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Lin Feng's mention of the Championship League struck a chord—Li Xiang had indeed watched it last night. He couldn't deny it: Pokémon battles on this world stage carried an unparalleled visual impact, capable of captivating any spectator.
This league wasn't just any tournament; it was a high-level event where Master-tier trainers competed for regional championship titles.
But don't get the wrong idea—the so-called "Master-tier trainers" had nothing to do with Ash's pursuit of becoming a Pokémon Master. The former referred to a competitive rank, akin to the Master tier in League of Legends.
The latter?
Well, the anime's creators still hadn't provided a clear definition, leaving it as a vague aspiration.
"I've decided! My first Pokémon will be a Charmander!"
Standing atop a rock, Lin Feng clenched his fist with a determined look in his eyes.
Li Xiang watched him, silently recalling how starter Pokémon in this world weren't as rare and coveted as some fanfiction portrayed them to be. You didn't need to pay millions annually to acquire one alongside a Pokédex.
Here, starters were widely available. They were among the most suitable Pokémon for novice trainers due to their short growth cycles, high battle potential, and overall reliability. Mass breeding programs had made them accessible to the public.
Although Lin Feng's family wasn't particularly well-off, purchasing a Charmander from a local breeding center wouldn't be difficult or financially draining.
Of course, not all Charmanders were created equal—just like people varied greatly in talent and potential.
"What about you, Li Xiang? Have you decided on your first Pokémon?"
Lin Feng turned to him.
The park's periphery was peaceful in the morning, frequented only by elderly folks walking their Pokémon. The sounds of Pokémon filled the air—Pidgey chirping, Spearow flapping its wings, Oddish rustling through fallen leaves, the gentle splashing of water from a nearby pond, and Caterpie spinning silk on a tree.
"Me? I haven't decided yet," Li Xiang replied, glancing at the nearby grove.
The trees and tall shrubs weren't enough to conceal the round, chubby form of a certain feline Pokémon, its figure comically conspicuous.
The reality of Purugly in this world was a stark contrast to its in-game artwork.
Once upon a time, he had dismissed Purugly as unimpressive. But standing face-to-face with it now, as a self-professed lover of fluffy creatures, Li Xiang couldn't help but change his mind.
There was something undeniably endearing about a plump, furry, sassy feline.
It dawned on him why Furfrou, another Pokémon with relatively low popularity elsewhere, enjoyed such massive appeal in Kalos, even spurring the growth of a full-fledged industry.
"Haven't decided? Want me to recommend one? How about Torchic? Its final evolution, Blaziken, is a Fire/Fighting type—super strong!"
Lin Feng raised his eyebrows, and when Li Xiang didn't respond, he added, "Wait a minute. You're not planning to train one of those late-bloomer Pokémon, are you? Don't you remember what we read in that schoolbook?"
By "late-bloomers," he meant pseudo-legendary Pokémon—species with base stats exceeding some legendary Pokémon, but requiring exceptionally high levels to evolve.
While pseudo-legendaries dominated the recommendation charts for beginner trainers, they still ranked below some starter Pokémon.
The reason was simple: late bloomers required too much time and effort.
At their age, young trainers typically focused their energy on nurturing a single Pokémon as their ace. Other Pokémon in their teams would take a backseat temporarily.
Thus, Pokémon offering maximum returns early on naturally became more appealing.
This, coupled with the rarity of pseudo-legendaries, made them less practical choices for beginners.
"I really haven't decided. Honestly, I'd prefer to go with fate," Li Xiang said, waving his hand dismissively.
Among the starters, there were simply too many he liked—it was hard to choose.
And thinking of Ash and Pikachu, he couldn't help but feel that leaving things to destiny wasn't such a bad idea.
"Fate?" Lin Feng gave Li Xiang a skeptical look. "You sound just like my sister. Don't tell me… you have a crush on her?"
Cough!
What?! Were kids in this world—or rather, this alternate world—this precocious?
Li Xiang almost choked on his own saliva. "What are you talking about? Are you sure it's okay to badmouth your sister behind her back like this?"
"Tch, so what? But let me tell you, my sister doesn't like chubby guys. If you're interested in her, I can help you lose weight—since you're my bro and all."
Lin Feng spoke with mock disdain, then generously offered his assistance.
The thoughts of a young boy were so straightforward—calling his best friend "brother" to express their bond.
"Don't even think about it," Li Xiang retorted instantly. "And for the record, I'm not chubby—it's baby fat, baby fat!"
Since when did a slightly rounded belly and plump cheeks equate to being overweight? Wait until he's fifteen—then he'll be a dashing, elegant young man!
"Sure, sure. Baby fat, got it," Lin Feng replied half-heartedly. "Now, come on, let's hurry before they start without us."
Li Xiang sighed, realizing that reasoning with this kid was a futile effort.
….....
The two of them headed toward the park's inner areas.
Unlike the paved pathways surrounded by greenery that were meant for leisurely strolls, the park's deeper sections were home to numerous rectangular battlefields.
Each field was about 40 square meters in size, neatly marked with white lines. A roughly drawn PokéBall symbol occupied the center of each arena.
Adjacent to the battlefields was an array of public fitness equipment.
At this time of day, most of the battlefields and exercise stations were occupied by trainers and their Pokémon.
"Look! What did I tell you? He Zhenghui Is definitely here!"
Lin Feng leaned close to Li Xiang and whispered excitedly, his gaze fixed on one of the farthest battlefields.
Li Xiang followed his line of sight and spotted two Pokémon and a person.
