This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship Chapter 17

Neon Stone Sprite understood and swiftly activated Icy Wind. Having just defeated the Gym Leader's Pokémon gave her a great deal more confidence, and even her movements had become much quicker.

"Myrmeleo, use Dig."

Following Bugsy's command, Myrmeleo pressed both hands against the ground. Without digging through any sand, the earth beneath her automatically turned to sand, and she sank straight down.

Icy Wind missed. With no enemy left on the field, Neon Stone Sprite was momentarily at a loss, unsure whether she should use Rock Throw or who she would attack if she did.

You Zhi could not help frowning. Dig was not particularly useful in games, but in reality, it was an extremely troublesome skill. Without a proper countermeasure, one could only passively take hits.

Then, inspiration suddenly struck him.

He hurriedly set the Spell Card in his hand facedown on the field, began forging his next Spell Card, and instructed, "Stay focused and alert. Pay particular attention to the ground beneath your feet and nearby."

Bugsy smiled at that. "Myrmeleo, attack!"

Neon Stone Sprite hurriedly lowered her head to observe the ground, warily watching her surroundings and preparing to counterattack at any moment.

However, Myrmeleo did not emerge from the ground near Neon Stone Sprite. Instead, she surfaced five meters behind her, immediately whipping up a current of air around herself before lunging forward with Lunge.

Unable to see what was behind her, Neon Stone Sprite had no way to dodge and took the hit head-on. It was like being struck by a motorcycle going sixty miles per hour. She was sent flying more than ten meters, then rolled across the ground several times.

Seeing such an adorable little girl being treated like that, the audience could not help crying out in concern, even though they knew she was a Pokémon.

Of course, several extremely excited cheers were mixed in as well.

Neon Stone Sprite climbed back to her feet. Her originally exquisite appearance was now marred by numerous wounds, making her look all the more pitiful, like a work of art that had not been properly preserved.

As a three-star Pokémon, her defense was high, but her health was not. Seeing this, You Zhi activated the facedown Spell Card.

[Instant-Activation Spell Card: Goblin Thief]

[Effect: Damage an enemy Pokémon and restore your own Pokémon's vitality.]

The next moment, a fat, big-eared Goblin appeared in the Duel Arena, pushing a crate of goods. It took out two items from its cart: a lit bomb and a bottle of potion.

It first tossed the potion bottle to Neon Stone Sprite. Then it looked around, unable to find the enemy and appearing rather confused. Suddenly, its eyes lit up, and it threw the bomb into the hole created by Dig.

With a boom, the entire Duel Arena trembled. The ground bulged slightly as thick black smoke billowed out. Fat Goblin nodded in satisfaction and vanished on its own, not caring whether it had injured the enemy.

After receiving the potion bottle, Neon Stone Sprite uncorked it and poured it over herself. Her injuries immediately began recovering at a visible rate.

Bugsy asked curiously, "Why did you set your Instant-Activation Spell Card facedown? Were you trying to disguise it as a Spirit-Accumulating Spell Card and deceive your opponent?"

You Zhi answered honestly, "Because I haven't mastered the technique of forging with one hand."

Without freeing both hands, he could not forge his next Spell Card.

Bugsy did not know whether to laugh or cry. Turning his attention back to the duel, he ordered Myrmeleo to launch a second sneak attack. This time, however, it failed.

You Zhi promptly said, "On the left. Summon Ice Wall."

Neon Stone Sprite obeyed. Sure enough, Myrmeleo emerged from the ground to her left and launched the Bug-type move Lunge again, only to slam headfirst into the Ice Wall. Although she shattered it by force with her momentum, the remaining power was barely enough to inflict any meaningful damage on Neon Stone Sprite.

Bugsy asked in surprise, "How did you notice?"

"By listening."

"I see. Your hearing is really sharp."

Bugsy was enlightened. It was perfectly normal for Trainers to possess some special abilities. It was said that Lance of the Elite Four had the power to heal Pokémon. Compared to that, merely having sharp hearing was nothing noteworthy.

In truth, You Zhi relied on Force Listening. He was not listening with his ears, but using his feet to detect vibrations underground.

