Chapter 94: Do Your Best to Fight
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"Alright."
After reading the post, Bruce commented sincerely.
Many players were now studying how to defeat Gardevoir and Metang, but they unconsciously overlooked Combusken or Blaziken.
But you couldn't blame them—after all, if they couldn't solve the first two Pokemon, it was impossible for Bruce to send out Blaziken.
"Annoying."
At that moment, Bin was glaring at one of the passages with frustration, unconsciously clenching his fists.
Bruce chuckled softly and suddenly noticed his phone vibrating slightly. Taking it out, he saw it was a message from the competition's official website.
[Bruce, your match number tomorrow is 8. Your opponent is Fiona Joms from the University of Southern Fairbay.]
At the same time, the same notification appeared on Bin's phone.
"The match session is number 8..."
"That's the last match."
"Wait, the University of Southern Fairbay..." Bruce's eyes flickered.
Emma was a professor in the Breeding Department at the University of Southern Fairbay.
Thoughts swirled in his mind, and Bruce and Bin began collecting information about the rival.
"Fiona from the University of Southern Fairbay—she has a Professional-level Pokemon..."
Meanwhile
At the hotel housing the University of Southern Fairbay's team:
In a large room, the coach and six players awaited the announcement of the battle roster.
Although only Kristin and Fiona had advanced to the final round, the other four players were merely spectators at this point.
Still, having two players advance to the Top 16 was an honor for everyone.
Being able to secure two spots in the Top 16, the University of Southern Fairbay had already broken its previous record and was continuing its progress.
"The next opponents are very strong. Many of them have Professional-level Pokemon. You two must be extra careful," the team coach said solemnly.
"Don't worry; I won't underestimate any player," Fiona replied with a confident smile.
"I'll do my best," Kristin nodded lightly.
The other four contestants chatted among themselves.
"Hey, do you think Kristin and Fiona will make it to the finals?" someone asked.
"You don't even need to ask—it's practically guaranteed!"
"Both Kristin and Fiona have Professional-level Pokemon. They're competitive and have a strong chance of reaching the finals."
"Yes, yes. As long as they don't face Bruce Bayne, they have every chance of defeating other players."
When the name "Bruce Bayne" was mentioned, the room fell silent.
It was as if a demon king had descended upon the world, and a suffocating atmosphere overwhelmed everyone.
After a while, someone finally whispered, "Have you read the post about Bruce Bayne online?"
"Of course," someone replied without hesitation. "The author of the post speculated that Metang and Gardevoir are the immediate threats. The greatest threat, though, is the chicken that hasn't appeared in battle for a while."
"Forget about losing to him; you're lucky if you don't get one-shot..." someone muttered quietly.
"I just hope my opponent isn't him."
At that moment, the notification sound pinged on their phones.
Fiona and Kristin both glanced at their screens simultaneously.
The coach and the other four teammates held their breath, watching their reactions intently.
Kristin read silently, her eyes flickering. Then she looked at the coach and said, "Richard James from Jamestown University."
The coach's eyes flickered as he carefully recalled this person's information before nodding slightly. "That's manageable."
Kristin shouldn't face too much trouble dealing with Richard.
Everyone then turned their attention to Fiona.
Under everyone's gaze, Fiona bit her lip slightly, then lifted her eyes to look at the coach. Lowering her gaze again, she spoke softly:
"Capital Metropolis University."
"Bruce Bayne."
Her voice fell, and the large room turned into a dead city.
The coach didn't know how to assess Fiona's luck for a moment. He pondered his words for a long time before breaking the oppressive silence.
"Fiona, listen to me."
Everyone turned their gaze to the coach.
"First of all, the matchups are set. We can't change them. All we can do is face this battle in the best competitive condition and strive to showcase our style."
Hearing this, Fiona's eyes flickered slightly, and she nodded softly.
Seeing her response, the coach continued: "Second, the match hasn't started yet—everything is still unknown."
"Although Bruce's strength is indeed far beyond his peers, we must always have confidence in ourselves before a match."
"If you lose confidence early, it's equivalent to defeat."
Fiona listened carefully and finally nodded earnestly.
"Thank you, coach," she said sincerely.
At that moment, Kristin suddenly spoke up. "I have a suggestion."
As soon as she said this, everyone turned to her with slightly surprised eyes.
Kristin, who was usually silent, was taking the initiative to offer advice.
Under their surprised gazes, Kristin appeared calm and said slowly, "Focus all your energy on Gardevoir and Metang—don't think about Combusken."
"Why?" Fiona asked, puzzled.
She had read that post, and it made sense: Combusken was likely Bruce's strongest Pokemon.
Kristin responded, "Because in this freshman exchange competition, no Pokemon is a match for his Blaziken."
"Blaziken?" The coach was slightly confused.
Kristin hesitated briefly before saying, "I went to Capital Metropolis last week to seek advice from Master Sugar Ray, and I happened to meet Bruce there.
"I witnessed his Blaziken defeat an Ace-level Hawlucha firsthand."
"Wait—a Professional-level Pokemon beating an Ace-level Pokemon?" Fiona's pupils contracted, disbelief washing over her.
The sheer amount of information in this revelation was overwhelming.
Kristin looked at them with calm eyes and said, "I don't joke about these things."
"His Combusken evolved into Blaziken long ago, reaching Professional level and defeating an Ace-level Hawlucha in battle."
"This Blaziken is invincible."
October 22
On the second day of the competition:
At the Kandor Competitive Sports Arena, colorful flags waved, and the crowd buzzed with excitement.
Bruce sat in the audience, quietly waiting for his match to begin.
Bin was first, leading with Tyrunt and defeating his rival's first Pokemon.
Then, after Tyrunt was taken down by the rival's second Professional-level Pokemon, Bin sent out Gabite, who secured victory after a fierce battle.
Bin returned to the audience, smiling. "I'll reach the finals first and wait for you there."
Azalea and Bruce nodded slightly, while Oliver clenched his fists.
Match after match, Azalea appeared on stage, crushing her opponent with overwhelming dominance and securing a win.
In the afternoon, Oliver faced a rival with a Professional-level Pokemon that was incredibly powerful.
In the end, Oliver's Wartortle fought valiantly but fell just short, losing the match.
"It's okay, it's already an amazing achievement to reach the Top 16," Professor Rodriguez assured him.
Meanwhile, Bruce entered the players' hall, waiting for his turn.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to the two contestants in the final match of the day!" the host announced passionately.
Bruce adjusted the Poke Balls on his belt and entered the players' tunnel. The walls on both sides echoed with the enthusiastic cheers and applause of the crowd.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. He stepped out of the shadows onto the green grass, looking at the audience all around him.
The endless applause hit him like a tidal wave, drowning him in their roar.
At the same time, Fiona took a deep breath, walked to the command seat, and lifted her eyes to Bruce, standing across from her.
That existence seemed like a Great Demon Lord.
No—at this moment, deep in Fiona's heart, Bruce was something even more terrifying.
"He can beat an Ace-level Blaziken..."
"Is there even a point to this battle?" She lowered her head and smiled bitterly.
But when she heard the sound of applause from the stands, Fiona was startled. Slowly, she lifted her head.
"Everyone's here..."
"I guess I'd better do my best to fight."
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To be Continued
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