Chapter 201: Targeting The Rainbow Hero
Although he had never quite grasped the knack, Tropius always felt like he could do it.
“How’s the proficiency with Grassy Terrain?” Lu Li asked again.
“Trop~”
Tropius responded confidently.
If you bring this up, Tropius me is not sleepy at all.
You could say I’m lazy with other skills, but for farming skills, even Charmander would have to kowtow to me.
“Looks like you’re pretty confident.” Lu Li looked amused at Tropius who was holding his chin high.
It wasn’t suitable to use Grassy Terrain here, so Lu Li didn’t check Tropius’s Grassy Terrain.
Tropius also felt a bit regretful; he had originally been thinking about showing off some operations.
Next, Lu Li opened his phone again, confirmed his opponent for the evening, then closed the phone and called out to Tropius.
Tropius familiarly moved in front of Lu Li, and Lu Li gently stroked Tropius with his right hand, activating Growth.
Playtime is playtime, fuss is fuss.
What trainer level can’t keep up with this year’s time growth speed? Do you understand the beauty of numerical crushing?
Tropius, with narrowed eyes, let out a pleasurable cry. Lu Li soon tiredly withdrew his hand and began meditation cultivation to recover his state.
The evening match had no suspense; it was another numerical crush devoid of any elegance.
In almost just one day, the Grand Festival had decided the Top Ten.
Lu Li only cared about his own opponents; he wasn’t particularly concerned with other matters of the matches.
Perhaps because of the Rayne incident, the Alliance clearly wanted to end the Grand Festival as soon as possible.
The matches were scheduled very densely. Lu Li’s new opponent was Li Zhi, the boy who strikingly resembled the Rainbow Hero.
“Good thing your name is Li Zhi. If it were Red, this match would be tough.” Lu Li muttered inwardly.
After exiting the player tunnel, Lu Li squinted and sized up the somewhat silly-looking, honest youth in front of him.
Seeing Lu Li, Li Zhi excitedly introduced himself: “Hello, I’m Li Zhi! The man who dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master!”
“Lu Li, the man who dreams of reaching the top.” Lu Li introduced himself in the same tone.
As the referee beside them announced the start of the match, both released their Pokémon.
No need to say much about Li Zhi’s Pikachu; originally, Pikachu was only at Normal Late Stage strength, but after that disaster event, Pikachu’s strength miraculously broke through to Veteran Level.
This seemed utterly unbelievable to outsiders. After all, Li Zhi himself was just a commoner with hardly any resources to invest in Pikachu, and with no special ability, Pikachu having such strength was already very un-Pokémonology.
“Still the standard partner Pokémon, huh.” Lu Li sighed inwardly.
“Come out, Tropius!”
Lu Li released Tropius.
Once out of the Poké Ball, Tropius spread his wings and soared, with no intention of landing.
Actually, both sides’ commanding skills were about equal. Lu Li relied purely on numerical crushing, while Li Zhi was different—he relied entirely on on-the-spot inspiration during battle and that legendary skill—Stand Up!
Lu Li didn’t issue commands, instead letting Tropius battle autonomously.
At the start of the battle, Tropius circled in the air, his huge wings flapping and bringing gusts of fierce wind. Tropius’s originally docile eyes became incredibly sharp, locking onto the Pikachu on the ground like a hawk.
Pikachu stood on the match field, body slightly crouched, staring intently at the figure in the sky.
Its gaze was resolute, as if already prepared for battle.
He had become stronger! Previous matches had proven that. At this moment, Pikachu was extremely confident that he could lead his trainer to victory.
Tropius struck first, diving down from high altitude. His massive body was like a falling comet, charging toward Pikachu with unstoppable momentum.
Tropius had never battled Pikachu before, but he knew that heroes of this smaller size generally weren’t great at close combat.
The trainer had said before not to always rely on the Star Absorbing Technique; sometimes he needed to leverage his own robust vitality characteristic.
As for how to leverage it? Of course, by trading injuries for injuries.
When it came to life value, Tropius claimed he could make Gym Level Pokémon despair.
