Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Xi Ziyi's voice rang out from behind, and at that moment, Hei Lian saw his interviewer.

"Yo! You've come."

The new champion's voice echoed, both lonely and powerful, across the wide, rocky field—

"You've finally arrived! I've been collecting Pokédex entries while searching for the perfect Pokémon! I've found valuable Pokémon of various types and combined them into a single Pokémon team! And now, I stand at the top of the Pokémon League! Do you know what that means?"

Regardless of the content of the words, the voice that uttered them sounded strangely familiar.

"...Alright! Let me tell you! I, this young lady, am the strongest in the world! Stronger than anyone else!"

Before him stood his childhood playmate, a girl from Deer Town, Miss Douzi, who had recently been causing a stir in the United Film Industry. She sat with her legs crossed, swaggering on the champion's throne at the far end of the room, holding a fruit platter provided by the Alliance, and brazenly delivering her declaration of war to him.

"Haha, I saw your name on the list a long time ago, Black Lian. How about it? Doesn't it feel especially warm to run into your childhood friend here? I know your fighting level better than anyone else, Black Lian. Don't worry, even if I beat you to a pulp again this time, I'll still put in a good word for you with the league and help you pass this test."

Seeing the familiar figure of the girl with the high ponytail, Kuroren habitually pushed up his glasses, which were no longer there.

"Although there are many things I want to ask, the problem becomes simpler since the opponent is you."

There's no need to choose whether or not to use appropriate tactics, no need to agonize over how to showcase your full strength, and no need to think about how you should act to behave like a qualified gym leader.

If the opponent is Touko, then all I need to do is defeat her.

Defeat that guy with all your might, leaving no room for retreat!

"Hmph." The girl on the throne revealed her usual carefree smile. "Hei Lian, you're still the same as ever. Could it be that the problem has become simple because it wasn't that complicated in the first place?"

The red light of the Poké Ball flashed, and a four-legged blue sea monster appeared in the center of the battlefield. Its beige spear-like spikes were raised high in front of its forehead, like the sword blade raised by a duelist—it was the Greatsword Ghost that Douzi claimed to be the best in the entire league.

Showing off the battle spirits first is the advantage of a strong player.

"Mr. Khaki, I'm sorry, but this match test will have to be conducted according to the six-on-six rule."

So the supervisor's name is Khaki...

Blackie didn't object to the temporarily changed rules, but instead looked at his childhood friend with sarcasm: "What? Are you worried that you won't be able to beat me if you don't have enough Pokémon to fight?"

Whenever Hei Lian faces off against his childhood friend of over ten years, they inevitably find themselves bickering.

Douzi retorted, "After all, some people are unwilling to admit defeat and will end up crying. It's better to let him unleash his full potential."

The determined young woman adjusted the angle of her baseball cap and slowly rose from her champion's throne.

"Miss Touko, you have another scheduled match later. If it's an all-out battle, you might not have enough time."

Supervisor Kachi looked extremely troubled, rapidly tapping his fingers on the instant messaging device, seemingly trying to adjust his schedule.

"It's alright, it won't take long to deal with this defeated opponent. If there's really no time, just let them wait a bit." Douzi waved his hand dismissively, seemingly quite the champion.

The black-haired youth nodded in tacit agreement, and with a standard flick of his wrist, he launched the Poké Ball into the air.

"It won't take long indeed. Let's go! Mongoose Slash!"

.

Following the advice of two reporters from the Hoenn region, Blacklink found this Normal-type Pokémon among the Pokémon stored at the Julius Research Institute.

The reason for capturing this Pokémon in the first place was to assist Professor Juniper's Pokémon ecology research. However, because Zangoose's personality was too ferocious, Blackie did not take it with him on his journey.

After his trip ended, in order to prepare for obtaining the qualification of Gym Leader, Blacklink stayed at Professor Julius's laboratory for a long time, learning about various Pokémon while also taking the opportunity to build a good relationship with this Zangoose.

Now is the time for this bond to blossom and bear fruit!

There were no referees on site; the battle began the moment both Pokémon entered the arena.

The large white cat with red markings extended its sharp claws and, as soon as it landed, pounced straight at the greatsword demon in front of it!

A purple light flashed briefly among its fur.

"Something's wrong! Greatsword Demon, 'Protect'!"

Only the girl with exceptionally keen intuition loudly reminded her partner.

Before she could finish speaking, the Mongoose Slash suddenly accelerated, transforming into a white lightning bolt that slammed into the Greatsword Demon's shell armor.

Thud! Sizzle sizzle sizzle...

A massive sonic boom erupted, and the Greatsword retreated several meters while maintaining its defensive stance. Its two hind legs, used for support, plowed two deep furrows into the rocky ground—at the critical moment, it heard its trainer's command and used the move "Protect" to block the attack.

"That speed and power... how did that mongoose slash even happen?"

Douzi's expression turned serious, and he sharply observed his opponent.

"In the distant Hoenn region, Zangoose and the Seviper family have been enemies for generations. To resist the latter's venom, some Zangoose have mastered the 'Immunity' ability, which helps them avoid the harm of poison in battle. A very small minority of Zangoose, however, possess another ability!"

