Everyone was stunned. Although the outco seed predetermined, forfeiting without even trying to play the last card caused a stir in the audience. Whispers rippled through the stands, and the students from Imperial Academy wore expressions of anger and disappointnt.
Indeed, following this match, Zephyr would face a storm of ridicule and condemnation on the internet, with netizens accusing him of cowardice for not fighting until the very end...
But that is a story for later. At this mont, Zephyr ignored the commotion entirely. He simply turned and left the arena, his steps hurried, his expression frantic.
At first, Kenji was also surprised by the sudden forfeit. Why quit now when it's just the final step?
But when he looked across the field and saw the way Zephyr was staring at the fallen Sceptile, he suddenly understood.
There was already a massive level gap between Sceptile and Gyarados.
One was Elite-level, the other was Gym Leader-level.
Winning against an opponent a whole tier above you was nearly impossible. Only Kenji's Pokémon, who had beco monsters through his Star-Up System, possessed the ability to punch up like that.
And Sceptile wasn't just fighting a higher-level opponent; it was fighting a Gyarados that also had the ability to punch above its weight class.
Essentially, Sceptile, with Elite-level power, was trying to brawl with a monster whose level was Gym Leader but whose actual combat power rivaled that of an Elite Four's ace.
The only reason Sceptile had managed to exchange blows earlier was thanks to the triple buff of ga Evolution, ho-field advantage, and Zephyr's special ability.
Secondly, and most importantly, Gyarados hadn't been serious at the start.
If Gyarados had gone all out from the first second, even a simple Waterfall would have knocked ga Sceptile out cold, 4x resistance be damned.
Ideally, Gyarados knew how to hold back. That Aqua Tornado should have been restrained.
But perhaps Gyarados got too excited and forgot, or maybe she hadn't fully mastered the five-move combo yet and accidentally unleashed her full power.
A full-power attack from Gyarados...
Even with Protect and the dampening effect of Frenzy Plant absorbing so of the impact, Sceptile had definitely suffered severe internal injuries.
It was out of sheer concern for Sceptile's condition that Zephyr chose to forfeit imdiately. He risked being reviled by thousands and cursed by the entire internet just so he could rush Sceptile to the dical center without wasting a single second.
Kenji couldn't say whether Zephyr's choice was right or wrong, nor did he feel qualified to judge.
Kenji had won. He had defeated the strongest ace of Imperial Academy without losing a single Pokémon.
"Beautiful!!! —"
In the waiting room, Director He jumped up in excitent, his face flushed red with joy.
This ti, Kenji had truly brought glory to him and tropolis Academy!
Moreover, the result of this match would directly influence how the Huaxia League allocated resources to the major academies for the coming year.
In other words, Kenji's spectacular performance in the National League would translate into a massive influx of funding and resources for the school.
Kenji left the arena, but he didn't return to the tropolis Academy lounge imdiately. Instead, he headed straight for the Ergency dical Center.
Sure enough, Zephyr was sitting in the lobby, his face etched with worry.
"I'm sorry," Kenji said softly as he approached him.
Zephyr looked up. There was no bla in his eyes. He shook his head slightly and forced a smile to comfort Kenji. "Don't bla yourself. Accidents are unavoidable in battle. You didn't do it on purpose, so don't take it to heart."
Despite his words, Zephyr couldn't hide the deep anxiety in his eyes.
Kenji knew that until Sceptile ca out, any comfort would be futile.
The mood in the lobby was somber. Zephyr sat silently on the chair, and Kenji sat quietly beside him to keep him company.
After a long while, a nurse in a white uniform walked out of the ergency room.
Zephyr shot up instantly. "Hello! How is Sceptile?"
The nurse smiled reassuringly. "Fortunately, you brought him in just in ti. Sceptile suffered severe injuries, but we've stabilized his condition.
However, for the next month, he needs to avoid intense battles and heavy training. Otherwise, he risks developing permanent damage."
The Phoenix Nest Battle Arena, being the venue for the highest-level competitions in China, had trustworthy dical facilities.
Hearing that Sceptile would be fine, Zephyr let out a long breath. His face relaxed, and a genuine smile returned.
Kenji also exhaled in relief. If sothing had happened to Sceptile, even if Zephyr was reasonable enough not to bla him, Kenji would have felt guilty.
...
"Quitting the match like that... things are going to be tough for you when you get back to Imperial Academy, aren't they?" Kenji asked.
Zephyr smiled faintly and shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it. No matter what, I'm still their strongest ace. They won't do anything drastic. Besides, I did my best. I have a clear conscience."
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