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Strike first, gain the upper hand—hesitate, and you'll suffer!
With the practiced precision of his trained release motion, Li Xiang flicked his wrist. A sharp snap echoed as a dark-blue blur shot out from the PokéBall, streaking forward like a bolt of lightning!
So fast it was nearly impossible to track!
The boy standing nearby flinched in surprise, hurriedly releasing his own Pokémon—a massive, multicolored parrot with a curved, horn-like beak.
"Beak Blast!"
The boy shouted. The parrot's beak glowed like a heated filament, radiating a blazing orange light that instantly overpowered the dim pre-dawn gloom.
The forest was suddenly illuminated as if under broad daylight!
Beak Blast, a Flying-type physical move—the signature attack of Toucannon, the seventh-generation regional bird.
It charged for one turn before unleashing its power in the second. If hit by a contact move during the charge-up, the attacker would be burned!
The boy was clearly banking on Riolu going for a close-range strike.
And indeed, Riolu had already crossed the twenty-meter gap in the blink of an eye, dashing straight toward Toucannon!
But, contrary to the boy's expectations, Riolu didn't attack head-on. At the last second, it leaped sideways, kicking off a nearby tree trunk!
Boom!
Like a beam of light refracting, Riolu ricocheted between two trees, using their sturdy trunks as springboards to launch itself high into the air!
"Wha—?!"
The boy and Toucannon barely had time to look up before Riolu, now suspended above them, twisted mid-air and descended like a thunderbolt—fists crackling with electricity!
"Thunder Punch!"
CRACK!
A blinding flash of yellow-white lightning split the darkness, the sheer force of the impact sending the boy stumbling backward. Dirt and dead leaves erupted into the air before raining back down.
"So… fast…"
The boy rubbed his eyes, still stinging from the intense light, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Riolu's reaction speed was unreal.
Even though he'd released his Pokémon later, even though he'd activated his move second—Riolu had not only avoided Toucannon's heated beak but also devised a strategy in an instant, using the trees to strike from above.
And in that single blow, Toucannon was instantly knocked out.
'Just what kind of monster is this guy?'
The boy stared at his fainted Toucannon, then at Riolu standing triumphantly beside it. His gaze shifted to Li Xiang, whose face was still shadowed in the dim light, now walking toward him with calm, measured steps.
"One token, please."
The "monster" Li Xiang extended his hand. Riolu, looking oddly adorable in contrast to its earlier ferocity, hopped to his side.
Wordlessly, the boy handed over the wooden token from his pocket.
"See you around."
With the token secured, Li Xiang turned and walked away without a second glance, vanishing into the hazy darkness with a casual wave.
Leaving the boy sitting alone in the dirt, stunned.
"Wild battles really are different from arena matches."
Li Xiang recalled Riolu into its ball, twirling the wooden token between his fingers.
Battles between trainers weren't the same as capture battles. With so many strangers around, keeping his Pokémon hidden was the smart move—otherwise, people might recognize them from afar and flee.
Speaking of which…
'They didn't even let us bring paper or pens. How are we supposed to map this place?'
He glanced around. It was probably just past six in the morning. In Yu Zhou's climate, true daylight wouldn't break for at least another half hour.
Pitch black.
'Is this supposed to be night combat training?'
He blinked. He didn't have night blindness, but human eyes had limits—he couldn't see much beyond a few meters.
'They really aren't worried about students getting hurt in this darkness—'
"Huh?"
Li Xiang's steps faltered as he squinted at a spot ahead. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him… there was a figure in white crouching under a tree, wasn't there?
He rubbed his eyes.
Nope. His vision wasn't failing him. There, under the distant tree, was indeed a person—head bowed, back turned, unmoving.
'Pre-dawn darkness. A lone tree. A white-clad figure facing away..... Is this a horror movie?'
As he pondered, a faint, eerie sound drifted through the air—a muffled, whimpering noise that sent chills down his spine.
In the silent, empty forest, it was downright unsettling. The kind of sound that made your scalp prickle.
Li Xiang frowned, silently releasing Riolu again while picking up a small stone from the ground.
His aim had improved since the days when even a "fat translator" would've mocked him. At this distance, hitting the target was child's play.
The stone arced gracefully through the air—
Thud.
"Ow!"
The eerie noise cut off, replaced by a yelp of pain. Li Xiang exhaled quietly in relief as the stone bounced off the figure and landed on the ground.
Ghosts might exist in this world (the anime had confirmed as much), but he wasn't keen on encountering one this early.
'As long as it's human, it's fine.'
"Scan it with Aura. See if there's anything unusual."
He kept his voice low, eyes locked on the figure, which had begun trembling. Ghosts could disguise themselves, after all.
For all he knew, this could be a trap.
"Rii."
Riolu nodded, activating its Aura Sense. A moment later, its expression twisted into something complicated.
"Riolu."
'Definitely human. Has PokéBalls, but…'
Riolu mimed crying, complete with fake sniffles.
Li Xiang raised an eyebrow, then called out loudly, "Hey! You over there! What are you doing?"
The white figure jolted, scrambling to its feet and whirling around—revealing a tear-streaked face. The moment the boy spotted Li Xiang, his expression crumpled in relief, and he sprinted over like a drowning man spotting a lifeline.
