NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 119: Chapter 119: The Rapidly Strengthening Sceptile and Arcanine, and Theories About the Slate
Chapter 119: The Rapidly Strengthening Sceptile and Arcanine, and Theories About the Slate
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"Go, Gardevoir!"
The moment the elegant, white-dressed Gardevoir appeared on the battlefield, the crowd erupted in astonishment.
Even during the Hunan League, Hikaru had never used Gardevoir in battle.
Its first appearance here captivated the audience.
No wonder—it wasn't just beautiful, but also incredibly rare.
For many, it was the stuff of dreams.
"I'm counting on you, Gardevoir."
Hikaru gestured subtly, signaling Gardevoir not to cling to him since they were in public.
"Garde~" (Leave it to me~) Gardevoir telepathically responded.
"Damn!"
On the opposing side, Kei Hama was dumbfounded.
Gardevoir?
A Fairy- and Psychic-type Pokémon...
"Sorry about this!" Hikaru said with a smirk.
Against the Dragon/Ground Flygon, Gardevoir's Fairy typing gave it a significant advantage.
"Flygon, use Flamethrower!"
Neutralizing Flygon's Dragon-type moves effectively meant cutting its power in half.
"Teleport!"
Hikaru remained unbothered.
The vast battlefield was perfect for a Psychic-type Pokémon like Gardevoir to maneuver effortlessly.
"Toxic! Accelerate with Psychic!"
Gardevoir teleported behind Flygon, launching a stream of purple venom enhanced with psychic energy. The attack struck Flygon at incredible speed.
Kei Hama felt cornered.
As a Ground/Dragon Pokémon, Flygon was completely suppressed by Gardevoir.
Its other non-STAB moves were also poorly practiced.
This battle turned into a one-sided affair.
The purple toxic bubbles began spreading across Flygon's body.
[Rhythm Mastery] activated, increasing the poison's potency over time.
"Finish it with Psychic!"
Hikaru didn't hold back.
Gardevoir unleashed a powerful Psychic, pulling Flygon to the ground.
Even Kei's desperate commands to "hold on" had no effect.
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"Flygon is down! Hikaru wins this match and advances to the Top 16!" the commentator announced.
After the battle, Hikaru kept his promise and added Kei Hama on GreenBubble.
Watching Hikaru praise Gardevoir, Kei shook his head.
"There's just no way to describe how frustrating that was," Kei said.
It had been an utterly oppressive match.
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In the stands, Kei Hoshino clenched his fists, watching Hikaru breeze through the third round with ease.
Once again, he felt the gap between them.
Though Kei also advanced past the third round, his matches had been far more grueling compared to Hikaru's seemingly effortless victories.
In this arena filled with the nation's top trainers, talent was in no short supply.
Each competitor here was a potential provincial champion.
As the matches progressed, the difficulty only intensified.
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Kei pondered the battlefield dynamics.
If he faced Hikaru on a flying battlefield, how could he even compete?
Arcanine?
Sceptile?
Neither of them stood much chance against Lucario, let alone Charizard or Gardevoir.
Perhaps it was time to tap into the slate's power again...
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As Hikaru walked back to the stands, his Aura detected a wave of hostility.
It didn't take long to realize it was coming from Kei Hoshino.
Hikaru dismissed it with a shrug.
He'd deal with Kei properly in the arena.
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"Junior, your Pokémon always manage to surprise everyone," Yuki remarked.
"Big bro, you're amazing~" Sakura chimed in.
From anyone else, such compliments might not have meant much to Hikaru.
But coming from them, it gave him a slight ego boost.
Changing the subject, he smiled. "Good luck, senpai. It's your turn now."
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Fourth Round
Hikaru faced a local trainer from the capital in the fourth round.
This opponent was slightly weaker than Kei Hama had been, making it an easy victory for Hikaru.
The real surprise came when Yuki lost her match—to Kei Hoshino.
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In just a few days, Kei Hoshino's Arcanine and Sceptile had jumped from Level 40 to Level 43.
This rapid growth was startling, almost unnatural.
In the fifth round, Kei's Pokémon levels increased again: Arcanine and Sceptile reached Level 44, and he introduced a new Pokémon—a Level 43 Corviknight.
Such an explosive rise in strength... was it all in preparation to face Hikaru?
This development made Hikaru even more curious about the so-called slate Kei possessed.
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On July 15, Hikaru unlocked a new perk:
[Bound Blue Perk: Pickup Ability] — In battle, hitting an opponent grants a chance for their held item to drop.
An interesting perk, albeit situational.
Meanwhile, [Wish Fulfillment] had reached 42% completion.
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With only two matches left in the High School League, the final four contestants were clear:
Hikaru
Kei Hoshino
Sakura Hayashi
A trainer from Tibet Province.
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The Tibetan trainer's team included Lycanroc (Midday Form), Chesnaught, and Tauros.
However, this lineup was heavily disadvantaged on certain fields, such as water or flying arenas.
In the semifinals, this trainer faced Sakura on a water battlefield, and the result was predictable.
The field and power disparity left no room for suspense, and Sakura advanced to the finals.
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The next match: Hikaru vs. Kei Hoshino.
The stands were packed.
The anticipation was palpable as waves of cheers swept through the stadium.
The High School League had reached its climax, and everyone was eager to see who would come out on top.
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Some spectators commented:
"Who'd have thought the final four would include three trainers from outside the capital?"
"Lucky for us, Sakura Hayashi is here. Otherwise, the capital's reputation would have been a joke this year."
"Still, predicting the champion is tough!"
"Whether it's Kei Hoshino or Hikaru, both of them are insanely strong!"
"Kei might seem stronger now, but Hikaru's Pokémon have a huge advantage on most fields. Plus, we haven't even seen all of Hikaru's team yet!"
"I'm rooting for Hikaru! Kei's tactics are too aggressive for my liking."
"Also, Hikaru's Pokémon are perfect for my tastes. Gardevoir is just too beautiful! Imagine getting to hug a Gardevoir every day—it's unreal!"
"Hikaru! Hikaru! I love you!"
Under the gaze of the excited crowd, the semifinals began.
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