Bab 44: There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [44]
Opening the package, a rich aroma of berries filled the air. Inside were ten full containers of Pokéblocks, with 24 blocks per container—enough to ensure Treecko's evolution. Zhao Dachun had even taken the time to ask about Treecko's preferences and added a rare Tamato Berry to the mix. Though the Tamato Berry looks like a spinning top, it's packed with spicy flavor, which perfectly suits Treecko's taste.
As Lu Cheng knew, Pokéblocks were made by blending berries in a Berry Blender, requiring skillful handling from the maker. Rare berries were also essential to achieving the desired quality. Only high-grade berries and a skilled nutritionist could produce top-tier Pokéblocks. It was said that some professional nutritionists could even make rainbow-colored Pokéblocks, raising the process to the level of an art form.
Zhao Dachun's batch of Pokéblocks was of high quality, thanks to the inclusion of the Tamato Berry. The blocks had a brighter, more translucent appearance compared to regular Pokéblocks, and the jelly-like berry sediment inside was visible—truly a work of art. The Tamato Berry blocks were a vivid red and had a spicy taste, which wasn't suitable for Lu Cheng's Vulpix. He planned to commission a different blend for Vulpix in the future—after all, now that he had money, he couldn't skimp on his Pokémon's care.
Of course, if he could learn how to make Pokéblocks himself, that would be even better.
Besides the Pokéblocks, the package also contained a box of ointment to treat Treecko's hidden injuries.
"Come here," Lu Cheng called out.
Treecko eyed the Tamato Berry Pokéblock eagerly and carefully accepted it from Lu Cheng's hand. As soon as it took a bite, it closed its eyes in bliss, tears of joy welling up in the corners. This spiciness—just right!
Meanwhile, Vulpix yawned lazily, uninterested in the fiery red Pokéblock that radiated an overwhelming spicy aroma. That was definitely not to its liking.
Vulpix wagged its tail and snuggled back into Lu Cheng's backpack for an afternoon nap. Meanwhile, Lu Cheng had Treecko lie on the carpet as he carefully applied the ointment to its chest, following Zhao Dachun's instructions. Once a day, paired with the Tamato Berry Pokéblocks, Treecko was expected to evolve into Grovyle in about a week.
"I wonder what it'll look like after it evolves," Lu Cheng murmured to himself. He had gotten used to Treecko's appearance, but obviously, the sleek green lizard wasn't exactly what you'd call cute—it was more like the kind of pet a reptile enthusiast would love. Cool and aloof, that was the vibe Treecko gave him.
For Lu Cheng, a Pokémon's appearance mattered, and he leaned more toward sleek and fierce designs. In the original version, some of the cute Pokémon, like Mawile, had strange modifications, while more imposing Pokémon like Nidoking and Onix appeared even more formidable. To Lu Cheng, Rhyperior had a much higher "cool factor" than Dragonite.
"Grovyle should look pretty cool too, right?" Lu Cheng thought with a smile, recalling Ash's Grovyle from the anime—an embodiment of style and swagger.
---
The tournament had been going on for half a month, and today was the final round of the preliminary elimination stage. As the tournament progressed, its popularity continued to rise. At some of the matches featuring more popular contestants, there were even tickets being sold for entry. There was no need to guess who these matches featured.
Thinking about how Wang Yingjie was earning 50,000 yuan per appearance, Lu Cheng couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. This guy's got some real business smarts!
His attention returned to the arena, where the pudgy figure of A-Le was standing, drenched in sweat and nervously wiping his forehead. The large crowd that had gathered made him feel extra tense.
"A-Le, you've got this!" Lu Cheng stood up and cheered loudly for his friend.
A-Le looked up, spotting his parents and Lu Cheng nearby, and forced a tight, strained smile.
"Oh no, LeLe looks really nervous," A-Le's mom said anxiously, clutching her husband's hand so tightly that her nails were digging into his skin. A-Le's dad, however, didn't seem to notice, gently reassuring his wife while muttering to himself, "It's fine. If he loses, we'll just make him a nice dinner tonight."
"Who is this chubby kid anyway? How dare he compete against my boy?" A woman sitting on the other side of the stands, her hair dyed in garish colors, sneered. Her voice was so sharp that it made the nearby audience members frown.
"Son, go get him! Show that chubby kid who's boss!" the woman shouted.
A-Le's opponent was a short kid, looking calm and collected. Every now and then, he waved to the audience and arrogantly flicked his hair, as if he were the center of attention.
"Don't worry, Mom. That guy looks weak," the boy said confidently.
"Hahaha! Go, son!" The woman's shrill laughter drew annoyed glances from the crowd. The referee, looking stern, said, "Please keep quiet in the audience!"
"Now, both contestants, summon your Pokémon!"
"Go, Wingull!"
"Go, Fearow!"
With a sharp cry, a fearsome Fearow leapt into the arena. Its body was covered in brown feathers, and its red crest stood out menacingly. Its long tongue lolled out of its beak, even dripping saliva, as its green eyes fixated on the smaller Wingull in front of it.
Fearow's neck was exceptionally long, resembling that of a vulture. Paired with its aggressive posture, it looked incredibly vicious. Fearow, the evolved form of Spearow, was naturally a fierce predator, and after evolving, its temperament became even more violent. In terms of diet, Fearow had a habit of hunting Rattata. As a carnivore, it posed a risk to its trainer, with its long beak capable of pecking its handler. Even the relatively docile Fearow insisted on eating freshly killed Rattata, showing disdain for carrion or frozen meat.
Fearow's mouth began to drool at the sight of Wingull, as if it were staring at a delicious meal. As a seagull, Wingull naturally appeared at a disadvantage when facing a predatory bird of prey. A-Le's face turned pale, and he muttered to himself, "Has my luck...run out?"
"Hey," the boy with the shiny, slicked-back hair said with a grin, "don't look so miserable. I'm about to attack!"
"Fearow, use Peck!"
With a piercing cry, Fearow's speed skyrocketed as it shot towards Wingull like an arrow. Fearow's wings allowed it to fly for an entire day without tiring, and its massive beak was its most dangerous weapon. A high-speed Peck from a dive could pierce right through a Rattata!
The boy's sudden offensive left A-Le flustered. Faced with the menacing Fearow, he froze and failed to give any command to Wingull.
With a single blow from Fearow's beak, Wingull was struck and sent crashing down, sliding half a meter across the ground while crying out in pain!
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Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone