🎄 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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On the stage, after defeating number one, Patrick Mills, Ethan Black still hadn't stepped down from the arena.
After handing Sandslash over to the medical staff present, he remained standing on the platform, his gaze sweeping over the new students watching from below. It was clear he intended to keep accepting challenges.
"He still wants to fight?"
Seeing his attitude, the freshmen couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
However, after Ethan Black had defeated second place, Patrick Mills, there really weren't many left with the courage to step up.
No one knew what other trump cards he had besides Sandslash. At the very least, his Meltan had clearly not fought at full strength... not to mention that he still had a Cacturne.
"Lucas, are you going up?"
Among the crowd, Marcus Foster smiled faintly at his friend.
"I can't... and I shouldn't either."
"Unless I can defeat Ethan Black head-on during his undefeated streak, this first place title would be meaningless."
Lucas Silver stared intently at Ethan Black standing on the arena, then shook his head. He wasn't after just the title of number one in the rankings; going up now would be pointless.
"If none of you plan to challenge him, then I'll challenge someone else!"
At that moment, Kyle Miller stepped out from the crowd. Reaching the battlefield, he turned to look at the others.
Upon hearing him, the university team members' expressions shifted slightly, but under his gaze no one spoke. Everyone remained silent, their faces darker.
"Alright, Ethan, you can step down," said Kyle Miller. "My challenge is for the one ahead of me in the rankings."
"Yes, you. Don't hide, I'm challenging you... Olivia Reed, eighth place!"
Kyle Miller pointed straight into the crowd, aiming at Olivia Reed.
"Nonsense! When have I ever hidden?" Olivia Reed nearly spat blood in indignation. Without hesitation, she leapt from the crowd and stood before Kyle Miller.
"Thanks," Ethan Black murmured as he passed by him, understanding this was to give him a graceful exit. He headed toward the infirmary.
His withdrawal meant his position as number one in the rankings was secured, and after seeing his strength, probably no one else would dare speak behind his back.
"Sha sha!"
Seeing him approach, Sandslash let out two cheerful cries.
"Well done," Ethan Black said, patting its head before giving it a nutritious juice specially prepared by Shuckle.
"This time you won, but I'll get you back next time," growled Patrick Mills, waiting nearby for treatment for his Arcanine.
"I'll be waiting," Ethan Black replied with a faint smile, then looked back toward the stage.
On the arena, the battle between Kyle Miller and Olivia Reed had begun. Kyle Miller used a Bug/Fighting-type Heracross, while Olivia Reed sent out her Steel/Rock-type Aggron.
Like Lucas Silver, Olivia Reed seemed to specialize in Steel-types, and her Aggron was clearly her starter, with great strength.
The duel was intense from the start, but Heracross had a huge advantage: the Fighting type was four times effective against Steel/Rock. Thanks to that advantage, it dominated most of the fight.
In the end, Heracross defeated Aggron with Close Combat, claiming victory.
Knowing his team focused on Bug-types, Kyle Miller didn't get careless and stepped down from the stage, yielding the spot.
After his exit, the ranking battles continued as usual. Several students stepped up to challenge, and there were even intense fights between university team members.
Of course, none tried to take advantage of Ethan Black or Patrick Mills; they avoided them tacitly.
The last match was between fourth place, Lucas Silver, and third place, Claire Dawson.
Knowing her opponent, Claire Dawson chose her Fire/Flying-type Charizard, while Lucas Silver sent out his Metagross, already in its final form and considered a pseudo-legendary.
Although Charizard had a type advantage, Metagross's powerful psychic abilities made the fight difficult. In the end, Metagross won.
Final Ranking:
1. Ethan Black
2. Patrick Mills
3. Lucas Silver
4. Claire Dawson
5. Marcus Foster
6. Jonathan Turner
7. Brandon Cole
8. Kyle Miller
9. Olivia Reed
10. Jasper Reid
After a full round, the top 10 remained unchanged.
That was normal: in just one month, thanks to Professor Leonard Langford's teaching and the university team's resources, these ten members already held an advantage. Over time, the gap with the rest would only grow, which was why everyone wanted to enter the team.
If, even with that advantage, they lost their spot, they had no right to complain.
However, Jasper Reid ended up looking grim: his team was composed almost entirely of Rock-types, putting him at a disadvantage against Ground, Fighting, Water, Grass, and Steel.
This time, his challenger used precisely Grass, Water, and Fighting Pokémon. If not for the endurance of his Onix, Golem, and Nosepass—and at the cost of leaving them badly injured—he would have lost.
Luckily, although there was no limit to challenges, after more than ten people challenged him and his three Pokémon were knocked out, a professor stopped the pointless series of battles.
The reasoning was clear: Jasper Reid had already proven himself worthy of the top 10, even if he lost afterward.
(End of Chapter)