There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [7]

Lin Yuan quietly retrieved her incapacitated Bisharp. Although defeated, if it was a 6v6 battle, Bisharp had successfully set hazards and dealt significant damage to the opponent's special attacker. Strategically, it had performed admirably. Unfortunately, this was a 1v1 match, and her ace Pokémon was currently undergoing medical care, leaving her without its support.

The man withdrew his Ninetales and approached Lin Yuan, laughing heartily. "So, what do you think? My Ninetales hasn't lost its edge over the years, has it?" Lin Yuan called her daughter over before turning to the man with a frown. "What's the Armed Forces doing in Jiang City all of a sudden?"

"What Armed Forces? I've been retired for years," the man replied, waving dismissively. Noticing her daughter, he smiled. "Is this your daughter? She looks just like you."

"Hello, Uncle," Mu Mei greeted, sizing up the man in uniform. He had a deep scar running from his brow to his eye, giving him an intimidating presence. Though he smiled, there was a sharp, predatory gleam in his eyes, like an Aberrant waiting to strike. A chill ran down her spine, and she shuddered, a cold sweat breaking out.

Lin Yuan protectively stepped in front of her daughter, her expression darkening. "If you don't get to the point, I'll kindly ask you to leave."

"Hahaha, force of habit, force of habit," the man chuckled awkwardly. "I'm here in Jiang City to visit an old comrade."

"There's no need to come all the way here for that," Lin Yuan frowned.

"To be honest aside from that, there's a task that requires your participation as Gym Leader." the man admitted.

"What task?"

"The Pokémon Association plans to hold a Youth Trainer Tournament in every province!" As the topic shifted to official business, the man's demeanor grew serious. "I'm currently working in the Events Department. It was supposed to be a cushy job after my retirement, but it seems higher-ups got some orders, and now they want tournaments in every province, specifically for trainers under 20."

"Why? The Events Department usually only handles the National Tournament. Regional branches take care of provincial events," Lin Yuan asked, intrigued.

"I've heard," the man said gravely, "that in the last World Tournament, Country U's team had an average age of under 30!" Trainers usually gain strength with age, and the top trainers often peak around 40. The World Tournament was typically dominated by veterans.

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Are those young trainers stronger than the veterans?"

The man nodded solemnly. "In their last National Tournament, the champion wasn't even on the Pokémon Association's radar. After looking into it, they discovered he was only 23 years old!"

"The development of young trainers has become a priority. Without new talent, we'll face a massive gap once our generation retires. I believe that's why the Association is so eager to start this U20 Trainer Tournament."

Lin Yuan listened quietly, nodding in agreement. Developing the next generation of trainers was an issue that couldn't be ignored.

"The tournament will start provincially, and if the feedback is good, it will expand into a national event. It's for trainers under 20," the man continued, casting a glance at Mu Mei with a smile. "I'm sure your daughter could make a strong showing in the U20 tournament."

Mu Mei was startled, instinctively gripping the Luxury Ball that held her Mawile.

"I understand," Lin Yuan nodded. "I'll make arrangements. This is a rare opportunity for the young trainers in Jiang City."

---

Today was the day the Vulpix egg would hatch.

Lu Cheng sat in front of the incubator, his gaze fixed on the red-lit button, too nervous to move. As the countdown on the screen hit zero, the egg inside began to tremble, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. A small brown paw emerged from the shell.

Lu Cheng held his breath.

The cracks widened, and a small Vulpix slowly wriggled its way out. Its eyes were barely open, and it let out a soft cry.

Holy crap! So cute! Lu Cheng nearly shouted aloud.

Despite his initial apprehension from his encounter with Marveil, this Vulpix, modeled after a real animal, didn't seem uncanny at all. Its reddish-brown fur and the fiery red tuft on its forehead were particularly striking. Its single, unbranched tail curled against its creamy white belly, and its round, fluffy appearance made it even cuter than a real fox. The Vulpix let out a soft whimper, its eyes still closed.

This Pokémon hadn't been "changed" after all!

As Lu Cheng marveled at the scene, the Vulpix stood, shook its tiny body, and opened its amber eyes, locking gazes with Lu Cheng. It seemed to smile at him, letting out a happy sound.

Lu Cheng's heart melted instantly. He gently opened the incubator, carefully lifted the Vulpix out, and placed it on the soft mat he had ordered online. With a towel, he delicately wiped the newborn Pokémon's body clean.

At least Pokémon based on real animals didn't seem too strange, Lu Cheng thought. But just as he started to relax, he felt something shift in his mind.

"Ding—Congratulations, host, on obtaining your first Pokémon!"

"The Ultimate Trainer System has officially been activated!"

The system had finally arrived.

Lu Cheng had already come to terms with the bizarre Pokémon world he now lived in, but the appearance of Vulpix felt like a ray of hope. Tears welled up in his eyes.

I really am the protagonist of Saya no Uta, aren't I?

Even so, before getting to know the system better, the most important task was to officially capture Vulpix. Facing Vulpix, Lu Cheng reached out his hand and said, "From now on, you'll be my Pokémon. Let's do our best together!"

Vulpix was initially taken aback but then seemed to understand Lu Cheng's words. It happily let out a cry and extended its little paw with soft pads. Lu Cheng gently placed the red-and-white Pokéball on Vulpix's head, and with a flash of red light, the Pokéball didn't even shake, letting out a soft "ding" sound. A perfect capture!

Lu Cheng smiled, feeling that his compatibility with this Vulpix was quite good. He released Vulpix from its Pokéball, and somehow, he felt even closer to it. The thought that he now had his very own Pokémon made Lu Cheng smile uncontrollably. Vulpix licked the palm of Lu Cheng's hand and tilted its head, wondering why its trainer was grinning so foolishly.

---

T/N: The system seems to be temporary, looking at reviews it looks like it disappears later on in the story.

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