Why is my Pokémon girl a bit strange?

The Rotom Phone narrowly dodged the attacks of two Pokémon, letting out a pained cry in the air.

"Then delete it!"

"No deleting, Roto! I'll go down with the photos, Roto!"

"Then take the hit!"

Qiao Ran flashed a dark, twisted smile.

This farce continued, and it continued for a very, very long time. Qiao Ran also conducted special training with them for an entire day. During this day, they captured over thirty Grass and Bug-type Pokémon.

However, by the end, Vulpix and Dianxi weren't gaining much experience anymore. Their levels were fixed at 19. These wild Bug and Grass-type Pokémon were still a bit weak. If they wanted to continue leveling up, they would probably have to find stronger opponents.

"If they're at this level, challenging a Gym should be about right, shouldn't it?"

Qiao Ran stroked his chin, making a decision.

"Alright, we'll challenge a Gym tomorrow!"

That night, Qiao Ran found a flat, dry spot and set up a tent. He had learned how to set up tents in school. To cultivate qualified adventurers, this was a skill basically everyone had to master.

"You guys go to Pokémon Pioneer Land... What... you don't want to go?"

After setting up the tent, Qiao Ran looked back and found that his Pokémon were all looking at him expectantly. They actually didn't like returning to their Poké Balls, or rather, not many Pokémon liked the inside of a Poké Ball.

As for Pokémon Pioneer Land, it was still a barren place, and it wouldn't be very comfortable to live there.

"Fine, fine... then come inside together. You're not too big anyway."

In the end, Qiao Ran shrugged helplessly and invited them into the tent.

Tired from the day, Qiao Ran slept very well. Apart from Dianxi's body being a bit uncomfortable to lean on, and Vulpix's chilling aura making him shiver, there wasn't much else.

However, when morning came the next day, a commotion erupted from Qiao Ran's tent.

"You, you, you, you, you, you... How did you turn human again?! And why aren't you wearing... Cough, cough, you're hanging on me!"

"Didn't I tell you not to do this?! Achoo... I'm freezing. Good thing it's summer..."

"It must be Master thinking weird thoughts while dreaming, Roto, so that's why..."

"Dian Dian!"

Qiao Ran's mouth twitched. Could it really be because I had some strange dream last night?

"It wasn't me, I didn't!... &@...@&@(@!"

The next day, after finally resolving the morning commotion, Qiao Ran followed his planned itinerary and arrived at the majestic and magnificent Longjiang Gym.

However, at the entrance of the Gym, he seemed to encounter a very familiar figure.

It was a girl in a school uniform with a stern expression. However... unlike when Qiao Ran had seen her a few days ago, she was now disheveled, with several leaves stuck in her long black hair. Who knew what she had been through.

When he first saw her, she had the demeanor of a dignified young lady.

How did she end up like this after just a few days? Did she go into the woods to change a lightbulb?

"Um..."

Seeing her, Qiao Ran wanted to wave and say hello. However, the other party saw Qiao Ran, was slightly stunned, then glared at him fiercely, and finally hurried into the Gym, leaving directly.

She didn't say a word throughout the entire process.

"...???"

Qiao Ran, who was inexplicably glared at, was also a bit confused. He scratched his head, completely unaware of what had happened.

"Did I do anything to make her angry???"

"By the way... Who is she, what's her name??"

Section 11 011 [Longjiang Gym!]

Qiao Ran didn't know the girl's name or her identity. The only thing he understood was that she was a student from Longjiang City Third Middle School, the same school as him.

Oh, and one more thing – she definitely had a significant connection to the Longjiang Gym. Otherwise, she wouldn't have casually given away a no-appointment card. Such a special item couldn't be bought even with money.

"Forget it, I shouldn't dwell on these things. I still have a challenge to face."

Qiao Ran patted his cheeks, tidied up his mood, and strode into the interior of the Longjiang Gym.

