Why is my Pokémon acting a little weird?

"This battle is over! The winner is...Qiao Ran's side!"

After seeing the outcome of the battle, the head teacher announced the final result, completely confirming Qiao Ran's victory. Furthermore, he also announced another piece of news.

"Also, since Chang Mengda violated the rules by sending out a Pokémon that didn't belong to him, according to the rules, he is completely disqualified from participating in this competition. Therefore, I declare that the final winner of this game is Qiao Ran!"

"Wait...wait, teacher?"

Chang Mengda widened his eyes in disbelief, but after the result was announced, no matter how much he wailed, it was of no use.

Even if we sent out the elders' Pokémon, we still lost miserably. Is there anything more embarrassing than this?

I guess he will become a laughing stock from now on.

"Well done, Diancie."

Qiao Ran squatted down and touched Diancie's head happily. Diancie also responded to Qiao Ran with a dignified smile.

"Didi."

Diancie seemed to like Qiao Ran touching her, but unfortunately, Qiao Ran couldn't understand every word she said.

However, after this battle, Qiao Ran could sense a special bond slowly forming between him and Diancie. He glanced at the Evolution Keystone he wore around his neck, believing that one day their relationship would reach new heights, unprecedented in its potential.

By that time, Diancie will be able to show a new attitude.

Qiao Ran's game was over, and the following games became boring. Taking advantage of this time, Qiao Ran prepared to take his Vulpix to the school infirmary. Although this world does not have a complete medical system like the Pokémon world, when Pokémon are injured, they can still get good treatment.

"and many more."

However, just as Qiao Ran stepped out of the gymnasium, a figure called him from behind.

"...?"

Qiao Ran turned around with a puzzled look on his face, only to see a black-haired girl in school uniform. However, her pretty face was filled with a feeling of "keep away from strangers".

Qiao Ran didn't know her.

"What's matter?"

Qiao Ran couldn't understand the other party's plan.

Is it a honey trap?

"Take this and you can come when the time comes."

The girl didn't say much, she just took out a card and put it in Qiao Ran's hand, then left directly. Her swift and decisive action made Qiao Ran slightly stunned.

"By the way, was that Pokémon caught in the back mountain?" However, she still asked this question before the other party left.

"Um...yeah, what's the problem?"

Qiao Ran, who was studying the card, replied casually. He could swear that he had just replied casually. As for what the other party thought, it had nothing to do with him.

"No problem, I'm leaving."

The girl nodded honestly and quickened her pace once more, leaving Qiao Ran standing there, looking at the card in his hand.

"Ryujiang City Gym Challenge Card (No Reservation Required)"

"Gym Challenge Card... Is it real?"

Qiao Ran scratched his head: "Could it really be a honey trap?"

Chapter 7 007 [Qiao Ran's Oath]

Honey trap - a practice of setting traps and defrauding people of their money by taking advantage of the predatory mentality, is also a routine that Qiao Ran hates deeply.

The Longjiang City Dojo is a household name throughout Longjiang City and a landmark. Not only is it majestic and imposing, but atop it are two enormous wings, resembling those of a giant dragon, imbued with an inexplicable majesty.

This is not only the largest trainer training base in Longjiang City, but also a well-known tourist attraction and stadium. Tourists often go to the Longjiang City Gym to watch fights and cheer.

However, it is precisely because of this that the Longjiang City gym challenge is always overcrowded. Reservations alone must start a week in advance, otherwise there will be no queue. However, if you can get this no-reservation challenge card, it seems that you can skip these tedious steps and directly join the challenge.

“…It looks like it’s real.”

Qiao Ran continued to look at the card several times and then put it in his pocket.

The Longjiang City Gym is not a weak gym. The gym owner who guards it is also a master of using dragon-type Pokémon. Even in the entire Chinese Alliance, he is a person who has been certified with the title of Quasi-King.

Although there are two major levels above the quasi-king, namely the king and the champion, the owner of the Longjiang City gym who can reach this level has become the pride of the local people of Longjiang and is a figure standing at the top of the trainers.

