Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Seeing this, Miss Champion shook her head helplessly: "These two shouldn't be the founders of Haige Pharmaceuticals, right? It seems I might have to go through this kind of greeting again today."

Officer Jenny shrugged: "I think the main problem is the eerie atmosphere of this mansion. Anyone who sees you, the Sinnoh champion, here would be quite surprised. The contrast is too great, like suddenly seeing a Relicanthus that should be diving deep into the ocean in the middle of the desert."

"..."

Zhu Lan clearly didn't appreciate the analogy and ignored Officer Jenny, while Mei Dan, sitting opposite her, couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Heh, sometimes fame produces some useless things, doesn't it?"

Before Double-Tailed Hand and Mighty could even put down their luggage, the woman had already come running down from the second floor, jumped in front of Professor Medan, and started lecturing him in a serious tone.

"Dad, you're talking nonsense again, all sarcastic and insincere! How many times have I told you not to add laughter before you speak? It makes you look like one of those low-class, idiotic villains on TV!"

The mansion owner's harsh expression froze on his face, becoming incredibly stiff. It took him a long time to manage a forced, stiff reply—

"Anyway...anyway, this is how I talk. It's been a habit for decades, and I can't change it now. Take it or leave it."

"Hey, get this straight. This is our Sinnoh's most famous Cynthia Champion! The strongest Pokémon battler! And a mythology scholar too!"

A woman, seemingly Mr. Meidan's daughter, stood with her hands on her hips, confronting the mansion's owner with an aggressive air. This made Zhu Lan, who had been praised, somewhat uneasy.

"Didn't you yourself say that mythological research is finally on the right track and that we should find people to exchange ideas with if we have the chance? Now that such a famous scholar has come to our house, you are still making sarcastic remarks to provoke him."

"Huh? We were just having a very friendly academic exchange, okay? It was you who ruined the atmosphere by coming here."

Mei Dan's face turned red as she continued to try her best to defend herself.

"Your atmosphere was so cold it felt like it was going to snow!" The woman in winter clothes waved her hands. "I can tell just by looking at it, Dad must have said something rude and stupid again!"

Officer Jenny gently shook her head, sensing a discrepancy between the mansion owner's perception of the world and her own. She wondered whether Medan's explanation was merely a momentary excuse or his true feelings. If it was the latter, she could only sigh that the retired professor was truly unsuitable for this kind of hypocritical and arrogant persona.

Zhu Lan, however, took the initiative to stand up and gracefully smoothed things over: "We were indeed discussing some issues with Mr. Mei Dan just now. Although it was a short time, we gained a lot. And your father really didn't do anything particularly offensive."

"Oh dear, don't try to speak well of the old man. I know what kind of person Dad is, but..."

“Venish!” Medan finally couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted at her daughter, taking advantage of the pause in her speech to retaliate—

"Speaking of a fruitful shopping trip, I see you came back with a lot of high-end brands. I wonder if your salary from the research institute this month will be enough?"

As if a sore spot had been hit, the short-haired woman instantly fell silent.

"Stay at home for more than half a month? Haha, why make it sound so nice to go home and sponge off your parents? You didn't even leave yourself any money for food this month, did you?"

Vinnie's face began to flush red, and even her attempts to defend herself became choked in her throat.

Officer Jenny clicked her tongue in amazement, utterly astonished. The rhythm of this offensive and defensive reversal was at least at the level of a league champion. If they didn't know each other inside and out, it would be impossible for them to put on such a wonderful banter.

She looked expectantly at the brown-haired youth who had just come down from the second floor and hadn't said a word yet, wondering if he was also a master.

The young man ignored the father and daughter who were exchanging glares and went straight to Zhu Lan, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.

“Bamboo... Bamboo Orchid Champion, my name is Neil, and I am Mr. Meidan’s research assistant.”

"Yes, hello, Neil."

Zhu Lan nodded simply. Just as people could recognize her instantly upon seeing her, she was also very familiar with Neil's current behavior.

