Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

After the plan to decide the outcome was agreed upon, Shiba took two steps to the side, casually picked off a piece of rock from the edge of the platform, and with a slight exertion of his fingertips, the hard rock crumbled into fine dust in his hand, like chalk.

He didn't care about appearances; he picked up the sharpest pebble, bent down, and started scratching it on the ground between the two of them.

The pebble made a screeching sound as it dragged across the rocky ground, and in no time, a circle about twenty paces in diameter appeared.

The lines aren't particularly regular, but the boundaries are clearly defined.

Shiba dusted off his hands, tossed the pebbles aside, and straightened up.

"Let's fight within this circle."

He pointed to the circle line, speaking casually, as if explaining the training rules to a junior.

"Whoever falls to the ground first and cannot get up within thirty seconds, or is knocked out of the circle, loses."

After he finished speaking, he added a sentence.

"Going viral is also a loss."

This condition was added on the spot.

Shiba knew perfectly well that if he followed the rules of the fighting world and knocked the young man down for thirty seconds without being able to get up, he would have difficulty controlling his strength.

I had already taken advantage of my senior.

To beat someone into serious injury would be even more unacceptable.

So we'll find a trick to get this kid out of the circle later, and that'll settle things.

This way, you save face for the other party, avoid hurting the relationship, and you can also take on a disciple at the same time.

perfect.

Jiang Chuan listened without objection.

He nodded, his tone remaining steady.

"Understood, Master Shiba."

After saying that, he took a few steps to the side, stood on the other side of the circle, and began to move his wrists.

The movements were very gentle and the range of motion was not large, but he slowly loosened up every joint, and his breathing became more and more even.

Xiaoxia looked around and then consciously went to sit down on a protruding rock nearby.

The rock is neither too high nor too low, just right to overlook the entire area, offering an excellent view.

She placed Pikachu on her lap, then puffed out her chest, trying to look like a proper referee.

"Then... both sides, to your positions!"

She drew out her words and shouted something like a referee in a fighting match on TV.

Pikachu chirped in response.

"Pikachu!"

Xiaoxia waved her hand downwards.

"start!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shiba's feet moved.

He had originally planned to slow down and give Jiang Chuan time to adjust.

After all, the person standing opposite you is a rookie trainer. Don't let your own aura overwhelm you from the start.

But he had only taken two steps forward when Jiang Chuan moved as well.

With this movement, Shiba's eyelids twitched slightly.

fast.

That's really fast.

Jiang Chuan showed no intention of testing him. He was like a bowstring that had been stretched to its limit and suddenly snapped back, lowering his body and pressing himself against him.

That speed was nothing like that of a rookie trainer who had just embarked on a journey.

Shiba thought to himself, "Hmm?" but his body reacted faster than his brain.

He raised his left arm to block, and pushed forward with his right hand, trying to force Jiang Chuan away first.

As a result, Jiang Chuan sidestepped and gently deflected the direction of Shiba's right palm push, his entire right arm sliding past like a snake.

The next instant, a short strike landed below Shiba's left rib.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

Shiba took two steps back.

It didn't hurt too much; his muscles were as thick as rocks, and this amount of force couldn't hurt him.

But the force was strange.

The impact wasn't heavy at first, but it dispersed after sinking, sending a shiver down his ribs.

Shiba's pupils contracted slightly.

This boxing technique is not simple.

"Where did you learn your boxing style?"

Shiba took a step back, creating some distance, and asked a question.

Jiang Chuan did not stop.

"A friend from a dojo taught me."

As he spoke, he followed up with a left straight punch aimed directly at Shiba's face.

Shiba dodged to the side and grabbed Jiang Chuan's wrist with his right hand.

Jiang Chuan flipped his wrist, grabbed Shiba's forearm with his other hand, and pulled her close to him.

At this distance, Shiba's advantage of long arms and great strength could not be utilized, and Jiang Chuan instead held his center of gravity.

Alarm bells rang in Shiba's mind.

He dared not be overconfident any longer. He lowered his waist and planted his feet firmly into the ground like nails, using his core strength to push Jiang Chuan away by half an inch.

Then a knee strike was delivered straight to Jiang Chuan's abdomen.

Jiangchuan didn't hide.

He actually took the hit head-on.

Xiaoxia sat on the rock, watching with her breath caught in her throat.

She saw that knee strike Jiang Chuan squarely in the stomach.

But Jiang Chuan's face didn't show any change in expression.

Even as Shiba's knee retracted, he turned around and delivered a powerful backhand punch, slapping Shiba on the right side of his neck and shoulder.

Shiba's head tilted to the side from the blow, and he staggered back half a step.

Shiba is being forced to retreat completely.

A bizarre thought suddenly popped into his mind.

How is that possible?

I am... the Heavenly King.

This kid's strength is like a monster's.

Xiaoxia was so engrossed in watching from the high rock that her hands unconsciously clenched into fists, and the Pikachu on her thigh was so jostled around that it could barely stand.

