Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

The speculation and noise in the comments didn't last long. Soon, the holographic projection of the guest appeared in the studio.

With her exquisite makeup, tall figure, and elegant demeanor, this guest is none other than the Carlos superstar Karuni!

The live chat erupted in cheers; none of them had guessed Karuni's arrival.

"Holy crap, it's Karune? Wasn't she always the gym leader? Why did they suddenly hire a celebrity?"

"Fun fact: When Karune debuted, she and Cynthia were known as the twin stars. She already had gym-level strength a couple of years ago, and she even won the Luna Conference last month."

"Hasn't Karuni been retired from acting for almost a year? Why is she suddenly appearing as a guest at this kind of competition?"

"The event organizers are awesome!! (A cheer from a loyal Karuni fan)"

…………

The barrage of comments confirmed one thing: even though she had been retired from acting for almost a year, her popularity and buzz remained top-tier.

The female commentator began interacting with the guests.

"Ms. Karuni, it's a pleasure to see you in the studio. Congratulations on winning the Lumière Tournament! And of course, I wish you the best of luck in next year's championship challenge!"

Karuni smiled modestly and replied, "Thank you for your blessing. I am also very happy to be a guest at this competition that brings together so many talented people, especially since this is a competition between friends I haven't seen in a long time."

The commentator feigned ignorance, asking, "Oh? Are you referring to contestant Xia Chen?"

Those who followed the Yveltal awakening incident at the beginning of the year know that the person with Xia Chen in the Enchanted Forest at that time was Karuni, and the two had a period of "comradeship in arms".

Karune didn't shy away from the topic, nodding with a light laugh. "That's right. When I met him, Gardevoir was still Ralts, and now he's a Gardevoir that can stand on its own. I don't know if time has passed too quickly, or if he's grown up too fast."

The commentator chimed in, "Perhaps it's a combination of both. Most viewers didn't expect that Xia Chen, at such a young age, could have reached this stage in the competition."

Changing the subject, the commentator asked, "However, judging from the support rates, it seems that people are not optimistic about Xia Chen's chances in this match. What's your opinion?"

Without hesitation, Karuni replied, "Really? I think Xia Chen will win."

The commentator exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? Miss Karuni has so much confidence in Xia Chen?"

Karuni smiled but remained silent.

During the chat, Xia Chen and Lu Weiyu were already on the battlefield, and a great battle was about to break out.

The commentators also steered the conversation back to the game.

"Alright, the match is about to begin. Let's see how both players perform!"

…………

On the battlefield, Xia Chen and Lu Weiyu looked at each other quietly, waiting for the match to begin.

Both of them were from Zhijiang. Although they didn't know each other before the match, Lu Weiyu was quite interested in Xia Chen, a fellow townsman who was quite a hot topic.

Xia Chen also sized up this graceful girl who looked just like someone from the Jiangnan water towns.

Judging from her appearance, it's impossible to imagine that she would be such a formidable force in this competition.

However, neither of them had the habit of trash-talking before the match, and time passed silently as they stared at each other.

With the referee's whistle, two Poké Balls streaked through the air, and the match officially began.

"Come out, Mosquito Coil Frog King!"

"I choose you, Gardevoir!"

A flash of white light appeared, and the starting Pokémon of both sides appeared on the battlefield.

"Oh? Xia Chen's starting Pokémon is Gardevoir instead of Milotic?"

The commentator was slightly surprised. Before the match, most people predicted that Xia Chen would choose Milotic to take advantage of the opponent's rainy weather. Unexpectedly, Xia Chen's starting Pokémon was Gardevoir.

The commentator joked, "Is there any significance to Gardevoir starting against the Rain Team? Could it be that Xia Chen knew today's guest was Karune and was paying tribute to her?"

Karune's Gardevoir is not only incredibly powerful, but it has also acted in many shows alongside her, making it arguably the most famous Gardevoir in the world.

Gardevoir expert Karune frowned slightly, expressing her confusion. "I don't know. Maybe it's because Gardevoir knows Thunderbolt, and Xia Chen thought it would be easier to defeat it?"

That's a plausible reason, but Xia Chen has played so many matches that commentators and viewers know he's particularly good at "digging holes" in matches, and maybe that's a trap he's prepared for his opponents.

However, no one can guess Xia Chen's intentions right now.

On the field, after both teams' Pokémon entered the arena, a light rain began to fall from the sky.

Before long, the rain intensified, and large raindrops poured onto the ground, thus forming a rainy day.

This change is brought about by the [rainfall] characteristic of the Mosquito Coil Frog King.

Before the raindrops even fell, two crisp commands rang out on the battlefield.

"Mosquito Coil Frog King, Water Cannon!"

"Gardevoir, Thunderbolt!"

The match opened with a fierce exchange of moves, and the fast-paced combat instantly captivated the audience.

The more powerful Poliwag launched its Water Cannon first, and the intense water jet, propelled by high pressure, hurtled straight and fast towards Gardevoir.

Gardevoir, not to be outdone, unleashed a bright yellow Lizard from its red horn in response.

After a brief standoff, the powerful jet of water overwhelmed Liskarm and moved towards Gardevoir.

Gardevoir stubbornly insisted on pushing back, using its psychic powers to slightly shift its body and dodge the unstoppable torrent of water.

…………

"Both sides were testing each other at the start, but the difference in strength was obvious. Gardevoir didn't seem to be a match for Poliwag in a head-on fight."

