I caught a Pokémon

It has to be said that Feng Lu also showed a bit of the style and indomitable spirit that Xia You had shown when he was a trainer.

This performance finally changed Xia You's impression of her slightly.

But willpower alone is not enough.

In the final battle, Furu released her last Pokémon—Swan Dance.

This is undoubtedly one of Fenglu's main lineups.

Even so, when facing Greninja in its prime, despite Kazero's desperate attempts to turn the tide and her own excellent condition, she still failed.

This was yet another crushing defeat in terms of strength.

In this battle, Xia You demonstrated another ability of Greninja, a signature move of most Water-type Pokémon—mid-to-long-range Water-type attacks.

This time, Greninja transformed into a mobile artillery platform, launching a frenzied attack on Swane. Swane, clearly unable to break through this barrage of fire, was defeated by Greninja.

One kills three.

And it was a one-versus-three victory without any suspense.

With just one Greninja, Xia You not only shattered Feng Lu's unrealistic belief in battle, but also made her realize that her observations and preconceived notions could be wrong.

Xia You didn't know whether Feng Lu would continue to use the virtual battle to simulate battles with others after this battle, but what was certain was that the result of the virtual battle was no longer 100% accurate in Feng Lu's mind.

Chapter 1351 The Whole Story

Amidst the awe-inspiring gazes of the crowd, Xia You took out a Poké Ball and recalled Greninja.

The old man who was acting as the referee cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Swan Dancer is unable to fight. Therefore, the winner of this gym challenge is the challenger!"

After a brief silence, the audience erupted in enthusiastic discussions filled with amazement and disbelief.

"One against three! It really was one against three!"

"That black Pokémon is too strong!? I didn't even see that clone assassination move clearly!"

"Fenglu's three main forces... were all defeated just like that? The Sky Battle was completely useless!"

"Is this what a true battle between strong individuals looks like? It feels completely different from what we usually see..."

The young trainers looked at Xia You with awe, curiosity, and a hint of longing, but what they all had in common was their heartfelt admiration.

Today's long-awaited "special real battle" undoubtedly opened the door to a new world for them, letting them see what a truly high-level battle is like. Of course, it also made them realize that Feng Lu's imagined battles... were not entirely accurate.

At least... when facing such a strong opponent.

On the other side of the field, Feng Lu also silently withdrew the Swans Dance, which had lost its ability to fight.

She stood there, head down, staring at the Poké Ball in her hand, motionless for a long time.

The bitterness of failure, the bewilderment of having her dreams shattered, and the reflection on her own and her Pokémon's abilities—all these emotions intertwined within her.

However, she is ultimately a passionate and positive person.

A moment later, she raised her head, the complex expression on her face had subsided, replaced by a mixture of loss, realization, and renewed determination.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped towards Xia You on the other side.

The surrounding chatter gradually subsided, and everyone focused their attention on the two people approaching each other in the center of the room.

Feng Lu stopped in front of Xia You, tilted her head slightly, and looked at the man who was a little taller than her, with a handsome face and a calm expression.

She didn't shy away, her gaze was frank, but her voice was much calmer than before, less lively and more composed: "I lost this dojo battle, and I... I accept the defeat wholeheartedly."

She paused for a moment, then continued, “Your Greninja is really strong. It made me realize my limitations and… arrogance. I always thought that my experience and observations, which I had built up into ‘fantasies,’ would be enough to handle all challenges and efficiently fulfill my duties as a gym leader. But today’s battle proved me wrong. Pokémon battles are full of infinite possibilities and variables. Every Pokémon is a unique individual with potential and tactics that transcend the Pokédex data and conventional knowledge. They cannot be generalized. Not to mention… every trainer’s fighting style and characteristics are different. I hadn’t considered these things at all before, which is why I suffered such a crushing defeat today.”

The fact that Feng Lu could say such things after the match proves that she has surpassed 50% of the gym leaders.

After all, there are many people who remain stubborn and unrepentant even after being defeated.

But at least Fenglu isn't that kind of person.

This changed Xia You's impression of her once again.

As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Lu looked at the Poké Ball in her hand, her eyes softening and becoming firm: "I understand what you mean. Don't worry, from today onwards, I will re-examine my approach and will no longer use imagined battles to replace fighting alongside Pokémon. Instead, I will take every challenger seriously."

After saying that, she reached into her pocket and pulled it out, revealing a badge that looked like a green feather, which she then handed to Xia You.

