CHAPTER 76

076: Serena's First Battle!!

"…Me, Shauna, and Tieruno we've all scored 10 points like you, Ash. So we're tied for first place with you now." Xiaolan spoke with a bright smile.

"That's right—" Ash turned his head to glance at the digital leaderboard set up beside the central tent of the camp. Just as he expected, following the top score, several names were now displayed: Xiaolan, Shauna, Tieruno… along with a few unfamiliar "Ash" variants nicknames from students trying to ride his popularity.

During this initial assessment round, the students had battled each other in simple friendly matches. Since most of them had only recently received their first Pokémon and had little to no experience giving commands, the overall quality of combat had been rough and unpolished.

Calling them "five scum" was actually generous most students barely demonstrated any effective Trainer skills.

Because of this, students with even a modest foundation like those who had practiced prior to camp or had older siblings in leagues could easily sweep through five matches and rack up wins.

Though few could defeat five top-tier students in a row like Ash had including Gary and other elite camp members many opted for a more cautious route: selecting weaker opponents, resting between matches, and eventually tying Ash's score through attrition rather than overwhelming strength.

Still, Ash didn't care too much about that. Despite the identical scoreboards, he knew full well that "10 points" didn't mean "equal strength." Among the first-place holders, he stood clearly above the rest.

"Not bad, Xiaolan. That your scores managed to catch up to mine is great news. If your numbers were lagging, I'd actually be worried."

Ash gave a sincere smile as he looked at his close circle of friends, who had accompanied him through camp and early battles.

"Don't forget I said from day one that we'd claim the top three spots together."

"Anyway, enough about that for now." Ash suddenly remembered something, smacking his forehead with a light slap as he turned toward the girl in the pink summer dress beside him. "Serena still hasn't completed her challenge matches. That means it's finally time for her debut!"

"Yes, yes! Lena, you've gotta give it your best!"

"We'll all be cheering you on, so don't be nervous, okay?"

"Serena, aim for five straight wins and show off enough to make even Gary jealous!"

Ash's words drew the group's attention toward Ser Lena. Seeing this, Xiaolan and Shauna quickly joined in, their voices full of energy and support.

"Don't worry, everyone. Serena has become way stronger after my Coaching don't assume she's weak!"

"You really think so, Ser Lena?" Ash looked over at the girl again—Stephanie, her full name—dressed neatly in her signature pink one-piece and straw sunhat. He gave her a playful wink.

"…"

"Now I'm strong!" Ser Lena declared, a new light in her eyes. "Xiaolan, Shauna you better not underestimate me."

Ash's encouraging words had sparked something inside her. Her voice, though still soft, was filled with newfound confidence.

Xiaolan, Shauna, Tieruno, and Trevor all blinked in surprise. They were friends from the same region Vaniville Town and had grown up knowing Ser Lena as a painfully shy, easily flustered girl who could barely speak to strangers.

To see her now, standing tall and speaking without shrinking back, after just twenty minutes away with Ash it left them stunned.

Even Gary, who rarely showed surprise, raised an eyebrow at the change.

"If you saw what Ser Lena is going to become in the future," Ash thought to himself, amused by everyone's reaction, "you wouldn't be shocked—you'd be speechless."

But there was still something more important at hand now. He set the moment aside for later.

Clap, clap! Ash clapped his hands sharply, grabbing everyone's attention again. Sweeping his gaze around at the group, he announced:

"Alright, save your surprise for later. Let's help Ser Lena choose a proper opponent so she can start her battle!"

"Okay~!"

"Okay~!"

After spending the past few days getting to know each other, Ash had unintentionally taken on the role of leader within their small group. Naturally, no one objected to his words or decisions.

"I just saw a student named Mai over there," Xiaolan remarked calmly, pointing across the dam. She gestured to a shy-looking girl in a simple foreign-style dress, much like Ser Lena's. "She's not very strong. How about letting her be Ser Lena's first opponent?"

"The girl named Mai, right?" Shauna chimed in, nodding thoughtfully. "I remember her Pokémon is a Rattata, and all it knows are basic moves like 'Tackle' and 'Tail Whip'. It sounds like a perfect match for Ser Lena's first battle."

After listening to Xiaolan's suggestion, Shauna agreed with a smile, her eyes bright with support.

"It's a shame that Xiaohao was knocked out early," Gary added, his voice thick with disdain. "Otherwise, he could have at least given Serena a win."

Hearing Gary's remark, Ash chuckled and shook his head, brushing it off with a grin. "Let's leave Xiaohao out of this for now. I've already told you all—Serena's not weak anymore. You'll see for yourselves soon."

Turning to Ser Lena, who stood beside him with a slightly nervous expression, Ash gave her an encouraging smile. "Ser Lena, just like Xiaolan said, challenge that Mai girl in your first match."

Ash gave a wink, adding, "I'll be right there with you."

"Uh-huh," Serena replied quietly, a determined look flickering in her eyes. Rejecting Shauna's offer to accompany her, Ser Lena clenched her fists and steeled herself. With a deep breath, she gathered the courage to walk through the gathered crowd toward the other side of the dam, where Mai stood.

"Hi, um, hello," Ser Lena called, her voice still somewhat shy but filled with newfound resolve. "Can I challenge you to a battle?"

Mai turned to face her, a warm smile on her face. "You are…?"

"My name is Lena," she said, nervously adjusting her dress as she introduced herself. "I'm from Vaniville Town in the Kalos Region. Could I battle you?"

"A student from Kalos?" Mai replied, her expression brightening. "I'm Mai from Nibi City, Kanto. It's nice to meet you, Lena. I'd be happy to accept your challenge!"

The two girls, both Stephanie, walked to the front of the watching crowd. As soon as the previous battle concluded, they hurried to the center of the field, ready for their match.

After confirming their names with the referee staff standing by the sidelines, Ser Lena and Mai took their positions on opposite ends of the field, waiting for the signal to begin.

"Look, it's Serena!" Outside the designated battle area, Xiaohao was leaning forward, his eyes narrowing with a mix of surprise and scorn as he noticed her stepping up to the battlefield. "She's actually going to fight?"

"Ser Lena? The shy girl who always hangs out with Xiaolan and Shauna?" Xiaochun exclaimed, her voice full of curiosity and disbelief. "She's so quiet… she actually has the courage to battle?"

Xiaohao snorted in contempt, crossing his arms. "She'll probably lose, and badly at that. Hey, why don't you challenge her next, Xiaochun? It'd be a better idea than letting someone else beat her. At least you'd get a victory, right?"

Xiaohao's tone was filled with condescension as he watched Ser Lena stand across from Mai, his disdain unmistakable. His words clearly reflected his opinion of Ser Lena's capabilities—or lack thereof.

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