Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

A loud bang, the sudden slamming of the ground tore through the air, creating layers of cracks.

The earth cracked, its spirit soaring to the heavens. At this moment, it seemed not to be a leisurely martial artist, but a desperate fighter who placed all his hopes on the next move.

"One-hit kill style?"

It's hard to believe what I'm seeing. Generations of games have divided the choices of martial arts bear masters into two forms, but fundamentally, they are simply unique to them.

"school."

With hind legs supporting the ground, waist twisting, arms raised, steps stomping, and power exerted, all the principles of boxing are connected in one breath.

Like a mountain collapsing, or a raging torrent sweeping across, only a flash of crimson eyes was seen before a deafening roar resounded through the clouds.

"Dark Nether Strike!"

Egui Peng's pupils suddenly contracted.

The fist's shadow magnified infinitely in its vision—not a straight line, but an arc trajectory imbued with energy, all angles for dodging were predicted and blocked. The thorny vine instinctively blocked in front of its chest, but the moment it touched the fist's bone, it heard a cracking sound as it succumbed to the immense pressure.

"Crack!"

With a cracking sound as the wood fibers snapped, the little demon was blasted backward, crashing through three rock pillars before finally coming to a stop. As it trembled and struggled to its feet, its emerald mask was covered in dust, and all that remained in its hand was half a broken vine.

The martial arts bear remained in a punching stance, its right arm muscles spasming abnormally. Dark red blood dripped from its fur, leaving charred marks on the grass. The backlash from forcibly switching styles was tearing its meridians apart.

The sound of the waterfall suddenly seemed to fade into the distance.

Nan Yin saw E Guipeng's swaying back as he stood up—just like when they first met in Beishang Township, how he was still innocently kind to everyone despite his wounded heart, stubbornly following her until they slept together for one night. The broken vines slowly drooped, and the leaves that were usually so lively and swaying were withering away one by one.

Can we continue?

The girl's voice was calmer than I had imagined.

The little devil didn't turn around, but nodded vigorously, and a weak breath came from under the tattered green grass mask.

Master Xiong's second punch had already broken through the air.

This was a standard combo-style opening stance, but the punches carried the decisiveness of a single strike. Two completely different martial arts realms were contradictory yet harmoniously unified in it—just like how Mastedt mastered two systems simultaneously and dominated the entire Galar.

Nan Yin's voice suddenly caught in her throat. She saw Ergui Peng perform a move he had never practiced before—it slammed the remaining half of the vine into the ground, the blood from the wound seeping into the soil. The entire grassy field of Armor Island suddenly erupted, countless emerald roots piercing out from the ground, not to attack the opponent, but to wrap around the little demon's wounded body in layers.

"Grass slide..."

The moment the martial artist's fist touched those roots, the entire battlefield exploded in a dazzling burst of emerald light. The shockwave from the collision of the two types of energy ripped away the grass within a radius of tens of meters, forcing spectators to raise their arms to shield themselves from the oncoming debris.

As the dust settled, Martial Arts Master Xiong knelt on one knee, his fist deeply embedded in the rattan armor on Egui Peng's chest. Meanwhile, the little demon's right hand was pressed against the other's chest, his palm bearing scorch marks from the burning of grass-type energy.

"chant......"

The warrior smiled with relief and finally collapsed forward. Behind him, the earth split open, creating a trench that ran through the battlefield—the mark of the aftershocks.

Ergui Pong stood there blinking, then suddenly collapsed as if all the bones in his body had been removed.

Nan Yin caught the little creature before it fell, and discovered that the tangled roots were turning into specks of light and dissipating. The green grass mask then vanished, revealing a pale smiling face beneath.

"Bonnie~"

It was a triumphant boast, listless and lacking in its usual mischievousness, replaced by a charming fragility.

"You did very well."

Without hesitation, the girl buried her face in the little devil's grass-covered cheeks. She smelled the sun-dried moss and heard Mastedt's hearty laughter and the clattering of his wooden clogs in the distance.