"Jiang Chuan! Go for it! Hit him! Hit him!"

Her voice was completely unrestrained; she no longer resembled a referee at all.

Shiba's lips twitched.

This little girl was just hiding timidly behind Jiang Chuan, but now she's completely revealed her true colors.

He steadied himself, and the ease in his eyes had completely vanished.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

He gave a low shout and stopped holding back.

The fighting king when he gets serious is a completely different person from before.

Shiba's movements suddenly quickened, his punches whistling through the air, each punch carrying the power to shatter stone and split rocks. The force was so great that even the ground trembled slightly.

But Jiang Chuan still refused to back down.

He was like a piece of iron that couldn't be bent no matter how much pressure he was pressed; if Shiba threw a heavy punch, he would dismantle it.

When Shiba kicked, he used his knee to block it.

Shiba threw him, but he braced his feet on the ground, twisted his waist, and launched a rapid, close-range attack.

Jiang Chuan also suffered a real and heavy blow.

Shiba's punch was too heavy.

Several times, Jiang Chuan felt his bones cracking.

But it only makes a brief sound.

The next moment, he stuck it on again.

In addition to the secret boxing techniques passed down by the Aimei family, Jiang Chuan also used a special set of boxing techniques that added to his skills—the Courage Boxing Technique.

The more fearless you are, the harder the punch will be.

The braver they are, the more ruthless their moves become.

Therefore, as long as Jiang Chuan does not feel fear when facing Shiba, his punches will become more and more powerful.

As for why I'm not afraid?

We're not afraid!

Anyway, we still have intermediate superpowers to fall back on, so what's there to be afraid of!

.........

Therefore, with the added power of the Courageous Fist Technique, Jiang Chuan's punches became increasingly fierce and powerful.

However, Shiba, who was going all out, was no pushover either, and his punches still caused Jiang Chuan a lot of pain.

But that little bit of pain had long been swallowed up by the courage in his boxing skills.

Jiang Chuan had only one thought at that moment—he had to win this fight.

The more Shiba fought, the more alarmed he became.

He discovered that Jiang Chuan showed no sign of backing down under his heavy punches.

Even after I gave it my all, the opponent played even more frantically.

What chilled Shiba even more was that Jiang Chuan's boxing style became more and more like a human as he fought.

Someone he will never forget in his life.

That happened many years ago.

Back then, Shiba was still young and hadn't yet joined the Elite Four. He traveled the world seeking out skilled fighters to challenge and battle.

One day he met a very thin old man.

I heard that the old gentleman was the owner of a martial arts dojo.

The old man was dressed in coarse cloth and looked unsteady on his feet.

Back then, Shiba was young and impetuous. Whenever he met someone who knew how to fight, he wanted to learn a few moves from them.

As a result, he was lectured from beginning to end by that old gentleman.

He didn't even touch the hem of her clothes.

His fist techniques, footwork, and breathing were all completely suppressed.

And the set of punches Jiang Chuan is using now...

The more I look at it, the more it resembles it?

Could this kid be that old gentleman's grandson, or perhaps his disciple or grand-disciple?

In the instant that Shiba was distracted, Jiang Chuan's fist came flying.

A straight punch landed precisely through the gap between Shiba's arms, striking him squarely in the face with a loud "bang."

Shiba felt a sudden white light before his eyes.

My nasal bridge felt like it had been pounded with an iron pestle; a mix of sensations—soreness, swelling, numbness—exploded all at once.

My vision blurred for half a second.

In that half-second, Jiang Chuan pressed himself against her, his right shoulder sinking, and his left foot stepping between Shiba's legs.

The family's ancestral boxing style.

Skillful technique.

He placed his right hand on Shiba's chest, turned his body, and with his waist leading his shoulders, shoulders leading his arms, and arms leading his hands, his whole body was like a tightly twisted and then loosened rope.

"go."

Jiang Chuan gave a low shout.

Shiba felt an irresistible force coming from his chest, and his feet lost their footing, causing him to lose his balance.

His towering body staggered back four or five steps.

But the circle is only so big.

Shiba felt his heel slip and fall.

He qualified.

Xiaoxia's buttocks seemed to be equipped with springs, and she bounced off the rock.

"It's gone viral! It's gone viral! Master Shiba has gone viral!"

Her voice was as fast as a machine gun, her little mouth firing off a rapid-fire barrage, giving no one any time to react.

"The battle is over! Jiangchuan wins! The right to capture the giant Onix belongs to Jiangchuan! Master Shiba, as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, always keeps his word! It's settled!"

She spoke incredibly fast, every word brimming with excitement, as if afraid that Shiba might change his mind.

Pikachu jumped to the ground, raised its two little arms, and spun around in a cheering manner.

"Pikachu, Pikachu, Pikachu!"

Shiba sat on the ground, still a little dazed.

My head is buzzing.

