Shell Smash, Munchlax

Shell Smash, Munchlax

After learning the news, Lu Ze quickly sent Sui Yan a video call.

"Xiao Yan, do you trust me?"

Looking at the mysterious Lu Ze, Sui Yan replied helplessly, "What are you up to again?"

"Do you trust me or not?"

"I do, I do. Go on."

"Alright, as long as you trust me. Come out tomorrow and meet me at the Pokémon Battle Center. I'll tell you a secret."

"What secret?"

Sui Yan asked curiously. What kind of secret had to be discussed in person? Couldn't he say it over the video call?

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you tomorrow. Remember to bring your Pokémon so I can take a look. Also, don't choose the third Pokémon Egg, got it?"

"Do you take me for an idiot? Of course I won't choose it. Two Pokémon are already enough of a headache for a while. I'm even worried I can't afford to raise them. Why are you bringing that up?"

"It's nothing. We'll talk tomorrow. I'm hanging up. Bye."

Lu Ze hung up before Sui Yan could finish speaking, then went out to check on Zubat.

Zubat had only just been born, after all. Lu Ze played with him for a while before he fell soundly asleep, and Lu Ze carried him back to the spot in his room prepared for him to hang from while sleeping.

"Lu Ze, come over for a moment."

"Coming. What is it, Dad?"

Hearing Lu Ba's voice, Lu Ze ran out and asked.

"Come sit down. Your first Pokémon has already hatched. Do you have any plans for how to raise and train him?"

Lu Ze sat beside Lu Ba, picked up an orange, and answered while peeling it.

"I do. Raising him will be easy. The Energy Cubes I made are enough to last him for a while, and I can make Pokémon food too. I'll prepare it for him regularly."

"As for training, he's only just been born, so I'm worried his body won't be able to take it. For now, I mainly want him to practice using Supersonic."

"For his body and moves, I'll keep a close eye on him over the next month. With the Energy Cubes I made, he should be able to complete the basic physical training during that time."

"The following half month will mainly be for learning moves and training their power. Of course, physical training won't stop. That's a daily requirement."

"Not bad. It's good that you have a plan. Then I won't interfere. I'll leave it all to you. Good luck on the National College Entrance Examination."

After hearing Lu Ze's training plan, Lu Ba knew Lu Ze was prepared, so he stopped asking questions and got up to return to his room.

At around six o'clock the next morning, Munchlax's Pokémon Egg began glowing in pulses. The light grew brighter and brighter, until a dark gray, bear-like creature suddenly appeared sitting on the table in Lu Ze's room.

It was Munchlax. Munchlax looked at the still-sleeping Lu Ze, chewed on a finger, then jumped down and stood by the bed watching him. After a while, his gaze shifted to the Energy Cubes by the wardrobe.

Munchlax walked toward the Energy Cubes. Luckily, the ones Lu Ze had left in his room were all experience-type Energy Cubes. If they had been body-strengthening ones, he really might not have been able to handle them.

Munchlax really could eat. He finished two boxes of Energy Cubes before letting out a satisfied burp and stopping. The newly born Zubat had been full after eating just one.

After eating his fill, Munchlax stood beside the bed again and tilted his head as though pondering something. Then he clumsily climbed onto the bed, shoved Lu Ze farther inward, lay down, and fell asleep.

The quiet time passed in a flash. When sunlight fell across Lu Ze's face, he groggily opened his eyes. Munchlax was lying beside him, with one of Lu Ze's legs draped over Munchlax's belly and one arm around his neck.

Lu Ze felt that he had slept incredibly well. In his dream, his Snorlax had smashed Doduo with an Ice Punch in his left hand and beaten Red with a Thunder Punch in his right. It had been ridiculously cool.

"Hm? What am I hugging?"

Now fully awake, Lu Ze finally saw Munchlax. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then looked at the Culture Medium where Munchlax's Pokémon Egg had been placed. It was empty.

"It really is Munchlax! Hahaha, Munchlax, you hatched without making a sound, and you even slept in my bed with me."

Lu Ze jumped about excitedly, waking Munchlax in the process. Munchlax sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Munchlax, sorry for waking you. Do you want something to eat?"

Seeing Munchlax awake, Lu Ze asked apologetically.

"Munchlax~"

When Munchlax heard that Lu Ze was going to prepare food for him, he nodded excitedly, his eyes crinkling happily.

Lu Ze noticed that two boxes of Energy Cubes were missing and knew Munchlax must have eaten them after hatching because he had been hungry. He did not think much of it and went out to bring in some leftover Moomoo Milk from yesterday.

When Lu Ze returned, he found Zubat flying circles around Munchlax. Munchlax had his eyes narrowed and looked very happy. After flying around for a while, Zubat affectionately landed on Munchlax's shoulder and wrapped himself around Munchlax just as he had wrapped himself around Lu Ze the night before.

Watching sunlight fall on the two adorable Pokémon, Lu Ze could not help but feel happy too.

"Little guys, breakfast is ready. Come eat."

Lu Ze placed their breakfast in front of them. Munchlax showed no restraint, happily swallowing the Energy Cubes one after another, while Zubat was much more refined. He took a long time to finish a single Energy Cube, then drank Moomoo Milk from the bowl beside him.

