Pokémon, but cultural invasion

“On recent visiting days, there have been quite a few visitors like you.”

“We have Pokémon fighting tutorials here, as well as fitness classes for humans, the latter being quite popular among middle-aged men who sit for long periods of time.”

The doorman explained, "If you want to go further and join our dojo, the requirements will be higher."

"The basic requirement is to be able to withstand wrist strength with a hand chop."

A-Che: "What are you carrying?"

"Boom!"

A series of muffled thuds, the sounds of flesh colliding, echoed from under the eaves.

Disciples dressed in karate uniforms, with yellow belts around their waists, engaged in a physical brawl with arm wrestlers.

Without using any special techniques, Wanli slashed down with his bare hands using only his physical strength, which was blocked by the disciples with their hands crossed.

The powerful, muffled thud startled A-Che so much that he couldn't bear to look at it.

"This is the training ground for our disciples."

The doorman reassured him, "Don't worry, white belt beginners all start with arm strength, they won't encounter the strength that green belts face."

"Wait, how are the karate ranks divided here?"

Quanshu was shocked. Just being able to compete with arm strength and physical strength was already beyond the realm of humanity, wasn't it?

"The yellow belt requires equal strength in the wrist, the green belt requires great strength, and the red belt requires superhuman strength."

"As for the black belt who can defeat superhuman strength, I've heard that such people only exist in the Galar region."

The doorman's eyes were full of longing as he spoke.

The white and yellow belt around his waist indicated that he was slightly inferior in wrist strength.

A-Che glanced at the doorman's belt and took a step back in fright. He had actually been chatting with the humanoid Tyrannosaurus Rex the whole way?

"Ahead is the training area for advanced disciples, with a rockery and an artificial waterfall."

The two continued to follow, searching for the monkey monster.

"Asheng, you have disappointed me greatly."

On the wooden corridor, senior disciples surrounded two people, one of whom was kneeling on the ground with a black briefcase beside him.

One person sat cross-legged, speaking with a tone of disappointment and frustration.

"master?"

The doorman was speechless; he smelled the melon.

Quanshu sized up the person sitting cross-legged; he was tall, with regular features and a resolute face.

He is the loser in the competition for the position of head of the academy—Nobuhiko.

At the same time, he understood where the dojo's rough and unrestrained fighting style came from.

Nobuhiko is the eldest disciple of A-Si, the head of the Azure Dojo. A-Si is the prized student of Aya's father, making him Aya's senior brother.

This lineage's fighting style is very unconventional, so unconventional that Bebe can defeat Mighty.

Nobuhiko suppressed his anger and pointed to the needle tube in the box: "Asheng, have you forgotten what I told you when you first joined the sect?"

"Drugs are evil and crooked methods, and artificially matured muscles are dead muscles; they will only harm you."

"Master...I was wrong..."

Ah Sheng lowered his head and looked down, his head almost touching the floor.

"You don't know you were wrong, you've just been exposed."

Shin-hiko's gaze was sharp as he swept over the disciples around him and emphasized, "I reiterate, anyone who dares to engage in heretical practices will be expelled from the dojo without exception."

"Yes!"

The disciples agreed.

His disciples' reaction made Nobuhiko suppress his anger. He sighed, "I am about to go to Mount Leibo for training. How can I be at ease with you all acting like this?"

The disciples looked at each other, speechless.

"Never mind, Asheng, get up."

Nobuhiko rubbed his temples. "I'll let you off this time since it's your first offense, but you're not allowed to use it again."

"Thank you, master!"

Asheng was overjoyed.

Nobuhiko sighed inwardly, realizing that the bond between master and disciple, formed over several years, could not be easily broken.

"By the way, who ever sent fried chicken to my monkey monster?"

"It not only ate it all itself, but it also dared to share it with the strong ones. I've already put it in solitary confinement."

"You're not allowed to send them anymore."

Nobuhiko waved his hand, signaling the meeting to adjourn.

After receiving the instruction to "go do what you were supposed to do," everyone scattered.

Quanshu and Ache emerged from behind the crowd.

"Who are these two?"

The doorman quickly said, "They are today's visitors."

"I see."

Nobuhiko clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I'm sorry, I've made you two laugh at me."

"nothing."

Quanshu returned the greeting and asked, "Master Xinyan, is the fried chicken your monkey monster brought back packaged from the Farfetch'd Duck Fried Chicken shop?"

Nobuhiko's expression changed.

After subduing the monkey monster, he knew how unruly it was, but also that it was kind at heart.