"This is my jetpack badge, proof that I defeated you. Please accept it."

Xia You never expected that just one battle would actually bring her back on track.

He nodded, took the badge, and casually put it into his badge collection box.

"Then let's look forward to seeing you and your Pokémon fly higher and farther in the real sky when we meet again."

After giving a polite but perfunctory reply, Xia You stopped talking and turned to walk directly towards the venue exit.

Watching his departing figure, Feng Lu clenched her fists, her eyes filled with even greater determination.

She wanted to ask Xia You's name to find out who this powerful trainer was, but as her defeated opponent, she felt a little embarrassed.

Especially after just losing the game.

Amidst her complex emotions, Xia You had already left the dojo's gate and entered the courtyard.

Just as I was about to follow the road I came from back to the main street of the city, I hadn't gone far when a slightly aged but strong voice came from behind me.

"Sir, please wait a moment."

Hearing this voice, Xia You wasn't too surprised. She simply stopped and turned around to look.

The old man who had just acted as referee was leaving the dojo and walking towards him.

Looking at his face again, there was a warm and grateful smile.

"Is there something you need?" Xia You asked calmly.

Even if the old man hadn't said anything, he had already guessed a bit of it.

Sure enough, when the old man walked up to Xia You, he took the initiative to extend his hand and shake hands with Xia You.

"Sir, I am the former headmaster of this Fuyu Dojo and also the grandfather of that child, Fuyu. Thank you so much for today."

“I think you’ve misunderstood.” Xia You shook her head gently. “I did this not for Feng Lu’s sake, but simply because I wanted to challenge this gym myself. After all, I don’t want to be easily judged as a loser by such a hypothetical battle, thus wasting my Pokémon’s efforts.”

That's actually a bit inhumane.

But when he thought of Feng Lu, the old man sighed helplessly, a look of reminiscence appearing in his eyes: "Actually, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on her. Feng Lu has loved the sky and flying since she was a child, but because of my age, I can no longer run this dojo, so I had to hand over the work to her. However, the daily operation of the dojo and the endless stream of challengers every day took up too much of her time. Therefore, in order to deal with challenges efficiently and at the same time squeeze out time to do the free flight she loves, she slowly figured out the method of 'fantasy battle'."

At this point, he gave a wry smile: "Initially, it was just an aid for quick screening and guidance, but over time, she seemed to become more and more dependent on this method and did less and less real combat training. I advised her several times, but she always said that this could help more trainers save time and give her more time to fly. Because I felt sorry for her, and I knew that she was kind-hearted, but her methods had gone astray, coupled with her physical condition, I couldn't personally demonstrate and correct her like before, so..."

He snapped out of his reverie and looked at Xia You gratefully: "...So, I really want to thank you. You shattered her illusions with an undisputed victory and a spectacular real battle, making her truly see where her problems lay. I can see that although she was hit hard by this battle, she was more awakened and rekindled her fighting spirit. This is a great thing for her future growth and for the inheritance of our Chuiji Dojo!"

After listening, Xia You understood.

So that's the reason behind it.

Fenglu was not irresponsible; on the contrary, he was too eager to balance his responsibilities to the dojo with his love of flying, which led him down a shortcut that seemed efficient but was actually misguided.

The former owner's physical condition also limited his ability to guide others.

"I see." Xia You nodded, indicating her understanding. "Aside from work, everyone does have their own hobbies and interests, which is fine as long as you maintain a balance. You just heard it, and I believe that after this, Feng Lu, just as she said herself, will definitely be able to get the dojo's work back to normal. Isn't that what you've been hoping for?"

Chapter 1352 It's Time to Settle Things with Zhu Lan

After leaving the Fuyu Gym, Xia You returned to the Pokémon Center along the same route.

The warm afternoon sun felt even warmer on my skin than when I was indoors.

This time, I didn't waste too much time, and the progress was surprisingly smooth. I wonder how Yami, Hikari, and Makomo's things were going this morning.

Hmm... But thinking about it, everything must be proceeding in an orderly manner.

Lost in thought, he walked slowly down the street with his head slightly lowered.

The streets of Fukiyoshi are clean and wide, with few pedestrians, and carry the fresh air unique to the mountain forest.

I had just crossed an intersection and was about to continue forward when suddenly, two pairs of exquisite women's shoes appeared in my line of sight, blocking my way.

