This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship

Sure enough, the proper, orthodox way was for players to command Pokémon in battle like in the comics. Turning it into a card game was merely a compromise forced by technological limitations—house rules born of necessity.

"Can I take a look at your deck?"

"Of course! Blue-Eyes White Dragon is the strongest. Big brother, you should play Blue-Eyes too."

The shopkeeper's son generously handed his deck to You Zhi and enthusiastically recommended it.

"Dark Magician is the strongest," his friend protested.

You Zhi had initially thought the cards were exquisitely made and might be convincing counterfeits, but the moment he touched them, he knew he had been overthinking it. Any Trainer could tell with a touch whether a Pokémon resided within a card. There was no possibility of deception.

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Dark Magician... Those sound familiar."

You Zhi vaguely remembered that those two had also appeared frequently in a manga he had read in his previous life.

The shopkeeper's son was unconcerned. "Of course they sound familiar. Blue-Eyes, Dark Magician, and Red-Eyes are known as the three royal Pokémon. They're the signature Pokémon of Pokémon League Champion Red and several Elite Four members."

"Your shaved noodles are here."

The proprietress placed a brimming bowl of shaved noodles before You Zhi, then turned to her son and scolded him, "Still playing cards? Have you finished your homework?"

"I'm not playing. I'm preparing to become a great Pokémon Master someday."

"You haven't even awakened two-star Spirit Power, yet you want to be a Pokémon Master?" The proprietress looked disgusted. "If you haven't awakened two stars by the age of twelve, forget becoming a Pokémon Master—you won't even become a Pokémon Trainer. You'll only be able to learn how to make ramen from your father."

"I don't want to make ramen."

"Then study hard. Even if you can't become a Trainer, you can at least become a researcher someday."

After finishing his shaved noodles, You Zhi casually asked while paying, "Ma'am, where nearby are there more wild Pokémon?"

"Obviously Ilex Forest to the west. What, are you a Pokémon Trainer?"

Ilex Forest? Wasn't that a location from Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions? There had even been rumors back then that if you gathered every Unown, you could catch Celebi beside the shrine in the forest.

You Zhi considered it inwardly and gave a casual hum.

"Big brother is a Pokémon Trainer?"

The shopkeeper's son poked his head out from the back room, a pencil tucked between his upper lip and nose. "But you didn't even know about Card Duels... Will you enter the Pokémon League Conference?"

Anyone who collected eight Gym Badges could enter the Pokémon League Conference. Even without the original owner's memories, You Zhi still remembered that setting from Pokémon. He became increasingly certain this was a stitched-together world and casually replied, "If I get the chance, I probably will."

"Then when I become a Pokémon Trainer, let's settle things in the Pokémon League Conference."

"Sure. My name is You Zhi. What about you?"

"My name is Gold."

"My name is Silver."

The shopkeeper's son's companion introduced himself as well.

The proprietress planted her hands on her hips and shouted, "Get back and do your homework!"

The two immediately ducked back inside.

The proprietress said to You Zhi, "Children say whatever comes to mind. Don't take it to heart."

"I think those two kids will achieve great things someday. They might really make it."

"Thank you for your kind words."

No one disliked hearing praise about their children. The proprietress smiled happily, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly warned him, "Right, Ilex Forest hasn't been very safe lately. I heard suspicious people have been appearing there. Please be careful."

"I will. Thank you for the warning."

Understanding the Worldview

Having confirmed his next objective, You Zhi did not rush to set off. Instead, he first went to the town library to look up information and learn about the setting of this world, especially the rules surrounding Spirit Duels.

Judging by the townspeople's reactions, not knowing about Card Duels might make people think you were a country bumpkin. But if you did not know about Spirit Duels, they would definitely think you were an alien.

"Pokémon first appeared 218 years ago. That year was named Spirit Year One. At first, there were only a handful of them, but as time passed, more and more Pokémon appeared in the present world, drawing the attention of scientists...

"According to several high-ranking Pokémon, they originated from a plane known as the Spirit Realm. Some cataclysmic disaster had severely damaged the Spirit Realm, causing parts of its space to become fragments of worlds that fused with the plane inhabited by humans. The nature of that disaster remains unknown...

