First Battle! Just Look at This Potential-Does This Seem Right to You?!

Newbie Battle Hall, Battle Field 11.

Chu Xiaolan stood on the red side of the field, a Poké Ball clutched in his hand, but his eyes kept drifting toward the rest area outside the field.

"Hey, Xiaolan, snap out of it! Focus on the battle!"

On the other side of the field, Chu Xiaolan's older brother, Chu Weihe, looked at his little brother's dazed expression and helplessly covered his face.

He was a fourth-year student about to graduate, and he had recently been busy preparing for the Trainee Investigator assessment. His schedule was already packed. If their mother hadn't asked him—and if Chu Xiaolan hadn't been his own little brother—he wouldn't have had time to accompany him out to play house.

After all, for a freshly graduated university student, it was no easy feat to join the Inspection Department directly after graduation and become a Trainee Pokémon Investigator.

If he hadn't joined the university team while attending Evergreen University and achieved fairly good results, and if he hadn't been recommended by the team captain, he probably wouldn't have had any connections to rely on.

"Yes, Big Brother!"

Chu Xiaolan's body jolted, and he instinctively answered loudly.

Outside the field, inside the rest area protected by a barrier.

Under Mu Yun and Liu Jianhao's watchful gazes, the two trainers each threw out a Poké Ball. One large and one small Pokémon appeared on the field.

The smaller one was blue all over. Its head was smooth and round, its body resembled a turtle shell, and its tail curled slightly into a pattern that looked like waves.

It was Squirtle, one of the Starter Trio.

[Pokémon: Squirtle]

[Gender: Male]

[Type: Water Type]

[Level: 10 (Normal Level)]

[Ability: Torrent (When stamina falls below one-third, the power of Water Type moves increases by 50%)]

[Moves: Aqua Ring, Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Withdraw, Rapid Spin]

[Held Item: None]

[Potential: Totem Level]

[Base Stats: 314]

"No wonder the Starter Trio is so expensive. It actually has Totem Level potential. You really do get what you pay for!"

In the rest area, Mu Yun looked at Squirtle's Status Panel and sighed inwardly.

Then he looked at the other Pokémon, whose body was far larger than Squirtle's.

Its rock-gray body was roughly spherical overall, and its hide was made up of uneven stones. From a distance, it looked like a giant boulder that had grown limbs and a head.

It was Golem, a dual Rock and Ground Type Pokémon!

[Pokémon: Golem]

[Gender: Male]

[Type: Rock + Ground]

[Level: 49 (Elite Level)]

[Ability: Sturdy (Even after suffering fatal damage, it can stubbornly hold on. Within 24 hours after the Sturdy protection mechanism is triggered for the first time, it will recover a little stamina and remain conscious)]

[Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rock Polish, Rollout, Stomp, Rock Throw, Smack Down, Self-Destruct (mutual destruction), Stealth Rock, Rock Blast, Earthquake, Explosion]

[Held Item: None]

[Potential: Elite Level]

[Base Stats: 495]

"Golem against Squirtle?!"

Before Mu Yun could finish marveling over Golem's Status Panel, Liu Jianhao, sitting beside him, cried out in surprise.

As a student about to enter his final year of high school, how could Liu Jianhao not know that Golem was Geodude's final evolution?

Although evolving into Golem, its final form, only required special means and had nothing to do with level, Geodude still needed at least Veteran Level strength (levels 20–29) just to evolve into Graveler.

A Pokémon with at least Veteran Level strength had come to the Newbie Battle Hall?

Did it have no shame?

"Don't get worked up. They probably know each other and are here for a practice match." Mu Yun patted Liu Jianhao on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down.

Sure enough, just as Mu Yun had said.

On the field, Golem only defended and didn't attack, allowing Squirtle to do whatever it wanted.

Even against a Water Gun attack that had a fourfold type advantage, Golem could withstand it through its overwhelming level advantage.

The result naturally ended with Squirtle running out of stamina.

"Battle Field 11, the sixth match has ended. The participants in the seventh match, please get ready." After the battle ended, the loudspeaker in the rest room issued its announcement on time.

"Let's go. It's our turn."

