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At the center of the stage sat a simple white box, stamped in one corner with the official emblem of the Pokémon League.
A staff member placed it carefully on the podium.
"Now, Trainers and viewers, it's time for the knockout stage draw!"
Audrey, elegant in a pale pink gown, held her microphone with practiced poise. Her voice carried over the broadcast with crisp clarity.
"Chairman Damalanth, if you would, please begin."
The elderly chairman smiled kindly, stepping forward. With a slow, deliberate movement, he reached into the box through the small opening at the top.
His hand stirred briefly inside before pulling out a solid black capsule. With a gentle twist, the capsule opened, revealing a folded slip of paper.
He unfolded it, turning the name toward the cameras.
"Our first selected competitor is…"
"Koza, from the Kanto Region!" Audrey announced brightly.
"And his opponent will be…"
Damalanth drew again, another capsule clicking open.
"Ama!"
Applause rippled through the hall.
---
Seated among the Top Sixteen, Lanny sat stiff and tense, eyes glued to the stage.
The knockout format was simple: sixteen Trainers divided into two brackets of eight. Each bracket would progress through elimination battles until the two finalists met in the Grand Final to decide the Champion.
For Lanny, the ideal outcome was clear: Nolan and Zilin, the two monsters he feared most, ending up in the same bracket.
That way, he could avoid both until the final. Even losing in the championship match would secure him the title of runner-up a success far beyond his expectations.
But he knew reality wouldn't be so kind. For the sake of ratings, the League would almost certainly arrange it so Nolan and Zilin wouldn't clash until the very end.
So his only real hope… was to avoid them in the first round.
His fists clenched tight against his knees as he watched the chairman draw name after name.
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"And now… Nolan's opponent will be…"
The hall fell silent.
Damalanth raised the slip of paper.
"Aya!"
Relief washed over Lanny as his heartbeat steadied. Nolan gave his signature composed smile, nodding politely to the cameras, while Aya slumped in his chair, pale with dread.
"As expected," Lanny thought grimly. The favorites won't be tested this early.
Eight names had now been called. The first bracket was complete. Lanny and Zilin hadn't appeared yet.
Which meant they were both in the second bracket.
And that meant… they were destined to clash before the final. The only question was when.
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"Next… Zilin's opponent will be…"
Lanny's stomach twisted. A bad premonition gnawed at him.
The slip unfolded.
"Lanny, from Kanto!"
His eyes widened in shock. His body slumped back into the chair as the strength drained from his arms.
Around the hall, murmurs rippled. On the far side, Zilin sat with her arms folded, eyes closed, her flawless face calm and unreadable. She didn't even flinch at the announcement, her aura radiating cold indifference.
Lanny swallowed hard. He had dreaded this outcome. First round. Against Zilin.
Defeat was almost certain. And if he fell here, only placing in the Top Sixteen, his mission to establish himself in the League would be considered a failure.
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Late that night, in his assigned dormitory, Lanny lay sprawled on his bed, muttering bitterly.
"How… how could my luck be this bad…?"
He had imagined this scenario, but never truly believed it would happen. Now, facing Zilin so early, his chances of survival were razor-thin.
Unless…
"...I'll have to use it."
The only option left: renting a Pokémon through Dark Star's covert loan system.
He hated the idea. Not because of the cost, but because of the risk.
A Trainer suddenly fielding a powerful, never-before-seen Pokémon was suspicious. Too suspicious. If anyone investigated closely, his identity as a Dark Star infiltrator could be exposed.
But what choice did he have?
If he lost here, everything was over.
Sitting up, Lanny unlocked his secured device. Navigating with practiced ease, he opened the Dark Star app and began typing search terms into the rental system.
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Search Criteria:
Tier: Elite Main Battler → Elite Ace
Rarity: Low
Traits: High combat ability, durable, adaptable
---
The requirements were steep.
The rented Pokémon had to be powerful enough to fight Zilin's Crobat and Salazzle, possibly taking on two or even three opponents by itself.
But at the same time, it couldn't stand out too much. A rare or flashy Pokémon would only draw suspicion.
He could only borrow one.
It had to be strong. Strong enough to give him a chance.
Lanny pressed the search button.
The screen flickered.
A list began to load.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
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