The Gym was bustling with people, and there were even tour groups holding guide flags. Most of them were here to watch the matches. The official Gym challenge in Longjiang City had quite special rules, making it very suitable for large-scale spectating.

"Excuse me, can you help me apply for a Gym challenge? When is the earliest it can start?"

Qiao Ran went to the front desk to handle the procedures.

"The Gym challenge appointments are already booked for a week from now. Also, to challenge the Longjiang Gym, you need to have three badges. Have you collected three badges?" the young lady at the front desk asked.

"I've just started my journey and don't have any badges, but I have this..."

Qiao Ran took out the card.

"It's probably not possible without badges. The Longjiang Gym is a strong Gym. If you don't have badges..."

The lady at the front desk displayed a professional smile. However, after Qiao Ran took out the card, her expression changed slightly.

"That card is... wait, please hold on a moment."

After speaking, she took the card, turned it over and over, examining it several times, before finally whispering to the cashier next to her.

'This card... it seems to be someone recommended by the young lady of the house?'

'The young lady? When would the young lady...'

'I just confirmed it with the system... it's indeed a card issued by the young lady...'

'Could it be the young lady's...'

Within the League, there are often recommendation letters from challengers. These challengers with recommendation letters are basically rising stars favored by seniors or insiders. However, this time it was completely different.

This time, the recommender was the young lady of their Gym, and this was her first time recommending someone else... and the person she recommended was a man of a similar age to her, which was a bit delicate.

"…?"

Qiao Ran, on the other side, couldn't hear what they were saying, but he figured it wasn't anything serious, so he didn't bother with it.

"Well, although you've only just started your journey, with this card, we can process your challenge right away. However, your challenge will have to be after today's Giant Beast Battle. Our Gym Leader will contact you then."

After a period of busy work, the front desk lady finally informed Qiao Ran. The card did allow him to challenge without an appointment, but he would have to wait until the Gym Leader finished handling the current battles.

"You can go to the stadium to watch as a spectator like the others. We believe our Gym's Giant Beast Battle will give you a whole new experience."

"Giant Beast Battle?" Qiao Ran blinked, not quite understanding.

Although he was from Longjiang City, he had never been to a high-class place like the Longjiang Gym. It wasn't because it was too far, but because the ticket prices were simply too expensive.

If he hadn't become an adventurer and gotten free tickets, Qiao Ran wouldn't have had the money to watch such a match right now.

"Yes, the official challenge rules for our Longjiang City Gym require not only three badges but also the participation of at least two Pokémon with a height of over 2.5 meters. Only exceptionally rare individuals among Pokémon can reach such heights. The matches are conducted under a three-on-three rule, and this is what is called a Giant Beast Battle."

The front desk lady explained and added.

"However, you can ignore these rules. Our Gym Leader will help you set new standards."

"So this is the so-called Giant Beast Battle?"

Qiao Ran nodded, seeming to understand. In essence, it was similar to Gigantamax in the Pokémon game, Sword and Shield. However, compared to Gigantamax, which required special items and venues, this "Giant Beast Battle" simply relied on the Pokémon's original height for combat.

Of course, compared to the dozens of meters in height during Gigantamax, this Giant Beast Battle lacked that sense of overwhelming pressure. But fortunately, the spectators' safety was guaranteed; there was no need to worry about a fireball hitting the stands during the fight.

"Alright, please help me arrange for me to watch as well. It's a good chance to see what the official battles at the Longjiang Gym are like."

Qiao Ran decided to watch the match, which would also allow him to get familiar with the Gym Leader he was about to challenge.

"Okay, we'll prepare your seat right away."

The front desk lady nodded.

"Welcome! Welcome to Longjiang City, welcome to the Longjiang Gym!"

"Today's Giant Beast Battle challenge is about to begin! First, let's welcome our Gym Leader, the Dragon-type Pokémon Master! Long Xiangdong!"

"Roar roar roar roar roar!!"

As the host's opening remarks concluded, the vast stadium erupted with deafening cheers, more exaggerated than the appearance of a celebrity. Or, it could be said that in this world full of Pokémon, only powerful trainers were the true stars, the focus of everyone's attention.

