You're not allowed to play Pokémon!

Chapter 231 Martial Arts Bear Master, also known as Little Lucario (6k)

After one hour.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lucario's stamina has almost recovered!"

After taking the Poké Ball from the healing equipment on the Isle of Armor, Honey Leaf, the martial arts instructor at the Isle of Armor, looked at Qingyu with a sly glint in her eyes.

"Thank you."

Qingyu nodded and was about to reach out to take it back when Miye suddenly withdrew her hand.

"You're welcome! This is a special offer of 3 watts, and you can pay with Alliance Coins!"

"..."

Qingyu's lips twitched immediately.

I almost forgot, in the game, this Honey Leaf Master is quite the money-grubber; she swindled me out of who knows how many Watts on the Isle of Armor…

"Haha, I was just kidding, don't look at me like that, Xiao Qingyu~"

Seeing that Qingyu's expression quickly turned resentful, Miye covered her mouth and chuckled, while also reaching out to return Lucario's Poké Ball to him once again.

"It's been a long time since Little Dan left our Armor Island Martial Arts School has had such an interesting little guy. The head of the family seems very happy too."

"So, how about staying on Armor Isle to train for a while? The tuition is negotiable~"

"No need, I still have work to do as the head of the Padiya Pavilion, and I'm afraid I can't get away for the time being..."

After Qingyu rejected him without a word, Miye quickly showed a disappointed expression.

"Oh... what a pity!"

"It seems that Master's wife doesn't know that Qingyu is actually a very popular gym leader in Padia, with many fans all over the world."

Just then, Dan Di suddenly interjected, smiling as he spoke.

"Haha, Xiaoyu's future strength might not be inferior to mine. To be able to raise Riolu to this level, she seems to be another very talented young person!"

Sitting in the main seat, Master Ma, who had regained his usual amiable demeanor, laughed heartily.

"It's a pity there are no Kuma disciples in the dojo right now, otherwise I really want to see if Xiaoyuyu can once again make this species shock the world!"

"The Isle of Armor Martial Arts School doesn't have any disciples like Bear?"

Qingyu was stunned.

According to the storyline in the Isle of Armor DLC, the biggest selling point of the Isle of Armor gym is that, as the "Secret Armor" legend, only trainers who have been approved by Master Ma can obtain the Kush apprentice, right?
Even the entire DLC's main storyline revolves around the bear apprentice's training.

After passing Master Ma's final test, the bear apprentice will study the hanging scroll in the Twin Fist Tower and evolve into two different forms of martial arts bear master.

However, the game does not mention where the bear disciple in the martial arts school came from, and the Bear Master race is also very mysterious, and can only be found in the martial arts school on the Isle of Armor.

As for the situation where the bear apprentice was born from Master Ma's two bear masters...

It's simply impossible.

Because both martial arts bear masters at the martial arts gym are male, the egg group has been temporarily classified as an undiscovered group, meaning that no egg-laying behavior has been observed.

So, where did the bear disciple from the Isle of Armor dojo come from...?

More importantly, it seems that not only on the Isle of Armor, but also in the Padia region, there is a Bear Apprentice that spawns at a fixed location.

In other words, the Isle of Armor is not the only place to obtain Kuma's apprentice.

Seemingly sensing Qingyu's confusion, Master Ma quickly burst into laughter and revealed the truth about Xiong's apprentice.

"Little Feather should also know that most powerful Pokémon are unwilling to appear in front of humans easily, and the same is true for the Kushner race."

"If I hadn't been lucky enough to encounter two bear apprentices when I was young and learning martial arts in a mysterious region before joining the alliance, I might not have become one of these two somewhat famous martial arts bear masters!"

"It is by combining the combat techniques passed down from the Martial Arts Bear Master clan that we have the 'Invisible Fist' of the Armor Island Martial Arts School and the hanging scroll in the Twin Fist Tower."

At this point, a hint of nostalgia appeared in Master Ma's eyes, as if he were recalling the wonderful times he spent studying.

"The Martial Arts Bear Clan does not want to be exposed to human eyes, so I will not tell anyone their exact location."

