Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

Xiaoxia's mind felt like it had been stirred with a spoon.

She stared blankly at Jiang Chuan, then at Xiba, her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn't utter a single word.

"This...this...you...you...that...him...him...me...this...me..."

She raised her finger and pointed at Shiba, then at Jiang Chuan, her fingertip dangling back and forth between the two, like a butterfly unable to find its footing.

What's going on?

She was just disappointed, thinking that Master Shiba was going to take Jiang Chuan as his disciple, but Master Shiba didn't play by the rules at all and directly put the title of "master" on Jiang Chuan.

Is the next step after becoming an apprentice to becoming a master?

That's quite a leap!

Shiba, one of the Kanto Elite Four and a leading figure in the Fighting-type, is going to become the apprentice of a rookie trainer who has only recently started training.

Xiaoxia wondered if she was experiencing auditory hallucinations because she had been training so hard with Jiang Chuan recently.

"You...you want to become his...master?"

She finally managed to squeeze out a complete sentence, but her voice was much higher than usual.

Shiba nodded, his expression so serious it didn't seem like he was joking.

"That's right."

"..."

Xiaoxia froze completely.

She stood there, as if she had been frozen in place, her eyes wide open, blinking back and forth between Jiang Chuan and Xiba several times.

This is no longer just shocking.

This is a worldview that has been thoroughly humiliated.

She felt she had witnessed all sorts of outrageous things Jiang Chuan had done.

Are even Heavenly Kings now eager to become disciples?

Is this ceiling... still able to be pushed higher?

Jiang Chuan found it somewhat amusing to look at Xiaoxia's stunned expression.

He reached out and gently took Xiaoxia's hand, holding it in his palm and lightly rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand twice.

"It's okay, don't get agitated."

Startled by the warm touch, Xiaoxia finally snapped out of her petrified state.

She looked down at Jiang Chuan's hand holding hers, her face flushed instantly, and she tried to pull away, but couldn't.

Jiang Chuan didn't let go; instead, he squeezed it again.

"What are you doing...?"

Xiaoxia's voice lowered, her ears turned bright red, and she dared not look in Shiba's direction.

She felt both ashamed and embarrassed, yet she couldn't bear to struggle free.

Jiang Chuan is really something. He's pulling and tugging at Master Xiba like that. What kind of behavior is that?

Little did she know that her inability to escape was incredibly adorable in Jiang Chuan's eyes.

Jiang Chuan stopped teasing her and turned to look at Shiba.

"Master Shiba".

He spoke, his tone calm.

"You gave me your Onix today and are so kind as to ask me for advice. If I refuse, it would seem like I'm being inconsiderate."

He smiled.

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance. But if you're interested in my knowledge of boxing techniques, I'll share what I know with you."

Upon hearing this, the light in Shiba's eyes instantly became dazzling.

"Very good!"

He rubbed his hands together, as excited as a primary school student.

"Thank you so much, Master!"

The way he called out "Master" was so crisp and clear, his voice booming like a bell, that it seemed to make the nearby pebbles tremble.

Jiang Chuan's lips twitched.

He could hear the urgency in Shiba's address of "Master," as if he were afraid of changing his mind, and his speech even sped up a bit.

Xiaoxia was also jolted out of her shyness by the word "Master".

She looked at Shiba in disbelief, then at Jiang Chuan, and finally could only manage a short "uh" from her throat.

The Fighting King now calls Jiang Chuan Master.

The Fighting King has called Jiang Chuan his Master!

If I told people this, would anyone believe me?

Jiang Chuan didn't dwell on the title.

He released Xiaoxia's hand and nodded to Shiba.

"Master Shiba, when you sparred with me just now, you overpowered me with a straight punch in the first round, right?"

"right!"

"At that time, you thought I couldn't catch it, so you shifted your weight forward and left your back foot with almost no room to maneuver."

As Jiang Chuan spoke, he struck a pose, mimicking Shiba's stance at the time.

"I later used close-quarters combat to send you out, not because I was stronger than you. You see."

He took a half-step forward with his right foot, and his body sank slightly.

"You were standing wide, but when you exerted force, the power from your back leg to your hip was blocked, like water flowing through a narrow channel. You only felt that you had enough force in your arm, but when you actually hit me, that force was scattered."

Shiba stared intently at Jiang Chuan's movements, his mind racing.

"The angle between the waist and thigh..."

Jiang Chuan nodded.

"Yes. Try to lower your hips back half an inch, and don't push your waist forward too abruptly. Let the force of your back foot hitting the ground go up your spine."

