Trainers Have to Fight Too / The Nature of the Match Has Changed ...

"Ugh!"

With a Growl, the challenging trainer fell into the artificial pool with a splash, missing the opportunity to activate the Spell Card that should have been used.

A-Si didn't hold back. In fact, it was he who had just ordered the elf to attack the opponent's lower body, creating this opportunity. Naturally, he had no reason to let it go. He immediately commanded the elf to launch a fierce attack, defeating the opponent's ace in one fell swoop.

"The match is over. The winner is A-Si, the owner of the Cianwood Pavilion."

The referee promptly announced the result.

"Damn it! I don't approve of this kind of dueling! Commanding Pokémon to attack the trainer is a complete violation of the Pokémon League's dueling rules. I'm going to file a complaint with the Pokémon League."

The trainer, soaking wet, was unconvinced after failing the challenge.

A-Si snorted and said in a disdainful tone, "Sob-loser! The duel rules only prohibit commanding Pokémon to harm the trainer, not prohibiting Pokémon to attack the trainer. Are you injured now?"

Protected by the Duel Barrier, the challenger was not injured by the Pokémon's attack, but the pebbles beneath his feet shifted due to the impact, causing him to lose his balance and fall directly into the pool, choking on the water.

"I'm not injured, but this kind of duel is unfair! You've practiced many times and are used to this kind of arena, but this is my first time. I can't stand as firmly as you. As the dojo master, you've set rules that only benefit yourself. Is that fair?"

"The strong grow stronger with each setback, while the weak only make excuses for their failures. I don't have time to listen to your sophistry. Throw him out!"

Two burly martial arts apprentices walked toward each other.

"Let's see who dares to kick me out!"

Overwhelmed by emotions, the young man, disregarding his surroundings and the fact that he had failed in the challenge, hastily summoned a "Twin Shield Protector" to protect himself.

However, the two martial arts apprentices did not stop. They pushed off with both feet, lunged forward, and used a Mountain-Crushing Shoulder Charge send the opponent's elf and shield flying. Then, one of them grabbed the astonished youth on each side and forcibly dragged him away.

"Now you understand, right? Your master has already exercised great restraint. Not personally engaging in battle is the greatest fairness you can receive."

The young man, who had initially wanted to struggle, resigned himself to his fate and lowered his head after hearing these words.

Once the scene calmed down, leaving only the sound of the waterfall, A-Si spoke again, "If anyone still shares his views and can't accept this kind of duel, they can withdraw now to avoid making a fool of themselves later. They can also complain to the Pokémon League if they wish."

The trainers exchanged glances, but no one left.

This is not hard to understand. A-Si's confidence suggests that he has the Pokémon League's backing, so complaints are useless. There are only eight gyms in the Johto Region, and unless he never intended to become a professional trainer, he cannot afford to miss any of the eight badges.

Quitting today might be refreshing, but you'll have to reluctantly come back for the challenge another day. What if they remember you then and put in extra effort during the test?

Even if you feel you're not confident, so what if you lose? You can prepare and try again another day. It's not like you're only allowed to challenge once.

That young man was probably acting rashly and controlled by his emotions, which led him to do something irrational. He'll likely regret it once he calms down.

These were all other people's thoughts, You Zhi only felt regret: so trainers can't actually fight? What a disappointment.

The challenge continued without any unexpected problems.

But just as Morty had warned in the chat room, A-Si was a rather strict gym leader. Many people were not used to the venue, or were too concerned about the venue and thus became distracted during the battle. As a result, no one succeeded in the challenge before it was You Zhi's turn!

"You want to challenge for the sixth badge, right? Then in this duel, each side can use a maximum of four Pokémon. The side whose four Pokémon are defeated loses."

A-Si didn't show any unusual expression when he saw You Zhi, clearly indicating that he didn't recognize him.

