Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

"Hey, hey, hey! I've been traveling back and forth for the safety of the region, how can you say that—"

She slammed her toes down, landing heavily on the foot of the man beside her. Before she could utter a word of explanation, a hoarse cry of pain drew everyone's attention back to the scene.

Raising one arm high and making a fist, Dakdo shouted the command.

"Laplace, Ice Beam! Registeel, Iron Head!"

Raising its neck, it exhales a chilling icy light. As the cold wind sweeps by, the moisture in the air condenses and turns into ice shards.

At the same moment, the steel-boned giant stomped on the ground, bent down and charged, and as it drew near, the metallic luster covered its forehead, growing ever stronger.

Undoubtedly, this was a powerful attack targeting the superiority of their attributes. Neither Gliscor nor Sylveon could withstand such an overwhelming offensive. Fortunately, the two red beams gathered their forms at just the right moment and took turns defending.

A sudden burst of white thunder and the blooming of a hundred flowers on the ground—such omens herald the arrival of a new being.

Upon closer inspection, the Pokémon on the field have changed dramatically: Magearna is facing Registeel, and Zapdos is battling Lapras.

The freezing beam could not penetrate the doll's defenses, and the iron head, despite its full force, could not touch the sacred bird soaring through the sky.

Without paying a heavy price, the girl preserved her strength, and she did not intend to let the battle drag on.

With both sides achieving complete control, regardless of whether Darko chooses to play a zone defense, he cannot resist this overwhelming momentum.

Sensing the emotions of countless Pokémon, the radiance of her soul grew ever clearer, and the accumulation of the four numbers had pushed Magearna's power to its peak.

It's time to end this battle.

"The mist burst open."

This is a self-destructive move with immense power, aimed at the entire enemy force.

With her pale lips parted, she uttered four simple words. Her clear voice, like a gentle stream, conveyed the girl's resolute determination.

—She's going to kill the game.

With this awareness in mind, leaving no room for oneself and no room for the other side to breathe, at this moment, any resistance or switching of defenses becomes meaningless.

The dazzling light turned the world in my eyes into pure white, and my senses were momentarily dulled, with only the defensive posture of the sacred bird with its overlapping wings visible.

The screen then began to display a series of characters, accompanied by a soft glow that soothed the view. As the score fell to five to two, the white-haired man raised his arm and casually and elegantly announced his forfeit.

"I surrender."

The final whistle blew, the game was over, and no one would question Dakdo's choice. He had done an excellent job, but—

Nanyin is even better, that's all.

Chapter 146 Would you like to become a Heavenly King?

There was no resentment; when that beautiful figure defeated him with superb command and firmly seized the initiative, Dakdo could only offer his heartfelt congratulations.

"Congratulations, Nan Yin."

There was no need for her to be unruly; the course of the battle had already proven the girl's abilities and extinguished any possibility of victory.

It is never a good thing to force trusted companions to do something just for your own selfish reasons.

With a relieved smile, Dakdo bent down, lowered his head, and bowed to the audience.

This is my farewell to the highest stage.

Amidst waves of cheers and the cheers of waving glow sticks, Nan Yin, having uttered a brief farewell, stepped into the exit corridor, her toes barely touching the ground.

But, unexpectedly, a blonde beauty stood alone on the wall of the corridor with her arms crossed, as if she had been waiting there for a long time.

"Nanyin, you've worked hard in this match."

She spread out a clean towel, and the beautiful figure smiled without saying a word, silently watching the girl's expression.

Clearly, this was a tentative observation, but Nan Yin did not delay at all and spoke her mind directly.

"Zhu Lan, tell me, was Mr. Dakdo your doing?"

"I was unaware of it."

She took the towel, wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, and treated Zhu Lan's feigned ignorance as a joke.

The overlap in geography and the scarcity of information meant that the brief glance between the two before the battle began was by no means accidental.

"That had better be true. I remember Mr. Darko made his debut at the Lily of the Valley Conference and even won the championship. Why would such an outstanding trainer travel thousands of miles to participate in a completely unrelated event?"

"You still figured it out."

