🎄 Christmas Special Discount 🎄
From December 23 to December 25, there will be a public 50% discount on the following tiers:
Intermediate Trainers, Advanced Trainers, Elite Trainers, Elite Four Trainers, Champion Trainers, and Legendary Trainers.
🎆 New Year Discount 🎆
There will also be a 50% discount, but it won't be public. On December 31, the discount code will be published inside the chapters, so stay tuned 👀✨
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Amidst the crowd.
Ethan Black looked at the ranking list and touched his nose.
In truth, even he had never imagined that the professors would hold such a high opinion of him, to the point of placing him directly above everyone else and giving him first place.
One had to consider that, although his role within the team was central, when it came to the individual strength of his Pokémon in one-on-one battles, he really wasn't sure if he could defeat Patrick Mills or Lucas Silver.
And on top of that, the rules of this ranking were precisely individual battles... an enormous pressure, for no apparent reason.
"The final ranking has already been published, so... based on it, the beginning-of-the-month ranking battle officially begins!"
Professor Langford's words made the entire place erupt in excitement. All gazes turned toward the large screen displaying the rankings.
"I, Owen Pierce, challenge Ethan Black!"
Almost the very instant Professor Langford announced the start, a voice rang out in the air.
Someone had stepped forward to issue the very first challenge?
Many of the first-year students were stunned when they heard it, and then showed some frustration.
Although this type of battle did not limit the number of challenges nor allow refusals, there was indeed no restriction on how many Pokémon each participant could use.
Moreover, after each battle, there would be students specialized in healing ready to treat the substituted Pokémon right there on the spot.
Because of this, whether one challenged early or late didn't make much difference, which prevented the unfairness of an extended "gauntlet" battle.
That being said, for this Owen Pierce to be the first to challenge... and to challenge number one, Ethan Black, at that! Without a doubt, it made him the center of attention. Opportunities like that did not come every day.
On the other hand, if Owen Pierce won, he would leap from somewhere around 200th place to become first directly. Just one battle to become famous!
Although everyone clearly understood what Owen Pierce was aiming for, his challenge met all the event's rules. So, after a faint glint in his eyes, one of the professors in charge announced: "First round: Ethan Black versus Owen Pierce!"
The crowd parted. The thin Owen Pierce walked out slowly, waving to those present with an air of glory and self-confidence.
"My first match is against me?" Ethan Black once again touched his nose.
"A rookie ranked two hundred challenging Ethan?"
Among the spectators, the university team members who knew Ethan Black frowned.
After seeing the brilliant performance of his Cacturne in the previous match, they had investigated his background and battle records.
Ethan Black turned out to be just an ordinary boy, with no influential family, but with a very good relationship with Professor Harris, which reassured them somewhat.
If he had truly been a complete "nobody" who had achieved so much... more than one would have felt tempted to crash headfirst into a wall.
But if he was a disciple of Professor Harris, that was easier to accept. Although Professor Harris did not belong to a great clan nor wield political power, he possessed the greatest wealth in this world: knowledge.
That is why researchers held such a high status, and a scholar with significant achievements could be of incalculable value.
Besides his identity, they had also reviewed the tournaments he had participated in. One in particular —the Annual Tournament of the Ironvale City Pokémon Clubs— caught their attention.
On that occasion, Ethan Black's Cacturne, thanks to a "root field" it had set up, achieved the feat of defeating nine opponents in a row.
After watching the full video, they reached one conclusion: they could not allow his Cacturne enough time to deploy that root field.
Because, combining control, healing, defense, and offense, that terrain forced opponents deeper and deeper into despair. A gauntlet-style battle was, in fact, the last thing Ethan Black had to fear.
Now, for a rookie ranked two hundred to challenge him... it was nothing but giving free experience to his Cacturne.
Although they didn't fear the root field, it would indeed make the battle much more troublesome.
"Although I know what his aim is... it still annoys me."
Ethan Black took a deep breath, and his gaze sharpened.
He stepped out from the crowd and planted himself in the battle arena. After thinking for a moment, he took a Poké Ball from his belt and enlarged it in his hand.
"Challenging is your right, but before that... you should consider the consequences."
With those words, he threw the Poké Ball. His strongest Pokémon appeared on the field: Sandslash.
By sending it out, he made it clear he wanted a quick battle. His true rivals were in the top 20; he did not intend to waste time with people who had other motives.
"Just a Sandslash?"
"And not even a normal one... I think I can win."
Upon seeing the Pokémon his opponent had sent, Owen Pierce examined it carefully. When he noticed its unusually red quills, he smiled, as though seeing a ray of hope.
"That look?"
"Ever since my Sandslash became famous, no one had looked at it like that."
Ethan Black narrowed his eyes.
When he discovered that his Sandslash could use the move Sandstorm, Professor Harris had thoroughly investigated this shiny specimen.
Whether it was due to the limitations of the instruments or because there truly was no difference compared to a normal one, nothing special was found.
At the headquarters of the Pokémon Researchers' Guild, Ethan Black had also consulted many texts, and all agreed: shiny Pokémon did not possess extraordinary abilities just by virtue of being shiny.
That was why he had been able to obtain this shiny Sandslash: the guild had confirmed it had nothing special in itself.
Of course, in general, sometimes unique abilities were discovered in certain Pokémon, but that had no direct relation to being shiny.
Still, could it be that shinies had a slightly higher probability of possessing them?
"Go, Cloyster!"
At that moment, Owen Pierce sent out his own Pokémon.
It was a Cloyster, which could only evolve using a Water Stone. This showed that, even though he was ranked two hundred, as an intermediate-level trainer he did have some ability.
Of course, the same Pokémon could be very different depending on who trained it.
(End of Chapter)