"Brilliant! Absolutely spectacular!"
"Every Pokémon choice, every tactical call — both Trainers are playing at the absolute top level."
"You have to hand it to them: these two are loaded with tricks."
While the battlefield was being reset, the commentator rambled on.
Lin Yu and Xiaoye both shot the flying announcer a deadpan glare.
Tricks? Please — that was called strategy.
In the stands:
"Mom, why am I watching this on my knees? This is next level."
"This is insane! My battles with my friends feel like child's play compared to this."
"Thank Arceus for replays — half the moves happen too fast to even see…"
This was the national final stage, featuring the greatest young prodigies from across the country.
Anyone who made it this far — no, anyone who even qualified for the tournament — was not just being scouted by universities… they were being actively recruited.
China's two most prestigious academies:
Central Youth University and North China University.
Each housed an exclusive S-Class Secret Realm, plus countless smaller zones.
Central Youth's S-Class Eternal Spring Realm contained a natural, irreproducible orchard of Eternal Spring Berries — legendary treasures that drastically boosted a Pokémon's stamina.
North China University boasted a living volcanic S-Class Realm.
When it erupted, it spewed massive amounts of ash that greatly benefited Fire-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokémon.
On top of that,
students who earned enough honors at school were permitted to catch wild Pokémon inside the realms.
An S-Class Realm…
with enough searching, truly exceptional Pokémon could be found.
It was already July.
The 2009 college entrance exams had ended, and recruitment season was in full swing.
The high school tournament contestants were prime targets for admissions offices.
Special direct-admit spots had been offered since the qualifiers.
Many students had already received offers via text.
"Incredible! This year's class is the strongest in a decade!"
"I know! The Pokémon, the trainer tactics — everything's next-level."
"Hope we snag a few standouts to carry us in the Youth League."
"But these two finalists? They're already better than most Youth League competitors. Think they'll pick Central or North China?"
Several scouts glanced toward two elderly men seated at the very front of the VIP section.
"Both university presidents showed up in person? That's how badly they want these two."
In the league-assigned admissions booth,
two men in their late fifties chatted quietly.
One was Xie Ming — Xie Bi'an's grandfather.
He turned to the white-bearded man beside him.
"Lucky old Yu. You've got first dibs on both of them."
He was clearly referring to Lin Yu and Ye Qingxue.
"Heh, cut the act, Xie. I'll be straight with you — our offers are out, but we haven't gotten a reply from either."
"That's strange. You don't think they'd choose another school?"
Xie Ming frowned.
He figured he should ask his grandson — the two had exchanged WeChat after their match.
The battlefield shifted.
Xiaoye pouted as she watched Charizard circling high above.
Incredibly, its wounds had already mostly healed in such a short time.
Why was its recovery this absurd?
It felt like cheating.
"Heh… think you can even force my Latias out?"
Charizard's massive wings beat the air.
Xiaoye hesitated over her next Pokémon.
"Fine. I'm counting on you — Noivern!"
"There it is! A Dragon-type! The signature power of the Dragon-Ruling Ye clan — this is where their legacy truly shines!"
The commentator's voice exploded with excitement the moment Noivern appeared.
[Pokémon: Noivern]
Ability: Telepathy
Gender: Female
Potential: Champion
Level: 45
Moves: Gust, Moonlight, Absorb, Supersonic, Shadow Clone, Wing Attack, Roost, Protect, Outrage, Air Slash, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor…
Of course it was Champion potential.
Lin Yu should have seen it coming.
Every Pokémon she'd sent out so far had been at least Champion-tier.
But just how far would Dragon Master Power push a Level 45 Noivern?
"Tailwind!"
Tailwind whipped up a fierce wind to sharply boost her team's speed.
Conveniently, it also activated Charizard's Wind Rhythm passive.
Lin Yu decided to stick with Charizard.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Knowing how relentless Charizard's stamina was, Xiaoye knew she had to end this fast.
Thick, pulsing Dragon Master Power gathered around her body, channeled directly into Noivern.
Through Lin Yu's Inspection Eye,
Noivern's level skyrocketed:
45… 46… 47…
It peaked at Level 49.
Lin Yu stared in shock.
What rank of Dragon Mastery could jump a mid-Lord Pokémon straight to Lord peak?
He'd tried amplifying Lucario with Wave Aura —
it could only boost his power by two levels, tops.
This was a four-level jump?!
Talk about cheating.
"Dodge!" Lin Yu shouted urgently.
With Telepathy linking them, Xiaoye didn't even need to call commands.
Lin Yu fell silent, communicating only through Wave Aura.
To the crowd,
the battle looked like a wordless blur of motion.
Only the explosive clashes revealed what moves were being used.
Sonic waves tore through the air.
Flames roared.
The two Pokémon became streaks across the sky — clashing, separating, colliding again and again.
"Dragon Rush!"
"Dragon Rush!"
Charizard never backed down from a head-on fight.
Even against a far denser Dragon-type aura.
BOOM!
After the brutal collision, both Pokémon landed on separate stone slabs, gasping for breath.
Both bore deep cuts and bruises from the clash.
"ROAR!"
With a final cry, Charizard stumbled and collapsed.
"You did great, buddy."
Lin Yu recalled it gently.
It had already taken damage against Inteleon, then been worn down by Slowking.
Holding on this long was already more than enough.
Noivern could no longer sustain the Dragon Power amplification either — its level began to plummet.