You are not allowed to be a Pokémon Trainer!

Chapter 362 Please, please treat your opponents like human beings!

The moment the referee blew the whistle, the entire Flying Cloud Arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

But Xia Chi's heart was unusually calm.

It's not that I felt the victory was already in my grasp and there was nothing to celebrate.

But when he saw the incredibly excited and joyful smile on Dragonite's face, he felt that this smile was more precious than victory itself.

It didn't even care about the dust covering its body and the signs of fatigue from the battle. It suddenly turned around, its eyes filled with uncontrollable excitement and joy.

Dragonite grinned, revealing a silly smile, and then eagerly opened its arms and pounced towards Xia Chi.

That means Xia Chi has never slacked off in his daily training. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably have been seriously injured by this "enthusiastic strike".

Xia Chi showed no disgust at the dust and sweat on Dragonite's body, and instead hugged its warm and sturdy body tightly.

He raised his hand and gently stroked its big head, saying softly, "See? I told you you could do it. You did it, Dragonite. You did a fantastic job."

Dragonite shook his head vigorously, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Xia Chi no longer held his usual naivety, but was filled with deep gratitude.

"Fuwu——"

No, that's not how it works.

It hummed softly at a waveguide frequency that only it could understand.

[This victory is dedicated to you, always because of you!]

It knew perfectly well that the vast majority of the credit for its outstanding performance on the battlefield, which had attracted so much attention, belonged to Xia Chi.

It was through his daily scientific cultivation that his body was honed and his skill set expanded.

It was his precise, surgical-like command during the battle that averted crises time and time again, leading them to victory.

It was the wondrous "bond" power within him that gave it the potential to transcend limits.

Xia Chi clearly sensed the surging and sincere emotional torrent in Dragonite's heart through the power of wave guidance.

He didn't refute or take credit, but the curve of his lips softened, and his eyes shone with the same warm light.

He gently patted Dragonite on the shoulder and said, "Don't underestimate yourself. You are the most indispensable one in making this miracle possible."

That was indeed what Xia Chi was thinking.

In his view, both his own nurturing and the "bond" power bestowed by the system were more like tools and catalysts to enhance his abilities.

The real foundation is Dragonite itself.

It is through countless dawns and dusks that it tirelessly practices its moves and hones its body.

It is its tenacious vitality that allows it to unleash amazing potential even when its stamina is nearly exhausted on the battlefield.

Without the raw potential of Dragonite itself, no amount of polishing will be of any use.

Not to mention, Dragonite didn't have any overpowered equipment. This victory against six opponents was earned through sheer hard work and fighting its way through formidable opponents!
To be honest, Nie Zi's Pokémon strength should not be underestimated.

Especially the Roaring Moon and Mega Gengar, both of the Taijinglong type.

If Dragonite's will falters even slightly at any moment, it is very likely to fall to their relentless attacks and not even have a chance to wait for the "Dragon Field" to be fully activated.

"Alright, we'll talk about the celebration when we get back."

Xia Chi released his embrace, pointed to Nie Zi who was waiting on the other side of the battlefield, and reminded him with a smile: "Don't get carried away. You still need to maintain your battle etiquette."

"Fuwoo."

Dragonite then remembered there was a post-match greeting segment, and somewhat embarrassedly scratched the back of its round head with its paw, giving a goofy smile.

It tried to suppress its overly exuberant excitement, but the tip of its tail still wagged gently and happily as it followed Xia Chi step by step toward the center of the field.

Nie Zi was already waiting there.

Surprisingly, his face showed no sign of dejection or resentment after the crushing defeat; instead, it displayed a sense of relief after giving it his all.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Master Nie Zi."

Xia Chi stepped forward and spoke first, his tone filled with utmost respect for both his senior and his opponent.

However, this respect almost went too far, and a certain joking nickname that was widely circulated online nearly slipped out.

Nie Zi seemed unaware of the brief pause, simply shaking his head and looking calmly at Xia Chi: "It's alright, this is the right of the winner. Enjoying the cheers and attention is what you and your Dragonite deserve."

His gaze then shifted to the Dragonite behind Xia Chi, which, though exhausted, had bright eyes. His expression became extremely complex, a mixture of amazement and frustration.

"Your Dragonite is stronger than I imagined. Thank you for your guidance today."

He spoke sincerely when he said "please enlighten me."

Xia Chi met his gaze, her tone equally sincere, without the slightest hint of victor's arrogance: "Your elf is also very powerful, executing tactics very decisively, causing us a lot of trouble."

This is not just polite flattery.

He replayed the second encounter with the long-haired troll in his mind, where the bluff almost caused Dragonite to capsize in the gutter.