One pair was a pair of sleek black high-heeled women's leather shoes, paired with well-tailored black trousers; the other pair was a pair of soft, off-white flat shoes, paired with a flowing pink and white long skirt.

Xia You didn't pay much attention at first, thinking that a passerby was just blocking the way. Following the principle of ladies first, he didn't even look up and naturally moved a step to his left to make way.

However, the two pairs of legs then moved a step to the left, still firmly blocking his way.

Ok?

Xia You was slightly taken aback, and then tried to move aside to the right.

However, the opponent also moved to the right at the same time, blocking the way again!

Once might be a coincidence, but twice...

This is a bit interesting.

Xia You stopped in his tracks, feeling both amused and curious. He also wanted to know who would deliberately block his way in this unfamiliar city of Chuiji.

Are you looking for trouble?

Or does it mean something else?

Thinking this, he slowly raised his head.

What came into view were two familiar, yet beautiful faces with different expressions at this moment.

First, there's the one on the left. She has blonde hair, a beautiful face, and an outstanding temperament. At this moment, she has her arms crossed, and her gray-brown eyes are slightly narrowed. She is looking at me with a scrutinizing, dissatisfied, and... a hint of complex emotions that are hard to detect.

It was none other than Zhu Lan!

Looking at the woman on the right, she also has blonde hair, and her face is no less beautiful than Zhu Lan's. She also has a pure and noble temperament and is wearing a dress. It is none other than Cattleya!

How could it be them?!

Xia You blinked, puzzled, but quickly regained her composure, her expression remaining unchanged. Her gaze swept rapidly across the two faces, and then…

As if he didn't recognize them, he took another step with a normal expression, trying to squeeze through the gap between the two of them.

"Hey!" Zhu Lan's voice was clearly annoyed. "Do you think we're invisible?"

Cattleya frowned slightly and said softly but clearly, "Mr. Xia You, this is... not very polite."

Xia You stopped helplessly, turned around, and then showed a "sudden realization" expression on her face. Her tone was so flat that it was almost perfunctory: "Oh, it's you guys. What a coincidence, you're also in Chuiji City?"

"What a coincidence!" Zhu Lan released her grip, but her anger had clearly intensified. "We came here specifically to find you!"

"Looking for me?" Xia You raised an eyebrow. "What's up? If it's about gym challenges or watching the Grand Contest, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I just finished my match, and Hikari's match is the day after tomorrow."

"Stop playing dumb with me!" Zhu Lan stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Xia You, her voice low but still full of accusation, "Tell me, what exactly is going on between you and Karuno?!"

Karuno?

Is this what they came for?

The news spread so fast?

Or……

He remained expressionless: "What? What's going on? I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Stop pretending!"

Zhu Lan's chest heaved slightly with anger. She pulled out the latest issue of an entertainment weekly from her delicate purse. The cover featured a large photo of Xia You and Karuna having dinner together at a restaurant, chatting happily. The headline was even more sensational: "Breaking News! Queen Kalos Secretly Falls in Love with a Super Trainer!"

"It's written very clearly here! And Xiaoyu told us everything! I'm afraid everyone in the world who follows the entertainment industry knows about it now!"

Xia You took the weekly magazine, glanced through it casually, and could tell that the photos were indeed ambiguous, the angles were tricky, and the text was extremely embellished.

He closed the magazine and shrugged: "It's just entertainment gossip. You guys take it seriously? Isn't this kind of thing common? It's something we see all the time. It was just a meeting between friends, but those unscrupulous reporters hyped it up and made it known throughout the city."

“There’s no smoke without fire!” Zhu Lan clearly didn’t believe his explanation, her gaze sharp. “Who is Karuno? Would she casually have dinner alone with a man and get photographed? And didn’t you two leave her house one after the other the next day…”

"Enough." Before Zhu Lan could finish speaking, Xia You interrupted her directly. His tone remained calm, but his gaze deepened. He looked at Zhu Lan's cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement, and his voice carried a hint of impatience, "This has already happened, what's the point of bringing it up now?"

It has to be said that Xia You's current tone is quite like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water, and he seems like a complete scumbag.

It's as if it's saying, "What can you do to me?"

"Don't you have anything to explain?" Seeing his expression, Zhu Lan was furious and couldn't help but widen her eyes.

"Explain?" Xia You's lips curled into a half-smile, her gaze lingering on Zhu Lan's face. "Why should I explain to you? What...in what capacity do you have to question me like this?"

"I……"