"Uh... suit yourself."

  Ethan didn’t bother explaining further.

  People’s perceptions vary, and the only way to challenge those perceptions is with solid proof.

  “Ha ha ha… I got a bye!”

  Beside him, Emma clutched a blank slip of paper, laughing triumphantly.

  Ethan couldn’t help but mentally applaud her luck.

  Not bad. Sometimes fortune really does favor the simple-minded.

  “The matches are about to begin. Contestants, please head to the designated arenas according to your draw numbers,” came Ice’s voice through the microphone, echoing from above.

  Ethan, along with Snivy, made his way to the combined Fields 1 and 2.

  Naturally, his opponent—Kun with his Torchic—walked alongside him.

  As soon as he stepped onto the battlefield, Kun’s expression became serious.

  Although he’d casually remarked earlier about going easy on Ethan, in truth, he was taking this match more seriously than any before.

  Others might not know Ethan well, but Kun certainly did.

  Ethan had always been top of the class in academics, frequently securing first place in Pokémon simulation battles, and often coming up with jaw-dropping strategies that left everyone amazed.

  He was the standard against which others measured themselves back in school.

  And now, Ethan had emerged victorious from the group stage of the Baby Cup.

  That could only mean one thing: Snivy was no pushover.

  To deal with someone like Ethan, you had to underestimate them in theory but overprepare in practice.

  “Let the match begin!”

  The moment the words left the referee’s mouth, Kun wasted no time issuing his command.

  “Torchic, Quick Attack, followed by Ember!”

  “Chick-chick!”

  Torchic’s short, slender legs carried it forward with astonishing speed, boosted by Quick Attack.

  In this burst of velocity, Torchic closed the gap with incredible swiftness—its speed rivaling that of humans in Ethan’s previous life.

  And despite the rapid movement, Torchic managed to spit out precise embers of flame, aimed directly at Snivy.

  This caused Ethan’s brow to arch in interest.

  In the previous matches, Torchic had never used a combo like this before.

  Clearly, Kun had been holding back.

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  But what Ethan couldn’t quite figure out was why his opponent had decided to reveal such a tactic right away when facing him.

  The embers flew forward like a scattershot water gun, densely packed and heading straight for Snivy.

  Ethan, however, issued his command calmly, “Dodge the first wave of embers, close the gap, and use Leaf Blade!”

  Even with Quick Attack, there was still a significant distance between the two Pokémon—enough to span two arena zones.

  For Pokémon at the gym leader level, this would have been nothing more than a few quick strides.

  But for two tiny creatures standing under a meter tall? Covering that distance required time.

  Snivy, with nimble precision, easily sidestepped the first wave of embers. It immediately grasped Ethan’s intent.

  Quick Attack: "Rushes toward the target with blinding speed to inflict damage."

  Torchic’s ability to seamlessly combine Quick Attack and Ember, turning a single shot of flame into a barrage of dozens, was impressive.

  But this tactical brilliance came with a glaring flaw.

  While Torchic focused on maintaining its speed and spreading out its embers, its movements became more predictable.

  Each fiery burst narrowed its angle of maneuverability, exposing openings that a trained opponent could exploit.

  That meant Torchic's attacks could only be launched from a specific angle, requiring precise prediction to avoid hitting itself in the face with its own embers during high-speed movement.

  In this situation, the more Snivy dodged, the more erratic the ember spray became, spreading across the battlefield and losing its accuracy.

  As Snivy shifted direction and closed in on Torchic, the embers visibly scattered further. By the end, Torchic had to cease its attack entirely, unable to maintain control.

  And that was when Snivy made its move.

  Leaping high into the air, Snivy spun gracefully, its movements elegant and controlled. In mid-air, its three-pronged leafy tail began to glow with a sharp white light.

  Smash!

  The tail came down with force, striking Torchic squarely as it struggled to maintain its momentum in Quick Attack.

  The impact sent both Pokémon sliding back.

  However, the aftermath told a very different story.

  While Snivy merely stepped back to steady itself, appearing unharmed aside from the minor recoil, Torchic was sent sprawling across the ground, its body skidding awkwardly to a stop.

  Ethan’s eyes gleamed with surprise and pride.

  He hadn’t expected Snivy to interpret his intentions so thoroughly without relying on the Viridian Force.

  But the battle continued.

  He immediately gave the command, "Don't give it a chance, Vine Whip."

  Two green vines shot out from Snivy's back, swiftly extending toward Torchic.

  "Stand up, Torchic!" Despite his shock at how quickly Ethan had devised a counter, Kun still issued his command without hesitation.

  Especially when he saw the two vines about to entangle Torchic, his voice grew louder, "Torchic!"

  As if some invisible force was guiding it, or perhaps a shared resolve had reached Torchic, it finally managed to struggle to its feet.

  But at that moment, the two vines had already reached its side, seizing its legs and suspending it upside down in the air, slamming it repeatedly into the ground.

  "Torchic!"

  Kun's voice grew even more impassioned.

  However, from above, Li Bing had already made the decision on the match's outcome. "This match is over. Torchic has lost its ability to battle. Victory goes to Snivy!"

  After all, this was just a Baby Cup.

  There was no need to fight until complete exhaustion; this level of incapacitation was enough to determine the winner.

  Unless there was a miraculous evolution…

  But the Torchic, placed back on the ground by Snivy, showed no signs of moving.

  "Well done," Ethan praised as Snivy walked over.

  "Snivy~"

  Snivy's mouth curled up slightly. It wanted to credit Ethan’s excellent command, but the words stuck in its throat.

  Kun, retrieving his defeated Torchic, walked over with a wry smile. "As expected, you're just too strong. I've always felt that if you don't take first place, it's not because you can't, but because your mind isn't set on it."

  Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. "Drop by my place sometime. Neighbourhood Breeding House in Wutong Town. Classmates get a 20% discount."

  "Uh... sure, I'll visit when I have the chance." Kun waved as he walked off, carrying Torchic to get it treated. At the same time, he mentally noted the name of Ethan's breeding house.

  Meanwhile, in the spectator seats, Harrison's expression darkened as he watched Snivy effortlessly defeat Torchic once again.

  He had invested considerable time, effort, and money in organizing this Baby Cup—coordinating relationships, gathering participants, and ensuring all eyes were on the event.

  But now, an unexpected variable had appeared.

  And this was a variable he could not tolerate.

  "No, I need to have a talk with him!