Squirtle's Torrent state lasted until the match ended.
Jiaotong University's remaining Raichu and Ludicolo met the same fate.
Ludicolo, a key Rain Team attacker, had excellent support moves like Fake Out.
But Squirtle slid under an Energy Ball, leaped forward, bit onto Ludicolo's lotus crown, and landed a critical hit.
"Wait… Teacher Lu landing a crit?!"
"Who are you, and what have you done with him?!"
Against Raichu, the strategy was the same.
Squirtle Dug underground to dodge Thunderbolt, then *Headbutted Raichu straight into the advertisement board!
Lu Ye scratched his head awkwardly.
"I feel like… it's not far from learning Rocket Headbutt at this rate."
With Raichu's defeat, the stadium erupted.
"A three-KO streak?! And Squirtle still looks completely fine?!"
"Maybe it just looks fine. It did activate Torrent, after all."
"That… actually makes sense."
Thanks to Squirtle's incredible performance,
The rest of Modu University delivered solid plays in the team battle.
As cheers flooded the arena, the commentator shouted excitedly—
"The final ticket to the Championship Match has been claimed!"
"Congratulations to Modu University!"
On both sides of the stands, flags waved wildly, and the crowd's roar shook the venue.
Even though this was just the University League, the sheer popularity of Pokémon battles meant it had captured countless eyes.
And as the center of attention, after the match, Lu Ye took Squirtle to the Pokémon Center.
Even though Squirtle was completely fine, at Squirtle's insistence, the doctor wrapped its shell in thick bandages.
"Squirtle! (≖ᴗ≖)✧"
Now fully bandaged like a mummy, Squirtle nodded in satisfaction.
Lu Ye's mouth twitched.
"Your shell just got slightly scratched—do you really need to be this cautious?!"
Just then, Squirtle's eyes lit up as it spotted something in the Poké Mart next door.
"Squirtle!"
Squirtle pointed at a shelf, its deep purple eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Following its gaze, Lu Ye saw rows of neatly packaged Max Potions.
His expression turned strange.
"Last time, it was Hyper Potions… Now we're moving up the ranks?"
But thinking about it carefully—The "injuries" this time were more serious than last time.
Lu Ye sighed and waved to the store clerk.
"I'll take all of them."
The clerk's eyes widened in shock.
"A-All of them?!"
Lu Ye shot her a look.
"Problem?"
Looking thrilled, the clerk swept the entire shelf into a bag, then bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your generous patronage!"
Lu Ye checked his balance—another 50,000 Pokedollars gone.
But seeing Squirtle's happy expression, he helplessly shook his head.
"Stocking up on potions is fine… Just as long as you don't start hoarding Revival Herbs or Max Revives, I can live with it."
---
That Night – Shuckle Inn
The Modu team gathered in Lu Ye's room, playing cards and excitedly discussing the match.
"Squirtle is way too strong!"
In the corner, Torkoal—who was getting knocked on the head by Sylveon—looked up in confusion.
"Uh… Sorry…" Wang Rui scratched his head. "I meant Squirtle, not you."
Torkoal immediately looked dejected.
Lu Ye chuckled.
"Make sure you bring your A-game tomorrow. You're the core of our Sun Team, after all!"
Torkoal perked up, eyes shining with determination.
Shen Tingzhi added, "Teacher Lu, you should go for MVP tomorrow."
Lu Ye rubbed his chin, thinking.
Originally, he had planned to slack off.
But now that they'd made it to the Finals, taking it easy wasn't his style anymore.
Sure, the MVP prize was 2,000,000 Pokedollars plus to choose between Charcoal, Miracle Seed, or Mystic Water..
But money was whatever—The real goal was to bring glory to Modu University.
"I'll try my best," Lu Ye said, coughing lightly.
At that moment, Coach Zhai knocked on the door and stepped inside.
"Lu Ye, remember that move manual I mentioned before?" Coach Zhai smiled.
"I talked with the Headmaster, and we think Iron Defense would be perfect for your Squirtle!"
Iron Defense boosted Defense by two stages—
Stacked with Withdraw, it would turn Squirtle into a walking fortress.
Lu Ye's expression turned odd.
"If Squirtle learns Iron Defense… won't its Defense stat just be maxed out?!"
"Uh… how much does it cost to train?" Lu Ye asked cautiously.
"Iron Defense isn't too expensive—it just requires training a Pokémon's endurance."
Coach Zhai thought for a moment.
"Actually, Gu Zhong's Torkoal learned it thanks to your Sylveon."
Gu Zhong grinned and scratched his head gratefully.
Lu Ye froze.
"Endurance training? …So, basically, Squirtle just needs to get hit?"
He glanced at Squirtle, who was covered in bandages,
Then at Sylveon, who looked extremely annoyed.
Lu Ye smirked.
"Guess it's time for Sylveon to get some action, too."
"Leave it to me." Lu Ye nodded.
"I'll just wipe the floor with them."
---
September 17, Thursday
The University League Finals
At Ho-Oh's Nest, the Championship Match was about to begin.
Helicopters hovered overhead, while major media outlets swarmed the venue.
A reporter from the Modu Evening News reviewed his pre-match interview notes and murmured,
"Teacher Lu… grinding levels at the University League… That's exactly his style."
Over ten thousand spectators packed into the arena.
The crowd split into two halves, one side cheering for Modu, the other for Imperial University.
Dressed in red and blue team jerseys, their chants echoed like tidal waves.
"Let's go, Modu!"
"Four-time champs! Imperial University!"
Compared to Imperial's deep roots in the Pokémon Academy scene,
Teacher Lu's fanbase was still small.
But every Modu supporter knew—This year, Modu had nurtured a powerful Trainer.
A Gaming Content Creator, Indie Game Developer, Tactical Genius, The Pride of Modu…
A second-year student from Modu University—Lu Ye!
Both teams walked out from the tunnel,
As camera flashes lit up the stadium, and the cheering reached a deafening peak.
The commentator's voice rang out—"Welcome to the University League Championship Match!"
"Two century-old powerhouses—Modu University and Imperial University—will battle for the ultimate title!"
"Who will emerge victorious? Let's find out!"
---
In the VIP section, the Headmasters of Modu and Imperial University sat side by side.
Also in attendance were Imperial City's Dragon-type Gym Leader, Ji Shiyin, and Donghuang's Master Trainer, Tu Yong.
Ji Shiyin was young, her long black hair cascading down her back, her sharp features pale and delicate.
Nearby, the white-haired Du Yuanshan turned to his longtime rival, Sun Huai'an, and joked,
"So, who do you think is winning this one?"
Sun Huai'an shot him a cold look.
"Winning doesn't matter. I'm just here to watch you make a fool of yourself."
Du Yuanshan burst into laughter.
"You said the same thing back in the Donghuang League… and still walked away as the runner-up!"
Sun Huai'an snorted and said nothing.
Ji Shiyin and Tu Yong, not ones for small talk, focused their attention on the arena below.
The Finals had officially begun.