Nervous, excited, and with eyes full of anticipation, his dominant hand unconsciously reached for the Poké Ball on his belt...

"Please battle me! I've always dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Trainer!"

"Tch, boring." Officer Jenny scoffed, regretting that a third master of verbal sparring hadn't appeared.

Chapter 268 The Sinnoh Champion's Guidance Battle

Passion is often the stage for disillusionment.

For those who harbor dreams, this world always seems a bit too cruel. Some dreams will never come true, and some storms will overwhelmingly destroy the budding of aspirations.

"Roserad, 'Grass Slide'."

The seemingly menacing monster had no time to dodge and was sent flying into the distant forest by a green light.

Zhu Lan did not refuse the challenge from her research assistant, Neil. Coincidentally, the forest in front of the Forest Mansion had been cleared into an open space, and the two began their coaching match on this overgrown ruin.

Officer Jenny and Venetian stood by the field, watching with interest as the two distanced themselves from each other on the forest ruins.

Inside, Professor Medan and Zina stood far behind the window, watching the game outside through the hazy window.

No one was to act as referee for this match, because the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

"Is the second Pokémon they sent out a Fang Cage? Well then, let's respond with a Grass-type move!"

Zhu Lan pointed to her subordinates and gave them instructions.

"Magic Leaf!"

The move, deliberately released a beat later, was launched first. The blue-glowing leaves were like sharp throwing knives, cutting through the opponent's "Grass Blender" which was released using the terrain advantage, and pushing the gaping-mouthed fang cage out of the arena.

Neil's enthusiastic expression became a little strained at this point, and after much hesitation, he finally decided on the third Pokémon to be sent out.

Cynthia was puzzled when she saw the Pokémon her opponent had sent out... Why was even the Snowcap Pokémon, which hadn't evolved yet, being sent out?

Moreover, the snow-hat monster showed an obviously unnatural nervous expression after releasing the ball, which indicates that Neil had only recently captured it.

The opponent's goal is probably to inflict some damage on Roseradore with a genuine priority move. Their intentions are all too obvious.

With a soft sigh, the Sinnoh Champion calmly directed Roserade, which danced among the branches and leaves—

“Roserede, Pin Missile.” Then she added quietly, “Be careful not to actually hit it…”

Neil, of course, completely missed his opponent's tacit instructions. Just as Cynthia had predicted, he frantically directed the Snow Hat Monster to launch a preemptive attack with "Ice Shards".

Unfortunately, if the opportunity to strike first is missed when the command is given, its speed advantage will be greatly reduced.

A small blizzard of "ice pebbles" finally blew out of the Snow Hat Monster's mouth, but it was instantly engulfed by a barrage of "firing missiles".

With a whoosh, four "Pin Missiles" flew past Snowcap Monster's snow-white hat, accompanied by a terrifying gust of wind. The "Ice Shards" that managed to pass through the barrage of projectiles completely missed Roseradore, which was standing still, and disappeared into the distant forest with a huge deviation.

The snow-hatted monster fainted from fright.

Cynthia's commands were concise and clear, but each move she executed inevitably sent one of Neil's Pokémon out of the arena.

After Snowcap, the opponent has sent out a new Pokémon. Seeing the Pokémon the opponent will send out next, the Sinnoh Champion became slightly more interested.

The purple, hot air balloon-like sprite waved its ribbons and used the "Fly" move amidst the air currents, soaring into the sky, which resembled the opening of a well surrounded by deep forests.

The move execution is decent, but the direction of the movements is too predictable...

Cynthia patiently waited for the opponent to make the first move, then calmly directed Roserade to retaliate.

"Use 'Cotton Spore' towards the sky."

Large fluffy clumps flew out from the red and blue bouquets, drifting into the air as Roseradore danced, and taking advantage of the wind, they entangled the wind-borne ball that flew high in the sky trying to avoid its opponent's attack.

Actually, when facing Neil's Windball, Cynthia originally had the intention of experimenting with the move.

After all, that was also the trump card that Fire-type Champion Bigleaf pulled out in the previous championship. Although it only hit thin air when it fought against him, it is still very necessary for the Sinnoh Champion, who must face challenges from all sides at all times, to store several tactical options in his mind.

However, it seems a bit too much to try out new moves in a match with such a significant skill gap.

"Cotton Spore" is merely a harassing move that significantly reduces the opponent's speed; it has no offensive capabilities. However, the opponent's Tayrule is simply too weak in Pokémon battles, unable to withstand even such a move.

After several unsuccessful attempts to dodge in the air, the wind-borne ball was completely wrapped in white cotton wool, losing its ability to continue "flying" and forced to make a miserable, headfirst landing outside the field.

"If you have any other Pokémon, send them out too. Hmm... it'll be good to test their teamwork."

The difference in strength between a Sinnoh champion and an amateur trainer, between a champion-level Pokémon and a Pokémon that has not undergone professional training, is simply too great.

Helpless, Zhu Lan made up an excuse and suggested this to Neil.

The research assistant, who dreamed of becoming a trainer, looked somewhat embarrassed. However, Neil wasn't surprised by the situation itself.

This is the strength of a champion. If he were to be easily overwhelmed by Pokémon trained by amateurs, it would seem unreal.

With this thought in mind, Neil finally calmed down a bit. He gritted his teeth and sent out the last two Pokémon he had.

It's an octopus bucket and a grass-bound noblewoman, the latter wearing a pink garbage raincoat.

"Octopus Bucket, use the 'Octopus Bucket Cannon'! Grass Lady, 'Raster Cannon'!"

"The momentum is not bad. However, this match should end here."

Facing the two imposing beams of light, Zhu Lan casually raised her hand, her long, radiant golden hair swaying behind her—

Roserade, "Falling Petals!"

As Zhu Lan gave the command, the felled trees around them trembled violently. Countless red, blue, and white petals burst forth from between the leaves, like a blizzard of petals, instantly shattering the attacks of the Octopus Bucket and the Grass Lady, and then launching an even more ferocious, indiscriminate physical attack in all directions.

Fragrant blossoms fall in disarray, a hundred flowers bloom in a dazzling display.

And so, the battle ended.

Without the need for a referee's ruling, everyone accepted the final result as a matter of course.

"Thank you for your guidance, Bamboo Orchid Champion."

Neil took the Poké Ball and retrieved his two Pokémon from the petals. They were actually not injured at all; they had just been knocked unconscious by the aura of the move.

The research assistant bowed deeply to Zhu Lan and sincerely remarked—

"Your Roserade is really powerful."

"Perhaps, but the power of Pokémon doesn't mean everything. The profession of trainer exists to prove this point."

“I will become stronger together with Mighty and the others!” Neil said confidently and resolutely.

"After battling you, Champion Cynthia, I finally understand the gap between myself and a true powerhouse. My abilities as a trainer still have many shortcomings, but now that I have a deep understanding of my own deficiencies, it will be much easier to make changes now that I have found the right direction."

Zhu Lan remained noncommittal, sensing that Neil still hadn't fully grasped her meaning.

The other party seems to be using a traditional, data-driven approach, separating Pokémon abilities and trainer skills into two separate areas of experience that need to be accumulated. They believe that as long as each is trained to the maximum level, one can naturally become a powerful Pokémon trainer...

Gently touching Roseredo's white, rose-like hair beside her, Cynthia was unsure what to do.

Actually, she wasn't entirely satisfied with Neil's performance in battles. This amateur trainer seemed to rely too much on Pokémon's abilities.

Despite having limited energy as a Pokémon trainer, he continued to capture Pokémon, which resulted in him being unable to train each Pokémon to its full potential and using all moves haltingly.

