Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof
-----------------
"Shall we take a look at some others?"
After witnessing Beldum, the tall, thin man didn't immediately ask Li Xiang if he wanted to choose it. Instead, he suggested they explore more options.
Li Xiang was all too happy to oblige.
Beldum was undoubtedly an excellent Pokémon—one he'd enjoyed using in ranked battles in the past.
But for some reason, seeing it in person didn't excite him as much as he'd imagined it would.
When he first reincarnated into this world, even spotting a Purugly had made him ecstatic. He'd rushed over to hug it and pet it.
The result? Two slaps to his waist courtesy of the annoyed cat.
Perhaps it was self-awareness—he knew he wasn't Steven Stone and couldn't possibly raise a Psychic-type pseudo-legendary so early in his journey.
Or maybe this particular Beldum just didn't resonate with him.
He personally favored the shiny variant, which he'd used in the games…
Of course, thinking that way was a bit unrealistic—wanting more than what was reasonable.
The main reason, though, was this:
Li Xiang was someone who trusted his instincts and enjoyed following his feelings. Doing so brought him joy.
He believed that life was about pursuing happiness. With only around 30,000 days in a lifetime, every day lived was one less to enjoy.
Living joyfully was the most important thing.
Whether or not this philosophy was right, practical, or realistic didn't matter.
At least for this particular Beldum, it simply didn't move him. He longed for a Pokémon that, at first glance, would make him think, "This is the one. My destined partner."
Life is full of choices, and he wanted to pick the ones that spoke to him.
Besides, pseudo-legendaries weren't the only powerful Pokémon. Others could shine just as brightly—it was all about how they were used.
Leaving aside mythical and legendary Pokémon, no Pokémon in the world was truly invincible.
Every Pokémon had its weaknesses and opponents it couldn't defeat. Expecting a Pokémon to win every battle was an unrealistic notion.
Moreover, the Azure City Breeding Facility wasn't the only place with pseudo-legendaries.
The capital of Yu Province—Mancheng—was a far larger hub. Its breeding facility was twice the size of Azure City's.
Once Li Xiang passed the exams and entered a higher academy there, he would have another chance to encounter pseudo-legendaries—perhaps even better ones.
In this world, pseudo-legendaries were treated similarly to how they were in the anime: they didn't live up to the "legendary" label and weren't monopolized by wealthy families or corporations.
Setting aside the intangible factor of "potential," a middle-class family could, with some effort, arrange to be notified when a pseudo-legendary became available for purchase.
With a bit of networking and some additional "fees," buying one wasn't that difficult.
It wasn't a matter of selling off one's possessions—at worst, pooling resources and taking out a loan. After all, loans for cars and homes were common in modern times.
Of course, pseudo-legendaries were like luxury cars: affordable to buy, but very expensive to maintain.
Their food, care, and other expenses were exorbitant, requiring significant effort and resources. For the average person, the cost-to-benefit ratio of owning a pseudo-legendary wasn't particularly high.
Li Xiang had already made up his mind: he'd acquire a pseudo-legendary in the mid-game phase of his journey.
While he liked Beldum and genuinely wanted one, now wasn't the time.
....
Li Xiang began flipping through the Pokémon roster again.
But he had barely turned a few pages when static came from the walkie-talkie on the tall man's belt. Moments later, a slightly distorted male voice came through.
The man apologized to Li Xiang, put down the roster, and stood up to take the call.
Instinctively, Li Xiang perked up his ears to eavesdrop, but the voice on the other end was muffled and unclear. He couldn't make out what was being said.
It seemed to be something interesting, though—the tall man's face broke into a smile.
With no answers to satisfy his curiosity, Li Xiang stepped over to Su Yiliu and began asking her questions about advanced academies.
Su Yiliu smiled and explained that Trainer Academies and Breeder Academies were entirely different. Though they were close neighbors, she didn't know much about the Trainer Academies.
Some of her answers satisfied Li Xiang, while others she couldn't provide.
After about five minutes, the tall man returned. He apologized again before smiling and saying, "Miss Su, young man, something interesting happened in the eastern section. Would you like to take a look?"
"Something interesting?"
Li Xiang's curiosity was piqued, and he turned to Su Yiliu for her opinion.
"Today, you're in charge. You decide," Su Yiliu said, playfully pinching his cheek and flashing a mischievous smile.
And so, the three of them headed toward the eastern section of the ecological park.
The park was large, but not so vast that it took ages to traverse. In less than two minutes, Li Xiang heard a commotion in the distance.
As they got closer, the scene came into full view.
"A brawl?"
Li Xiang stared in surprise at a flat clearing ahead.
Two groups of Pokémon, each consisting of various species and types, stood facing each other, baring their fangs and glaring.
Together, the two sides totaled more than twenty Pokémon.
They were a motley assortment, with all kinds of species present.
At a glance, it seemed the starter Pokémon had banded together to form one side, while the others formed the opposing faction.
In the distance, several staff members watched the scene with amused smiles, making no move to intervene.
"It's not really a brawl," the tall man explained with a chuckle. "There are many Pokémon in the ecological park. When there's a large number, conflicts naturally arise. And where there's conflict, solidarity against a common enemy follows.
"But usually, they don't actually fight. They just put on a show. Most of them are pretty gentle by nature—"
Before he could finish, a Pokémon from one side let out a loud cry and charged forward.
That lone Pokémon's bold action ignited the flames of battle, and the two groups surged toward each other, unwilling to back down.