As Hei Lian lectured, he shortly called out the names of various body parts, precisely directing the Mongoose Slash to attack the Greatsword Demon's various weak points.

For a time, Douzi's water-based partner was caught in a predicament where he was struggling to cope.

"That's 'Poison Boost'! Rivals can be defeated! Pokémon with this ability gain a 50% attack power increase when poisoned or severely poisoned. Combined with the Zangoose's STAB move 'Quick Attack,' you can unleash a barrage of overwhelming, instant-cast attacks!"

"I see." The girl suddenly understood—

"Was that purple hue at the beginning a poison orb that was deliberately placed there to poison the Mongoose Slash? Using such a self-destructive tactic, no wonder you said this battle wouldn't last long."

That's not what I meant.

The young man, aspiring to become the dojo leader, clenched his fist and thrust it forward, forcefully uttering the name of his next move to his formidable rival with the high ponytail—

"Hold on!"

Normal attacks are doubly powerful when the user is in a state of burn, paralysis, or poisoning!

As if going into a frenzy, the Zangoose Slash, shrouded in poisonous mist, seized the moment when the Greatsword Demon used "Protect" and launched a desperate, last-ditch attack!

"let's go!"

Bathed in the poisonous blood of their nemesis, Black Company launches a revenge attack on their former rival.

Chapter 326 The Poison Cycle – Infection

Before setting off for the Alliance headquarters, Douzi asked the senior Azure, who had far more life experience than her, this question:

"Sister Blue, what kind of lines do those champion substitutes who temporarily fill in for trainers usually say when they face a challenger?"

"How would I know? I've never been a champion."

"But Sister Xiaolan, don't you know a lot of champions? When those people sit on their thrones to welcome challengers, they can't possibly not say a single appropriate word, can they?"

"...That's not necessarily true." The senior looked somewhat troubled.

Finally, unable to resist her junior's repeated requests, the chestnut-haired girl managed to recall the entrance lines of a childhood friend who had faced a similar situation.

Douzi really liked these arrogant lines that had the feel of a final boss in a game, so she memorized them completely in no time.

However, unlike the original owner of this line, the girl is not a "proxy champion" with the true qualifications of the league's top champion, but a "champion proxy" hired by a detective who has no actual combat ability.

The difference in word order represents a difference in nature.

The champion is the rightful champion, while the champion's agent is just an ordinary agent responsible for handling miscellaneous matters that are beyond the champion's reach.

It's truly remarkable that Hugo could play word games to such an extent, digging up similar regulations from the archives of Pokémon Leagues around the world, blurring the concepts with a mix of persuasion and coercion, so that the Unova League's top brass reluctantly accepted his proposal.

Logically, the acting position should have been filled by Azure, a more powerful and experienced trainer. However, considering factors such as the sensitivity of their identities, Hugo ultimately decided to appoint Douzi, a native Unova trainer, as the acting representative.

After all, unlike Bilan, who is doing legitimate detective work, Douzi, who claims to be involved in the film and television industry, is idle all day long. Rather than having her run around participating in amateur competitions, it would be better to take a large portion of the league champion's salary and have her stay at the league headquarters to welcome challengers from all directions.

She, as a "prize hunter," also has a certain reputation in the Unova battle arena, so having her as the champion's representative would actually be more convincing. Moreover, among the two girls, Touko is relatively easier to bribe.

As for combat ability, the gap between her and Azure is not that insurmountable.

In fact, because most of his early solo films were not very successful at the box office, Touko was always traveling to various cities in the Unova League to participate in Pokémon battle tournaments with high prize money in order to raise funds for filming.

Compared to the league's regular season, such tournaments often have a more compact schedule and are more intense. As a result, Douzi's main team has undergone a rigorous and arduous training process, making them exceptionally resilient and capable of sustained combat.

In terms of individual trainer abilities, compared to Azure, who unknowingly climbed to the top in pursuit of monsters, this girl who relies on intuition has mastered more skills in maintaining her mindset and seizing opportunities in evenly matched battles. Apart from lacking experience in battling truly top-tier opponents, she is almost flawless.

Therefore, during the time after completing their Pokédex collection journey, compared to Blacklink, who was learning various skills and attending various training sessions in order to become a Gym Leader, Fighting was the one who accumulated more practical experience.

It's impossible to fall behind in a reunion battle with your childhood friend... That should be the theory.

However, in just their first encounter with Hei Lian, Douzi sensed something ominous.

The Mongoose Slash was indeed powerful against the Greatsword Demon's "hard-hitting" attack, but it was still withstood by the latter, who was fully prepared to defend.

When its health is low, the Greatsword Demon, which excels at defense and counterattacks, activates its "Torrent" ability. Two longsword-like foot blades emerge from its forepaw armor and unleash two powerful "Shell Blades" as it passes by its opponent.

Having suffered a fatal slash, the already poisonous Mongoose Slash managed to hold on for a moment after landing, but finally succumbed to exhaustion and fainted.

