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In the early morning hours, dawn had barely broken over China's capital city, yet a thick haze still lingered in the air. The heavy smog appeared as if it could only be dispersed by the mighty force of a Tyranitar's power.
Despite the poor weather conditions, nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of Pokemon battle enthusiasts throughout the region.
The entrance to the National Pokemon Arena was completely packed with eager spectators. Even though the venue wouldn't open until 8:30 AM and the actual battle was scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM—providing a full hour for entry—and despite each ticket being assigned to a specific seat with no need to compete for seating, massive crowds had already formed long lines more than an hour before opening time. Security guards were forced to step in and maintain order among the excited masses.
As China's premier battling facility, the National Pokemon Arena typically hosted only the most elite-level competitions. The battles that took place within these walls usually featured Elite Four members, Champions, and other top-tier trainers from around the world.
For many trainers, simply having the opportunity to battle in this legendary arena—regardless of whether they won or lost—represented the ultimate dream and achievement of their careers.
Today, this prestigious venue would host the highly anticipated "Elite Challenge" between Chris and Dragon Elite Elian.
Chris arrived at the National Pokemon Arena precisely at 8:30 AM. He stood outside and watched as wave after wave of spectators poured through the entrance gates until the crowds finally thinned out. Only then did he make his way through the security checkpoint and enter through the exclusive VIP passage that led directly to his private preparation room.
Accompanying Chris were Wanda and Senior Alexis, both there to provide moral support for the upcoming challenge.
Professor Theodore, Principal Vladimir, and Senior Roy would also be in attendance to watch Chris's battle, though they would be seated in the special guest section reserved for distinguished members of the Trainer Association.
This arrangement likely served as another marketing strategy for the Trainer Association to justify their premium ticket prices and generate additional publicity. The anticipated showdown between Chris and Elian had become a viral sensation across social media platforms, maintaining the top position on trending topics for an entire week straight.
Beyond the revenue from live attendance, the broadcasting rights alone had sold for over one billion Pokédollars. Both Chris and Elian were entitled to receive a portion of these proceeds, though Chris's exact share would only be determined after the battle concluded.
After all, there was a significant difference between the appearance fees paid to Elite Four members compared to Gym Leaders and challengers.
Chris positioned himself in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows in his lounge and gazed out at the enormous stadium center spread before him. Having grown up without much formal education, he could only think of one simple way to describe what he saw:
This place was absolutely massive!
The arena boasted seating capacity for 100,000 spectators—a scale that would have been impressive even by the standards of his previous world. Looking out across the venue, he could see nothing but an ocean of people filling every available seat.
He had heard the phrase "sea of people" used as a figure of speech many times before, but now he was witnessing it as a literal reality. The sight was both overwhelming and exhilarating.
The thought of battling in such a magnificent venue sent a thrill through his entire body.
Chris stretched his muscles and felt his excitement building for the upcoming match. His anticipation stemmed from two main sources: the incredible venue itself and the formidable opponent he would soon face.
His rival for today's battle was none other than Elian, one of China's Elite Four members!
Elian's ranking in the World Pokemon Contest consistently placed him among the top 100 trainers globally, with his best performance reaching the prestigious top six. By any measure, he was considered one of the strongest trainers in the world.
The prospect of facing such a powerful opponent was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
Chris would have been lying if he claimed he wasn't excited about this opportunity.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised you chose Elian as your Elite Challenge opponent," Senior Alexis remarked suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence. "I actually challenged him last year myself, but... let's just say it didn't go well for me." He didn't attempt to hide his previous defeat, though the memory clearly still bothered him based on his expression.
"Elian comes from one of the prominent dragon trainer families in the capital. Rumor has it that his ancestors had direct connections to the legendary Dragon's Den located near the capital city. He's always carried himself with an air of superiority and arrogance. When he defeated me last year, it left a really bitter taste in my mouth."
