Defeat it with your best swordsmanship!

Chen Yan stared at the oversized Weedle whose build stood out starkly from the others around him.

This Weedle was at least twice the size of the surrounding Weedle, and his tiny eyes were fixed unwaveringly on Chen Yan.

But Chen Yan wasn't focused on that. His attention was on the Pokédex entry that had popped up before him.

I'm an idiot? Performing acrobatics?

Chen Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, released his grip on Gengar's cheek, and looked at him as he said:

"Gengar, was he watching us just now?"

Gengar nodded.

"Do you remember what I told you? When some unknown passerby keeps staring at an outstanding swordsman, it means that passerby wants to challenge that outstanding swordsman."

Gengar narrowed his crimson eyes as well, turned toward Weedle, and tightened his grip on the bamboo.

Chen Yan opened Gengar's Pokédex entry.

[Gengar]

[Types: Ghost, Poison]

[Gender: Male]

[Ability: Cursed Body]

[Known moves: Mean Look, Shadow Punch, Perish Song, Confuse Ray, Lick, Hypnosis, Spite, Curse, Hex, Night Shade, Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, Destiny Bond, Dream Eater, Dazzling Gleam, Sludge Bomb; Will-O-Wisp]

[Mood: Happy, excited, eager]

[Status: Practicing swordsmanship (bored out of his mind)]

[Affinity: 100 (We're the best of partners!)]

[Description: A wandering Gengar... He found a home that would take him in, someone who would play with him, and someone who asked him for protection. And so he resolved to protect that person with everything he had! Influenced by that person, he also yearned to become an outstanding swordsman.]

Looking at Gengar's dazzling move pool, Chen Yan couldn't help being stunned.

Was Gengar really this strong?

He usually just played with him and rarely saw Gengar in battle.

But after reading Gengar's description, Chen Yan's eyes involuntarily curved into a smile.

His affinity was actually maxed out?

Pokémon... They really were such innocent creatures.

"Gengar?"

Gengar turned to Chen Yan, asking what he should do.

Chen Yan glanced at Weedle, then said, "Let's battle, Weedle! A battle between real men!"

Hearing Chen Yan's words, Weedle widened his eyes, then twisted his hefty body.

A battle? Bring it on!

Let's have a battle between real men!

Weedle readied himself.

"Gengar, let's go! Let him experience our invincible swordsmanship!"

"Gengar!"

Weedle eyed the slender bamboo in Gengar's hand warily. He opened his mouth and spat out a clump of white silk, sending it straight toward the bamboo.

Strike at the source! I'll disarm you first!

The silk stuck to the bamboo, wrapping it up tightly. Weedle tilted his head back, trying to wrench the bamboo out of Gengar's hand with his own strength.

But Gengar didn't budge.

"Gengar, pull him over and defeat him with our best swordsmanship!"

Gengar tucked one hand behind his back, then sharply pulled with the hand holding the bamboo, yanking Weedle clean off the ground and sending him flying toward him.

As the distance between them closed, Weedle tried to seize his chance to escape the bamboo's attack range.

"Shadow Ball!"

Under Weedle's bewildered gaze, Gengar brought his left hand out from behind his back, a pitch-black Shadow Ball swirling in his palm.

Gengar extended his palm and planted the Shadow Ball right in the face of Weedle, who was flying straight toward his left hand.

"When you're fighting, never believe your opponent's bullshit."

Weedle: ???

Weedle: This is what you call swordsmanship?!

Boom!

Weedle flew backward and slammed into the tree he had been resting against, scaring away all the nearby Weedle.

Seeing the all-too-familiar spirals in Weedle's eyes, Chen Yan quickly pressed his belt, and a Poké Ball appeared in his palm.

He enlarged the Poké Ball, looked toward Weedle, took a deep breath, and threw the ball that would mark his first genuine capture through battle.

The Poké Ball struck Weedle and bounced into the air. Then it opened, turning the unconscious Weedle into a beam of red light and drawing him inside.

The Poké Ball fell to the ground and began rocking from side to side, its light flashing continuously.

Chen Yan and Gengar held their breath. Human and ghost pressed close together, staring nervously at the rocking Poké Ball.

After rocking for a while, the Poké Ball came to a quiet stop on the ground.

Then...

"Ding!"

Capture successful!

Chen Yan and Gengar excitedly raised their hands and high-fived.

They ran beneath the tree, picked up the Poké Ball, and held it in Chen Yan's palm.

Then Chen Yan struck another ridiculously dramatic pose.

"Weedle, get☆daze!"

"Gengar!"

Looking at Weedle's Poké Ball in his hand, Chen Yan still couldn't calm his excitement.

I... caught my first Pokémon through battle...

This feeling really was...

So awesome!

Chen Yan and Gengar exchanged grins. Chen Yan leaned close to Gengar's ear and whispered:

"He didn't actually think we knew swordsmanship, did he?"

Gengar covered his mouth and laughed, his grin utterly devious.

