Chapter 648: The Hope of the Village
The afternoon training focused on Aegislash again.
Unfortunately, the results of yesterday's training didn't play a big role in the match against the Primordial Sea Team, but it would be different in the upcoming match against the Nine-Tailed Fox Team.
Because Arthur had seen Future Yuzuru's Pokémon lineup—he had already fought her strongest ace, Carbink, in the desert!
That was a very tough Mineral-type Pokémon, with a shell hardness second only to a Shuckle of the same level!
And unlike Shuckle, which had no offensive capability in its normal state, Carbink retained some offensive means while having strong defense.
Especially Future Yuzuru's Carbink, which had inherited the Mythical Pokémon Diancie's signature move, Diamond Storm. It was even harder to deal with in the arena.
However, even the most powerful Pokémon are subject to type advantages, and Carbink was no exception.
The Rock/Fairy typing made it doubly weak to Steel.
This would be an excellent opportunity for Aegislash to perform!
On this day, Arthur focused on training Aegislash's STAB moves: Iron Head and Flash Cannon.
During the training, Arthur didn't forget to feed Aegislash some motivational soup.
"Go for it! This is your first step towards independent combat, and also the most important step! If you win this match, I'll let you play in the finals next time!"
Aegislash's blade trembled with excitement.
He wanted to play in the finals too!
Who doesn't have a heart that yearns for the championship?
Time flashed by, and the next day arrived.
The first match in the afternoon was the Royal Rapidash Team versus the Blaze Team.
This was already the third Kubfu team Royal Rapidash had faced on their way up through the loser's bracket!
Previously, they had eliminated the Metro Team and the Otter Team.
So this year's loser's bracket schedule was quite interesting: on one side, Starlight and Frost versus Hoenn, and on the other side, Royal Rapidash surrounding Kubfu.
As Sinnoh's only remaining hope, and a regular in the Champions Cup for the past few years, the strength of the veteran world-class Royal Rapidash Team was unquestionable.
Their battle with Blaze was exceptionally fierce. Every match, every small round was intensely contested, with brilliant plays constantly appearing, thrilling video bloggers from all alliances.
With such a high-quality duel, one highlight reel wasn't enough to capture all the best moments.
The two teams fought neck and neck until the last round of the Captain's Match.
In the end, Gwyneth and Forrest fought to a rare draw—the last Pokémon of both players fell almost simultaneously in the final exchange of fire, making it impossible to determine a winner, so it ended in a draw.
This was the first Captain's Match to end in a draw in the Champions Cup.
According to the point differential scoring system, neither side scored.
Unfortunately, in the previous regular singles and doubles segment, the Royal Rapidash Team led by a narrow margin of one point, and ultimately, they completed the kill relying on this single point.
Royal Rapidash eliminating three Kubfu teams in a row was truly lamentable.
After the match, the members of the Blaze Team were also very regretful.
"Damn it! If only I had risked an ultimate move earlier in that round!"
"Sigh, if the opponent's Air Slash hadn't triggered a flinch, I would have turned the tables!"
"I can't believe my Hyper Beam didn't kill him, damn it!"
Seeing them complaining and cursing with such vigor, the people from Metro and Otter felt there was no need to comfort them.
This was the temperament of the Blaze Team. They would regret, they would be annoyed, but they would rarely be depressed to the point of collapse.
Losing was nothing to be ashamed of.
Just win it back next time!
The comedians were always optimistic, always positive.
Then they met up with their brothers from their own alliance and returned to the lively player rest area together.
Next, it was time to watch Starlight and Frost's match.
In a blink of an eye, Arthur and his team had become the last hope of the whole village!
In the last tournament, the Blaze Team enjoyed this treatment early in the knockout stage, but this year, the baton was passed to Starlight and Frost.
This match was against the Nine-Tailed Fox Team!
After Blaze was eliminated, the teams remaining on the schedule were all the sole survivors of their respective regions.
No region had multiple teams left; each team now represented the last glory of their respective region.
Starlight and Frost represented Kubfu, and Nine-Tailed Fox fought for Sakura.
Neither side had any retreat!
In the opening match, both sides clashed fiercely.
Starlight and Frost's Captain Leo personally played the first match, facing the former captain and big brother of the Nine-Tailed Fox Team.
The reason he was the former captain was that after Future Yuzuru's sudden rise this year, they had transferred the captaincy to her.
Starlight and Frost hadn't done this yet.
But the nature was the same.
When the two veteran players met, their eyes met with emotion and sighs.
They were the old waves pushed to the singles match by the talented rookies in the team...
The Captain's Match, which should have been their responsibility, was now handed over to the more outstanding and dazzling new players in the team.
Occasionally, veterans feel a bit bitter in their hearts!
In this battle, they cherished each other, but neither was willing to give an inch.
In the end, Leo seized the weakness that one of the opponent's ace Pokémon was a Hydreigon, using his Azumarill to accomplish the feat of dragon slaying, establishing the victory in one fell swoop!
Living up to his nickname as the Dragon Slayer Saint.
Starlight and Frost won the first battle.
But immediately after, the opponent sent another veteran player, relying on rich experience to narrowly beat Aaron by one point at the last moment, leveling the score in the second match, quickly returning the favor to Starlight and Frost.
This put Starlight and Frost in a slightly passive situation.
Because over the past year, Aaron had grown into a very stable scoring point for the team, often more reliable than Captain Leo.
Aaron's loss caught Head Coach Miejue off guard for a moment.
Then, in the last singles match, Starlight and Frost could only send out the relatively weak link in the team, rotational player Elara.
While the opponent still sent out a star player—
Chuya, who had met Arthur once in the Ashen Desert.
This was also a rising star of the Nine-Tailed Fox Team this year, also very young and talented.
If it weren't for Sakura producing a world-class idol like Future Yuzuru with too perfect an image and strength this year, Chuya might have become a dazzling new star in the region.
His status was somewhat similar to Aaron, who was overshadowed by Arthur's aura.
If the soul figure in the team wasn't too outrageous, their light could have shone brighter.
Facing such an outstanding genius number two in the team, everyone didn't dare to put too much pressure on Elara.
"Go for it, just show your style, don't think too much!"
"Yes, don't worry about gains and losses, anyway, leave it to Arthur to cover in the end."
"..."
Although he knew this was his teammates' comforting words, Arthur still felt very grassy at this moment.
Can you guys be serious?!
Fortunately, such comfort was undoubtedly effective.
Elara went on stage with a slight smile, leaving a sentence behind.
"Don't worry, I won't be nervous!"
She used to be a transparent figure in an unknown team. Being able to successfully promote from a doubles player to a main player at a relatively young age was already satisfying for her.
In the past, she never thought that one day she could join a powerhouse team and even make it to the Champions Cup stage!
But Starlight and Frost gave her this opportunity, fully trusting her, a substitute trainee from a mid-to-lower tier team.
She always remembered this kindness!
So today she vowed to tell the world: Arthur is not the only one working hard in their team.
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