Neil's performance in battles also showed that he actually lacked an understanding of Pokémon knowledge. His understanding of battles was limited to type matchups and countering each move, and he never thought about combining Pokémon's characteristics, abilities, and held items to assist in battle.

More importantly, although he challenged Zhu Lan, he didn't really have much of a desire to win. Instead, it seemed more like he initiated the battle to experience a dignified defeat. No matter how many times such training matches are held, it will never lead to real improvement.

If Neil's ideas are allowed to continue to escalate, he might go down the wrong path of treating his partner Pokémon roughly in the future.

However, the research assistant in front of me isn't a Pokémon trainer in the strict sense, and his Pokémon don't need to participate in professional Pokémon battles. For researchers, the aforementioned issues might never arise in their daily lives. Therefore, even if Neil has some misconceptions about Pokémon training, at this moment, he should still choose to speak positively.

"Hmm... For an amateur trainer, your performance is not bad. You're probably good enough to pass two or three gym tests," Zhu Lan praised with practiced platitudes.

"It's easy to imagine that, in addition to your work as a research assistant, you must have devoted a great deal of time to capturing, raising, and training all sorts of Pokémon, which is remarkable. Your Pokémon have also responded to your feelings in battle, which I think is a very rare emotional bond."

The Sinnoh champion turned his back, intentionally or unintentionally striking a very enigmatic pose—

"All life encounters other life, and then something is born. Becoming a professional Pokémon trainer is not an easy path. Even if you can't become that kind of strong one, I hope you can cherish the fate of meeting your Pokémon partner."

Neil's assistant looked like he had learned a great deal, his face full of admiration.

It's unclear whether he, as Professor Mei Dan's research assistant, truly understood the implicit admonition in her words...

Chapter 269 For a Glorious Decline

"Champion Bamboo Orchid, that one-on-six match just now was absolutely amazing! Although I often see your matches on TV, watching it live up close is still the most breathtaking experience."

Just as she escaped the clutches of her research assistant Neil, Zhu Lan was immediately blocked at the door by the enthusiastic daughter of the curator.

"Especially Roserade's last move, I think it was called 'Falling Petals,' a Grass-type move? It was absolutely dazzling! Even the grand contests held in the city don't have such spectacular moves! Speaking of which, you also have a Milotic among your favorite Pokémon, right? Since your Pokémon are so skilled with flashy moves, why have you never participated in a grand contest as a Coordinator?"

"Well, I have actually attended as a guest a few times, but I am not very comfortable with that style of competition."

Cynthia used a Poké Ball to recall Roserade, then looked at the jubilant woman in front of her with a slight headache.

The search for the mansion in the forest this morning took longer than expected, and now, after this tutorial battle, it's already afternoon. She's a little worried about whether she can finish investigating the Forest Mansion today.

"How is that possible? With the strength of the Bamboo Orchid Champion, how could she not pass the Grand Contest selection?"

Miss Venetian stared wide-eyed with curiosity, seemingly completely unaware that she was standing between the Sinnoh champion and the mansion's gate.

After glancing at Officer Jenny, who was shrugging helplessly behind Winnie the Pooh, Zhu Lan sighed softly and patiently began to answer the questions.

"The Grand Contest is indeed a novel and interesting competitive mode. The fact that it has developed to the point where it can almost rival regular Pokémon battles shows its unique charm."

Looking up at the window of the Forest Mansion, the Sinnoh Champion noticed that Madonna and Zina, who had been watching the match, were no longer there. He then continued—

"If I prepare properly, I should be able to pass the selection process for the Grand Contests. Whether it's a solo performance or the later Grand Battles, it won't be a problem for me. The reason I don't do that is partly because, given my current status and strength, it would be too unfair for me to compete with ordinary Coordinators. And if I were to fight against those top Coordinators, even if I could quickly defeat them within the rules using my Pokémon's battle prowess, I wouldn't be able to maintain the aesthetics of my moves in the rush, and the final match presented to the audience wouldn't be very entertaining."