Although the exhibition match in the Battle Frontier made You Zhi famous, the video of that match was not released online. Therefore, only the viewers who watched the match remembered his appearance. Moreover, most people thought that this mysterious guest with a legendary Pokémon was a professional trainer and never imagined that he was actually challenging gyms.

No one in the Azure Gym, including the martial arts students, recognized You Zhi. However, among the trainees who came to challenge him, one person had an incredulous expression when he saw him and stared at him for a long time.

"No problem," You Zhi said calmly.

"Let's begin then. Get ready, my first Pokémon is him."

[Monk Master (5-star) Location]

[Genealogy: Fighting-type]

[Level: 35]

[Attack Power: 1900 (2280)]

[Defense Strength: 1000 (1200)]

[Rock-Type, Effect: This card can attack twice per turn]

An elderly martial artist, dressed in tattered pants just like A-Si, revealing his muscular physique, appeared in the pool, his resolute eyes radiating high fighting spirit.

"The evolved form of the Monk Fighter also has the trait of 'Parental Bond'."

You Zhi remembered the Pokémon he almost traded with someone in Goldenrod City, and at the same time summoned his newly acquired Pokémon Angel of Destruction Lu Yin.

When A-Si saw Lu Yin, his eyes lit up. "This elf has great talent, but unfortunately, she's still too weak. She can't withstand the master's martial arts."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Monk Master moved swiftly, stepping on the water's surface as he attacked Ruin.

Luin wanted to retaliate with Fairy-type skill that was effective against her, but before she could use it, she was kicked in the chest and sent flying.

Before she could react, the Monk Master reappeared behind Luin and sent her flying with a Japanese Thrust Punch.

"Wow, that's incredibly fast! This is 'Extreme Speed'!"

Although the pool water provided a buffer, the speed displayed by the Monk Master was still too fast. You Zhi judged it to be even faster than "Quick Attack," and combined with the opponent's movements, it could only be "Extreme Speed"—a high-speed move with a +2 priority in Pokémon Yugi.

A-Si praised, "Good eye. If you have any trump cards, use them quickly. Your spirit is about to collapse."

You Zhi is already working on the Spell Card as quickly as possible, but judging from the battle situation, it seems that before the Ritual Spell "World End" can be completed, Luin will be defeated. After all, the opponent has the characteristic of dual attack. It looks like only two hits were hit, but in fact, it has already attacked four times. For Luin, who is only Four-Star, her remaining health is really not much.

--It seems that Luin is not suitable for the first battle. Other spirits should be sent out first, and Luin should be considered for battle after she has mastered the Ritual Spell. At the same time, the Ritual Evolution should be activated immediately upon her appearance.

While summarizing his lessons, You Zhi also considered ways to stall for time.

--Luin alone is no match for the Monk Master. The saying goes that speed is the only way to win in martial arts, and this applies to the Spirit Duel as well... It seems that we can only rely on external forces.

The Monk Master launched another Sucker Punch, and just as he was about to strike his opponent's head with Flying Knee, a stone suddenly hit his thigh, causing him to deflect the attack and miss.

"There's no rule in this duel that forbids trainers from attacking Pokémon, is there?"

Chapter 187 The Nature of the Competition Has Changed

Hearing You Zhi's confident statement, A-Si was stunned for a moment, then seriously recalled what he had said. It seemed that he only allowed Pokémon to attack trainers, but did not prohibit trainers from attacking Pokémon.

Furthermore, the Pokémon League's dueling rules do not prohibit trainers from attacking Pokémon, since zoos don't usually put up signs prohibiting attacking tigers. However, there are rules prohibiting trainers from entering the arena, because trainers can use the Duel Barrier to shield themselves from their opponent's Pokémon attacks—although doing so requires a lot of courage.

However, the challenger did not violate the latter rule because he simply stood still and threw stones without moving his feet. When the Pokémon League formulated the dueling rules, it was based on a standard competition venue, which does not have any throwable props.