"Pokémon bodies are composed of Spirit Power and take on flesh-like forms to adapt to the laws of the present world. Eating can accelerate the recovery of Spirit Power, but is not essential. A Pokémon's disappearance is not true death, but a return to Spirit Space. Once its Spirit Power has been fully replenished, it will descend upon the present world again...

"The essence of a Pokémon Card is a medium for communicating with Spirit Space. Therefore, placing a Pokémon inside a Pokémon Card can accelerate the recovery of its Spirit Power. There is also no need to worry that Pokémon sealed in cards for long periods will become lonely or restless. Professor Sycamore of the Kalos Region believes that humans should not arrogantly impose their own thoughts upon Pokémon...

"Professor Mohn of the Aether Foundation proposed a hypothesis: the Pokémon in the present world are actually projections of their true bodies in the Spirit Realm. The more talented a Pokémon is, the greater the weight it possesses. Thus, weak Pokémon often seem foolish and emotionally deficient, while powerful Pokémon possess intelligence equal to that of humans. At present, there is no evidence supporting this hypothesis..."

You Zhi roughly finished flipping through The Pokémon Origin Even a Troublemaker Can Understand, then selected another book, A Trainer's Primer Recommended by Champion Red.

According to the book, the energy within You Zhi's body was called Duel Spirit Power. It was a prerequisite for becoming a Pokémon Trainer and could be cultivated through meditation and Spirit Duels. Spirit Power ranks were divided by stars, and each increase in rank doubled one's power.

Generally speaking, people in this world were born with one-star Spirit Power and would possess two-star Spirit Power upon reaching adulthood. Through meditation, they could reach a maximum of four stars. Beyond that, advancement could only be achieved through Spirit Duels.

Of course, talent also played a role.

With the same meditation, some people's Spirit Power grew faster while others' grew slower. From the same Spirit Duel, some absorbed more while others absorbed less. This was where the difference in talent showed itself.

That was why the ramen shop proprietress had told her son that if he had not awakened two-star Spirit Power before twelve, he could not become a Pokémon Trainer. It was not that it was truly impossible, but rather that his talent would be insufficient and he would find it difficult to accomplish anything in the profession.

After all, more than two hundred years had passed since Pokémon appeared in the world. Competition among Pokémon Trainers had become extremely fierce. If ordinary people forced their way in, they would only become background characters who existed to highlight geniuses.

The rank of a Trainer's Duel Spirit Power determined the maximum star rank of Pokémon they could command. For example, a four-star Pokémon Trainer could only command Pokémon up to four stars. If he somehow obtained a Five-Star Pokémon one day, he could still summon it, but it might not obey his orders. It was not impossible for it to turn against him in battle.

"This setting is very similar to the Pokémon games. Players have to obtain Gym Badges to increase their command limit. If a Pokémon's level exceeds that limit, it might ignore orders or use moves at random."

You Zhi once again "delightfully" discovered another stitched-together element.

"I wonder how many stars I have right now. I'll need to find a chance to get tested."

He continued reading about Spirit Duels. According to the book, Spirit Duels were divided into Temporary Duels and Official Duels. The battle he had fought with Harin had been the former.

In a Temporary Duel, both Trainers could spend Spirit Power on their own to use Spell Cards. Once a summoned Pokémon was dispersed, its Trainer would suffer Spirit Power backlash corresponding to its star rank. Thus, when acquaintances fought, they usually stopped at the right point. The winning Pokémon could still gain experience, though less than it would receive from completely eliminating its opponent.

An Official Duel required the deployment of a Duel Barrier. At that point, even if a Pokémon was defeated, its Trainer would not suffer Spirit Power backlash. Furthermore, refining Spell Cards consumed only half as much Spirit Power.

"Eh? They're actually called Spell Cards? Not Magic Cards and Trap Cards?"

You Zhi immediately noticed something unusual.

During the previous duel, he had discovered that Harin could not see the information descriptions as he could. Therefore, when Demon Lizard Yihao entered battle, Harin had not known that it was also a Water Attribute Pokémon and could only confirm it through the ensuing battle.

At the time, You Zhi had guessed that this was probably a benefit granted to him as a transmigrator, an identification function he possessed by default.

Now, however, it seemed that this identification function might not be accurate. A possibility surfaced in his mind.

