There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [56]

Wartortle hadn't expected Charmeleon to counterattack in such a situation. As Fire Fang met Ice Punch, the ice around Wartortle's fist shattered, and the next moment, Charmeleon's fiery fangs sank into Wartortle's arm, sparks flying everywhere. A critical hit!

"Nice one!" Hu Sheng shouted excitedly, but his face turned ashen the very next second.

"It's over," Wang Yingjie said coldly. "Water Pulse."

Charmeleon had no way to dodge. A powerful stream of water crashed into it, sending it flying hard onto the ground.

"Winner: Wang Yingjie!" the referee announced.

Without even glancing at Hu Sheng, Wang Yingjie recalled Wartortle and walked off. Though he didn't achieve a one-hit knockout this time, he had still demonstrated his personal style. He hadn't intended to reveal his street-fighting tactics so early in the tournament. Moving forward, potential sponsors might have second thoughts about partnering with Wang Yingjie after witnessing his brutal methods.

Hu Sheng clenched his fists, tempted to punch him. But after glancing at his injured Charmeleon, he swallowed his anger and rushed toward the medical center.

"That match… how should I put it…" commentator Yu Lei mused. "Both sides showcased their strengths, making it a truly exciting battle."

An Tongxin didn't immediately respond. She wasn't fond of Wang Yingjie's methods, but with a sigh, she added, "Let's congratulate Wang Yingjie on his victory."

---

News of Hu Sheng's defeat quickly reached Lu Cheng. "Hu Sheng lost?" Lu Cheng said, surprised. "Doesn't he have a Charmeleon?"

He had initially thought he might face Hu Sheng in the round of sixteen, where they could settle their past grievances.

"His opponent was Wang Yingjie," Su Xiangrou explained thoughtfully. "The type advantage was just too overwhelming."

Upon hearing Wang Yingjie's name, Lu Cheng frowned. "We're already down to the top 32, and he's still winning with one-hit knockouts?"

"No," Su Xiangrou shook her head. "But what happened was worse than a one-hit knockout."

"What do you mean?"

"That guy's tactics are entirely street-fighting style, with no regard for his Pokémon's well-being. He focuses solely on brute force and inflicting pain."

Su Xiangrou's summary was on point, but Lu Cheng looked confused. "What do you mean by street-fighting style?"

"In short, street fighters are more ruthless and less bound by the rules than typical students from Pokémon schools," Su Xiangrou sighed. "Hu Sheng's Charmeleon was seriously injured and has already been taken to the emergency room."

Lu Cheng froze upon hearing this. It was hard for him to associate the seemingly simple and honest Wang Yingjie with a ruthless street thug.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Cheng asked, "When's the next match? Will we be able to watch Wang Yingjie's battle?"

Su Xiangrou shook her head. "His match is on the same day as ours. And, the matchups for the top 32 have already been released."

"I haven't had a chance to check them yet," Lu Cheng said, surprised.

"It's not about us," Su Xiangrou said with a bitter smile. "It's about Ding Chong. He's facing Wang Yingjie."

---

That night, Hu Sheng came to find Lu Cheng. A luxury car pulled up in front of Lu Cheng's house, startling him. He didn't expect to see Hu Sheng's gloomy face through the car window.

"Get in."

The next second, a flash of red light appeared, and Vulpix emerged from its ball on its own, glaring at Hu Sheng with a threatening posture.

"It's fine, Vulpix," Lu Cheng said calmly. "What's going on?"

Hu Sheng's face showed a struggle, but in the end, he opened the door and stepped out, saying, "I have something to ask you."

"Ask me?!" Lu Cheng was astonished. He never expected Hu Sheng would come to him for help.

"Our school only has you, Ding Chong, and Su Xiangrou left in the U20 tournament," Hu Sheng said through gritted teeth. "I've already visited the others, and you're the last one."

"What is it you need?" Lu Cheng asked cautiously, seeing Hu Sheng's defeated expression.

