Cynthia felt like she had fallen into Li Yuan's trap again, but she couldn't pinpoint how.
Eventually, she decided to skip this topic. With a traitor in the team, she couldn't win. Better to change the subject.
"Hmph! After all that nonsense, are you trying to shirk your responsibility?" Cynthia suddenly adopted the attitude of a 'wife scolding her husband', looking down at him.
"Huh? What responsibility am I shirking?" Li Yuan was confused. Sister, your topic changes are too fast. How am I supposed to keep up?
"You tell me. I gave you all the benefits you asked for—and even the ones I couldn't give. You said you would solve the problem with Dawn's Pokémon's strength, didn't you?" Cynthia glared at him, reminding him.
She had only promised to date him after he solved the problem. But now, they had dated early, and he had even taken her "first blood" early. He better not pull up his pants and deny the debt.
"Oh, that? That's easy," Li Yuan remembered Cynthia's commission.
Because Dawn cared too much about her Pokémon's appearance, she refused to let Piplup evolve. This wasted the starter's potential; her current training level was pathetic.
Raising a Piplup as a mascot was fine, but her second Pokémon, Pachirisu, also had no combat power.
At least Pachirisu had speed and could play support. But without a damage dealer, who was it supporting?
So, Dawn needed a strong third Pokémon, and the first two needed a deep overhaul.
"Really? You really have a way?" Platinum (Dawn) got excited. No one knew better than her how hard it was to battle with weak Pokémon.
So far, she had 5 badges. The first three were practically given to her by Gym Leaders who went easy on the newbie.
Challenging the 4th and 5th badges, having left the newbie protection period, she realized the cruelty of battle. She was crushed several times and only won by targeting type advantages.
If she couldn't fix Piplup and Pachirisu's weakness, she would either have to quit being a trainer or force Piplup to evolve.
She didn't want the former. Growing up around the Champion, she was deeply attracted to Cynthia's strength and beauty. She wanted to be like her.
If she had to choose evolution, the combat problem would be solved, but it would leave a lifelong regret in her heart.
My precious starter grew up ugly!
"Relax. There's nothing I can't do. I guarantee your Piplup will be stronger than an Empoleon," Li Yuan patted his chest.
"Stop bragging. Just make Piplup not too inferior to an Empoleon," Cynthia didn't believe his ghost talk.
If an unevolved Pokémon could be stronger than its final form, why would anyone evolve? Evolution would become a joke.
He was probably just bragging to flirt with her sister. She had to expose him.
"Then let's make a bet. If I really do it, Sister Cynthia will~..." Li Yuan looked at Cynthia wickedly.
"No bet. I already paid the price. Making Piplup stronger is what you're supposed to do. What right do you have to bet?" Cynthia glared at him, refusing to take the bait.
Besides, is a bet necessary?
It's not like if I don't bet, you won't come to my room tonight. Is doing extra steps fun for you?
"Fine, fine. But I'll say the ugly part first: my method can unlock all of Piplup's potential, but it means she can never evolve again. Can you accept that?" Li Yuan warned seriously.
"Why not? If the potential is unlocked, evolution doesn't matter, right?" Platinum asked, confused.
Evolution was for getting stronger. If she could get stronger without it, why obsess over evolving?
"The reason is deep. But since we're all family here, I'll say it. Evolution isn't as simple as you think. Some powers can only be unleashed after a Pokémon reaches its final evolution," Li Yuan said.
"Like what?" Cynthia was curious. She had never heard this theory.
To her, evolution was growth. It skipped childhood and went straight to adulthood, reducing the difficulty of training.
As for powers only available after evolution... she knew evolved forms learned moves easier, but it wasn't impossible for base forms to learn them.
"If I told you your Garchomp could evolve one more time, would you believe me?" Li Yuan looked at Cynthia seriously. He planned to reveal Mega Evolution.
Mega Evolution was crucial. He planned to hoard Key Stones before anyone else knew about them to create a monopoly.
Revealing it meant creating competitors.
But... the women here were trustworthy. And he planned to conquer them all eventually, so telling them didn't hurt.
Plus, he wanted to show off Mega Evolution to Cynthia to make her realize what an incredible man she had found.
"Impossible... right? Garchomp's life energy is near perfect. Unless she ascends to become a Legendary, there shouldn't be any changes," Cynthia frowned. Her first reaction was disbelief.
Countless researchers studied Pokémon biology. Except for Pokémon with strict evolution conditions, most potential had been mapped. Where was the loophole for Li Yuan?
"In that case, why don't we try it directly? Does Sister Cynthia dare to bet with me now?" Li Yuan smirked, finding another chance to tease his proud Champion wife~.
"No bet..." Cynthia sensed danger in his eyes. He was definitely plotting something bad.
Although she didn't believe Garchomp could evolve again, she couldn't read this boy. Since meeting him, hadn't he shattered her cognition multiple times?
What if he succeeded?
"Think about it. Doesn't Sister Cynthia want to see Garchomp's new form?" Li Yuan grinned, not worried about rejection.
As a trainer, who could resist the curiosity of a new evolution? especially for her absolute Ace.
"Then... tell me what you want to bet?" Cynthia hesitated. Her mind was firmly grasped by Li Yuan.
No one could refuse the temptation of the unknown, especially when it concerned themselves.
"Nothing much. Just want to stack another buff~," Li Yuan didn't say it explicitly, but he trusted Cynthia understood.
"You!" Cynthia's face flushed with shy anger. This scoundrel had bad intentions.
"Stacking a buff" meant exercising his rights.
He solved Dawn's problem; she dated him. During the date, she allowed intimacy.
Through his repeated stacking, he could now hug her at will.
If he stacked another layer... wouldn't she have to let him kiss her whenever they met?
Even after having sex with him, she wasn't willing to go that far.
Publicly, she didn't allow men who couldn't defeat her to date her...
But she had already spoken. Yet she let the boy touch and kiss her whenever he wanted. Where was her dignity?
"Sister Cynthia should consider carefully~. If you win, you lose nothing. If you lose, you get to see Garchomp's new form. Isn't that a win-win?" Li Yuan tempted her.
"I... I bet!" Cynthia couldn't resist the temptation. She was a scholar; she studied Sinnoh myths. How could a scholar lack curiosity?
She admitted she was played by Li Yuan.
And since he was so confident, maybe it was true. She was probably going to give away her kiss for free.
Knowing the consequences, she still wanted to see Garchomp evolve...
Looks like this pervert gets another bargain.