It was two o'clock in the afternoon when the semi-finals officially began.
The top four competitors made their way to the stage one by one. Cade, son of an Elite Four member, and Roy, the strongest dark horse of the tournament, received the most enthusiastic cheers from the audience when they appeared. Their popularity was evenly matched among the spectators.
In contrast, the other two semi-finalists faced a somewhat embarrassing situation. Their popularity remained at the level of normal recommended students. But who could blame the audience? This year happened to feature both the son of an Elite and a rare dark horse competitor. All eyes were on Roy and Cade, reducing the other two to mere supporting characters in the spectacle.
However, low popularity didn't mean these trainers were weak. Having advanced to the semi-finals, both demonstrated skill levels well above the average recommended student.
Roy examined his semi-final opponent—a harmless-looking plump boy named Jordan. Gathering information on rivals was something every trainer did, and Roy had carefully watched Jordan's previous two matches. Unlike Callan and Axel whom Roy had fought before, Jordan didn't rely on special tactics. Instead, he advanced through the tournament on the raw strength and quality of his Pokémon.
A trainer of the same type as me, Roy thought.
This realization both delighted and worried him. The good news was he wouldn't have to face someone like Chloe again, sparing him the trouble of deciphering complex battle strategies. His Riolu excelled at straightforward fights.
The reason for Roy's concern was immediately explained by the on-site commentator.
"The opening match of the semi-finals will feature our high-profile competitors Roy and Jordan. It's worth noting that this matchup is particularly unfavorable for Roy and his Riolu," the commentator announced.
"Jordan's Pokémon is a Scyther."
"Viewers who regularly follow the league will immediately understand what I mean."
"Type disadvantage."
"Scyther is a Bug and Flying-type, which grants it quadruple resistance against Fighting-type moves. Conversely, Flying-type moves deal double damage to Riolu..."
That was exactly it.
Roy had finally found another trainer who relied on pure power, but the type matchup put Riolu at a severe disadvantage.
Riolu's specialty was Fighting-type moves, which would only inflict a quarter of their normal damage against Scyther. Meanwhile, Scyther's Flying-type attacks would deal double damage to Riolu.
Despite how easily type disadvantages seemed to be overcome in the anime—type advantages were no joke in real battles.
What did a type advantage with double damage really mean? It meant that if your opponent could normally knock out 50% of your health, you'd be completely defeated. Even the mighty Dragon-type boost only pushed that threshold to 20%.
Fortunately, one of the few moves Riolu had mastered was Thunder Punch, which dealt double damage to Scyther. If Riolu only knew Fighting-type moves, like Chloe's Mankey, it would barely scratch the opponent with only a quarter of normal damage output.
One week of training was simply too short. Chloe's Mankey hadn't managed to learn moves of other types, leaving its attack options severely limited.
Before the match began, while the host was still addressing the audience, Jordan approached Roy with a smile and muttered, "You're really unlucky. My Pokémon completely counters yours. Honestly, even if you somehow win, you'll just lose in the finals. Cade's Abra also has a type advantage over Riolu. Tough break..."
He shook his head dramatically, appearing to pity Roy, and sighed.
"It would be different if I reached the finals. Bug-types have an advantage against Psychic..."
"I really admire you though. Coming from an ordinary family and getting this far. If you had my family background, winning the championship would be a breeze. Sometimes luck matters more than strength, you know?"
Roy raised his eyebrows, immediately recognizing what Jordan was trying to do.
Trash talk to mess with my mental state, huh?
Unfortunately for Jordan, his attempt at psychological warfare was too amateur. Roy, who had been a "part-time keyboard warrior" in his previous life, wasn't angered—he was amused.
You can try trash talking, but you can't handle what comes back, young man.
Roy's expression suddenly darkened, and he shouted loudly enough for others to hear:
"I WILL win!"
His outburst immediately drew attention from everyone nearby.
Roy slipped into performance mode, his face resolute with a hint of defiance as he continued shouting:
"What does type disadvantage matter?"
"What does coming from an ordinary family matter?"
"I'll prove that even ordinary people can rise up! Even with a type disadvantage, I can win!"
"The tides always turn! Don't look down on those who start with less!"
Jordan's eyes widened in shock as he noticed the surprised and disdainful glances from spectators around them. Despite the warm day, cold sweat broke out on his palms and feet. He wanted to yell at Roy: "Why are you shouting so loudly?!"
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, the host quickly intervened. "Haha, seems like we have a small disagreement between our competitors. But that's fine! Competitive tournaments need some fire to be entertaining. It would be boring if friendship always came before competition."
The host made a few more jokes to lighten the mood, eventually calming the situation, but discussions among the audience continued.
"Looks like that recommended student was looking down on others!"
"So disgusting. Typical entitled second-generation trainer behavior."
"Hahaha, this Roy must read too many web novels. I can smell the underdog hero trope from here."
"Roy the Entei? Jordan the villain? Is this a three-year revenge plot?"
"Pfft, he's just showing off. Don't make me laugh."
"The three-year period is over! Behold the young master Roy returning to claim his Elite position!"
In a corner of the auditorium sat Callan and Chloe, with a lonely figure beside them—Axel.
The three quietly listened to the discussions around them and inwardly smirked.
Brilliant move!
Jordan's going to regret this!
Under the referee's urging, Jordan walked to his position with a forced nonchalant attitude, but his hand holding the Poké Ball trembled slightly.
He had tried to use trash talk to pressure Roy, but now the psychological pressure had doubled on himself. If he lost, he would genuinely be treated like a villain from an internet story.
Roy, on the other hand, would look good whether he won or lost.
"Scyther!" Jordan clutched his Poké Ball tightly, his expression pained as he whispered: "You absolutely cannot lose! If you win, I'll give you extra food tonight! I'll share all my snacks! I'll even spend all my pocket money on you!"
Inside the Poké Ball, Scyther didn't understand what was happening, but felt the pressure nonetheless.
The referee waved his flag, and both Roy and Jordan threw their Poké Balls simultaneously.
Scyther emerged—a magnificent green Pokémon with a lizard-like head, a pair of razor-sharp scythes for arms, and blade-like wings. It exuded an aura of power and ferocity.
Motivated by its trainer's desperate promises, Scyther was brimming with fighting spirit. As soon as it materialized on the battlefield, it launched into action without waiting for Jordan's command!
Quick Attack!