However, just as the Mongoose Slash fell to the ground, that ominous purple light simultaneously appeared on the Greatsword Demon's body.

It's a "throwing" move!

Douzi immediately realized what had just happened. In the brief moment between her water-type partner releasing two "shell blades", Zangoose Slash took advantage of everyone's blind spot and "threw" the poisonous orb she was carrying, infecting the Greatsword Demon with the deadly toxin.

Is this the tactic that Black Company prepared in advance to deal with the champion?

"I see. So the items you carry are leftovers? You hide dried and crushed tree fruits in the gaps of the Greatsword Demon's armor, and you lick and eat them while sharpening your sword to slowly restore your strength... Touko, you've become even more cunning than before."

A childhood friend retrieved the fallen Zangoose into its Poké Ball, keenly noticing something amiss in the Samurai's subconscious movements after being injured.

"Pokémon battles are not just about moves and types, but also about abilities and tactics... This is the lesson you taught me in the past, right? I've learned a lot from you, Blackie."

The girl also recalled the Greatsword, which was suffering from severe poison damage, back into its Poké Ball. Its stamina was already low, and even if it managed to stay on the field, it would be difficult for it to pose much of a threat to the Pokémon that Blacklink would field next.

In this round of combat, she seemed to have a slight advantage, but in reality, Samurai was already one of the top-ranked Pokémon in her team. Yet, she was almost traded one-for-one by Blacklist using a newly tamed Zangoose, whose stamina and combat strength were significantly inferior to hers. This meant that future battles would only be more difficult than the current one.

Moreover, Douzi's team composition has remained largely unchanged since the beginning, and as her old rival, Heilian knows her inside and out, while she has absolutely no idea what kind of Pokémon her childhood friend is carrying today...

Lost in thought, my childhood friend, who had already taken off his glasses and seemed more mature than before, raised his fingertips with a spirited air—

"Since you've learned so much from my past self, then I'll teach you another lesson today!"

Ignoring Douzi's next lineup, Hei Lian confidently and decisively sent out his second Pokémon.

This lesson is called—

A huge, dark blue rock appeared in the center of the site, with sharp, orange crystalline stones standing up like steep, axe-cut peaks.

"Weather and venue!"

As if in response to the black-haired youth's voice, a yellowish-brown dust began to rise and spread across the rocky ground.

During a sandstorm, Rock-type Pokémon gain approximately 50% more Special Defense. All other Pokémon on the field except those of the Rock, Ground, or Steel types will take constant damage during this weather.

"Hmph, I see. So that's the purpose of sending out Pokémon first?"

Douzi's eyes flashed, and then she snorted coldly as a green figure floated out from beside her.

The sharp "Stealth Rock" revealed its true form amidst the sandstorm, but was ignored and bounced away by this Pokémon whose entire body was wrapped in blue cell membranes.

With the "Magic Guard" ability, it can only be damaged by direct attacks from the opponent. Furthermore, neither sandstorms nor hidden reefs on the field will reduce its stamina in the slightest.

"The artificial cell egg, after all these years it has finally evolved," Hei Lian sighed with some emotion.

"Your giant rock monster is an old rival of ours, isn't it? It's time for it to take a break! Artificial cell egg, 'Energy Ball'!"

The moment Douzi gave the order, Hei Lian switched the Pokémon in his hand, and a Normal-type Buffalo with a headshot took the stage. The Buffalo was hit squarely by the Grass-type attack from the artificial cell egg, but was completely unharmed.

Instead, the headbutt Pokémon opened its mouth wide and bit off the Grass-type energy that burst out from the shattered Energy Ball, swallowing it whole.

The "Herbivore" ability. When the user is attacked by a Grass-type move, they will not take damage, but their Attack will be increased instead.

Is it another Normal-type Pokémon that he hasn't used before?

"Ha, Blackie, do you want to succeed Aloe Vera as the leader of the Normal-type Gym?"

Under the glare of the buffalo with its bulging head, Douzi jokingly adjusted his hat, using the action to secretly wipe the sweat from his forehead.

This childhood sweetheart is really too difficult to deal with.

.

Ultimately, the entire match lasted an hour longer than scheduled. As the champion's representative, Miss Touko, with an extremely narrow advantage, relied on her partners' slightly higher training level than Blackman to barely win the Gym Leader's assessment battle and uphold the dignity of the Unova Champion.

When Douzi finally arrived at the chief reception room of the Alliance headquarters, as scheduled, it was already afternoon.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little late due to some reasons."

The girl, dragging her childhood friend who looked helpless, and Mr. Khaki, who was acting as the supervisor, swaggered into the waiting room where the guests had been waiting for a long time, waving and greeting the neglected visitors.

It was a blond young man wearing glasses. He was dressed in a white lab coat, and his striking hairstyle featured a strand of blue-streaked hair that was wrapped around the back of his head, like a satellite ring orbiting a planet.

At this moment, the visitor had his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.

In front of him was a piece of draft paper with something written on it. He had drunk half of the coffee provided by the alliance staff and was now propping his head up with his hand, sitting back in the armchair of the reception room, ignoring the three people who came into the room.