The Third Soul Ring: Riolu

The battle ended quickly.

By the time the academy experts Huo Yuhao had summoned arrived, Chi Hong had already left. Only a scene of devastation remained.

Yan Shaozhe studied the shattered ice sculptures on the ground, his expression grave.

"Such powerful ice. That's definitely Ultimate Ice! Could Chi Hong have a second Martial Soul?"

Huo Yuhao asked calmly, "Dean, who tried to assassinate me?"

Yan Shaozhe turned to him and fell silent for a moment.

"Dai Huabin. But don't worry. The academy will see that you get justice."

Dai Huabin. You again!

Huo Yuhao clenched his fists, hatred nearly spilling over.

He took a deep breath.

"Dean Yan, he tried to kill me. How can I keep studying here with a classmate like that?"

Yan Shaozhe nodded solemnly.

"This behavior is utterly unacceptable. The academy will deal with it seriously."

"Can you expel him?"

Huo Yuhao struggled to contain the anger in his eyes.

Yan Shaozhe paused, then patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder and spoke earnestly. "Yuhao, as the White Tiger Duke's son, Dai Huabin grew up in privilege. It made him domineering and arrogant, but he's still young. It's normal for him to act irrationally."

"The academy exists to educate students. Guiding him back onto the right path is Shrek Academy's duty."

"He dared attack you because he has the duke's estate behind him. That's the heart of the problem. Rest assured, the academy will make the White Tiger Duke's estate pay dearly this time."

Yan Shaozhe spoke with righteous conviction, looking every inch the dashing gentleman.

Huo Yuhao unclenched his fists, and his gaze grew calm again.

"So he won't be punished at all? He'll just be more discreet about trying to kill me. Is that right?"

Yan Shaozhe frowned.

"Yuhao, you mustn't think that way. See Dai Huabin as an obstacle on your path. Overcoming him through your own strength will help you grow. Hatred will only blind you. The academy is doing this for your own good."

Huo Yuhao forced a smile.

"All right, Dean. I understand."

Chi Hong paid no attention to what happened afterward.

He had already rushed back to the Dormitory. The ambush had pushed his Soul Power Level straight to thirty-one, allowing him to obtain his third Soul Ring—and his third Pokémon.

Chi Hong contacted Professor Oak.

Ding! Professor Oak recently hatched a Pokémon with a terrible temperament, and it has been giving him a headache. Delighted to hear that you have passed level thirty, he has sent it to you.

You received a Poké Ball.

"A Pokémon with a terrible temperament? Hah. Can it really be worse than the Ice Empress?"

Chi Hong chuckled.

"What did you say? Let this empress out."

The Ice Empress's phantom appeared behind Chi Hong, her expression icy.

Chi Hong shrugged.

"If your master doesn't let you out, behave yourself."

The Ice Empress gritted her teeth and decided she would never save him again the next time she came out. Unless... he begged her.

Chi Hong checked the Poké Ball's information.

Third Soul Ring · Riolu

Age: 106

Friendship: 12/100 (hostile)

Type: Fighting

Ability: Inner Focus. Cannot flinch from an opponent's attacks. Immune to Intimidate.

Moves: Quick Attack, Endure, Feint, Metal Claw, Counter...

Held item: None

"Riolu, huh? A Fighting type. Now I've got a Pokémon that can hit hard up close. That fills a gap nicely."

Chi Hong was quite pleased with his new Pokémon.

And once Riolu evolved into Lucario, he would gain the Steel type, greatly boosting his defense.

He opened the Poké Ball with a snap.

A small, blue-and-black canine appeared.

He stood on two legs, with markings like a black mask on his face. His red eyes scanned the unfamiliar surroundings warily.

When he noticed Charizard and Greninja nearby, he seemed to sense how dangerous they were. He bared his teeth, let out a low growl, and took a stance ready to attack at any moment.

"This little dog's mental power seems incredibly strong. It's almost tangible enough to affect his surroundings. But it's a little different from mental power, isn't it?"

The Ice Empress looked him over, puzzled.

"It's an innate gift called Aura. It's a power of the mind, or you could think of it as the vibration of life energy. It can do much more than ordinary mental power: sensing, defending, attacking, healing, and communicating. It's remarkably versatile."

Chi Hong explained.

The Ice Empress gave Riolu a curious look.

"I have no idea where you found these Soul Beasts. I've never heard of any of them, and their traits are nothing like the Soul Beasts on this continent. Don't tell me you really are the Creator God reincarnated, able to create new species out of thin air."

Chi Hong nodded.

"Of course. Now hurry up and submit to your god."

The Ice Empress sighed.

"Forget it. I shouldn't have expected anything else from you."

Chi Hong studied his new companion and tried offering him a Pokéblock from his bag.

Riolu swatted it away with one paw. He kept baring his teeth, unwilling even to sniff it.

Chi Hong raised an eyebrow.

"Quite a temper you've got. Food won't win you over either, huh?"

Now that he was connected to Riolu, he could sense a trace of his emotions.

At the moment, Riolu was hostile to everything around him.

But thanks to Inner Focus, he wasn't afraid of the much stronger Charizard and Greninja. He even wanted to challenge the pair.

Chi Hong rubbed his hands together.

"You look pretty brave. How about we make a deal? You and I fight. If you lose, you become my partner. If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me. I won't bully you by sending either of those two in. I'll fight you myself."

With his Aura, Riolu understood Chi Hong perfectly.

But right now, he felt Chi Hong was looking down on him. Chi Hong was only human. How could he possibly defeat a skilled fighter like Riolu?

Riolu had the heart of a warrior. If he was going to issue a challenge, it would be to someone stronger.

He gave Chi Hong a disdainful glance, then looked toward Charizard and Greninja, daring them to fight.

Charizard looked down at the little dog, plainly uninterested.

Greninja maintained his aloof composure and ignored Riolu's provocation entirely.

Riolu probed them with his Aura. Those two really did seem dangerous.

He was brave, not stupid.

So Riolu turned back to Chi Hong and crooked a claw, beckoning him to fight.

Chi Hong smiled faintly.

"Come on, let's take this outside. I don't want you wrecking my Dormitory."

The Ice Empress put a hand to her forehead and sighed inwardly.

There he goes again, picking on an unsuspecting Soul Beast.