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

Chapter 83: Are there more experts?

As night deepened, the campfire finally went out completely.

Apart from the Gengar on guard duty at the edge of the camp and the two pairs of green eyes behind the bushes in the distance, the entire forest was asleep.

Behind the bushes.

"Gurgle gurgle"

Musashi and Kojiro's stomachs protested loudly again, their sounds particularly clear in the quiet night.

"I can't take it anymore—Musashi—"

Kojiro lay listlessly on the grass. "I'm so hungry my eyes are blurry, I really want to eat something—"

Musashi was also starving: "Just hang in there! They'll make breakfast when it's light! Then, hehe—"

A glint of light flashed in her eyes. "We have a chance!"

"Hurry up, Kojiro! Hand me that gear!"

Musashi urged him in a low voice, his hands moving quickly as he assembled various metal parts.

Beside him, Kojiro was sweating profusely as he adjusted a seemingly sophisticated energy converter.

Before them stood a robot that was already taking shape, its metallic sheen reflecting the cold moonlight.

Scattered around the two were a large number of materials and tools that looked quite valuable.

Clearly, they spared no expense for this project.

"Musashi, are we really going to use all the materials that Meow Meow has saved up for so long to buy?"

As Kojiro handed out the parts, he looked at the unopened packaging of the high-end parts with a pained expression, thinking, "Nyanko will be furious if she finds out—"

"Shut up, Kojiro!"

Musashi didn't even look up, and his hands moved even faster.

"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub! Look how well Meowth and Monini are eating over there! Once we take them back, we can also grab those valuable Pokémon to present to Boss Giovanni. A promotion and a raise will be just around the corner!"

Will we still be worried about not having enough money then?!

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation for a bright future, yet her hands continued moving.

"With this, Pikachu's 100,000 volts won't be able to easily electrocute our machines anymore! Hmph, this is made with top-grade materials bought on the black market!"

Upon hearing this, Kojiro perked up slightly and began to fantasize: "A promotion, a raise, a vacation!"

"That's right!"

Musashi licked her chapped lips; her stomach growled again, but she forced herself to focus on her work. "So we need to get this machine finished quickly! Tomorrow morning, while they're off guard, we'll—uh!"

Before he could finish speaking, a strong wave of dizziness and weakness washed over him, and the tool in Musashi's hand clattered to the ground.

The intense labor, coupled with not having eaten or drunk anything all day, had pushed her physical strength to its limit.

"Musashi! Are you alright?" Kojiro quickly helped her up.

"No—it's nothing—"

Musashi shook his head, his voice weak and listless, "I'm just—so hungry and sleepy."

The two supported each other, leaning against the cold metal legs of the barely completed robot, their eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

"Just take a break—"

Kojiro mumbled, "Tomorrow, I must succeed—"

Before they could finish speaking, their heads lolled to the side and they fell asleep.

Under the moonlight, two hungry Rockets players, dreaming sweet dreams, and their exquisitely designed robot drifted off to sleep.

In his sleep, Musashi muttered to himself, "So much food, caught it all. I'll offer it to Boss Sakaki, get a promotion, and a raise."

Kojiro, drooling, said, "Omelette rice, curry, hot soup."

In the early morning, the campsite was filled with the fresh scent of grass and dew.

Zhang Jianying woke up first, tiptoed out of the tent, and began preparing a simple breakfast.

Soon, the campfire was relit, and fragrant food was cooking in the pot, while bread and tree berries were roasting nearby.

The aroma of food, like the most precise alarm clock, woke up everyone and their Pokémon in the camp.

-

"It smells so good!"

Xiao Zhi rubbed his eyes and crawled out of the tent, sniffing the air, instantly feeling refreshed.

Xiao Guang and Xiao Gang also woke up one after another and began packing their belongings.

Today is the day of the Grand Contest. Although Hikari is still a little nervous, his eyes are filled with determination.

The Pokémon also woke up one by one.

Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, Piplup followed behind Barefoot, and Brock's Egg and Feraligatr quietly began to help tidy up.

