Chapter 363: Shane's Ambition
After Basalt easily defeated Dante and was the first to enter the Top 4, all previous doubts about his strength instantly vanished. Instead, everyone looked at him with a deep sense of resignation. The gap between the Advanced and Pro-levels was simply too vast. Even though Bronzong had only just reached the Pro-level, it was a Psychic-type Pokémon with rich, versatile moves, making it a tricky opponent for anyone.
Only Shane's eyes still shone brightly. He stared intently at Basalt, watching him leave the arena.
The battles continued. Soon, the four finalists were decided: Basalt, Sylvie, Lana, and Shane.
Roman, the Rookie King of Jiangxi Province, narrowly lost to Lana, the Rookie King of Hainan Province. Lana was an eclectic trainer who had already shown off four main Pokémon: Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Electivire. All were strong and specialized.
Unfortunately for her, she ran into Basalt in the semi-finals, meaning she wouldn't go far.
In the first round, Lana sent out Blastoise, while Basalt sent out Numel. The result was inevitable: Numel lost! Numel's magma defense was strong, but only against ordinary opponents. Lana, coming from an island province, was no slouch in Water-type training. Her Blastoise used Water Spout not as a continuous jet, but as powerful "pulse shots." While sacrificing sustainability, this greatly increased the burst damage. Furthermore, relying on its control, Blastoise infused its water with Spiral and Compression traits, multiplying the Water Spout's power. Numel's Eruption and magma defense couldn't hold up, and it was quickly defeated. Magma provided a tough shield, but the Numel beneath was still too weak. If the shield was breached, it was over. Since Numel was 4x weak to Water, it stood no chance.
However, once Basalt sent out Cradily, Blastoise quickly fell. The double combination of Storm Drain and the Root Domain was overwhelming for Blastoise.
In the second round, Lana sent out Venusaur, but it couldn't turn the tide. In terms of Grass-type energy control, Venusaur was completely inferior to Cradily. Without an advantage in attack, defense, or recovery, how could Venusaur win?
"Venusaur is unable to battle! The winner is... Basalt!" With the referee's verdict, Basalt smoothly advanced to the finals.
In the second semi-final, Shane defeated Sylvie.
"Sylvie's temperament really isn't suited to being a trainer," Basalt lamented after watching the match. In terms of raw Pokémon power, Sylvie's Sawsbuck and Milotic were certainly strong. But in terms of command, Sylvie was thoroughly outmatched by Shane. It wasn't that Shane's commanding was brilliant; it was that Sylvie's was too poor. Her reactions were slow, and her orders lacked decisiveness.
However, recalling Sylvie's history, Basalt understood. This girl had risen to the top on pure luck.
But upon closer inspection, Basalt realized that Shane's strength had also improved dramatically. Shane's Gabite, though unevolved, already possessed the look of a true Dragon-type champion. Its attacks were relentless, giving its opponent no chance to breathe. Its overwhelming aura alone was enough to crush most people.
After defeating Sylvie, Shane excitedly ran up to Basalt, grinning. "Basalt, I prepared extensively just to beat you. I thought the win was a certainty, but now I see I was too optimistic."
"But in the next match, don't try to placate me with Numel or Marshtomp. Show me the respect I deserve by using your strongest main Pokémon." Shane clenched his fist, declaring solemnly, "Of course, I will also go all out and hide nothing!"
Basalt's eyebrows shot up. "So, you weren't using your full power just now?"
"Full power? They weren't worthy!" Shane puffed out his chest confidently. "But against you, I will use everything I have."
Hearing this, Basalt's dismissive thoughts vanished. The strength Shane had already displayed was near the peak of the Advanced-level. Yet, like Basalt, he was holding back! Although they were rivals, Basalt appreciated Shane's seriousness. It was a sign of respect for his power.
Basalt nodded seriously and promised, "Alright, I'll send out my three main forces in the final."
"Good!" Shane's eyes burned, and he turned to leave.
Though they had endured tough battles, Centralis University's medical facilities were excellent. Pokémon could recover in minutes if their injuries weren't severe. But to ensure both sides were in peak condition, the university gave them half an hour to rest.
Half an hour quickly passed. Just as the crowd was growing impatient, Shane and Basalt walked out of the competitor tunnel and took their positions.
The final battle of the Centralis University Freshman Final Exam was about to begin.
"Will both competitors please take their positions." The referee glanced left and right, then raised his flag.
Hearing the signal, both trainers threw out their first Pokéball.
Red light flashed. Two Pokémon, one large and one small, appeared on the battle arena.
Excadrill was not small to begin with, and after being nurtured by the Groudon Scale, it looked even more massive. But compared to the Pokémon standing opposite it, Excadrill was dwarfed.
It was a giant, dark red tyrannosaurus. Its figure was imposing, its face ferocious. Orange rock protrusions covered its eyes and tail, and small amounts of orange were distributed elsewhere on its body. Its belly was gray with two white stripes. Its body was covered in hexagonal scales. A circle of white fur lined its neck, and half of its jaw was covered in white fur, giving it an air of majesty.
"Ty—rant—rum!" Basalt gasped in surprise.
The Pokémon before him was Tyrantrum, the king of ancient Pokémon, a Dragon/Rock dual-type that once boasted invincibility 100 million years ago.
"A-rooo!"
As Tyrantrum appeared, it looked around and roared, fully displaying its霸王-like dominance and raw power. Basalt knew that Tyrantrum's bite force was astonishing, capable of crushing thick steel plates like paper.
"Oh my god! It's a Tyrantrum! This is a super-rare Fossil Pokémon! As far as I know, only our Alliance possesses the revival technology, and it's currently a national strategic asset. Many leagues that were previously hostile to us are now begging for help with the revival technology. Our international standing is soaring!"
"Shane has a good mother! A Master Breeder. His foundation is incredibly deep. But then again, some people just know how to be born well!"
"It's just a Fossil Pokémon. Basalt has one, doesn't he? Have you forgotten how terrifying Cradily is? To be fair, Basalt was one of the first to acquire a Fossil Pokémon, long before Shane. So, Basalt still has the deeper foundation..."
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