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August 15th.
Since the night before, intense discussions about the upcoming match had dominated the internet, with people debating the competition everywhere.
You could even see the names 'Roy' and 'Henry' featured in mobile card games that portrayed Pokémon characters.
The popularity of both had reached national phenomenon-level Celebrity Trainer status.
Due to their various achievements and accolades, Roy and Henry's popularity was already comparable to veteran Gym Leaders, even approaching that of Elite Four members.
Roy's popularity was particularly remarkable because he came from an 'ordinary' family background.
Roy had initially been interested in managing social media for about three minutes, but now his follower count had reached an astonishing sixty million.
He hadn't purchased fake followers or engaged in any business partnerships. This following was attracted purely by his fame and competitive performances—completely authentic.
Despite the heated online discussions, overall sentiment still favored League University.
"There's no suspense here—League University is certain to win."
"Here we go again. How many people has Roy proven wrong since his debut?"
"Exactly! How many miracles has he created?"
"That logic is flawed. Being able to create miracles in the past doesn't guarantee future success. Your argument is like saying 'he's never lacked female attention, so he doesn't need to pursue anyone'—completely unrelated."
"You mindless fans have such heavy bias filters. Can you be more rational? The overall team strength disparity is too significant. Even if Roy somehow manages to get past Henry's level, how much fighting capacity do you think he'll have left? Can his teammates defeat Henry's teammates?"
Rational analysis showed that more people were optimistic about League University and Henry.
This optimism became increasingly pronounced after an active Ghost Elite stepped forward to express his views.
The Ghost Elite currently serving in China was named Brayan, and Porter, who held the second position at League University, was his only son.
After the nightmare incident, both Sebastian and Frances had traveled abroad, leaving him as the only high-profile figure connected to this match. Reporters approached him for his opinion on the upcoming game.
Elite Brayan stated: "Many viewers may not understand the gap between master level and professional level."
"Let me give you an example. A master-level Pokémon can often defeat three top professional-level Pokémon. I'm not talking about sequential battles, but simultaneous group combat. In sequential battles, it wouldn't be surprising for a master-level Pokémon to sweep through six opponents."
"I can't reveal details, but Roy's Mimikyu was able to defeat professional-level Pokémon in the European Championships precisely because it had mastered key powers for advancing to master level ahead of schedule."
High-level energies were kept secret from the general public.
Mimikyu's early mastery of high-level energy before reaching professional level had shocked many people.
They didn't know that the high-level Ghost energy mastered by Mimikyu was immortality, which was connected to Z-Moves. They could only attribute this phenomenon to Mimikyu's exceptional talent.
With high-level energy combined with tactical decision-making, Pokémon could indeed exert power beyond their racial limitations.
Elite Brayan continued:
"If his Mimikyu has also reached professional level, combined with Z-Move power, I'm optimistic about his chances against Henry..."
"However, again, the overall team strength is too poor."
"Even if he manages to defeat Henry with everything he has, he'll still need to pass Porter's test..."
When speaking about his son, Brayan's paternal pride immediately showed.
The interview came to an abrupt end.
But without saying more, the public understood what Elite Brayan was implying.
This Ghost Elite was nationally known for doting on his only son. Whenever interviewed, he had to boast about him, telling everyone, 'My son has the talent of a great emperor.'
Because of this behavior, father and son had been estranged for many years.
Amid this heated discussion, the finals proceeded as scheduled.
Regardless of the event, finals always held the greatest appeal. Even people who were usually indifferent would tune into live broadcasts under the influence of the atmosphere and participate in the excitement.
Under these circumstances, just the opening ceremony alone broke historical viewership records across major platforms.
After conversion calculations, approximately one out of every five people in China was watching the match.
Scalped tickets at the venue were selling for astronomical prices of 100,000 yuan each.
Brayan, the active Ghost Elite, and Caroline, the active Psychic Elite, also attended the match as special guests.
One o'clock in the afternoon.
The Bird's Nest stadium.
"Welcome everyone to this annual feast! I am your beloved commentator, Shaun."
His excited voice carried through microphones and spread throughout the entire venue.
"Without further delay, today's winner will stand at the summit of our nation and become the undisputed king of the younger generation."
"Now, please welcome the players from both sides!"
As the narrator's words concluded, two lines of text quickly appeared on the large screen.
"Capital University starter, Position 3: Roy."
"League University starter, Position 1: Henry."
"What?!"
The moment these lines appeared, the audience fell completely silent.
Immediately afterward, this brief silence transformed into the catalyst for a volcanic explosion.
"OHHHHH!"
Intense emotions of excitement and anticipation overwhelmed rational thought, and the audience could no longer form coherent words.
Catalyzed by the fiery atmosphere, they could only release meaningless roars of enthusiasm.
"Ace versus ace!" Commentator Shaun exclaimed joyfully. "This is certainly no coincidence! Could this be a prearranged agreement between the two contestants?!"
"I believe that aside from the two participants themselves, no one expected this situation!"
Amid the thunderous applause and the crowd's wordless shouting, Roy and Henry mounted their respective battle command platforms and gazed at each other across hundreds of meters.
Henry smiled slightly, his voice carrying through the microphone: "What my first Pokémon will be, I believe you've already guessed?"
Roy pulled down the brim of his cap and spoke in a low voice:
"As you wish."
As if they had reached a perfect understanding, both simultaneously reached for their red and white Poké Balls.
At the moment the referee's voice rang out, both threw their Poké Balls simultaneously.
"ROAAAAAR!"
When Garchomp first appeared on stage, it unleashed a earth-shaking dragon roar. The unique ferocity and overwhelming presence of Dragon-type energy permeated the entire arena.
Compared to Garchomp, who announced its presence so dramatically upon arrival, the other Pokémon appeared remarkably calm.
Lucario stared at its opponent with focused red eyes, maintaining a composed and reserved demeanor. Its aura felt peaceful, as if it had become one with nature itself.
"Both sides have sent out their respective ace Pokémon in the first round, as if this were prearranged."
The commentator's excitement continued building.
"I have a strong feeling that this may be a match worthy of being recorded in national competition history!"
This wasn't simply crowd manipulation to stir up atmosphere.
The venue's energy had already reached its absolute peak—no commentary was needed to heighten the excitement.
This was the intuition of a veteran commentator who recognized something truly special was about to unfold.
The next moment, the referee's voice rang out clearly.
"Battle begin!"