item: a Terrain Extender. This valuable held item would increase the duration of any terrain effects created by the Pokemon carrying it, providing substantial tactical advantages in extended battles. Jacob had naturally given the Terrain Extender to Indeedee, whose terrain-based abilities would benefit most from the enhancement.
The third chest had revealed a King-level Fuecoco Pokemon egg, though this discovery had given Jacob mixed feelings. Seeing yet another Fire-type Pokemon addition to his potential roster caused him considerable concern. He already maintained two Fire-type Pokemon on his active team, and adding more would risk transforming him into a specialized Fire-type trainer rather than maintaining the type diversity he preferred.
The following morning brought the official opening of the College Cup, an event that immediately captured the attention of Pokemon enthusiasts across the entire nation. The competition had grown into a cultural phenomenon that generated intense excitement and widespread media coverage.
Major news outlets competed fiercely to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament, with front-page headlines prominently featuring the championship favorites who were expected to dominate the competition. Names like Julia, Isaac, and other renowned young trainers filled the sports sections of newspapers and occupied prime time slots on television broadcasts.
Compared to the major metropolitan areas that typically produced the most celebrated competitors, Starlight City remained a relatively small regional center that didn't receive the same level of national attention or media focus. Even though Jacob had demonstrated impressive strength during his memorable battle against Nathaniel, his Pokemon were still considered to be at the Lord level, which was respectable but not extraordinary by tournament standards.
The reality of modern College Cup Cup competition had evolved significantly over recent years. Champions from the past several tournaments had consistently possessed Pokemon with at least Gym Leader level strength, setting a new standard for what was required to compete at the highest levels. When measured against this benchmark, Jacob recognized that he still had considerable ground to cover before he could be considered a legitimate championship contender.
Soon enough, Jacob found himself preparing for his first official match of the tournament. His opponent was a young trainer who appeared to be representing one of the other participating schools, though he didn't recognize her from any previous encounters.
"Contestant 135, Jacob, versus Contestant 136, Cecilia," the official referee announced in a clear, authoritative voice that carried across the battle arena. "This match will be conducted as a 2V2 singles battle format. Trainers, please prepare your Pokemon and begin when ready!"
"Go, Charizard!" Jacob called out confidently, releasing his powerful Fire and Flying-type Pokemon onto the battlefield.
"Go, Golem!" his opponent responded, sending out her Rock and Ground-type Pokemon to face the challenge.
Since this was his first official match of the tournament, Jacob naturally approached the battle with complete focus and concentration, determined to give his absolute best effort and set a positive tone for the remainder of the competition.
"Charizard, use Sunny Day!" Jacob commanded, immediately implementing his opening strategy.
The weather conditions that morning were less than ideal, with heavy clouds blocking much of the natural sunlight. Jacob's first priority was to have Charizard create artificial sunny conditions that would activate its Solar Power ability, providing both immediate tactical advantages and setting up powerful follow-up attacks.
"Golem, use Rock Throw!" Cecilia commanded, demonstrating that she possessed some legitimate battle experience and tactical understanding.
Her decision to immediately deploy a Rock-type move showed solid strategic thinking, as Rock-type attacks were four times super effective against Charizard due to its Fire and Flying typing. The move selection indicated that she understood type effectiveness and was attempting to exploit what appeared to be a significant advantage.
The concept behind her strategy was sound, but the harsh reality of the power gap between their Pokemon quickly became apparent. An Elite-level Golem facing Jacob's Lord-level peak Charizard was simply outmatched in terms of raw capability and speed. The Rock Throw attack, while strategically appropriate, proved difficult to execute effectively against such a mobile aerial opponent.
Despite Golem's determined efforts to launch stones with maximum force and accuracy, Charizard effortlessly avoided each projectile while maintaining its position high above the battlefield. The Dragon Pokemon's superior speed and maneuverability made it nearly impossible for the ground-based attacks to find their target.
After successfully dodging the Rock Throw assault, Charizard responded by launching a concentrated fire-type energy orb high into the sky. The orb exploded brilliantly upon reaching its target altitude, instantly dispersing the heavy cloud cover that had been blocking the sun. Bright, intense sunlight suddenly flooded down onto the entire battlefield, dramatically transforming the environmental conditions and creating the perfect setup for Jacob's next move.
"Charizard, Solar Beam!" Jacob commanded, immediately capitalizing on the newly established sunny weather.
"Roar!" Charizard responded with enthusiasm, clearly energized by the favorable conditions.
Under the intense sunny weather, Charizard's Solar Power ability activated automatically, providing a significant boost to its Special Attack capabilities. Simultaneously, the charging time required for Solar Beam was drastically reduced due to the abundant solar energy available for absorption.
Grass-type energy began gathering around Charizard at a visibly rapid pace, creating an impressive display of concentrated natural power. Within mere moments, the Solar Beam's energy had reached full charge, glowing with brilliant green light that illuminated the entire arena.
Immediately following the completion of the charging process, a spectacular fluorescent green beam of Grass-type energy erupted from Charizard with tremendous force. The attack struck Golem with devastating precision and power, instantly launching the Rock Pokemon through the air and sending it flying completely out of the designated battle area.
"Golem is unable to battle," the referee announced officially. "The first round goes to Jacob!"
The crowd erupted in appreciative cheers, clearly impressed by the decisive victory and the spectacular display of Pokemon battling technique they had just witnessed. Jacob allowed himself a moment of satisfaction, knowing that he had successfully demonstrated both his strategic thinking and his Pokemon's exceptional capabilities in this opening match of the tournament.