Bottom-tier trainers in the Pokémon world

"Of course, that's the greatest respect you can show to your opponent. I was worried that you might not be in good shape after two very tiring battles, but it seems I was overthinking it. I will definitely fight with all my might."

Xia Yan's expression stiffened.

I almost couldn't resist slapping myself.

Why bother with all that polite talk?

Originally, there was a possibility that Qianli might have been willing to release water.

Now it's all right...

Xia Yan blocked the waterway himself.

Qianli continued speaking, revealing a somewhat embarrassed expression.

"Actually, Xia Yan, there's another thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"Ok?"

Qianli's expression grew increasingly helpless, and he said bluntly:

"My two kids are both your fans. They know that you're my opponent this round, so they hope I can get your autograph."

Xia Yan: "..."

Xiao Yao and Xiao Sheng?

In the future, what will become of Xiao Yao, who will be known as the "Honen Dancer," and Xiao Sheng, who has a talent for research?

Xia Yan is still a little unsure whether Qianli's son or daughter is Xiao Yao or Xiao Sheng, or Xiao You or Xiao Yao, or Lu Bi.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

"Let's wait until the match is over?" Xia Yan said.

At the same time, he thought viciously to himself: 'Damn it, if I lose I don't get anything—the ledger, the dragon-headed cane... no, if I lose I won't even get an autograph!'

"of course."

The two separated.

They headed towards their respective player entrances.

Not long after.

Guided by the host, the audience stood on the battlefield amidst cheers.

Even some people who weren't very familiar with Xia Yan before now know him.

The man who broke through the defensive barrier.

His matches were incredibly exciting.

Qianli became famous earlier, and although he wasn't well-known, he won the first two rounds of the competition very decisively, so many people remembered him.

...

Petalburg City in the distant Hoenn region.

"Sister! Mom! Come quick! Dad's on TV again, and his opponent is none other than King Xia Yan!"

Xiao Sheng shouted loudly in his childish voice.

Although he is young, he is exceptionally precocious and cannot be treated as an ordinary child.

"I'm coming!"

Xiao Yao ran quickly to the TV and couldn't help but smile excitedly when she saw the two figures on the screen.

on TV.

One was her father, and the other was her idol.

It's like successfully meeting your idol; how could you not be excited?

Even though it was her own father who was chasing after celebrities on her behalf.

But about the same.

The gentle Mitsuko wiped the water stains from her fair hands with her apron and walked over with a smile.

Looking at her husband on TV, her smile couldn't help but soften with sweetness.

"Sister, who do you think will win?" the curious little Sheng asked, blinking his eyes.

"King Xia Yan!"

Without thinking, Xiao Yao blurted out that she had sold her father.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sheng puffed out his cheeks.

Although he also liked Xia Yan very much.

But to him, his father was the strongest man in his heart, and he wouldn't be happy to see his father lose.

"Mom, what do you think?"

Mitsuko's smile remained unchanged. After thinking for a moment, she hesitated and said, "It should be... your father."

"Should?" The clever Xiao Sheng keenly caught the word.

"Silly boy," Xiao Yao couldn't help but rub her younger brother's head. "Have you forgotten what time it is?"

"Now it's..." Xiao Sheng, reminded by Xiao Yao, suddenly realized and jumped up from the sofa. "Oh right, it's the breeding season for the King of Leave, so Daddy..."

Qianli's lazy Slaking is his ace, and its strength is terrifying, a fact known to most top trainers.

But the creation of such a "leave king" was also a result of a series of coincidences.

He has always wanted to replicate it.

The best way is to choose from the offspring of that false king.

Therefore, during the breeding season, Qianli usually doesn't use the dog that asks for leave, trying to save more energy for it to reproduce.

This is one of the reasons why he doesn't compete for the Four Heavenly Kings or even the championship.

Compared to these positions, he was more interested in researching a method to address the shortcomings of Slaking's unique ability in Pokémon.

“I did bring it, but I don’t know if he’ll know how to use it,” Mitsuko said.

Xiao Sheng suddenly sat back down and stared intently at the screen.

Will Dad know how to use it?

For some reason, Xiao Sheng felt a sense of relief after hearing the news.

If this is what caused Qianli to lose to Xia Yan, it seems that he finds it hard to accept.

after all.

He's also a fan of Xia Yan.

...

...

"Both sides, please summon your spirits!"

At the referee's signal, Xia Yan and Qian Li need to summon the spirits according to the rules.

Speaking of which, Xia Yan noticed that the Pokémon under the referee was no longer the Charizard, but a Swordsleight of Scepter.

Just like the future World Championships in the Galar region.

But in the last game, I was riding a fire-breathing dragon.

Xia Yan didn't pay too much attention to this detail; he needed to focus all his attention on the competition.

The pressure that Senri put on him was no less than that that from Wataru, Daigo, and Cynthia.

This time, it wasn't Xia Yan who summoned the spirit first, but Qian Li on the other side.

Once on the battlefield, Qianli's expression became very serious and earnest.

After a moment's hesitation with his head down, he threw out his first Poké Ball.

In the red light.

Appearing before Qianli was an elf resembling a baboon and a gorilla, except that it wasn't standing, but lying on its side with one hand supporting its head, looking lazy and even leisurely yawning, with two tears squeezing out from the corner of its eye.

coming.

A signboard that stretches for miles, the King of Leave!

Although it looked lazy and relaxed, it put a lot of pressure on Xia Yan.

Especially when the King of Leave's gaze swept over Xia Yan, Xia Yan could clearly feel a considerable sense of pressure.

And the feeling that this Slaking gave Xia Yan...

King-level.

Although it doesn't feel like an ordinary Heavenly King, it's at least the kind of Heavenly King who's only one or two steps away from the Crown.

But just considering that Slaking isn't affected by "laziness," and that Slaking isn't a legendary Pokémon in terms of base stats, if it were to unleash its full power, its strength wouldn't be weaker than a typical Champion-level Pokémon.

This is only a thousand miles at this stage.

In another year or two, or three or four years.

Once this Slaking becomes a Champion-level Pokémon, it will completely explode...

It's not that they don't have a chance to go toe-to-toe with Groudon.

Xia Yan's expression grew increasingly serious.

The opponent he faced was undoubtedly the strongest among all the opponents he had ever fought in a full-scale battle.

"King Xia Yan, it's your turn."

Seeing that Xia Yan remained unmoved, the referee reminded him.

Xia Yan took a deep breath and threw out two Poké Balls in quick succession.

The first to be hit, naturally, was his Beedrill.

Beedrill is quite strong now and is aiming for the Champion level. It may still be a bit behind Slaking, but with its extremely fast speed, it's not entirely without a chance to compete.