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

The commentator nodded in realization, "I see. Let's take a look at the replay. It's true. When Zoroark came out, the shadow on the ground was waiting for its chance to strike, just waiting for Aegislash to expose its weakness! Although the damage from the shadow's sneak attack is low, two Swords Dances double the effectiveness, plus the Sword Form's weak defense... one hit is enough!"

Although the question was answered, the commentator still shook his head regretfully.

"It's a pity that we still don't know what this Zoroark looks like... I hope Bai Mu's last Pokémon will do well."

In the pessimistic tone of the commentator, Bai Mu's goal has now been lowered from defeating his opponent to advancing to simply breaking through Zoroark's illusion.

But that is indeed the case.

Bai Mu's trump card Pokémon was Aegislash, which had just fallen victim to Zoroark's despicable sneak attack.

And the trump card, Night Demon, couldn't survive the sneak attack. How can we fight the last remaining spirit?

…………

We'll fight even if it means getting our heads hurt!

Breaking through Soroark's illusionary disguise was no longer just a matter of curiosity for the audience and commentators, but Bai Mu's sole obsession in this match.

If you can't even do this... let alone develop it into a serious mental block or inner demon, it's certain that you'll be so angry that you can't sleep for several nights.

So, Bai Mu recalled Aegislash and switched to his last Pokémon.

"Bai Mu's last Pokémon has entered the fray—a Mismagius! Is this a good choice? With its extremely low durability, it's questionable whether a Mismagius can withstand a single sneak attack from Zoroark..."

"Shadow Ambush! Zoroark didn't use a direct Spirit Sneak Attack, but instead used Shadow Ambush. Bai Mu didn't let Mismagius dodge, but instead used Magic Leaf... Was Mismagius chosen to shatter Zoroark's illusion with this sure-hit move?"

"Ah...but the flower is willing but the water is not. Zoroark created distance, and although the Magic Leaf that was tracking the target was still relentlessly following behind, Zoroark quickly used Phantom Strike to enter the alternate dimension. That Xia Chen...he's too wicked. It seems he really doesn't want to expose Zoroark's true face in this battle."

"Zoroark emerged from the void and delivered the final blow to Mismagius. Even as Mismagius fell, it couldn't uncover that Zoroark was disguised as Sylveon..."

"However, congratulations to Xia Chen for defeating Bai Mu 3-0 in the semifinals and advancing to the finals against Chi Hong. Thank you to both players for the wonderful match, and thank you to Ms. Ma Xiu for coming..."

The commentator suddenly paused, then belatedly asked, "Wait a minute, Miss Mashu didn't seem very surprised by the appearance of the ghost Zoroark just now? You didn't... already know, did you?"

The commentator's tone was subtle; it wasn't a question, but more like a joke.

Ma Xiu raised an eyebrow in surprise quite naturally, "Is that so? Maybe subconsciously you think he's Xia Chen. There's nothing surprising about that, is there?"

Now that Zoroark has evolved, the appearance of the Ghost-type Zoroark can be explained by different forms of branching evolution.

However, Ma Xiu still kept the promise she made to Xia Chen and preserved the secret that Zoroark was a Ghost-type during its Zoroark era.

After all, if its birth truly stemmed from persecution and resentment leading to its reincarnation, and this fact were discovered by someone with malicious intent...

Many cruel things will inevitably happen in the darkness.

The more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to deceive. Miss Ma Xiu's natural acting skills fooled the commentator. The two chatted about Xia Chen and the ghost Zoroark for a while before ending the live broadcast of the competition.

Although the match was over, the media storm brought about by the Ghost Zoroark was only just beginning to rage...

…………

In the era of the Internet, the speed at which information spreads is astonishing.

The news of a mysterious Pokémon appearing in the semi-finals of the Donghuang Youth Trainer Competition, along with video footage of the match, swept across almost every region within just a few hours after the competition.

With the help of social media and marketing accounts, all trainers, Pokémon researchers, and even ordinary people interested in Pokémon battles have seen either complete or edited match videos during this period.

At first, many people thought it was fake news from a marketing account with a clickbait title. After all, at first glance, the video only showed Milotic, Sylveon, and three Ghost-type Pokémon. Where did this mysterious new Pokémon come from?

However, when they saw "Senbu" get hit by Shadow Fist and remain unharmed, and when they saw "Senbu" use Spirit Sneak Attack to escape into the void and take down a child with a single claw, everyone fell silent.

Subsequently, a heated discussion swept across all social media platforms.

"Is it real or fake? It's not photoshopped, is it? The methods for faking videos aren't that sophisticated these days."

"I watched the live broadcast right there. My eyes were photoshopped too, right?"

"Holy crap, it's Xia Chen again? My Feebas and Eevee haven't even evolved yet, and he's already come up with a new Pokémon. Why so fast? Are we going to buy another new Pokémon?! Wait? Zoroark? Excuse me..."

"Most elf researchers can't achieve this in their entire lives, but Xia Chen has already accomplished three of them in two years... Is he cheating?"

"That's strange. Why didn't I see the evolution paper for Zorroark in 'Pokémon Evolution' this time? Has Xia Chen not finished writing it yet?"

"There was a delay. Sylvanas appeared in the Grand Contest first, and then the paper came out. It should be available in the next issue."

"No, according to the staff of 'Elf Evolution', they have not received Xia Chen's submission yet."

"Ghost? I haven't seen this type combination in any of the known Pokémon discovered so far, right? This type is super effective against myself? That's interesting..."

"To be honest, it's quite a good match for Zoroark. It has few weaknesses and many immunities. But what does Ghost Zoroark even look like?!"

"I don't know. Zoroark went from the moment he entered the game to the end of the match, defeating three opponents without sustaining any damage. His appearance remains a mystery."

