Congratulations, Host. Your first battle ended in victory. You have been awarded 1,000 points.
Wen Qi saw this message, and the stone that had been weighing on his heart finally lifted. Although the battle had been somewhat perilous, the outcome was ultimately good.
Over there, Li Xiang looked at the result. Though he was a bit surprised by the incredible ability of Wen Qi's Turtwig, seeing his fallen Charmander, he spoke to it with a hint of apology: "You worked hard. It was my mistake that caused your defeat. Come back for now."
With that, he took out a Poké Ball and recalled Charmander. After the battle, the two exited the combat hall.
Li Xiang studied Wen Qi curiously. He hadn't expected that the seemingly ordinary classmate at school would have such a powerful Pokémon. While part of it might have been due to his own carelessness, the Turtwig's terrifying recovery and defense, along with that special Grassy Terrain, made Li Xiang feel that Wen Qi was anything but ordinary.
Sensing Li Xiang's gaze, Wen Qi felt a bit puzzled, wondering why he was being stared at like that.
Just then, Li Xiang spoke: "I didn't expect your Turtwig to be this strong. Even though I lost this time, I won't lose in our next battle. You're so skilled—are you planning to go to Pokémon University for further study?"
Wen Qi shook his head and replied, "I'm not planning to go to school anymore. I'm going back to the countryside to run a farm."
Li Xiang was a bit surprised by this answer, but he understood it was Wen Qi's personal matter and didn't pry further. So he said to Wen Qi, "I'll probably be around here for a while. If you have time, come by. I want a rematch."
Wen Qi smiled and said, "I'm not sure how long I'll be here either, but if I have time, I'll definitely come back."
Li Xiang nodded in satisfaction at Wen Qi's response and then left. He needed to treat Charmander and couldn't delay too long.
Watching Li Xiang's retreating figure, Wen Qi turned his gaze to the Turtwig beside him. Though it looked a bit tired, thanks to the earlier Grassy Terrain, its body had recovered well. Wen Qi couldn't help but marvel at how powerful this mutated ability was. Indeed, any Pokémon connected to a Legendary was no simple existence.
He took out an energy cube and fed it to Turtwig. Seeing the delicious treat, Turtwig chirped happily. Even though it often ate these energy cubes, it was still drawn to the flavor. After eating, Turtwig seemed in good shape, so Wen Qi continued to apply for battles.
This time, after a short wait, a young girl walked in. She looked about the same age as Wen Qi, and her Pokémon was a Bulbasaur, also a Grass type. She seemed to be a novice trainer too.
Wen Qi checked the Bulbasaur's information through the system:
Pokémon: Bulbasaur Level: 9 Type: Grass + Poison Ability: Overgrow (Boosts Grass-type moves when HP is low) Potential: Deep Yellow Moves: Tackle (Beginner), Growl (Beginner), Vine Whip (Proficient), Growth (Beginner), Leech Seed (Beginner)
Seeing that the Bulbasaur's potential was Deep Yellow, Wen Qi couldn't help but think the girl was very lucky. Among most starter Pokémon, Light Yellow and Yellow potential were already decent, and finding a Deep Yellow Bulbasaur was quite fortunate.
Just then, the electronic referee's voice rang out, and the battle began. Both Pokémon stepped onto the center of the field.
Wen Qi decided to strike first. He commanded Turtwig to use Razor Leaf. Before the opposing Bulbasaur could react, the Razor Leaf hit it directly. The Bulbasaur was instantly knocked out, defeated in one move by Turtwig.
The girl opposite was clearly stunned by this outcome. She stood frozen for a moment before snapping out of it. The electronic referee declared the battle over, with Turtwig as the victor.
Wen Qi looked at his dazed opponent, feeling a bit surprised himself. He hadn't expected the other's Bulbasaur to be so fragile—the battle was over almost before it began. But thinking it over, it made sense. His Turtwig surpassed the opponent in potential, level, and move proficiency. So this result wasn't strange at all.
And so, Wen Qi continued challenging other opponents, his winning streak steadily growing. As time passed, he achieved an impressive nine consecutive victories.
He looked at his Turtwig, now showing signs of fatigue, and felt a twinge of emotion. Though he had Perfect-Grade Energy Cubes to help Turtwig recover faster, combined with its own strong regenerative abilities, it seemed fine on the surface. But upon closer inspection, Turtwig's mental state was a bit drained.
It was probably time to call it a day, Wen Qi thought to himself.
Just then, the system's voice suddenly rang out: "System Task: Achieve a ten-win streak to complete the task. Reward: 1,000 points. Failure: Deduct 1,000 points."
Hearing this task prompt, Wen Qi's heart tightened. He looked at Turtwig beside him, filled with guilt. He knew Turtwig was already exhausted, but to complete the task and earn the points, he had no choice but to keep going.
So Wen Qi said to the staff member, "Please arrange another battle for me."
While waiting for the next match to begin, he quickly took out some recovery potions and used them on Turtwig, hoping to help it regain some stamina. At the same time, he mentally noted that he needed to prepare a healing Pokémon in the future to ensure his combat effectiveness.
