The moment the two teams arrived, they were stunned by the scene before them.
If all sixteen wooden tokens had been scattered throughout the secret realm, competition at each location would have been fierce—but still manageable.
However, when the majority of the tokens were concentrated in a single area, and countless teams gathered at the same time, the struggle instantly escalated into complete chaos.
Pokémon clashed everywhere.
One moment, a token was seized by one Pokémon—
the next, it was snatched away by another.
The scale and intensity of the scene far exceeded anything either team had imagined.
Meng Ming stared at the battlefield in shock for several seconds, then his sharp gaze locked onto a figure standing atop a tall tree ahead.
Even though the clothing was different, he recognized that figure immediately.
And when he saw the Gabite standing beside him, his guess was confirmed.
"That's him…
I finally found you."
Unable to suppress himself any longer, Meng Ming felt an overwhelming urge to challenge him again.
If Meng Ming could recognize him, then Jiang Shuyun, who had grown up with him since childhood, naturally noticed him as well.
"That's Old Ye—no, Oliver?" she muttered in surprise.
"When did he enter the secret realm?"
The three-man group beside her gasped.
"That's the captain?"
"It really is him—look at that Gabite."
Their voices were kept deliberately low, so no one else heard.
"Should we go to him?" someone whispered.
Jiang Shuyun hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
"Judging by his expression, he's clearly in the middle of something important. Let's wait until he's done."
While the crowd below fought desperately over the tokens, Meng Ming had already bypassed them entirely.
Riding on Blaziken, he climbed straight up the tree where Oliver stood.
"I want another Pokémon battle with you."
Hearing the voice behind him, Oliver turned around.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Meng Ming's heart was pounding.
At last… another chance to face him.
Their gazes met, sparks seemingly colliding in the air.
He must be recalling that exhilarating battle from before too, right?
Good.
Then let's do this properly.
I'll show you how much I've grown!
Oliver tilted his head slightly, looking at the Blaziken beside Meng Ming, as if recalling something.
"You're the trainer with the Blaziken."
That was all.
In that moment, Meng Ming realized something painfully clear.
Oliver wasn't reliving their previous clash at all—
everything he'd imagined was nothing more than wishful thinking on his own part.
Meng Ming's face darkened.
"Since you remember me, then let's fight properly this time!"
Oliver waved his hand casually.
"No rush. You've already got a token, right? We'll have plenty of chances to fight in the group stage."
"But—!"
Seeing that Oliver clearly had no intention of fighting, Meng Ming clenched his teeth and forcefully issued a command.
"I've waited long enough!"
"Blaziken—use Flamethrower as a greeting!"
Before Oliver could say anything, Gabite moved on its own.
In an instant, it appeared directly in front of Blaziken, throwing a punch straight at its chin—clearly aiming to interrupt the charge-up.
Blaziken immediately canceled Flamethrower and countered with a blazing Fire Punch.
Meng Ming had always wanted a fair, head-on battle.
The earlier command was only meant to force Oliver's hand.
Now that Gabite had stepped in, he naturally wouldn't insist on using Flamethrower anymore.
Boom!
The two Pokémon collided, exchanging multiple blows in an instant.
Fists slammed into flesh—
the dull, heavy sounds echoed through the air.
"The fighting down there is almost over," Oliver said calmly from the side.
"Grr!"
Gabite growled in response.
Blaziken swung another punch—
But this time, Gabite raised one hand and caught it firmly.
The flames wrapped around Gabite's palm, scorching its scales,
yet it looked as though it felt nothing at all.
A blur of gray flashed.
Something like a whip lashed across Blaziken's chest.
Smack!
Blaziken was sent flying.
"Blaze—!"
Compared to the Pidgeot from before, this Blaziken had far greater endurance, so it didn't lose consciousness outright.
But every breath now felt like knives tearing through its lungs.
Gabite's Dragon Tail had caused severe internal damage.
Below, the competitors were completely focused on the chaotic scramble for tokens.
No one noticed what had happened above.
Oliver spotted Jiang Shuyun and the others on the outskirts of the crowd.
Without hesitation, he jumped down from the tree, Gabite following at his side, and walked toward them.
Meng Ming stood frozen.
He had just witnessed Blaziken's defeat again—
and this time, it had been even faster, even more decisive.
There was no resistance at all.
The pride he once held shattered completely.
The person before him was like an insurmountable mountain—
No matter how hard he tried,
he simply could not cross it.
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