Facing Lin Yan

"Too easy to predict. Snivy, use Vine Whip!"

Ye Lan shook his head. In the end, a Pokémon Battle was a game of rock-paper-scissors, shaped by each Pokémon's individual strengths.

A Single Battle did not show the full picture. A six-on-six battle with a full team—that was where a trainer's true skill came through.

"Wartortle!"

Wartortle cried out as Vine Whip struck it again. The double damage from the Grass-type attack left it swaying on its feet.

"Hang in there, Wartortle! Use Hydro Pump!"

But the consequences of forcing Wartortle's growth were plain to see. Badly injured, it had even less control over the power inside it, and Hydro Pump came out far too slowly.

Snivy leaped aside and easily dodged the blast.

"Don't stop! Use Hydro Pump again!"

Wang Siqi had lost her composure. She had expected to overwhelm her opponent with raw power, only to find they were evenly matched.

Now that it came down to technique, the gap between them was painfully clear.

Hydro Pump blasts kept coming, but Snivy's nimble figure slipped through every opening.

As Wartortle fired attack after attack, its stamina drained at an alarming rate.

All the while, Snivy dodged closer.

"It's over. One last Iron Tail."

"Snivy!"

White light gathered around Snivy's tail. It flipped over and struck the crack it had made earlier.

Crash! A corner of Wartortle's shell shattered. Blood flowed from the wound, and after rolling several times across the ground, Wartortle lost consciousness.

"Wartortle is unable to battle! The winner is Ye Lan!"

The referee's whistle blew, and cheers erupted around the field.

"That Snivy is seriously strong! Even Wang Siqi's Wartortle couldn't beat it!"

"Sure, Snivy had the type advantage, but how could the gap be that big?"

"Did you notice Ye Lan's Snivy knows Protect, too? I thought he came from an ordinary family."

In the stands, Liu Yan nodded. "His command of the battle was excellent, too. He's promising."

"He's only trained his Pokémon for a week and already gotten this far. If his Snivy evolves before the provincial tournament, he might really place near the top."

Beside her, Liu Qingshan was very pleased with Ye Lan's performance. The Protect TM he had given him had clearly been worth it.

TMs were so expensive in this world because they were both efficient and convenient.

A trainer only had to hold a TM near a Poké Ball's release button, and the Pokémon inside would quickly grasp the techniques needed for the move.

After using the TM, Snivy had only practiced the move briefly in its battles with Charmander before mastering it completely.

The first battle was over, but Ye Lan noticed Wang Siqi turning to leave without recalling Wartortle.

He frowned and called after her. "Your Wartortle is badly hurt. It needs treatment right away, or it could suffer lasting damage."

"My Pokémon is none of your business! I spent so many resources getting it to evolve, and it still couldn't beat a beginner-level Pokémon. Useless is useless!"

With that, Wang Siqi walked off without looking back.

Ye Lan had not expected it. Even the teachers watching the battle were stunned.

It was a Starter Pokémon. Was she really abandoning it just like that?

Mr. Li, who had been stationed outside the field in case of emergencies, hurried over with Audino to treat Wartortle.

"Snivy! Snivy!"

Snivy glared angrily in the direction Wang Siqi had gone. It clearly despised a trainer who would abandon her partner.

"We'll meet plenty more trainers like her. That's why we need to get stronger. We can't lose to them!"

"Snivy!"

Snivy nodded, then turned to look at its trainer. He had thick hair, a slightly curled fringe, and striking shadows beneath his eyes on an otherwise clear face.

For the first time, Snivy thought its trainer was actually pretty handsome.

Ye Lan sighed. Seeing someone do that in real life for the first time left him with mixed feelings.

Back when he played Pokémon on a handheld console, he had caught and discarded plenty of Pokémon while hunting for the right Ability and nature.

There was nothing wrong with raising Pokémon that had good potential.

But reality was different. Pokémon were living beings, and the bonds they formed were real. The remarkable connection between trainer and Pokémon could decide a battle.

By the time Ye Lan came back to himself, Lin Yan was already standing across from him.

"Want to take a break? Battling my Charmander right after that match could make you lose pretty easily."

Lin Yan smiled at Ye Lan, and Charmander roared at Snivy.

"You're underestimating us. That was just a warm-up!"

"Snivy!"

Snivy's fighting spirit flared. Its black, slit-pupiled eyes locked onto the opponent that liked burning its tail.

Ye Lan's lazy expression vanished, and his whole demeanor changed.

"Doesn't Ye Lan seem like a different person?"

"Maybe he didn't see any of the others as real opponents."

Students around the field began talking. Some of the girls even blushed when they saw Ye Lan's serious expression.

"Begin!"

At the referee's command, Lin Yan gave the first order.

"Charmander, Fire Fang!"

Charmander lunged forward. Flames blazed around its jaws like a fiery mask.

Just as Charmander closed in, Snivy sprang upward. White light gathered around its tail, and it brought it down hard toward Charmander's face.

Boom! The moves collided, kicking up clouds of dust.

When the dust cleared, Snivy and Charmander both leaped back.

Snivy's leaf-shaped tail had been scorched black in places. Charmander had not escaped unscathed either; bloody scratches streaked its face.

"That move's power has already gone beyond the beginner level."

Liu Yan smiled as she watched the field.

"They really have given me plenty of surprises!" Principal Liu Qingshan looked delighted too.

They had reached the strength of intermediate trainers with less than a week of training. Who would dare say Mianzhou was no good after this?

The battle shifted in an instant. Before Charmander could recover from Iron Tail, two vines shot through the dust toward it like pythons hunting in the dark.

With no time to dodge, Charmander threw both arms up to protect itself.

But the lashing blow it expected never came. Instead, two soft yet sturdy vines wrapped tightly around it.

"Charmander, Smokescreen!"

Just as Charmander was about to be dragged in front of Snivy, ink-black smoke poured from its mouth, blotting out the field.

"So that's how it is, Lin Yan! You've been hiding a move up your sleeve!"

Ye Lan had never seen Lin Yan's Charmander use that move in any of their battles.

He had wanted a fair match with his best friend, so he had not checked Charmander's data screen. Now he almost could not resist doing it.