This Trainer Has No Sportsmanship Chapter 44

Keeping the Con Going

[Emerald Dragon (Level 6, EARTH)]

[Lineage: Dragon, Rock-type]

[Level: 33]

[Talent: Strong]

[Attack: 2400 (2520)]

[Defense: 1400 (1470)]

[Dragon-Type, Description: Countless people had been captivated by the beauty of dragons that devoured emeralds and lost their lives.]

You Zhi first glanced at the Pokémon descending from the sky. It did not quite suit his tastes, though it was still a little better than a female Pokémon. Its level and abilities were both decent, making it suitable for an opening display of force.

He then looked over the person blocking his way. The other party had bright blond hair just like Alisa's and wore an overly ornate knight's uniform. He was tall and straight-backed, and every movement he made adhered perfectly to aristocratic etiquette.

Even without the words "deceiving my sister," You Zhi would have connected him to Alisa at first glance. Their bearing and demeanor were simply too alike.

Combined with his earlier speculation, it was obvious that the million-dollar mission had arrived.

Still, he replied without hesitation, "You've got the wrong person."

The blond young man snorted. "I carefully checked your photo before coming here. How could I possibly mistake you? Do you think I'm as easy to fool as Alisa?"

You Zhi said earnestly, "I didn't deceive Alisa, and not everything Alisa said was necessarily true. Unfortunately, judging by your current mood, you don't seem willing to hear my explanation. So, how do you intend to settle this?"

"Is that even a question?"

With a sharp swish, the blond young man stylishly drew a Pokémon Card from thin air. He looked down at You Zhi with a lofty gaze. "Since you are also a Pokémon Trainer, naturally we'll settle this dispute with a duel."

You Zhi sighed helplessly and glanced at the other man's neck, intending to knock him out later.

Just as he was about to draw out a Pokémon Card to distract him, a police siren suddenly sounded. A traffic cop came galloping over atop a horse with flaming wings. Its external display identified it as Firewing Pegasus, a six-star Pokémon.

"Were you the one who landed on the street riding that Dragon-Type Pokémon just now?" The traffic cop dismounted and approached the blond young man. "Do you have a flight permit? Show it to me."

The blond young man hurriedly pulled out a small booklet resembling a driver's license and handed it over properly. "Please rest assured, Officer. I'm a law-abiding citizen."

"Your certificate is fine, but don't you know that low-altitude flight is prohibited in urban areas?"

"I applied for landing permission in advance."

"Even if you did, you can only land in open areas or designated places such as outside a Pokémon Center. You can't land in the street. Do I really need to teach you something this basic? How did you even get your flight permit? Six points deducted, a five-hundred fine, and come with me to the traffic police station to register."

The blond young man glanced at You Zhi and pleaded, "Um, Officer, can I go a little later?"

The traffic cop's eyes widened. "What do you think?"

Left with no choice, the blond young man pointed at You Zhi. "Stay here and don't leave. I'll come duel you after I finish registering at the traffic police station."

You Zhi waved him off expressionlessly. "Goodbye."

The blond young man recalled Emerald Dragon into its Pokémon Card. After following the traffic cop for a few steps, he turned back uneasily and shouted at You Zhi, "Remember, don't leave! I'll be right back!"

Only an idiot would stay.

Once the other man disappeared around the corner, You Zhi immediately checked out of the inn and switched to a more upscale hotel.

Making it harder for the other party to track him down was one reason. The other was that he wanted a larger room so all his Pokémon could meet together, especially since he had gained two new companions this time.

The seven Pokémon appeared one after another. To avoid crowding the room, they all chose their smallest forms.

Knightmare Goblin (Fierce) LV21, Demon Lizard Yihao (Strong) LV28, Silent Magician (Mad) LV24, Icejade Aegirine (Fierce) LV29, Gagaga Girl (Fierce) LV20, Gem-Knight Quartz (Fierce) LV20, Dragonmaid Laundry (Fierce) LV10.

"Get to know each other. You might need to fight together someday."

You Zhi opened with the most practical possibility imaginable, doing absolutely nothing to liven up the atmosphere.

Fortunately, Silent Magician was used to taking care of others, Gagaga Girl was outgoing, and Quartz had experience being the leader. With those three taking the lead, the atmosphere soon became lively.

Goblins had always been disliked by others for being too noisy, crude, and unruly. Of course, the Goblin itself did not feel excluded. In its previous form, it had consisted of four individuals, and entertaining themselves had been more than enough. In terms of numbers, they had even been the majority.

Now that it had become Zelda Form, however, it was favored by the female Pokémon. Not only had it become cute, but it could no longer speak. Sitting there, it looked just like a large figurine.

It could only be said that Pokémon were no exception when it came to judging by appearances.

There was not much to say about Demon Lizard Yihao. Although he was a huge, fierce-looking brute, he was popular with the female Pokémon. None of them feared him, and they would occasionally touch his big tail. He remained obedient, either standing behind Silent Magician like a follower or sitting cross-legged on the floor in a daze. The him who fought and the him who rested were two complete extremes.

