Chapter 21: The Woman Who Will Become the Greatest Pokémon Trainer

The fist tore through the air, creating a visible sonic boom as it surged forward. Without a hint of hesitation, Timburr drove the strike directly into the center of the Energy Ball! Servine clearly hadn't expected such a reckless move.

Did the opponent not realize that punching the sphere would detonate it on the spot?!

At this range, practically zero distance, an explosion wouldn't just send Servine flying; Timburr wouldn't be able to escape the blast radius either. It was a mutual destruction tactic!

But Timburr didn't care. It slammed its fist into the glowing green orb of light. With a sharp, piercing crackle, the emerald energy reached its breaking point and detonated!

BOOM!!!

This was an Energy Ball released at full power. The resulting blast was no less potent than a hand grenade. The explosion threw both Pokémon backward simultaneously, and as a thick curtain of smoke billowed out to the edges of the arena, the crowd let out a collective gasp.

"What happened?! Both attacks connected at point-blank range, causing the Energy Ball to detonate right between them!! That means both Pokémon took the full brunt of the blast!!"

The announcer's voice whipped the stadium into a frenzy. Rosa stood with her small fist clenched, her eyes glued to the center of the smoke. That blast was far from ordinary...

However, as a Grass-type, Servine should have some natural resistance to her own energy. Timburr, regardless of its grit, had to be more severely injured. Coupled with the earlier Leaf Storm, it had taken a massive amount of damage.

As the greyish-white smoke gradually dissipated, two figures became visible on opposite sides of the crater.

Timburr was covered in lacerations from the razor-sharp leaves of the storm, and its front was scorched and bruised from the explosion. It was clearly leaning toward its limit.

Servine, meanwhile, looked utterly battered. She stood on the field with trembling legs, her regal posture gone. Though she desperately wanted to hold on, she reached her breaking point first. She fell face-forward into the dirt, her eyes swirling into spirals, the universal sign of fainting.

"Servine is unable to battle!! Timburr wins! Which means the victor is N from Hakurei High!!"

The referee's declaration rang out as he snapped his red flag downward.

The conclusion of the match signaled the birth of the Exchange Tournament Champion, a title won by a "ghost student" who usually never even set foot on campus.

"You were amazing, Servine. You worked so hard."

Rosa rushed onto the field and gathered the unconscious Servine into her arms. Losing after holding such a clear advantage could only be blamed on her own shortcomings as a Trainer. If she had been stronger, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

"A spectacular battle! You did great, Timburr."

N walked over, smiling as he patted Timburr's head. The Pokémon folded its arms, feigning a stoic, unbothered expression, but internally it was ecstatic. It had truly enjoyed itself. Defeating several opponents with higher raw stats had provided it with a massive amount of combat experience.

N was certain that once they returned for some medical rest, Timburr would break through to the Mid Elite level.

"N, you really are incredible! But I won't lose next time... because I'm the woman who's going to become the world's strongest Pokémon Trainer!"

The moment N reached Rosa's side, the girl declared her defiance. She was going to train harder than ever when she got home. Once she grew stronger, she would definitely return to the Japan region!

"Right... good luck with that."

N scratched his cheek awkwardly. He figured it was best not to mention his own goal of becoming the strongest Trainer right now; saying it aloud would only lead to an incredibly awkward misunderstanding.

"N, wonderful job!"

As N walked from the battlefield toward the player lounge, wondering where he was supposed to collect his trophy, a very familiar voice called out from behind. He turned instinctively and saw a brown-haired woman with a serene, closed-eye smile standing there.

"Daisy?"

"Hehe~ Here is your prize for winning the tournament: a full set of High-Grade Evolution Stones! I have a private 'little reward' for you later as well, though I can't give it to you quite yet."

Daisy, or rather, Daisy Oak.

She was the true granddaughter of Samuel Oak and a lady of the Oak prestige. She had always treated N like a brother closer than blood. She was terrifyingly sharp with an off-the-charts emotional intelligence; in short, she was the type of woman N was least equipped to handle.

She was nothing like her grandfather.

Daisy smilingly handed a small box to N. Offering a full set of High-Grade stones as a prize for a mere school exchange was a massive overstatement of the tournament's scale. Each stone was saturated with elemental energy, capable of triggering an evolution while providing a significant boost to the Pokémon's power.

High-Grade stones were treasures worth a small fortune. To see a complete set as a prize, even if they weren't the "one-in-a-million" Flawless grade, represented an astronomical sum of money that an average person couldn't even imagine.

Even if the old man, Professor Oak, couldn't officially give N "special treatment," he would find ways to "sponsor" him through other channels. Since N had won this set through his own merit, he had no reason to refuse.

"Thank you, Daisy."

N understood the situation perfectly. He tucked the stones away with a warm, appreciative smile. He had wondered why a small tournament had such high-tier prizes, rivaling those of official city-wide circuits, and now the pieces fell into place.

Still, she was certainly bold! If N hadn't won the championship, or if he had chosen not to enter at all, this set of precious stones would have been taken home by someone else!

"Oh, it's quite alright. Besides, there's the Nichiyo City tournament coming up soon, isn't there? You'll just have to behave and represent the school there as well."

A subtle, nearly imperceptible glint flashed in Daisy's half-closed eyes. She wasn't like her grandfather; she didn't intend to just let N roam free without support. She would help him in her own way.

Moreover, he had dared to hide his strength by not using his starter, Zorua? Not a chance. He wouldn't be able to hide it in the upcoming city-level competition!

"N, you were so—gah! Daisy!"

Hilda, who had run over from the stands intending to give N a celebratory hug, froze the moment she saw Daisy. She instantly became stiff and formal.

N wasn't the only one who struggled to handle her; Hilda felt exactly the same way!

"Oh my, if it isn't little Hilda~ You performed wonderfully too. As a reward, how about I arrange an engagement between you and N?"

"Eh... I, uh... that is..."

Hilda's eyes sparkled for a split second. The offer was so tempting she almost blurted out a "yes" on the spot, but seeing Daisy's "gentle" smile, she forced the words back down her throat.

She's definitely teasing me! If I actually agree, I'll never hear the end of it!