If Qiao Ran were to challenge now, he would most likely not be able to fight the gym owner's ace Pokémon. However, a qualified gym owner would judge the challenger's level and send out the appropriate Pokémon, so Qiao Ran believed that he would be able to get corresponding guidance.

This guidance might not be reflected in knowledge of Pokémon lore or attributes. After all, Qiao Ran's own knowledge of Pokémon likely surpassed most people in this world. What he lacked now was practical combat experience and strategies, and a practical combat master like the Gym Leader could surely show him a way forward.

"...Once you qualify as an adventurer, you can go to the gym. You have to get the badge anyway."

Qiao Ran thought secretly, and couldn't help but feel excited. A real gym competition...how exciting would it be?

Despite thinking so in his heart, Qiao Ran still quickened his pace. His Vulpix still needed treatment. If he didn't hurry up, he would not be able to make it to the next game.

--------------

After experiencing the high-intensity first battle, the next few battles were almost not difficult for Qiao Ran. These novice trainers who had not yet made their debut all had Pokémon that were like kittens and puppies.

Qiao Ran simply sent out the healed Vulpix and won the matches directly. Vulpix's strength wasn't that strong, but its chemistry with Qiao Ran was absolutely first-rate. After all, Vulpix had been by Qiao Ran's side since birth and had never left.

Of course, in order to train Diancie's level, Qiao Ran also let her play a few times, and got a lot of benefits from her... No, he gained a lot of experience.

Unlike other trainers who need to undergo rigorous training to level up, Qiao Ran discovered that if he wanted to raise the level of his Pokémon, there was only one way - to win the game.

As long as he wins the game, his Pokémon will gain the experience needed to level up. The stronger the opponent, the greater the increase in experience.

After this series of battles, his Vulpix has successfully reached level 16, and Diancie has also successfully reached level 15, which is much better than the initial level 5.

"Didi."

"Ooooooooooo."

After every victory in a battle, Qiao Ran had to praise these two little guys. If Qiao Ran didn't take the initiative to touch their heads, they would puff up their cheeks and get angry with Qiao Ran.

"Who did you learn this from?"

Qiao Ran shook his head helplessly. If a Pokémon is disobedient, the trainer will have a headache. However, when a Pokémon is too good at acting coquettish, he will also have a headache.

"Owner……"

However, when Qiao Ran was comforting Diancie, he even

He heard an extremely resentful voice coming from his pocket. It was the Rotom phone, a cry filled with ghostly resentment.

Why…why was I the only one left out…why…when they were being praised, I could only stare blankly…

Just staring!

"Sorry... Rotom, just hold on a little longer. It'll be over soon, seriously."

Qiao Ran had no choice but to try his best to comfort her. After all, it was he who made the decision to "keep Rotom in his pocket."

Since Qiao Ran didn't intend to let other classmates know that he had this special item, he always hid the Rotom phone in his pocket and disguised it as an ordinary phone.

After all, in this world, high-end Pokémon gadgets like the Rotom phone were considered luxuries even among the upper class. Qiao Ran felt he'd probably get into trouble if his classmates saw it, and he had to avoid that kind of thing before he could grow up.

The saying "Don't show off your wealth" is nothing more than these principles.

Once he has gained a certain level of strength, he won't have to be afraid of these things anymore.

Soon, the class competition came to an end. This elimination match that swept the entire class also decided the final four people who would win the chicken.

"The adventure competition is officially over!"

The head teacher stood on the stage and shouted loudly.

"Congratulations! This time, four students have won the adventure competition. They will receive adventurer qualifications from the alliance! They can now participate in the adventure of collecting badges on their own!"

"Their names are! Lan Wenyu! Song Hailiang! Hou Sai! And—Qiao Ran!"

"Let's welcome them with warm applause!"

As the final winner, Qiao Ran undoubtedly obtained the qualification of an adventurer. However, as part of the ceremony, he was still invited to the stage by his class teacher, perhaps intending for him to give a speech of thanks for the award.

"Well... Actually, there's nothing much to say. I just think that everyone here is..."