Seeing Tropius diving down, Pikachu reacted quickly, first releasing bolts of electricity to try blocking Tropius’s attack.
Thunder Shock was a signature skill for Pokémon like Pikachu, just like Thunderbolt. Strictly speaking, Thunder Shock could even be considered a lower-tier version of Thunderbolt.
However, Tropius simply ignored it. The electricity flashed on him briefly before being easily dispelled.
Tropius didn’t even use Protect, purely tanking it with his body.
Good news.
Tropius took a Thunder Shock.
Bad news.
Tropius had already recovered.
Worse news: this recovery took less than a second.
“What!”
Li Zhi watched this scene dismally.
He had personally experienced how strong Pikachu’s Thunder Shock was. Even if Tropius was Elite Level, this shouldn’t be the reaction.
You should at least get paralyzed, right? If not, a cry would do.
However, Tropius wouldn’t cooperate with them. After tanking a Thunder Shock head-on, Tropius was already in front of Pikachu.
Rumble!!!
A deafening roar echoed through the match venue.
“Body Slam?”
Lu Li looked surprised at Tropius on the field.
He hadn’t expected Tropius to comprehend a new skill so quickly, and one with decent power like Body Slam.
Unlike in games, real-world Body Slam’s bonuses involved the Pokémon’s weight and size, even life energy factors.
Tropius’s size went without saying—nearly three meters long, and his weight was no joke; a normal Tropius was only 200 pounds.
But Lu Li’s Tropius weighed 300 pounds, mainly due to Growth, plus Tropius’s outrageous life energy.
With all these bonuses, Tropius’s Body Slam could even rival a same-level Snorlax’s.
Big truck crushing small pet—Pikachu lay directly in the pit.
Seeing Pikachu lying motionless in the pit, Li Zhi anxiously shouted: “Pikachu! Stand Up! I believe you can do it.”
Perhaps hearing his trainer’s shout, or maybe due to the power of their bond.
Pikachu, lying in the pit, suddenly twitched, then arduously climbed back up.
Lu Li: “???”
Lu Li confusedly watched this outrageous scene.
Another victim added to the Stand Up divine skill? And it’s me?
Seeing Pikachu stand up again, Li Zhi danced with excitement.
“Great, Pikachu! I knew you could do it. Next, we’ll use Quick Attack! Then follow up with Iron Tail!”
Looking at Pikachu, who was clearly at his limit but could still perform high-intensity moves and skills after standing up.
Lu Li’s gaze toward Li Zhi changed.
Confirmed!
This guy is absolutely Xiao Zhi’s alternate self.
“Tropius! Stomp!” Lu Li commanded expressionlessly.
Someone favored by heavenly luck?
Don’t you know that we cultivators excel most at defying fate?
Pikachu reached Tropius in an instant, and at that moment, his tail was gleaming with steel luster.
Tropius raised his front foot high, then slammed it down heavily.
“Boom!!!”
The familiar roar sounded again, and Pikachu’s Iron Tail caught Tropius’s foot.
The struggle between the two differently sized Pokémon ended quickly.
Pikachu lay in that familiar pit once more.
This time, Li Zhi’s divine skill finally couldn’t be used.
As the referee announced the match’s end, Li Zhi hurriedly picked up Pikachu and left the match venue.
Lu Li also recalled Tropius and turned into the player tunnel.
Such a victory wasn’t really worth bragging about, after all, Tropius’s cheat was bigger than Li Zhi’s.
“Now you know who’s the real Rainbow Hero, right?” Long turned to look at his sister.
The girl helplessly rolled her eyes at her brother.
The girl said seriously: “This Tropius’s vitality is indeed off, but that’s very dragon.”
Long: “…”
“Your next match is up. Hope you don’t lose too badly.” Long deliberately taunted.
The girl retorted: “I’m the invincible one!”
“Then good luck!”
As someone who’s been through it, Long knew all too well who the final victor would be.
Back in the lounge, Lu Li began summarizing the day’s matches.
The battle with Li Zhi was overall flawless.
