Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• The Gravity Room is nearly empty because Fengcheng has few high-ranking Trainers; Xu Mu is the only one qualified to train there.
• Dragonite reminds Xu Mu that he promised to let him read. Xu Mu teaches him to use a smartphone, and Dragonite quickly becomes engrossed in reading while training.
• Greninja trains alongside Arceus and Little Lugia. Little Lugia insists on staying near Xu Mu, while Charizard pushes himself especially hard.
• Xu Mu reflects that he had neglected Greninja’s and Charizard’s development before becoming serious about training. He credits Greninja’s existing strength, the system, and Charizard’s Fire Dragon God Bloodline for their progress.
• Concerned that Charizard may overtrain, Xu Mu tells him to rest. He also gives the Pokémon Moomoo Milk to recover.
• Xu Mu increases the gravity for Arceus and Little Lugia from three to six times normal. They collapse, showing they need to build up gradually.

Character developments

• Xu Mu is attentive to his Pokémon’s needs and increasingly conscious of his past shortcomings as a Trainer. He balances their ambition with concern for their health.
• Dragonite shows a strong appetite for learning and quickly masters the phone, delighting in the convenience of digital reading.
• Charizard is intensely driven but also cautious about injury; Xu Mu’s warning persuades him to take a break.
• Little Lugia remains clingy and dependent on Xu Mu’s presence.
• Greninja takes an active role in training, bringing the younger Pokémon along.

Character interactions

• Dragonite’s quiet reminder prompts Xu Mu to honor his promise and teach him smartphone basics.
• Xu Mu jokes that Greninja should teach Little Lugia the move Fake Tears, teasing his clinginess.
• Xu Mu coaches Greninja and urges Charizard not to overexert himself; Charizard responds immediately when the risk of injury is raised.
• Xu Mu supervises Arceus and Little Lugia, adjusting the gravity to challenge them while recognizing they need time to adapt.

Significant themes

• Responsible training: Strength matters, but rest and gradual progress are essential to avoid injury.
• A Trainer’s growth: Xu Mu acknowledges that his earlier lack of commitment affected his Pokémon’s development and tries to do better.
• Learning and curiosity: Dragonite’s enthusiasm for reading highlights the value of knowledge alongside physical training.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Mu has been training his Pokémon in the gravity room for over five hours. Yang Qianqian goes to check on him and finds the team doing intense exercises.
• Charizard collapses during fingertip push-ups, but Greninja taunts him. Charizard stubbornly continues, and the strain appears to awaken the power of his Fire Dragon God bloodline, restoring his energy.
• Xu Mu explains that he brought his Pokémon to the center for basic training because he has little experience navigating outside and they have not trained systematically. Yang is baffled that Pokémon already at Elite Four level need such fundamentals.
• Yang warns Xu Mu not to overwork them. He then asks whether Greninja, Charizard, and Dragonite can stay at the center and train while he attends class the next day.
• Yang cautions that unsupervised training can go wrong, citing a Pokémon that nearly died after overtraining its psychic power. Xu Mu insists his Pokémon can regulate themselves: Charizard knows his limits, Greninja is exceptionally driven, and Dragonite multitasks by studying while exercising.
• Unable to endure Xu Mu’s confidence and boasts, Yang leaves the room in exasperation.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu remains casually confident and oddly disengaged from his Pokémon’s remarkable strength, yet supports their training and trusts them to work independently.
• Charizard shows determination under pressure. Greninja’s teasing provokes him to push past his apparent limit, coinciding with his bloodline’s awakening.
• Greninja comes across as competitive and relentlessly hardworking; Dragonite is disciplined and efficient.
• Yang Qianqian acts as a responsible teacher, offering practical safety advice, but Xu Mu’s claims frustrate and overwhelm her.
• Charizard and Greninja’s rivalry fuels the workout, while Yang’s concern repeatedly clashes with Xu Mu’s unconventional confidence.

Significant themes

• Effort and innate ability: Xu Mu’s Pokémon are already powerful, but systematic training may help them realize even greater potential.
• Willpower and rivalry: Charizard’s pride and Greninja’s provocation push him to endure hardship.
• Trust versus supervision: The chapter raises the risks of Pokémon training alone, while Xu Mu believes his team understands its own needs.
• Comedy through contrast: Yang’s conventional guidance contrasts with Xu Mu’s extraordinary Pokémon and matter-of-fact claims.

Plot and key events

• The morning after Xu Mu’s showy training-center visit, Yang Qianqian remains convinced he was deliberately showing off for her. She leaves irritated, certain she will have trouble sleeping.
• Xu Mu drops Greninja, Charizard, and Dragonite off to train. He tells Greninja to take it easy, warns Charizard not to damage the facilities, and gives Dragonite his old phone, while cautioning it not to get distracted.
• At school, Xu Mu borrows Liu Shuo’s phone. Liu has followed Xu Mu’s advice about Munchlax: a doctor has prescribed a feeding schedule, including strongly flavored fruit to help curb its appetite.
• Liu then asks Xu Mu to represent the Liu family in a battle at a conference for the five northern provinces. The tournament’s results will influence how the families divide business and profits for the coming year.
• The Liu family offers a rare Munchlax, believed to have Champion-tier potential, as payment. Xu Mu agrees to fight but rejects the Pokémon as compensation and says they need to discuss the payment.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu is attentive to his Pokémon’s needs, but his practical concern about their enormous food costs shapes his reaction to the Liu family’s offer. He is frustrated that people assume he does not need money.
• Yang Qianqian misreads Xu Mu’s earnest instructions to his Pokémon as another calculated attempt to provoke her.
• Liu Shuo trusts Xu Mu’s advice, follows through on Munchlax’s medical plan, and approaches him on behalf of his family. He assumes Xu Mu would prefer a rare Pokémon to money.
• Xu Mu and Liu Shuo maintain a deferential “boss” dynamic: Liu asks for guidance and then seeks Xu Mu’s help, while Xu Mu treats the conversation casually until payment becomes an issue.