Behind the bushes in the distance, two pairs of bloodshot, green eyes suddenly opened!

Musashi and Kojiro were jolted awake from their sweet dreams by the alluring aroma, their stomachs rumbling in protest.

They parted the branches and leaves, staring intently at the sumptuous breakfast in the center of the camp, their mouths practically watering.

"It smells so good!"

Kojiro sniffed, his eyes glazed over.

"Calm down, Kojiro!"

Musashi pinched his thigh hard, forcing himself to stay awake. "Proceed according to plan! Plan A: Disguised infiltration!"

The two frantically pulled out their pre-prepared disguises from their backpacks.

Two sets of reporter vests, two baseball caps, and two cameras with fake "Glamour Contest Special Correspondent" badges.

"Quick, change! When we get close, pretend to interview that little girl to attract her attention!"

Musashi muttered as he put on his vest, "Then find a chance to give Nyanko and Monini a signal so they can sneak back!"

"clear!"

Kojiro put on his baseball cap and pulled the brim down.

The two took a deep breath, tried to put on the expressions of "professional reporters," and emerged from behind the bushes, heading towards the campsite.

Good morning, fellow trainers!

Musashi forced what he thought was a friendly smile, but his voice was a little high-pitched due to nervousness.

"We're special correspondents for the Pokémon Contest Monthly! We heard that Dawn is participating in the Pokémon Contest in Homestead City today, so we've come to do a pre-contest interview!"

Kojiro quickly raised his camera and snapped a few pictures of the air.

Zhang Jianying was feeding the baby dragon tree fruit when she heard the sound. She looked up and her gaze fell on the two people with their overly familiar long red hair and blue hedgehog-like heads. She looked helpless.

What's the difference between this disguise and no disguise at all?

With your signature hair color and face shape, and this exaggerated acting, are you serious?

He subconsciously looked at Xiaozhi and the others, only to be surprised to find that Xiaozhi was looking at the reporter with curiosity, Xiaoguang was shyly fixing his hair, and Xiaogang was nodding politely.

They genuinely didn't seem to recognize me?!

'

Zhang Jianying silently rubbed his forehead.

Is this what is known as "world correction power"?

Or is Team Rocket's Disguise technique truly considered "MAX level" by some kind of rule in the Pokémon world?

Ash seems to have put all his brainpower into Pokémon battles.

Only Pikachu twitched its ears, seemingly finding the two voices somewhat familiar, but the allure of breakfast was clearly greater.

It simply uttered a puzzled "Pikachu?" before continuing to eat.

Zhang Jianying found it amusing, but decided not to expose them. With a spectator's mentality, he led his Pokémon back a little, eager to see what new tricks Team Rocket would come up with this time.

At that moment, Meow Meow and Monini, who were busy cooking, also heard Musashi's familiar voice.

The two Pokémon froze simultaneously.

Meow Meow slowly raised her head, her eyes beneath the golden coin looking at the two "reporters," and Monini also stopped drinking her soup.

The two Pokémon exchanged a guilty glance, both seeing in each other's eyes the despair of "we're doomed" and "according to the course of history, we'll definitely have to fly away again soon."

Immediately afterwards, they all turned their attention to the fragrant and unfinished sumptuous breakfast in front of them.

There was a few seconds of silence.

With lightning speed, Meow Meow grabbed a clean tablecloth from the side and began frantically stuffing the untouched fried eggs, bread, and energy cubes into it!

The skill with which he moved indicated that this was not the first time he had done something like this.

Monini also helped out, quickly stuffing the berries and special Pokémon food inside with her nimble little hands.

Since we're going to fly soon, we might as well grab as much food as possible now!

You can't fly on an empty stomach!

Their little actions naturally fell into Zhang Jianying's notice.

He almost burst out laughing when he saw the two Pokémon's sneaky yet poignant packing action.

At this moment, reporter Musashi had already walked up to Hikaru, trying his best to make his voice sound full of praise.

