Sui Yan Takes the Field

"Haha, first, let's thank the two Mo Yans and the two Meowths for bringing us a... um... fun and entertaining battle."

"Next, let's enjoy our fifth match. Who will claim one of our top-eight spots? Stay tuned!"

Lu Ze and the others grew quietly nervous. So far, neither Lu Ze, Sui Yan, Tang Yunqin, nor Yin Hanling had taken the field. There were not many contestants left, so the odds of running into one another were fairly high.

"Contestants Sui Yan and Zhang Xue, please take the field."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it was not an internal matchup. This battle would be between Sui Yan and another girl.

After relaxing, Lu Ze smiled and teased Su Tingxi.

"Why does Sui Yan always end up fighting girls? Take a guess—will this girl get beaten to tears?"

Su Tingxi rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes, speaking with a serious expression.

"I think so. Zhang Xue... that name sounds soft and delicate."

The two slapped hands.

"It's a bet!"

Sui Yan and a girl from the other side stepped onto the field together. The girl wore a training uniform, her hair tied in a single ponytail. She stood across from Sui Yan with a resolute expression.

"Both sides, release your Pokémon!"

"Woo~"

"Gurr!"

Sui Yan released Growlithe, who let out a Howl the moment he entered the field.

When they saw the opponent's Pokémon, not only were Lu Ze and the others surprised, but the spectators outside the field were as well. Such a lovely name, such a pretty girl, and her Pokémon was actually a Gurdurr? It was completely mismatched.

Pokémon: Gurdurr

Gender: Female

Type: Fighting type

Ability: Sheer Force (Moves with additional effects gain increased power, but their additional effects no longer activate. Held items still function and are unaffected by the Sheer Force Ability.)

Aptitude: Orange Aptitude

Basic Moves: Leer, Pound, Rock Throw, Low Kick, Focus Energy, Bulk Up, Rock Slide, Slam, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch

Egg Moves: Detect, Mach Punch, Drain Punch, Defog

The screen gradually zoomed in for a close-up of Zhang Xue's face. At that moment, someone in the stands recognized her.

"Isn't that the daughter of the Chang'an City Martial Arts Gym master? Why is she competing too?"

"The Chang'an City Martial Arts Gym master? The one who often fights the city guardian?"

"What do you mean, fights? They call it sparring, okay?"

"If he spars with the city guardian, doesn't that mean he has Quasi-Elite Four strength too?"

Those in the stands who knew began discussing it, while those who did not pricked up their ears and listened intently to gossip about the city guardian and the Martial Arts Gym master.

Lu Ze and the others could not hear the voices from the stands, but just from Gurdurr's rather luxurious move list, they could tell that this would not be an easy match for Sui Yan.

Swish.

The flag dropped, and the battle began.

"Gurdurr—Mach Punch!"

"Growlithe—Flamethrower!"

Gurdurr charged toward Growlithe at incredible speed. Growlithe lowered his body slightly as fiery energy gathered in his mouth. A thick pillar of flame burst forth, blasting toward the charging Gurdurr.

Gurdurr's expression did not change. Faced with the oncoming Flamethrower, she did not slow down. She nimbly dodged around the fire column and rapidly closed in on Growlithe.

To Growlithe's surprise, she punched him directly in the head.

"Growlithe! Damn it!"

Sui Yan had not expected the opposing Gurdurr to be so agile, and immediately gave another command.

"Growlithe—Flame Charge!"

"Gurdurr—Slam!"

Growlithe glared fiercely at Gurdurr. Orange-red flames flared around his body as he charged toward her.

Gurdurr shifted slightly to the side and caught the charging Growlithe by the neck. Orange-red flames scorched her body, yet her expression did not change in the slightest as she firmly threw Growlithe over her shoulder.

The flung Growlithe got to his feet and shook his head. Gurdurr, meanwhile, calmly planted her steel beam at her side with one hand, spread her other hand, and crooked a finger at Growlithe, carrying herself with the air of a grandmaster.

"Damn it, she's hard to deal with."

Sui Yan bit his finger irritably as he considered a way to break the deadlock.

"Gurdurr—Mach Punch!"

Zhang Xue did not hesitate, directly commanding Gurdurr to press Growlithe with a fierce attack.

Sui Yan had yet to think of a way out, so he could only command Growlithe to use the godly move—dodge quickly.

Growlithe dodged left and right. Gurdurr's Mach Punch always came within a hair's breadth of hitting him, but each time, he barely managed to evade it.

Sui Yan's eyes lit up. Watching Growlithe dodge, he seemed to think of something, though it was still just out of reach.

"Growlithe—Agility!"

"Gurdurr—Encore, Mach Punch!"

Gurdurr once again used Mach Punch to attack Growlithe. Unfortunately, with Agility boosting him, Growlithe became even more impossible for Gurdurr to touch.

With a flicker, he darted far away.

Sui Yan finally remembered what he had thought of earlier. Wasn't this exactly like the previous match, where one Meowth had been kiting the other Meowth?

Sui Yan burst into laughter.

"Growlithe, stay far away—Howl!"

"Gurdurr—Rock Slide!"

One Pokémon chased while the other fled, but Growlithe was far faster than Gurdurr. Before long, he had run out of range.

"Awooo~"

Growlithe howled like a wolf, successfully raising his Attack stat by one stage. Then he leaped to the side, dodging Gurdurr's Rock Slide again.

Sui Yan laughed loudly.

"That's it, Growlithe! Kite her, then Howl!"

Growlithe curled up one corner of his mouth in a crooked grin and continued his kiting-and-Howl strategy.

"The situation has turned around! Boosted by Flame Charge and Agility, Growlithe is incredibly fast. Gurdurr cannot even touch the tip of his tail!"

The commentator passionately called the match from the commentary booth.

"Growlithe pulls away and howls at the sky, raising his Attack stat. Then he dodges Gurdurr's Rock Slide again!"

"Gurdurr rushes over, but Growlithe pulls away again! Another Howl! He still sprints away before Gurdurr can reach him! He's kiting Gurdurr! He's kiting her!"

On the field, Growlithe had been strengthened by Howl two more times, bringing his Attack stat to stage three. Zhang Xue also realized this could not continue, so she commanded Gurdurr to begin strengthening herself as well.

"Gurdurr—Bulk Up!"

A strange scene appeared on the field. Neither Pokémon attacked. One was howling like a wolf, while the other struck a Bulk Up pose, as though this were the stage of a bodybuilding competition.

After a while, Growlithe's Attack had reached its maximum, while Gurdurr had also raised both her Attack stat and Defense stat by three stages.

"It's time to deliver the final blow, Growlithe—Flame Wheel!"

Growlithe bared his teeth in a grin as raging flames ignited around him and he charged toward Gurdurr.

Zhang Xue still wore that same expression, neither sorrowful nor joyful.

"Gurdurr—Detect!"

Gurdurr crouched slightly, her eyes fixed tightly on the charging Growlithe.

"Growlithe is about to deliver the final blow! Can Gurdurr withstand this attack?!"

The commentator and several spectators nervously stood up, staring at the two Pokémon on the field without blinking.

Gurdurr shifted slightly aside and dodged Growlithe's Flame Wheel. With a casual shove, she knocked Growlithe to the ground.

"Growlithe!"

"Gurdurr, press the advantage—Thunder Punch!"

Lightning flashed around Gurdurr's fist as she punched toward the Growlithe lying on the ground.