Pokémon cross over into the real world

Chapter 615 The Road to the Championship (9)

With advertising and live streaming promotion, people all over the world began to follow Wang Qiyi's path to the championship. The most bustling place was Macau, the only city in the Dragon Kingdom in southern China where gambling is legal. Every day, a large number of tourists and gamblers come to Macau to gamble and enjoy themselves, with a daily turnover exceeding 6 million Dragon Dollars.

When it was decided that Wang Qiyi's championship journey would be broadcast globally, Macau casinos had already opened betting odds, but initially, not many people paid attention. This is because there are countless Pokémon battle events available for betting globally every day, making it easy to get lost in the information overload. Gamblers preferred to watch live Pokémon battles before placing their bets.

However, as Wang Qiyi repeatedly broke records, all six legendary trainers fell within just over an hour. This astonishing record prompted the casino to begin broadcasting his live battles on its large screen. A large number of tourists stopped in front of the screen, inquiring about betting opportunities.

Initially, the odds for Wang Qiyi to win the championship were 30 to 1, but now they have dropped to 12 to 1. Many gamblers are rushing to place bets now, fearing that the odds will drop again if they wait. Now is a great opportunity to make a fortune.

"Should we bet all 10 we brought at once?" a gambler asked his companion after counting his chips.

Which way to go?

"Of course, we can win by playing the King's Chess game! The odds are 1 to 12 right now, so if we win, we'll have 120 million! We're rich!"

"Are you out of your mind? You're throwing away 100,000? Do you know how long ago it was before someone became an elder by clearing the Path of Champions? At least 10 years. In the past 10 years, the Path of Champions has been held at least 10 times, and no one has cleared it."

"Didn't you see how smoothly Wang Qiyi was playing? We've been standing here watching for over an hour. Look at the first two elders, weren't they also completely dominated by him?"

"You don't understand, that's all about human relationships. Whether it's a legendary or a legendary-level Pokémon, it's the trainers behind the scenes who direct and control the Pokémon in battle. Didn't you see that Elder Zhang in the eighth level didn't even use his trump card? He only sent out his secondary Pokémon, Dusknoir, and he surrendered after a very perfunctory battle. How could a legendary-level trainer not have any trump cards? Letting Wang Qiyi pass so easily shows that he doesn't care about winning or losing."

"But don't forget the guardian of the final level. Elves don't understand human relationships, unless you already have a connection with this guardian. According to the information, the guardian of this tenth level is a diamond steel snake living in the Qinling Secret Realm. It is on good terms with the Liao family, and the Liao family has always been taking care of the steel snake."

"Wang Qiyi is from Wen'an County, Zhejiang Province, and has never been to Sichuan Province. He has only been a professional player for 4 years, and it is already terrifying that his Pokémon battle strength has reached such a level in just 4 years. He must be immersed in training every day, so where would he find the energy to go out and socialize? Therefore, this final challenge will definitely be a real battle. Do you believe that his current Pokémon configuration can defeat the Guardian?"

The two didn't hide their conversation from others, and the gamblers in the lobby, hesitant about placing bets, gathered around to discuss and analyze. Some even dug up the battle records of previous World Cup Guardian Pokémon battles, specifically the battle record of Diamond Steelix. Steelix's defenses were incredibly powerful; even ordinary Guardian Pokémon couldn't break through its defenses. Moreover, Wang Qiyi's side didn't even have a Guardian-level Pokémon. Could Wang Qiyi possibly win?

"That's not right! Wang Qiyi fought a Guardian at the New York World Masters last year, and it was even broadcast live. The Guardian from the Pokémon Cult, Zapdos, should be much stronger than Steelix, right?" The gamblers who had bet on Wang Qiyi early on were unconvinced.

"Did you watch the live stream? The main force in the battle against Zapdos was a Pikachu. That Pikachu had already reached the Guardian level. With the Guardian level Pokémon restraining it, Wang Qiyi's other Pokémon had a chance to hurt Zapdos. Moreover, Zapdos had been besieged for a long time by Elder Li from our country and another legendary elder from the Eagle Kingdom, which wore it down. Rather than saying that Wang Qiyi defeated Zapdos, it's more accurate to say that Wang Qiyi, along with two legendary trainers and the Guardian level Pikachu, collectively attacked and drove Zapdos away."