Significant themes

• Misunderstandings and assumptions: Yang sees deliberate boasting where there may be none; Liu’s family assumes Xu Mu has no need for cash.
• Money and responsibility: Caring for several Pokémon—especially a voracious Munchlax—makes Xu Mu’s expenses a central concern.
• Pokémon care: The chapter highlights training in moderation, respecting facilities, and managing a Pokémon’s health through a structured diet.

Key plot points and events

• Liu Shuo offers Xu Mu his family’s ancestral Snorlax training method, as well as Munchlax, in return for Xu Mu’s help at the Liu Family’s five-province gathering. Xu Mu learns Liu Shuo hasn’t been allowed to study the method yet, which is why Munchlax’s feeding problem went unnoticed.
• The Liu family also hopes to find Munchlax a suitable Trainer and wants to build a relationship with Xu Mu. Xu Mu accepts, though he worries about the enormous cost of feeding another Pokémon.
• After several days training at Huayi Training Center, Greninja and the other two Pokémon can move under ten times normal gravity. Xu Mu tells them that a battle is likely at the gathering the next day; Greninja eagerly welcomes the challenge.
• At home, Liu Shuo tells his father, Liu Tiezhu, that Xu Mu can help the family stand out in the ranking matches. Liu Tiezhu stresses that building a friendship with Xu Mu matters more than the competition’s outcome.

Character developments

• Xu Mu agrees to help despite financial worries, recognizing both the value of Munchlax and the Liu family’s desire to get to know him.
• Liu Shuo is eager to impress his father and proud of Xu Mu, but admits his own inexperience with his family’s training traditions contributed to Munchlax’s neglect.
• Liu Tiezhu proves pragmatic and forward-looking: he sees Xu Mu as a potentially powerful future ally and tells Liu Shuo not to judge him by his performance.
• Greninja is energized by the prospect of battle and confident after his recent training.

Significant themes

• Friendship and long-term relationships over short-term results: The Liu family values Xu Mu’s goodwill more than winning the gathering.
• The burdens of raising powerful Pokémon: Munchlax’s appetite, like Larvitar’s costly diet, makes Xu Mu worry about his finances.
• Training and confidence: The team’s rapid progress under increased gravity builds anticipation for the coming matches, though Xu Mu recognizes confidence should not become arrogance.

Character interactions

• Xu Mu questions Liu Shuo about Munchlax’s care and the importance of the gathering; Liu Shuo explains his family’s offer and motivations.
• Xu Mu discusses the upcoming opponents with Greninja, who promises to defeat them all.
• Liu Shuo enthusiastically promotes Xu Mu to Liu Tiezhu, who advises him to prioritize friendship—and playfully pats his son’s head, prompting Liu Shuo to complain.

Key plot points and events

• Liu Shuo arrives loudly at Xu Mu’s home, and Xu Mu sets off with him for a private gathering in Fengtian City. Xu Mu tells his mother he is going to a small tournament; she understands the real situation and quietly accepts that he must make his own way.
• On the journey, Dragonite unexpectedly pops out of its Poké Ball to remind Xu Mu that Fengtian City has a Gym. Xu Mu decides to visit it and challenge it while they are there.
• Liu Shuo assumes Xu Mu means to enter a later Elite Four Challenge, then learns that Xu Mu intends to compete in the one taking place in just two months.
• At the Liu family’s home, Xu Mu greets Liu Shuo’s father, Liu Tiezhu, and asks about the evening’s event. Liu Tiezhu explains that it is an unrestricted arena battle: each side may bring up to six Pokémon, and the contest ends only when a Trainer dies or can no longer fight.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu is confident and ambitious, treating the Gym visit and upcoming Elite Four Challenge as straightforward plans. He also shows courtesy toward Liu Tiezhu, despite his teasing exchanges with Liu Shuo.
• Liu Shuo is enthusiastic but easily startled and misreads Xu Mu’s timeline. His admiration for Xu Mu is mixed with insecurity about whether he can keep up.
• Liu Tiezhu praises Xu Mu but habitually teases and roughs up Liu Shuo by rubbing and patting his head, embarrassing his son.
• Xu Mu’s mother recognizes that her son is becoming involved in serious affairs and lets him go, reflecting affection and trust.
• Dragonite displays unusual initiative and knowledge by leaving its Poké Ball to point out the local Gym.

Significant themes

• Growing independence: Xu Mu’s mother sees his departure as a young person’s first step toward making his own way.
• Ambition and confidence: Xu Mu plans to enter the Elite Four Challenge far sooner than Liu Shuo expects.
• Comedy and contrast: Liu Shuo’s anxious misunderstandings and his father’s teasing play against Xu Mu’s calm certainty.
• Violence beneath the casual tone: The gathering is presented as a competition, but its rules make clear that it is a potentially lethal struggle over family interests.