Upon hearing this, Shiba tensed up completely.

He closed his eyes and replayed the scene of the battle in his mind.

The force that exploded from the opponent at the moment of being thrown out, compared to the trajectory of the force Jiang Chuan is now describing...

He suddenly opened his eyes.

"I see!"

Shiba slapped his thigh, his expression as if he had solved a long-buried mystery.

"I understand! I understand!"

He was so excited that he paced back and forth a couple of times, as if he had been set on fire.

"That old man knocked me flying at the same spot back then! Same thing! That's the same principle!"

His voice grew louder and louder, so loud that the echoes reverberated throughout the valley.

Jiang Chuan smiled.

Shiba is indeed Shiba. A fighting genius of this caliber, once you break through the key points, the rest will fall into place.

"There's one more after that."

Jiang Chuan held up two fingers.

"After I dodged your final downward strike, you paused to finish the move, remember?"

Shiba thought for a moment and nodded.

"That pause was because you were afraid of losing control of your momentum, so you shifted your weight back to your front foot. In reality, your back foot was already off the ground at that point, and as long as I didn't walk towards your front door, you would be a beat slower when turning around."

As Jiang Chuan spoke, he deftly drew a small arc with his feet.

"So once you get close, don't rush to regain your footing. You need to shift your weight to your hips, maintain the elasticity of your back leg, and turn your body to the side. This will give you a larger reaction radius."

Shiba listened with rapt attention.

He was half-bent over, his hands already mimicking movements in the air, and he was muttering incantations.

"So that's how it is... So that's how it is!"

He looked up, and the way he looked at Jiang Chuan was completely different now.

"Master Jiangchuan, your moves... are absolutely exquisite!"

Jiang Chuan waved his hand.

"I've practiced a lot and figured out a few tricks, but it's nothing special. Master, you have a good foundation, go back and practice, maybe you can do it even better than me."

Shiba shook his head repeatedly.

"To achieve such skill at your age, I can no longer surpass your potential."

As he spoke, he looked intently at Jiang Chuan.

"However, I will definitely study these two moves carefully when I get back. Once I've figured them out, I'll come back to ask you for guidance on the later moves!"

"You're welcome anytime."

Shiba stood there, her eyes still filled with reluctance.

He wanted to keep Jiang Chuan around for a longer chat, but he also knew that Jiang Chuan had just subdued Onix and must have his own plans.

There's plenty of time in the future. Now that you've become my apprentice, there will be many more opportunities.

"Well... Master Jiangchuan, I won't bother you any longer."

Shiba clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jiang Chuan, then glanced at Xiaoxia, who was still in a semi-dazed state beside him.

"Miss Xia, I wish you all the best in your upcoming special training."

Xiaoxia was startled and quickly forced a smile.

"Ah! Thank you, Master Shiba!"

She bowed, her movements a little erratic, clearly still not fully recovered from the shock she had just experienced.

Jiang Chuan smiled and shook his head, then waved to Shiba.

"Let's go, Master Shiba."

"Okay! Take care, Master!"

Shiba stood at the bottom of the valley, arms crossed, watching Jiang Chuan lead Xiaoxia down the path.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people.

Pikachu followed Jiang Chuan's feet, hopping around to step on Xiaoxia's shadow.

Shiba watched for a while, then let out a soft sigh.

This newcomer truly has a limitless future.

He could almost see this young man standing on the league stage in the near future, fighting his way up level by level, and finally coming to him to challenge him for the championship.

Perhaps, this "master" I'm calling now will be a huge advantage for me in the future!

.....................

The way down the mountain was much easier than the way up.

Jiang Chuan walked at a moderate pace, with Xiao Xia following beside him, occasionally stealing a glance at him, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

She hasn't quite processed the fact that "Xiba has become Jiang Chuan's student."

"Jiangchuan."

"Um?"

"Don't you...feel any pressure?"

Xiaoxia tilted her head and asked.

"What kind of pressure?"

"That's right, you're already the mentor of a Champion-level trainer."

Jiang Chuan smiled.

"What's there to feel pressured about? He can learn his own, and I'll practice mine. Besides, it's just an exchange of boxing techniques; it's not like I'm being asked to become a league champion."

He paused, a hint of mischievousness creeping into his tone.

"What's wrong? Weren't you quite excited just now? You even said this was a great opportunity for me."

Xiaoxia pouted.

"How would I know which master you're talking about... I thought he was the one who took you as his apprentice."

She muttered to herself, her expression a mixture of shame and annoyance.

