Chapter 177: Turns Out I'm This Sought-After?
The match ended. Arthur secured the seventh rank and, like the top six, gained the right to choose his own teammate.
However, he didn't rush to show off but immediately went to console Frogadier as it came off the field.
"Don't be disheartened. It was just a bit of bad luck. You're really no worse than him."
Fortunately, Frogadier was also a strong-willed Pokémon. After a sigh of slight frustration, it nodded vigorously again.
A single failure wouldn't bring it down!
Once it evolved, it would definitely fight its way back!
Arthur was equally confident about this.
"Looking at it this way, before Frogadier evolves, it probably has the strength to barely squeeze into the professional level. After evolution, it should be able to firmly step into that tier."
Arthur mused to himself.
Although he had rich combat experience from two hundred years ago, that was more geared towards life-and-death struggles on actual battlefields, which was quite different from arena competitions.
This ranking tournament was not only practice for his Pokémon but also helped him gather information to get a more intuitive grasp of the competitive intensity of the new era's professional league.
Based on his current personal experience and his observations from watching various match recordings, Arthur roughly divided the Pokémon on the competitive scene into three tiers based on strength—
Newcomer Pokémon just entering the professional scene, a level slightly above that Gallade, he named "Professional level."
Anything below this threshold could only be considered amateur level.
Strictly speaking, Frogadier was still a notch below this threshold.
After all, Frogadier was a Pokémon he had started training from scratch after transmigrating, and it had only been training for less than a year, all things considered.
However, as long as Frogadier evolved once more into Greninja, stepping into this tier would be a sure thing.
Next was a tier above professional, the Pokémon heavily relied upon by players capable of being mainstays in a team, which Arthur named "Main player level."
Currently, he didn't have any Pokémon at this level.
Finally, there was the current peak of the professional scene, the Pokémon heavily relied upon by players who could serve as mainstays in strong teams or as captains in average teams, which Arthur named "Captain level."
On paper, Mismagius and Specter should both possess captain-level strength.
Unfortunately, one of them was a support type with almost no conventional offensive手段 (shǒuduàn - means/methods), and the other was currently recuperating, forcibly benched by Arthur, only able to maintain a "Ge You slouch" posture and sip tea every day…
Of course, this three-tier strength classification was currently just Arthur's personal summary; it wasn't necessarily officially recognized.
At the same time, there were too many other factors in Pokémon battling that could influence the outcome of a duel, such as type matchups, ability counters, playstyles, skill choices, and so on.
The charm of competition lay precisely in the unknown.
If results could be determined simply by comparing stats on paper, then competitive matches would lose their inherent excitement.
With proper execution, sharp commands, and type advantages, all three aligning, matches where professional-level Pokémon upset captain-level ones were also common.
Arthur's summary was merely to help himself get a clear concept of the competitive intensity, not something he blindly adhered to without question.
Next, Arthur took Frogadier for further treatment.
And after he left, the vast youth training camp base seemed exceptionally calm.
By this time, apart from Arthur, that sharp kid, almost no one was repeatedly engaging in ranking challenges anymore.
This initial ranking was, after all, drafted by the system based on each trainee's past battle records and was relatively accurate. Most people, after trying a few matches on the first afternoon, had already formed a fairly clear understanding of their own level.
Not many were willing to repeatedly fight losing battles afterward.
Only Arthur, over two days, had fought a full nineteen challenge matches!
He had climbed all the way from rank 106 to rank 7!
It had truly stunned everyone.
This record, if not unprecedented, was at least a first!
For at least the next ten years, this would probably be an unsurpassable legend in the youth training camp.
When Arthur returned, he found that the instructor was already on stage speaking again.
Seeing him return, the instructor even nodded at him before saying, "Since everyone's rankings are mostly settled, we will now proceed with team pairing. The top seven ranked trainees have the right to choose their own teammates. You need to confirm your double battle teammate before 2 PM and report to me. Afterward, the club will arrange pairings for the rest of you."
Arthur was still a bit puzzled: Why are we pairing up as soon as I get back? Don't the others need to fight more ranking matches?
When he voiced this question softly, the trainees beside him couldn't stop rolling their eyes.
Bro, don't you see that since yesterday afternoon, apart from you, who else has been constantly challenging? That self-service machine has practically become your personal computer. Aren't you even a little self-aware?
If it weren't for you, the pairing phase probably could have started early this morning…
Hearing this explanation, Arthur speechlessly rubbed his nose.
He had been too focused on the matches all along and had forgotten to observe his surroundings.
So, similarly, he had completely failed to notice what an attention-grabbing focal point he had now become.
After the instructor announced the dismissal, Arthur was blocked before he even reached his dormitory.
The ones who came were a combination that Arthur found completely unexpected—
Flora and Justin.
"Why are you two together?" Arthur asked, stunned.
Unexpectedly, he was met with immediate, eager denials.
"Who's together with him/her?!!"
"I came looking for you!"
"Er, Bro Arthur, me too."
Arthur was completely bewildered.
"Looking for me?"
Flora once again habitually crossed her arms under her chest.
"That's right, to team up with you! You don't know yet, do you? Most of those senior students are unwilling to team up with first-years, so you don't actually have many choices for teammates. If you want to get a good result, picking me is definitely the right choice!"
As she spoke, Flora even puffed out her chest defiantly.
Although her current position was a bit awkward—she had previously advised Arthur not to try so hard to climb the ranks, saying she didn't mind him, but now it had turned into her needing to beg Arthur to team up, a change that had truly caught her off guard.
However, now that there was competition, in order to secure this teammate, Flora had cast aside her pride, not even bothering with her tsundere act.
Speaking of which, her judgment wasn't bad. When Arthur had first returned, and many trainees weren't yet optimistic about this "heroic kid" who had been missing for a long time and supposedly relied only on an "evil sword" to show off, she had already approached Arthur.
Unfortunately, "tsundere ruins a lifetime."
Arthur hadn't gotten her initial team-up signals at all…
On the other side, Justin was as straightforward as ever.
"Bro Arthur, please carry me~"
His attitude had never changed…
Flora shot him a rather coquettish side-glance and said, "The upcoming graduation tournament is very important. You're not going to consider old affections at a time like this, are you? Your choices are limited; you need to deliberate carefully!"
The implication was that Justin was only relying on a bit of old affection; if it came to a real choice, he should choose her!
But who would have thought, just as she finished saying "your choices are limited," many more figures appeared behind them.
"Who says his choices are limited? Little brother Arthur, you absolutely mustn't listen to this big-breasted, brainless woman's nonsense! We senior students are also very willing to team up with you. How about you consider me?"
"And me! And me!"
"I'm available too!"
"Big shot, do you need a leg pendant? My Florges's support is freaking awesome!"
Arthur looked back and only then discovered that a large crowd had gathered around him at some point.
They were all trainees who had ranked highly in the previous ranking matches, and many were opponents he had defeated on his way up.
At this moment, all these senior students had gathered around!
Only then did Arthur realize for the first time—
Turns out I'm this sought-after?
(End of Chapter)
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you