"Oh? My first opponent was actually this guy?"
His name was Chang Mengda, the classroom bully. Every character in his name carried a beautiful meaning. Rumor had it that his family had suddenly come into a huge fortune, so he spent lavishly and was quite popular among the students.
However, he did not like the impoverished Qiao Ran.
Qiao Ran did not like him either.
"I remember you only have one Pokémon, right? And you had to beg the teacher forever before they helped you catch it... Our match is three-on-three. I'd advise you to withdraw now, or people might say I'm bullying the weak and strip me of my qualification."
Chang Mengda rose onto his toes, trying to look down on Qiao Ran with his height. His words also drew a burst of laughter from the class.
"Watch your mouth, or I'll shove it up your ****."
Qiao Ran wore a smile as well, unleashing a string of utterly unfiltered insults. As a Rift horse hunter, when had he ever endured this kind of mockery?
"You brat..."
Chang Mengda's face turned the color of pig liver. How had this kid, who had always meekly accepted everything, become like this?
The other students were stunned too.
Had Qiao Ran eaten explosives?
"Please don't argue, contestants! The match is about to begin!"
In the end, the homeroom teacher stepped in to smooth things over. The match was on the verge of starting—
The battle began!
At Z23's emotionless call, Saratoga sprang to her feet in a panic like a child who had done something wrong, pushing her chair back with the backs of her knees.
"That basin of water was your doing, wasn't it?"
"No, it wasn't..."
Saratoga awkwardly lowered her gaze, not daring to look directly at Z23 on the stage. Perhaps it was because she had a guilty conscience.
"Look me in the eyes when you answer."
"Ugh... Sorry, I did it."
Saratoga slowly raised her head. Her pale purple eyes shimmered with pitiful tears, and she finally admitted it.
After all, the facts were there. No one would take the blame for her, and Z23 knew exactly who would pull off this sort of prank.
"No matter how much we Ship Girls reject humans, we cannot attack innocent people for no reason. Saratoga, you suddenly played a prank on someone... If something had gone slightly wrong, it would not have ended with merely injuring him. Do you understand?"
"I just wanted to give the human a little warning and make him back off..."
"What if your water and basin had caused a disaster?"
"That wouldn't happen, would it?"
"There is no such thing as wouldn't happen. He just arrived today and has not even started teaching yet, but you could have left him paralyzed for life, suffering worse than death. If word got out, we Ship Girls would become demons in human eyes."
"Waaah... I was wrong."
"Saratoga, hurry up and apologize to him properly. Promise you will not do it again."
Z23 did not go easy on her simply because she was a Ship Girl. Ship Girls might dislike humans, but they would not hurt humans without reason.
None of the people who had previously wanted to become commanders had been innocent.
Some had their legs broken for harassing Ship Girls. Some had brought disaster upon themselves with rude words and deserved to be sent to deserted islands. There had also been all sorts of other bad behavior.
Ling Yu had only just arrived and had done nothing inappropriate. As Ship Girls of good character, they could not be the first to ruin their own reputation.
"Fine. Um... I'm truly sorry for playing that prank on you. Please forgive my ignorant behavior."
Even though Saratoga was reluctant beyond measure to apologize to a human, Z23's strict demand forced her to offer an extremely unwilling apology.
"It was only wet clothes. I'm very healthy, so don't take it too seriously. But if you prank someone next time, please be more careful."
Ling Yu raised a hand. Even though he had the moral high ground, he could not press his advantage. If he left a bad impression on the girls in the class from the start, they would exclude and dislike him later, causing him to fail the assessment.
As someone determined to become a commander, he had to stay steady. He absolutely could not be knocked down at the first hurdle.
He would accomplish the mission that his predecessors had failed to complete.
Saratoga understood what Ling Yu meant. If she pranked the wrong person, things could become serious.
Although she had been reminded, she still had no favorable impression of the man who had made Z23 scold her.
The moment her apology ended, she was already planning her next prank.
Ling Yu was an Azur Lane player. He knew all too well that the little-devil-like Saratoga was mischievous. Once this happened, she would dare to do it again next time. Even if he did not say it openly, he would still need to stay on guard against her.
"Sit down. If I find out you're causing trouble again, you'll stand at the back for class next time."
Z23 sighed and gave her a stern warning.
Saratoga only heard the first part. As for the rest, it went in one ear and out the other.
Perhaps It Was Because He Liked Ship Girls
The minor prank incident passed.
Ling Yu's first day of teaching had been somewhat rocky, but overall, he had not left a bad impression on the Ship Girls.
Perhaps Saratoga, having been scolded, would hold a grudge against him. At the very least, she would not feel the urge to kill him, though she would think about how to prank him next time and regain some face.
Putting aside Saratoga, the problem student, there were still many Ship Girl students in the class. They could not all have such serious issues as Saratoga, right?
"Now then, let me introduce everyone. This is the newly arrived human commander. By tradition, if a human commander wishes to become a commander of our Azur Lane Maritime Affairs Bureau, he must pass the assessments of the five major factions. Teaching here is the first assessment. He must lead you to achieve an A grade in the large-scale practical exercise six months from now and gain your recognition before he can successfully pass the first assessment..."
"Teacher Z23, I have a question."
As Z23 introduced him, a spirited silver-haired loli raised her hand.
"Yukikaze, what is your question? Go ahead."
Z23 looked toward the loli with two fluffy cat ears who had raised her hand.