"Help me! It's so dark! I—I'm scared! Please!"
His voice was a desperate wail.
'Ew.'
Li Xiang's face twisted in disgust.
'A kid afraid of the dark?'
Couldn't he just release a Pokémon to keep him company? Instead of squatting under a tree like some jump-scare horror prop?
Ridiculous.
"Stop right there. I challenge you."
Li Xiang held up a hand, halting the boy's advance. Another Magnemite—likely a surveillance drone—floated into view above them.
But the boy, clearly paralyzed by fear, ignored him and kept running forward like a zombie.
Li Xiang had no choice but to let him get close—then swiftly grabbed him, flipping him onto the ground in a restraining hold.
The kid was skin and bones, practically a walking skeleton.
"I told you to stop. Why'd you keep running?"
Li Xiang kept a knee pressed to the boy's back. "Where's your Pokémon? Release it!"
The boy winced, his panic subsiding slightly. "I—I forgot!"
'Your Pokémon must have it rough.'
Li Xiang unhooked the boy's PokéBall, showing it to the camera. "Just taking his PokéBall, see?"
With a press of the button, a yellow Ampharos materialized on the ground. The moment it saw its trainer pinned, it rushed forward, ready to shove Li Xiang away.
But Li Xiang was faster—he released the boy and stepped back, crossing his arms with an unimpressed stare.
'A trainer scared of the dark… One Dark Pulse and he'd be done for. How'd he even make it into the top 100?'
As if reading his mind, Ampharos's red orb tail flared to life, casting a warm glow that instantly soothed the boy's frantic breathing.
'Oh. An anxiety disorder?'
While Li Xiang pondered, the boy—now calmer—stood up and brushed himself off.
"Thank you. I… have a fear of darkness. When it's too dark, my mind goes blank. I can't think."
He extended a grimy hand. "I'm Bai Zhou, from Yongcheng's Youth Training Camp."
'Bai Zhou ("White Day")? Seriously?'
Li Xiang resisted the urge to facepalm, ignoring the outstretched hand.
"Wash your face first. You've got snot everywhere. And the competition's already started—if you keep wasting time, I'm leaving."
If not for the camera, he would've knocked out that Ampharos and bolted ages ago.
Bai Zhou nodded rapidly, his mind clearly functioning again now that he had light. He pulled out another Poké Ball, releasing a Starmie that sprayed a gentle stream of water for him to wash his face.
'Starmie? Another light-emitting Pokémon?Just how terrified of the dark are you?'
Li Xiang backed up, putting distance between them. "Which Pokémon are you using? Hurry up. I'm not waiting."
Bai Zhou hastily pointed at Starmie. "Go, Starmie!"
"Sta!"
The starfish-like Pokémon flexed its limbs, sliding into position.
Li Xiang snapped his fingers. "Agility."
Whoosh!
Riolu, having waited patiently, burst forward—rebounding off tree trunks with acrobatic precision, zigzagging through the forest like a living shadow!
"Flash!"
Blinding light erupted from Starmie's core, flooding the area with a 360-degree flare!
Li Xiang shut his eyes, unsurprised. 'Of course it knows Flash. Too bad it's useless.'
Up in the trees, Riolu also closed its eyes—yet continued moving flawlessly, as if it didn't need vision at all. It landed beside Bai Zhou, then—
Flicker.
In the blink of an eye, it reappeared behind Starmie.
Crackle!
Electricity surged.
Riolu's feet left the ground as it pivoted, exhaled sharply, and—
THUNDER PUNCH!
The air itself seemed to scream as lightning coiled around Riolu's fist like a living gauntlet, detonating with an ear-splitting BOOM!
The sky lit up as if struck by real lightning.
Trees shuddered. Wind howled.
Both Li Xiang and Bai Zhou felt their hearts lurch at the sheer force of it.
Starmie—completely unprepared—was sent flying, crashing into a tree trunk with a sickening thud!
"Hm?"
Li Xiang's eyes narrowed. Starmie was still conscious, its body dented but already attempting to use Recover.
No matter. Riolu had noticed too—and followed up with a Force Palm shockwave.
While not as powerful, it was enough to finish the job.
Wham!
Starmie skidded across the ground, its core gem flickering weakly—the telltale sign of exhaustion.
Game over.
Li Xiang recalled Riolu and walked over to the stunned Bai Zhou, hand outstretched. "Token."
"O-oh…" The boy numbly handed it over, then suddenly perked up. "You're amazing! Stronger than anyone I've ever seen!"
"Thanks."
Li Xiang pocketed the token and turned to leave. "Dawn's in ten minutes. Bye."
Bai Zhou recalled Starmie with a murmured apology, then chased after Li Xiang's retreating figure. "Wait! You didn't tell me your name! Let me treat you to dinner!"
But there was no way he could keep up.
"Don't bother. Call me… Hong Lian Jin (Red Scarf)."
With that, Li Xiang melted into the shadows, leaving Bai Zhou alone with his glowing Ampharos.
The boy stared after him, then suddenly gasped.
"Hong Lian Jin…? That's a rare surname! I gotta tell Lü Ling and Lü Yi!"
He hesitated, then broke into a run.
"Wait for me, Hong! Dinner's on me!"
His voice echoed through the trees, unanswered.