The next morning, sunlight filled the earth, and Mu Qingzhu, as always, began her daily exercise facing the morning sun.
After a free-flowing workout, Mu Qingzhu decisively gifted the Soft Sand, the rare Dragon Fang, and the Garchompite she obtained last night to Gible.
Mu Qingzhu finished her workout, returned to her dormitory for breakfast, and then embarked on her journey to the classroom, eagerly dedicating herself to a day of study.
...
Time flew by, and Friday arrived quietly. Today was the crucial class weekly exam. On this day, students would face challenges in the form of Pokémon battles, showcasing their command and adaptability.
All 50 students in the class engaged in a splendid battle, with two-on-two matchups. When the first round of fierce fighting concluded, 25 winners emerged. They again competed two-on-two, with one lucky student receiving a bye. Entering the second round, only 13 winners remained, who continued to battle two-on-two, and another player got a temporary rest. With the end of the third round, only 7 strong contenders were left, who continued to battle two-on-two, and once again one player was exempt from confrontation. Finally, when the fourth round concluded, only 4 Superiors remained, who engaged in the final battle. After intense duels, ultimately two winners advanced to the final showdown, competing for the honor of Champion. The two defeated players also had a match to determine third place, vying for the last honor.
Subsequently, Wang Han systematically paired all 50 students into 25 battle groups, fully preparing for the upcoming exam. Mu Qingzhu was assigned to Group 15; Xia Bing to Group 5; Bai Ou to Group 13.
Afterward, Wang Han led the students into their familiar gymnasium. In this vibrant venue, Wang Han acted as the impartial referee, presiding over the upcoming exam.
In the fierce battles, the two students in the first group—Student Wang and Student Li—each displayed their unique styles. Student Wang commanded Pikachu, and Student Li commanded Meowth, both showcasing their unique command abilities on the battlefield.
Mu Qingzhu glanced and found that the two Pokémon's strengths were roughly between Level 16 and 17. The match began, with Pikachu and Meowth cautiously probing each other, looking for weaknesses. Finally, in a moment of carelessness, both Meowth and Pikachu seized on each other's mistakes, inflicting damage. Ultimately, Pikachu, with a slight advantage, successfully defeated Meowth with a Thunder Shock, winning the match.
Soon, Xia Bing's match arrived. Her opponent was Student Hu, who used Butterfree.
Xia Bing released her Amaura. Under Xia Bing's careful training, Amaura's strength greatly increased, its level soaring from normal to intermediate. After only a brief clash, the opponent's Butterfree was unable to resist, fell in defeat, and lost the ability to continue fighting. Xia Bing thus successfully advanced to the next round of the competition.
Not long after, Bai Ou's duel finally arrived. Her opponent was Student Xie, another student who was equally proficient in Flying-type Pokémon.
Bai Ou released her Pidgeotto. Pidgey had been hovering on the verge of evolution. Unexpectedly, Bai Ou successfully helped Pidgey break through its limits and evolve within these few days, and its strength also rapidly soared to an intermediate level. Her opponent, Student Xie, brought out a newly evolved Noctowl. The duel between the two Pokémon was destined to be full of unknowns and intensity.
Although the levels of these two Pokémon were similar, Pidgeotto had already surpassed the limits of its Pidgey stage, completing an astonishing evolution. In contrast, Noctowl had clearly just entered a new stage of evolution and had not yet fully adapted to its powerful new body. For this reason, not long after the battle began, Noctowl appeared somewhat overwhelmed, panting as it dealt with each attack.
After a brief clash, Bai Ou's Pidgeotto, with a Twister, rendered the opposing Noctowl unable to continue fighting. With this brilliant performance, Bai Ou undoubtedly advanced to the next round.
During Bai Ou's battle, Mu Qingzhu keenly observed that Bai Ou's current performance had significantly improved compared to before. Recalling earlier times, Bai Ou often pondered how to weaken her opponent's strength in battle before seeking an opportunity for a fatal blow; sometimes she also adopted a strategy of trading blows, lacking method and appearing disorganized. This situation was particularly evident during the novice period, when both sides were just starting to engage with Pokémon and were still exploring suitable fighting styles, command techniques, and adaptive strategies.
However, after the incident with Swablu's disobedience, Bai Ou was able to reflect deeply during the two days of rest over the weekend. Now, she had finally found her own battle rhythm and method, performing with greater composure and confidence.
No sooner had Bai Ou's duel concluded than it was Mu Qingzhu's turn for an intense battle. Mu Qingzhu's opponent, Student Zhao, wielded Quaxwell, one of the Starter Pokemon, whose strength was not to be underestimated.
Mu Qingzhu dispatched her recently acquired Gible. Under Zygarde's guidance, Gible's strength had significantly improved, successfully advancing to the intermediate level and already stepping onto the threshold of evolution. However, to explore Gible's limits during its Gible stage, Mu Qingzhu specifically had it wear an Everstone, keeping it temporarily in its original form and preventing it from evolving into the more powerful Gabite.
Student Zhao sent out his Quaxwell. If fate had not led him to encounter Mu Qingzhu, he could have at least secured a top-ten position with this excellent Quaxwell. However, in the first round of confrontation, he met Mu Qingzhu, and as a result, Quaxwell failed to withstand the test of several rounds and lost its combat capability.
In the next few fierce battles, we saw Xiao Huohuo, who owned one of the Starter Pokemon, display extraordinary strength. He won without suspense thanks to his excellent skills and strategies. And our class monitor, Qiu He, was not to be outdone. With her intermediate-level Lombre, she showed a tenacious fighting spirit in the competition and ultimately also reaped the fruits of victory.
As the first round of contests concluded, only 25 winners remained on the field. Subsequently, Wang Han used the traditional and fair method of drawing lots to determine the lineup for the next round. It is worth mentioning that Bai Ou was fortunate enough to receive a bye this time, and her good luck undoubtedly added a bright spot to the upcoming matches.
Fate-stricken Xia Bing was the first to continue battling in the second round, while Mu Qingzhu was the finale, poised and ready.
After a 30-minute rest, the tense and exciting first battle was about to begin. Xia Bing would face Student Wang, who wielded Pikachu. We eagerly await to see who will emerge victorious in this fierce battle.