Chapter Summaries

Chu Xin was turned away from the Research Center while Lei Xiao and Zhuo Yuan discussed his potential and met with Dr. Chen Huan about the scarce Mew Gene Extract. Lei Xiao revealed that Team Rocket’s Mewtwo project depended on the stolen Mew Fossil and warned that powerful Team Rocket members might already have infiltrated China.

• Lei Xiao refused to let Chu Xin and Zhuo Xing enter the restricted Research Center, and Chu Xin left with Zhuo Xing.
• Lei Xiao and Zhuo Yuan argued over whether Chu Xin would become a Champion under their respective academies’ training.
• Lei Xiao met Dr. Chen Huan, who reported producing only three vials of Mew Gene Extract in three months and said his research had stalled.
• Lei Xiao explained that an undercover agent had uncovered Team Rocket’s secret Mewtwo project, which relied on the Mew Fossil Chu Xin had taken.
• Lei Xiao warned Chen Huan and Zhuo Yuan that Team Rocket would not abandon the project and that many captain-level members might already have infiltrated China.

Lei Xiao reassured Zhuo Yuan that Special Police, International Police, and an undercover agent were working to stop Team Rocket’s attempt to steal the Mew Fossil. Chen Huan explained why he intended to give his Mew Gene Extract to Chu Xin, while Zhuo Yuan quietly hoped to obtain a vial for his granddaughter; meanwhile, Aier brought Chu Xin a Jolteon with Volt Absorb.

• Chen Huan and Lei Xiao told Zhuo Yuan that Team Rocket likely wanted the Mew Fossil for its Mewtwo Project and might be trying to create a Legendary Pokémon.
• Lei Xiao reassured Zhuo Yuan that police forces and an undercover agent were working to thwart Team Rocket and protect Jindu Academy.
• Chen Huan said he would give his Mew Gene Extract to Chu Xin because Chu Xin’s Carbink could absorb it especially well after Team Rocket’s experiments.
• Zhuo Yuan realized his granddaughter Zhuo Xing’s Psychic-type Pokémon could benefit from Mew genes and considered finding a way to obtain a vial.
• Aier called Chu Xin back to the Training Room and introduced a Jolteon she had bought because it had the Volt Absorb Ability he needed.

The chapter assessed Jolteon’s strengths, weaknesses, competitive roles, and ways to counter it. It concluded that Jolteon’s role overlapped with Chu Xin’s Electrike, so he had no reason to raise one.

• Jolteon’s base 130 Speed and Special Attack once made it a powerful attacker, but stronger and faster competitors had reduced its standing.
• The chapter described Jolteon’s Volt Absorb, offensive pivoting, Heal Bell, and Substitute-passing roles, while noting its weak defenses and limited coverage.
• Jolteon’s sets included a Choice Specs or Life Orb pivot, a Substitute passer, and a fast Double Battle attacker.
• The chapter explained that Water-Ground Pokémon, special walls, entry hazards, and Electric immunities could counter Jolteon.
• The chapter concluded that Chu Xin did not need to raise Jolteon because he already had an Electrike with an overlapping role.

The narrator explained Eevee’s Eevium Z Baton Pass strategy, its setup requirements, and ways opponents could stop it. The chapter then focused on Vaporeon’s roles, strengths, and standard support moves, leaving its usefulness constrained by the offensive environment of generation seven.

• The narrator described Eevee’s boosted Baton Pass strategy, its moves, team support, and vulnerability to Taunt, Haze, phazing, Perish Song, and strong attacks.
• The narrator noted that Eevee’s strategy was difficult to execute and that stopping its Baton Pass could decide the match.
• The narrator introduced Vaporeon as the most useful of Eevee’s original evolutions and listed its many potential roles.
• The narrator explained Vaporeon’s bulk, Special Attack, Water Absorb, and declining opportunities in generation seven.
• The narrator outlined Vaporeon’s common Wish-passing cleric moveset and its capacity to withstand powerful attacks while its HP stayed high.

The chapter finishes assessing Vaporeon’s support role and its many weaknesses, then examines Flareon’s stats, abilities, moves, and limited competitive value in Generation VII. It leaves Flareon struggling to make an impact and hoping for a better future in the next generation.