"I was actually planning to challenge him again this year for a rematch, but then you defeated me first. That's fine though—I'm more than happy to let you get revenge on my behalf. I feel much better about our chances this way."
"Even now, if I were to challenge Elian again, I honestly don't think my odds of winning would be very good..."
After Alexis finished his lengthy explanation, he looked at Chris with curious anticipation. "So, how do you feel about your chances against Elian? What's your honest assessment?"
"My chances..." Chris repeated the words thoughtfully, rolling them around in his mind.
Over the past several days, he had dedicated himself not only to intensive training with his Pokemon team but also to studying every available battle video featuring Elian. He had watched each recording at least ten times, analyzing every strategy, every move, every decision. Additionally, he had mentally simulated dozens of different battle scenarios and potential outcomes.
His understanding of Elian's battling style, preferred strategies, and team composition was now quite comprehensive and detailed.
If he had to give an honest estimate of his chances of defeating Elian in today's battle...
"Ninety-nine percent," Chris replied confidently, deliberately leaving that final one percent for the possibility of unexpected circumstances or what some might call a "miracle."
Senior Alexis initially looked at his junior colleague with surprise, but then his expression transformed into one of pure joy and excitement.
He understood Chris's personality very well. Chris had always been modest and humble in his assessments. Even when he was completely confident about something, he would typically claim only fifty percent certainty.
The fact that he was now stating ninety-nine percent confidence meant something entirely different.
What Alexis should be imagining wasn't simply how Chris might defeat Elian but rather how thoroughly and decisively Elian was about to be overwhelmed and defeated by Chris's superior skills and strategy!
The thought filled him with anticipation and excitement.
"This is going to be incredible to watch," he muttered with a knowing grin.
Meanwhile, in the lounge directly across from Chris's preparation room, Elian was also surveying the massive competition venue. Unlike Chris's obvious excitement and energy, Elian's demeanor was more contemplative and somewhat nostalgic.
"It's been quite a while since I've battled in this particular arena. Look at all these people—it's incredibly noisy out there," he observed with a mixture of fondness and mild annoyance.
"I believe the last time I fought here was against that fellow. What was his name again... Alexis, I think."
"I wonder if this new challenger will provide me with a more entertaining battle than Alexis did. Hopefully, he won't bore me too much."
Behind Elian, a young man wearing a crisp black uniform and black-rimmed glasses sat comfortably on the leather sofa, rapidly typing away on his laptop computer.
"Brother Elian, have you actually taken the time to review the detailed information about the challenger you're facing today?" the young man asked without looking up from his screen.
"Of course I have!" Elian responded quickly, turning around with a slight smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "While I may have a reputation for being arrogant and overconfident, I never make the mistake of underestimating my opponents!"
"I know the old saying: 'Even a lion uses all its strength when hunting a rabbit.' I understand that principle very well."
The young assistant tilted his head slightly to look at Elian with obvious doubt and skepticism written across his face. He adjusted his glasses and questioned Elian's claim.
"Is that so?"
"Then why does your computer's browsing history show that you've been watching study materials for the past two days instead of battle analysis?"
Elian's face immediately flushed red with embarrassment, and he quickly stepped forward to shut his assistant's laptop before anyone else could see the screen.
"Cough, cough, cough..." he cleared his throat awkwardly.
"That's only because I'm facing such a formidable opponent! The pressure has been getting to me, so I needed to find some exciting action movies to help me relax and unwind before the big battle!"
The young assistant clearly didn't believe Elian's transparent excuse, but he felt compelled to offer a word of caution.
"When you compare your opponent to a rabbit and yourself to a lion, you're making the classic mistake of underestimating your challenger."
"This trainer defeated Alexis and earned the right to challenge the Elite Four through legitimate means."
"Last year, Alexis's strength was genuinely impressive, and he's undoubtedly made significant improvements over the past year. Despite this growth, he still fell decisively to this rising star named Chris."
"This clearly demonstrates that Chris's abilities and skills should not be taken lightly or dismissed casually!"