Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

Looking at Shuangrenmaru's unruly and battle-ready eyes, Zhang Jianying laughed instead of getting angry.

"Good, that's got guts." He patted the heavy shell of the tortoise beside him. "Tortoise, can I borrow a branch?"

As he spoke, amidst the equally bewildered gazes of Torterra and Cynthia, he climbed onto Torterra's broad carapace, using both hands and feet, and arrived at the tree that had evolved to be even more robust and lush, faintly radiating the glow of life.

He reached out, grasped a straight, sturdy branch about three feet long, and snapped it off forcefully—

"Snap!"

The crisp sound was particularly clear by the quiet stream.

Tutaigui: "???"

It slowly and blankly turned its massive head, looking at the spot on its back where a crucial branch was suddenly missing. It then looked down at the trainer, who held the branch and was eager to try, its diamond-shaped eyes filled with tangible confusion and innocence. My tree…?

Cynthia: "!!!"

Her grey eyes widened slightly, a crack appearing in her perfectly maintained champion's demeanor. She subconsciously took a half step forward, her red lips parted slightly, the words "Are you serious?" almost escaping her lips.

Seeing Zhang Jianying gripping the branch and striking a starting stance, she felt her common sense had been challenged. What on earth had that old geezer Gustav taught him?!

In some unknown corner, Gustav, who was training with Lucario, sneezed again, momentarily distracted, and Lucario punched him in the face. Lucario stopped and looked at its trainer with a puzzled expression.

Gustav: ...

Zhang Jianying, however, was completely oblivious to the reactions of the two men. Or rather, he was currently immersed in an extremely meticulous and logically perfect assessment of their combat strength.

Combat strength comparison analysis, initiating!

Enemy: Ancient Twin Blades. Status: Recovered to approximately 70% health after medication, fighting spirit MAX, wielding two scallops, considerable attack power, and rich combat experience. Threat Level: High.

Our side: The trainer himself.

Hardware comparison:

Weapon: Ash's "Trainer's One-on-One Weapon - Wooden Stick".

Zhang Jianying weighed the "twig" in his hand, which felt warm to the touch and faintly exuded the fragrance of grass and trees, and continued to let his thoughts wander.

But the broken tree branch that Ash picked up casually back then, which was at most a basic piece of equipment with +1 attack, still dared to fight a swarm of Beedrill one-on-one and held its own.

And this one in my hand! It comes from the original Torterra, which has received the blessing of Celebi and completed its evolution!

The texture, the feel, the subtle flow of energy…

Calling it a naturally formed divine embryo wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it? Its attack power should be at least +9! A complete victory with basic equipment!

Physical attributes: Ash, who debuted at the age of ten, can catch electric shocks with his bare hands and withstand the aftershocks of attacks. He is a legendary "humanoid Pokémon" with superhuman physical abilities.

Well, after half a year of intensive training, my aura is slowly increasing. I wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that my physical strength, reaction speed, and resilience are "half a super Sinnoh person," would you?

While not quite at the absolute top level, he's miles ahead of the average trainer. Physically, he's slightly inferior, but the difference isn't significant!

Technique: Ash Ketchum fights with passion, intuition, and astonishing fighting talent, making him a self-taught master. I, on the other hand, am a direct disciple of Master Gustav, possessing a honed and refined fighting style, specializing in exploiting weaknesses and dissipating force through grappling. In terms of technique, I am completely superior!

Comparison of off-field factors:

Enemy: A single Pokémon, carefree and unattached, with only a rage buff.

Our side: Behind us lies the homeland we must protect! And beside us...

Zhang Jianying caught a glimpse of Cynthia's stunning profile, filled with shock and worry, and a surge of pride welled up within him. And there was the champion watching from the sidelines!

This morale boost and motivational buff are off the charts! Playing on home turf, the advantage is in our favor!

Overall assessment: The enemy's stamina is low, but their weapons may be slightly superior; our side has excellent equipment, overwhelming skill, and soaring morale, and also holds the moral and home-field advantage!

Conclusion: This is in the bag! The advantage is on my side! If I don't teach you a lesson, you little brat from ancient times, you'll really think I'm just a pushover who only knows how to give orders? Don't you know that the League doesn't allow trainers to participate in battles casually? That's to protect your Pokémon!

A series of internal assessments were completed in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Jianying's smile grew even more amiable. He casually twirled the stick, and the special wooden stick emitted a soft whistling sound in his hand.

"Come here, you ancient brat!"

The wooden stick was pointed directly at Shuangrenmaru. "Let me show you what a modern trainer's individual combat ability is, aside from command!"

"Woohoo!"

Baby Dragon automatically launched a ball and excitedly bounced around, cheering on its trainer.

Gardevoir silently communicated telepathically to Cynthia, with a hint of helplessness and composure: Please don't worry too much, Miss Cynthia. A-Jian knew what was going on.

Gardevoir recalled that its trainer would occasionally spar with them during breaks in special training. Although the opponent was different this time, it had basic confidence in its trainer's skills.