• The narrator described Vaporeon’s support sets and explained how ability-copying Pokémon, Water-immune Pokémon, and Grass-type walls could exploit it.
• The narrator outlined Flareon’s strong Attack and Special Defense but poor Speed, low HP, and limited offensive movepool.
• The narrator compared Flareon’s defensive utility with Arcanine’s, noting Flareon’s advantages in passing Wish, using Heal Bell, and resisting Toxic with Guts.
• The narrator recommended Z-Dig and Flame Charge as ways for offensive Flareon to threaten some opponents, while emphasizing its need for teammate support.
• The narrator recalled Flareon Sweep using Flareon as the endpoint of creative Baton Pass chains in early-to-mid Generation V.
• The narrator concluded that Water-type walls, fast attackers, and Flash Fire Chandelure could stop Flareon, leaving it with little room to succeed in the current metagame.

Chu Xin gradually won Jolteon's trust with Pokéblocks and got the Pokémon to battle Electrike, beginning Electrike's Role Play training. After Chu Xin helped Bai Yuan move into the dormitory, Bai Yuan revealed that he had left home after arguing with his family about being compared to his talented older brother, Bai Le, who had been listening nearby.

• Chu Xin used Pokéblocks to slowly earn Jolteon's trust so it could help Electrike practice Role Play.
• After a week, Chu Xin persuaded Jolteon to battle Electrike by offering more Pokéblocks, and Electrike defeated it.
• Chu Xin rewarded Jolteon and began Electrike's training, then received Zhuo Xing's call asking him to help move Bai Yuan's luggage into the dormitory.
• Bai Yuan told Chu Xin and Zhuo Xing that he had moved out after his parents criticized his academy and compared him to his older brother.
• Bai Yuan lamented that he could never catch up to his brother, and Bai Le revealed that he had been nearby listening.

Bai Yuan refused Bai Le’s offer to return home, insisting he would prove himself through his own strength, so the brothers began a Pokémon battle to settle the dispute. Bai Yuan’s Scyther was quickly outmatched by Bai Le’s, but Bai Yuan refused to concede.

• Bai Le found Bai Yuan at Jindu Academy and apologized for the pressure his younger brother had faced at home.
• Bai Yuan refused to return with Bai Le and vowed to prove himself without the family’s help.
• Bai Le challenged Bai Yuan to a battle, offering to let him stay if he won and requiring him to come home if he lost.
• Bai Yuan and Bai Le took their Scyther to the academy battle grounds, where Rotom refereed their match.
• Bai Le’s Scyther overpowered Bai Yuan’s in their first clash, but Bai Yuan insisted the battle was not over.

Chu Xin assessed Scyther’s strengths and weaknesses, from its useful stats and moves to the severe limits of its Bug/Flying typing. Watching Bai Le’s Scyther fight, he realized it was gradually overcoming those shortcomings, leaving him surprised by the disciple’s skill.

• Chu Xin considered how Scyther’s stats, Technician, and moves could support several attacking and pivoting strategies.
• Chu Xin noted that Stealth Rock, weak attacks, and common defensive counters kept Scyther from being popular or effective in many matchups.
• Chu Xin watched Bai Le’s Scyther battle and noticed it was slowly making up for its inherent weaknesses.

Bai Yuan and his Scyther rallied through the strength of their bond, turning their losing battle against Bai Le into a serious test of their resolve. Bai Le recognized that his younger brother had already proved himself, and committed to facing him earnestly.

• Bai Le's Scyther overwhelmed Bai Yuan's exhausted Scyther, and Bai Le urged Bai Yuan to stop the match.
• Before Bai Yuan could surrender, his Scyther struck him with stones and showed that it wanted to keep fighting.
• Bai Yuan regained his resolve and ordered Scyther to continue, and their bond restored their fighting spirit.
• Bai Le's Scyther attacked with X-Scissor, but Bai Yuan's Scyther blocked it and Bai Yuan declared that he wanted to prove himself as a Trainer and partner.
• Bai Le realized Bai Yuan had already proved himself and decided to take the battle seriously.

Bai Yuan’s Scyther drew on their bond to fight Bai Le’s stronger Scyther, and Bai Yuan used Double Team to buy time for a series of boosts. The match remained undecided as Bai Le’s Scyther closed in on the last three copies.

• Bai Yuan and Scyther’s emotional energy let them hold Bai Le and his Scyther to a stalemate.
• Bai Le acknowledged Bai Yuan’s strength, then gained the advantage with Air Slash and Aerial Ace.
• Bai Yuan’s Scyther endured the attacks and returned to battle, while Bai Le praised its willpower.
• Bai Yuan ordered Double Team, Hone Claws, Focus Energy, and Swords Dance as Bai Le’s Scyther destroyed the copies one by one.
• Bai Le said there was no time left for Bai Yuan to build power as only three Double Team copies remained.