Those who had seen the battle footage nodded thoughtfully, seemingly agreeing. For a moment, no one spoke, and no one dared to place a bet. Some even placed bets against the outcome, betting that Wang Qiyi couldn't win.

"I'll give you another dose of stimulant," someone in the crowd spoke up. "I've heard that Steelix can Mega Evolve. Some people have seen what Mega Steelix looks like, and it's incredibly majestic. You can find footage online of Diamond Steelix in the Guardian Battle eight years ago, before Mega Evolution. If Mega Evolution is introduced this time, do you think your chances of winning will be much better?"

"Isn't this going too far? Getting a Guardian is difficult enough, let alone a Mega Evolution?"

"Hey, didn't Wang Qiyi come up with Tiium Crystal again? In the previous battles, he turned the tide of battle every time he used it. Wang Qiyi is a max-level trainer who has mastered Mega Evolution, Tiium Crystal, and Z-Moves. Don't underestimate him."

"Do you know what titanium crystallization is? That stuff doesn't increase combat power at all. If you don't know, look it up online. There are related papers on Huiguang Technology's official website."

"New betting platform, they've opened a new betting platform over there. Regardless of whether you can clear the level, Wang Qiyi will face Elder Li Shining's ace dragon in the ninth level. The bet is on Wang Qiyi's green Bloodwing Dragon going one-on-one with the dragon, with odds of 1 to 5."

"1 to 5? Who's 1 and who's 5?"

"Of course, it's Wang Qiyi's Salamence at 1 to 5! The Elder's Dragonite is a seasoned veteran, a true ace, its strength surpassing even the high-level Legendary tier, perhaps already at its peak, aiming straight for the Guardian God. Even if Wang Qiyi manages to pass, it will require a multi-Pokémon gauntlet battle to win; don't expect him to take it down in a one-on-one fight."

Similar bustling scenes to those in casinos are playing out all over the world, and the largest casino in the Eagle Nation, Las Vegas, has also opened betting on Wang Qiyi's path to the championship. Michelle, the Eagle Nation's "Thunder King," who had previously been defeated by Wang Qiyi, unconditionally supports him, betting 100 million US dollars on Wang Qiyi's victory regardless of others' analyses. Nick Brown, who is traveling with him, thinks he's gone mad—has he been completely conquered by Wang Qiyi?

On a high mountain in the secret realm of Changxing Island in the Bohai Sea of ​​the Dragon Kingdom, Dragonite and Salamence simultaneously roared and leaped off the cliff, their wings spread wide as they soared into the wind and charged towards their opponent. Wang Qiyi touched the Key Stone, and Dracula underwent Mega Evolution during flight. Mega Salamence's wings resembled curved blades, its limbs folded to form a perfect streamline, and its flight speed increased dramatically.

Two enormous figures passed each other across the sky, creating a hurricane-like shockwave that swept through the canyon. Rock fragments tumbled down the surrounding cliffs, and the elves living nearby scattered in all directions. A massive rock, coiled like a small mountain, sensed the danger above and, without hesitation, burrowed into the ground, leaving a huge crater.

Using its speed advantage, Dracula darted through the air, while Dragonite tried to close the distance, but couldn't catch up. Dracula adjusted its stance and unleashed a dragon breath, which Dragonite countered with its own. The two energy blasts collided and exploded, the shockwave creating a powerful gust of wind that swept outwards.

The two sides were roughly equal in energy levels, making their aerial combat evenly matched. The long-range engagements resulted in a protracted tug-of-war, with neither side gaining a clear advantage. Whether watching live online or placing bets at the betting odds, everyone was watching with sweaty palms and trembling legs.

Some people began analyzing the situation of the two Pokémon. If it turned into a prolonged battle of attrition, Wang Qiyi's Salamence would undoubtedly lose, because Li Shining's Dragonite was known for its high durability. At the same time, Wang Qiyi would have the opportunity to switch Pokémon, and he would definitely do so. According to the casino rules, switching Pokémon would mean Salamence's defeat, so few people dared to place bets on this.

Moreover, this battle is also related to the odds of the big betting market. If Salamence is defeated by Dragonite and loses its ability to fight, or if it is too exhausted, it will undoubtedly have a great impact on the final stage.