"This is huge news! Miss Bella has come to preside over the match herself!" the Pokémon Channel announcer exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. She could already imagine the TV station's ratings soaring. This was a career-making moment!
"Hello, everyone!" Bella waved to the roaring crowd and strode onto the battlefield.
"Gym Master," the current gatekeeper said, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
"Step down. I will personally handle the next challenger," she said with a wave of her hand.
"Yes, Master," the gatekeeper nodded respectfully and departed.
"Folks, you're in for a treat! Our very own Gym Master intends to act as the gatekeeper herself!" the referee and announcer called out into the microphone from their perch on the back of a Pidgeot circling overhead.
"Miss Bella, go for it!"
"Go, Queen! You're invincible!"
"Come on, Queen!"
"My Queen! Defeat your opponent magnificently!"
The stadium erupted in a unified chant. The Pokémon Channel's live broadcast was flooded with the same messages.
"She's so popular," Zhang Tian remarked with a sigh from the dimly lit entrance tunnel.
"She's beautiful, young, and powerful. It would be difficult for her not to be popular," Cynthia said matter-of-factly.
"Miss Cynthia, you'll have that kind of popularity in the future too," Zhang chuckled. "When you're her age, your strength will be no weaker than hers, perhaps even greater." In his previous life, Cynthia, the War Goddess, was one of the most popular characters in the entire Pokémon franchise.
"You certainly know how to praise someone," Cynthia said, covering her mouth with a light laugh.
"What about me? What about me?" Bea asked anxiously.
"You too," Zhang smiled softly. While Bea's popularity wasn't as high as Cynthia's, she was still a fan favorite.
"And now, the challenger!" the announcer's voice boomed.
"Go for it!" Bea cheered.
"I believe in you," Cynthia said with a confident smile.
"Don't worry. As long as we're at the same level, I will win," Zhang said, his voice brimming with confidence. "I'm going in!"
He strode out of the tunnel.
Whoosh! Ha! Woo! Amidst the deafening roar of the crowd, Zhang emerged onto the battlefield.
"So many people," he said, looking up at the packed stands, a fiery excitement building in his eyes. "This is a real arena, with the world's attention. I love this feeling. I'm getting more and more excited."
"Hahaha!" Zhang raised his hand and clenched it into a fist, a feverish battle intent rising from his body.
Rumble!
He locked eyes with Bella, his fanatical killing intent and battle aura rolling toward her like a wave.
"Interesting," she smiled slightly, and her own aura surged forth like a tsunami.
Boom!
Their momentums collided, creating a dull, thudding sound in the air. They were evenly matched.
"Strong! Too strong!" the referee shouted, hyping up the atmosphere. "This young challenger's presence is no less than Miss Bella's! It's truly terrifying!"
"How is that possible?"
"What a young man!"
"No wonder Miss Bella is personally guarding the gate! The challenger is no ordinary person!"
"In time, this young man will definitely become an Elite Four member, or even a Champion!"
The audience stared at Zhang in utter shock. That was the aura of a Champion, something few people in the world could withstand, let alone match.
In front of their TVs, some viewers recognized him.
"It's him! The young man who defeated Shilong! His Pokémon are huge, powerful, and full of ferocity!"
"This is going to be a good show!"
These viewers leaned forward, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"The match will be a 6v6 singles battle! No Pokémon substitutions are allowed during the match! The countdown begins now!"
"10!"
"9!"
"8!"
The crowd and the announcer counted down together, the sound shaking the heavens. The immense pressure didn't faze Zhang; it only made him more excited, his blood boiling in his veins.
"0!"
The moment the countdown ended, Zhang and Bella threw their Poké Balls in unison.
"Tobi-Kadachi, let's roar!"
"Let's dance gorgeously! Pelipper!"
Red lights flashed. A large blue bird appeared in front of Bella—a Pelipper. In front of Zhang, a massive Tobi-Kadachi materialized. It was fifteen meters long—not as large as his Rathalos, but still a behemoth compared to a human or a Pelipper.
"Roar!" The Tobi-Kadachi let out a ferocious cry, its wild, untamed aura surging skyward.
"What kind of Pokémon is that? It's huge! And so ferocious!" some viewers exclaimed, shocked. They had never seen such a vicious-looking Pokémon before.
"Such heavy ferocity… such a strong killing intent… can a creature like that even be tamed?" another viewer asked in disbelief.
"Quasi-Elite Four! It's at the quasi-Elite Four level! This young man is a quasi-Elite Four trainer!" someone shouted, their voice cracking.
A quasi-Elite Four trainer! There weren't many of them in the entire world. For a teenager to have already reached such a height was nothing short of shocking.