Ling Yu saw her as well. He had not expected Yukikaze, the Ship Girl who also called herself Lord Lotus, to be in this class.
Ling Yu could not have been more familiar with his impression of Yukikaze. She was an especially tsundere silver-haired beast-eared loli, with long, slender hair that shone silver, several black bows tied atop her head, and a rather revealing sailor uniform. Her fair, delicate little navel was entirely exposed to view, along with a rather well-developed pair of little cannonballs. Two spring-like straps connected the black short skirt and white top of her sailor uniform, making her somewhat different from the other Ship Girls in sailor uniforms and giving her a distinctive look.
Yukikaze glanced at Ling Yu, curled her lips, and ignored him before continuing to look at Z23. "This guy wants to—
What happened??????
In the end, Qiao Ran's voice broke the silence.
"It's over—Vulpix, finish it! Aurora Beam!!"
A freezing beam shot from Vulpix's mouth, landing several final blows on Mightyena, who was still dazed and unable to move immediately.
Under the repeated bombardment of Aurora Beam, Mightyena finally lowered his proud head, collapsing onto the ground with spirals in his eyes.
"The winner has been decided! Mightyena has lost the ability to battle!"
The homeroom teacher announced the result of this round, yet the students still looked utterly dazed.
How had that Vulpix... defeated Mightyena???
What exactly had happened??
How could she possibly do that?!
"All of this... Qiao... Qiao Ran, was this part of your plan too?"
Chang Mengda lowered his head, his face dark as he recalled Mightyena. He felt that he had suffered the greatest humiliation. The difference in their strength had clearly been so great, yet he had still been toyed with by his opponent.
"If you think so, then sure." Qiao Ran shrugged. Come on, with the understanding between him and Vulpix, wasn't doing something like this effortless?
Qiao Ran did not feel there was anything to be proud of. This was just basic stuff. Everyone should sit down already.
"Damn it..."
Qiao Ran's attitude provoked Chang Mengda's anger once more. He took out another Poké Ball and released it directly onto the field.
"I'll make you lose completely!"
With Chang Mengda's shout, a terrifying dragon-like Pokémon appeared in the center of the field.
It had a red head, a body covered in spikes, and two small wings on its back.
"Garchomp?"
Qiao Ran froze, but Chang Mengda had already begun issuing commands.
"Garchomp! Dragon Claw!"
"Vulpix, dodge—" Seeing the other side attack, Qiao Ran still wanted Vulpix to evade.
—However, this time was completely different from before. Before Qiao Ran could even finish shouting, Garchomp had already rushed before Vulpix and slashed out with both Dragon Claws.
"What...!"
Qiao Ran's pupils contracted. He watched with his own eyes as the two Dragon Claws struck Vulpix. She immediately let out a cry of pain, without even having time to dodge.
"...Ah!"
Qiao Ran clutched his abdomen and dropped to one knee, as though he too could feel the pain brought by the battle.
After suffering such a devastating blow, Vulpix gave a mournful cry and instantly collapsed, rolling her eyes white on the ground.
"This Garchomp is..."
Qiao Ran was filled with shock, but the referee—their homeroom teacher—was even more shocked.
The homeroom teacher stepped forward.
"Chang Mengda, you can only use Pokémon you raised yourself during a match. Was this Garchomp raised by an elder in your family? You absolutely cannot use this Pokémon! You will be stripped of your right to compete!"
Hearing the homeroom teacher's words, Qiao Ran gradually understood. So... this Garchomp had not been raised by a student, but was already a battle-hardened Pokémon? It belonged to one of his family elders?
No wonder... Was the gap between me and proper trainers still this huge?
And... judging by what the homeroom teacher meant, it seemed he wanted the other side to withdraw the Pokémon and let him off the hook?
"I... I didn't know! If it weren't for that guy!" Chang Mengda glared at Qiao Ran. If this guy had not resisted him, why would he have used it?
This was the elite Pokémon his father had raised since childhood! He had lent it to his precious son for protection! Chang Mengda would never have used it unless absolutely necessary. It was all Qiao Ran's fault!
"Recall it immediately, otherwise..." The homeroom teacher continued warning him. He wanted Chang Mengda to recall it and settle the matter quietly. After all, Chang Mengda was a seeded contestant who would definitely secure a qualifying spot.
It would be far too regrettable if he were eliminated because of the rules now.
However, at that moment, Qiao Ran raised his hand.
"Wait. I want to apply to continue the battle. This fight isn't over yet, is it? I'm his opponent."
"...???"
Qiao Ran's words immediately sparked a wave of discussion around them.
"He wants to challenge him? Is he crazy? That's Mengda's father's dragon!"
"The gap in strength is that huge..."
"I remember Qiao Ran only has one Pokémon. Is he going to enter the field and fight with his bare hands?"
"Didn't his Vulpix collapse?"
His words, which defied common sense, drew every gaze in the field toward Qiao Ran. He stood in the center, gently holding the unconscious Vulpix before carefully returning her to her Poké Ball.
Don't worry. I'll avenge you.
Qiao Ran silently said this in his heart. He knew Vulpix might have heard him too.
His gaze was resolute as he took another Poké Ball from his waist. It was a pink ball that looked quite adorable.
"I—will challenge this red-headed dragon! I haven't given up yet!"
The Mythical Pokémon
"He really wants to challenge it???"
"He's really gone crazy! Completely crazy!"
Qiao Ran's previous response could still have been dismissed as something they had misheard, but this time, his answer rang clearly in everyone's ears.
Before you continue