Upon hearing Gardevoir's telepathic message, Cynthia glanced at it in surprise, then looked at Zhang Jianying, whose aura had changed significantly. The worry in her eyes lessened, replaced by a stronger sense of curiosity and inquiry.

The Twin Blade didn't care about any of that. A fierce glint flashed in its eyes as it was completely ignited by this blatant provocation!

It let out a low growl, pushed off with its feet, splashing up the stream water, and its two scallop shells, gleaming with a sharp, cold light, rushed towards Zhang Jianying like a gust of wind!

【Shell Blade】!

The battle erupted instantly!

Zhang Jianying's eyes narrowed, and the power of wave guidance within his body flowed naturally, not for attack, but to maximize his perception, reaction and physical qualities.

He shifted his feet, his body sliding sideways like a fish, narrowly avoiding the frontal slash. He then used the wooden stick in his hand to strike the inside of Shuangrenmaru's right wrist with precision!

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, the scallop in Shuangrenmaru's right hand was knocked aside, its attack momentarily halted. But it reacted extremely quickly, its left scallop following closely behind, slashing horizontally at Zhang Jianying's waist and abdomen!

Zhang Jianying remained calm and composed, focusing his core strength to execute a swift backward bridge maneuver, the scallops carrying a cool breeze brushing past his nose.

At the same time, he held the stick with one hand and pointed it backward, the end of the stick aiming at the armpit opening exposed by the double-edged pill when it missed its target!

Shuangrenwan winced in pain, let out a muffled groan, and hurriedly jumped back to create distance. For the first time, his eyes showed surprise and uncertainty as he looked at Zhang Jianying.

This human...

Its speed, reaction time, and combat skills completely exceeded its expectations! It was nothing like the weakling it had imagined!

"What? Is that all?"

Zhang Jianying pressed his advantage, taking the initiative to step forward. His wooden stick transformed into a blur of green, striking, stabbing, sweeping, and chopping with simple yet sharp moves, devoid of any frills. These were all techniques honed by Gustav and used in actual combat.

"rice wine!"

The Twin Blade Maru was also aroused. It roared and stopped holding back. Its two scallops danced in a dense, impenetrable manner. It brought the technique of [Combo Slash] to its limit. Its speed became faster and faster and its power became heavier and heavier. Occasionally, it would also intersperse unexpected [Water Jet] to interfere with Zhang Jianying's waveguide perception and footwork.

"Bang! Bang! Sizzle—!"

The wooden stick, enhanced with waveguide technology, struck the scallop repeatedly, producing a dull sound and even scattering a few wood chips!

Zhang Jianying's arm was numb from the impact, and his hand was sore, but he used his superior force-dissipating skills and control over the force to deflect the heavy blows time and time again.

His movements became increasingly fluid, and his eyes grew brighter, as if he had rediscovered the feeling he had when he trained daily under Gustav.

On the sidelines, Cynthia had already suppressed her initial shock and worry. Her red lips were slightly parted, and her gray eyes followed the agile and nimble figure on the court without blinking.

She saw Zhang Jianying narrowly evade a fatal slash, saw him deftly parry, deflect, and counterattack with his wooden staff, and saw him maintain perfect composure under the ferocious onslaught of the twin-bladed weapon, even subtly gaining the upper hand…

This is a level that cannot be achieved through ordinary fitness training! This is combat skill honed through countless trials!

As a top-tier trainer and mythologist, she possessed exceptional insight, and the more she looked, the more astonished she became, while simultaneously feeling an unprecedented sense of wonder and... a subtle, urge to try it out.

So, trainers' physical abilities and battle skills can be honed to this level?

A thought involuntarily sprouted in her mind: these skills... seem quite useful. At least, they'd offer an extra layer of self-protection when encountering unexpected situations while investigating ruins in the wild. Perhaps... she could find an opportunity to ask him for advice someday?

This thought, which also didn't fit the champion's persona, made her cheeks flush slightly, but her gaze became even more focused.

"call out--!"

A sharp [Water Ripple Blade] grazed Zhang Jianying's shoulder, tearing his sleeve and leaving a shallow wound.

Cynthia's heart clenched instantly, but she saw that Zhang Jianying only frowned slightly and his movements were not affected at all. Instead, he seized the brief moment of stiffness after Shuangrenmaru released his skill and slammed it hard in the side of its belly with his stick!

"Ugh!"

Shuangrenmaru cried out in pain and staggered backward.

The battle reached its climax.

Zhang Jianying had many small wounds on his body, and his breathing became heavy. Shuangrenwan was also covered in wounds and his strength was being severely depleted, but the flames in his eyes were becoming increasingly frenzied.

Finally, after a full-force collision, the Twin Blade Maru's [Shell Blade] and Zhang Jianying's wooden stick, which was swung with all his might and enhanced by wave guidance, clashed fiercely!

"Snap!"