During the first Dig, he had no reference data and could not determine the range based on the feedback from the force, so he could only take the hit. With experience from the second attempt, he could use the data from the first to establish a coordinate axis, making it easy to determine the opponent's position underground.

After accidents happened time and again, Bugsy said with interest, "But with only that, you can defend but not counterattack. How do you intend to solve that problem?"

"Naturally, with this Spell Card."

You Zhi decisively activated the Instant-Activation Spell Card he had just forged—Earthquake!

The First Badge

The Spell Card Earthquake used violent vibrations to make the Pokémon on the field lose their balance. It had no inherent destructive power, but that depended on the situation.

In a case like this, where a Pokémon had burrowed underground and then encountered violent tremors, it would inevitably suffer severe damage. Bugsy instantly realized this and hurriedly shouted, "Myrmeleo, get out now!"

Before long, amid plumes of sand spraying upward, the disoriented Myrmeleo emerged from underground. She had clearly suffered quite an impact below the surface, to the point that her consciousness was hazy. After climbing out, she was still unable to keep her balance due to the Earthquake and fell face-first onto the ground.

Neon Stone Sprite was not Goblin Attack Force and did not receive immunity. She too was affected by the Earthquake and lay prone on the ground. At that moment, even if she attacked, she could not aim properly, but that was not a concern with an area attack.

It was Icy Wind again. A biting cold wind mixed with shards of ice howled forth and struck the Ground-type Myrmeleo squarely. Already lightly clothed, she felt even colder now, and a layer of white frost covered her exposed skin.

Seeing this, Bugsy knew he could not sit around waiting to lose. Judging from the earlier fight, the enemy Pokémon's attack power was not particularly high, but if he allowed this to continue, Myrmeleo might be completely frozen. By then, it would be too late. He decisively activated his facedown Spell Card.

[Normal Trap Card: Treacherous Trap Hole]

[Effect: If there are no Trap Cards in your graveyard, target 2 monsters on the field; destroy them.]

This Spell Card could destroy two Pokémon at once, making it suitable for group battles rather than one-on-one duels. However, Traptrix Myrmeleo possessed the trait of being unaffected by "Trap Hole" Spell Card effects, so it could be used now.

A flash of light appeared, and a huge pit suddenly opened beneath Neon Stone Sprite's feet. She immediately fell in. The bottom of the pit seemed to contain buried landmines, which exploded the instant she touched them.

Bang!

A column of sand shot five meters into the air. Anyone seeing it would have thought that even if Neon Stone Sprite had not been destroyed, she would at least be severely injured.

At that moment, the Earthquake's effects faded, and the Duel Arena's ground became calm again. A figure climbed out of the pit.

Bugsy instinctively sensed that something was wrong and hurriedly said, "Rush in and use Storm Throw!"

Myrmeleo, having regained her senses, did not even stop to wipe away the frost on her body before charging forward. Drawn by Spirit Power, the dirt and sand on the ground formed into two huge hands beside her body, reaching toward Neon Stone Sprite in the dust cloud.

Storm Throw was a Fighting-type move and had an advantage against Ice-types. It was Bugsy's trump card, one he had not intended to use against a rookie Trainer because it would have been too harsh. But in this urgent moment, he could not worry about that.

Yet Neon Stone Sprite flicked her two crystal braids, which were coiled into balls, forward with a sharp whistling sound. They smashed the sandy hands apart, after which she stepped forward and stopped the charging Myrmeleo with sheer strength.

As the dust settled, Neon Stone Sprite, who had fallen into the pit and endured the explosion, was completely unharmed. Moreover, the phantom of a blue-skinned lizard had appeared behind her.

This was Neon Stone Sprite's trait. Whenever she was selected as the target of an effect, she could gain the power of another Water Attribute Pokémon. The only Water Attribute Pokémon You Zhi had captured was Demon Lizard Yihao.

Using Cheat Appraisal to inspect Neon Stone Sprite's attributes, You Zhi discovered that her attack and defense values had increased by half of Demon Lizard Yihao's attack and defense values, completely overwhelming her opponent.