"My cheat ability is actually a Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Explainer, not a genuine identification device. It's just that Pokémon Cards and Spell Cards share the same artwork as Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, so there must be some connection."

For example, according to the cheat's identification, the Spell Card "Thunderclap" activated by Harin dealt 300 points of damage to the opponent. In Card Duels, that meant directly damaging a player's Life Points. Yet in the present world, its target had been a Pokémon.

In Card Duels, Pokémon did not have Life Points. If your attack power exceeded your opponent's, you could destroy them and send them to the graveyard, deciding victory in a single blow.

In the present world, Pokémon clearly had a concept of Life Points—or rather, stamina—though it was difficult to determine precisely. The attack and defense values on the card panels were merely concepts similar to base stats in Pokémon.

Pokémon with higher base stats were indeed more useful, but that did not mean whichever side had higher base stats would win. The specific moves, abilities, training, and the Trainer's command were all factors as well.

"Looks like the cheat ability's descriptions can only be used as references from now on. I can't treat them as the real effects. I'll have to slowly explore the exact connections."

After finishing the two books, You Zhi found another one, The Pokémon Encyclopedia Dragon Elite Four Lance Can't Praise Enough, and read until the librarian informed him that the library would soon close. Only then did he reluctantly leave and find a nearby inn to stay in.

Money was not an issue. He had to admit that although working for Ghouls was dangerous, their pay and benefits were genuinely generous. They were not stingy in that regard at all.

You Zhi had checked the original owner's bank card. Its savings were equivalent to eight hundred thousand yuan in the real world. As long as he did not buy a house or get married, it would be enough for him to live comfortably for quite some time.

"A proper Pokémon Trainer needs at least three Pokémon. I'll rest well today, then head to Ilex Forest tomorrow to catch new Pokémon. Hopefully, I'll run into a powerful, muscular Pokémon with strong talent."

One Meteor

"Demon Lizard Yihao, hold back a little. Don't kill it."

Under You Zhi's command, Demon Lizard Yihao punched a fat green caterpillar from a branch to the ground, then smashed it several times with its tail. The creature was clearly on its last breath.

You Zhi decisively took out a card and recalled Demon Lizard Yihao, then switched to Assistant Goblin and gave a simple instruction. "Eliminate this Larvae Moth."

Assistant Goblin cackled, stepped forward, and viciously whipped it with a towel. After more than a dozen strikes, it finally cruelly killed the Larvae Moth. Its body dissolved into particles of Spirit Power, part of which Assistant Goblin absorbed and converted into experience.

You Zhi sighed regretfully. "Without an Exp. Share, leveling weak Pokémon is such a hassle."

The Exp. Share was an item from the Pokémon games that allowed Pokémon that had not entered battle to share half the experience. It was suited for raising Pokémon that had not evolved yet and were relatively weak.

You Zhi did not possess such a convenient item. He could only use a strong-to-weak strategy, having Demon Lizard Yihao beat wild Pokémon down to critical health before sending Assistant Goblin in to finish them off.

In this world, the Spirit Power gained from Pokémon battles was calculated in two parts. One part depended on contribution, while the other depended on securing the kill. As long as one landed the final blow, one was guaranteed to obtain at least half the Spirit Power.

The wild Pokémon in Ilex Forest were all low-level. None exceeded level 5. You Zhi had spent more than half a day in the forest and defeated over thirty Pokémon, yet Assistant Goblin still had not leveled up. Demon Lizard Yihao, acting as its babysitter, had instead gained another level.

Some might have felt that You Zhi should not waste time on a trash Pokémon like Assistant Goblin, whose attack and defense were only 100. Raising the stronger Demon Lizard Yihao would maximize efficiency. Besides, he was not the original owner and had no emotional attachment to the original owner's Pokémon. There was no reluctance to part with it.

That was indeed the case. You Zhi did not mind trading Assistant Goblin for a powerful Pokémon. However, according to The Pokémon Encyclopedia Dragon Elite Four Lance Can't Praise Enough, which he had read yesterday, Assistant Goblin possessed numerous evolved forms.

For example, Goblin Burrowing Squad, Goblin Reconnaissance Squad, Goblin Assassination Squad, and even Goblindbergh, which flew airplanes. Those Pokémon each had their own specialties and were at least better than randomly catching some wild Pokémon.

