Defeating Beibei and Xu Sanshi-Froakie Evolves!

Below the Soul Arena.

Tang Ya shouted:

"Go, Beibei! Teach that brat a lesson. He's getting way too cocky!"

Hearing Tang Ya cheer for him, Beibei felt strength surge through his whole body. He smiled and waved to her from the arena.

Huo Yuhao asked, puzzled:

"Sister Ya, if Senior Brother Beibei is so strong, why did he join our declining Tang Sect? You won't let him join fully, but you still let him use the connection, and he's always standing up for us. Isn't that a little..."

Tang Ya's expression stiffened. She rapped Huo Yuhao on the head.

"Who says? He insisted on joining the Tang Sect himself! He's lucky I accepted him at all."

That was what Tang Ya said, but she knew why Beibei had joined the Tang Sect.

After spending years with him, she couldn't say she loved him, but she certainly had feelings for him.

As for why she wouldn't be with him...

Beibei was talented and had a bright future. She couldn't bear to let him spend his whole life tied to her.

But she couldn't bear to let him leave, either.

"So you've been stringing Senior Brother Beibei along this whole time?"

Realization dawned on Huo Yuhao.

Tang Ya snapped, "Shut up! What do you mean, stringing him along? We're sect master and disciple. Best friends!"

Huo Yuhao looked toward Beibei and Xu Sanshi in the arena.

He sighed inwardly. Love really does make people lose their minds.

He thought of his mother. She, too, had loved that biological father of his and refused to leave the duke's estate. In the end, the duchess had killed her.

No. I need to learn from Brother Chi Hong. My only goals should be getting stronger and winning battles. I can't let feelings get in the way!

Chi Hong knew nothing of Huo Yuhao's thoughts.

He was busy working out how to deal with the two Soul Elders before him.

He might have acted cocky earlier, but Beibei and Xu Sanshi were not to be underestimated.

Underestimate your opponents in strategy, take them seriously in tactics. That was how a Pokémon Master thought.

First, both Charizard and Froakie were weak to electricity.

Froakie in particular would go down in one hit if Beibei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon landed a solid blow.

Xu Sanshi's Xuanming Shield could not be broken quickly.

The best move, then, was to find an opening and take Beibei out first.

"Use Smokescreen!" Chi Hong ordered.

Froakie and Charizard both spewed black smoke from their mouths.

"What the hell? I paid for a ticket, and now I can't see a thing! Screw this—give me my money back!"

With their view blocked, the spectators were naturally unhappy. Complaints and curses poured from the stands.

Xu Sanshi coughed twice. "Why's this brat so underhanded? Dirty tricks right from the start! Come out and fight us face-to-face if you've got the guts!"

"Don't worry. I can handle this." Beibei covered his mouth with one hand and activated his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul with the other. "Second soul skill: Thunderous!"

He pressed a hand to the ground. Fierce blue lightning burst forth and spread in every direction, forming a web of electricity that covered the arena.

Flashes of lightning flickered through the black smoke, drawing gasps from the spectators.

"Damn, no wonder he's the outer academy's strongest attacker. That lightning is brutal."

"Think he'll finish them in one move? That blue frog looks like an ordinary hundred-year Soul Beast."

Beibei scanned the arena for any sign of the two Pokémon.

His move covered a wide area. Under normal circumstances, it was bound to hit them.

"Stay hidden like a coward forever, then! Just don't let me catch you!"

Xu Sanshi brandished his Xuanming Shield and shouted in every direction. He also kept his back pressed to Beibei's to guard against a sneak attack.

As the two remained on alert,

a dragon's roar came from directly ahead. A surge of cyan-blue Dragon Breath swept toward them like a gale.

"Heh. I've been waiting for that." Xu Sanshi immediately stepped in front of Beibei. "Second soul skill: Xuanwu Formation Shield!"

Several massive Black Tortoise Shields appeared, forming a wall that blocked the Dragon Breath.

The blast also scattered most of the black smoke, revealing Charizard.

Beibei's lips curled into a smile. "Now! Thunder Dragon Claw!"

Wild lightning gathered around his hand and formed a huge dragon-shaped claw that hurtled toward Charizard.

But Charizard was ready. He used the divine move Dodge.

One beat of his wings carried him clear of the attack.

"Froakie, use Lick."

Chi Hong gave the order calmly.

Froakie had already leaped into the air behind Beibei.

Catching Beibei in the opening after his attack, Froakie lashed out with his long tongue.

"You're not hurting Beibei!" Xu Sanshi roared. Then he realized he could barely move. His body tingled all over. "What's going on? Why can't I move?"

[Xu Sanshi was paralyzed and unable to move.]

That was the effect of Dragon Breath. It had a chance to paralyze its target.

But Chi Hong had entered his own luck stat. For him, the effect triggered practically every time.

The same went for Lick.

Smack!

The tongue struck Beibei, leaving a sticky red welt across his back. "What is this? That's disgusting! Why can't I move either?"

Chi Hong gave a cold snort.

"Time to end this farce. Froakie, use Quick Attack! Charizard, use Dragon Claw!"

The moment he finished speaking,

Froakie became a streak of white light and vanished, moving too fast for the eye to follow.

The next instant, he appeared behind Beibei and slammed into him.

Beibei cried out as he flew forward, knocking Xu Sanshi down and landing on top of him.

"Damn it, Beibei! Get off me!"

Xu Sanshi shouted in annoyance.

Beibei obliged and rolled aside.

Most of the numbness had faded from Xu Sanshi's body. He got to his feet.

Just then, a shadow above him grew larger and larger.

Xu Sanshi looked up in confusion. Charizard's massive body came hurtling down, his raised claws gleaming with golden Dragon-type light.

"Shit, Beibei, you bastard!"

BOOM!!!

Dragon Claw crashed into Xu Sanshi. A thunderous impact shook the arena, sending dust billowing into the air.

"What? The outer academy's strongest offense-and-defense duo lost just like that?"

"Why did they both stand there without moving? Were they throwing the match?"

"Can't count on two lovesick fools who only think about women. How embarrassing."

The disappointed spectators blamed the pair. Some began questioning how they had ever earned their reputation as the twin stars.

They couldn't even beat one Thousand-Year Soul Beast and one hundred-year Soul Beast.

The dust cleared.

Charizard held Xu Sanshi in his claws and pinned Beibei beneath one foot. He stared defiantly at the students around the arena.

His look seemed to say: Anyone else want to fight?

Froakie folded his arms and savored the victory.

[Charizard and Froakie defeated the wild trainers Beibei and Xu Sanshi and gained a large amount of experience.]

[Ding! Froakie leveled up. His body began to change!]

[Ding! Froakie evolved into Greninja and learned Water Shuriken, Night Slash, Role Play, Haze, Shadow Sneak, Aerial Ace...]