Key plot points and events

• Liu Tiezhu explains the Death Arena’s rules: Trainers may attack each other directly, and a match ends when one side’s Pokémon are defeated or their Trainer can no longer fight.
• Realizing Xu Mu was never told how dangerous the match could be, Liu Tiezhu offers him the chance to withdraw. Xu Mu chooses to continue, eager to experience an unrestricted battle, and Liu Tiezhu promises to intervene if he is in danger.
• The group arrives in Fengtian City, whose enormous, ancient wall separates a relatively wild exterior from a dense, modern metropolis.
• Liu Tiezhu takes the group to his “little house”: twenty floors of a 120-story building. Xu Mu is astonished by the Liu family’s wealth.
• Away from the others, Xu Mu asks Liu Shuo why the family does not hire a Venerable to handle its dispute. Liu Shuo says the authorities disapprove of involving powerful outsiders in family conflicts, so the fighters are kept around Peak Trainer level.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu stays calm when he learns the arena’s rules, treating the danger as an opportunity. He also keeps a humble manner, asking Liu Tiezhu to watch over him rather than pretending to be experienced. His surprise at the city and the Liu family’s extravagant home reveals how little he knew about their resources.
• Liu Tiezhu shows genuine concern and admits the family failed to explain the rules. He wants to build a relationship with Xu Mu without exposing him to unnecessary harm. His rough, casually profane personality emerges once he relaxes.
• Liu Shuo admits that even he did not know how wealthy his family was. He explains that his father was brought into the family after a difficult childhood and became its head, though his lack of strength leaves him a leader largely in name.

Significant themes

• Risk, consent, and responsibility: Xu Mu is given the choice to withdraw once he understands the danger, while Liu Tiezhu accepts responsibility for protecting him.
• Appearances versus reality: Xu Mu’s assumptions about both Fengtian and the Liu family prove inadequate—the city is more striking and developed than expected, and the family is vastly richer than he imagined.
• Wealth and power: The Liu family’s resources do not guarantee that it can resolve every problem openly; political constraints and the limits of Liu Tiezhu’s personal strength shape its choices.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Mu learns that Liu Tiezhu’s apparent wealth masks the Liu Family’s precarious position. The family has repeatedly performed poorly at the regional gatherings and been relegated to Fengcheng; its old wealth may not last another decade.
• Liu Shuo explains that his father is under heavy pressure and hopes Liu Shuo will become a powerful Trainer, though Liu Shuo doubts his own talent.
• Xu Mu accepts that the generous reward reflects both the family’s needs and Liu Tiezhu’s respect for him. He agrees to fight and waits for the evening event.
• At the gathering, Liu Tiezhu points out the powerful families and their fighters. As the underground arena’s deadly matches begin, the families boast about their competitors.
• Xu Mu realizes he can bet on the fights. Confident in his ability against the Peak Trainers, he proposes a large wager with Liu Shuo and Liu Tiezhu.
• Liu Tiezhu agrees to risk a substantial sum. Xu Mu negotiates a one-third share of any winnings, and Liu Tiezhu accepts.

Character developments

• Xu Mu is pragmatic and self-assured. He understands the Liu Family’s motives, commits to fighting, and turns his confidence into a financial opportunity.
• Liu Shuo is candid about his family’s difficulties and his own insecurity about becoming a Trainer. His interest in betting reveals a shared family appetite for money and risk.
• Liu Tiezhu is revealed as more than a wealthy, imposing businessman: he is anxious about his family’s decline, proud, and willing to gamble on Xu Mu as a chance to regain status and protect his son.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: Liu Tiezhu’s wealth and authority conceal the Liu Family’s weakness and financial vulnerability.
• Ambition and survival: The family’s struggle to rise—or simply avoid being pushed out—drives its decisions.
• Trust and calculated risk: Liu Tiezhu backs Xu Mu not only for a possible victory but also to build a relationship with a promising young Trainer.
• Confidence as leverage: Xu Mu’s belief in his abilities allows him to turn the contest into a high-stakes wager.

Character interactions

• Xu Mu and Liu Shuo speak frankly about Liu Tiezhu’s pressure and the family’s circumstances, with Xu Mu choosing not to press Liu Shuo for every detail.
• Liu Tiezhu introduces Xu Mu to the influential families, exposing his own resentment at their lower status.
• Xu Mu, Liu Shuo, and Liu Tiezhu quickly form a betting plan: Xu Mu supplies the confidence, Liu Shuo helps coordinate, and Liu Tiezhu commits the larger stake.

Key plot points and events

• The annual Arena tournament’s match order is set. Last year’s eight strongest families are seeded, each facing three challengers before the finalists determine their rankings.
• Xu Mu draws Chen Fengxian, the Chen family’s youngest son and last year’s eighth-place finisher. Chen has grown from a Distinguished Trainer to a Peak Trainer in three years and is considered a formidable contender.
• Liu Tiezhu worries about the difficult matchup, but Xu Mu remains confident and focused on the money at stake.
• The seeded competitors win their opening rounds decisively, underscoring the major families’ strength and resources.
• Chen Fengxian enters the Arena, confident that his first three opponents will be easy and intent on taking first place. Xu Mu enters with a relaxed air.
• In the stands, Chen Fengxian’s father boasts that his son will defeat Xu Mu in under three minutes. Liu Tiezhu seizes the opportunity to provoke him, publicly declaring that Xu Mu will win and challenging him to wager against the entire Liu family’s assets, valued at 300 million.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu stays composed despite the dangerous draw, trusting his ability and showing little concern for Chen’s reputation.
• Liu Tiezhu shifts from anxiety to calculated aggression. His outrageous insults are less about personal hostility than about securing a high-stakes payoff for the struggling Liu family.
• Chen Fengxian is portrayed as talented, ambitious, and dismissive of his challengers; his confidence is reinforced by his father’s pride.
• Chen Fengxian’s father brags to the other family heads, who tease him about showing off. Liu Tiezhu then confronts him directly, turning the boast into a public wager.