Seeing that Zubat had stopped eating, Munchlax hesitated for a moment, then placed the Energy Cube he had been about to stuff into his mouth in front of Zubat and nudged it forward, signaling for Zubat to eat quickly.

Lu Ze, who had been watching from the side, could not help laughing as he said to Munchlax,

"Munchlax, it's fine. There are still plenty here, but Zubat can't eat any more. Go ahead and keep eating."

Zubat also pushed the Energy Cube back toward Munchlax in agreement with Lu Ze. Munchlax did not mind. He picked it up, stuffed it into his mouth, and continued eating heartily, looking even happier than before.

After the two Pokémon had finished eating, Lu Ze took out their Poké Balls and recalled them, then prepared to meet Sui Yan.

It was the first time both Pokémon had been captured that morning. Since they had been born from Eggs, neither resisted being captured. If Lu Ze could see their friendship values, he would have known that both Pokémon already had extremely high friendship with him.

At the entrance to the Pokémon Battle Center.

Sui Yan asked Lu Ze, who had just arrived,

"What is it that you couldn't say over the phone and had to tell me in person?"

"It concerns your future."

"My future? Damn, that's pretty far ahead, isn't it?"

Sui Yan looked at Lu Ze with surprise, his expression making it obvious that he did not believe him.

"Believe it or not. Do you want to hear it?"

Lu Ze said disdainfully.

"I believe you, I believe you. Go ahead."

Seeing that Sui Yan still did not seem convinced, Lu Ze helplessly shrugged and told him what Lu Ba had said about the Top Ten Universities.

"No way. Then why didn't my aunt or my dad tell me about this?"

Sui Yan looked utterly confused. His father was a professor at Chang'an Jiaotong University, and his aunt was a captain at the Chang'an City Police Station, yet neither had told him about such a thing.

"Uh, have you ever told them which university you want to apply to?"

"No. Why?"

Sui Yan answered matter-of-factly.

"No wonder. My dad said they only tell people about this if they can get into the Top Ten Universities. You never revealed your goal at all, so it's normal that they didn't tell you. By the way, how are your chances for Shangqing University? Can you get in?"

"The Martial Trial was a little uncertain before, but if I follow your plan, there won't be any problem with the raising side of things. The Martial Trial should be fine too."

"Alright, keep it up. Now I'll tell you something else."

"What is it? You're being so mysterious."

Seeing that Lu Ze had dragged him into a private battle arena before he was willing to speak, Sui Yan casually teased him.

"What I'm about to tell you concerns your Sunny Team."

"My Sunny Team? What about it?"

"If your Sunny Team were different from everyone else's Sunny Team, could you accept that?"

"Sure. Why?"

Sui Yan was a little curious. Why was Lu Ze acting so mysteriously today?

"Listen, don't interrupt me yet."

"Fine. Go ahead, I'm listening."

"The real way to play a Sunny Team is not to make every member a Fire type."

"Mm, mm?!"

Sui Yan could not hold it in after hearing that first sentence. He stared at Lu Ze with widened eyes, all his earlier casualness gone.

"That's right, you heard me correctly. A Sunny Team cannot consist only of Fire-type Pokémon. Otherwise, what would you do if your Sunny Team ran into a Rock type?"

"It's normal for Sunny Teams to be countered by Sandstorm Teams. In a normal match, it's an eighty-twenty matchup. I'm already prepared for that."

"Then have you considered adding a Venusaur to your Sunny Team?"

"Venusaur? On a Sunny Team? Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Sui Yan widened his eyes even more as he continued asking. What Lu Ze was telling him was beginning to overturn his previous understanding.

"Venusaur has the Ability Chlorophyll, which doubles its speed under Sunny Day. Its move Growth raises both attacking stats by two stages, and its powerful Grass-type moves Solar Beam and Solar Blade can be used immediately. It perfectly counters Rock types. What do you think of putting that on a Sunny Team?"

"Very good, very good."

After hearing Lu Ze's explanation, Sui Yan had begun to understand. He looked at Lu Ze expectantly, hoping he would continue.

"As for Leafeon, I don't need to explain Chlorophyll. Its other Ability, Leaf Guard, makes it immune to status conditions under Sunny Day. With its high Attack stat and Defense stat, how about using it as a physical attacker?"

"That works, that works."

"Finally, add either a Conkeldurr or a Cloyster. Conkeldurr can use Thunder Punch against Rain Teams and Ice Punch against Ground and Dragon types. Cloyster works similarly. The two greatest enemies of a Sunny Team would both be perfectly handled. So, does that work?"

"It works. It absolutely works. Lu Ze, you're a genius."

Sui Yan excitedly threw his arms around Lu Ze. He had been worried about his Sunny Team being countered, but now he no longer had to worry at all.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. Once you master this lineup, I'll teach you two upgraded Sunny Team lineups."

"Tell me now, older brother. Please."

"I refuse malicious cuteness. Disgusting. Get away from me. You can't even play this simple Sunny Team properly yet, and you want me to teach you the upgraded version?"

"Just tell me. Maybe I'm incredibly gifted and will learn it right away."

"Get away from me!"

After the two messed around in the battle arena for a while, Sui Yan suggested having a battle between their newly born Pokémon.

Seeing Sui Yan's excitement, Lu Ze readily agreed.

The battle was about to begin!