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Sceptile burst through the sea of flames, its emerald body wrapped in Dragon-type energy as sparks scattered around it like a fiery cloak.
Dragon energy materialized instantly before Sceptile. A Dragon Pulse shot toward Salamence like a rainbow piercing through the sun, striking its target with perfect accuracy!
"Sceptile actually survived!" Boston couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
"And judging by its condition, the injuries don't look that severe. What's going on here?"
"Jacob really did plan this, but how did Sceptile manage to withstand that attack?"
Boston and Aubrey weren't the only ones surprised—the entire audience and even Jacob's opponent Isaac were equally stunned.
How was this possible? Sceptile had taken a direct Fire Blast from Salamence, emerged without critical damage, and still had enough energy to launch a counterattack. How could that be?
The contrast between Sceptile and Salamence couldn't have been more stark.
Salamence had already endured a Life Orb-boosted Dragon Pulse from Noivern earlier, and now it had taken another Dragon Pulse from Mega Sceptile. The combined damage left it severely wounded with barely any stamina remaining.
At this stage of the battle, it was nearly impossible for Isaac to turn things around. Once Salamence fell, his remaining two Pokémon would stand no chance against Jacob's team.
Top eight?
Isaac felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. Had Jacob really grown this powerful?
Victory or defeat no longer mattered at this point. If that was the case, he would launch one final attack. A trainer should go down fighting.
"Salamence, use Outrage!"
"Sceptile, finish this with Dragon Pulse!"
...…
"Salamence is unable to battle. Sceptile wins!"
...…
"Corviknight is unable to battle. Charizard wins!"
...…
"Pelipper is unable to battle. Sceptile wins! Let's give a round of applause to Jacob. Congratulations to Jacob for winning this match with a dominant 3-0 sweep and becoming the first trainer to advance to the top four!"
The remaining battles proceeded without any real suspense. After Mega Sceptile defeated Salamence, Jacob relied on his Mega Charizard and Mega Sceptile to completely overwhelm Isaac's final two Pokémon. He became the first competitor to reach the top four, securing the first spot in the semifinals.
Jacob's battle once again demonstrated the incredible power of Mega Evolution to everyone watching.
Sceptile, which had originally been outmatched by Salamence, managed to defeat the Dragon-type powerhouse with the help of Mega Evolution. This clearly showed just how dramatically Mega Evolution could boost a Pokémon's combat capabilities.
"You're really strong, Jacob." After the match ended, Isaac walked over to shake Jacob's hand. Looking at his opponent, Isaac wore a bitter expression. In just a few months, Jacob had grown tremendously powerful. "My luck is terrible to have faced you in this round. There's a clear gap between our skills—I'm no match for you."
"The final match will probably be between you and Julia," Isaac said suddenly, thinking of the other top contender. "Jacob, good luck. I believe you can definitely defeat Julia and claim the championship."
"Thank you." Though they had been fierce competitors on the battlefield, Jacob remained polite and respectful after the match concluded.
"Good luck—you have to win the championship. That way, when I say I only lost to the Champion, it won't sound embarrassing at all." Isaac clearly had an excellent attitude and had calmly accepted his defeat.
...…
Walking out through the competitor's corridor, Jacob spotted Rory and his wife, along with his grandparents, Maximus and his daughter, Raya and her daughter, and Madden with Eleanor, among others, all waiting nearby.
These people were either his family members or his close business partners.
Originally, his older brother Asher had also planned to come to the Capital, but since his sister-in-law was pregnant, he needed to stay home and take care of her. So the couple remained in Frosthollow Province.
"You battled excellently. Let's head to the restaurant now." Seeing Jacob emerge, the eldest family member, Scott, spoke first.
Since Maximus and Raya both happened to be free today, Scott had invited several families to dine together.
Last time, Jacob had announced he was working on a new experimental project, which had piqued the curiosity of all the families involved. Today's dinner was partly to reassure these families and partly to discuss cooperation on the new experiment.
This was a decision he and Jacob had discussed and agreed upon together.
"Jacob has already made it to the top four. Now it's your turn, Julia." At that moment, Scott turned to look at Julia with a smile. "With your strength, reaching the top four definitely won't be a problem. The final match will most likely be between you and Jacob. Let's have a modest meal today, and then regardless of who wins the championship, we'll celebrate properly."
Hearing Scott's words, everyone turned their attention toward Raya and her daughter.
Julia's face flushed slightly, and her smile shone like starlight. "Uncle Scott, I can't beat Jacob. When the time comes, you'll have to ask Jacob to go easy on me so I don't lose too badly."
Scott smiled warmly, his gaze lingering on Julia's face. Thinking about the marriage alliance the Su family had discussed recently, and observing the well-mannered and sensible Julia, he felt she would be quite suitable for Jacob.
They were close in age, comparable in strength, and came from equally prestigious families.
Most importantly, their relationship was already good—they'd been classmates for half a year and knew each other well. Julia was undoubtedly Jacob's most suitable potential marriage partner.
"Little Julia, you're being too modest. I'm rooting for you to defeat Jacob. He's been getting a bit cocky lately. Now let's go eat together."
"Thank you, Uncle Scott."
Listening to the conversation between Scott and Julia, Nina lowered her head in silence, seemingly lost in thought.
...…
The four families arrived at the Capital Grand Hotel—a simple name for what was actually a century-old establishment with considerable prestige.
More than a dozen people gathered in a private dining room, drinking and eating while chatting about everyday matters.
Everyone showed patience, not mentioning the new experiment at all. They waited until they'd had several rounds of drinks and multiple courses. Finally, Scott brought up the topic of Jacob's new experiment. "Jude, why don't you take Little Julia, Nina, and Eleanor out for a walk?"
Hearing Scott's suggestion, Jude nodded in agreement. She had no interest in hearing about these business matters anyway. She stood up and pulled her daughter Zoe along. Accompanied by Rory, Nina, Eleanor, and Julia, they walked out of the room, leaving only Scott, Madden, Maximus, Raya, and Jacob inside.
"Jacob, you can discuss the main business now."
"Yes. Mr. Madden, Master, Elite Raya—you've all heard that I'm planning to start a new experiment recently. Today's dinner is meant to discuss cooperation on this new project, and at the same time, I'd like to inquire about the secret realm situation."
The sixty-something-year-old Madden wiped his mouth, glanced at Scott, and spoke in his hoarse voice. "Regarding the secret realm, the association has already approved your conditions, but the procedural paperwork will take some time to process."
"Thank you, Madden." Jacob immediately continued. "Now I'll discuss the new experiment."
"My new experiment currently exists in a general conceptual form. The experimental details need to remain confidential, but I can assure you the results will be no less impressive than Mega Evolution."
Jacob's words immediately made everyone hold their breath. They hadn't expected that Jacob, having only recently announced Mega Evolution, was already preparing another experimental project.
You're really something else, Jacob—as productive as a breeding farm.