Thinking of this, A-Si recalled the scene of the Monk Master being hit in the thigh by a pebble. With his Pokémon's speed, an ordinary person might not even be able to hit the pebble even if they were to scatter a handful of stones. But the pebble not only hit the target precisely, but also carried enough force to change the trajectory of the attack—something even Pokémon might not be able to do!

"... Can."

A-Si nodded in agreement while looking at You Zhi with burning eyes.

Trainers skilled in martial arts are rare, and this is a rare kindred spirit. Since that's the case, I won't hold back!

He immediately lowered his waist and stance, gathered his strength in his arms at his sides, and then thrust out a palm with seemingly slow but actually swift force, an invisible energy piercing through the air to strike his opponent's spirit.

The move was too obvious and not very powerful. Luin could have blocked it, but she never expected the trainer to attack her. Caught off guard, she was hit squarely and sent flying with a "bang".

Seeing You Zhi, Youzhi regretted choosing the wrong Pokémon again. If it had been the Demon Lizard Yihao who appeared at this moment, how could he not have been on guard?

As he thought about it, he picked up a handful of pebbles from the pool with one hand and, using the motion of launching coins, combined with a special technique of generating force, shot them at the Monk Master like crossbow bolts.

However, as can be seen from his name, the Monk Master is also skilled in martial arts. He was caught off guard during the attack and was unable to dodge. Now that he was on guard, he threw a series of punches and shattered the pebbles that were shot at him.

At the same time, A-Si once again unleashed a palm strike from a distance, but having learned her lesson before, Lu Yin timely used her Fairy Wind to block the strike.

Suddenly, You Zhi and A-Si exchanged a glance, both realizing that the nature of this duel had changed!

"I activate the 'Order to Retreat' to return Luin to the Pokémon Card."

Recalling the starting Pokémon would be tantamount to admitting a mistake in the team selection, but You Zhi wasn't one to care about saving face. He quickly considered which Pokémon to replace it.

With his extensive experience battling humans, the Demon Lizard Yihao is undoubtedly the best candidate. However, You Zhi doesn't want to summon a Pokémon that will appear in the Open Tournament, as that would easily expose his identity. Fame is just a burden to him now, and relying solely on high-level Pokémon is not conducive to overall development.

"Then it's your choice! Go, Dark Magician Girl!"

With a flash of light, a beautiful figure appeared on the stage. She used her magic wand as a stick, performing a stylish spin as her entrance, which immediately drew cheers from the audience.

With experience fighting human martial artists and the attribute advantage over Monk Master, the Dark Magician Girl is undoubtedly the best choice after all considerations.

As a martial artist, A-Si had no intention of showing mercy to women. He gathered his spiritual power, stomped his foot on the ground, and with a loud shout, the pool water beside him turned into waves that splashed out in all directions.

"Air-Screaming Hundred Fissure Fist!"

A-Si threw a punch with one arm at high speed, instantly creating dozens of fist shadows, each capable of delivering a powerful punch from a distance.

Seeing this, the Dark Magician Girl hurriedly set up Reflect in front of her to block the dense fist force, but she seemed to be struggling a lot.

At the same time, the Monk Master strode across the water, intending to Pincer Attack from both sides and force his opponent to defend himself, since the Reflect could only be set up on one side at a time.

Don't think you're the only one who can use Airborne Force.

You Zhi rubbed his palms together to form a knife, held it at his side as if drawing a sword, and suddenly swung it forward. An Air Slash swiftly slashed towards the Monk Master, forcing him to stop his attack and dodge.

The Dark Magician Girl, catching her breath, realized this was an opportunity she couldn't miss. She quickly used her Confusion to manipulate the pool water into two water curtains, which she then attacked the Monk Master and A-Si respectively.

A-Si's Air-Screaming Hundred Fissure Fist could not be sustained; the remaining force struck the water curtain, splashing out waves.

The Monk Master used a Brick Break technique to shatter the water curtain that was hitting him, but he was still splashed with water in his face, and his vision was slightly obstructed.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Dark Magician Girl launched a close-range surprise attack, using her magic wand as a short spear to stab her opponent in the face.

