-044- Confronting Lin Jintong (Extra Chapter for the Leader of "The Future of the Great Wilderness Conference")

"Thunderbeast, don’t panic—counter with Flame Fang!" Though he called out confidently, Lei Yu was in fact deeply unsettled. He’d spent the entire night researching the secrets behind Electabuzz’s powerful Thunderbolt. His original plan had been to have Thunderbeast absorb a surge of electricity when Electabuzz used an electric move, boosting its special attack. Yet, unexpectedly, throughout the entire battle, Electabuzz never once used an electric move. Instead, it relied solely on Quick Attack and Brick Break. Just those two moves!

The critical point was that Electabuzz wielded those two techniques with exquisite mastery. Was this really the Pokémon of a rookie trainer?

With a howl, Thunderbeast once again summoned flames to its jaws. But Electabuzz’s speed was unmatched. In a blink, it was upon Thunderbeast. With a resounding crash, followed by a powerful Brick Break, the flames in Thunderbeast’s mouth vanished instantly. Dazed, with stars spinning above its head, the creature seemed to lose consciousness for a moment. By the time it came to, it was already outside the arena.

In Pokémon battles, there’s an unspoken rule: if a Pokémon falls out of the ring, it is considered unable to continue.

"The match is over! Thunderbeast is disqualified. Tongsu and Electabuzz are the victors!" The referee, a wooden toothpick clenched between his teeth, raised the red flag for Tongsu’s side, declaring his victory.

"No way! I bought tickets to see Electabuzz unleash its mighty Thunderbolt, but it didn’t use a single electric move—the match is already over?"

"You can’t blame my little Electabuzz for that! Blame the opponent for being too weak—they didn’t even last long enough for him to show off his electric skills."

"To be fair, Electabuzz’s use of Quick Attack and Brick Break was absolutely ingenious! That Pokémon is a true battle prodigy!"

The audience buzzed with excitement. Thus ended a match where an Electric-type Pokémon never once used an electric move. The spectators, it seemed, were left wanting more.

With this battle concluded, Tongsu gained two points, overtaking Lin Jintong to claim first place. Moreover, having defeated another new trainer, Tongsu’s stats panel awarded him another ten thousand points. Electabuzz’s level also rose to eighteen after this match! Yesterday’s battle had brought it to seventeen, and today it reached eighteen. Tongsu was already looking forward to tomorrow’s match.

"Truly, nothing raises your level like real combat!" he murmured before swiftly leaving the Solaris Club.

Originally, several managers at Solaris Club had wanted to approach Tongsu—such a talented trainer should surely be recruited for their club. But to their surprise, he vanished as soon as the match ended.

Zhang Shanjie was very pleased with Tongsu’s quick exit. He was worried the Solaris Club would poach him. After all, Tongsu had already become the signature trainer of Aurum Club, and Zhang Shanjie couldn’t afford to lose him.

A new match day dawned.

After a good rest, Tongsu gave Electabuzz special training on several electric skills. Thunderbeast had the Lightning Rod trait, rendering electric moves useless against it. But Fennekin did not possess that trait. Tongsu had already devised his strategy for today’s battle.

Upon arriving at the arena, the first match pitted Song Xuyang against Lei Yu. Lei Yu, having spent another sleepless night watching replays of his defeat to Tongsu, finally came to a realization: he’d let Tongsu dictate the whole match. He’d been far too passive and never had the chance to show his true skill before being easily dispatched.

Today, facing Song Xuyang, Lei Yu played it safe and methodical, claiming victory with Flame Fang. With that, the rookie kings of Luna Club and Stellar Club completed their matches in the joint tournament.

Now, all eyes turned to Tongsu versus Lin Jintong.

This was a matter of honor for all four clubs. The Solaris Club’s management was on edge. As the oldest and top-ranked club in Jiahua City, losing even the rookie joint tournament would be a serious blow to their reputation. They believed that, no matter what, Lin Jintong had to win today.

They had initially planned to offer Tongsu some incentives to throw the match—then lure him over to Solaris Club. In this way, they could preserve the club’s honor and gain a superstar rookie. But to their dismay, Tongsu disappeared right after yesterday’s match. They didn’t see him again until just before today’s event—and now Zhang Shanjie was at his side the entire time. It would be awkward to offer a bribe in front of Zhang Shanjie, let alone attempt to poach Aurum Club’s star trainer.

Thus, they pinned all their hopes on Lin Jintong. She was no weakling—after all, she was the daughter of Master Lin Mo, a special guest professional trainer for the Pokémon Association. Surely, she wouldn’t lose to Tongsu?

As the two entered the arena, the match that would determine Jiahua City’s best rookie was about to begin.

Few had watched the previous battle; most of the audience used that time for restroom breaks and to stock up on popcorn. But this match was different—not only was every seat filled, but the live broadcast ratings soared above all other programs, setting a new annual record for Jiahua City.

"Tongsu, it’s finally our turn to battle. Today, Fennekin and I will have our revenge!" Lin Jintong’s eyes burned with determination. She had waited so long for this match. Her previous loss to Tongsu had been a lingering thorn in her heart. Today, on this stage, she would finally pull it out herself.

"Oh." Tongsu nodded, indifferent to her challenge. Over these past three days, he’d discovered Lin Jintong was rather fond of boasting. He regarded her words as empty bravado.

"Hey! What kind of attitude is that?" Lin Jintong snapped, nettled by his indifferent reply.

"Ahem, if both trainers are ready, please send out your Pokémon. This match will decide who claims the title of Best Rookie in Jiahua City this year, so please take it seriously." The referee cleared his throat. It was the last match, and he finally summoned a bit of enthusiasm. Once this was over, he could clock out and meet up with Biluo.

"Let’s go, Fennekin—our battle for revenge begins!" Lin Jintong released her Fennekin. The moment it appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers. There was no denying Lin Jintong and her Fennekin were immensely popular. First, she was quite attractive; second, her Fennekin was exceptionally strong; and third, she was Master Lin Mo’s daughter. All these factors had earned her a great deal of admiration.

… (To be continued)