Mu Yun and Liu Jianhao rose and walked together toward the narrow corridor connected to the battle field.

On the way, the Chu brothers passed by Mu Yun and Liu Jianhao. Because the corridor was narrow, Chu Xiaolan accidentally brushed shoulders with Liu Jianhao.

Summer clothes were thin to begin with. The warmth of that brief contact made a large patch of Chu Xiaolan's face flush red. The instant he felt his face grow hot, he lowered his head.

Mu Yun could even see the tips of his reddened ears.

Well, well. It was another rare, pure-hearted Xiao Chunan.

"Brother, why don't you go ahead? I... I'll stay a little longer."

After leaving the corridor, Chu Xiaolan spoke softly to Chu Weihe.

"Fine. But they don't look like a couple—they're probably childhood friends. You'd better be careful. Don't come crying to me if you get beaten up. Your brother can't afford to lose that kind of face." Chu Weihe sounded rather helpless.

After saying that, he ignored Chu Xiaolan's flushed face and walked straight out of the Newbie Battle Hall.

What was so interesting about some pure little girl who hadn't fully grown up yet? In his opinion, a cool older sister with a valiant bearing was much more appealing!

Battle Field 11.

After Mu Yun and Liu Jianhao took their places on the red and blue sides of the field, a small spherical robot flew out from the charging port at the edge of the field and hovered directly in the center of the training ground.

"Newbie Battle Hall, electronic referee for Battle Field 11, serial number 01102, at your service. Please choose from the following battle modes."

"One-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three, six-on-six..."

"One-on-one," Mu Yun said.

This was what he and Liu Jianhao had agreed upon.

Although Liu Jianhao also had two Pokémon, they both wanted to try a random battle later, so there was naturally no need to send them all out now.

"Beep beep—received. One-on-one battle mode rules:"

"One Pokémon may be used in this battle. Recalling your Pokémon midway will count as an automatic forfeit. During the battle, Pokémon may not intentionally attack Trainers, referees, or other unrelated personnel..."

"Finally, only send out your Pokémon after hearing 'Beep—both sides, send out your Pokémon,' and only begin issuing commands after hearing 'Beep beep—the battle begins.'"

After a lengthy introduction, electronic referee 01102 finally flew away from the center of the field under Liu Jianhao's expectant gaze and hovered at the referee observation position outside the field.

"Beep—both sides, send out your Pokémon!"

"Go, Xiao Du!"

"Snubbull, I'm counting on you!"

The moment the electronic voice sounded, Mu Yun and Liu Jianhao threw out their Poké Balls at the same time. Both Pokémon they sent out were Starter Pokémon obtained from their school.

[Pokémon: Snubbull]

[Gender: Female]

[Type: Fairy type]

[Level: 10 (Normal Level)]

[Ability: Rattled (When attacked by Dark Type, Ghost Type, or Bug Type moves, its Speed rises by one stage, or 50%)]

[Moves: Copycat, Growl, Tackle, Tail Whip, Scary Face, Charm, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Bite]

[Held Item: None]

[Potential: Gym Leader Level]

[Base Stats: 300]

Snubbull and Xiao Du were the same level, both only level 10.

But Snubbull's moves section was far richer than Xiao Du's, with a full nine moves. Mu Yun couldn't help feeling a little envious.

Further down the panel was the equally empty held-item section, followed by...

"Gym Leader Level potential?!"

Looking at Snubbull's potential rating, Mu Yun began silently reciting the rankings from lowest to highest.

Normal Level, Veteran Level, Professional Level, Elite Level, Totem Level, Gym Leader Level...

It was a full two levels higher than Xiao Du's!

Was this really right?

If Snubbull's potential had only been Totem Level, Mu Yun might have thought Liu Jianhao had simply gotten lucky and obtained a Pokémon with Totem Level potential that had positively mutated from a pile of Elite Level Pokémon Eggs.

But Gym Leader Level was a full two tiers higher than Elite Level.

Mu Yun would sooner believe that Liu Jianhao's father had helped him from behind the scenes than believe this kid's luck was heaven-defying.

Even mutations had to follow the basic rules!