This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship

"Thank you, big brother."

Facing Eve's gratitude, Ningirsu could not say anything. He merely loosened the scarf around his neck.

Auram looked at You Zhi and Alisa. "You two came from another world. You have no obligation to adventure with us..."

You Zhi declared righteously, "Since things have come to this, I won't hide it from everyone any longer. The truth is, the two of us are Spirit Purifiers. Slaying evil and upholding order across all worlds is our mission. We didn't say so before because we didn't want to drag you into danger. But now that our goals are aligned, we should work together and overcome these hardships as one."

"Eh, is that so?" Eve widened her eyes and looked at her good friend Alisa.

While silently cursing You Zhi for making up a story without warning her first, Alisa also said in a lofty tone, "Upholding justice and eradicating evil is the duty of our generation!"

Auram was not so suspicious. He said gratefully, "That's wonderful. This gives us more confidence."

Ningirsu felt that the coincidence was a little too convenient. The identity of a Spirit Purifier sounded highly questionable, but he was equally wary of Liss. Since Liss and You Zhi clearly were not on the same side, letting two suspicious parties join the team might even keep each other in check.

"I have no objections."

Imduk cried out, indicating his agreement.

After a brief discussion, everyone decided to rest for the night. Tomorrow, they would return to the village to inform the others, replenish the hidden barrier with spiritual power, and then set out in search of the World Legacy.

Thoughts on Going Premium

I wonder if everyone had an experience like this during childhood: holding Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon cards, yet playing without following the official rules at all, perhaps not even knowing the official rules, and just making up a set of rules to play with friends.

Not only did I do that, I was also the one who promoted it. I made my own game rules with cards, set up stat systems, drew maps, wrote plots, acted as both player and referee, and even served as commentator.

Every friend who joined the game had a stack of draft paper. The Pokémon they caught, their ability values, and the items they carried were all handwritten. The freedom and combat completely crushed the official games.

I even organized battle royales. Seven or eight friends would gather together, each choose a Pokémon according to the order drawn, randomly select a setting, and then start making up battles on the spot. Whoever picked Dugtrio would immediately say they burrowed underground, then wait for everyone else to decide the winner before coming out to steal the kill...

When Pokémon introduced Mega Evolution, I was furious. Game Freak was shameless! They actually stole the idea I spent two whole class periods painstakingly thinking up in fifth grade!

Actually, the new book was originally meant to be a reincarnation romance story. In each new loop, the protagonist could inherit one talent from the previous loop's love interest. The outline and opening had already been written, but while writing Buddha Lord, I developed serious health problems. Even now, I occasionally feel lightheaded. I was worried that one day I might suddenly be gone and leave only regrets behind, so I decided to write this fanfiction instead, as a way to revisit my childhood.

And to tell those friends who have already settled down and started families: the king of the kids back then is still playing the same old games. The only difference is that online play has become single-player.

Also, choosing fanfiction means I don't need to worry about getting stuck on the plot. This is a good chance to regain my update efficiency. I'll do my best not to take breaks or stop updating.

Some people have already noticed that the first two volumes of this book only had a little over twenty chapters each, much shorter than my previous works. That is because I never intended to write a long story from the start, and the plot has been extremely compact. I cut out as much daily-life content as possible.

To keep the Pokémon anime going, Ash was suppressed at every turn, making viewers believe for a time that he could never become champion. But a novel obviously could not be written in such a frustrating way. Yet if the protagonist earned a champion title and then went to another region to challenge Gyms again, the Gym Leaders definitely would not accept that.

Therefore, once I have written all the interesting scenes I planned, this book will end cleanly and decisively.

As for mass updates after going premium, let me state this here: Zao Hua Zhai Zhu has never advocated rat racing and firmly opposes unhealthy practices that harm workers' bodies, such as extra chapters and update binges.

PS: Tomorrow's update will be at noon.

World Legacy - World Armor

After bidding farewell to the villagers, the five people and one dragon set out under Lee the World Chalice Fairy's guidance in search of the World Legacy, crossing mountains and ridges and hacking their way through brambles.

Along the way, they were frequently attacked by Krawler swarms. But for the main group, strengthened by World Chalice Power, such obstacles could not shake their resolve. Besides, they had the help of two powerful allies, You Zhi and Alisa.