Significant themes

• Power and inequality: The tournament’s structure favors established families, and the early one-sided victories reveal how firmly they control the competition.
• Pride versus nerve: Chen’s confidence and his father’s boasting contrast with Xu Mu’s quiet self-assurance and Liu Tiezhu’s brazen challenge.
• Survival and desperation: Liu Tiezhu is willing to sacrifice dignity—and risk the Liu family’s assets—to pursue the money needed to keep his family afloat.

Key events

• Liu Tiezhu stakes 300 million in a wager on Xu Mu’s Arena death match against Chen Fengxian. The watching power brokers eagerly encourage Old Ghost Chen to accept, hoping to profit from the Liu Family’s losses.
• Old Ghost Chen accepts, confident that his son—an accomplished Peak Trainer and last year’s Elite Four Challenge eighth-place finisher—will win.
• The no-rules battle begins. Xu Mu sends out Greninja and Charizard, while Chen Fengxian fields Garchomp and Feraligatr. Both sides begin powering up: Greninja activates Battle Bond, Charizard Mega Evolves, and Garchomp Mega Evolves.
• Chen Fengxian orders Feraligatr to attack and has Garchomp prepare Dragon Dance. Xu Mu counters Feraligatr’s Hydro Pump with Charizard’s Dragon Pulse, while Greninja uses clones to launch Water Spiral Shuriken at Garchomp.
• Garchomp protects against the first attacks, but the real follow-up strikes get through. Its prepared Draco Meteor backfires before it can be fired, and the combined damage knocks it out in under ten seconds.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Tiezhu stakes everything with apparent confidence, though his glance toward the Arena suggests he may have doubts.
• Old Ghost Chen accepts the wager eagerly, convinced of his son’s strength. Garchomp’s sudden defeat leaves him furious, though he clings to the hope that Chen Fengxian can recover.
• Xu Mu appears modest before the fight but immediately takes it seriously, unleashing his strongest tactics from the start. His close coordination with Greninja and Charizard demonstrates their shared battle experience.
• Chen Fengxian begins with a familiar strategy, but underestimates Greninja’s attack and loses one of his strongest Pokémon almost immediately.
• The spectators’ confidence in Chen Fengxian turns to disbelief as Xu Mu’s skill becomes clear.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence and miscalculation: Chen Fengxian’s confidence in his established strategy leaves him vulnerable to an unfamiliar technique.
• Experience and coordination: Xu Mu’s Pokémon act swiftly and in sync, showing how practiced teamwork can overwhelm a powerful opponent.
• High-stakes ambition: The wager reflects the rival factions’ eagerness to exploit the Liu Family, while the death-match rules make every tactical mistake dangerous.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Mu’s Greninja defeats Chen Fengxian’s prized Garchomp in one hit. Chen panics and sends out his four remaining Pokémon together, but Xu Mu’s stronger team overwhelms them.
• Xu Mu wins the match in exactly three minutes—the same time Chen had boastfully claimed he needed to defeat Xu Mu. Afterward, Xu mocks Chen’s arrogance while disguising the taunt as encouragement.
• Liu Tiezhu celebrates: his 300-million-League-Coin bet is set to double, leaving him a huge profit even after sharing some winnings with Xu Mu. Rival power brokers, including a Lin Family representative, begin investigating Xu.
• Xu takes Chen’s place in the Arena and quickly defeats two more Peak Trainer opponents, securing his advance to the Quarterfinals.
• A representative approaches Xu with an offer to pay five times what the Liu Family is paying him. Xu counters by demanding 500 million to intentionally lose his next match. The rival bigwigs agree for now, while secretly planning to use him and then eliminate him.

Character developments

• Xu Mu proves far stronger than the crowd expected. He is confident, tactical, and cutting in victory; he also sees the competition as a chance to profit.
• Chen Fengxian goes from boastful confidence to stunned defeat and despair. His arrogance makes Xu’s pointed three-minute taunt especially humiliating.
• Liu Tiezhu is delighted by his bet’s likely payoff, but realizes the other powerful families may not accept the loss quietly.
• The rival bigwigs shift from watching the match to plotting around Xu, viewing him as both a useful asset and a disposable outsider.

Significant themes

• Arrogance versus demonstrated ability: Chen’s boasts collapse when confronted with Xu’s overwhelming strength.
• Power and perception: Xu’s victory draws attention from influential families, who see talent as something to exploit or control.
• Money and betrayal: The tournament’s contests are entangled with enormous bets, bribery, and hidden schemes.
• Humiliation through irony: Xu turns Chen’s own three-minute boast into the final sting of the defeat.

Character interactions

• Xu dominates Chen in battle, then taunts him by pointing out that Chen was defeated within his promised three-minute limit.
• Xu and Liu Tiezhu discuss the winnings and his next matches; Liu’s excitement is tempered by suspicion of the other families.
• A rival representative tries to buy Xu’s cooperation. Xu negotiates aggressively, while the bigwigs privately accept the deal as part of a larger plan.