"Ah! This must be Dawn! She certainly has an outstanding presence; she's definitely a rising star among future Pokémon Coordinators! Your Pokémon are also so healthy and adorable, especially Piplup and the others—they have the makings of stars!"

While spouting exaggerated flattery, she secretly winked at Miao Miao and Monini, who were hiding a little distance away, busy packing food.

Xiao Guang was a little embarrassed by the praise: "Thank you for the compliment, I will work harder—"

Just as Musashi felt the plan was going smoothly and was preparing to get closer to her,

"Whoosh—Nus!"

A loud, resonant shout suddenly came from behind her!

Immediately afterwards, a blue figure suddenly sprang out from the backpack disguised as a camera bag behind Musashi, drawing a graceful arc in the air before landing steadily on the open ground in front of Hikari with a "thud"!

It was indeed Old Man Guo.

It saluted, puffed out its chest, and wore a serious expression that said, "Musashi is right! I completely agree!"

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Ash, Dawn, and Brock: "???"

Musashi and Kojiro turned their heads stiffly, looking at their teammates who had suddenly appeared and even had their own sound effects.

Ash blinked, looked at Wobbuffet, then at Jessie and James's familiar panicked expressions, and a certain string in his brain suddenly clicked.

Ash pointed at them, his voice rising in surprise, "You—you're Team Rocket!"

"Damn it! We've been found out!" Kojiro yelled.

"Since we've been found out, there's nothing we can do!"

Musashi ripped off her wig and glasses, revealing her true appearance. "Team Rocket, launch! The target is—"

But before she could finish her boastful words, Meow Meow and Monini, each carrying a bulging package, darted to their side.

"What are you waiting for, meow! Run!"

Meow Meow was so anxious she jumped up and down.

Monini waved her little hand and made a quick dash gesture.

Musashi and Kojiro were stunned for a moment, then realized, "That's right! Let's run first!"

The two hurriedly picked up Meowth and Monini, turned around and ran towards the depths of the forest. Sure enough, Boom also "whooshed" back into its Poké Ball.

"Don't even think about running away!"

Ash immediately took Pikachu and gave chase.

Zhang Jianying followed behind Ash and his friends, chasing after Team Rocket in the direction they had fled.

They hadn't gone far when they spotted the well-designed robot, its metallic sheen reflecting the morning light, in a clearing in the woods.

Zhang Jianying looked on with curiosity. Goodness, this robot seems to have some tricks up its sleeve. Your hands-on skills are off the charts!

Meanwhile, the Rocket team had already climbed into the cockpit inside the robot's chest.

Seeing the crowd chasing after him, Musashi in the cockpit let out an arrogant laugh through the loudspeaker.

"See that, you brat! And that meddlesome trainer! This is Team Rocket's latest technology! An anti-electric robot specifically designed to counter Pikachu! Your Thunderbolt is useless now!"

Kojiro chimed in, "Besides, this robot is made with top-quality materials bought from Meowth's savings account; it's incredibly sturdy! Give up the resistance and hand over your Pokémon!"

When Meow Meow heard the words "little treasure trove," she trembled, turned around, and pounced on Kojiro, her eyes glistening with tears of heartache.

"Meow, my gold coins!"

Ash, undeterred, declared, "Let's give it a try! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

A powerful golden bolt of lightning struck the robot!

However, the special coating on the robot's surface rippled, diverting most of the current into the ground. The robot itself only swayed slightly, and not a single scorch mark was left on its shell.

"It's no use! It's no use!"

Musashi was even more smug. "This machine is something we worked tirelessly to build! Capture mode, activate!"

The robot strode forward with heavy steps, its mechanical claws outstretched, reaching for Pikachu.

Ash hurriedly commanded Pikachu to dodge, but the robot was also fast. For a time, Pikachu could only rely on its agility to deal with it, and the electric shock had little effect.

Zhang Jianying didn't rush to let Gardevoir and the others take action. He noticed that when Team Rocket rushed towards the robot in a panic, they seemed to have accidentally kicked over something.

He swept the light towards the edge of the camp.

