After a brief moment of stunned silence, the entire training ground erupted into excited chatter.
> [Is this really a Beedrill? I get that it's fast, but how is its attack so terrifying?!]
> [Unbelievable! That Magnemite, despite being Steel-type and known for defense, was taken down in one hit!]
> [Renjiro is way too powerful. We're not even in the same league...]
> [I just hope I don't face him in the actual exam.]
> [Same here. Please, let me avoid this boss at all costs.]
The spectators couldn't contain their shock. Magnemite wasn't like the Pokémon Renjiro had faced in earlier duels. As a Steel-type, its defense was supposed to be its greatest strength. Yet, in a single flash of movement, it had fallen, utterly defeated by Renjiro's Beedrill.
On the sidelines, Shu Wan's eyes sparkled with admiration. The boy who once relied on her for protection now stood confidently in front of her, shielding her from harm.
"Little Smarty, isn't Renjiro incredible?" Shu Wan whispered, her voice filled with awe.
"Pika pika!" (I'll do my best too!) Pikachu cheered, perched on Shu Wan's head with his little paw raised, eager to support his trainer.
"One down," Renjiro said calmly, as Beedrill flew back to his side. "That leaves seven."
Zhang Tianyu's face darkened. His expression twisted with disbelief and fury. He hadn't expected Renjiro's strength to be so overwhelming.
"Damn it!" he snarled. "Everyone, together! We'll crush him with numbers!"
His seven remaining allies, rattled but determined, quickly responded.
"Prince Bo, use Water Gun!"
"Cubone, go for Bone Club!"
"Roserade, Razor Leaf, now!"
The battlefield became chaotic as all seven Pokémon launched their attacks simultaneously, aiming to encircle and overwhelm Beedrill.
"Be careful, Renjiro!" Shu Wan called out, anxiety clear in her voice.
Renjiro glanced at her and offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, this is nothing."
To an inexperienced eye, it might've seemed like Renjiro was about to be cornered. But he knew better. These trainers were still unrated, and their strategy relied solely on brute force. Such tactics could never threaten an intermediate trainer like him.
"Beedrill," Renjiro said with a smirk, "play with them a little."
"Buzz!" Beedrill responded, excitement in its eyes as it shot forward, wings vibrating rapidly.
Since its Mega Evolution the day before, Beedrill had grown significantly stronger. Though it had returned to its normal form, the transformation had left a lasting mark. Its speed and reflexes were sharper than ever.
Beedrill weaved through the onslaught of attacks with breathtaking agility. Water splashed harmlessly behind it. Bone Club struck only empty air. Leaves sliced past, missing by inches. To those watching, it was as if Beedrill was dancing, untouchable.
> [How can it dodge everything like that?!]
> [Its speed… it's unbelievable!]
> [If there were a contest for precision and grace, that Beedrill would win hands down.]
> [A perfect dance in the middle of danger…]
The crowd watched in stunned silence, unable to tear their eyes away from the display of skill. Even Li Mengxue, who had been training hard to beat Renjiro with her Charmeleon, was left speechless.
"So fast," she muttered. "I trained so hard, but he's already a step ahead…"
Meanwhile, Zhang Tianyu's frustration reached its peak. "Damn it! Why can't we hit him?! What kind of monster are we fighting?!"
"Because the gap between us is too great," Renjiro said, his voice steady and cold. "No amount of numbers can bridge that."
He checked the time—14 minutes left before the exam began. The game was over.
"Beedrill, end it."
"Buzz!" Though Beedrill had been enjoying itself, it obeyed instantly. With a sudden burst of speed, it became a blur, streaking toward Prince Bo.
"Block him!" Zhang Tianyu screamed in desperation.
But it was too late.
"Bang!" The impact echoed through the field as Beedrill's stingers slammed into Prince Bo, sending it flying. The Water-type Pokémon hit the ground hard and didn't get up.
> [That's it. Complete domination.]
> [They couldn't land a single hit. The difference in skill is just too massive.]
> [I'm in awe. He's like a trainer from another world.]
Beedrill didn't stop there. One after another, it brought down Cubone, Gligar, Breloom, Mienfoo, Roserade, and Fletchinder. Each fell in quick succession, leaving their trainers too stunned to react.
In less than five minutes, eight Pokémon lay unconscious on the field. The crowd could only stare, their hearts pounding with excitement and disbelief.
Zhang Tianyu fell to his knees, his face pale and expression hollow. "We lost… All of us… completely crushed…"
Renjiro looked at his phone, noting the time. "Thirteen minutes until the exam starts. You've got three minutes to kneel down and apologize, or I can't guarantee you'll leave here in one piece."
Zhang Tianyu glared at Renjiro, but the fire in his eyes was dulled by fear. Grudgingly, he turned to Shu Wan. "Sorry."
Renjiro cupped his ear. "Hmm? I didn't quite hear that. Louder."
"You…" Zhang Tianyu's rage flared again, realizing Renjiro was deliberately humiliating him. But what choice did he have?
"What do you want?!" Zhang Tianyu hissed, trembling with humiliation.
"It's simple," Renjiro said with a shrug. "Apologize the way you made others apologize to you. A taste of your own medicine."
Zhang Tianyu's face turned purple with fury. That meant… kowtowing.
"Friends should leave some room for each other so we can meet again," Zhang Tianyu muttered bitterly, trying to save face.
Renjiro's laugh was cold. "Why didn't you think of that before when you bullied others? Now you want mercy?"
> [Well said! That's what I call justice!]
> [Support Renjiro! Double standards shouldn't be tolerated.]
> [Yeah! He humiliated so many—he should pay the price.]
The crowd's chants grew louder: "Kneel down and apologize!" Even some from No. 8 Middle School joined in, fed up with Zhang Tianyu's bullying.
Finally, with a thud, Zhang Tianyu knelt and bowed his head to Shu Wan. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have provoked you…"
Renjiro wasn't finished. "And what about the rest of you?"
Zhang Tianyu's friends, seeing his defeat, followed suit without protest. "We're sorry! We were wrong!" they cried, falling to their knees.
Zhang Tianyu shot Renjiro a venomous glare. "Renjiro! I'll remember this! I'll repay today's humiliation tenfold!"
Renjiro smiled, completely unbothered. "Good. I'll be waiting."
As Zhang Tianyu and his group slunk away in disgrace, Renjiro stood quietly, watching them go. But inside, his mind was already at work. This was only the beginning. Zhang Tianyu's threat didn't scare him. If anything, it gave him an idea—one that would secure his rise in this school and beyond.
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