Plot points and events

• After Chen Fengxian’s defeat, Xu Mu faces Cheng Kun, the Lin Family’s fighter. Liu Tiezhu is confident after Xu Mu’s earlier victory and is eager to bet on him again.
• Lin Family head Old Lin proposes a wager, believing he has secretly paid Cheng Kun 500 million to throw the match. He expects Xu Mu to switch sides and lose at a decisive moment.
• Liu Tiezhu stakes his previous 300 million winnings; Old Lin raises the wager to 500 million, falsely implying the prize will go to Xu Mu.
• Xu Mu defeats Cheng Kun almost instantly: Greninja attacks six opponents at once with a barrage of Spiral Water Shuriken.
• Old Lin is furious, but Xu Mu admits he never expected him to honor the promised payment. Liu Tiezhu celebrates winning another 500 million, bringing his total winnings to 800 million.
• A subordinate reveals Xu Mu is Kale’s son-in-law—Kale being the Chief of Western Europe. Old Lin faints at the news.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu remains calm and self-assured, reassuring Liu Tiezhu before the wager and exposing Old Lin’s deception after winning.
• Liu Tiezhu grows bolder as Xu Mu proves himself, risking his winnings again. His confidence pays off, and he is delighted by the fortune he has secured for the Liu Family.
• Old Lin moves from smug confidence to shock and rage when his scheme fails, then collapses after learning Xu Mu’s influential family connection.
• The exchange between Xu Mu and Liu Tiezhu shows their growing trust: Liu Tiezhu acts on Xu Mu’s reassurance, while Xu Mu delivers the victory he expects.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence and miscalculation: Old Lin’s plan fails because he underestimates Xu Mu.
• Loyalty and trust: Liu Tiezhu’s willingness to back Xu Mu is rewarded.
• Power and status: Xu Mu’s victory is impressive on its own, but his connection to a powerful figure makes Old Lin’s hostility far riskier.
• Deception and greed: Old Lin tries to manipulate the wager and withhold the promised payment, only to lose heavily.

Key plot points and events

• Old Man Lin faints after realizing he may owe Liu Tiezhu 500 million Pokémon League coins. The gathered family leaders suspect he is pretending to avoid paying.
• Liu Tiezhu takes Lin Haoting hostage and demands the Lin Family honor the wager. Lin Haoting promises payment, but Liu refuses to release him.
• Several powerful Lin Family fighters attack to rescue Haoting. Xu Mu intervenes after Liu agrees to pay him an additional 100 million.
• Xu Mu launches an all-out assault with Greninja, Charizard, and Dragonite. His Pokémon’s enhanced abilities overwhelm the Lin fighters, and Dragonite injures one of them.
• The other family leaders use the conflict to denounce the Liu Family and call for Liu Tiezhu and Xu Mu to be seized.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Tiezhu is shown as relentless about collecting the debt, even using Haoting as leverage, while presenting himself as a man who keeps his word.
• Lin Haoting is frightened and helpless between his father’s wager, Liu’s hostage-taking, and his own family’s ill-timed rescue attempt.
• Xu Mu readily joins the fight for a larger payment, despite preferring to avoid trouble. His intervention turns a hostage standoff into a major battle.
• The family leaders act less like neutral observers than opportunists: they exploit the chaos to target the Liu Family and Xu Mu.
• The Lin fighters’ attempt to save Haoting instead escalates the danger and leaves them badly outmatched.

Significant themes

• Greed and debt: Old Man Lin’s wager threatens his family’s fortune, while Xu Mu and Liu Tiezhu are both motivated by the money owed.
• Power and coercion: Hostage-taking and overwhelming combat strength become tools for enforcing demands.
• Opportunism and political maneuvering: The other families quickly turn the dispute into grounds for expelling and seizing their rivals.
• Escalation: A financial dispute spirals into violence as each side’s actions provoke a stronger response.

Key plot points and events

• Old Ghost Chen orders the veteran trainers to attack Xu Mu, Liu Tiezhu, and their allies. Their Pokémon unleash a coordinated barrage that leaves Xu Mu’s three Pokémon gravely injured.
• Xu Mu recalls his Pokémon to protect them and silently vows revenge on Chen, while refusing to show fear.
• With the opposing Pokémon defeated, Chen has Liu Tiezhu restrained and slaps him, then orders his men to seize Xu Mu as well.
• Just as Xu Mu is about to be arrested, the previously unconscious Old Man Lin wakes, demands that both Xu Mu and Liu Tiezhu be released, and shocks everyone by kneeling before Xu Mu to beg forgiveness.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu remains defiant despite being outnumbered and watching his Pokémon suffer. He controls his anger outwardly but fixes Old Ghost Chen in his memory as an enemy.
• Old Ghost Chen grows increasingly domineering: he orders an overwhelming attack, humiliates Liu Tiezhu, and treats Xu Mu as helpless. Old Man Lin’s sudden intervention upends his apparent control.
• Liu Tiezhu regrets pushing his luck and is furious at Chen, but his powerlessness is exposed when he is slapped and pinned down.
• Old Man Lin abruptly shifts from unconscious victim to Xu Mu’s deferential protector. His kneeling suggests Xu Mu has a status or power that the others do not yet understand.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Numbers and rank let Chen’s side overwhelm Xu Mu, but authority can change instantly.
• Greed and consequences: Liu Tiezhu regrets pursuing more money, while the conflict’s outcome turns on a revelation rather than force.
• Humiliation, resentment, and revenge: Chen publicly degrades Liu Tiezhu, and Xu Mu responds by vowing not to forget the harm done.
• Hidden status: Old Man Lin’s dramatic deference hints that Xu Mu’s true standing is far greater than the crowd assumes.