There, Xiao Gang's Lucky Egg and Bad Frog were kneeling on the ground, heads bowed, looking at the overturned food box in front of them.

Inside was Xiao Gang's special breakfast, which they had barely touched. The delicious food was spilled all over the ground, covered in dirt.

The little lucky egg's tiny body trembled slightly.

The wicked frog lowered its head, obscuring its expression, but a palpable, extremely eerie low pressure began to emanate from its body.

The Rockets' boisterous laughter as they celebrated halftime with champagne and the constant noise of machinery filled the air.

Musashi: "Haha! Let's see how long you can hide! Just obediently become a gift for Boss Sakaki!"

Kojiro: "Promotion! Raise! Luxury airship!"

These noises were like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The little lucky egg slowly raised its head.

Her once innocent and adorable, round eyes were now completely black, as if they had lost their luster.

Its little face was expressionless. The little lucky egg slowly stood up and patted the dust off its body.

Then, it raised its small, chubby arm and extended one finger.

[Wave a finger!]

A dazzling white light instantly enveloped its small body!

An indescribable wave emanated from it.

Zhang Jianying was still observing, and when he saw the skill's starting gesture, he didn't pay much attention. It was just a finger shake; anything could happen randomly.

The white light condensed and changed, eventually transforming into a heavy, grayish-white energy that seemed capable of crushing even space itself, which wrapped around the little lucky egg's fist.

The tiny figure of the little lucky egg soared into the sky with a burst of white light!

It clenched its little fist and slammed it down hard on the robot's knee!

boom! !

A muffled thud.

It seems—nothing happened?

"Haha! It's useless to say it!"

Musashi continued laughing, "This is incredibly hard—"

Her laughter stopped abruptly.

Because, centered on the point where Little Lucky Egg's fist landed, a layer of water-like white light quickly spread to the robot's entire body!

Immediately afterwards, a sickeningly loud "click" sound came from the robot!

The robot's metal shell looked as if it were being forcibly squeezed and twisted by an invisible giant hand!

Under the stunned gazes of everyone and even the Pokémon, the robot, touted as "super tough,"...

Like a deflated balloon, or like kneaded clay, it begins to slowly deform and shrink!

Zhang Jianying stared blankly at the skill effect, then slapped his thigh in exasperation, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground. He blurted out a national treasure: "Holy crap! Isn't this Regigigas's signature skill, 'Crush'?! You can actually shake this thing out?!"

He looked at the little lucky egg with mixed feelings, which had unleashed its special Toilet King skill in a fit of anger simply because its breakfast had been spilled.

"Hmm—Regigigas is a Normal-type, Egg of Fortune is a Normal-type, and [Crush] is also a Normal-type. Seems quite reasonable?"

That's utterly ridiculous! (□) on top—divination.

Little Lucky Egg, what exactly is your background?!

In the blink of an eye, the wicked frog also stirred.

It had appeared on the robot's side without anyone noticing, and unleashed a long-charged [Poison Strike]!

The purple poisonous energy was highly concentrated, like a sharp drill bit!

Sizzle—!

With a cracking sound, the robot's outer shell was easily torn apart, revealing the messy circuitry inside.

Deep purple energy surged in, and the circuit board instantly emitted black smoke and crackled with electric sparks.

"No!!" Kojiro cried out in anguish.

The next moment—

Boom!!!

The out-of-control energy triggered a violent explosion! Flames and black smoke shot into the sky!

"This feeling is awful!!!"

The familiar screams echoed through the sky.

Team Rocket members were like cannonballs, turning into shooting stars in the blast wave.

You can vaguely see Musashi and Kojiro flying in the air, frantically pulling out the food that Meowth and Monini had packed from their pockets and stuffing it into their mouths—

Their intermittent shouts could still be heard in the wind: "Although the plan failed, at least we won't go hungry."

"We're together again!"

"This feels amazing, meow! Swoosh—!"

Zhang Jianying shaded his eyes with his hand, looked at Team Rocket which had transformed into stars, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"That's more like it."