Sensing the sharpness of the girl's gaze, the blonde beauty raised her eyelashes, showing no intention of speaking frankly, but instead scrutinizing the former with great interest.

“Dakto is indeed connected to me. I appointed him to participate in this Miare Conference. So, would you like to guess why, Nan Yin?”

"Zhulan!"

He let out a soft shout, no longer able to suppress his anger; anyone who saw it would know that this was a deliberate act by his friend.

"Hurry up and confess to receive leniency!"

Unwilling to comply with her wishes, Nan Yin grasped Zhu Lan's hands and pressed them against the wall, then leaned forward, pressing her knees against the other's groin.

There's nothing excessive about it, nor is there any ambiguous atmosphere. It's simply a forceful physical gesture, or to use a more vivid term, "wall slam."

It's not surprising that the girl was being deliberately difficult. At work, Zhu Lan was indeed a dedicated champion, but in life, she was more like a lazy, carefree, and slightly quirky older sister.

Treating each other with courtesy should be the proper way for friends to get along, and jokes in conversation can also be a different way of communicating. This does not disturb the intimacy between each other, nor does it cross the line.

Zhu Lan is good at using words to tease, so Nan Yin should put it into practice with her actions. It's reasonable to repay her with equal value, and there shouldn't be any consequences, right?

At least, that's what she thought.

"Pfft~ Okay, okay, Sister Zhulan, I surrender."

Despite being in a subordinate position, the blonde beauty showed no sign of panic as the young girl took the initiative and questioned her. Only the blush on her ears, reddened by her breath, hinted at the turmoil in her heart.

"Actually, this matter should have been told to you by Karuni, but the little cat was too polite, so I, an outsider, had to help out."

Straightening her back and chest, Zhu Lan broke free from the not-so-forceful pressure and instead leaned closer to her face, gently parting her lips.

“Nan Yin, you should know that after Pachira’s arrest, one of Carlos’s four kings has been vacant. During this time, the league has been looking for a suitable candidate, but there are not many talented people who have both strength and character.”

"Instead of wasting a lot of time and manpower, it would be better to use this Miare tournament to determine the winner, examine their character, and use them as candidates for the world champion. After all, previous tournament champions have all had the opportunity to challenge the summit, and this change is just a different form."

A few people passed by, but they all deliberately ignored the physical relationship between the two beauties.

"That's why the level of the previous tournament was hard to reach, but Dakto can be used as a unit of measurement to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the contestants. That's why his name is on this roster."

The former explained the cause and effect in great detail, and then steered the conversation to the girl.

"I guess you're wondering what this has to do with you? The answer is simple: the Alliance has a very high opinion of you, or rather—"

"I like you very much."

The resounding voice entered her ears, and even Nan Yin was momentarily lost in thought.

"what do you mean?"

As if they were telepathically connected, Zhu Lan nodded in affirmation and pursed her thin lips at the right moment, revealing their tacit understanding.

"Nan Yin, have you ever thought about becoming Carlos's king?"

"No, I should say, are you willing to become Carlos's king?"

Preventing numerous incidents, defeating the leader of Team Flare, and then crushing Darklord—these numerous achievements have become the girl's calling card, showcasing her excellence to the public.

With a youthful mind and body, exquisite appearance, and the recommendation of her teachers, aside from the standards of ability and morality, Nan Yin is above average in every aspect, not to mention the unwavering guarantee from Master Fu and Blatano.

It could be said that if she had agreed today, the glory of the Heavenly King would have been bestowed upon her after the conference. However, the slender figure did not seem to have any intention of agreeing.

"..."

Silent and weighing his options, this question was indeed abrupt. Becoming a Heavenly King could certainly bring both reputation and resources, filling the gap in training, but that position was not easy, and the burden was quite heavy.

Local affairs, social stability, people's expectations...

Nan Yin still cherishes a longing for travel; she still wants to see all the world's wonders and feel the surging emotions in her heart with the children. But once she chooses to take on responsibility, she is destined to give up a part of her life.

and so--

"Forgive me for refusing."

Raising her head to look directly at the blonde beauty, the girl said in a deep voice that she refused.

This is not just for her own benefit; she now has several children, and she not only has to take care of each other's feelings but also reflect on her original intentions.