Amid his surprise, Bugsy quickly said, "Don't get tangled up with her. Retreat, then use Sand Tomb."

"Too late. Use Seismic Toss."

An astonishing power erupted from her small body. Neon Stone Sprite grabbed Myrmeleo and raised her high above her head, then continuously shook both hands while her two braids repeatedly hammered upward as well, thoroughly breaking down her opponent's defense before she viciously slammed her into the ground.

Thud!

Her health dropped to zero, and Myrmeleo scattered into particles of spiritual energy.

After Neon Stone Sprite absorbed them and combined them with the gains from the previous battle, she actually leveled up twice in a row.

Not only that, You Zhi felt the Duel Spirit Power within his body suddenly grow excited, like a herd of wild horses breaking free of their reins and charging wildly in every direction. Only after quite some time did it calm down.

He had advanced to five stars!

Even without measuring himself with an instrument, You Zhi was absolutely certain of it. As though by instinct, he knew what this change represented.

Bugsy did not notice anything unusual about You Zhi, because he too had been dazed for a while after the duel ended. Once he came back to himself, he smiled and congratulated him. "An excellent battle. As a Trainer, you are fully worthy of the Hive Badge."

He took a round badge resembling a ladybug from a staff member and personally handed it to You Zhi. He praised him again, "A powerful Pokémon and precise commands. Both were flawless. I look forward to the day you challenge the Pokémon League Champion."

Neon Stone Sprite placed her hands on her hips, proudly lifted her chin, and puffed out her chest. As the audience cheered, the phantom of Demon Lizard Yihao behind her gradually faded away.

"It may be difficult to meet your expectations in the short term. All I can say is that I'll do my best."

You Zhi knew that a large reason for his overwhelming victory this time was that his opponent did not understand Neon Stone Sprite's trait. Otherwise, Bugsy would never have activated Treacherous Trap Hole and strengthened Neon Stone Sprite for nothing.

Still, intelligence was an important part of Spirit Duels, so there was nothing much to say about it. In Pokémon battles, knowing the opponent's moveset and held items in advance could likewise greatly improve one's odds of winning.

You Zhi took the badge and sensed it briefly. Just as people had said online, it could store Spirit Power. He carefully put it away, then glanced at the expectant Neon Stone Sprite and reached out to pat her little head. Mm, cool and smooth. It felt excellent.

"You worked hard. I'll give this performance eighty points. Keep it up next time. I look forward to the day you become my ace."

The encouragement was extremely perfunctory, directly copied from what Gym Leader Bugsy had just said.

Neon Stone Sprite was not so calculating. She was so happy that both her braids rose into the air.

"Ah-bo!"

You Zhi left the Gym with the badge and was preparing to return to his hotel for some rest when he suddenly caught sight of a familiar graceful figure. Her expression was grave, and she moved in a hurry, completely failing to notice him.

"She looks deeply troubled. If I had a system, this would be the moment it went ding and issued a quest, wouldn't it?"

Remembering their earlier acquaintance, You Zhi followed her without hesitation.

Although he vaguely sensed that following her might lead him into some sort of trouble, he did not actually dislike problems that could be solved with violence. What he truly hated were problems involving social obligations and interpersonal dealings.

Besides, he had just fought a battle where he could not attack the Trainer, and he inexplicably felt unsatisfied. You Zhi was practically hoping to run into some enemies who did not play by the rules.

He therefore concealed his presence and carefully followed Yuan Ying from behind, making sure neither she nor passersby noticed anything suspicious. He trailed her all the way to a well outside Azalea Town, where he saw her tie a rope in place and climb down. Yet he heard no sound of splashing water.

You Zhi hurried to the edge of the well and looked down. He found that the water inside had long since dried up, and there seemed to be another passage at the bottom.

"Wait, this place looks familiar. It should be connected to some plot point. Let me think..."

Anomaly

"I remember now! In the game, Team Rocket members harvested Slowpoke tails at the bottom of the well, only to be driven away by the protagonist."