Chen Yan released Weedle and examined the obviously overgrown Pokémon before him. His body was earthy yellow and segmented, with seven pairs of little pink feet along his belly, an upturned spike on his tail, a small horn atop his head, and tiny black eyes. The longer Chen Yan looked, the cuter he found him.

Weedle looked up at Chen Yan and Gengar, apparently angry that they had tricked him earlier. The instant his eyes met Chen Yan's, he turned his little head away.

Smiling, Chen Yan crouched down and reached out to gently stroke Weedle's little head. He had to admit, it felt smooth and surprisingly pleasant.

"Hello, Weedle. I'm Chen Yan, and he's Gengar. Let's get along from now on."

Weedle gave his tail a little wiggle.

Chen Yan took the opportunity to scoop Weedle up. Whew, he was heavy-much heavier than the Weedle Chen Yan usually picked up in the courtyard. That hefty build wasn't just for show.

Holding Weedle in his arms, Chen Yan gently stroked the little horn on his forehead and apologized. "Sorry, Weedle. We didn't mean to trick you, but you can't put all the blame on Gengar and me."

Weedle looked up at Chen Yan and found him smiling down at him.

"How could you believe your opponent during a battle? So, you see, we were all in the wrong."

Weedle: ...

Th-that... kind of makes sense?

Then... I'll forgive you!

"Weedle."

At the sound of Chen Yan's voice, Weedle looked at him again and tilted his little head.

"Would you like to see the world with me? See different sights, meet more Pokémon, get to know more people, and leave our footprints in every corner of the world?"

Weedle hesitated, then gently bumped Chen Yan's arm with his little head.

Mm-hmm!

Chen Yan smiled at that, then turned to Gengar and said, "From now on, you're the team's big brother. You have to take responsibility as the boss and protect me and your little brother, got it?"

Big brother?!

Gengar's eyes widened. I'm the big brother?!

Overjoyed, Gengar grinned and kept thumping his chest.

"Gengar!"

Leave it to me!

"And you need to get along with your big brother too, okay?"

Weedle nodded.

[Ding! I defeated a Pokémon and caught him: Congratulations! You successfully caught your second Pokémon through battle and activated the View Count Shop.]

[View Count: Generated by views on the videos you film and the number of concurrent viewers during livestreams. Can be exchanged for various items in the View Count Shop.]

[View Count conversion rules: Video views will be converted at a ratio of 100:1.]

[Livestreaming: Locked.]

[Congratulations on unlocking the View Count Shop. Gengar is very happy, so he left you a gift.]

[Ten-pull: As the name suggests, ten draws.]

[Would you like to use it now?]

There's actually a ten-pull?! Holy crap! Do it!

Suddenly, Chen Yan felt the text before his eyes begin changing rapidly.

[Vespiquen's Honey ×6], [Moomoo Milk ×12], ... [Miracle Leaf ×999]

The final item was enveloped in dazzling light.

[Whispers of the Pokémon] (Golden legendary)

Looking at the prize shrouded in golden light, Chen Yan naturally skipped over the preceding rewards. They were just everyday supplies, after all. By comparison, he was far more interested in the "golden legendary."

[Whispers of the Pokémon: You can now understand what Pokémon say.]

*?!*

Understand what Pokémon say?

Chen Yan bit his lip.

[Indeed. How could an outstanding photographer fail to understand Pokémon's voices? That is why Gengar prepared this gift especially for you.]

Chen Yan completely ignored the last sentence.

It was just there to set the mood. No need to pay it any mind.

Right now, Chen Yan only wanted to test whether he really could understand Pokémon.

"Gengar."

Chen Yan softly called to Gengar beside him.

"Gengar?"

What's up?

Gengar turned toward Chen Yan. Chen Yan's pupils contracted slightly, then he shook his head.

"Nothing. Just felt like calling your name."

"Gengar-"

Oh.

"Gengar."

"Gengar?"

Hmm?

"Do you miss home?"

"Gengar-"

Wherever Chen Yan is, that's my home.

"..."

"You're pretty good at tugging on heartstrings, you chubby guy."

"Gengar?"

What's that mean?

"Nothing. I'm saying you're smart. Go practice your swordsmanship."

"Gengar-"

Oh.

"Gengar-"

Chen Yan.

"What?"

"Gengar-"

Want some berries?

"Oh? Where did you pick those? They look pretty tasty."

"Gengar-"

Then have some.

"Not bad. They're pretty sweet."

"Gengar-"

Hehe, I picked them over there, but there were only a few left. Other Pokémon probably picked them to eat.

"That's normal. They belong to nature, after all."

"Jie-"

Chen Yan.

"Hm?"

"Jie-"

Cheer up. If you miss home, we can go back for a visit.

"Heh, you little rascal. Did you think I was feeling down?"

"Jie-"

Heehee.

"Don't worry. With you by my side, I'm very happy."

"Jie-"

Heehee, me too.

ヾ(´∀｀.ヾ)

"And Weedle, too."

Weedle: ˶>ᗜ<˶