"However, although our Armor Island Dojo does not have the ability to train Kuma disciples, if there are Kuma disciples who are willing to interact with humans, their parents will ask me to find suitable trainers."

"What a pity, Xiaoyuyu's timing wasn't ideal. Maybe next year a bear disciple will come to the martial arts school and train with me for a while~"

After Master Ma explained it to her, Qingyu immediately understood.

Now the timeline matches up!
It turns out I arrived too early; it wasn't time for my apprentice Xiong to be "brand new" yet!

"However, even without the bear disciple, our Armor Island Martial Arts School still has other good things that can be used as prizes for passing the final trial!"

Master Ma stood up with a smile and took the lead in walking towards the back of the martial arts school.

"Little Yuyu, come with me."

"I'll take you to the Twin Fist Tower!"

……

The Twin Fist Towers are two tall towers located behind the dojo on the Isle of Armor, situated on the left and right sides of the island.

It got its name because its shape resembles a pair of giant fists pointing to the sky, with the Tower of Evil and the Tower of Water on either side.

Originally, the Twin Fist Tower was a training ground to help the bear apprentice grow. Players needed to conquer both training towers before they could climb to the top and see the special scroll that could help the bear apprentice evolve.

However, since Qingyu had already passed Master Ma's test, the battles with the other apprentices were automatically skipped, and under his guidance, they went directly to the top of the Tower of Evil.

"We're here! This is it!"

After stopping in front of the wall of the top room, Master Ma turned around and smiled at Qingyu.

"Although, in theory, only Xiong's apprentice could learn the skills on the scroll."

"But judging from the Invisible Fist technique that Lucario used in the battle just now, Xiaoyuyu's Lucario must be quite something, right?"

"So let it try to learn one of the highest martial arts techniques of our Isle of Armor Martial Arts School—Dark Nether Strike!"

Upon hearing Master Ma's words, Qingyu's heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough, ginger is still spicy.

This little old man, who has been obsessed with martial arts all his life and has reached a height that no one can match on this path, has a truly ruthless eye.

Based solely on Lucario's final, all-out punch, the changes before and after its evolution were determined.

If it weren't for the system's prompts, Qingyu wouldn't have been quite clear about Lucario's ability changes...

That's the difference between decades of combat experience; you have to admit it!
As for the "Dark Nether Strike" that Master Ma mentioned, Qingyu certainly knew it; it was the ultimate move used by Martial Arts Master Xiong (One-Strike Style) in the previous battle.

By observing the opponent's weaknesses, one can strike at those weaknesses with full force, achieving the effect of instantly killing the opponent.

It's definitely a Lucario that suits me very well.

Without hesitation, Qingyu took out a Poké Ball.

After a flash of red light, Lucario, whose stamina had almost fully recovered, reappeared.

"Luca!"

Guided by Master Ma's gaze, Lucario quickly looked up and immediately noticed the "ordinary" scroll of evil.

There are no profound or mysterious phrases like "If you practice a divine skill, you must castrate yourself" on the painting. There are only seemingly ordinary pictures showing a few consecutive movements of the Dark Nether Strike technique.

Qingyu was not a martial artist, so he couldn't understand it at all; he was just there to join in the fun.

But Lucario is different.

"Luca!"

Upon seeing the picture above, Lucario was so excited that he was almost speechless.

This, this is...

Namo San, what a profound martial arts manual this is!
If I could learn this move, my combat power might improve further, making me a more reliable asset to the trainers!
"Dark Strike, also known as the One-Strike Style of the Isle of Armor, advocates winning with a single punch, concentrating all power and unleashing it the instant the opponent's weakness is observed."

Master Ma looked at Lucario and began to patiently explain.

"Like a turbulent undercurrent, its power is not outwardly revealed, but it can instantly engulf its opponent when it strikes!"

"It's similar in effect to the punch that Luca just threw."

"Luca!"

After listening to Master Ma's instructions, Lucario nodded.

Then, following the sequence of movements on the scroll of evil, Lucario quickly began to train, each step and each punch stirring up the surrounding air, making his movements powerful and impressive.

"Wow, not bad!"

