"Look! The broken rock on its wrist is regenerating!"
"Impossible! That Pokémon wasn't even injured! It was just playing with Krookodile earlier!"
"If that student wanted to, Krookodile wouldn't be able to withstand even a single attack!"
"How arrogant, too arrogant!"
"That guy is provoking us!"
After recovering from the shock caused by Rhyperior's strength, many students began to grow angry.
He could have won from the beginning, but instead he chose to stand there taking hits. And just when everyone thought there was hope, he suddenly attacked and shattered that hope with a single strike.
A direct blow to the heart!
It was truly irritating!
"No, we have to call the members of the second university team!"
"This time that guy is directly challenging us! We must defeat him, and defeat him decisively!"
Some students from Harvard Pokémon University who had been collecting information about students from other universities also roared with anger.
...
Meanwhile.
The other League universities that had arrived earlier at Harvard Pokémon University also received the news.
One after another, they began heading toward the battlefield to see which trainer had dared to challenge the best university in the world.
"Someone is provoking Harvard Pokémon University?"
"Why does this scene feel so familiar to me?"
The students from Ironvale City Pokémon University also received the news.
"Hey... where's Ethan?"
Marcus Foster's eyelid twitched slightly as he felt a bad premonition.
"Do you suspect it too?"
"When we were at Duskwell City Pokémon University, that guy did exactly the same thing."
Jasper Reid sighed softly, especially remembering that Ethan had said earlier he would go to the Pokémon training field.
"Well, there's no need to doubt anymore. That Rhyperior... if it isn't Ethan, then who would it be?"
Kyle Miller, who was operating his laptop off to the side, sighed.
As far as he knew, currently the only person who had a Rhyperior was Ethan.
If other people or organizations wanted the evolution method for Rhyperior, they had to go to the headquarters of the Pokémon Researchers' Guild... and they also needed Ethan's authorization!
So when they saw Rhyperior, they could practically confirm who was on the battlefield.
"It really is Rhyperior's battle."
Seeing the photo on Kyle's laptop, the others showed expressions of "just as we thought."
Then, after informing Professor Leonard Langford, they quickly headed toward the battlefield.
When they arrived, they just happened to see Rhyperior using the move Super Rock Blast to send the opponent's Unfezant flying and win the match.
"It really is Ethan!"
"That Rhyperior seems even stronger!"
Seeing the terrifying strength of Ethan's Rhyperior, Marcus and the others couldn't help but exclaim.
"Although... Ethan's situation right now is a bit complicated. After all, this isn't our country."
Sensing the tense atmosphere on the field, Kyle frowned.
"That's easy to solve. We just need to turn this battle into an exchange tournament. Look at the people down there. If the Harvard students weren't watching them, they probably would have already gone up to fight."
Marcus suddenly smiled with an expression that said "leave it to me."
"That guy is quite strong."
"Interesting... this is getting interesting. I already felt that this exchange was too boring."
"If it's an exchange, how can there be no exchange battles?"
"Perfect, let's take this opportunity to organize one and see which university has the strongest exchange student."
Very soon, thanks to Marcus, the news of a World Exchange Tournament between the universities began spreading throughout the area.
Students from other universities who had arrived earlier, after seeing Ethan's performance on stage, began rubbing their hands eagerly, wanting to battle.
"An exchange tournament?"
Ethan also heard the commotion and became interested.
His original intention in battling was to better understand Pokémon he had never seen before and to learn about them more directly.
After all, data is just data; seeing it with your own eyes is different.
This improvised tournament seemed quite interesting.
"Hmph, an exchange tournament?"
"Even if it's an exchange tournament, it must be our Harvard Pokémon University that personally defeats that guy on the stage!"
At that moment, a cold snort suddenly echoed across the field.
Immediately afterward, a group of students wearing Harvard Pokémon University uniforms could be seen approaching and directly surrounding the battlefield where Ethan stood.
As for the students from other universities who were watching, like Marcus and the others, they were directly blocked outside by those people.
After clearing the area, one student slowly walked toward the stage and stood in front of Ethan.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Arthur, Captain of the second university team of Harvard Pokémon University. State your name."
After stepping onto the stage, Arthur looked at Ethan with a provocative expression.
"Captain of the second team?"
"What a coincidence, I'm also the captain of the second team at Ironvale City Pokémon University."
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the Harvard Pokémon University students surrounding him from below the stage.
The other side... had no intention of letting him leave the stage?
"Ironvale City Pokémon University? What university is that?"
Arthur frowned, showing a thoughtful expression.
It seemed he truly had never heard of Ironvale City Pokémon University.
And not only him; the other students from the Pokémon universities present hadn't either.
The Pokémon universities that usually participated already knew each other for a long time. A university like Ironvale City Pokémon University, which was participating in the World Pokémon University Exchange for the first time, was truly unknown to them.
"You've never heard of it?"
"Well, after today you will remember it. And you will never forget it."
Ethan's face remained calm. In this situation, he was forced to accept the battle.
After all, he had promised Ironvale City Pokémon University that he would come to support them. Now that they were being directly provoked, there was no way for him to retreat.
"Hmph, what an arrogant guy. I want to see how you plan to make me remember!"
Arthur then took out a Poké Ball.
Immediately afterward, he threw the Poké Ball and a Bisharp appeared on the field.
"Come on, Arthur! Go for it!"
After Bisharp appeared on the field, the students from Harvard Pokémon University began shouting wildly, as if they wanted to release all the frustration they had built up earlier.
"A Steel-type Pokémon?"
"Looks like I'll have to get a little serious too. Rhyperior, don't hold back. Use Rock Wrecker directly!"
After hearing Ethan's order, Rhyperior nodded.
Then it slightly crouched down.
The next moment, its legs began to tense, gathering terrifying energy within them.
"We're going too! Use Slash!"
At the same time, Bisharp moved.
The blades on its arms crossed in front of it, and as it stepped on the ground it disappeared from its position. Almost at the same moment, Rhyperior's body also moved and vanished.
BOOM!
In the next instant, a dull sound suddenly echoed.
Everyone felt the ground beneath their feet tremble, causing them to lose their balance slightly.
"W-what happened?"
A student standing in the back asked in confusion.
From his angle, the battlefield seemed completely empty. The two Pokémon had disappeared.
(End of chapter)