What?

He lost?

Just that one moment... and it went viral?

He looked down at his heel and realized he was indeed outside the circle, with a piece of stone dust scraped off the ground.

Shiba's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something.

"This circle..."

"You drew the circle, you set the rules, and stepping out of the circle means losing." Xiaoxia stood on the rock, speaking rapidly as she retorted, a perfectly standard bright smile on her face.

"Master Shiba, you've gone viral!"

Looking at her smiling face, and then at Jiang Chuan leisurely rubbing his wrist beside her, Shiba's expression became complicated.

this………

I originally drew this circle to prevent someone from getting hurt.

As a result, it became a rope that bound him.

Shiba opened his mouth, then finally let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright."

He pushed himself up, patted the dust off his pants, and touched his still slightly sore nose.

"I lost."

Shiba walked up to Jiang Chuan and stretched out his large, bear-paw-like hand.

"Your boxing technique is beautiful."

His tone was serious, even tinged with admiration.

"I, Shiba, keep my word. The right to subdue this giant rock serpent belongs to you, Jiangchuan."

Jiang Chuan shook hands with him, his smile not showing smugness, but rather just the right amount of respect.

"Master Shiba is too kind."

Shiba released his grip, his gaze lingering on Jiang Chuan's face for two seconds before he suddenly asked another question.

"Was there a thin, short old gentleman who taught you this set of boxing techniques?"

Jiang Chuan thought for a moment and shook his head.

"No, it's a style of boxing passed down from a friend's family at a dojo."

Shiba hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions.

His doubts remained, but now was not the time to pursue them.

"Jiangchuan."

Shiba changed the subject, his tone returning to that of a senior.

"I need to remind you of something."

He looked at Jiang Chuan with a meaningful gaze.

"If a trainer fails to capture a Pokémon, then that Pokémon is no longer bound to anything."

Shiba paused for a moment.

"In other words, even if you can't defeat it, I can still try to subdue it."

Shiba's meaning was clear: I lost this round, but it's not over yet.

You've only been given priority, not the final result.

Jiang Chuan nodded naturally after listening.

"Of course I know these rules."

His eyes were calm, as if he had expected Shiba to say that.

"Would Master Shiba like to come and watch my subjugation process?"

Jiang Chuan wasn't nervous at all; on the contrary, he took the initiative to invite her.

Shiba was taken aback.

This kid is really something else.

Row.

"Okay, I'll go take a look."

Shiba nodded, his tone carrying a hint of the reserve one would expect from a senior.

"If you fail, I can be there to guide you on some combat techniques."

The two of them then settled on what to do next.

Xiaoxia jumped down from the rock and ran to Jiang Chuan's side, her eyes sparkling and her smile impossible to suppress.

"Jiang Chuan, you're amazing! Do you even know you just fought one of the Four Heavenly Kings?!"

She tilted her little face up, her eyes filled with admiration, and unconsciously wrapped her arms around Jiang Chuan's arm.

Jiang Chuan smiled and ruffled her hair without saying anything.

Pikachu jumped onto Jiang Chuan's shoulder and called out "Pika Pika" twice to Xiaoxia.

Xiaoxia was amused by Pikachu, and the tension that had been building up inside her finally eased completely.

When Jiang Chuan and Xiba were fighting, she seemed to be shouting happily, but her palms were actually sweaty.

Now that the results are in, she is even happier than Jiang Chuan himself.

After her initial joy subsided, she began to worry about the next thing.

She pulled Jiang Chuan's arm, leaned close to his ear, and whispered.

"Jiang Chuan, that giant rock serpent... are you really sure you can handle it?"

Xiaoxia asked very carefully, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were plotting something.

"I have a few Water-type Pokémon on me, would you like to borrow them?"

She counted on her fingers.

"Jewel starfish, sea lions, and Psyduck... Although Psyduck is a bit silly, it can still attract attention."

"Bring several Water-type Onix to fight Rock and Ground-types."

Her tone was earnest, just like a little strategist giving advice to a general.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Chuan reached out and ruffled Xiaoxia's hair twice.

"rest assured."

"I have enough strength on my side."

She looked up at Jiang Chuan's eyes, which were filled with unwavering certainty.

For no apparent reason, she believed it.

"Oh well."

Xiaoxia nodded, smiled again, and tightened her grip on Jiang Chuan's arm.

"If... I mean if, you really can't handle it, don't try to be a hero."

"Um."

Jiang Chuan responded and continued walking forward.

Shiba followed behind the two, watching the lovey-dovey couple ahead, and couldn't help but shake his head.

These new recruits these days are all so strange.

But this kid...

That's definitely not simple.

He looked up at the mountain path leading to the Great Rock Serpent's lair, his gaze gradually becoming serious.

The priority right has been given up.

But that snake isn't something to be trifled with; it's still uncertain who it belongs to!

Shiba crossed his thick arms and followed at a leisurely pace.