"I want to ask you, if you face Wang Yingjie, to teach him a lesson!" Hu Sheng's eyes misted up as he recalled the sight of his Charmeleon lying in the emergency room. He took a deep breath and bowed to Lu Cheng, "Please!"

Lu Cheng was stunned that Hu Sheng, of all people, would ask him for help. Returning Vulpix to its ball, he hesitated. "That Wang Yingjie... does he really hit that hard?"

"That guy fights like a total thug!" Hu Sheng shouted, "He treats Pokémon like they're disposable, like their lives mean nothing!"

Treating Pokémon as mere tools... Lu Cheng thought for a moment before replying, "I can't guarantee anything, but if I do face him, I'll do my best to win."

Hearing Lu Cheng's words, Hu Sheng exhaled in relief. "If you beat Wang Yingjie, we'll settle the score between us."

Wasn't it you who started all this in the first place? Lu Cheng thought, half-amused.

"And one more thing," Hu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then added softly, "That guy hits hard. You should make sure Vulpix stays safe."

Lu Cheng was taken aback by Hu Sheng's concern, then smiled and nodded.

Ding!

New mission 'Street Fighter' unlocked.

Mission Objective: Defeat Wang Yingjie in the U20 tournament.

Reward: 3 Attack Points, Ice Punch TM, and a series of missions will be unlocked.

---

"Want to Raise Garchomp: Did anyone watch Wang Yingjie's latest battle video? It's so violent, I think I'm starting to like this guy."

"Thief-Forewarned Baldy: Just so you know, this is a classic street-fighting style, completely breaking down the opponent's Pokémon physically and mentally, leaving no loose ends."

"GardevoirBar: You're making it sound scary, but aren't kids these days into that kind of thing?"

"GrimerGrime: Nah, I can't stand him. Too cruel!"

"DoduoFlyingHigh: If it were the national tournament, this kind of fighting style would probably be banned by the referees, right?"

---

On the way home, Lu Cheng opened the U20 match replay, watching the battle between Hu Sheng and Wang Yingjie. His expression gradually grew solemn. After Wang Yingjie unleashed his second move, it seemed like he had become a different person. Instead of carefully seeking weaknesses, he aimed to cause as much damage to the Pokémon as possible. And this kind of damage was permanent and irreversible.

It's a well-known fact that Pokémon bodies are much stronger than those of humans, but even they can still be injured or crippled. From Wang Yingjie's second move onward, it was clear he was aiming to permanently disable Hu Sheng's Charmeleon.

"This is too much," Lu Cheng muttered to himself.

Beside him, his Grovyle stared at the video, completely still, its claws gradually clenching into tight fists.

---

Two days later, the battle between Ding Chong and Wang Yingjie took place. Wang Yingjie completely abandoned the tactics he used during the preliminary rounds, starting by having his Wartortle bite down on Zubat's wings, seemingly trying to tear them off. Although Zubat managed to escape using Confuse Ray, its wings were already bleeding heavily. In such a situation, Zubat had no chance of standing up to Wartortle, and the battle became one-sided.

Perhaps driven by a desperate desire to win, Zubat attempted to evolve right in the middle of the battlefield. While the audience expected a more balanced fight after Zubat's evolution, Wang Yingjie surprised everyone by ordering Wartortle to strike mid-evolution, forcibly interrupting the process. The match ended abruptly when Ding Chong chose to forfeit and rushed his Zubat to the Pokémon Center.

Following this match, Wang Yingjie advanced to the top 16. However, the public opinion about him became starkly polarized.

---

If there are any mistakes let me know!

Also I looked into it and 100 powerstones is ALOT, lmao so uhh every 10 above 20 powerstones is an extra chapter, ill start after this chapter!

ALSO ALSO for some reason chapters sometimes get rearranged sorry about that!

ALSOOOOOOO I have 2 new stories!

[This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable]

[Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator]

Currently at 25 chapters! 5 chapters a day until chapter 50!

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