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"Ding!"
"Task [High School Cup U19 Pokémon Tournament] completed."
"Final ranking: National Champion."
"Calculating rewards..."
"Issuing rewards..."
"Let us congratulate Jacob on becoming the National Champion!"
Boston's passionate voice rang out as Jacob stepped up to the Champion's spot on the podium.
Immediately, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. Jacob's brilliant performance in the finals had earned him everyone's recognition. Among the spectators were quite a few retired Heavenly Kings and Champions, all standing to applaud Jacob.
They seemed to be witnessing the rise of a new star.
Previously, Jacob's talent in scientific research had been so dazzling that it overshadowed his abilities as a Trainer.
Today's championship victory and Drakloak's outstanding performance made everyone realize that Jacob also possessed incredible talent as a Trainer.
Jacob's future should be as vast as the stars and sea.
A golden carp is no mere pond dweller—it transforms into a dragon when it encounters a storm.
The High School Cup was that storm, allowing Jacob to make a stunning debut and reveal his true strength.
"Jacob!"
"Jacob!"
Responding to the crowd's cheers, Jacob continuously waved his arms, acknowledging the audience.
A brilliant smile adorned his face, and his heart swelled with pride.
He had finally reached the pinnacle, winning the High School Cup and becoming the strongest among his peers.
"Contestant Jacob, now that you've secured the championship, how are you feeling?" The interviewer was none other than the beautiful host, Aubrey.
"A little excited and a little nervous," Jacob said with a smile.
"Just a little excited?" Aubrey smiled and continued questioning him. "You're now the strongest among your peers—you're acting quite calm about it."
"Is there anything you'd like to say to the audience here right now?"
"Hmm..." Jacob hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's been a challenging journey, and though the process was difficult, it ultimately led to a perfect ending. Thank you all for your support."
"Every hardship along the way was a stepping stone toward this perfect ending."
"Jacob, congratulations again on winning the National Championship! Lift the trophy, Jacob!"
As the host spoke, Jacob proudly lifted the National Champion's trophy high above his head. On the giant screen behind him, images of the Pokémon he had used appeared.
Noivern, Mega Sceptile, Mega Charizard Y, Drakloak.
The image froze at that perfect moment!
After winning the championship, Jacob also received the official Champion rewards.
He could visit any Secret Realm in the country and choose any Pokémon egg (excluding Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon), plus one opportunity to select an item from the national treasure vault.
Such rewards might seem somewhat modest, but upon reflection, they made perfect sense.
After all, the High School Cup was a competition for high school seniors with strict age restrictions. Although the rewards weren't extravagant, if used wisely, they were still quite valuable.
If Jacob utilized his system's abilities, it would guarantee at least one Champion-level Pokémon and an S-rank item. From that perspective, the rewards were actually quite good.
Coincidentally, Jacob still had the Soul Dew task that required an S-rank Dragon-type item, so this opportunity was perfect timing.
Moreover, for Jacob, the Pokémon Association's official rewards were just an appetizer—the real prizes would come from the system's rewards.
Although this troublesome system had always been demanding, issuing extremely difficult tasks, its final rewards were consistently generous.
News of Jacob's victory quickly dominated the front pages of major media outlets.
Immediately after the competition ended, various interview requests and endorsement offers came flooding in, with people wanting to discuss cooperation and contracts with Jacob. Aside from the officially arranged interviews, Jacob naturally and politely declined other interview and endorsement opportunities with a gracious smile.
After leaving Dragon's Nest, Jacob, Julia, Maximus, and Elder Madden, along with their families, gathered again at a high-end restaurant in the Capital.
Raya had reserved dinner early to celebrate their achievement of claiming both the Champion and runner-up titles.
"Congratulations, Jacob. Your Drakloak is incredibly strong—the championship is well-deserved. Julia still has some ground to cover compared to you. Jacob, please guide Julia more when you have time."
At this moment, Raya's face was wreathed in smiles, a stark contrast to her gritted-teeth expression during the match.
"Heavenly king Raya, Julia's strength is formidable. I only had the advantage of Mega Evolution. If Mega Evolution were restricted, I might not necessarily be Julia's opponent." Jacob naturally spoke humbly. "It's not about guidance—it's about growing together."
"Jacob, you're too modest," Raya said with a smile. "You must all be hungry. Let's eat."
At the dinner table, glasses clinked and laughter filled the air, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.
Because of the High School Cup, Jacob had been under immense pressure and rarely had such an opportunity to completely relax.
Combined with the joy of winning the championship, Jacob was in an exceptionally good mood today. With the pressure lifted from his shoulders and his tense nerves finally relaxed, he drank without restraint.
Before long, Jacob's head was throbbing, he felt lightheaded, and his steps were unsteady, though his consciousness remained somewhat clear.
If Nina hadn't occasionally helped him deflect some drinks, Jacob would have already collapsed under the table.
"I'm going to the restroom," Jacob said, standing up.
Watching Jacob stand, Raya picked up her wine glass, took a small sip of the red wine, waited a minute or two, then also stood up and walked toward the restroom.
As she reached the restroom entrance, she happened to encounter Jacob, who had just finished.
"Jacob, do you have a moment? Let's talk." Raya gestured toward the garden balcony nearby.
"Heavenly king Raya... Is something wrong?" Jacob's breath carried the scent of alcohol as he frowned and asked Raya. "We've already discussed the new experiment—you don't need to worry. You just need to collect more Wishing Stars, and I guarantee you won't earn less than last time."
Jacob naturally assumed Raya was looking for him to discuss the new experiment and didn't think of anything else.
"It's not about that—it's about something else, something very important, and it's not convenient to talk here." Raya said seriously. "Too many listening ears around. Let's go inside to talk."
"Alright then." Seeing that Raya didn't seem to be joking, Jacob frowned and nodded.