He remarked, "Indeed, the storyline wouldn't be complete without Team Rocket flying through the air."

Curious, he walked over to the pile of still-smoking machine wreckage, picked up a twisted piece of metal, and squeezed it.

It feels heavy in your hand, and the material does seem to be quite unusual.

"Gardedoll, try using Psychic Strike," Zhang Jianying said.

Gardevoir nodded, its eyes gathering blue light, and an invisible psychic blade precisely struck the fragment.

"Clang!"

With a soft click, only a shallow scratch, less than half a centimeter deep, remained on the fragment.

Zhang Jianying and Gardevoir exchanged a complicated look.

Then they all looked over there at the little lucky egg, who had returned to normal and was having its face gently wiped clean by Xiao Gang.

And the naughty frog, who has reverted to its lazy self and is yawning.

I thought Pikachu was invincible, but I didn't expect there to be a Pokémon even more valiant than it. Whose subordinate is this?

In the camp, Little Lucky Egg hugged a new tree fruit and happily munched on it, looking adorably dazed.

The scoundrel leaned against the tree, half-closing his eyes, looking like a powerful figure who felt isolated at the top.

Zhang Jianying suddenly realized that traveling with Xiaozhi was always full of "surprises".

"Hmm—no wonder it's a Lucky Egg with a possible Hercules ability. And there's the Frog God who can catch the Time-Space Twin Dragon Meteor Shower with one hand. As expected, comparing strength with comedic characters only leads to self-deprecation."

With a soothing tone, Zhang Jianying gently ruffled Gardevoir's hair.

Gardevoir: ? ? ?

After this farce, it's getting late.

The group quickly packed up their campsite and headed towards the venue for the Grand Contest in Jiayuan City.

Zhang Jianying recalled the Pokémon that were not interested in the "fancy competitions," leaving only Gardevoir by his side.

The group arrived at the Grand Contest venue.

Xiao Guang, holding Bogarman, took a deep breath, his eyes hardening: "Everyone, I'm going to the players' room to get ready!"

"Go for it, Hikari!" Ash waved vigorously.

"Relax and just do your best," Xiao Gang encouraged gently.

Zhang Jianying nodded to her: "Enjoy the stage."

Xiao Guang nodded emphatically, turned around, and walked into the contestant's passage.

Zhang Jianying then took out the VIP tickets given to him by Melissa and led Xiaozhi, Xiaogang, and the others through a special passage to the VIP seats with excellent views.

The VIP seating was indeed exceptional; the seats were comfortable, and drinks and snacks were laid out in front of them.

Xiao Zhi and Xiao Gang both seemed very excited.

Pikachu and Egg were dressed in the little cheerleader outfits that Hikari had specially made for them. Pikachu wore a vest with a lightning bolt pattern, and Egg wore an adorable tutu.

The two little guys were holding small fans made by Xiaoguang, printed with images of Piplup and Aipom, looking quite professional.

Gardevoir sat quietly beside Zhang Jianying, holding a brightly colored cheerleader pom-pom that Zhang Jianying had prepared for it.

It seemed quite interested in this, gently swaying it, causing the colorful tassels to flutter.

Zhang Jianying turned to look at Gardevoir.

Gardevoir gazed intently at the stage, now brightly lit and awaiting the contestants' entrance, his eyes filled with a gentle smile.

"It'll be your turn to take the stage in the next grand competition," Zhang Jianying said softly.

"Shana~"

Gardevoir turned her head and smiled slightly at him.

The lights in the venue gradually dimmed, and the noise from the audience gradually subsided.

Conkenstein, the head of the Contest Secretariat; Sukizo, the Pokémon Club President whose catchphrase is "I like this"; and Nurse Joy from Homestead City took their seats on the judging panel.

A spotlight shone on the center of the stage, and the host's enthusiastic voice resounded throughout the venue: "Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for waiting! The Jiayuan City Grand Contest is now officially beginning!"

Accompanied by rousing music and dazzling stage effects, the first Coordinator makes his appearance.

The curtain has officially risen on the grand competition.