Key plot points and events

• Old Lin unexpectedly kneels and apologizes to Xu Mu, offering 500 million League coins as a welcome gift. When Xu Mu points out that the Lin family injured his Pokémon, Old Lin adds 300 million for their treatment.
• Xu Mu makes Old Lin ask Liu Tiezhu whether the apology is enough. Liu demands the right to slap Old Ghost Chen in return for the slap he received.
• Old Lin explains that Xu Mu is far more dangerous than the Chen family realized: he is only sixteen, has trained for just over three months, and is already powerful enough to defeat elite opponents. Old Ghost Chen finally accepts the consequences.
• Liu Tiezhu strikes Old Ghost Chen hard enough to send him flying and render him unconscious. Xu Mu then hints that the Chen family should become the Liu family, suggesting Liu should take it over.
• Xu Mu leaves for the Pokémon League Center to treat his team. Greninja and Dragonite are badly hurt, while Charizard’s treatment costs the most because it insists on the best Potions. Liu has already transferred Xu Mu more than 600 million League coins.
• Xu Mu spends the night at Liu Tiezhu’s home, preparing for his first proper Gym Challenge the next day.

Character developments and interactions

• Old Lin shifts abruptly from an arrogant family elder to an anxious appeaser, prioritizing Xu Mu’s approval and trying to prevent further trouble.
• Old Ghost Chen moves from defiant confidence to wary submission once he understands Xu Mu’s strength and connections; he allows Liu Tiezhu to retaliate.
• Liu Tiezhu gets a measure of justice for being publicly humiliated, delivering the slap himself rather than relying on Xu Mu to settle the matter.
• Xu Mu remains composed and domineering, using his influence to secure compensation and support his friend. His parting suggestion about renaming the Chen family makes clear he expects their power to pass to Liu.

Significant themes

• Power and status: Xu Mu’s hidden connections and extraordinary talent overturn the families’ assumptions about who holds authority.
• Justice and retaliation: Liu Tiezhu receives a direct chance to repay the humiliation he suffered.
• Loyalty and friendship: Xu Mu insists that Liu Tiezhu’s satisfaction matters too.
• Showmanship and swift revenge: Xu Mu settles the dispute immediately, earning a reputation as someone who never lets a slight go unanswered.

Plot points and events

• The night before the Gym Challenge, Greninja gathers Xu Mu’s recovered Pokémon to choose the team. Charizard declines because he dislikes attention, and Dragonite initially refuses on principle—but joins after Greninja reminds him that Gym victories bring Xu Mu closer to becoming an Elite Four member.
• Greninja recruits Arceus by promising extra food. Little Lugia is deemed not ready for a serious battle. Xu Mu sleeps unaware that Greninja has already chosen his lineup.
• The next morning, Xu Mu and Liu Shuo arrive at Fengtian City’s Martial Arts Gym. Liu explains that its leader, Yue Zeng, is a powerful Venerable who specializes in Fighting types and is known for his Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and especially his Gallade.
• Xu Mu considers how to challenge a Fighting-type team but realizes his limited roster lacks Psychic- or Ghost-type counters. He also asks about the promised Munchlax; Liu says his father will provide it once they return to Fengcheng.
• At the Gym, challengers must register, pay a fee, and prove themselves against apprentices before facing the leader. The door attendant dismisses Xu Mu as an inexperienced rich kid and sends him toward an apprentice battle, privately hoping a particularly hard-hitting senior will teach him a lesson.

Character developments and interactions

• Greninja takes charge of the team selection, showing his leadership and devotion to Xu Mu’s ambitions. He persuades Dragonite and secures Arceus with a food bribe.
• Charizard is physically recovered but avoids competing because he dislikes the spotlight and prefers to grow stronger in private.
• Dragonite presents himself as a scholar opposed to violence, but is persuaded that Gym battles serve a larger purpose.
• Arceus readily agrees to battle when promised extra food; Little Lugia remains attached to Xu Mu and is not yet ready to compete.
• Xu Mu plans strategically and thinks ahead to how a Snorlax might fit his battle style, while remaining unaware that Greninja has already made the team decision.
• Liu Shuo acts as Xu Mu’s guide, enthusiastically explaining the Gym and reassuring him about the Munchlax.
• The apprentice’s contempt for Xu Mu contrasts with Xu Mu’s actual Trainer status and sets up the coming test against the Gym’s students.

Significant themes

• Team loyalty and ambition: Greninja and the others frame each battle as progress toward Xu Mu’s future success.
• Different attitudes toward fighting: Charizard avoids attention, Dragonite objects on principle, and Greninja treats Gym battles as meaningful competition.
• Preparation versus uncertainty: Xu Mu plans around the Gym’s Fighting-type focus, but lacks ideal counters—and does not know his Pokémon have already chosen his team.
• Prejudice and underestimated ability: The apprentice judges Xu Mu by his age and rank, creating tension around whether the rookie can prove himself.

Plot points and events

• Xu Mu challenges the Martial Arts Gym. A junior apprentice, hoping to see him embarrassed, tells Senior Brother Fu Yu that Xu Mu is a rookie and encourages a rough match.
• Fu Yu boasts that he is an Intermediate Trainer and talks down to Xu Mu, who asks sincerely whether that rank is especially powerful.
• Fu Yu sends out Machoke. Xu Mu answers with Greninja and asks it to go easy. The sight of Greninja shocks Fu Yu and the watching apprentices, who realize Xu Mu is far beyond the “rookie” they expected.
• Xu Mu gently tells Fu Yu not to be so cocky in future, then asks to challenge the Gym Leader directly. The Gym confirms that Greninja’s Elite Four-level strength qualifies him for a battle with the leader.
• After waiting in the VIP room, Xu Mu meets Gym Leader Yue Zeng on the central battlefield. Xu Mu is surprised that Yue looks more like a scholar than the muscular martial artist he expected; Yue greets him and asks to begin.