"Haha, the younger generation is truly formidable!" The old man waved a folding fan he pulled out from somewhere. "The last move, a variation of the Grass Slide, actually mobilized the energy of the entire grassland on Armor Island. Should I charge you for maintaining the turf, little girl?"

Clearly, this was a perfectly timed joke.

When Korni rushed over with the healing tools, the Martial Arts Bear Master was already sitting cross-legged. It gently touched Egui Peng's forehead with its bandaged palm, like some kind of solemn blessing ceremony.

"It is saying, 'Accept the offer.'"

"Yes, I also want to thank you and your teachings."

"There's no need for that, young lady. Do you know why my martial arts master, Bear Master, chose the combo style instead of the single-strike style? Clearly, this old fellow has always been inclined to be straightforward."

Nan Yin gently wiped the dust from the children's faces; she had already decided on the answer—

"Because flowing water does not compete to be first."

"Good! What a fine example of not competing for first place!" Ma Shide's laughter startled the birds in the woods.

他 说:

"Martial artists fight for an endless stream of knowledge and a long and rich history—that is the true essence of combat!"

Upon hearing this, Martial Arts Master Xiong turned his head, his gaze passing over the old man and looking behind him.

Nan Yin turned around following the gaze and found a gray bear that had appeared out of nowhere, perched on the windowsill of the tea room, its dark eyes reflecting the glow of the sunset.

It also made a choice.

......

The sea breeze was biting in the evening. On this day, all the trainees were filled with excitement. They witnessed the duel between champions and saw the undefeated myth fall to a young girl.

Standing alone on the cliff edge, the white-haired old man quietly looked up at the setting sun and asked Honey Leaf, who was walking slowly towards him.

"Old woman, are we really getting old?"

Perhaps he is not as open-minded as he appears; he is still unwilling to admit defeat or grow old.

There was no reply; the woman simply and gently draped her coat over him. "Is it shameful to lose to your apprentice's opponent?"

With just one sentence, the knot in his heart was untied, turning into a knowing laugh. The startled gulls skimmed across the golden-shimmering sea and flew towards the Galatian homeland.

Chapter 254 Subjugation and Ideals (6.5k words)

After a victory or defeat, and a peaceful night's sleep, the cries of seagulls gently roused the girls from their dreams.

After changing into wooden clogs, they followed the sounds of the apprentices' morning exercises and arrived at several square tables amidst a refreshing bamboo fragrance.

Good morning, Nanyin, Ke'erni.

Hearing footsteps, the brown-haired beauty turned around and saw that it was two people. She then brought over bowls and chopsticks and served each of them a generous amount of rice and a variety of colorful and fragrant dishes.

"Last night, thinking that you had traveled for several hours and had a battle with that stubborn old man, you must have been quite tired, so I didn't bother you."

"This morning, I happened to cook a little extra food. Why don't you two do me the honor of having a meal with your teacher's wife?"

It was a seemingly unintentional remark.

"Thank you, Mrs. Honey Leaf."

Sometimes, accepting someone's kindness can make the atmosphere between you more harmonious.

"Wait a moment, this is for you too."

With fingers spread out, two amulet-shaped objects are held in the palm of the hand.

"This is?"

"The Experience Amulet, although the principle is very simple, is just to record training scenarios for later review, but it can be considered Hyde's kindness to each student."

"mom!"

With a hint of shyness, the little boy wearing headphones stood behind the door and called out a few times, his voice weak.

“This child is Hyde, my son.”

Stepping forward, bending slightly, Nan Yin spoke softly to the short boy.

Thank you for the gift.

"Cough, no need for that. The amulet contains technology I developed. Just don't damage it."

After speaking, Hyde quickly turned around and jogged into another room.

"That child is very skillful and adept at making all kinds of things. Even if they are not very useful most of the time, the kindness in his heart is still evident."

With her eyebrows raised, Mi Ye smiled and proudly recounted the story as she watched her child flee in disarray.

"It is already commendable that one's original intention is good."

