Pokemon: Reborn Rich Alternate Earth

Shu University had won two consecutive matches, and against Imperial University no less. This victory sent Shu's supporters into a frenzy of pride and excitement.

The proudest of them all was, of course, their "Queen" representative, Lisa.

"With Mega Houndoom in such peak form, it looks like it could win another match"

After Mega Evolution, Houndoom's strength had risen from a pseudo-Elite level to full Elite-tier.

If Imperial University's fourth Trainer didn't have a Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution, there was a real chance Mega Houndoom would claim another victory.

"Hey, Thea, doesn't your Gardevoir also have a Mega Evolution? Why didn't you use it earlier?"

Faye, ever tactless, brought up the sore topic.

"I wanted it to be a fair fight. If the opponent doesn't Mega Evolve, then I won't either," Thea replied.

Her reasoning wasn't just an excuse; it reflected her genuine mindset.

Thea had a strong sense of pride. If her opponent didn't choose to Mega Evolve, she wouldn't either—choosing to Mega Evolve first would feel like admitting inferiority.

This kind of thinking wasn't unique to her; it was a common quirk among the children of aristocratic families.

They believed that Mega Evolution was acceptable only after demonstrating their strength and forcing their opponent to evolve first.

It stemmed from a sense of superiority and pride cultivated by a life of privilege.

Faye, upon hearing this explanation, nodded earnestly, as if it made perfect sense.

The fourth Trainer from Imperial University wasn't just anyone—it was Max, the captain of the school team and a 4th-year student.

Max was renowned at Imperial University. This was his second time competing in the Hundred Schools League, and he played a significant role in Imperial's championship win last year.

He was also the current president of the student council at Imperial University.

"Tyranitar!"

Max, a Dark-type Trainer, sent out the pseudo-legendary Tyranitar.

Tyranitar often played the role of a villain in movies because of its resemblance to a kaiju monster.

"Ty!!"

With a roar, the armored Tyranitar made its entrance. As it let out an earth-shaking cry, its ability activated, and a sandstorm began to sweep across the battlefield.

The pale yellow sand filled the air, turning the arena into a miniature dust storm. From the stands, the field appeared as though it was caught in a desert whirlwind.

The pseudo-Elite peak Tyranitar faced off against the Elite Mega Houndoom without Mega Evolving itself, opting instead to take on the formidable opponent head-on.

Julian, who had been watching casually, suddenly focused his attention on the match.

He didn't know much about Max's true strength. During team training, Max often held back, concealing his capabilities.

Now, against a powerhouse like Mega Houndoom, Julian was curious to see what strategies Max would use to secure victory.

"Mega Houndoom, Flamethrower!"

A blazing stream of fire erupted from Mega Houndoom's maw, heating the air so intensely that it caused visible distortions. Wherever the flames touched, the ground turned scorched red, leaving molten-like trails behind.

"Stone Edge!"

Tyranitar stomped its left foot into the ground, sending tremors rippling across the battlefield. Thick, jagged rocks burst from the earth, intercepting the flames. As the rocks continued to rise, they advanced relentlessly toward Mega Houndoom.

Seeing this, Mega Houndoom dashed swiftly across the ground. Razor-sharp rocks, as jagged as blades, erupted in its path, forcing it to weave and dodge.

Within the sandstorm, Mega Houndoom's speed and vision were significantly hindered.

Just as its pace slowed for a moment, the ground beneath it surged upward. A massive stone spike shot up from below, striking it hard in the abdomen and bending its body into an inverted "U" shape.

With a pained cry, Mega Houndoom collapsed, its body reverting from its Mega Evolution form.

"How is that even possible? Mega Houndoom is an Elite-tier Pokémon!"

Lisa exclaimed, her face full of disbelief.

"There's nothing impossible about it. Level doesn't determine power. While Tyranitar may only be at the peak of pseudo-Elite, its strength can rival that of an Elite-tier Pokémon," Jose explained calmly.

"But why does Tyranitar have Elite-tier strength while still classified as pseudo-Elite? Shouldn't it be considered an Elite-tier already?" asked Ben, clearly perplexed.

This question resonated with the audience, especially after what they had witnessed the previous day. Julian's Metagross, at pseudo-Elite strength, had defeated several Mega-Evolved Pokémon with Elite-tier battle power.

The scene had shattered the conventional beliefs held by many spectators and Trainers alike.

For the longest time, Elite-tier Pokémon were considered untouchable, a realm far above pseudo-Elite Pokémon. Even temporary boosts from Mega Evolution were thought insufficient to truly rival Elite-tier strength.

Under normal circumstances, an early-stage Elite Pokémon defeating a peak pseudo-Elite Pokémon was as easy as a parent disciplining a child—effortless.

But yesterday, Julian had overturned this notion, and today, Max had done the same. Both Trainers had achieved the seemingly impossible feat of a pseudo-Elite Pokémon triumphing over an Elite-tier foe.

As anticipation built, the audience fell silent, both in the stadium and online. Even the usually lively livestream chat slowed to a halt, as everyone eagerly awaited President Jose's response.

"To achieve victory as a pseudo-Elite against an Elite-tier opponent, there are two main factors," Jose began, holding up two fingers.

After a brief pause for thought, he continued, "First, as everyone knows, a Pokémon must possess at least a Cyan potential to become an Elite."

"Cyan potential allows a Pokémon to reach Elite-tier. Blue corresponds to pseudo-Champion, and Purple to Champion."

"The higher a Pokémon's potential, the greater its future strength. Often, this also enables it to battle above its level."

Both Ben and Lisa weren't slow to catch on. As Jose explained, they quickly pieced together the implications of what he was saying.

"President Jose, are you saying that Max's Tyranitar was able to defeat an Elite-tier opponent because of its exceptional potential? Could it be Blue-grade?"

"There is a high chance that it's Blue-grade," Jose replied.

In fact, the Tyranitar in question was indeed of Blue potential, and it wasn't just an ordinary Blue—it had nearly a third of its potential bordering on Purple-grade.

Under the Probing Eyes, the details of Tyranitar were laid bare for Julian to analyze.

"And what about the second factor?"

Earlier, Jose had mentioned two key points. Potential was one of them, but the audience was eager to hear the other.

"The second factor is the resources invested"

"As every Trainer knows, if you want your Pokémon's strength to grow quickly, the most effective method is to pour in resources."

"For example, take two Charizards, both at level 50 and with Cyan potential. Now, if I invest one billion into one and ten billion into the other, which one do you think will be stronger?"

"The one with ten billion, obviously," Ben replied instantly.

"Correct. Well done, you're so smart" Jose said with a slight smirk.

Ben: 'What the heck? Why does this feel like an insult?'

"In summary, it's about potential and resources. If your Pokémon has Blue potential and you invest massive resources into it, defeating an Elite-tier Pokémon while still being pseudo-Elite is no big deal."

The crowd: 'Listening to these words feels both enlightening and frustrating.'

Everyone nodded, understanding the concept. But then a collective thought seemed to arise: 'Yeah, we get it... but how are we supposed to afford that?! (T﹏T)'

*****

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