The first Pokémon he noticed was a massive Feraligatr, towering at over 2.3 meters. Its fearsome appearance was accentuated by the crimson, jagged fins on its head, back, and tail, and its bright blue scales.
——The second-generation Water-type starter, Feraligatr.
Next to it stood another Pokémon.
It was also primarily water-blue, with a belly covered in white circular spots, a snow-white lower body, and a blue, buoy-like tail at its rear. The Pokémon's plump body resembled an oversized ostrich egg, with soft, stubby limbs and ears atop its head that were more donkey-like than rabbit-like.
—The Internet-dubbed dragon slayer, Azumarill, a Water/Fairy-type Pokémon.
After examining the Pokémon, Li Xiang shifted his gaze to their Trainer.
This was He Zhenghui, the person Lin Feng mentioned earlier—a teenager who appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old.
According to Lin Feng, He Zhenghui lived in the same neighborhood and had failed to gain admission to an advanced Trainer Academy last year. He was planning to retake the exam this year.
Both Pokémon belonged to him.
Back when he had taken the exam, his Feraligatr was still a Croconaw. Its lack of strength at the time had been a major factor in his failure to pass.
"Hey, Zhenghui!"
Lin Feng waved at He Zhenghui.
"You're here?"
Stretching his muscles, He Zhenghui nodded at the two of them. His expression was neutral—not overly enthusiastic, but also not dismissive. It was just a casual acknowledgement.
Li Xiang had met He Zhenghui a few times before but wasn't close to him. They were only barely acquainted.
Lin Feng wasn't particularly close to him either. After all, it was hard for teenagers like He Zhenghui to find much in common with elementary school kids, even if he himself had once been their age.
In terms of social standing, He Zhenghui was like an older neighbor about to head off to college, while Lin Feng and Li Xiang were elementary school students nearing junior high.
"When are you starting?" Lin Feng asked.
"As soon as I finish warming up."
While He Zhenghui continued stretching, Lin Feng led Li Xiang to watch another battle.
Kids like them weren't uncommon in the park, with many others coming to spectate. Some had Pokémon, while others didn't, and a mix of children and adults filled the audience.
Most of them were enthusiasts of Pokémon battles.
Lin Feng and Li Xiang often came here to watch too.
They didn't have much choice—professional arenas were off-limits to them, so they had to settle for the park.
Even though the park battles were generally less formal, and most participants didn't go all out, there were still some serious matches worth watching.
Li Xiang's family could have helped him gain access to professional venues, but recently, local arenas had been locked down for reasons unknown. Many previously public arenas were now semi-restricted, making it impossible for kids like Li Xiang and Lin Feng, who didn't even have Pokémon yet, to sneak in.
With no other options, they had come to the park early in the morning.
For Li Xiang, witnessing live battles and experiencing the thrill up close left a much stronger impression than watching through a screen.
The battles here provided him a good opportunity to deepen his understanding.
In one of the arenas, two Pokémon were facing off.
On one side was Electabuzz, with its yellow-and-black, oval-shaped body resembling a power adapter. On the other side was a pale-blue Pokémon, Nidorina, whose appearance was like a cross between a porcupine and a rabbit.
One was a pure Electric-type, while the other was a pure Poison-type, meaning there wasn't any inherent type advantage.
However, the moves they used could still create a dynamic of strengths and weaknesses.
Of course, Pokémon battles weren't solely about move types.
"That Electabuzz is so fast!" Lin Feng couldn't help but whisper in awe.
In the field, the Electabuzz moved like a boxer, raising its fists and skillfully dodging Nidorina's glowing, purple-infused punches as it darted left and right with ease.
(Poison Jab, a physical Poison-type move with a small chance of poisoning the opponent.)
Li Xiang instinctively recalled the name of the move, which he had seen in battle replays.
In this world, Pokémon didn't have the "point-and-click" convenience of technical machines. Moves that weren't learned through leveling up or inheritance had to be mastered through self-study.
It was similar to how moves were learned in the anime. For instance, Ash's Pikachu learned Iron Tail in the Advanced Generation series through practice rather than any external device.
Even inherited moves could be taught. Li Xiang remembered that in Sword and Shield, a new mechanic was introduced:
—When two Pokémon of the same species were left in the nursery, one would inevitably learn the egg moves of the other.
In real life, this would equate to learning from peers.
Thud!
A heavy sound rang out, followed by a crackling burst of electricity.
The Electabuzz had countered with Thunder Punch, landing a powerful blow on Nidorina's jaw and sending it flying.
"Quick Attack!"
The Electabuzz's Trainer immediately commanded, seizing the opportunity.
Pausing only briefly, the Electabuzz leapt forward, its body enveloped in a white glow. With a resounding smack, it struck the falling Nidorina, sending it tumbling across the ground.
The Nidorina rolled several times before coming to a stop, lying motionless—it was temporarily unable to battle.
Unlike in games, where fainted Pokémon required a trip to the Pokémon Center or expensive items like Revives to recover, real-life Pokémon only needed a short rest and some berries to regain most of their strength.
The Electabuzz was victorious.
Excited, the Pokémon twirled its arms like windmill blades, proudly celebrating its win.
"Beep!"
The two Trainers shook hands, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of their strategies. The spectators applauded as well, expressing their appreciation for the entertaining match.
"Speed really is crucial in Pokémon battles," Lin Feng remarked after clapping. Then, he glanced curiously at Li Xiang.
"You've been so quiet today. That's not like you!"
The Li Xiang he remembered would've been more excited and vocal during a battle. This calm demeanor was very unusual.
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