Originally, they had needed to consider taking turns keeping watch at night. Now, with the two Trainers' Pokémon, they slept soundly every night and could greet the next day in high spirits.

The person with the greatest resentment was Alisa. She was utterly unaccustomed to the hardship of traveling through mountains and wilderness for long periods. It was not as if she had never traveled alone before, but usually after spending a day or two outdoors, she would ride Material Dragon to the nearest town, choose the best hotel for the night, wash away the dust picked up on the road, sleep beautifully, and dress herself carefully the next day to ensure she never lost her elegance.

But this world clearly lacked the conditions to satisfy her.

Not to mention that people, seeking to avoid Krawlers, had built their homes in hidden places such as mountains and forests, making them hard to find. Even if they luckily found a village, the world's backward productivity meant they would never find usable cosmetics.

So after only a few days, her elegant spiral curls had vanished, replaced by a tied-up golden ponytail. The ends were not straight enough, curling and tangling together in a messy fashion. Her gorgeous princess dress had been discarded long ago and replaced with practical athletic clothes.

"I really can't take this anymore! How many more days until we get there? We travel and fight endlessly during the day, then at night I have to outwit mosquitoes and poisonous bugs. I feel like I'm about to become some wild woman reeking from head to toe."

That evening, Alisa complained as usual, while Eve comforted her as usual. You Zhi and the other men pretended not to hear as usual.

After spending so much time together, they understood Alisa very well. Complaining was one thing, but she would still continue traveling and fighting the next day without the slightest slackening. Since that was the case, there was no need to make a fuss and accuse her of having a spoiled young lady's temper.

At the end of the day, everyone had their own way of releasing stress. Alisa only needed to say a few words to vent the pressure accumulated during the day. It was practically the most cost-effective method possible. If doing so would not have damaged their image, Auram and Ningirsu would have wanted to imitate her.

After Alisa finished complaining, You Zhi finally said leisurely, "Look on the bright side. At least the Pokémon have gained quite a few levels."

Krawlers might not have much else going for them, but they came in huge numbers. Especially after locking onto a target, they would call in their companions and swarm over. Their efficiency was far higher than grinding wild monsters.

Reality was different from games. In Pokémon games, the levels of wild Pokémon rose as the plot progressed. For example, on the streets where players began, wild Pokémon were usually only single-digit levels. But by the time players challenged the Pokémon League, wild Pokémon could even surpass the Pokémon of every Gym Leader.

Reality did not offer such benefits. Aside from special Pokémon or Pokémon bosses, the vast majority of wild Pokémon never exceeded level 10, and this was true of the wild areas around every Gym.

Therefore, it was not easy for Trainers to level up their Pokémon. Especially once a Pokémon reached level 20, defeating low-level Pokémon yielded almost nothing.

Wild Pokémon were not stupid either. When they encountered a powerful enemy they could not handle, they would never stubbornly fight. Running away was their instinct. Trainers often wandered through a forest all afternoon and encountered only single-digit-level wild Pokémon. After all, Trainers themselves gave off spiritual power fluctuations. Wild Pokémon knew they were not to be provoked and would hide before anyone got close.

Krawler swarms did not possess that instinct. Every one of them charged forward without fear of death. There was no need to search painstakingly for them; they delivered experience right to your door.

Other than Neon Stone Sprite, which had only gained one level, all of You Zhi's Pokémon had gained two levels. Gagaga Girl had fought more often because she could use Fire Punch to counter Krawlers, so she had even gained four levels. Alisa's Pokémon were probably not doing much worse.

"I'd rather not have that kind of benefit."

Alisa rolled her eyes irritably, then looked at Lee the World Chalice Fairy. "How much farther is it? We haven't gone the wrong way, have we? Is your sensing reliable?"

Liss closed her eyes and sensed for a while. "It doesn't seem far. It feels like it's about five thousand meters north of us."

Hearing that, everyone exchanged glances before rising together.

Liss said, "It's already very late today. Are you going to travel through the night?"

Auram said, "It would be one thing if we didn't know. But now that we know the destination is so close, I really don't have the patience to wait until tomorrow."

Alisa said even more angrily, "I've suffered so much. It absolutely cannot have been for nothing. You'd better pray that there really is a World Legacy there, or else... heh heh."