Naturally, there were no Slowpoke in this altered world. Pokémon bodies were composed of spiritual energy rather than flesh and blood, so cutting off any Pokémon's tail was useless. Thus, dishes such as steamed Krabby, stir-fried Farfetch'd, and braised Magikarp did not exist either.

You Zhi had assumed this plot would never happen again, but now it seemed that there had been some other change.

Using the rope tied outside the well, he nimbly climbed down and followed the passage at its bottom. Before long, he arrived at a spacious underground cavern. There was an underground lake inside as well, and he guessed it might be connected to the underground lake in Union Cave.

"I remember there being another hidden area here in the game. After using Surf to reach another cave, you could obtain the item King's Rock. I wonder if this world has a similar opportunity."

But now was clearly not the time for patient exploration. You Zhi followed the footprints Yuan Ying had left behind until he saw her back. At that moment, the Pokédex in his pocket began vibrating violently.

He hurriedly took it out and saw large scarlet words flashing across the screen: "HIGH-ENERGY WARNING! AN ANOMALY HAS BEEN DETECTED!"

When he looked up again, he discovered a strange phenomenon resembling a Space-Time Vortex before Yuan Ying. Even the light shining upon it was distorted. He could sense the immense spiritual energy contained within, as well as an indescribable danger.

Seeing this and recalling the warnings from the experts in the chatroom, You Zhi felt he could no longer remain hidden. He stepped out and said, "You aren't planning to go in, are you? It's extremely dangerous inside. Whatever your reason, you shouldn't risk your life."

Yuan Ying jumped at the sudden voice. When she turned and saw You Zhi, she sighed in relief. Then she noticed the Pokédex in his hand, and her eyes lit up. "You're a Spirit Purifier too?"

"Spirit Purifier? Too?"

You Zhi caught the two key points.

Yuan Ying turned around and raised her hand, displaying the Pokédex in her palm, which was likewise flashing a high-energy warning. "My father left this to me. He said this machine was a symbol of a Spirit Purifier's identity, and that the Spirit Purifiers' mission was to maintain the world's peace and stability."

You Zhi thought it over carefully and confirmed that Pegasus had never mentioned such a thing. The experts in the chatroom had likewise never brought up any related information, leaving him with only one conclusion:

Yuan Ying's father had terminal eighth-grader syndrome.

Considering that his inherited Pokémon were from the HERO series, it was understandable.

"I haven't had the Pokédex for long. The person who gave it to me never explained what possessing it meant. Maybe he wanted me to discover that for myself."

You Zhi did not voice his conclusion. Exposing the great image Yuan Ying had of her father would not benefit him in any way, so there was no need to go out of his way to do it.

Besides, judging from the chatroom's message history, clearing Anomalies truly did help maintain the world's stability. So Yuan Ying's father could not be said to have lied. At most, he had given it an overly dramatic name, which was hardly a big deal.

"However, the seniors who possess Pokédexes have warned that before gaining enough strength to protect yourself, you must not recklessly approach an Anomaly. It's best to record its location, post it on the forum, and leave it to them."

Rather than objecting, Yuan Ying nodded. "I know all that. I wasn't planning to take a risk. I only saw that my father had recorded the coordinates of several Anomalies in the Pokédex, so I wanted to inspect them in person and confirm whether his disappearance was connected to them."

You Zhi relaxed and asked, "Then what's your conclusion?"

"At least, it has nothing to do with this Anomaly. I didn't find any signs that my father had been here, unless someone deliberately erased them. But I can't think of any reason to do that."

After thinking for a moment, You Zhi suggested, "Maybe you could make a help post on the forum. Your father should have had close friends. If they know anything, there's no reason they would stand by and do nothing."

Yuan Ying said helplessly, "That's exactly what has been troubling me. A Pokédex can only be bound to one identity, and I don't know the password my father set, so I can't log into his account."

"Generally speaking, people use birthdays as passwords. Their own, their wife's, or their child's are all possible."

"I tried them all, but none worked."

"Alright. It seems your father was not an ordinary person."

You Zhi did not know Yuan Ying's father, so he could not offer any better advice. At that moment, both of their Pokédexes suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.