The Third Soul Ring: Riolu

The battle ended quickly.

By the time the academy's experts arrived in response to Huo Yuhao's call, 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.

"It was 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 out of him.

He took a deep breath.

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

Yan Shaozhe nodded solemnly.

"His actions were reprehensible. The academy will deal with this seriously."

"Will you expel him?"

Huo Yuhao struggled to contain the anger in his eyes.

Yan Shaozhe paused, then patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder. "Yuhao, as the White Tiger Duke's son, Dai Huabin grew up in privilege. It made him overbearing, but he's still young. It's only natural for him to do something rash."

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

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

Yan Shaozhe spoke with righteous conviction, looking every bit the dashing hero.

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. Think of 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 faint smile.

"All right, Dean. I understand."

Chi Hong had no interest in what happened next.

He had already returned to his 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 called Professor Oak.

Ding! Professor Oak recently hatched a Pokémon with a terrible temperament, and it's been giving him a headache. He was delighted to hear that you'd passed level thirty and has sent it to you.

You obtained a Poké Ball.

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

Chi Hong chuckled.

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

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

Chi Hong shrugged.

"If your master won't let you out, be good and listen."

The Ice Empress gritted her teeth. Next time she got out, she absolutely would not save him—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 be made to flinch by 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 for close-range assaults. That fills a gap nicely."

Chi Hong was quite pleased with his new Pokémon.

And once Riolu evolved into Lucario, it would gain the Steel type, greatly increasing its defense.

He opened the Poké Ball with a pop.

A small, blue-and-black dog appeared.

It stood on two legs, with markings like a black mask on its face. Its red eyes warily surveyed the unfamiliar room.

When it noticed Charizard and Greninja nearby, it seemed to sense the danger they posed. It immediately bared its teeth and gave a low growl, ready to attack at any moment.

"This little dog's mental power seems incredibly strong. It's almost tangible—it can affect its surroundings. But it's a little different from mental power, too."

The Ice Empress studied Riolu, puzzled.

"That's the little guy's innate gift: Aura. It's a power of the mind that you could also see as a wave of life energy. It's far more versatile than mental power, combining perception, defense, attack, healing, and communication."

Chi Hong explained.

The Ice Empress gave Riolu another curious look.

"Where did you find these Soul Beasts? I've never heard of any of them, and their traits are nothing like those of the Soul Beasts on this continent. You aren't really the reincarnation of a Creator God who can make new species out of thin air, are you?"

Chi Hong nodded.

"Of course. Now hurry up and submit to God."

The Ice Empress sighed.

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

Chi Hong watched his new companion and tried to take a Pokéblock from his bag to offer it to Riolu.

Riolu slapped it away with one paw. Still baring its teeth, it refused even to sniff the food.

Chi Hong raised an eyebrow.

"Quite a temper. Not even food will win you over."

Because he had formed a connection with Riolu, he could now sense a trace of its emotions.

Right now, Riolu was hostile toward everything around it.

But its Inner Focus ability kept it from fearing Charizard and Greninja despite their superior strength. It even wanted to challenge them.

Chi Hong rubbed his hands together.

"You look pretty brave. How about 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 take advantage of you by sending either of those two in. I'll fight you myself."

With its Aura, Riolu could now fully understand what Chi Hong meant.

But Riolu felt that Chi Hong was looking down on it. Chi Hong was only human. How could he possibly defeat a skilled fighter like Riolu?

With its drive to face the strongest, Riolu wanted to challenge a more powerful opponent.

Riolu gave Chi Hong a disdainful glance, then turned to challenge Charizard and Greninja.

Charizard looked down at the little dog, plainly uninterested.

Greninja maintained its cool composure and ignored Riolu's provocation entirely.

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

It was brave, not stupid.

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

Chi Hong smiled.

"Come on. Let's take this outside. I don't want you wrecking my dorm."

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

He's going to bully another unsuspecting Soul Beast.