Character developments

• Xu Mu remains mild and unassuming. He has no desire to humiliate Fu Yu, even though his strength makes the mismatch obvious, and responds with earnest advice rather than anger.
• Fu Yu goes from swaggering confidence to shock and embarrassment when he sees Greninja. His behavior reveals his prejudice against clean-cut, wealthy-looking opponents and his tendency to mistake boasting for strength.
• The junior apprentice initially expects Xu Mu to be an easy target, but becomes confused as others seem to pity Fu Yu and later changes to a deferential attitude toward Xu Mu.
• Liu Shuo quietly anticipates Fu Yu’s defeat, suggesting he knows Xu Mu’s real strength.
• Yue Zeng is introduced as the poised, scholarly-looking Gym Leader, contrasting with Xu Mu’s assumptions about martial artists.

Themes

• Appearance and assumptions: Fu Yu judges Xu Mu by his appearance and claimed rank; Xu Mu likewise expects a martial artist to be heavily muscled.
• False confidence versus real ability: Fu Yu’s boasts collapse as soon as Greninja appears.
• Restraint and humility: Though powerful, Xu Mu tries to avoid needless humiliation and treats Fu Yu’s defeat as a chance to offer guidance.
• Comic reversal: The supposed underdog is vastly stronger, while the confident challenger becomes the one in need of sympathy.

Character interactions

• Fu Yu taunts Xu Mu and frames the match as a lesson for a “rookie”; Xu Mu answers with genuine questions rather than taking the bait.
• Xu Mu and Greninja share an awkward exchange over the repeated request to go easy.
• Xu Mu comforts Fu Yu after the revelation, then speaks through the entrance apprentice to arrange a Gym Leader battle.
• At the chapter’s close, Xu Mu and Yue Zeng meet courteously, with Xu Mu silently wondering why the Gym Leader does not fit his image of a martial artist.

Plot points and events

• Xu Mu faces Gym Leader Yue Zeng in a standard three-on-three battle: each Pokémon fights one-on-one, and neither side can switch during a bout.
• Yue Zeng sends out Hitmonlee, a powerful veteran near master-level strength. Xu Mu plans to use Charizard, but Greninja chooses Arceus instead, casually taking control of the lineup.
• Arceus’s unfamiliarity amazes Yue Zeng. His enthusiasm leads him to take and post numerous photos; Xu Mu jokingly charges him 1,500 yuan, and Yue offers to pay after the match and buy dinner.
• The battle begins. Hitmonlee catches Arceus with a cleverly delayed second kick, exposing Arceus’s lack of battle experience despite his great natural strength.
• Xu Mu adapts with Swagger, making Hitmonlee both stronger and confused, then has Arceus use Substitute, Future Sight, and Recover. The advantage swings toward Arceus.

Character developments

• Xu Mu is exasperated by how independently his Pokémon act, but accepts that listening to them is part of being a good Trainer. Once the fight turns serious, he shows calmness and tactical skill.
• Arceus is unusually eager to battle—and even more eager about the promised dinner. His raw power is clear, but his inexperience leaves him vulnerable to a seasoned opponent.
• Greninja again demonstrates his confidence and independence by choosing the battler without consulting Xu Mu.
• Yue Zeng proves both a passionate Pokémon enthusiast and a skilled, experienced Gym Leader.

Significant themes

• Trainer and Pokémon partnership: Xu Mu’s role is less about control than understanding his Pokémon and guiding them.
• Experience versus innate power: Arceus has impressive strength, but Hitmonlee’s accumulated battle experience initially gives him the edge.
• Strategy and adaptability: Xu Mu turns the battle around by exploiting confusion and creating an opening rather than relying on direct force.
• Humor amid competition: The photo fee, dinner offer, and Pokémon’s apparent priorities lighten the tense battle.

Character interactions

• Greninja overrides Xu Mu’s choice of Pokémon, prompting Xu Mu’s comic frustration.
• Yue Zeng’s excitement about Arceus gives the two men a friendly, humorous exchange before the match.
• Xu Mu reassures and directs Arceus during the fight, while Yue Zeng’s commands are undermined by Hitmonlee’s confusion.

Chapter Summary

Key events

• Arceus defeats Yue Zeng’s Hitmonlee. Xu Mu uses Thunder Wave, Calm Mind, and Earth Power to build an advantage, while Future Sight lands alongside the final attack and knocks Hitmonlee unconscious.
• Yue Zeng admits he underestimated Xu Mu’s flexible tactics, but vows to demonstrate the strength of Fighting-type battling with his next Pokémon, Hitmonchan.
• Xu Mu receives the final reward for completing Arceus’s check-in missions: a random Plate. The system then unlocks a new mission requiring him to visit Secret Realms to collect Arceus’s lost Plates. Xu Mu complains that he has been blacklisted from entering them and postpones worrying about the mission.
• For the second battle, Xu Mu sends out Dragonite. Dragonite opens with Extreme Speed, then uses Dragon Dance twice while evading Hitmonchan’s Focus Blast. As Hitmonchan closes in with Thunder Punch, Xu Mu tells Dragonite to unleash Outrage.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu’s tactical flexibility is established: rather than rely on straightforward physical attacks, he uses status effects and stat boosts to exploit Hitmonlee’s weaknesses. He also favors building power before striking.
• Yue Zeng is frustrated by Xu Mu’s unorthodox strategy but remains determined to fight. His pride in the Fighting type reflects his past as a World Elite Four Tournament competitor and his role founding a martial arts Gym.
• Dragonite shows a more combative side than Xu Mu expected. Though Xu Mu caught him believing he disliked fighting, Dragonite embraces battle and speaks grandly about meeting violence with violence. Xu Mu accepts this and aims to help him win.
• Greninja playfully chooses Dragonite for the next match, while Xu Mu praises Arceus for its victory and promises it an extra helping.