Icejade Aegirine and Dragonmaid Laundry somehow started chatting. Perhaps their mental ages were similar. Especially after the former used a skill to blow out a string of bubbles, the latter's eyes lit up as she reached out and kept patting at them.

"I didn't think much of it before, but now that the Goblin has gone from four to one, the gender ratio is seriously unbalanced."

While his subordinates happily mingled, You Zhi was deeply worried, pondering how to break free from the fate of an all-girl card lineup.

At first, he had thought he could just catch a few handsome but mediocre Pokémon to fill out the numbers and balance the team's gender ratio. But now that the situation had become even more serious, he became stubborn instead.

"I refuse to believe it. Are all the outstanding wild Pokémon I meet in the future going to be female? Does that make any sense?"

As he was thinking, a small hand tugged at the corner of his clothes. Looking up, he saw the newly joined Dragonmaid Laundry wearing a nervous, uneasy expression. "Thank you for taking me in, Master. I'll definitely work hard to repay you in the future."

"Tell me what you can do."

"I-I can do laundry, housework, and cleaning. You can leave all of it to me."

Half a million for a maid who provided lifelong cleaning services somehow felt like a pretty good deal.

For such a practical Pokémon to be ranked second from last on the Game Corner's prize list, the appraiser was truly incompetent. He suggested the owner fire them.

"What skills do you know for Spirit Duels?"

"I know Absorb, Water Gun, and Dragon Breath."

"Grass-type, Water-type, Dragon-type. Your range is pretty broad."

As he spoke, You Zhi suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. After thinking it over, realization dawned on him. Wasn't this Goomy's move pool from Pokémon?

Dragonmaid Laundry carefully watched You Zhi's expression and hurriedly said, "I'll work hard to learn more skills in the future."

"There's no rush. Take it slowly. You actually have another advantage—you can speak human language, so have more confidence in yourself."

With Dragonmaid Laundry joining them, You Zhi would no longer have to keep relying on Gagaga Girl alone as his translator.

He handed her the Exp. Share and instructed her kindly, "Whenever I duel someone in the future, wear this item and watch from the side. Once your level rises later, we can consider fighting. There's no need to force this."

Dragonmaid Laundry was so moved she nearly cried. No, she was already crying. Her master was simply too kind!

She immediately took the Exp. Share and happily went to find Icejade Aegirine to share her feelings of gratitude.

Of course, the real reason was that all the battle slots were full. Even in the most official competitions, a Trainer could only use six Pokémon. You Zhi did not feel there was any need to demand too much from a substitute, especially when she was such a versatile talent.

A Pokémon's value was not determined by combat alone.

The next day, You Zhi went downstairs to the restaurant and ran into the blond young man, who had clearly been waiting for a long time.

"Did you think changing hotels would keep me from finding you? You seriously underestimated the influence of the Locke family. Heh heh, I walked here this time, so no traffic cops will interrupt us. Don't even think about escaping from me again!"

The blond young man spoke in the same condescending tone as before.

"I didn't run away last time. I just thought it would be foolish to obediently stand still because some stranger told me to. If it were you, and a complete stranger told you to stand there without moving, would you really stay put?"

The blond young man thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true... No, wait! I'm not a stranger. I'm Alisa's brother. Don't tell me that, even now, you don't know Alisa."

"I do know Alisa, but what evidence do you have that you're her brother?"

"My face. Can't you tell?"

The blond young man narcissistically flicked up his bangs with two fingers.

It had to be admitted that this gesture would have seemed overly showy on someone else. But paired with a face worthy of a male lead in an idol drama, it carried a certain charm. A passing female customer could not help looking twice, then bumped into a chair and nearly fell.

You Zhi was so bluntly indifferent that even beautiful women could not move him, much less handsome men. He especially disliked this type of soft, pretty boy. If the man had thick brows, large eyes, and a ruggedly heroic face, You Zhi might have felt a little more favorably toward him.

"Does looking alike make people relatives? Haven't you heard news stories about complete strangers with no connection looking exactly alike? Even if you haven't, you've at least seen celebrity impersonation shows, right?"

The blond young man was rendered speechless. After a while, he picked up the round pendant hanging from his neck and opened it. "Look for yourself. This is a photo of the three siblings."

You Zhi was not polite. He held it in his palm and took a look. Besides the blond young man and Alisa, the photograph showed a woman more mature than Alisa, with a fuller and more alluring figure.

"Photos can also be edited and spliced together." Seeing the anxious expression on the other man's face, You Zhi changed his tone. "However, I believe you aren't lying."

The blond young man let out a breath. "Thank you for understanding."

"You're welcome. I'm going to get breakfast. If you haven't eaten, you can join me."

"No need. I've already eaten, so I won't disturb you while you enjoy breakfast."

The blond young man smiled faintly, then turned and left elegantly.

After saying goodbye, You Zhi picked up a tray and went to get the complimentary buffet breakfast. After all, this was an upscale hotel, and breakfast was already included in the room fee.