Moreover, the tournament is not yet over, and the promise made in the past has not been kept. Perhaps, an even more outstanding trainer will emerge and stand before Nan Yin.

As I had expected, the high-hanging screen then broadcast a score of six to five, and the applause that followed also indicated how exciting the match was.

In the first half of the semi-finals, the one who defeated Ash and Pikachu was none other than that blonde girl, the friend who raised her arm high above her head and then gripped it tightly.

She is, Korne.

Chapter 147 Reaching the Top: Champion and Love

The battle was as intense as that passionate voice. When the surging fighting spirit was on par with the determination to keep the appointment, the disadvantage in attributes lost its weight in the girl's heart.

Without excessive thoughts or complicated ideas, she now only wants to win and live up to her friend's reputation as a formidable rival.

"Lucario!"

Biting her lower lip, Korne slowly clenched her five fingers, making a fist along with her conviction, and placed it in front of her chest.

A score difference of 5 to 5 symbolizes that no one has room to maneuver, and that the outcome of the battle is decided in a single moment.

Admittedly, the singular nature of fighting puts him at a natural disadvantage, but that boy from Pallet Town is no less formidable.

Pikachu, Talonflame, Goodra, Noivern, Wrestling Hawkman, and Greninja.

The former's lineup was not transparent, and Korne had never paid attention to the former's challenge record of the gym. She should have known nothing about it, but her friend explained everything to her in detail, and told her all the strategies and general ideas for dealing with it.

The whispers they shared at the table that evening, the lessons learned from each other during the simulated battles, all guided the young girl and dispelled her confusion.

She may be slightly inferior in terms of lineup, but the information gap and her composure in knowing the situation well are enough to make up for this shortcoming.

Recalling the whispers Nan Yin used to lean in and whisper in my ear, and the warmth of my friend's breath on my neck, a blush involuntarily spreads across my face.

She doesn't deny that she can't keep up with that beautiful figure, but she still wants to show what she has accomplished during this time, to Nanyin, and to herself.

So, Ash, I won't stop here, absolutely not!

The first hero is Çalhana, who uses Trick Room to overturn the speed difference. Then, the usually slow but competitive Mawile swings Ice Hammer to break through the shields of Noivern and Goodra with its superior counter.

The change in tactics and the effective countermeasures immediately disrupted the boy's plans, plunging him into a quagmire of exhaustion.

Although Talonflame transformed into Flame to prevent Cancer from taking control of the field, the advantageous situation was no longer there. If it weren't for Greninja's valiant performance, the score would have almost widened.

Raising his eyebrows, he looked at the screen hanging high above. Now, both sides were back on the same starting line.

Lucario is Ash's only remaining Pokémon, while Greninja is his only remaining support.

Looking up again, I saw my friend's figure appear in the distant stands. Without any conspicuous gestures, the beautiful figure simply rested her head on her arm, lowered her gaze, and silently watched me.

It was a subtle encouragement.

"We've come this far, there's no going back now."

With a firm step forward, Korni raised her arm high, revealing the evolution bracelet on her wrist.

"Using Çalhana's Trick Room to change the sluggishness of the competitive Crab, and then defeating Noivern and Goodra... These tactics are the teachings that Nanin Dundun gave me late at night, but in the end, I will reach the finals of the Luna Reservoir in my own way!"

With her hands clasped together and gently stroking the translucent keystone, the blonde girl uttered a powerful, confident shout.

"Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

Not at a disadvantage either, the black-haired boy also raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a warm smile.

"Me too, Greninja, it's all yours now!"

What was once a magnificent sunset has now turned into a torrential downpour, with dark clouds obscuring the sky.

As their beliefs were shared, their conflicting lights intertwined and surged into lightning, and a dazzling rainbow then obscured the twilight.

When the light faded, both sides were completely transformed, their former glory surpassing all that remained.

With his hands hanging down, letting the evening breeze blow and his hair ribbons flutter, Lucario showed no weakness whatsoever. With just a tremor of his body, he dispersed all the incoming air currents.

The former was like this, while on the other side of the field, the swift gnatina was also croaking loudly, and huge columns of water shot straight into the sky.