With the destination right before them, everyone ignored the day's exhaustion and hurried forward. Before long, they arrived at a vast wetland.

Without any hesitation, they continued deeper in. But after walking for a while, they stopped. Under the bright moonlight, they saw countless enormous artificial objects sunk deep into the mire. Judging from their shapes, they appeared to be the scattered components of a suit of armor. One gauntlet in particular was especially eye-catching, like a fallen giant stretching an unwilling hand toward the sky.

But that alone would not have been enough to stop them. If anything, everyone should have quickened their pace to inspect the World Legacy up close.

Unfortunately, the site contained not only the scattered armor, but also densely packed Krawlers. There were countless of them across the mountains and plains. They had made the armor into their nest, gathering together as crimson light flickered through the night!

Everyone immediately dropped to the ground to avoid being discovered.

"What do we do? There's no way we can win against that many, right?" Auram asked in a lowered voice.

Alisa clenched her fists and said unwillingly, "We finally found it. Are we really going to return empty-handed? What was all our hard traveling for?"

Ningirsu said calmly, "What can we do if we refuse to give up? We can't just throw our lives away. I suggest collecting the other World Legacies first, then coming back for this one after we grow stronger."

Alisa snorted and shot back, "What if the other World Legacies are guarded by Krawler swarms too? Are we going to give up on all of them? You are the ones who want to save the world, and you are also the ones who want to give up when you encounter difficulties. Did you think saving the world would be easy?"

Auram's face turned red as he said, "Miss Alisa is right. As a hero, I can lack anything but courage!"

He wanted to rise and charge forward, but You Zhi immediately pressed him back down.

"Having courage doesn't mean being reckless," You Zhi advised. Then he turned to Liss. "As the Fairy guiding the heroes, do you have any reliable suggestions?"

Liss thought for a moment. "Krawlers do not directly obey the Mekk-Knights. They obey the leader of their region, namely an X-Krawler. As long as we eliminate the leader, the Krawlers in that region will stop acting."

You Zhi nodded. "Good. That's valuable advice. I suggest we return and rest tonight, conduct reconnaissance tomorrow, then launch a surprise attack once we confirm the X-Krawler's location. To catch bandits, first catch their king!"

X-Krawler

Everyone unanimously approved You Zhi's proposal. After resting for the night, they spent the next morning scouting and successfully found three Krawler leaders: X-Krawler Qualiark, X-Krawler Neurogos, and X-Krawler Synaphysis.

After a brief discussion, everyone decided to split up into pairs, each group responsible for eliminating one of them.

You Zhi naturally teamed up with Alisa, while Auram teamed up with Eve. Finally, Ningirsu paired with Imduk.

Ningirsu objected and wanted to team up with his sister, but everyone felt that if he stayed with Eve, he would easily forget the purpose of their mission. Thus, his objection was rejected.

"X-Krawlers can strengthen nearby Krawlers. We need to separate it from its subordinates. I don't have any Flying-type Pokémon, so I'll leave the Krawler Receptors in the sky to you."

You Zhi looked at Sacred Word Neuron Insect in the distant sky, whose appearance closely resembled Eternatus's Dynamax form.

[X-Krawler Neurogos (Link-2 [←][→]) EARTH]

[Lineage: Steel-type, Psychic]

[Level: 28]

[Attack: 1900 (2280)]

[Insect-Type, Effect: ① "Krawler" monsters in zones this card points to cannot be destroyed by battle. Their ATK and DEF increase by 300, and when they battle an opponent's monster, the battle damage inflicted to the opponent becomes double; ② If this face-up card leaves the field due to an opponent's effect or is destroyed by battle, you can target 2 "Krawler" monsters in your Graveyard; Special Summon those monsters in face-down Defense Position.]

"You don't need to worry about my side. Your task is more important, so worry about yourself instead."

Alisa summoned Material Dragon and a winged unicorn with two indigo gems embedded in its wings.

[Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus (Level 4) WIND]

[Lineage: Rock-type, Flying-type]

[Level: 26]

[Attack: 1800 (2070)]

[Defense: 1200 (1380)]

[Beast-Type, Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned: You can place 1 "Crystal Beast" monster from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. If this card in the Monster Zone is destroyed: You can place it face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell instead of sending it to the Graveyard.]