"We Still Don't Know What Soroark Looked Like That Day"

"I suspect Xia Chen did it on purpose. It was a sure win, yet he still insisted on having Zoroark use the Phantom Assault to dodge the Magic Leaf. Was that necessary?"

"Don't rush, there's still the finals. With preparation, Crimson can't possibly let Zoroark wipe out the team with just two Sword Dances, right?"

"Damn, I suddenly suspect that Xia Chen is a plant by the event organizers, deliberately leaving this suspense until the finals. This time, P-site, which bought the exclusive event rights, is making a fortune."

…………

The internet was abuzz with noise, and in real life, Xia Chen was also frequently harassed by those around him.

Although Xia Chen had anticipated this situation before Soroyak came on, the constant and enthusiastic inquiries still left him somewhat overwhelmed.

After lunch, in the athletes' lounge.

"Okay, Professor Oak... Well, I didn't have time to tell you... No problem, I'll definitely go to Pallet Town after the New Year... I'll start preparing for the afternoon's match now!"

After hanging up Professor Oak's call, Xia Chen took the cup that Gardevoir handed him and took a sip of water.

Just talking on the phone with important people like Mingyi, Karune, the principal, Brock, and Professor Oak had already left him feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

After thinking for a while, Xia Chen sent a text message to a few close friends explaining the situation, then turned off his phone and hid in the rest room of the Blazing Fire Arena.

Then, the world became peaceful.

The large lounge was empty except for Xia Chen and the elves.

He planned to give a simple final pep talk before the finals.

"Milotic, Zoroark, you did a great job just now."

Xia Chen first praised the two Pokémon that competed in the morning's match.

At any time, a trainer's praise is an indispensable source of spiritual nourishment for Pokémon.

Xia Chen felt that raising elves was similar to being in a relationship; emotional value was just as important as nurturing resources in daily life.

How can you let the spirit know you love it if you don't tell it?

Milos and Soroark were pleased with Xia Chen's praise.

Zoroark, in particular, achieved a 1v3 victory in his first official match.

Although she has evolved into a cool girl and no longer makes coquettish expressions or gestures like before her evolution, her eyes are the windows to her soul, and Zoroark's eyes were full of warmth and anticipation for the afternoon's match.

Xia Chen poured cold water on the situation at the right time, "But you have to know that the reason you were able to easily defeat three opponents this morning was because others didn't know much about you. Without those two Sword Dances and your advantage over Ghost-types, we wouldn't have won so easily."

"Suo..."

Zoroark was never a proud elf; she nodded solemnly in response.

Xia Chen smiled with satisfaction, and then he concluded, "Alright, in any case, we only have one last match left. Everyone, don't let your guard down. You all know Hu Yang's strength. If Chi Hong could defeat him and enter the finals, his strength will only be stronger, especially with that Pikachu."

The elves had all watched Crimson's matches and nodded in agreement, deeply resonating with his sentiments.

Xianbu nodded the most, knowing full well where Pikachu and Red would end up in the future, and she was even more cautious than Xia Chen.

Xia Chen continued, "As for tactics, it will be the same as we discussed before. As for who will participate... I will bring all of you along, and we will decide based on the situation."

The elves understood the importance of this match, and none of them, going through a rebellious phase, insisted on playing; they all nodded in agreement.

Looking at the elves, whose expressions ranged from solemn to excited, Xia Chen smiled slightly and stretched out his hand, placing the back of his hand flat in front of him.

The elves understood and stretched out their hands one by one.

Sylveon's pink and fluffy paw pads, Gardevoir's sapphire blue slender hands, Zoroark's cold, concealed hands, and even Milotic raised its large tail adorned with beautiful scales.

Five hands of different colors, shapes and sizes are stacked together, and then a whole Doronmesia is placed on top.

Xia Chen and the elves looked into each other's eyes and smiled.

"3, 2, 1, Go for it!"

…………

On the afternoon of December 23, at the Blazing Arena.

The Donghuang Youth Trainer Competition has only two matches left before the final champion is decided.

The unexpected incident that occurred during the second semi-final match in the morning caused the afternoon matches to become even more popular.

The original audience was mostly from the Donghuang region, but now the number of viewers has nearly tripled!

Undoubtedly, these new spectators were not there for the championship match, but for the still-unseen ghost, Zoroark.

However, before the final between Xia Chen and Chi Hong, there is a third-place match between Hu Yang and Bai Mu.

Although everyone came to see Zoroark, as the old saying goes in the East, since we're already here... let's take a look around while we're at it.

As a result, the third-place match also gained popularity, and its attention increased significantly.

After a fierce battle lasting more than 20 minutes, the match ended with Hu Yang defeating Bai Mu 3-2 to win the bronze medal.

The matches will still be spaced more than half an hour apart, and the final will officially begin at 3 p.m.

The live stream's popularity did not decrease after the match ended; on the contrary, as the morning's videos gained traction, the number of viewers increased.

When a guest appeared in the studio that no one could believe, the live stream chat exploded with excitement.

"Holy crap, Cynthia!"

Amidst a barrage of comments, a stunning blonde woman, dressed in an elegant light blue dress, sat on the sofa in the studio.

Cynthia not only came, but she was there in person, not just a virtual hologram!

She simply sat there with a smile on her face, and all eyes were drawn to her. The beautiful female commentator next to her looked like a little maid.

This has little to do with looks. The confidence brought by the champion's aura, combined with the unique mysterious charm of a mythologist, makes this woman more attractive than the most expensive perfume in the world.

Regardless of gender, age or status.

She's used to big events, being able to commentate on matches of this caliber, but when Cynthia actually sat next to her, she still showed visible nervousness and excitement.