Themes

• Adaptability over brute force: Xu Mu wins the first match by changing the battle’s conditions instead of relying on raw power.
• Preparation and momentum: Stat boosts become central to Xu Mu’s approach, as Dragonite builds strength while avoiding interruption.
• Comedic friction with the system: Xu Mu’s new mission clashes with his practical predicament—he wants to explore Secret Realms but is barred from entering them.
• Unexpected sides of character: Dragonite’s enthusiasm for fighting complicates Xu Mu’s assumptions about him.

Key plot points and events

• After Dragon Dance greatly amplifies Dragonite’s strength, he overwhelms Yue Zeng’s Hitmonchan with repeated punches. Xu Mu stops him before the beating becomes dangerous, and Yue Zeng recalls Hitmonchan.
• Impressed by Xu Mu’s command of Pokémon that were initially weaker than his own, Yue Zeng acknowledges him as a Trainer worthy of Venerable status and treats him as an equal.
• Xu Mu sends out Greninja for the final battle. Greninja theatrically pledges loyalty to the Xu family, then transforms and eagerly challenges Yue Zeng.
• Yue Zeng answers with his ace, Gallade, who Mega Evolves. Greninja is surprised by the transformation but accepts the challenge.
• Xu Mu opens with Greninja’s familiar combination of Shadow Clones and Water Shuriken. Gallade dodges one attack with Detect, but the clones overwhelm him with a barrage.
• Xu Mu anticipates Gallade’s Psychic-type counterattack and orders Dark Pulse. Greninja takes no damage, then hits Gallade with Dark Pulse. Xu Mu follows with Aerial Ace, exploiting Gallade’s weakness to Flying-type moves.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mu earns Yue Zeng’s respect through tactical skill, not family privilege. He remains composed and aggressive in battle, while also being embarrassed by Greninja’s grandiose speeches.
• Yue Zeng revises his opinion of Xu Mu, moving from skepticism to genuine admiration and friendly respect. He remains fiercely competitive when Greninja taunts him and Gallade.
• Dragonite displays frightening power after Dragon Dance, but stops when Xu Mu calls him off.
• Greninja is theatrical, cheeky, and eager to fight; he needles Gallade about the earlier defeats and becomes serious when Gallade Mega Evolves.
• Gallade is proud and provoked by Greninja’s taunts. Mega Evolution raises the stakes, but Xu Mu’s tactics put Gallade under pressure.

Significant themes

• Skill over status: Xu Mu proves his worth through effective command rather than family background.
• Power balanced by control: Dragonite’s strength is formidable, but Xu Mu intervenes to prevent unnecessary harm.
• Confidence and competition: Greninja’s swagger fuels the matchup, while Gallade’s pride drives him to accept the challenge.
• Strategy over raw strength: Xu Mu counters Gallade with prediction, move timing, and type advantage rather than meeting power with power alone.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Mu’s Greninja presses Yue Zeng’s Gallade with repeated attacks, leaving Gallade struggling.
• Yue Zeng reveals his signature approach: blending traditional martial arts with Pokémon moves. Gallade uses Bajiquan-enhanced Brick Break, then prepares a powerful Tai Chi–infused Close Combat.
• Greninja avoids the finishing counter with a Substitute and overwhelms Gallade using ninjutsu techniques, including the Three Body Technique and water-based attacks. Yue Zeng recalls Gallade and accepts defeat.
• The two exchange praise and shake hands. Yue Zeng awards Xu Mu the Martial Arts Gym Badge.
• Yue Zeng asks whether Xu Mu will enter the Elite Four Challenge next year. Xu Mu says he plans to compete this year, then reveals he is only sixteen and recently obtained Greninja. Stunned, Yue Zeng leaves after exchanging contact details.

Character developments

• Xu Mu demonstrates tactical skill and confidence, though he modestly refuses to claim credit for Greninja’s ninjutsu abilities—which come from the system, not his own training. He also shows respect for Yue Zeng and recognizes his kindness.
• Yue Zeng begins as a determined Gym Leader willing to reveal his best techniques. Though defeated, he remains honorable and gains renewed respect for Xu Mu. His pride takes a humorous blow when he learns how young and inexperienced Xu Mu is.

Significant themes

• Innovation and tradition: Yue Zeng combines martial arts with Pokémon battling, while Greninja’s ninjutsu offers a different, equally striking fighting style.
• Respect in competition: Both Trainers recognize what they can learn from the other and part amicably after the battle.
• Exceptional talent and effort: Xu Mu’s abilities astonish Yue Zeng, though the narrative makes clear that some of Greninja’s edge comes from the system rather than Xu Mu alone.
• Mentorship and care: Yue Zeng’s warmth and desire to encourage the next generation distinguish him from the harsher Trainers Xu Mu has encountered.

Character interactions

• The battle is intense but fair: Yue Zeng pushes Gallade to use its signature techniques, while Xu Mu and Greninja answer with escalating skill.
• Afterward, the Trainers exchange sincere thanks and praise, then Yue Zeng awards Xu Mu the badge.
• Their friendly conversation turns comic when Xu Mu reveals his age and upcoming challenge plans, leaving Yue Zeng overwhelmed by the gap between them.