The moment Sapphire Pegasus was summoned, its ability activated. Alisa placed another Crystal Beast Pokémon onto the field as a Spell Card, then commanded the two Pokémon to attack.

"Sapphire Pegasus, use Ancient Power to sweep them away! Material Dragon, use Fire Fang to clean up anything that slips through!"

Sapphire Pegasus circulated its spiritual power and summoned wave after wave of hard stones, hurling them at the Krawler Receptor swarm in the sky. Those struck fell one after another. The occasional stragglers were bitten apart by Material Dragon's flaming fangs.

Sacred Word Neuron Insect noticed the uninvited guests. Its entire body flashed red as it commanded the Krawlers under its control to attack You Zhi and Alisa. In an instant, the mechanical insects across the mountains and plains began moving, more orderly than any human army in the world, enough to make anyone watching feel their scalp tingle.

You Zhi summoned Demon Lizard Yihao and Goblin Attack Force, but did not order them to intercept the enemy. He only leisurely forged a Spell Card, allowing the enemies to rapidly close the distance.

Seeing the Krawlers about to rush right in front of them, Alisa nearly ordered Material Dragon back to save them. But when she saw You Zhi beside her still wearing an utterly calm expression, she forcibly swallowed the command.

If I say anything now, it'll be the same as admitting defeat. I refuse to believe you aren't afraid of the enemy getting close!

You Zhi had no intention of harming his teammate. The moment the Spell Card was forged, he activated it. It was none other than "Ice Rink"!

In an instant, an icy current swept across the battlefield. The earth was immediately covered in smooth ice, and the temperature plummeted.

The Krawler swarm was clearly unsuited for such terrain. They could not stop themselves at all, crashing into one another and falling in every direction. Especially once the Krawlers in front fell, they blocked the path of their companions behind them.

Not only that, because the two people involved were present, Ice Rink's hidden effect activated. Every Krawler's surface became coated in frost. Though mechanical lifeforms would not have their cells frozen to death, their movements clearly slowed.

At that moment, You Zhi gave Demon Lizard Yihao a look.

The blue-skinned giant lizard understood. It grabbed a Goblin with both hands and hurled it toward Sacred Word Neuron Insect.

As though it had already accepted its fate, the Goblin did not scream. Instead, with a fearless gaze, it slammed headfirst into the target like a missile.

Boom!

With a violent explosion, Sacred Word Neuron Insect was blasted into several flips in midair, the red light on its body flickering continuously.

That strike did not deal it much damage. Link Spirits had no Defense, but in exchange, they all possessed protective shields. The greater the Link rating, the sturdier the shield. Until the shield was broken, the Pokémon could not be harmed. But once it was broken, they were treated as having 0 Defense.

"There's a tactic like that?"

Alisa felt her horizons broaden. It was the first time she had seen one Pokémon use another Pokémon as a bomb, and the power seemed quite impressive.

Demon Lizard Yihao grabbed a second Goblin and hurled it with all its strength again.

Without its protective shield, a Link Spirit was extremely fragile. Even with its Steel-type advantage, Sacred Word Neuron Insect definitely could not withstand two Self-Destructs.

However, it had no intention of foolishly remaining in place to be bombed. Its core flashed with dazzling crimson light, and a thick Flash Cannon shot out, striking the Goblin dead-on and blowing it apart in midair!

Immediately afterward, it issued an emergency command, ordering the Krawler swarm to split into two groups. One group continued attacking the two Trainers, while the other returned to guard it and serve as shields against unforeseen danger.

"Looks like this move has a pretty big opening. We need to attack in one continuous burst and can't give the opponent time to react."

You Zhi stroked his chin, stopped Demon Lizard Yihao from continuing to throw living bombs, recalled the Goblins that had lost their value into Pokémon Cards, and summoned Silent Magician instead.

The moment Silent Magician appeared, she used Teleport without needing You Zhi's command, instantly arriving beside Sacred Word Neuron Insect. A Shadow Ball struck it so hard that electric arcs burst from its body.

At the same time, Demon Lizard Yihao evolved into Divergent Lizard Yihao and charged forward with Boar Charge. Relying on brute strength and steel armor, he smashed every Krawler blocking his path flying without losing any speed.

Meanwhile, Material Dragon and Sapphire Pegasus, having eliminated all the Krawler Receptors, freed themselves up and joined the siege.