"It's incredible, absolutely incredible!"
The announcer's voice ca through belatedly, unable to hide his excitent and amazent. "I've hosted the Capital Nova Cup for more than twenty years, and I've never seen a novice trainer capable of unleashing such extraordinary battle power. And he... it's only been a week since he debuted as a Trainer!
We, the Capital, welco a shining new star! I've beco a fan myself and can't wait to see his next battle.
Trainer Roy, young Roy, he isn't just a dark horse—I have reason to believe he's the biggest favorite among this year's freshn!"
The announcer's ability to control the atmosphere was superb. Hearing his impassioned praise, the crowd's enthusiasm surged even higher.
"Whoa, where did this monster Rookie co from?" soone called out.
"I think the announcer is being modest. What's this talk about being a favorite? With that strength, he's guaranteed to win the championship, no question!"
"I agree! Cade's Abra is clearly no match for that Riolu!"
"Elite Four's kid is actually quite skilled, but it's a sha he's run into soone this extraordinary."
"Let tell you sothing wild... Roy's from a normal family."
"No way!"
Throughout the city's viewing centers and livestream chats, casual observers were joining the excitent, becoming fans of Roy on the spot.
In society, families who couldn't afford the Trainer path were actually the majority. The Pokémon League's annual fee of 100,000 Pokédollars was a threshold that kept countless hopefuls out.
However, if a family couldn't afford even that modest sum, there was little point in pursuing the Trainer path. The resources Pokémon needed to grow stronger were expensive enough to make people despair... The fee was essentially the League's way of filtering out those who weren't serious.
The vast majority of people in society had nothing to do with the profession of 'Trainer.' They worked ordinary jobs and kept Pokémon as pets. (If a Pokémon didn't battle competitively, the food costs weren't particularly high.)
That's why "Trainer by proxy" was incredibly popular in this world.
Supporting a Trainer and their Pokémon, cheering during their matches, riding the emotional waves of their victories and defeats—it was another way to fulfill one's own "Trainer Dream."
Compared to following already-famous Trainers, becoming a fan of a new Trainer and witnessing their growth from the beginning offered double the satisfaction for these proxy Trainers.
By the start of the next match, the audience's excitent still hadn't subsided. Conversations buzzed throughout the stands.
anwhile, the cheers for Cade had diminished significantly due to comparative bias.
Anyone who had followed competitions for several years could see that with Cade's previously demonstrated strength, he wasn't at Roy's level at all.
At the VIP table, Carter sighed suddenly.
Principal Finn, delighted to have discovered a new exceptional talent, smiled and offered comfort: "Elite Four Carter, don't be disappointed. There are always geniuses who defy common sense. This has nothing to do with Cade himself. He's already very accomplished, just unlucky."
Carter glanced at him with mild irritation. "Do you really think I'm that petty? Having a genius among the juniors makes happy, not resentful."
"Then why the sigh?" Principal Finn didn't seem convinced.
"Because my son's greatest flaw is his arrogance." Carter picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. "The audience has suddenly lost their expectations of him winning the championship. With his temperant, he'll definitely feel compelled to do sothing about it..."
After hearing this, Principal Finn and Professor Christian turned their attention thoughtfully toward the battlefield.
By now, the second semifinal match had already begun.
Cade's opponent was a glasses-wearing girl—the only female competitor in the top four.
Her main Pokémon was a Squirtle.
One of the three starter Pokémon of the Kanto region.
This Squirtle's Water-type moves were excellent in both power and execution speed. It had also learned moves that could counter Abra, such as Light Screen.
It was an impressive specin by any standard.
As soon as the battle started, Squirtle launched into continuous Water Gun attacks without pausing for a mont, forcing a high-speed offensive and defensive exchange.
Apparently, she had adopted the sa strategy as Duoduo—dragging the battle into a war of attrition where she could prevent Abra from using Calm Mind.
...They all had Callan to thank for forcing Abra to reveal Calm Mind in the quarterfinals.
Without Calm Mind to boost it, Abra's Psyshock was strong but not extraordinary, and Squirtle could perfectly block it with Light Screen.
Both Pokémon's physical and ntal stamina were rapidly depleting.
Whoever ran out of energy first would lose.
But soon, the bespectacled girl's expression turned sour.
...Her strategy was correct, but her opponent's Pokémon was better trained.
Squirtle couldn't hold out much longer.
"Cade's Abra has surprisingly deep ntal reserves!" the announcer comnted. "As expected of an Elite Four mber's son—he must have access to excellent ntal training thods... Well, he's probably consud plenty of rare berries that enhance psychic power."
"Not bad, not bad at all!"
Soone who had been an announcer in the Capital for over twenty years certainly knew how to be diplomatic.
But announcers were human too, and occasional slips of genuine opinion were inevitable—especially now that he had just beco a fan of Roy. He couldn't help comparing Cade to Roy.
Compared to Roy, who had left everyone astounded with his incredible talent, even Cade's victory only seed worthy of a "not bad" evaluation.
Hearing this, Cade's frown deepened noticeably.
He couldn't contain himself any longer.
"Abra, fall back!"
Abra, who was already winning and had found an opening to attack, received the command and imdiately Teleported several ters away.
"What...?"
The glasses-wearing girl was astonished.
What did this an?
Was he giving her Squirtle a break?
Everyone knew that physical stamina recovered much faster than ntal energy for most Pokémon.
Feeling underestimated, the girl trembled slightly and called out:
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing special."
Cade replied flatly, turning his head to glance toward the competitors' room, knowing Roy was there.
"I just wanted to show you... what a real Psychic looks like!"
"What?"
In the mont when the girl and the audience were confused, sothing extraordinary happened!
The clothes on Cade's body suddenly moved without any wind, and then a lavender-colored light visible to the naked eye rose from his body.
The lavender energy ford a beam that shot directly into Abra.
"Whoosh!"
Abra's entire body began to glow brilliantly.
This light was unmistakable to anyone in the Pokémon world.
The Light of Evolution!
In an instant, the glow dissipated, revealing a creature that seed like a transford version of Abra. Where Abra had been small and unassuming, this new form had a mustache and more defined features.
Its appearance had changed dramatically.
But hardly anyone was focused on its appearance. They were all shocked by what this phenonon ant.
Abra hadn't reached the level required for evolution naturally, but had received so kind of blessing, resulting in temporary evolution.
This kind of blessing could only be bestowed by one type of person.
And only Psychic-type Pokémon could receive this blessing.
A Psychic!
Cade was actually a Psychic!
Satisfied with everyone's reaction, Cade smiled coldly and gently covered half his face with one hand.
"Kadabra, Psyshock!"
The evolved form of Abra, Kadabra, raised its spoon like a mystical wand, and a surge of psychic power far greater than before emanated from it.
Psyshock transford into a swirling tornado that bore down on Squirtle with terrifying force.
Squirtle's face was covered in cold sweat as it quickly withdrew into its shell.
Simultaneously, it deployed Light Screen.
If you don't move, you'll be fine—or so the theory goes.
However, under Kadabra's extraordinary psychic power, Squirtle's two layers of defense were instantly crushed like paper.
Squirtle let out a pained cry before fainting completely.
"Squirtle is unable to battle. The winner is Cade!"
The referee announced loudly.
If Roy and Riolu hadn't improved his tolerance to shocking sights, the referee might have been as stunned as the audience was now.
Incredible.
Were all of this year's freshn monsters?
Or was there sothing in the water in the Capital? In the sa year, there were actually two exceptional Rookie trainers.
Now, the final promised to be truly interesting.
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