Karune nodded in agreement with the commentator's assessment. "This Poliwag is exceptionally well-trained, not just as a weather setter. However, the fact that Hydro Pump is superior to Thunderbolt must be considered in rainy conditions. In reality, Gardevoir's offensive power is not weak. Now that we understand the approximate strength of both Pokémon, Xia Chen should make his move."

Before Karuni could finish speaking, the situation on the field had already changed.

However, it was not Xia Chen who made the first move, but Lu Weiyu.

"Mosquito Coil Frog King, Turbid Current!"

Under the rain, the release speed of all water-type moves seemed to be accelerated. Less than two seconds after Lu Weiyu finished her command, a clump of filth in front of Poliwag turned into a turbid stream of water and rushed towards Gardevoir.

The attack pattern of Muddy Stream is very similar to Surf, both of which use water-attribute energy to create waves to attack the opponent.

However, the water in the Turbid Stream is just as murky as its name suggests.

Therefore, this move also has an additional effect of reducing the opponent's hit rate by 30%.

Although the turbid current's waves don't travel very fast, their attack range is very large, and it's difficult for Gardevoir to dodge them without teleporting.

"But this turbid current was what Lu Weiyu used to force Gardevoir to use its first Instant Transmission. So, will Xia Chen let Gardevoir use Instant Transmission so easily?"

The answer has already been revealed in the analysis of the explanation.

The fluctuation of Psychic-type energy flashed by, and in the next instant, Gardevoir appeared next to Poliwag, followed by a Thunderbolt!

A bright yellow lightning bolt, forming a lightning snake, struck the mosquito coil frog king, which was standing right next to it. Under the torrential rain, tiny electric currents surged wildly around the large green frog, looking quite frightening.

Despite this, Lu Weiyu was not worried at all; instead, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Because this is the scene she most wants to see.

…………

"Xia Chen's fighting style in this match was very aggressive. While it certainly caused considerable damage to Poliwag, Gardevoir itself was also in danger. Miss Karune, what do you think?"

Faced with the commentator's question, Karune nodded with a rather solemn expression, "Releasing two moves simultaneously consumes a lot of energy, let alone a move like Teleport. Gardevoir's behavior is just too un-Xia Chen-like..."

This fighting style leaves Gardevoir no way out, relying entirely on reckless charge, which is far removed from Xia Chen's methodical and strategic battle command.

However, there is another possibility.

Karuni added in her mind, unless Xia Chen's "recklessness" was also part of his plan.

Chapter 228 Volt replaces Gardevoir, freeze-drying Milotic!

No one can know what the future holds, but at this moment, Gardevoir is already in a bit of a mess because of this teleportation.

Using both moves simultaneously was quite taxing, and after teleporting to Poliwag's side, Gardevoir was forced to stand still for quite a while.

Poliwag, of course, wouldn't be polite to the opportunity presented to him. He immediately retaliated with the Thunderbolt he had just used, and to be on the safe side, he used Surf, which was guaranteed to be foolproof.

Of course, if you want to dodge, you can also use teleportation.

However, the energy drain from using Teleport repeatedly will put Gardevoir in a very difficult position in the upcoming battle.

While teleportation may be difficult to use, it doesn't mean Xia Chen and Gardevoir are helpless.

Just as Gardevoir was about to be hit by the surging waves, Xia Chen suddenly commanded, "Gardevoir, switch to Volt!"

Volt replacement?

Upon hearing Xia Chen's command, the entire audience, Lu Weiyu, the commentator, and even Karuni were somewhat stunned.

Volt Switch... Isn't that a move that only Electric-type Pokémon can learn?

The commentator was stunned for several seconds until Gardevoir actually used Volt Switch to dodge Surf and successfully returned to its Poké Ball. Only then did she stare blankly at Diantha, who knew Gardevoir very well.

"Miss Karune, Gardevoir... can learn Volt Switch?"

Karuni fell silent, a rare occurrence for her. She wanted to say no, but the facts that had just occurred before her silenced her.

The commentator then answered his own question, saying, "It seems the genius researcher's Pokémon breeding skills are truly extraordinary. After Milotic's Quiver Dance and Water Spray, Xia Chen's Gardevoir has brought us some more surprises!"

"Volt Switch, Gardevoir used a move that no one expected, gaining a free Thunderbolt and Volt Switch attack, giving it a slight advantage for the rest of the battle."

"While Milotic, who replaced Gardevoir, was hit by Surf, the damage was limited due to Milotic's resistance to water and its own bulk."

The substitution of volts came very suddenly.

Although it may seem that the effect of this volt replacement was only to help Xia Chen deal a little more damage, in an evenly matched contest, or even in a disadvantageous confrontation like today, it is necessary to rely on the accumulation of details to control the situation.

Moreover, given Gardevoir's special attack power, Poliwag suffered far more damage than just a little.

Judging from its physical condition, after being hit by two counter-attacks in succession, the green frog was already somewhat disoriented from the electric shocks.

Milotic, who had just appeared, was still full of energy. He was already developing in the direction of dual water and dragon types, with a physique that was nearly four times resistant to water. Water-type moves were practically like scratching him.

With the tides turning, Xia Chen gained a slight advantage in just two minutes into the game, though not a significant one.

After all, Lu Weiyu's extremely difficult-to-handle ace Swampert was still eager to try in the back row. She should find a way to deal with this annoying Poliwag King first.

Milotic, Whirlwind Dance!