Bai Yuan’s Scyther used a surprise aerial attack to gain the advantage over Bai Le’s Scyther, but the brothers’ Pokémon met in a final clash. Chu Xin noticed a yellow flame appear on Bai Yuan’s Scyther’s scythe, leaving the outcome uncertain.

• Bai Yuan’s Scyther hid high in the sky while using Double Team, then struck Bai Le’s Scyther with Brick Break.
• Bai Yuan ordered his Scyther to pursue the injured opponent with Fury Cutter, but Bai Le’s Scyther rallied with Brutal Swing and pressured him.
• Bai Yuan and Bai Le ordered their Scyther to use Slash and X-Scissor in a final clash.
• A yellow flame flickered on Bai Yuan’s Scyther’s scythe as the attacks collided, and Chu Xin focused on the strange sight while dust obscured the winner.

Bai Yuan lost his battle with Bai Le but proved his strength, and the brothers reconciled. Chu Xin then agreed to battle Bai Le, who sent out his newly caught Heracross.

• Bai Le defeated Bai Yuan, whose temporary power surge had not overcome the gap between their abilities.
• Bai Le praised Bai Yuan’s strength, and Bai Yuan said he would apologize to the family for arguing but would continue pursuing his own path.
• Bai Le offered to speak with the family and encouraged Bai Yuan to keep growing stronger, leaving Bai Yuan excited and reassured.
• Chu Xin congratulated the brothers, and Bai Yuan embarrassedly ran off while Bai Le stayed to talk with him.
• Chu Xin praised Bai Le’s growth and said he wanted to battle, so Bai Le sent out his newly caught Heracross.

The narrator reviewed Heracross’s strengths, weaknesses, and battle strategies, concluding that it was still a worthwhile Bug-type Pokémon for Bai Le to catch. Since Bai Le’s master was the country’s first Titled Bug-type Elite Four member, Bai Le was positioned to receive an excellent choice for her second Pokémon.

• The narrator explained how Fairy-types and newer competitors had weakened Heracross’s standing, while outlining its abilities, moves, and common sets.
• The narrator described Heracross’s Choice Scarf and Guts strategies, its Double Battle uses, and the defensive Pokémon that could counter it.
• The narrator concluded that Heracross was not weak and would recommend it if he were Bai Le’s master.
• Chu Xin’s impression was that Pinsir, Heracross, and Volcarona were among the few remaining Bug-type Pokémon worth catching besides Bai Le’s Scyther.
• The narrator noted that Bai Le’s master was the country’s first Titled Bug-type Elite Four member, so Bai Le would receive the best choice.

Bai Le challenged Chu Xin to a Pokémon battle, pitting his newly caught Heracross against Chu Xin’s Slowpoke. Heracross gained a slight edge in their first exchange, but Chu Xin began a ranged Water Gun attack and took control of the pace.

• Bai Le showed off his Heracross and challenged Chu Xin to a battle.
• Chu Xin chose Slowpoke to face Heracross, and Luo Luo began refereeing the match.
• Heracross charged through Slowpoke’s Water Pulse, hit him with Throat Chop, and briefly gained the advantage.
• Slowpoke used Disable to restrain Heracross, then backed away to create distance.
• Chu Xin ordered Slowpoke to attack with Water Gun, and Heracross dodged as Chu Xin prepared to keep up the ranged assault.

Chu Xin defeated Bai Le by using Slowpoke’s Water Gun to prepare the battlefield for a powerful Whirlpool, then freezing Heracross and knocking him out. Bai Le accepted the loss and vowed to grow stronger before challenging Chu Xin again.

• Bai Le directed Heracross to dodge Slowpoke’s Water Gun, believing Slowpoke was tiring while Heracross took little damage.
• Chu Xin ordered Slowpoke to use Water Pulse, harnessing the puddles across the battlefield to trap Heracross in a powerful Whirlpool.
• Chu Xin had Slowpoke use Icy Wind to freeze Heracross inside the Whirlpool, leaving him unable to escape.
• Slowpoke used Psychic instead of the ordered Confusion and knocked Heracross unconscious in one blow.
• Bai Le caught Heracross, conceded defeat, and promised Chu Xin he would challenge him again after getting stronger.

After watching Chu Xin defeat Bai Le with Slowpoke, Bai Yuan and Zhuo Xing realized that Chu Xin’s advantage came not only from stronger Pokémon but also from superior battle sense. They left the battle feeling that the gap between them and Chu Xin was far greater than they had thought.

