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Before long, the black dot on the horizon grew larger.
Aegislash and Incineroar had returned.
However, unlike their departure with empty paws, Incineroar came back holding a pile of seaweed and berries, dripping water the entire flight.
"What in the world..."
Li Xiang stood up, watching Incineroar stop before him, dumping the items on the ground with a thoroughly vexed expression, and Aegislash panting slightly beside it. He was somewhat confused by the scene.
"Roar."
Incineroar waved a paw, evaporating the moisture on its chest with a small flame, then slumped into a bamboo chair on the side.
According to its explanation, while flying over Misty Lake, they had been crashed into by a group of surfing Mantine and Mantyke.
Aegislash lost its grip and actually dropped Incineroar into the lake.
"Well, well."
Li Xiang looked at the self-pitying, seemingly traumatized Incineroar with an extremely teasing expression.
In early summer, Misty Lake's water wasn't cold, but it certainly wasn't warm either. For a Pokémon like Incineroar, falling into Misty Lake was absolutely not a pleasant experience.
It was a truly unexpected disaster—to go out for a flight and get knocked down by fish.
Of course, the Mantine hadn't forgotten to offer compensation. Hence the pile of wet, but fresh-looking, seaweed and berries on the ground.
The aquatic environment, much like land, was filled with various plants essential for Pokémon survival.
The variety was extensive.
"Look on the bright side, consider it swimming practice. It's not like you've never swum before, and you even brought back all this compensation." Li Xiang chuckled, patting Incineroar's shoulder.
The latter gave him a look of utter disbelief.
'Are you even human? Brother Incineroar is a Fire-type!'
"Hey, what's done is done. No point dwelling on it." Li Xiang ruffled the fur on Incineroar's face. "Be more easygoing!"
Despite its rugged appearance, Incineroar was actually quite petty. Even after evolving, it hadn't shed its inherently jealous nature.
Otherwise, how could it have mastered the move Burning Jealousy to such a perfected degree?
'Hardening! Hardening! Fists are hardening!'
'If you weren't my trainer—'
Incineroar glared resentfully at Li Xiang, its fists clenching and unclenching several times at the brink of action. Ultimately, this was the human it had watched grow up. It couldn't bring itself to strike.
It huffily began licking a paw.
Meanwhile, Aegislash, which had been ferrying the 200-plus-pound heavy tiger around, was resting atop a tree stump, its blade embedded within. From a distance, it truly resembled a sword in the stone.
Although prolonged high-speed flight consumed stamina, the clever Aegislash had already replenished it from Incineroar using Pain Split.
"Getting used to it? You have an extra shield now. What if it gets lost or stolen?"
Li Xiang examined the latch on Aegislash's back. This mechanism was rather amusing—in the anime, it had once gotten stuck because a wooden rod blocked it, preventing Aegislash's true body from sliding in fully.
And once stuck, it was deemed unable to switch to Shield Forme, allowing Pikachu to defeat it easily with Thunderbolt.
Sliding in meant Shield Forme; not sliding in meant Blade Forme.
Such a significant difference determined by a tiny latch obviously didn't align with the logic of Li Xiang's world.
But ultimately, Aegislash's formidable defense still relied on that round shield.
Therefore, when in Blade Forme but not sheathed, simply holding the shield in front and using King's Shield to block an opponent's attack could also be considered Shield Forme.
Correspondingly, when in Shield Forme, even if unsheathed and using an attacking move, it would still be considered as fighting in Blade Forme.
This was the concept governing Aegislash's stat changes in Li Xiang's world.
The difference lay in one being an external form change and the other being a triggered Ability.
The fundamental concepts didn't match.
Aegislash looked at Li Xiang, rose from the stump, and violently hurled its shield at a nearby target dummy.
Thud!
The round shield struck the target and abruptly rebounded, landing back in its grasp.
"Fling? No, you used spiritual energy to pull it back?"
Li Xiang stared blankly at the scene. The target dummy had impact absorption, so naturally, there couldn't be any rebounding force to make the shield bounce back.
Therefore, what just happened must have been Aegislash employing some method.
Without being able to use Psychic-type moves, it could only be one of two things.
Judging by its reaction, it was likely spiritual energy.
Being able to recall it was far more reasonable than having Li Xiang, the trainer, run over and retrieve it.
...
The best method to test strength remained actual combat.
Although the main team regulars and alternates were on break, that didn't much concern the reserve team members.
Those without the chance to compete as players would merely be sitting in the stands cheering others on.
Li Xiang could definitely find them.
Coincidentally, that fellow named Wei Xiang was drinking water by the training field, looking rather idle.
"Hey! How about a battle? Since you're free anyway. One-on-one."
Li Xiang smiled amiably, stopping Wei Xiang, who had seen him approaching and immediately prepared to leave.
Wei Xiang held his water bottle, his expression somewhat awkward. "Uh, I have a stomachache..."
"No problem, I'll wait for you to come back!"
Li Xiang waved magnanimously. "I'll wait right here! Hurry back!"
"...Alright."
Wei Xiang flushed, hesitated on the spot for a moment, set down the water bottle, and truly headed to the restroom.
