"Alright, the highly anticipated key battle is about to begin!!"
"First, coming out from the left is Contestant Subaru, who has already secured 14 wins with only 1 loss!!"
"And from the right is Contestant Terrance, who has been on a continuous winning streak and has achieved 15 consecutive victories so far!!"
"Just to reiterate, Contestant Subaru has only ever lost to Mr. Norman. But if he can defeat Contestant Terrance this time and then secure one more win, based on the points ranking, he can still successfully advance into the Elite Four matches!"
"In the previous 15 battles, Contestant Subaru has demonstrated extremely impressive strength. As a Top Trainer who has entered the Elite Four matches three times before, his performance is evident to all, making him one of the strongest contenders for an Elite Four position. As for our Contestant Terrance, he is a rookie in this Champion League. Although he is new, he has achieved a terrifying record of 15 consecutive wins. Next, he only needs to defeat one more contestant to advance smoothly into the Elite Four matches. Therefore, this battle can be said to determine the fate of both contestants!!"
As the Champion League approached its conclusion, the caliber of the audience grew higher and higher. By the 16th round, it had become common to see current Elite Four members, league higher-ups, and representatives of various forces attending to watch.
When the two contestants stepped onto the stage, the announcer shouted passionately into the microphone, spittle flying, performing his duties with utmost dedication.
Nearly fifty days had passed since Terrance first entered the Super-ancient Pyramid, and he had now reached the 16th round of the Champion League—a decisive round that would determine his fate.
According to the points ranking, Terrance's next opponent would be the only one remaining—Norman of Petalburg, who, like him, had maintained a perfect winning record so far.
However, in the regular season, there is more than one slot to advance to the Elite Four matches. The exact number is determined by the number of participants each season, but it will not exceed three.
Based on the number of participants in this Champion League and the competition rules, two people will earn the qualification to challenge the Elite Four matches.
Taking everything into account, a contestant needs to achieve more than 16 wins. Currently, Terrance has 15 wins, while his opponent has 14 wins, and there are only two rounds left in the Champion League's regular season. This means that only one of them can advance.
For this important match, all three members of the Hoenn's Elite Four were present, except for Elite Four Glacia, who was away on a mission.
On the rostrum, the three Elite Four each sat in their respective seats, watching the intense battle below with curious expressions.
"Who do you favor?" asked Drake, the oldest Dragon-type Elite Four.
"Of course Terrance. He's younger," Phoebe said with a grin.
"What does youth have to do with anything?" Sidney curled his lip and said, "Subaru has battled all three of us. You should know his strength. In some smaller regions, he could become an Elite Four member with almost no pressure. In fact, quite a few current Elite Four aren't even as strong as him. With the foundation he's built over so many years, what does this Terrance have to compare with him?"
"Because he's someone favored by Mr. Steven and Mr. Brandon." Phoebe rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, and said, "Didn't you follow the matches before? Up until now, Terrance has only used six Pokémon in the Champion League—Gardevoir, Ninetales, Beautifly, Tyranitar, Gallade, and Mismagius. Those two Top Trainers who had previously entered the Elite Four matches also studied his lineup and tried to counter him, yet they still failed. Doesn't that prove his strength?"
Sidney fell silent. This really was his first time watching this season's Champion League.
"That's true. That Mega Gallade doesn't seem to be his trump card?" Drake laughed.
As they spoke, the battle below had already reached its final stage. Terrance still had two Pokémon remaining; one was an unharmed Gallade, and the other was a Mismagius with minor injuries.
As for his opponent, only one Pokémon remained—his ace, Aggron, in the same flawless condition as Gallade.
"It's over. Aggron is at a disadvantage against Mega Gallade. This battle is extremely unfavorable for Master Subaru." Many people began to worry for Subaru.
On the field, Terrance directly had Gallade undergo Mega Evolution. In the Champion League, Gallade had always served as Terrance's ace, maintaining an undefeated record so far. Together with Mismagius as his hidden trump, they had helped Terrance defeat one formidable Top Trainer after another.
In this battle as well, it was unsurprisingly Mismagius and Gallade that turned the tide.
"Aggron, Autotomize!"
"Gallade, Close Combat!"
If Subaru's style was that of a master strategist who plans before acting, then Terrance at this moment was like a rational beast. Fighting with a decisive, calm, yet highly aggressive approach, constantly pressing the attack.
"Compared to his earlier matches, his temperament has changed a lot. It seems like he was influenced by some external factor," Sidney said, puzzled.
"Didn't I tell you? He gained Mr. Brandon's recognition. A few days ago, Terrance successfully conquered the Super-ancient Pyramid after four exploration attempts and took the golden scepter from the top level—the symbol of the pyramid conqueror's honor," Phoebe said helplessly.
"The Super-ancient Pyramid… that place?" Sidney had some impression of it. Upon hearing about Terrance's feat, he couldn't help but show a surprised expression. "Isn't that a training ground for Elite Four members? He went in?"
There were many training grounds managed by the League, and the Super-ancient Pyramid was just one of them. The golden scepter, as a symbol of conquering the pyramid, had only been awarded a few times so far. Terrance had conquered the Super-ancient Pyramid before even becoming an Elite Four member, and in such a short time. When many people first heard this news, they could hardly believe it.
"Look!!!"
"Aggron has fallen! Aggron has fallen!!"
With a loud crash, the announcer shouted excitedly. Compared to the somewhat dejected Contestant Subaru, all attention instantly focused on the calm-faced Terrance.
"Good work, Gallade."
The Mega Evolution form faded, and Gallade returned to its normal state. It nodded at Terrance, then dragged its exhausted body back into its Poké Ball.
At this moment, Terrance and Subaru both stepped forward and shook hands.
"That was a wonderful battle. I hope you can successfully claim the honor of the Elite Four," Subaru said with a somewhat dejected smile. He was already used to it; half a year more didn't make much difference.
"I will," Terrance replied seriously.
Terrance felt quite emotional. Without those 50 days of training—and without using his other Pokémon—it would have been very difficult to defeat this opponent. Choosing to enter the Super-ancient Pyramid had indeed been the right decision.
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