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Once Incineroar and the other two had settled on their paths, it was time for Corviknight and the rest to decide theirs.
Coincidentally, Jiang Shangrong's Larvesta had evolved into Volcarona in December, shifting its strengths from physical attacks to special attacks.
As before, they started with a battle so Jiang Shangrong could observe Corviknight and the others in action.
Unsurprisingly, the result was another crushing defeat—even worse than before.
The Shiny Metang had only just joined the team, and Li Xiang hadn't even finalized its training plan yet.
Corviknight performed slightly better. As a massive defensive tank with durability surpassing even Incineroar's, combined with its excellent body control, it managed to hold its own against Vikavolt for a while.
And, as usual, Vikavolt displayed speed that defied its base stats.
As for agility?
High-speed hovering, spiral dives, sharp aerial ascents—it was even flashier than Corviknight.
Its evasion was insane.
Not only that, but while darting around at high speed, Vikavolt could also use large-area moves like Discharge, creating a five-meter-wide cage of electricity that moved across the battlefield.
Corviknight couldn't dodge it—it could only endure the hits. This level of mobile 'spellcasting' was practically unmatched.
Jiang Shangrong's evaluation of Corviknight:
Defensive bulk and physical agility? Top-tier.
Battle instincts? Lacking.
It didn't retreat when it should, didn't press the attack when it needed to. Its on-the-spot decision-making was poor.
If it didn't have a natural talent for this, the only solution was more battles—lots of them.
Additionally, the idea of using Mirror Armor to reflect beam attacks was good, but it required sharp eyes and quick reflexes.
Corviknight's body wasn't a flat mirror—its surface was uneven, meaning it couldn't reflect attacks perfectly. At best, it could bounce back the core of the attack.
To achieve that, relentless practice was necessary.
And it had to learn to gauge the power of beam attacks. If Corviknight couldn't withstand the hit, the whole strategy was pointless.
Next up: Rotom.
Jiang Shangrong's assessment? "Not mobile enough."
Being a special-attack cannon didn't mean it had to stand still. Like Vikavolt, it needed to learn to use the moves while moving.
It might not reach Vikavolt's speed, but with Levitate, it could easily expand its attack range to create an unavoidable zone of destruction.
And, like Corviknight, it simply hadn't fought enough battles.
Battle experience was earned through combat.
In elite training academies, there was even a running joke about judging a trainer's skill by their battle count—something like:
"Hah! A rookie like you couldn't have fought many battles! How many wins do you even have?"
"Not many. Just 3,000."
"What?! Impossible! A fourth-year senior can't lose to a junior! You're lying!"
…Which would then spiral into some face-slapping, protagonist-style drama.
The point was: Battle experience mattered.
Li Xiang had been grinding battles nonstop for candy, but he'd only been training Pokémon for two and a half years. Compared to professionals with six, seven, or even eight years of experience? He was still far behind.
If he wanted to overcome the odds, he couldn't ignore the advantages others had from the start.
Finally, the Shiny Metang.
Though it was currently weak—barely able to hold its own—the training methods provided by two Elite Four members painted a clear path for it.
In fact, it was the most stable member of the team.
After skimming the training manuals, even Jiang Shangrong looked enlightened, as if her understanding had been refreshed.
She told Li Xiang, "This Pokémon's path is already laid out. As long as you follow it, you won't go wrong."
At least until Ultra Ball tier, Rank 3, it was a straight road to success.
Beyond that? Li Xiang would have to forge his own way for Shiny Metagross.
Jiang Shangrong, currently at Great Ball, Rank 4 (aiming for Rank 3), couldn't offer guidance that far ahead yet.
Seeing this, Li Xiang quietly made copies of all the materials and gave them to Jiang Shangrong the next day.
Even if the typing didn't match, some principles were universal.
Maybe they'd help her in the Junior World Tournament.
Nan Gongmeng had mentioned in her letter that the books and videos were now entirely his. As long as he didn't mass-distribute them, he could do whatever he wanted with them.
When Jiang Shangrong received them, she didn't say much—just ruffled Li Xiang's hair with a proud smile.
Though the "mother looking at her son" expression made him a little uncomfortable.
But the rest was fine.
.....
Awkward Adolescence
Honestly, after turning fourteen post-New Year, Li Xiang's body had mostly finished developing—along with all the reactions that came with it.
With the changes came hormones.
Combined with his good inherited genes from his father (which gave him absurdly strong vitality), certain… embarrassing physiological responses became unavoidable during close-contact martial arts training with Jiang Shangrong.