Originally, his stomach didn't hurt, but seeing Li Xiang genuinely gave him a stomachache.
Nearby, other resting reserve team members all wore gloating smiles, whispering to each other on the sly.
"How many times is this now?"
"Thirty-two times just this month."
"How do you remember so clearly?"
"Twice a day; who needs to keep count? Wei Xiang is really pitiful. Why pick a fight with anyone else? Had to provoke this battle maniac."
"Losing every single time would shatter even a god's confidence, right?"
"Better you than me! Which of us doesn't lose more than we win against him? A couple days ago, Senior Ke won one round against him and went out for a victory banquet in the evening."
"Isn't that too exaggerated? Need to go that far? Just one win."
"First, look at his record. Less than thirty days since joining the school team, almost two hundred practice matches, won one hundred ninety-five. Do the math yourself!"
"...Holy crap."
Less than thirty days, nearly two hundred matches—averaging at least six a day, sometimes seven. And with that, a win rate over 97%.
'Are all his Pokémon stamina supermen? Don't they get tired Calculating like that, Wei Xiang really is so pitiful. Is this school bullying?'
The other reserve team members looked at Wei Xiang returning from the restroom, their eyes filled with pity.
After securing a suitable arena, both stood at their respective ends.
"Today is mainly because one of my Pokémon evolved and needs to get familiar through battle. Sorry for the trouble."
Li Xiang called out from afar. Practice matches had no referees. When to start and end was decided by the battling parties.
Wei Xiang nodded silently. Over half a month of devastation had made him completely give up on verbal confrontations with Li Xiang.
It was useless no matter what he said anyway. Just fight.
However...
A Pokémon evolved? Which one?
"In the school team, you have to report to the coach when a Pokémon evolves," he suddenly stated.
After saying it, he felt he might be a bit cheap. Had he developed some sort of Stockholm syndrome? Why remind Li Xiang?
Li Xiang: "Huh? Oh, got it. I'll go after the match. Thanks."
The practice match began accordingly.
Wei Xiang specialized in Water-type Pokémon. His ace was the Water/Dragon-type Kingdra. It was quite strong, not a dedicated weather setter but capable of setting up rain.
Combined with its Swift Swim Ability, it was very tricky.
This time, he also sent out Kingdra.
"With such tiny wings, it can still float?"
Li Xiang watched Kingdra flapping its single wing, forcibly keeping itself airborne, and shook his head with a sigh.
In any world, dragons were privileged creatures with all sorts of special abilities that made other species jealous.
Flight was just an insignificant matter among them.
The tester, Aegislash, appeared.
Seeing Aegislash, Wei Xiang first paused, then a flicker of joy appeared on his stiff face.
'So, Doublade evolved? In that case, I can win!'
He started with Rain Dance as usual.
Kingdra's horns glowed, summoning an enormous dark cloud indoors that blocked the overhead lighting.
The area Li Xiang was in suddenly became much darker.
A cold wind blew, and in an instant, fine, dense rain began to fall, making Kingdra's surface glow with a faint sheen.
A small, whirlpool-like water current also formed beneath it. This was the sign of Swift Swim being triggered.
Aided by the waves, Kingdra transformed into a blue blur and flew toward Aegislash.
Aegislash didn't stand idle either. While the opponent used Rain Dance, it decisively used Swords Dance once to boost its attack and actively moved toward Kingdra.
Soon, both were about to enter each other's effective attack range.
"Protect!"
Seeing the enemy right before it, Kingdra directly chickened out, conjuring a green shield in front.
Wei Xiang had fought Li Xiang for so long and was long familiar with Doublade's tactics. This first Aerial Ace absolutely had to be endured.
Afterward, as long as he didn't give this guy a chance to sheathe, he wouldn't have to fear anymore.
Li Xiang looked at the green shield, having the idea to test its post-evolution power, and snapped his fingers.
Swish!
Drawing its sword from the sheath, Aegislash transformed into a silver streak of light, as if teleporting, appearing before Kingdra and swiping sharply!
Crack!
The sound of glass shattering!
Kingdra's Protect was actually broken by Aegislash! The cold blade slashed past its surface!
"Oof!"
Kingdra let out a grunt, a white mark appearing on its side.
'It actually broke the shield? A single attack is stronger than two before!?'
Wei Xiang was startled. Previously, Doublade had never broken Kingdra's shield with Aerial Ace, even after Swords Dance.
'So much power increase after evolution?'
Li Xiang was also a bit surprised, feeling he had still underestimated Aegislash's output.
On the field, after being attacked, Kingdra quickly turned around. The water waves suddenly surged violently, turning into murky waves sweeping toward Aegislash!
Muddy Water!
This wasn't the first time Kingdra had battled such a Pokémon. As long as it attacked while it was in Blade Forme, it would usually faint in one hit!
However, Aegislash had already foreseen Kingdra's intention. The moment the whirlpool beneath it turned murky, it decisively sheathed its sword, placing the round shield in front.
At the same time, a huge light shield lit up, firmly blocking the Muddy Water, which dissipated into nothingness!