Master Ma smiled and nodded.

For an elderly man with gray hair to finally have Pokémon inherit the moves he created is definitely a happy thing.

At the same time, two lines of small text quickly appeared in front of Qingyu, who was silently watching Lucario's every move.

Lucario's training goal has been changed.

Current training goal: Dark Nether Strike (0%)

???

No, you really can?
I've been shocked countless times by my own Lucario today, and Qingyu is gradually becoming less sensitive to it.

After a brief moment of surprise, they quickly accepted the fact that it had become even more illegal.

Since I've already mastered the Invisible Fist, learning Dark Strike and Water Flow Combo will just be a piece of cake.

Martial Arts Bear Master, also known as Little Lucario!

In just half an hour, Lucario kept repeating the same set of movements, and quickly went from being stiff at the beginning to becoming proficient.

Its cultivation progress also quickly broke through from 0 to 20%.

With the Invisible Fist as a foundation, learning these two moves is indeed much faster...

Qingyu secretly made a guess.

Riolu spent over a month training before finally breaking through the bottleneck of the Invisible Fist.

Judging from its current momentum, it seems like it will only take two or three days to learn Dark Strike?
"Alright, Luca, don't waste all your energy on this!"

Seeing Lucario so engrossed, Master Ma quickly interrupted it with a smile as it continued practicing.

"Since we're already here, let's take a look at the scrolls on the other tower as well!"

Next, under Master Ma's guidance, Qingyu and Lucario quickly arrived at the Water Tower.

As Qingyu expected, Lucario immediately began practicing another set of moves, "Water Stream Combo".

"Water Flow Combo is a combo style that is the complete opposite of the One-Hit Style."

"If the one-hit style is absolute violence, then the combo style is absolute resilience, relying on constantly throwing punches to keep the opponent busy parrying until they finally expose their weaknesses."

"If you can use it skillfully, the interval between each punch will be so small that it is difficult to see with the naked eye. You can truly make your punches flow like water, without stopping."

After giving his instructions, Master Ma even personally demonstrated a complete Water Flow Combo to fill the gap that Lucario had never seen this special technique in person.

His punches were so fast that even Qingyu was stunned.

As expected, the humans in the Pokémon world are no ordinary beings. It feels like Master Ma's fighting power is even more terrifying than that of Urshifu...

However, it's unclear whether it was because a lot of effort was wasted earlier, or because the (one-hit) Lucario and the Water Stream combo weren't a good match.

Lucario's training speed has slowed down considerably this time, with today's progress only reaching 10%. [Lucario (Scroll King)]

[Training Goals: Dark Nether Strike (Current Progress 20%); Water Flow Combo (Current Progress 10%)]

Current status: Exhausted, energy depleted

Noticing the change in its condition, Qingyu decisively ended its idea of ​​continuing training and returned the reluctant Lucario to its Poké Ball.

Learning martial arts is something that cannot be rushed.

Qingyu thought to herself, while also starting to complain:
Master Ma's martial arts bear only knows one of these two moves, but our Lucario learned both right away...

You're even better than Martial Arts Master Xiong!
If they practice for a while longer, won't they be able to take off from the spot?

Martial Arts Ursa Master? He's just a lucky guy who was born in an era without Lucario!
……

Qingyu's original plan was to leave immediately after completing the challenge.

However, Master Ma and Dan Di were so insistent that they couldn't refuse, so they ended up staying at the martial arts school for dinner.

The sea breeze was slightly cool on Kairi Island in the evening.

As a small island isolated in the sea, it must be said that the scenery of Armor Island is truly beautiful.

The golden rays of the setting sun spilled onto the sea, making the originally clear lake water reflect a dazzling, shimmering light.

A gigantic whale king, almost half the size of an island, surfaced, its blowhole creating a column of water that shot dozens of meters into the air, occasionally carrying away several Magikarp or jellyfish, showcasing its "flying fish" acrobatic skills...

"It's said that a Wailord that's at least a thousand years old lives near the Isle of Armor. This must be the one they're referring to, right?"

Qingyu, holding a rice bowl, squatted at the entrance of the martial arts school, admiring the beautiful sea view while muttering to herself.

