Battle Against Team Rocket

He put them into their Poké Balls and looked at the two balls in his hands, his face beaming with delight.

A Shiny Cubone with limitless potential. A powerful Mutant Phanpy.

It seemed none of the Pokémon he had obtained were ordinary.

Becoming a Ground-type Trainer might not be so bad.

Rustle, rustle.

"Who's there?"

One thing after another.

The grass ahead rustled. Something was definitely about to jump out.

But what emerged wasn't a Pokémon. It was two people in very familiar uniforms.

With those huge pink Rs on their chests, who could they be but Team Rocket?

There was the familiar pink hair and that bizarre blue hairstyle, too.

They just didn't look like those two.

"I thought it was Jessie and James."

"Then again, they went chasing after Ash. I wouldn't expect to run into them."

"Listen well to our names and remember us!"

"To prevent the destruction of this world! To protect the peace of the world! To carry out the evils of love and truth! The lovely, charming villains: Ichiro Daichi and Miyami Sandagawa! We're Team Rocket, soaring through the galaxy! A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us!"

Liu Xin gave a bored yawn and said disdainfully, "I've heard that speech at least a thousand times. Does everyone in Team Rocket use the same motto and just swap out the names?"

Dadi and Chuan Yamei were stumped.

Dadi pointed at him. "Nonsense! Cultured people call it drawing inspiration. How is that copying?"

"Besides, James and Jessie are our idols. What's wrong with following their example?"

Liu Xin stared. "No way. You're kidding, right?"

"Those two actually have fans?"

Dadi bristled. "Hmph. Believe it or not, those two seniors are my idols."

"Exactly! That's why we're carrying on their mission and capturing powerful Pokémon."

"We watched your Pokémon fight that Mutant Phanpy. Those are exactly the Pokémon we want."

"So hand them both over, and maybe we'll spare you a beating."

Chuan Yamei had already taken out her Pokémon, ready to fight at any moment.

Dadi had done the same and was staring Liu Xin down.

Truth be told, Liu Xin was in no shape for a battle.

Both his Pokémon were badly injured. How could they fight again?

Was he supposed to face two Pokémon himself?

Absolutely not. His body was nowhere near that tough.

What now?

Right. Maybe the system has something useful.

Liu Xin had 150 Points, after all. Surely he could exchange them for something good?

A quick glance revealed just what he needed.

Ding! The host is in danger. Recommended: Recovery Spring. Restoring one Pokémon costs 50 Points. This item can only be used once a month.

The system's explanation tempted Liu Xin. No trip to a Pokémon Center—just use the Recovery Spring, and a Pokémon would be back at full health. Convenient, quick, and incredibly powerful.

This is good stuff, but once a month is a huge restriction. Otherwise, I could challenge stronger Pokémon, heal up whenever I lost, and keep wearing them down until I caught one.

It's probably to preserve some kind of balance in this world. Whatever. I'll use it now. Heal both Mutant Phanpy and Shiny Cubone.

Liu Xin gave the system his command, and a hundred Points were deducted.

The instant he used the Recovery Spring, Shiny Cubone and Mutant Phanpy were restored to full health and ready to fight again.

Dadi was clearly growing impatient. "Looks like you're asking for a beating."

"Fine. You won't learn until it's too late."

"Go, Arbok!"

"Go, Raticate!"

Arbok:

Level: 23

Attack: 100

Special Attack: 70

Raticate:

Level: 22

Attack: 98

Special Attack: 60

They were both evolved Pokémon with high levels, but their combat strength and other attributes were nowhere near those of Liu Xin's Pokémon.

He had planned to send out Shiny Cubone, but he hadn't tried battling with Mutant Phanpy yet.

"I choose you, Mutant Phanpy!"

"Phanpy!"

The moment Mutant Phanpy appeared, it crouched to charge, flames rising around it.

Its eyes had long since returned to their usual red, not the crimson of its rampage.

It still looked a little annoyed with Liu Xin, but it had accepted being caught and now cried out a challenge to the two Pokémon before it.

"Whoa, it's hot!"

"That Mutant Phanpy really is something. The temperature jumped several degrees as soon as it came out."

"Didn't we just see it get badly hurt? How is it back at full health?"

"Could that be the Mutant Pokémon's Ability? Can it heal itself completely?"

The two Team Rocket members were ecstatic, already convinced Mutant Phanpy had such a ridiculous power.

This was Liu Xin's first time battling with Mutant Phanpy, and its information appeared in the system.

Mutant Phanpy:

Level: 16 (Can evolve into Donphan at level 30, but due to its mutation, it also requires a Fire Stone to complete the evolution.)

Attack: 170

Special Attack: 180

Defense: 120

Special Defense: 130

Ability: Sand Veil (In a sandstorm, evasion increases, and it takes no damage from the sandstorm.)

Mutant Ability: Armor-Breaking Fire (Ignores all defenses. Skill-based defenses, physical defenses, and shields alike can be burned away by these flames. Damage scales with Special Attack.)

Skills: Ground Spike, Flamethrower, Fireball Technique, Earthquake, Tackle

That Mutant Ability is incredible. It must be what lets it deal so much damage.

And with both Ground and Fire powers, its combat strength speaks for itself.

Dadi and Chuan Yamei's eyes lit up. Mutant Phanpy looked rarer and more powerful by the second.

Chuan Yamei said excitedly, "We have to catch such a rare Pokémon!"

"And Phanpy is so cute. Those flames make it even cuter!"

"Catch it! Hurry!"

Dadi ordered Arbok to attack. As a Poison-type, Arbok was formidable in its own right.

But against a Ground-type Mutant Phanpy, its attacks would struggle to work.

"Wrap!"

Arbok tried to coil around Mutant Phanpy and squeeze it until it suffocated.

But before it could get close, the heat drove it back.

It shrank away, too frightened to try Wrap again.

"Arbok!"

"Then forget Wrap. Use something else—Poison Sting, Acid!"

Countless purple poison needles shot toward Mutant Phanpy.

A pool of watery venom also appeared around it, giving off a corrosive stench.

But Poison-type attacks had little effect on Mutant Phanpy.

The flames rising from its body evaporated them outright.

Arbok was out of options.

"Leave this to me! Raticate, use Quick Attack!"

Raticate turned into a gold-and-silver blur. Its speed surged, and it hurtled toward Mutant Phanpy like a cannonball.

Liu Xin's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Want to see who hits harder?"

"Let's see who wins this collision."

"Mutant Phanpy, use Flame Charge!"