Holding Eevee in her arms, Nan Yin and her friend sat diagonally opposite each other, quietly enjoying the cool morning air. Occasionally their eyes would meet, but they would exchange knowing smiles.

Time passed slowly, and as the sunlight grew warmer, the sprightly old man walked calmly and confidently toward the table with his hands behind his back. When he saw the two young girls, he straightened his demeanor and coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed.

"Ahem, how did you sleep last night, little girl?"

Naturally, only a former champion like Masde could possess such charisma.

"Thanks to your care, I slept soundly all night."

"Haha, that's perfect. Actually, I was in a bit of a dilemma after yesterday's battle. The Pill Emperor gave me some instructions, but I found that there was nothing I could teach you."

Turning around, Ma Shide walked to the cabinet where it was placed and rummaged through the drawers for a while.

"Yes, this is it."

Several disks were displayed in front of the two of them.

"This contains all the unique moves of the martial arts school. I was originally thinking of letting you compete with those kids, but now it seems that this will not only fail to motivate them, but will also discourage them."

"Don't feel guilty, just accept it. Consider it my investment in you. No matter what you achieve in the future, you can always mention this old man in your honor."

The old man placed the disks in the palms of the two girls respectively, waved his hand, and pretended to be indifferent.

Although they were using the name of the Pill Emperor, once they entered the sect and learned something, they became his disciples. Besides, he actually liked these two girls quite a bit.

I really don't know how to express my gratitude. Just as the former said, this martial arts school is not for profit or fame, but only for the long-standing tradition. Therefore, they teach selflessly and give kindness equally. Being there makes me feel the warmth of family.

Just like his mentor, Master Fu, whom he met on his first journey, who also offered him help without expecting anything in return. Yes, this land is inherently inclusive, gentle, and kind; the cruelty and bitterness of life are almost entirely fabrications of those who haven't experienced them.

The Nanyin singers of the past could not understand how young girls are now so engrossed in it, unable to part with their friends or let go of the children who accompany them.

"Putting everything else aside, Mi Ye's cooking skills are absolutely superb. Back in the day, I was—"

An old man would always boast about his glorious past at the dinner table, but before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a woman who came out of the kitchen again.

"Don't give me that, I'm sick of hearing those words."

Mi Ye placed the stewed pork rib soup on the table and gave a curt scolding. However, that stern look, with hands on hips and brows furrowed, melted away the moment she looked at the two girls, replaced by gentleness.

"Really, I was just praising you."

He coughed lightly, and just as Ma Shide was about to speak again, his sharp gaze pierced through him.

The old man was speechless and immediately lost his temper.

"Humph."

It was a cold snort of warning.

Finding it amusing, Nan Yin couldn't help but chuckle. She met the gaze of Diancie, who was sitting to the side and also suppressing her laughter. In their line of sight, the bright pink diamond princess raised her little hand to her lips and made a small shh gesture.

So cute!

"Old man, let's not talk so much during the meal. Let's call that little guy out too."

"Yes, yes, I was unaware of the occasion. Little one, dinner's ready."

After a few calls, a short, white and gray figure emerged from the empty space and leaped onto the table.

"Be!"

"This is?"

Gazing at the small beast before her, Nan Yin couldn't help but recall the scene after the battle last night, and her words became somewhat hesitant.

At that moment, she noticed the little bear in the tea room, its eyes shining as it glanced at her, full of longing and disbelief.

"Sharpening steel through trials and tribulations, becoming a hero through countless battles, this child is the secret armor of our martial arts school, and also the descendant of that old fellow."

Despite his short stature, the bear apprentice swallowed his food with considerable boldness.

The dishes and bowls tipped over with a loud clatter, and this exaggerated scene naturally caught the attention of the two of them.

"Only when you are well-fed can you have enough energy to exercise. Nan Yin, Ke Er Ni, the same applies to you."

Patting the little bear's chubby head, Ma Shide offered his explanation with a smile.

"Master Ma Shide, may I ask why this little bear is called the Secret Armor?"

"Put down the bowls and chopsticks for now," Kerni asked.