Dan Di, who happened to be passing by, heard his words and looked in the direction of his gaze, immediately revealing a knowing expression.

"You mean that big guy? That guy was already this big when I came to the martial arts school to become an apprentice. The legend might actually be true, you know?"

"The power of nature is truly amazing!"

Upon seeing Qingyu's posture, Dan Di quickly imitated him, squatting at the door with his rice bowl in hand, while letting out a sigh.

Unfortunately, Dan Di was not a mysterious human from the East, so his squatting posture looked very awkward.

Qingyu nodded.

Human understanding of Pokémon is still quite limited.

But under normal circumstances, it would be quite exaggerated for a whale king to be 20 meters long.

As for why this whale king was able to break through the limitations and grow to a size that may be over a hundred meters long, perhaps only "extraordinary talent" can describe it.

It's also possible that the area around the Isle of Armor is indeed a very suitable habitat for Pokémon?
Qingyu suddenly became curious about a question—

Given such a large size difference, how can it breed with other Wailords or Pokémon from the same egg group?
That's ridiculous!

This involves Qingyu's blind spots in knowledge.

He's an expert when it comes to Pokémon battles and tactics, but when it comes to other theoretical aspects of Pokémon ecology, his level is probably only at the entry level of a researcher.

When it comes to laying eggs, Professor Elm from the Johto region is the real expert.

"Honey Leaf, we have a lot of guests today, so please bring out a few more good dishes!"

Master Ma's enthusiastic call came from inside the martial arts school. Qingyu and Dandi exchanged a glance and smiled helplessly at each other.

"Master... is indeed not very serious usually, but that's precisely why the students at the martial arts school all respect him."

After Dan Di spoke up to defend Master Ma, he awkwardly scratched his head.

"I see."

Qingyu smiled and nodded.

"Compared to a rigid and serious master, a playful old man like Master Ma is more likely to get along with the apprentices!"

"Yes."

Dan Di smiled and looked at Qing Yu.

"Speaking of which, I never expected that this unexpected return to my master would lead me to run into the very famous Teacher Yu on Armor Island. I'm really lucky."

"Accident?"

Qingyu raised an eyebrow but did not expose the Pill Emperor's "clumsy lie".

As expected, Dan's original destination wasn't here; he probably just got lost again and subconsciously returned to the Isle of Armor Dojo...

After all, the strongest champion in Galar is actually a super directionally challenged person who can't even read a map and can be led from Galar to Unova by following navigation, which is not exactly something to be proud of.

Therefore, Qingyu selectively ignored this point.

"Not at all, not at all, it's still far from being 'the strongest champion'."

Upon hearing Qingyu's words, Dan Di immediately felt embarrassed again, and his original smiling expression became stiff.

"Let's stop with the mutual flattery..."

"Actually, I watched your battle with Raihana in Pokémon Champion, which is why I have some impression of Yu-sensei."

"Chibana?"

Qingyu was stunned for a moment before recalling it.

Oh, what an unlucky guy who was disgusted by his own substitute poison!

You really can't blame him for having a bad memory. After all, there are always a few victims in every live stream, and who can remember so many people after a while...

Do you remember how many slices of bread you ate?
"Yeah, back then, Qibana complained to me, saying that next time he definitely wanted to meet me in person."

The Pill Emperor smiled and spoke, immediately leaving Qing Yu with a question mark above his head.

???

You're definitely a cunning guy!

Noticing the change in Qingyu's expression, Dan Di revealed a relaxed smile, as if he had won back a point.

Just as he was about to speak again, Master Ma's booming shout suddenly rang out from the martial arts school once more:
"Xiao Dandan, Xiao Yuyu, the steamed buns are all served! If they're not brought to the table soon, I'll eat them all in one go!"

After finding the keywords, Dan Di instantly regained his serious demeanor.

"Master Miye's steamed buns are a specialty of the martial arts school. If you don't go to the table to snatch them now, Master will finish them in no time."

After saying that, Dan Di turned around and hurriedly walked into the dojo without looking back.

Seeing this, Qingyu couldn't help but smile slightly.