A teeth-grinding cracking sound rang out! The wooden stick in Zhang Jianying's hand, which was stronger than ordinary wood, finally broke in the middle after countless collisions with the scallop!

However, just as the wooden stick broke and Shuangrenmaru's eyes gleamed with ferocity, thinking that an opportunity had arrived, Zhang Jianying released the stick and pounced on him!

His left hand gripped Shuangrenmaru's right wrist, which was holding the sword, like an iron clamp. His right fist, surrounded by a pale blue light, clenched into a fist and, using the momentum of his forward charge, slammed into Shuangrenmaru's unprotected chest!

Go tell my Hadouken what you want, you bastard!

"Thump!"

A dull thud resounded.

Shuangrenmaru's eyes suddenly bulged out, a breath caught in his chest, and all his movements froze instantly. The two scallops fell to the ground with a "clatter".

It staggered backward, but Zhang Jianying tripped it and knocked it to the ground.

Zhang Jianying pressed his knees against its chest. Although he was also panting heavily and drenched in sweat, his eyes were sharp as knives as he looked down at it from his superior position.

"Now, are you convinced?"

Twinblade lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently, gazing at the tired yet determined face of the human trainer before him, feeling the oppressive aura emanating from the trainer's pure strength...

The defiant glint in its eyes receded slowly like the tide, replaced by a sense of shock, complexity, and ultimately, a settled acceptance.

"rice wine."

Twinblade cried out and stopped struggling.

Gardevoir's telepathic message echoed in both their minds: It said... You won. As agreed, it will follow your lead.

Zhang Jianying let out a long sigh of relief, released the double-edged pill, and plopped down on the ground. He felt sore all over, but his mood was incredibly cheerful.

He took out a Poké Ball and threw it at Double Edge again.

This time, the Poké Ball shook gently three times, making a crisp sound.

Successfully captured!

Cynthia then stepped forward, first giving Zhang Jianying a reproachful look, then squatting down to carefully examine the small wounds on his body. She breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that they were all superficial injuries.

She took out the wound spray she carried with her and gently treated him.

"Don't do that again next time."

Her voice carried a hint of lingering fear and gentle reproach, but more than anything, it conveyed a complex and indescribable emotion—admiration, and a touch of…ignited curiosity.

Zhang Jianying grinned, looking at the Poké Ball in his hand that had captured the Ancient Twinblade, and then at Cynthia beside him who was spraying medicine on him. He felt that the pain in his body had lessened considerably.

"However," Cynthia finished treating her wounds, put away the medicine, and looked at the Poké Ball. Her tone returned to its usual elegance and a hint of academic inquiry, "I'm very curious about what the Twinblade from the past will evolve into in this era."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jianying's eyes lit up as he recalled Professor Oak's words and those ancient artifacts.

He struggled to his feet, took out a specially made sealed box from his backpack, and opened it. Inside, there lay an ancient crystal that emitted a verdant glow and had liquid energy slowly flowing inside.

He gently placed the crystal on the Poké Ball that had captured Double-Edged Maru.

"Since you're an ancient Pokémon, then become my partner in the form that best suits you!"

The Poké Ball suddenly emitted a dazzling white light! The light of evolution enveloped the ball, and an aura far more ancient and profound than that of ordinary evolution spread out.

When the light faded, what appeared before everyone was no longer Twinblade, but a deep blue Pokémon with a robust body, carrying a huge and ferocious carapace, and exuding an aura of majesty.

Emerald Form Greatsword Demon!

It lowered its head slightly, and its gaze toward Zhang Jianying was filled with loyalty and solemnity.

Zhang Jianying expands the data perspective.

【Greatsword Demon (Emerald Form)】

Gender: Male

[Attribute: Water + Dark]

【Characteristic: Sharp】

[Skills: Secret Sword - Thousand Waves, Surprise Attack, Super Horn Strike, Shell Blade, Combo Slash, Water Jet, Water Wave, Sword Dance, Gathering Energy]

[Inherited Skills: Insight, Water Wave Blade, Imitation]

[Status: Exhausted, yet highly motivated, loyal and devoted to the trainer, rapidly adapting to the evolved body and increased strength.]

[Note: This Pokémon originates from the Verdant Region in a parallel universe. Guided by an ancient energy crystal, it evolved into a special form adapted to the harsh environment, without any adverse effects. It possesses a calm yet ferocious nature, its fighting style emphasizes extreme efficiency, and it acknowledges those who have impressed it with pure strength. It also exhibits a strong protective instinct towards its territory and trusted companions.]

Looking at the imposing and imposing figure of the Greatsword, Zhang Jianying nodded in satisfaction. "That's how it's worth it for me, the trainer, to personally get involved in the fight. That really hurt, damn it..."

The chaos in the homeland has finally subsided, and Zhang Jianying's team has welcomed a new member from the past, completing the team's main lineup!

Meanwhile, in the heart of one champion, a seed about the trainer's own strength had already been quietly planted.