If, during the first two uses of Divine Speed, one had been unlucky enough to trigger the "Confusion" status, and then been hit by the long-haired troll's follow-up Deception, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Dragonite is very likely to die and be eliminated before the powerful healing effect of the max-level "Dragon Field" can be activated.

That's just how it is sometimes in Pokémon battles.

Luck is also part of the charm of the competition.

Nie Zi sensed the sincerity in Xia Chi's words. He twitched his lips and smiled, "Alright, forget about me, the loser. Go and enjoy your moment."

He paused, looked at the bustling audience, and said with a hint of blessing, "I wish you can eventually lift the championship trophy, so that it won't sound so shameful for me to lose to the future champion."

Before turning to leave, he seemed to suddenly remember something, paused, turned his head, and added in a tone that was half serious and half joking: "By the way, when you're fighting those guys in the back, you have to be just as ruthless as you were today. Don't let me be the only one to take on six of them, or I'll lose face."

Xia Chi: "."

It's really hard to respond to what my brother-in-law said.

If I agree, it would seem arrogant and disrespectful; if I don't, it would seem impolite.

He could only offer a helpless yet polite smile to get by.

He then nodded to Nie Zi again before turning and walking towards the players' tunnel with Kuailong amidst cheers and stares.

------

Thanks to the powerful recovery effect of the max-level "Dragon Field", Dragonite was in much better condition than expected after six consecutive battles.

Apart from being extremely exhausted from physical and mental exertion, and suffering from some superficial abrasions and minor internal energy disturbances caused by the energy shock, there were no serious injuries.

This caused Miss Joey in the Flying Cloud Arena's medical room to widen her eyes in astonishment after a thorough examination, exclaiming that it was a medical miracle!
She said she had never seen a Pokémon that could maintain such good condition after such an intense battle.

Therefore, the treatment for the dragon did not take too long; it mainly involved gentle conditioning to replenish physical strength and relieve mental fatigue.

Xia Chi quickly took Kuailong, whose mental state had clearly relaxed and who had started yawning incessantly, out of the medical room and returned him to his own player lounge.

Their return came at just the right time; the arena once again resounded with the rousing battle music and the roar of the audience.

The second quarter-final match is about to begin!
Xia Chi had the staff bring over some Pokémon food, energy cubes, and other snacks and drinks.

He settled the tired Dragonite on the soft sofa to rest and covered it with a small blanket.

Then, he and the other elves sat around the large screen in the lounge, ready to watch the match.

The winner of this match will be his opponent in the next round, the semi-finals.

Both sides in this battle are formidable opponents. One is Hana, one of the Elite Four from the Hoenn region. The other is Modan, the island king of Ula'ula from the Alola region.

Although the latter may seem to be just an "island king", it actually has a remarkable background.

He was once an elite officer in Interpol, and even the direct superior of a currently popular "handsome" officer within Interpol.

When the Alola Regional League was officially established, Dr. Kukui personally invited this highly respected and powerful trainer to serve as one of the Elite Four.

However, Merdan was lazy by nature and disliked too many constraints, so he declined the invitation and gave the spot to Acerola, a girl with unlimited potential who also lived on Ula Ula Island.

Therefore, this duel can be regarded as a highly prestigious "King-level" battle.

The course of the match was completely different from the almost one-sided crushing victory of Xia Chi and Nie Zi.

The battle between Huayue and Modan was a suffocating and intense struggle from the very beginning.

The two sides traded baskets, with the score fluctuating like a tug-of-war, eventually reaching a 2-2 tie before climbing to a 4-4 draw.

Every attack and defense was full of calculation and risk, and every clash of skills ignited gasps from the audience.

The most exciting moment of the match was undoubtedly the mirror match between Super Absol and Super Absol.

Two equally elegant and powerful calamity beasts transformed into white whirlwinds on the field, their foreseeable light and the shadows of evil waves intertwining, leaving all the spectators thoroughly entertained.

Even the elves who were watching the match with Xia Chi were completely engrossed.

Victini, in particular, was incredibly excited. His big, bright blue eyes were glued to the screen, and his tiny fists were clenched tightly.

I wish I could jump right into the screen and join that thrilling battle myself.

After a fierce battle lasting more than an hour, Hua Yue Tian Wang, whose fighting style was more open and aggressive and who advocated all-out attacks, was ultimately outmaneuvered and defeated by Mo Dan, who was more experienced and whose tactics were more unpredictable and varied.

When Modan's last Pokémon, Greninja, finished off the opponent with a Water Shuriken, the entire arena erupted in thunderous applause and cheers in tribute to the two powerful trainers.