Soon, the next challenger entered the field. Wen Qi looked up and saw a guy a few years older than him. Noticing a work badge on him, Wen Qi guessed he was a defending player at this battle hall.
Sun Yao walked in and immediately spotted Wen Qi. He had checked Wen Qi's information through the backend, knowing he was a novice trainer visiting the battle hall for the first time. Though Wen Qi had achieved nine straight wins, Sun Yao didn't underestimate him. In Pokémon battles, newcomers could often unleash surprising strength.
Sun Yao himself was an ordinary college student, now in his senior year. He was interning at this battle hall, hoping to perform well and become a contracted defender. So he took every battle seriously, never slacking off just because his opponent was a beginner.
The electronic referee's voice rang out again: "The match begins! Both sides, release your Pokémon!"
With that, Wen Qi and Sun Yao each sent out their Pokémon. Wen Qi's side was still the familiar Turtwig, which had leveled up to 11 after the previous battles. Sun Yao, on the other hand, sent out a Houndour.
Seeing Houndour, Wen Qi's heart sank. Houndour's level was clearly higher than Turtwig's, and its type had an advantage over Grass. This battle was going to be tough. Wen Qi took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. He checked Houndour's information through the system, hoping to find some exploitable weakness.
Pokémon: Houndour Level: 15 Type: Dark + Fire Ability: Flash Fire (Absorbs Fire-type moves, boosting its own Fire-type moves) Potential: Yellow Moves: Leer (Beginner), Ember (Proficient), Howl (Beginner), Smog (Beginner), Roar (Beginner), Bite (Proficient), Dark Pulse (Beginner)
After analyzing it, Wen Qi found few weaknesses to exploit. Houndour's abilities were well-balanced with no obvious flaws. He would have to rely on Turtwig's tenacity and his own command skills to handle this.
Facing this situation, Wen Qi decided to strike first. He knew that with the opponent's higher level and type advantage, finishing the battle quickly was unrealistic. So he opted for a steady, defensive strategy, using his recovery and defense to drag the fight into a prolonged war.
With that in mind, Wen Qi gave Turtwig an order: "Use Ingrain, then Absorb, and finally Growth."
Turtwig's feet quickly sprouted countless roots, burrowing deep into the ground to draw energy from the earth. As energy flowed in, Turtwig's body turned a richer green, brimming with vitality.
Seeing this, Sun Yao's heart tightened. He realized the opponent was going for a stalling tactic, wearing down his stamina. While his Houndour was powerful, it lacked recovery moves. If the battle turned into a war of attrition, the consequences would be dire.
So he quickly commanded Houndour: "Houndour, use Leer to lower its defense, then attack with Ember!"
Wen Qi's heart raced. He knew Leer would reduce Turtwig's defense, and if Ember hit, it would deal significant damage. So he swiftly gave a new order: "Turtwig, use Withdraw to reduce the damage!"
But even as Turtwig quickly withdrew into its shell, Houndour's Ember still struck. Dust kicked up across the field, obscuring everyone's view. When it cleared, Turtwig was still tucked in its shell, bearing some damage but seemingly fine. Green light pulsed from its body, slowly healing the wounds.
Sun Yao was taken aback. He hadn't expected Turtwig to have such incredible defense and recovery. This made him worry whether his Houndour could win this fight.
At that moment, Wen Qi gave another command: "Use Grassy Terrain to prepare for the next attack!"
Hearing this, Turtwig acted quickly. The ground beneath it turned lush and green, spreading a vibrant Grassy Terrain across the field.
Sun Yao's heart tightened again. He knew this was a prelude to a powerful attack. Without hesitation, he ordered Houndour to go all out: "Houndour, use Dark Pulse! Full power attack!"
Houndour let out a low growl, gathering Dark-type energy into a powerful wave that shot straight at Turtwig. Turtwig, not to be outdone, poked its head out of its shell and formed a strong energy ball, ready to clash with the Dark Pulse.
The two powerful forces collided in midair, erupting into a blinding flash and a deafening explosion. The entire field was engulfed in the energy. Both Sun Yao and Wen Qi watched anxiously, their hearts pounding.
Finally, the clash resulted in a massive blast. Houndour and Turtwig were both thrown back, landing on the ground.
Sun Yao's heart sank. He hadn't expected the battle to be this intense, nor that his Houndour would be knocked down. Just as he thought it might end in a draw, he saw the opposing Turtwig struggling to its feet. Though battered and shaky, the Grassy Terrain beneath it was restoring its stamina. Sun Yao knew he had lost.
Wen Qi sighed in relief seeing Turtwig stand up. He knew victory was his. He walked over to Turtwig, gently stroking its head: "You worked hard, little one. We won again. You're the best!"
The electronic referee announced the result: "Battle over! Turtwig wins!"
Hearing this, Wen Qi and Turtwig cheered with joy. They knew this victory hadn't come easily, but they also believed that with continued effort, many more victories awaited them on the road ahead.