• After Bai Le and Chu Xin finished their battle, Bai Le left Jindu Academy.
• Bai Yuan and Zhuo Xing praised Chu Xin’s victory, especially how he used the terrain to help Slowpoke defeat Heracross.
• Bai Yuan reconsidered his earlier battle against his older brother and recognized that he had relied on strength rather than strategy.
• Zhuo Xing and Bai Yuan reflected on the differences between Pokémon strength and Trainer ability, including battle sense and other ways Trainers could strengthen their Pokémon.
• Bai Yuan and Zhuo Xing concluded that improving their Pokémon alone would not close the gap with Chu Xin, who would likely beat them even with identical Pokémon.

Chu Xin escorted Bai Le to the Jindu Poison Academy gates, where Bai Le revealed that his master had assigned him a Trial to obtain a Heracross Mega Evolution Stone. He asked Chu Xin to help defeat the powerful Pokémon guarding it, leaving Chu Xin shocked and envious of Bai Le's Elite Four master.

• Chu Xin and Bai Le discussed Heracross, Slowpoke, and the challenge of raising six Pokémon.
• Chu Xin considered asking the dean for more Rotom to help with his Pokémon training.
• Bai Le asked Chu Xin to travel with him and help with a favor, but Chu Xin refused until Bai Le explained what he needed.
• Bai Le told Chu Xin that his Trial was to defeat a powerful guardian Pokémon and claim a Heracross Mega Evolution Stone.
• Chu Xin stared at Bai Le in shock and wished he had an Elite Four member as his master.

Chu Xin considered whether he wanted an Elite Four master and concluded he had little need for Mega Evolution Stones, while Bai Le explained that his next Trial lay in a South China Sea island secret realm. Bai Le had failed to get past the frenzied Pokémon inside and still did not know what guardian protected Heracross's Mega Evolution Stone.

• Chu Xin envied Bai Le for having an Elite Four master who could provide a Mega Evolution Stone, then considered Ai Xing as a possible master because of his expertise in Dragon-type Pokémon.
• Chu Xin reflected that his Pokémon relied on other powers and training paths, and that Mega Evolution could interfere with Electrike's Ball Lightning technique, so he stopped feeling jealous of Bai Le.
• Chu Xin asked Bai Le where his next Trial would take place, and Bai Le said the Heracross Mega Evolution Stone was in a secret realm on a small island near the South China Sea.
• Bai Le told Chu Xin that he had previously entered the secret realm but had been unable to get past the frenzied Pokémon near its entrance.
• Bai Le explained that his master had described those Pokémon as only the appetizers and that an unknown guardian Pokémon watched over the Mega Evolution Stone, leaving Chu Xin unimpressed by the lack of useful details.

Bai Le asked Chu Xin to accompany him to a South Sea Secret Realm Trial for a Heracross Mega Evolution Stone, and Chu Xin agreed after Bai Le offered him temporary access to a Calm Mind Manual. They planned to leave the next day, while Chu Xin considered which Pokémon should learn the manual.

• Chu Xin refused to join Bai Le's Trial because Bai Le knew almost nothing about the Secret Realm or its dangers.
• Bai Le offered Chu Xin a USB drive containing his Master's Calm Mind Manual, and Chu Xin eagerly accepted the offer to study it overnight.
• Bai Le explained that Chu Xin could copy the manual's contents but had to return the USB drive the next day.
• Chu Xin agreed to accompany Bai Le to the South Sea, and they planned to leave the following day.
• Bai Le warned Chu Xin not to lose the USB drive, and Chu Xin began considering which Pokémon should use the Calm Mind Manual.

Ai Xing rested in the Shennongjia secret realm until Tao Lu arrived to discuss her disciple Bai Le and his trial for a Heracross Mega Evolution Stone. She revealed that Bai Le had secretly taught Chu Xin her Calm Mind Secret Technique to secure his help, leaving Ai Xing sweating over Chu Xin’s predicament.

• A mischievous Electrike bit Dragonite’s tail, but Manectric pulled it away and apologized to Dragonite.
• Tao Lu visited Ai Xing in the Shennongjia secret realm and teased him for avoiding his Elite Four assignments.
• Tao Lu told Ai Xing that her disciple Bai Le had received a Heracross and needed to pass a trial to earn its Mega Evolution Stone.
• Tao Lu explained that Bai Le had asked Chu Xin for help and secretly taught him her Calm Mind Secret Technique in exchange.
• Ai Xing grew worried after learning what Chu Xin had done.