Even with his thick skin, being caught by his third senior sister made him want to dig a three-bedroom apartment into the ground with his toes.
Sometimes, mid-training, he'd suddenly squat down to hide his predicament.
What made it worse?
Jiang Shangrong would blush and step back to give him space, but Qi Sunsun, watching from the sidelines, loved teasing him—pushing boundaries, testing limits, and even sneaking up when he was squatting to pull little pranks.
It infuriated him, but it also made him wonder: Why was his reaction so extreme?!
Was it because of martial arts training?
No—exercise was supposed to burn off excess energy, redirecting the brain's focus.
Was it his physiology? Had this world changed his body?
Back at the training camp before winter break, everything had been fine. At most, he'd had some morning reactions.
But now?
His senior sisters' charm was terrifying!
At his wit's end, Li Xiang secretly went to Duan Tianxing for help. And… as expected, Duan Tianxing beat him up.
"Calm your heart! Steady your spirit!" The old man smacked Li Xiang's back with a wooden ruler. "Did you waste the last two and a half years? You don't even know how to focus?!"
"This is the result of your laziness!"
Duan Tianxing's voice was sharp. "Martial arts require intent. Your punches and kicks are mechanical—who are you performing for?"
"Master, I really don't get it! I'm trying!"
Li Xiang gritted his teeth, his back stinging. In this area, he was as clueless as a rock.
"You call that trying? You know whether you're slacking or not! How many times do you practice Beng Quan daily?"
Duan Tianxing's hawk-like eyes bore into him.
"Uh… five."
Li Xiang hesitated. Lately, he'd been focusing on the Three-Blind Perception Method, swordsmanship, and Pokémon training. His Beng Quan practice had dropped off.
"From today, its fifty reps a day."
No further scolding. Just a decree.
FIFTY REPS?!
That would cripple him!
Beng Quan took about 10 minutes per full cycle. Fifty reps meant 500 minutes—not accounting for fatigue slowing him down later.
But Duan Tianxing's word was law. Unless Li Xiang wanted to half-ass it (and cheat himself), he had to do it.
At the very least, to avoid those awkward moments again.
He could only trust Duan Tianxing—the old man had never been wrong before.
The process would just be agony.
'Screw it. I'll push through!'
Clenching his teeth, Li Xiang added Beng Quan to his daily regimen.
Half-hearted effort? No—slacking would only hurt himself. Duan Tianxing wouldn't suffer for it.
As the weakest and slowest in the dojo, he had to work harder than anyone else.
But after the tough talk came the reality check.
Li Xiang relived the pain of early training—the feeling of being barely human.
Every day after practice, Incineroar had to carry him home.
The silver lining?
When his body was pushed to the limit, the restless thoughts and frustrations vanished. The woes of adolescence faded like the wind.
That was when he finally understood Duan Tianxing's meaning:
"Kid, you're just too full of energy—that's why you're distracted!"
'Sigh. Couldn't he have just said that outright?'
Li Xiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
On the bright side, Incineroar and Riolu had been practicing too. The former had always been fascinated by Beng Quan.
The latter, though restricted from overusing the Breathing technique, could still train Beng Quan for physical conditioning.
More importantly, when the three of them moved in perfect unison, their hearts seemed to sync.
Li Xiang felt an inexplicable serenity.
Over time, he even incorporated the Three-Blind Perception Method into his Beng Quan practice.
At first, it was tough. But once he adjusted, it became second nature. His foundation was solid.
And so, his turbulent winter break slipped away like flowing water.
Though Incineroar and the others hadn't fully resolved their issues, they'd found their direction.
And as if to prove Jiang Shangrong right, at the end of winter break, on a pitch-black night, after completing his fiftieth Beng Quan rep, utterly exhausted and slumped on Incineroar's back, Li Xiang noticed something.
A faint blue glow enveloped Riolu's body.
Its eyes were closed.
'Evolving?'
No—this wasn't evolution light.
This was…
Aura.
Under Li Xiang's wide-eyed gaze, the blue light intensified, swirling like living water before condensing in front of Riolu.
A sphere formed, its interior resembling a galaxy of stars, rotating slowly.
The air trembled. A breeze kicked up, circling Riolu like a vortex.
The first Aura Sphere..... Complete.
Riolu opened its eyes. Deep maroon pupils, calm as still water, met Li Xiang's.
Three-Blind Perception Method—Mastered.