In an instant, chaos erupted on the clearing. Flames, water, sand, and blinding flashes of light filled the air.
The tall man and other staff members quickly dropped their smiles, commanding their Pokémon to step in and break up the scuffle.
Though they weren't Trainers with great combat prowess, handling a few young Pokémon was no challenge.
"Sis..."
Li Xiang turned to ask something, but stopped when he noticed Su Yiliu's peculiar expression.
"Xiao Xiang, take a look at that one."
Squatting down, Su Yiliu placed a hand on Li Xiang's shoulder and pointed to a Pokémon on the open ground.
Li Xiang followed her gaze and let out a surprised sound.
Their eyes landed on a Pokémon with black-and-red fur, a round head, bright yellow eyes, and a red fur marking on its forehead resembling two horizontal and one vertical lines.
Litten — a Fire-type Pokemon.
What drew their attention was its cunning strategy. By using its opponents as shields and hiding behind them, it cleverly avoided the restraining moves of the breeders' Pokémon.
It didn't betray its teammates, though.
Each time it crouched and let out a low growl, the chasing Pokémon would stiffen for a fraction of a second. It wasn't even a full second, but that brief moment was enough for it to dart away with agile movements.
"See that? That's the special effect of Intimidate. Not many Pokémon can master it. If they aren't born with it, it's almost impossible to develop later," Su Yiliu explained casually.
Intimidate?
'Isn't that the Ability that lowers opponents' Attack at the start of a battle? How can it be used like this?'
Li Xiang's mind churned, and his eyes gradually brightened.
"Don't get carried away," Su Yiliu said with a laugh, as if reading his thoughts. "These Pokémon lack battle experience, so they're especially susceptible. Besides, this effect usually works only once. After that, it's useless."
In other words, it's not as effective against Pokémon trained by actual Trainers, and it's a one-time trick.
But that's still pretty good!
Pair it with Fake Out—there's some real potential!
As he pondered this, the more Li Xiang looked at Litten, the more appealing it seemed.
Could it be his inherited "cat lover gene" from Mrs. Yin at work? The long-awaited, irresistible yearning surged within him, filling his heart.
Forget pseudo-Legendaries; go for a starter Pokémon instead.
Such an unconventional choice.
Under normal circumstances, it would probably earn him so much ridicule that even his own mother might disown him.
But Li Xiang? He had genuinely fallen for this Litten!
Smart, agile, loyal to its teammates, adorable, feline, and possessing unique abilities—it all pointed to one conclusion: This is your destined Pokémon. It's right there!
How many golden opportunities do you get in life? If you don't seize this one with all your might, what are you even waiting for?
For the record, he didn't think Litten was weak by any means.
People who did probably hadn't dabbled much in competitive play.
Say what you will, but the title "World's Strongest - Incineroar" wasn't thrown around lightly.
Seventh-generation doubles: No. 1 usage rate. Legendary battles: No. 1 usage rate. Nicknamed "The Bug King," it rivaled even Therian Landorus in dominance!
Knock Off would obliterate opponents' items, leaving them floundering. Not only was it the ultimate all-around support, but it could also tank hits and deliver explosive damage!
Despite the Fairy-type Tapus reigning supreme during that generation, Incineroar, as a Dark-type, still managed to shine.
Its accolades were countless.
To put it simply, in the 2019 Pokemon World Championships, seven out of the top eight teams had Incineroar, while three featured Primal Groudon.
That alone spoke volumes about its strength.
Of course, in Generation Eight, thanks to moves like Knock Off being nerfed, Intimidate taking a hit, and the introduction of Dynamax, Incineroar's dominance began to wane. The title of "Strongest" passed to others.
But still, its glory days were undeniable. It shone brightly for a time.
When Li Xiang played ranked battles back then, Incineroar was a staple on his team. It wasn't just a tool; it was a favorite.
Although he used to jokingly call it "muscled tiger" privately, when others asked which Pokémon was the strongest, he would always declare boldly: "The best Pokémon in the universe is Incineroar!"
Even if it wasn't great in singles battles, but competitive battling? It's all about the right player.
….....
While Li Xiang reminisced about his competitive days, the Litten on the field was finally captured.
After all, it was just a young Pokémon, and it couldn't fend off multiple opponents alone.
"You little troublemaker, you're always causing mischief."
The breeder holding its scruff scratched its face with a sigh. "Were you the one who started it earlier? Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused us?"
"Meow!"
Litten struggled, swinging its limbs in frustration, but it didn't spit fire to force the breeder to let go. This hinted at its gentle nature—it wouldn't attack people recklessly.
"Alright, alright. So, you stole a berry from Rowlet. Is it really worth holding a grudge for so long and starting a fight over it? Fine, I'll have you return one to it. Happy now?"
The breeder gently set Litten down, pointing at it and scolding, "No more fighting, got it? It's for your own good."
Litten turned its head away, letting out a disdainful "Meow."
Clearly, it didn't buy into the breeder's reasoning.
"You little…"
The breeder felt a headache coming on. This cat was as difficult to deal with as ever. Before he could say more, a voice called from behind him.
"Xiao Liu, bring that Litten over here."
The tall, lean director of the base's external affairs department was waving at him with a friendly smile.
Standing beside the director were a stunningly beautiful woman and a young boy.
Realizing something, the breeder immediately grinned and picked up the confused Litten.
"Coming, coming!" he called out.
--------------------
(Holidays Discount of 20% is now available for all new members of my Patreon joining in the month of December, at just $4/month.)