บท 35: There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [35]
"Baozi!"
As if responding to its trainer's call, Wingull opened its eyes and let out a weak cry. This time, it had not only lasted more than three rounds but had also dealt damage to Treecko!
"I know, Baozi," A-Le nodded quickly, his voice choking up a little, "You did great!"
Lu Cheng approached A-Le but noticed that he was holding Wingull tightly, his eyes a bit misty. Even this seemingly carefree boy was carrying pressures that Lu Cheng hadn't seen. Gently, Lu Cheng stepped away from the clearing, leaving A-Le some space to be alone.
Ding—Mission 'Youth is Sweat and Passion' completed!
Mission Objective: Conduct special training with A-Le and his Pokémon for three days. (Training sessions must last at least 3 hours each day.)
Mission Completion: Perfect (Training exceeded six hours per day)
Rewards: 5000 yuan, 5 potential points, Competitive Vest!
It was already dark, and from the direction of the training ground, A-Le's faint sobbing could be heard.
---
On the way home, Lu Cheng examined the newly acquired Competitive Vest. The vest was filled with lead, and it was quite heavy. Similar items for training Pokémon's speed and endurance were available on the market, but they were expensive. A few years ago, Raiden Tech had released a few versions of competitive gear for different-sized Pokémon, but the sales weren't great.
Under such heavy gear, a Pokémon's original speed could be halved, and if the item didn't fit the Pokémon's body size properly, it could cause discomfort. However, the item Lu Cheng had received didn't have these issues.
Ding—The Competitive Vest is produced by the system and will automatically adjust its weight and size according to the equipped Pokémon's body shape.
Equipping this item will reduce the Pokémon's speed by 50%, but speed and endurance training efficiency will increase by 50%!
In other words, by equipping the Competitive Vest, Lu Cheng could better train Treecko's speed and endurance. At first glance, the vest looked like just a simple green jacket, but when Lu Cheng placed it on Treecko, it automatically began to adjust, ultimately fitting Treecko's body perfectly. In the end, it looked like Treecko was wearing a waistcoat.
You think I won't recognize you just because you're wearing a vest now?
Wearing the vest, Treecko seemed a bit uncomfortable and let out a grumbling cry toward Lu Cheng.
"This is to prepare you for your big moments!" Lu Cheng explained. "From now on, you'll train with this Competitive Vest, and when the time is right, I'll let you take it off. When that happens, you'll know what it feels like to be lightning-fast!"
With its competitive nature, even when faced with this heavy challenge, Treecko just furrowed its brows.
"Cha!" Treecko strained to take its first step. Compared to its usual light and agile movements, the vest was an enormous burden.
"Alright, try using Quick Attack now," Lu Cheng said, curious to see how much the vest would limit Treecko and if it could still serve its training purpose.
Treecko nodded, its body glowing with a faint white light. But this time, its speed was noticeably slower. Despite Treecko's best efforts to move faster, the Competitive Vest severely hampered its agility, making its Quick Attack much less impressive than usual.
"That's enough for now, Treecko," Lu Cheng said, waving his hand. "Go ahead and take off the vest."
Treecko was surprised for a moment, then nodded and removed the Competitive Vest.
With a loud "thud," the Competitive Vest hit the ground, its weight clearly substantial, but Treecko's eyes lit up instantly. This was truly a different feeling! Treecko, now light and agile, pushed off with its toes and shot up the two-meter-high tree next to Lu Cheng, letting out an excited cry from the branches!
Lu Cheng had been contemplating how best to utilize Treecko's Unburden ability. In the game, Unburden activates when the item a Pokémon is holding is removed, doubling its speed. However, this ability doesn't trigger if the Pokémon isn't holding an item in the first place. For Treecko, the Unburden ability could only be fully utilized once it learned moves like Acrobatics or Nature Power. But the Competitive Vest was currently the perfect item for Treecko. In a match, if Treecko were to remove the vest, the sudden increase in both speed and pressure would undoubtedly catch opponents off guard!
With this in mind, Lu Cheng made a decision and called up to Treecko, "From now until the official match, you'll be wearing this Competitive Vest. Can you handle that?"
Treecko, never one to back down from a challenge, jumped down from the tree, put the heavy vest back on, and nodded firmly.
"Cha!"
---
Back home, the family gathered around the dinner table. The TV was on, broadcasting news about tomorrow's U20 qualifying competition.
"It's reported that this U20 event is the biggest Pokémon tournament in Jiang City this year..."
"Xiao Cheng, didn't you sign up for this too?" Lu Cheng's dad asked, his mouth half full of food. "How are you feeling? Think you can win the championship?"
Lu Cheng's mom shot a glare at his dad and said, "Don't listen to your father. Xiao Cheng, don't stress yourself out. Just do your best in the competition! The ranking doesn't matter."
Lu Cheng's dad thought to himself, Last time you told me that if Xiao Cheng made it into the top 16, then he could intern at the Ali Corporation. Wouldn't that be great?
Hmph, women!
"I'll do my best to aim for the top 16," Lu Cheng chuckled, brushing it off. "As for winning the championship, who can say?"
"The championship is definitely mine!" Lu Cheng was startled by the voice and looked toward the TV. The screen showed an interview with a young boy scratching his head. His shy demeanor contrasted sharply with the confidence of his words.
"Are you sure? There are over six hundred contestants in this competition," the host's eyes lit up as she held the microphone, asking the boy. This kid looks a bit clueless, but his bold words are perfect for stirring up some attention. She had already come up with the headline: Shocking! Bold proclamation before the tournament—Is this U20 champion really him?
"Yeah, back in my hometown, nobody can beat me," said the boy, whose face was deeply tanned and had a purplish hue from years of exposure to the elements. Although he didn't look tall, his shoulders were unusually broad.
"Right, Wartortle?" Standing behind him was a turtle with large, fan-like ears. Its body was covered in blue scales, and its rough skin contrasted with its short but stocky limbs. The Wartortle's fan-like ears resembled white ocean waves, and its smooth, bald head was devoid of any hair.
"Oh, it's the evolved form of Squirtle," Lu Cheng's father remarked as he watched the TV, impressed. "It's quite something to evolve a Squirtle into a Wartortle. Turtles live long lives, but it takes time for them to evolve."
"Warto!" Wartortle grumbled in a deep voice, clearly impatient with the interview. The host, startled by the sound, silently cursed the boy while forcing a smile. "Could you tell us which school you attend, and why you're so confident?"
The boy scratched his head again, looking a little embarrassed. "I haven't been in school since I graduated from middle school. I've been fishing with my dad since then."
"But when it comes to Pokémon battles, Wartortle and I have never lost."
The boy's smile was simple and honest, but his eyes gleamed with a deep, unshakable confidence. This is a street-style trainer! He hadn't received any formal training, but he had gained rich battle experience and skills. Years spent on the sea and at docks had given him a cunning and sharpness that belied his innocent appearance. He knew that only by attracting attention and creating a buzz could he get what he wanted. Of course, he never lacked the strength to back it up.
The boy looked straight into the camera and flashed a radiant smile. "My name is Wang Yingjie. The championship is mine. If anyone disagrees, see you on the battlefield!"
---
If there are any mistakes let me know!
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