However, just as he took his food and sat down, the blond young man came storming back. He slapped a hand onto the table. "You're playing me, aren't you?"

You Zhi asked innocently, "How did I play you? Did I tell any lies?"

The blond young man thought about it. The other party really had not lied. Still, this time he had made thorough mental preparations and would not be fooled so easily. He immediately said, "You used this exact method to deceive my sister, didn't you?"

You Zhi sighed. "A person's prejudice is a mountain that even gods cannot move. It seems you won't believe anything I say. Then let's use a duel to prove my innocence."

The blond young man's momentum faltered. He felt that what the other party said made so much sense that he could not help reflecting on whether he had wronged him.

But he quickly came to his senses. He had clearly been the one to propose a duel first, so why had it now become the other party actively proposing it? Would that not make him the unreasonable party who was bullying others with his power?

The blond young man thought it over and over but could not figure out what had happened. Nor could he bring himself to explain it to anyone else. He could only sit down angrily, stare at You Zhi, and remind himself not to speak to him.

To his surprise, You Zhi did not say a word throughout the meal. After finishing breakfast, he did not make excuses or try any tricks. He honestly led him to the training grounds.

Most upscale hotels came with Pokémon training grounds. On one hand, they attracted Trainers to stay there. On the other, they could attract other customers by holding Spirit Duels. Therefore, when guests proactively requested to borrow the venue for a duel, the hotel was more than happy to oblige.

The blond young man took his position and regained his confidence. "In a duel, no sweet words will be of any use. Let this duel reveal your true nature."

Unmoved by the other man's enthusiasm, You Zhi calmly said, "How about we each send out at most two Pokémon?"

"That's enough!"

The blond young man drew a card from thin air and introduced himself according to etiquette. "Dio Hopkanpa. Please enlighten me."

You Zhi also held a Pokémon Card between his fingers. "You Zhi. Come on."

"Duel!" X2

The blond young man's first Pokémon was the same Emerald Dragon from yesterday. Though it was a vanilla monster, its actual attack power exceeded 2500. The moment it appeared, it threw back its head and roared, powerful spiritual energy waves spreading out with its dragon cry.

Several hotel guests who had not been paying attention turned around. Seeing Emerald Dragon's imposing presence, they realized this would not be a low-quality duel.

You Zhi's opening Pokémon was Gem-Knight Quartz. Her momentum was completely suppressed by the opponent, while the disparity in their sizes highlighted the difference in their abilities and attributes.

The customers drawn over could not help feeling disappointed. They had expected an intense battle between dragons and tigers, but the strength gap between the Pokémon on both sides was so enormous. What was there to watch in such a one-sided duel?

At this moment, Quartz's trait activated. When an opponent's Pokémon was on the field, she could consume a certain amount of life force to refine a "Polymerization" Spell Card with a continuous effect.

Among the Spell Cards You Zhi possessed, there was one and only one Polymerization Spell Card.

"Activate Scatter Fusion! Let fleeting splendor and eternal sturdiness combine, and let the light of the knight bloom upon the battlefield—Gem-Knight Lady Rose Diamond!"

The Wonders of an E-Rank Card

Although her level was somewhat lower, the spiritual energy fluctuations of an eight-star Pokémon were genuine. The instant Rose Diamond appeared, she forced back Emerald Dragon's momentum. Combined with the massive difference in their sizes, it created an even greater sense of impact.

You Zhi inwardly sighed. No wonder people recited entrance lines when summoning Pokémon. It truly boosted morale and psychologically pressured the opponent.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the summoned Pokémon had to be strong enough. If it were something like Kuriboh, then even if you recited an entrance line like "Martial arts shook the universe, battle shattered the heavens, the Great Dao was ground to dust, supreme beneath all heaven," people would only find it funny.

"Fight freely."

You Zhi did not interfere with the battle's command. After giving an order to let her perform as she wished, he focused on refining Spell Cards.

By now, he was no longer the clueless beginner Trainer he had once been. He had accumulated some experience and grasped a few principles.

It was true that Pokémon in this world had abundant combat experience and could perform well without a Trainer's commands. But that did not apply to every Pokémon. Each had its own personality and traits, so they could not all be treated the same.

For Pokémon like Icejade Aegirine, he needed to give clear instructions for her to know how to respond. Otherwise, she would panic and use moves at random.

Demon Lizard Yihao was skilled at fighting, but he understood neither tactics nor strategy. You Zhi had to issue commands at crucial moments to correct him, lest he get hot-blooded and charge in without regard for anything else.

Silent Magician was the most reassuring. She understood both tactics and strategy. Sometimes, she did not need commands at all, adjusting according to changes in the battle and choosing whether to attack, harass, or support.

As for the present, You Zhi did not yet know Rose Diamond's strategic ability. But through her battle with Divergent Lizard Yihao, she had already demonstrated her talent in both combat and tactics. That was why he felt comfortable letting her act freely.

Rose Diamond flicked her sword and activated Quick Attack, charging straight toward her enemy.