Furthermore, the original owner's ace Pokémon had been Giant Ogre, and Assistant Goblin had long leached off Giant Ogre's experience. Its level was already high, so it would not have been surprising if it evolved at its next level.

Suddenly, the grass rustled, and a green mantis the size of half an adult leaped out.

[Insect Person (2-star) EARTH]

[Lineage: Insect]

[Level: 8]

[Talent: Weak]

[Attack: 500 (450)]

[Defense: 700 (630)]

[Insect, description: A communal insect. The forest is their paradise.]

This information immediately appeared in You Zhi's field of vision. Compared to the information he had seen during his duel with Harin, there was an additional entry: "Talent."

According to the encyclopedia, talent determined a Pokémon's maximum level. Once it reached that limit, it could no longer increase its Spirit Power.

At present, however, there was no direct method for determining a Pokémon's talent. People could only make indirect judgments based on details such as whether its body was strong, whether its movements were agile, and whether it was intelligent.

A Pokémon's approximate level, on the other hand, could be determined from the appearance of its card. Pokémon Cards for levels 1 through 20 were ordinary cards. For levels 21 through 30, the card name would turn silver. For levels 31 through 40, the card name would turn gold. For levels 41 through 50, the entire card would emit a golden glow.

Trainers referred to these four types of Pokémon Cards as ordinary, Silver Letter, Gold Letter, and Gold Flash.

As for the exact level, one could only rely on specialized equipment to assess it based on the total amount of Spirit Power within the Pokémon.

In the end, levels were merely a quantitative concept forcibly assigned by humans to better help Trainers understand a Pokémon's strength. Pokémon themselves did not possess a level attribute.

Demon Lizard Yihao's talent was "Average," while Assistant Goblin's talent was "Strong." By the normal meaning of those words, "Strong" was undoubtedly above "Average," and "Average" was above "Weak."

Judging from their actual performance, Assistant Goblin was indeed smarter than Demon Lizard Yihao. The latter only followed orders and fought rigidly, while the former understood how to play little tricks. That was one of the reasons the original owner had kept Assistant Goblin despite its low attack and defense values and nearly useless effect.

For an ordinary Trainer without a family background, obtaining a Pokémon with Strong talent was luck on the level of ancestral graves smoking. You Zhi had wandered Ilex Forest all afternoon and encountered only one Pokémon with Average talent. The rest had all been Weak.

Unfortunately, that Average-talented Pokémon had been extremely vigilant. The moment it sensed danger, it ran. You Zhi had not even had time to order Demon Lizard Yihao to intercept it. Otherwise, he would definitely have captured it with the Pokémon Card he had bought that morning.

Insect Person had low talent and poor abilities. Its only advantage was its slightly higher level, but from the standpoint of training, level was precisely the least useful stat.

More importantly, its appearance did not suit You Zhi's tastes at all, so he had no desire to capture it.

He was about to send Demon Lizard Yihao out and repeat his earlier strategy of power-leveling the weaker one when an idea suddenly occurred to him.

Whoever secured the kill could obtain half the experience, but if he could take all of it, why settle for half? Besides, it was already getting dark, and he was hungry. Insect Person was probably the last Pokémon he would encounter today. There was no need to conserve Assistant Goblin's stamina, so he decisively refined and activated the Spell Card "Ballista Squad."

[Normal Trap: Ballista Squad]

[Effect: Tribute 1 monster you control; target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.]

As a Pokémon Trainer, the original owner naturally knew several Spell Cards. Once a Spell Card had been successfully summoned, it remained in one's Spirit Power pathways like a brand. When one wished to use it, all one had to do was provide Spirit Power to activate the corresponding formula.

You Zhi had spent five hours experimenting in the inn the previous night and had finally recalled most of the Spell Cards. "Ballista Squad" was one of them.

As Spirit Power circulated, a massive ballista appeared out of thin air in the forest. Assistant Goblin was restrained by an invisible force, forcibly pressed onto the launch platform as a bolt. Then the ballista slowly moved, taking aim at Insect Person.

Insect Person was neither blind nor deaf. It naturally could not fail to notice such a huge commotion, and it immediately turned and ran.