Chapter 179: Seeded Players
Normally, a main team's performance really didn't have much to do with its youth training camp.
Wealthy, strong teams never relied solely on their own youth camps to replenish their ranks with new talent.
They could also poach from other teams' camps, enjoying the thrill of stealing talent from right under their noses.
Conversely, many weaker teams, despite their main team's average strength, ran very successful and profitable youth training camps year after year.
These were all common occurrences.
However, sometimes, human emotions don't necessarily adhere strictly to facts.
It's just like how a fan's perspective and the general public's perspective are often misaligned.
Arthur, having been in this era for less than a year, clearly didn't yet understand this kind of fervent fan mentality.
The Otter Club team's achievements really had nothing to do with their youth camp, but you couldn't stop them from feeling superior because of it!
Was this reasonable?
Probably not.
But were such things common?
In this era, they were far too common…
Arthur's conversation with Justin was overheard, immediately drawing the other party's angry glare.
"What? Is someone here looking down on our Otter Club team?"
Arthur was actually quite bewildered, not knowing where this was coming from.
But the other party seemed to have already latched onto this reasoning.
"Watch your place. We're a team that made it into the Champions Cup, while your team didn't even get into the playoffs this year!"
After speaking, the person and his companions roared with laughter, looking triumphant.
But Arthur only felt puzzled.
"But those achievements have nothing to do with you either, do they?"
This blunt truth silenced the other side for a moment, then turned their embarrassment into anger!
"You! You punk, are you deliberately trying to pick a fight?"
Fortunately, Arthur didn't have to say anything this time, as an instructor from the Otter Club took the initiative to push the troublemaker back.
"What are you all doing? Do you not want your graduation tournament results anymore?"
A single sentence from the club instructor instantly made these hot-headed youths behave themselves.
No matter how arrogant they were, they couldn't afford to lose their graduation tournament results.
This was a top priority concerning their graduation.
However, before obediently returning, the leader of that group shot a fierce glare at Arthur, silently mouthing a sentence.
"I'll remember you!"
Arthur directly ignored it.
Justin at his side joked, "This group just needs to be taught a lesson. Bro Arthur, why don't you pull out your evil sword and teach them one?"
Arthur once again expertly flicked his finger against Justin's forehead.
"I told you not to use stale memes. 'Evil sword'? I think you're more of a comedian."
Justin could only clutch his forehead, not daring to be cheeky anymore.
Neither of them took this incident seriously.
Little did they know that the other side had already secretly marked him, just waiting to stomp on him in the upcoming matches.
Afterward, the graduation tournament finally began.
To maximize efficiency, the Sea Carp Club had prepared a very large venue, supporting multiple duels simultaneously.
The duel pairings were still arranged automatically by the previous AI program, which was very convenient.
The trainees just needed to sit on the sidelines and wait for the system to call their number to go on stage.
For the entire first morning of the competition, Arthur didn't get a chance to compete.
The system kept announcing numbers, but their team's number was never called.
The trainees sitting around them were called up one by one; some had already competed in two matches in the morning, yet Arthur and Justin had yet to fight a single one.
"What's going on?" Arthur couldn't help but ask.
This time, fortunately, the trainer of the Gallade, who was ranked fourth in their own youth camp and had fought him before, took the initiative to explain.
"The teams formed by us higher-ranked trainees are considered 'seeded players.' We are scheduled to be the main event in the afternoon of the first day. This is an old tradition for this type of exchange tournament."
"We're seeded players?" Arthur asked in return.
Only then did he realize that being ranked at the top had this additional meaning.
It wasn't just the right to choose their own teammates.
"Of course. Similarly, the opponents we'll face in the coming days will also only be the seeded players from the other youth camp. Unless you lose too badly in the first few days and get kicked out of the seeded player group, only then will the system arrange for you to battle other trainees."
"I see." Arthur realized.
Justin, at his side, also put away his playful expression, his face turning serious for the first time.
As a first-year, this was also the first time he had heard of this rule.
At this moment, all he could think was: I can't drag Bro Arthur down!
In the afternoon, after the other trainees had basically completed at least one round of matches, there was a short break, and all the fields were cleared.
Next, the much-anticipated seeded player duels were finally about to begin!
Arthur noticed something unexpected: the trainee from the Otter Club youth camp who had argued with them earlier and mouthed that he would remember him was actually one of the opposing seeded players!
No wonder he was walking at the very front of the team when they arrived.
At the same time, the other side was also surprised by Arthur's appearance.
And what surprised the Otter Club side even more was—
"Didn't we agree on six seeded players per side? How did you guys end up with seven teams this year? What's going on? And this data, the seventh-ranked team is actually two first-years? Are you kidding me?"
One of the Otter Club's youth camp instructors was a loud-mouthed man who also seemed to have a blunt temper. Looking at the data, he started complaining loudly, letting everyone hear.
Instantly, the twelve people from the six teams on the Otter Club side all looked over.
Everyone was trying to find out who the two extra first-years were.
Following the line of sight from the Sea Carp trainees, they quickly locked onto Arthur and Justin.
The Otter Club trainee who had the previous altercation with Arthur immediately grinned.
"Heh! First-years? Just here to make up the numbers?"
An instructor from the Sea Carp side took the initiative to go over and communicate with the other side, finally explaining this year's unexpected situation.
Anyway, the format was a round-robin, and they would be competing for several more days. It wasn't as if each team would only fight one match, so the unequal number of teams wasn't a big deal.
Besides, further eliminations might cause more changes in the numbers later on.
After consultation, the instructors on both sides had no objections and quickly announced that the competition would proceed as usual.
However, many of the Otter Club trainees couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Is there no mistake? First-years are really seeded players? No way, right?!"
"That first-year looks a bit familiar, have I seen him somewhere before?"
"I think I've seen him on TV, but I can't quite remember."
Regardless of what others were saying, the Otter Club trainee who had targeted Arthur and vowed to remember him broke into an excited smile upon hearing the news.
As luck would have it, the system had arranged his team to face Arthur and Justin's in the very first round!
In his eyes, this was simply a godsent opportunity!
(End of Chapter)
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