He never imagined that the monkey monster might steal food, so when he saw the fried chicken, he subconsciously assumed it was a gift from his disciple.

Now two people who look like employees of the fried chicken shop have come to the door. Could it be that the monkey monster really did something wrong outside?

"It is indeed the packaging of the scallion duck shop."

Nobuhiko said with a heavy heart, "I am the trainer of Mankey. If it causes trouble outside, I will not shirk my responsibility."

Seeing his grief-stricken expression, Quanshu realized that Xinyan had misunderstood.

"Ache, get the camera."

In his memory, Nobuhiko was an upright and responsible fighter, and Izumi generously laid out the evidence for him to see.

The scene of exchanging money and goods in the photo infuriated Nobuhiko.

As a dojo owner, trading one's own Pokémon with thieves is an intolerable act.

This would severely damage the reputation of the "King of Karate" dojo.

"Don't be angry, Master. The monkey monster took the medicine to treat the cunning little fox who had a fever. It was out of good intentions."

"If it were truly out of good intentions, it shouldn't have been greedy for that little bit of food."

After hearing Izumi's explanation, Nobuhiko's anger subsided slightly.

He felt a little scared.

If the monkey monster continues its ambiguous dealings with the fox thief, similar photos may be taken.

People with ulterior motives smeared him, falsely claiming that the notorious fox thief was backed by a martial arts dojo.

It's hard to say whether the temple will be implicated, but his reputation will definitely be affected.

Nobuhiko wasn't so worried about his own reputation after being defeated by Naz, but it was his mentor, Asi, who was in trouble.

"Thank you very much. I will keep the monkey in solitary confinement for the next few days."

Nobuhiko was genuinely grateful for Izumi's reminder, but he also knew that the other party's elaborate investigation was definitely not aimed at helping the dojo that had no connection with him.

"What do you plan to do with that gang of notorious fox thieves?"

He astutely discerned Quanshu's intentions.

Quanshu said seriously, "I would like to invite them to join the Tingxiang Film Club."

Does it mean to incorporate or recruit?

Nobuhiko pondered that if this group of foxes continued to stay here, they might be taken advantage of.

"Let me help you."

"If the fox bandits don't want to deal with you, it won't be easy to stop them in the alley."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Born a Fox

Nobuhiko offered to help?

Quanshu couldn't think of a reason to refuse.

"Then trouble you."

"It's not troublesome at all."

Nobuhiko frankly stated, "Letting the fox thieves leave is also a good thing for me."

"In that case, we should not delay."

Quanshu pondered for a moment. The intelligence indicated that the alley was a brief stop for the Fox Thief.

In the past, they were known for their mobile crime-solving style, but this time they stopped near the scallion duck fried chicken shop, probably to take care of their sick companion.

Nobuhiko left without a word, becoming a hands-off manager.

After planning to go to Mount Leibo for training, he intended to let his eldest disciple, Fanxiong, take over the management of the dojo, and now the results are beginning to show.

On the way back to the Fox Thief's hideout, Izumi shared the information obtained by the Mongoose Detective Agency.

"These Pokémon, which make a living by stealing and live in the city, are very hostile to domesticated Pokémon."

"In their eyes, the trainer's Pokémon are weapons and represent danger, and the Fox Thieves are no exception."

"The fox thief will flee quickly if he encounters a human with a Pokémon. To show my sincerity, I will have Eevee wait outside."

At the alley entrance, a picture book was tucked between the branches of a spring tree.

Nobuhiko said, "It's dangerous to come into contact with the fox thief without bringing any spirits with you. I'll go in with you."

"Then Ibu and I will wait for you outside."

Hearing that there was danger, A-Che backed down. He was a genius photographer, not a genius trainer.

"That's fine, too many people will easily cause the Fox Thief to misunderstand."

Quanshu followed the route he remembered and went deeper into the forest.

Fortunately, the great fox thief was still in the same place, but there were two more cunning little foxes around him.

Perhaps Little Fox was still outside and hadn't returned by noon.

"Whoosh?"

The undisguised footsteps alerted the cunning foxes, and their sly yellow eyes fixed on the two uninvited guests.

"Fox Thief, let's talk."

Quanshu opened his arms to indicate that he meant no harm.

The fox thief looked down at the two humans below from his high vantage point.

One of them posed no threat whatsoever, while the other, despite not smelling of a Poké Ball, made it sense danger for the first time in a long time.

"Even if stealing can satisfy your hunger for a while, it is never a long-term solution. Is being homeless and wandering really the life you want?"