"Hmph, if anyone tells others that Master Shiba of the Four Heavenly Kings of Kanto calls you 'Master,' let's see what you do then."

"What's the big deal? Maybe my future girlfriend will be a superstar too?" Jiang Chuan glanced at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Girlfriend? A superstar?" Xiaoxia pouted immediately, "What nonsense are you spouting now? Or have you fallen for some female superstar behind my back?"

Xiaoxia's gaze immediately turned scrutinizing as she stared intently at Jiang Chuan.

Jiang Chuan reached out and hugged Xiaoxia, pinching her cheek: "Are you that insecure?"

"Is it impossible for you to become an unparalleled water-type king in the future?"

Xiaoxia's expression froze for a moment, then changed to one of mixed amusement and emotion: "I... then... then you have to come with me, come all the way to Tianwang!"

Jiang Chuan gently touched Xiaoxia with his head without saying a word. Xiaoxia felt his affection and happily snuggled up to him.

………………

This trip to Miacha Mountain was incredibly fruitful.

A giant rock snake, level 40 or higher.

A top-tier "disciple".

With the successful capture of Onix, the second stage of pre-competition training has been completed.

[Candy Balance: 18 Basic Magic Candies, 13 Intermediate Magic Candies, 3 Advanced Magic Candies]

I've got another beginner-level and another intermediate-level one.

.....................

By the time we got back to Pallet Town, it was already getting dark.

One by one, the streetlights lit up, bathing the quiet town in a warm yellow glow.

Jiang Chuan pushed open the door, and a rich, sweet aroma immediately wafted out from the kitchen.

The aroma was unique, like baked butter mixed with the sweet and sour taste of some kind of berry, with a hint of spice, warm and comforting, going straight into your nose.

Jiang Chuan stood in the entryway and took a deep breath.

After a busy day, smelling this scent seems to bring out all the fatigue in my body, and then I am gently enveloped by the fragrance, making me feel a little softer.

"You're back?"

Hanako's voice came from the kitchen, gentle and flowing through the house like water.

"Go wash your hands first, then come and try the delicious food I made today."

She paused, then added.

"You must have had a tough day of training."

Jiang Chuan changed into slippers and glanced towards the kitchen.

Hanako stood in front of the stove, wearing a pale yellow apron with the straps tied in a bow at her lower back, which accentuated her slender waist.

She was tasting the broth in a pot, leaning slightly forward, bringing the spoon to her lips, her eyes narrowed, as if she were carefully savoring the flavor.

Dragonair was curled up on the chair next to them, its neck stretched out, staring longingly at the spoon in Hanako's hand. Eevee, on the other hand, was squatting by the kitchen counter, swishing its tail back and forth, occasionally barking as if urging them to eat.

"It smells so good."

Jiang Chuan walked over.

Hanako turned around, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

"It smells good, doesn't it? I tried making a new sauce today to eat with toasted bread slices. Could you taste it for me later and see if it's too sweet?"

"it is good."

Just as Jiang Chuan finished speaking, a series of "thump thump thump" footsteps came from behind him.

Xiaoxia swept past him like a gust of wind and headed straight for the kitchen.

"I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!"

She had a small fruit dangling from her mouth, and her eyes were already fixed on the food on the cutting board.

Hanako smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

"It's not ready yet, what's the rush? Go wash your hands first."

Xiaoxia said "Oh," then quickly ran to the pool, turned on the tap and rinsed herself a couple of times. Then, like a greedy cat, she sidled up to Huazi.

"Hanako-nee, what is this? It smells so good!"

"Pumpkin cream soup, served with this toasted bread slice."

Hanako pointed to the sliced ​​bread that had already been cut next to her.

"You can eat it with the soup later. I also added some lavender to it. I don't know if it will be too strong."

"No, no! It'll definitely taste amazing!"

Xiaoxia has a very sweet tongue.

Jiang Chuan smiled as he watched the two of them together. Just as he was about to wash his hands, his phone suddenly rang.

"Feed".

"Jiangchuan?"

It was Professor Oak's voice on the other end of the phone.

"It's me. Doctor, what's wrong?"

Where are you now?

Professor Oak spoke faster than usual, with a noticeable urgency.

"I just got back."

"Then come to the research institute now. Quickly."

Jiang Chuan frowned.

"What happened?"

Professor Oak paused for a moment.

"It's hard to say over the phone. Come over; there are some things I'd like to discuss with you in person."

His voice deepened a bit.

"This is a big deal."

Jiang Chuan held the receiver, quickly calculating in his mind.

Professor Oak doesn't usually speak in this tone.

"Okay, I'll be right there."