Shop System In Pokemon World

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"Lucario's popularity value is incredible..."

On the system panel, Lucario's popularity had skyrocketed by more than 16 million points in just a few hours.

This increase was comparable to when he won the East China Division championship.

But this was only a Round of 32 battle...

Roy considered this for a moment and suddenly understood the phenomenon.

For events with similar exposure levels, there was such a thing as "controversy factor." The higher the degree of controversy, the more efficiently event popularity converted into personal popularity points. Actually, the vast majority of viewers were casual observers who also enjoyed making their opinions heard.

This pattern was consistent across literature, film, and television - the majority remained silent while only a small fraction actively commented.

The more controversial something became, the more those normally quiet observers felt compelled to join the discussion.

It was similar to his time at Capital University when he hired trolls to create negative publicity about himself. The popularity conversion rate had been extremely high then because the chief recommendation decision affected all Capital University students, resulting in maximum participation.

This European Youth Championship carried similar dynamics because Roy represented the strongest talent of China's younger generation competing against foreign trainers. This type of competition involving national pride and honor generated substantial controversy.

Of course, such high controversy levels were also due to Roy's psychological domination of the entire European audience.

Therefore, although the competition's base popularity was roughly equivalent, this single Round of 32 battle provided Roy with popularity value rivaling an entire divisional championship victory.

"If this continues through the semifinals, the popularity seems sufficient for me to purchase another Key Stone independently," Roy mused with satisfaction.

One Key Stone was adequate, and having more would be redundant, but the earned popularity points could be exchanged for Z-Crystals.

Purchasing corresponding pure crystals for Ninetales and other team members might allow them to approach the threshold of sage techniques as quickly as Mimikyu and Lucario had.

With this in mind, Roy observed his next opponent, who was also in the preparation room.

Takeshi Aihara.

He was twenty-one years old and represented the pride of Japan's younger generation. He had previously participated in friendly exhibition matches against Beijing University, where evaluations placed him just below Henry and Caroline in terms of ability.

In China, Takeshi Aihara would be equivalent to a third-year university student, but he belonged to the "independent trainer" school.

The independent school meant forgoing formal education after receiving starter Pokemon, instead choosing to travel globally, challenge various competitions, and explore different spiritual realms.

Independent school trainers typically possessed superior actual combat experience and training intensity compared to academic school trainers, often demonstrating greater strength than their age peers.

Consequently, increasing numbers of trainers were choosing the independent path in recent years.

However, the independent school growth trajectory carried extremely high casualty rates, required official permits for entering various national spiritual realms, demanded substantial travel funding, and required enormous resource investments.

It required connections, money, and resources, while maintaining high mortality rates. Simply put, only wealthy risk-takers could afford independent training.

Even Henry and Caroline had honestly chosen academic schooling due to practical limitations, which demonstrated the barriers involved.

"Independent school training like Takeshi Aihara's approach is indeed more conducive to growth than academic programs... It should become mainstream eventually, but that will take decades," Roy reflected.

The reason was straightforward.

Only when access restrictions to major spiritual domains were lifted and general prosperity increased could independent school barriers be lowered sufficiently for mainstream adoption.

Current requirements were simply too demanding.

After defeating Takeshi Aihara, Roy would advance to the quarterfinals.

His quarterfinal opponent was already confirmed - just an elite trainer whose bracket luck had been exceptional, avoiding all professional-level competitors.

In other words, defeating Takeshi Aihara would guarantee Roy's semifinal advancement.

The final obstacle...

At this moment, Aihara Takeshi seemed to sense Roy's observation. He turned, appeared momentarily surprised, then displayed his bright white teeth in a grin.

"I hope I can experience that legendary technique."

After the battle with Jaxon, all professional trainers viewed Roy's amazingly powerful Z-Moves as his primary threat.

Having professional-level Pokemon yet being defeated by non-professional opponents was something that would permanently stain a trainer's reputation.

Jaxon exemplified this perfectly. Despite not yet achieving professional trainer status himself, he had become infamous throughout the entire professional circuit - as a cautionary tale.

Roy shrugged and smiled confidently.

"As you wish."

"In the final quarterfinal match, Takeshi Aihara from Japan will face Roy from China."

The commentators lacked enthusiasm. Neither competitor represented European interests, and both were notoriously arrogant individuals who enjoyed psychological domination, completely lacking traditional Asian modesty.

However, the commentator didn't mind being provocative.

"I still remember last year's Asian Championship upset, when no one thought that Frances, at the height of his power, would lose to Japan's new champion..."

The commentator continued teasingly: "Coincidentally, this match situation is completely reversed. When everyone expects Takeshi Aihara to win with certainty, will Roy repeat the upset? Can he avenge his country's champion's loss right here?"

"Let us wait and see."

The European audience laughed, having already bought popcorn and drinks, prepared to watch the conflict unfold from the sidelines.

Of course, ultimately everyone doubted Roy could actually upset Takeshi Aihara.

Avi had managed to upset Frances, but both were trainers of the same competitive level - the pre-match analysis had simply favored Frances due to his longer-established reputation, deeper experience, and seemingly higher probability of victory.

But what about Roy?

He had just reached Peak trainer standards.

While he had defeated Jaxon previously, that opponent possessed only one professional-level ace Pokemon in Swampert.

Takeshi Aihara commanded three professional-level Pokemon.

Even among quasi-professional levels, significant gaps existed.

In cultivation novel terms, Jaxon was merely entering quasi-professional level, while Takeshi Aihara represented high-level quasi-professional, half-step peak advancement, requiring only perfection to enter true professional level.

On the battlefield, the referee announced loudly:

"Please select your battle Pokemon."

Roy gripped his Poke Ball, having collected intelligence on Takeshi Aihara before the match. He knew the opponent's three main Pokemon, and the starting selection, if his prediction was correct, should be...

Heracross.

Exactly as anticipated.

What appeared before Roy's eyes was an enormous single-horned beetle covered in dark blue carapace with a pair of transparent wings on its back.

On the opposite side, Takeshi Aihara appeared momentarily stunned.

A lion uses full strength when hunting rabbits.

Independent school trainers possessed extensive combat experience and never underestimated any opponent. He had collected comprehensive information about Roy before the match, familiarizing himself with every Pokemon Roy had used in competition.

According to his tactical projections, Roy's first selection would be either his starter Pokemon Lucario or the impressive Electabuzz.

But now, Roy's opening choice was...

"Mimikyu?"