Even the "strongest champion," Dan-te, is actually just an ordinary person with no airs, wholeheartedly dedicated to the development of the region...

Although he looks a bit mature, this champion is actually only slightly older than Qingyu and is a typical young man.

That's why there was absolutely no barrier in their communication.

After getting to know the famous figures in this world, I realized that they are all really quite friendly.

Because of his love for Pokémon, he transformed from an ordinary person into an extraordinary one.

Is this the charm of the Pokémon world?

Upon entering the martial arts hall, Dan Di and Master Ma were already sparring on the table, their chopsticks moving like weapons inside the steamer, colliding repeatedly as if in a martial arts duel, making a crackling sound.

"Little Dandan, it's been two years since I last saw you, and you haven't lost a single skill!"

"It's all thanks to my master's excellent teaching!"

The battle at the dinner table has now reached a fever pitch.

Just as the old man and the young man were fiercely competing for the last piece of xiaolongbao...

A pair of chopsticks deftly slipped into their blind spot, snatching the xiaolongbao away and putting it into their mouths in the blink of an eye.

"Hmm, just as Dan Di said, it tastes excellent."

Such trivial skills are nothing compared to the orthodoxy of mine!

Qingyu spoke leisurely, leaving the Pill Emperor and Master Ma, who had been arguing for so long, staring at each other in disbelief, before finally uttering a sentence:
"Brilliant!"

"I never expected that you, Qingyu, a Parthian, would be so good at using chopsticks?"

Master Ma chuckled as he took a sip of the giant soup, then said to Honey Leaf, who was busy in the kitchen:
"Honey Leaf, another table of xiaolongbao, please!"

"Got it~"

While waiting for the next batch of xiaolongbao, Master Ma took the initiative to introduce another secret treasure of their Kai Island.

"Come on, Yuuyu, let your Pokémon have a taste of this Max Soup!"

"This is a secret recipe from our Isle of Armor. Besides being good for your health, it might even help your Pokémon learn the power of Gigantamax!"

After ladling a whole bowl of Giant Soup, Master Ma generously placed it in front of Qingyu.

Qingyu certainly knew about this.

Max Soup, a special dish found only on the Isle of Armor, allows some Pokémon to master Gigantamax power, which surpasses Dynamax.

With just this recipe, Honeyleaf has already made a fortune, enough to support the entire Isle of Armor.

but……

It seems like none of the Pokémon in my team can Gigantamax, right?

After thinking for a moment, Qingyu decided to release all five of his Pokémon.

Even without any special functions, tasting something good can make you feel happier!

Sylveon and Ursaring sipped their Max Soup in small, polite sips, occasionally letting out sounds of delighted surprise.
After Lucario finished the bowl in big gulps, he wiped his mouth and sat down to meditate, beginning to feel the changes in his body caused by the Max Soup.

Unfortunately, it seems like nothing happened.

Milton was still that shameful creature who was only focused on eating and would starve if he missed a single bite. Before long, several empty bowls had piled up in front of him.

Master Ma was stunned for a moment, then quickly burst into laughter.

"There's plenty of food today, so eat up, little one!"

As for Baby Dragon...

Although it is almost a month old, it has shown an appetite that is completely disproportionate to its size. It eats as fast as Millerton, which makes Millerton feel a little pressure.

The appearance of Pokémon instantly made the Isle of Armor Dojo even more lively, until Master Honey Leaf served up another steamer of xiaolongbao...

The war at the dinner table, the second battle begins!
……

After spending a night on the Isle of Armor, it was already Sunday again.

After saying goodbye to everyone at the Isle of Armor Martial Arts School, Aoba embarked on his journey home.

As planned, today was his turn to demonstrate his new tactics.

Last week I think I promised the viewers that I would show them how dominant Whimsicott is in doubles.

After a week of rigorous training at the Sunny Gym, many trainers have likely gained a better understanding of the "Prankster" ability and the importance of the support trainer in double battles.

Since that's the case, let's strike while the iron is hot and try some brand new tactics tonight!
Sitting on the ship returning to Padiya, Aoba thought to himself.

(End of this chapter)