Qiao Ran held the microphone and looked around at his classmates standing in the audience who were looking at him with expectant eyes, then swallowed the two words that almost came out of his mouth.

Sometimes being too harsh is not a good thing.

Fortunately, Qiao Ran reacted relatively quickly.

"...Everyone here is... my friend. This is my starting point, my alma mater. Right now, I seem to have nothing, with only three Pokémon companions by my side. But I believe that when I return here again..."

As Qiao Ran spoke, he silently raised a fist, and a bright flame shone in his eyes.

That is the flame of the future, the burning sacred fire of fighting spirit.

"I—will be the champion!"

"The only champion in this world!!"

Chapter 8 008 [I am not, I don’t have it (please vote!)]

Qiao Ran had no experience in public speaking and had never spoken in public.

However, when he stood on the stage, he somehow knew what he should say.

It wasn't some nonsense of mutual compliments, nor was it some empty clichés, but what he - Qiao Ran really wanted to say.

Facing his classmates and the school he was about to leave and didn't know when he would be able to return again, Qiao Ran felt that speaking his mind was the best way to express his feelings to them, and making a vow was also a spur to himself.

The championship has always been his goal.

As a gamer, you've journeyed from Kanto, where the winds of primordial change blow, to the traditional and mysterious Johto; from the complex environment of Hoenn, to the majestic mythology of Sinnoh; from the diverse and integrated Unova, to the newly evolved Kalos; from the simple folk of Alola, to the fiercely competitive Galar...

No matter where he goes, what kind of partners he meets, or what kind of powerful opponents he encounters, Qiao Ran's goal has never changed, that is - to become a champion.

The only champion.

He was like this in the game, and now that he has come to the real world, Qiao Ran has no reason not to work harder for this goal. This time, his oath and speech were just to express his thoughts thoroughly.

"Oh my god..."

"This Qiao Ran... How dare you say such a thing..."

"Becoming a champion, is it that easy to be a champion?"

Qiao Ran's speech caused an uproar among the students in the audience. Some of them looked at Qiao Ran with admiration, but more people were suspicious and distrustful. Some even thought that Qiao Ran's speech was too presumptuous.

"Yeah! What gives you the right to say that?!"

Several students who had been defeated by Qiao Ran before mixed in with the crowd, starting to follow Qiao Ran's lead. The voices denouncing Qiao Ran also grew louder.

However, at this moment, someone stood up to help Qiao Ran out of trouble.

"Alright, classmate Qiao Ran made a good point, so let's stop arguing. Adventurers should strive to become champions. If you don't have the goal of becoming a champion, then you don't even have the possibility of becoming one. The owner of our Longjiang City gym also embarked on his journey with the idea and goal of becoming a champion."

He patted Qiao Ran on the shoulder and told him not to worry.

.

Looking at the head teacher's eyes, Qiao Ran suddenly came to his senses. Perhaps he was also a good teacher who cared about his students.

Although he may be biased sometimes, he can also stand up on major issues.

Qiao Ran couldn't help but think of another teacher in this school. In his memory, that female teacher was not only the teacher who took the best care of him in the class, but also the one who helped him hatch Ice Vulpix from the egg.

Unfortunately, just a year ago, the teacher resigned from the school and reportedly returned to his hometown in the north.

'I wonder if I'll run into her again after I start traveling?' Qiao Ran thought to himself.

Qiao Ran still missed her a lot.

------------------

After completing the procedures to become an adventurer at school and receiving the magnetic card recording his identity, the first thing Qiao Ran did was to go straight to his home. Not only did he have to go back to report the good news, he also had to pack his luggage. After all, how could he go out without some clothes?

"Mom! I've earned the qualifications to be an adventurer!"

"Really?"

Hearing the news brought back by Qiao Ran, Qiao's mother couldn't help but reveal a look of joy, but she quickly came to her senses.

"Son, you're not lying to me, are you?"

"Really? If you don't believe me, look at this."

Qiao Ran threw the magnetic card directly to his mother. When his mother saw the card, her hands trembled.

However, Qiao Ran didn't say much afterwards, but just hurried back to the room.