"Having fought countless battles, I have long since mastered the instinct to locate enemies by sound. Your sneak attack will not succeed!"

The Monk Master snorted coldly, closed his eyes, and used his bare hands to catch the Empty-Handed Blade Catch his fingers.

"Fool."

The next moment, the Dark Magician Girl swiftly released her magic wand, lunged forward, and delivered a powerful Inch Force Fist that struck the Monk Master squarely in the stomach.

"Well!"

The Monk Master was injured and sent flying, creating a huge wave in the pool. Fortunately, this was not a spirit skill, so the damage was minimal.

The Dark Magician Girl caught the staff that had been lifted into the air, gathered spiritual power, and seemed about to unleash Psychic- type ultimate move.

The Monk Master's defense wasn't very high; if he were hit by a skill that countered his element, he might not be able to withstand it. A-Si hurriedly unleashed a palm strike at the Dark Magician Girl from a distance, attempting to forcibly interrupt her charge-up move, but it was intercepted by a flying stone.

Having fully charged up, the Dark Magician Girl immediately unleashed a powerful Psychic Shock. No matter how skilled the Monk Master was, he was powerless against this invisible and intangible attack and was struck squarely, instantly suffering severe injuries and flying away.

Upon seeing this, A-Si's spirits lifted. Since the Monk Master hadn't exploded on the spot, it proved that he had withstood the attack. He decisively pulled out the Spell Card that he had already prepared and kept in his hand.

[Instant Cast Spell: Divine Fist Shatter]

[Effect: When you control 1 or more of "Fighting Rat Zhi-Zhu," "Monk Fighter," or "Monk Master," destroy monsters that battle these monsters this turn at the end of the Damage Step.]

A phantom image of a Monk Master suddenly emerged from the water, rushing towards the Dark Magician Girl and delivering a punch straight at her.

The Dark Magician Girl was in a stunned state and unable to dodge. Unfortunately, it was a phantom, and You Zhi couldn't intercept it with his flying stones. He could only watch as the Dark Magician Girl was hit and flew away, severely injured as well.

A-Si shouted, "This is the last chance! Monk Master, stand up quickly and use your Divine Fist Shatter!"

With his health nearly depleted, the Monk Master shakily climbed out of the pool, took a deep breath, and mustered his last strength to deliver a punch to his opponent.

Previously it was the Spell Card "Divine Fist Shatter," now it's his exclusive skill "Divine Fist Shatter"!

Chapter 188 Toon Evolution

[Skill: Divine Fist Shatter]

[Genealogy: Fighting-type]

[Power: 80]

[Description: Concentrate power into a single point and unleash a powerful punch that breaks through the surface, lowering the opponent's defense by one level.]

The Dark Magician Girl, who had just been severely injured by Spell Card, was powerless to resist and could only watch helplessly as her opponent rapidly approached, bringing an overwhelming sense of pressure as the impending, fatal blow was about to erupt.

At the critical moment, a thin line appeared on the water's surface, quickly spreading to the feet of the Monk Master. Accompanied by a faint sound, two small waves splashed up, so small that they could not be noticed without careful observation. Then, the Monk Master froze on the spot as if he had been electrocuted, and he failed to throw the final, deadly punch.

After standing there for a few seconds, with a splash, the Monk Master plunged into the pool and transformed into a white light, returning to the Pokémon Card.

This happens when your blood is depleted without any strong impact. Since it doesn't require reconstructing your spirit body, it recovers much faster than if your body explodes.

The others were completely bewildered, not understanding what had happened. Some speculated that the Monk Master had exhausted his strength at the last moment, while others thought that the Dark Magician Girl had used her Confusion.

Only A-Si knew that the trainer on the other side had kicked out a hidden force from underwater. Although the hidden force was not very powerful, it was enough to break the Monk Master's already low health, which was like the last straw.