The battle arena here was countless times larger than the one at school. Judging by the naked eye, it was probably the size of a football field.

"So passionate..."

Qiao Ran covered his ears. If he didn't, he would have thought his eardrums were about to burst.

The stage rose, and stepping out amidst the cheers was a middle-aged man with short hair and a small mustache, who looked very energetic. He was wearing a tracksuit adorned with golden dragon patterns, his hands behind his back, standing upright.

However, the most eye-catching thing was the Pokémon partner standing beside him.

Even Qiao Ran, a seasoned gamer, widened his mouth in disbelief.

"This... this is a Dragonite??? What... what kind of joke is this? This height..."

Yellow skin, a round body, small wings – there was no doubt it was a Dragonite. However, what astonished Qiao Ran immensely was the size of this Dragonite... Judging by his estimation, it was already around three meters tall.

"What kind of special individual could grow to over three meters tall? Shouldn't a normal Dragonite only be around two meters tall???"

Qiao Ran was shocked. No wonder the battles at the Longjiang Gym were called Giant Beast Battles. With just this Dragonite alone, it probably qualified.

Undeniably!

Section 12 012 [My Rules]

Base stats are statistics compiled through big data, representing the average values within a certain Pokémon species. The standard height and weight of Pokémon are also derived this way. While they have considerable reference value, they are merely averages for reference. The so-called average values cannot account for certain special existences.

After all, within Pokémon populations, there are many unreasonably resilient individuals. For example, the dominant Pokémon in a species. These dominant Pokémon are not only much larger than ordinary Pokémon but also have stronger stats.

This Dragonite, over three meters tall, was likely a special individual. Its size, half again as large as a normal Dragonite, would be considered a giant if compared to humans.

"No wonder you need more than three badges to challenge... If it were a beginner adventurer, they probably wouldn't even be able to bring out a Pokémon of this size."

Qiao Ran shook his head. He couldn't help but think of his own small Pokémon. Placed before this Dragonite, they probably wouldn't even be enough for one stomp.

"Today's challenger is—a five-badge challenger from Jinguan City in the Southwest region! Let's give him a round of applause! What kind of Pokémon will he use to challenge our Gym Leader?"

"Roar roar roar roar roar!!!"

The challenger entered, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Some fans specifically followed the journeys of these challengers, finding it akin to nurturing something, witnessing their growth step by step.

"Watching them transform from trainees who've practiced for years into champions is actually a very fulfilling experience."

"Welcome, young man."

Gym Leader Long Xiangdong took his position on the other side. After a brief exchange, the match officially began.

"For the first match, let's heat up the stadium!"

Long Xiangdong didn't send out his ace Dragonite first. In fact, he only used that Pokémon against opponents of considerable strength. For ordinary challengers, he would go easy on them.

"Go, Exeggutor!"

As the light from the Poké Ball flared, a colossal creature, easily twenty meters tall, rose from the ground, almost blocking out the sky. The audience gaped, craning their necks to look up at its height.

Immediately after, an unprecedented roar of cheers erupted from the stands.

"ROOOOAR!!!"

Even Qiao Ran couldn't help but widen his mouth.

"This... an Alolan Exeggutor? Aren't the regular ones only a little over ten meters, about three stories tall?"

With its grayish-brown body, slender neck, and the egg-like structure and leaves on its head, this was undoubtedly an Alolan Exeggutor, a special Pokémon native to the Alola region. This particular Pokémon possessed the dual typing of Grass and Dragon, along with an extraordinary height, truly a giant beast in every sense of the word.

But the one in front of Qiao Ran... was significantly larger than a typical Alolan Exeggutor, even more intimidating than Gigantamax.

Where on earth did this Gym Leader find such a Pokémon?

As he pondered this, Qiao Ran's excitement grew, and he found himself increasingly looking forward to the upcoming battle.

"Absolutely spectacular, truly spectacular."