Xia Chi also snapped out of his focused analysis and let out a soft breath.

Merdan's victory means that his opponent in the semi-finals has been determined.

However, at this moment, there is something more important, and perhaps more "tricky," that he needs to decide.

"So, in the next match against Mr. Merdan, who among you wants to go first?"

The moment the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the lounge, which had been immersed in the excitement of watching the game, instantly became subtle and tense.

Almost simultaneously, several gazes focused on Xia Chi, their burning desire and fighting spirit almost tangible.

The cat's crimson eyes gleamed with excitement, and its tail swayed back and forth, showing its intense excitement.

Even the usually calm and reliable Master Xiong slowly turned his head, his thick arm muscles bulging as if he were asking to join the battle by showing off his muscles.

Sister Fa grinned, showing off her two little sharp teeth, and circled around Xia Chi, asserting her presence.

Even Latias, who was sitting quietly beside him in the form of a humanoid girl, transmitted a telepathic connection to him.

"Xia Chi, I also want to contribute to everyone in the next match. I can do it."

The atmosphere in the lounge became somewhat strange because of this sudden "competition for favor" segment.

Everyone wanted to be the first to go on stage, but since they were usually close partners, no one dared to actually jump out and compete. They could only express themselves through their eyes and actions.

Thus, a silence, a mixture of intense longing and mutual struggle yet tinged with restraint, permeated the air.

In this eerie silence, only two elves seemed out of place, remaining remarkably calm.

One was Erguipeng, nestled in Xia Chi's arms, happily munching on a bag of potato chips.

Her little feet swung around contentedly, seemingly unconcerned about who started first.

She knew that Xia Chi wouldn't send her out easily in this kind of competition.

The other was Milton, who was lying at Xia Chi's feet, enjoying a delicious sandwich.

It emitted a satisfied, soft "cooing" sound, and the tip of its electron tail swayed gently. It was indeed uninterested in fighting and killing.

Of course, this excludes the "Second Dragon Form" that Xia Chi switches to when he encounters mortal danger.

The reason for the elves' intense reaction is not hard to guess.

Firstly, I personally witnessed Dragonite's amazing performance on the battlefield today, which was nothing short of spectacular.

They were truly envious of the moment when they basked in the cheers of the crowd and accomplished an epic feat.

The second reason is that everyone is vaguely worried that the next game might be the same as today's.

The first Pokémon to appear was in top form, advancing triumphantly and once again achieving the feat of defeating six opponents single-handedly.

In that case, wouldn't they not even have a chance to show their faces?

This sense of scarcity made them even more eager for the coveted starting positions.

"Well"

Xia Chi was also a little annoyed by the expectant looks in the elves' eyes.

He looked at the Dragonite that was staring at him expectantly and eliminated it first.

"Dragonite, you should just give up. You just finished this match and you're exhausted. You should rest properly."

Dragonite muttered somewhat resentfully, "Fuwoo."

There are still three days until the competition. There's plenty of time.

However, it also knew Xia Chi's considerations. Whether it was for the sake of resting more or for the fair consideration of "equal distribution" so that other partners could have a chance to play, the possibility of it starting again was extremely slim.

Although a little disappointed, it obediently stopped trying to fight back, and simply used its paws to pull the small blanket around itself, wrapping itself up even tighter.

Xia Chi's eyes swept over the Pokémon before he finally made the decision: "Let's have Master Bear lead the way. After all, it's a Dark-type expert tournament, and it wouldn't be right not to send out a Dark-type Pokémon."

Xia Chi's decision dampened the spirits' spirits.

Especially Miaoha and Laoban.

Compared to Urshifu, which switches between Water and Dark forms, their Dark-type seems to be more "legitimate".

However, they are all sensible and reasonable elves, and they know that Xia Chi must have gone through a difficult process of weighing the pros and cons before making this decision, and that the reasons he gave were indeed valid.

So, Meowha and Bangiras didn't try to win them back, but instead buried their disappointment in their hearts, preparing to give it their all when it was their turn to prove their worth.

The martial arts master, who was handpicked to be the first striker in the next match, straightened up abruptly after a brief moment of astonishment, his already imposing figure appearing to grow even taller.

It clenched its fists, its eyes burning with a fighting spirit as real as a raging fire.

He then turned to Xia Chi and nodded vigorously, as if accepting a military order.

"Whoa!"

【I understand, leave it to me! I will definitely live up to your expectations, just like Dragonite, and achieve a 1-to-6 victory!】

Xia Chi: "."

Looking at Master Xiong's spirited "do or die" attitude, he twitched his lips slightly and felt speechless.

When did I ever make such a request?

Don't underestimate your opponents!

(End of this chapter)