Tropius had utilized almost all his advantages.
While Lu Li was doing his post-battle summary, his phone suddenly rang.
Lu Li habitually answered the call.
Yu Lili’s voice came from the phone: “Lu Li, congrats on making the Top Ten.”
“Then your congrats came early. Tomorrow after I take the championship, you’ll have to congratulate me again.” Lu Li joked humorously.
Yu Lili laughed and picked up the thread: “No problem, I’ll congratulate you again tomorrow.”
“By the way, how’s things on your end?” Lu Li was still quite concerned about Yu Lili’s situation.
Yu Lili said helplessly: “Not bad enough to call bad, but not good enough to call good either.”
Lu Li quickly asked with concern: “How so?”
“My grandfather’s family has fallen out with us, and now many powers are eyeing the Qing Mu Black Market. The Lei Family is also holding onto my dad’s Aggron and won’t return it.” Yu Lili poured out all the difficult problems she faced.
If Aggron could be gotten back, the crisis the Yu Family currently faced would be resolved easily.
Unfortunately, the Lei Family wasn’t willing.
Lu Li asked curiously: “Have you reported it to the Alliance?”
“No use. The Alliance keeps pushing it off.” Yu Lili said through gritted teeth.
Lu Li roughly understood the Alliance’s attitude.
Yu Zhonggang had sided early and sided wrong; in the Alliance’s eyes, Yu Zhonggang had abandoned the Alliance and fully turned to the Lei Family.
Now the Lei Family was deliberately withholding Aggron, which the Alliance was naturally happy to see.
Getting Aggron back would be simple, but it would thoroughly offend the Lei Family.
“Lili, you could deliberately leak this news, say the Lei Family is deliberately holding your dad’s Aggron, wanting to take possession of your dad’s Heavenly King Level Pokémon.” Lu Li suggested.
Yu Lili hesitated: “If we do that, won’t the Lei Family…”
“This is the only way to get Aggron back.” Lu Li said.
The Lei Family’s willingness to compensate the Yu Family was clearly to make an example of them.
In No. 1 Competition Arena, Yu Zhonggang must have done something to offend the Lei Family, but for the family’s image, the Lei Family swallowed the bitter pill and deliberately gave the Yu Family high compensation.
The purpose was to tell those wavering people what happens to meritorious ministers after death.
At this time, news spreading that the Lei Family wanted to seize Yu Zhonggang’s Heavenly King Level Aggron would make the Lei Family anxious.
Yu Lili was still hesitant; no way around it, that colossal Lei Family was truly terrifying.
“Wait a bit longer. If it really doesn’t work, then use this method.” Yu Lili still chose to retreat.
Lu Li nodded and didn’t press further.
Yu Lili encouraged: “You have to do your best in tomorrow’s match! Include my share of effort too.”
“Yeah! I will.”
Yu Lili added: “By the way, my godmother has something to discuss with you.”
Godmother?
Lu Li was a bit confused.
Yu Lili has a godmother? How didn’t he know about this?
While Lu Li was puzzled, Aunt Liu Li’s familiar voice came from the phone.
“Lu Li, it’s your Aunt Liu Li.”
Hearing this familiar gentle voice, Lu Li was even more surprised.
When Uncle Yu was alive, he hadn’t brought her into the Yu Family; after death, Liu Li became family instead?
Lu Li had a very favorable impression of Liu Li; to him, she was at least better than Jin Fengjiao.
After all, this aunt was willing to give him her retirement money.
“Aunt Liu Li? What do you need me for?” Lu Li quickly asked.
“I’ll skip the congrats since Lili already said them. I’m looking for you mainly about another matter.”
“What matter?”
Lu Li adopted a listening tone.
“I heard your guardian is Yao Yifei, the Yao Gym Leader?”
Lu Li admitted: “Yes. Does Aunt need something from her?”
His relationship with Yao Yifei was indeed solid, mainly because their interests were deeply intertwined now—something even Ekaterina couldn’t match.
Liu Li explained: “Your Uncle Yu is gone, and now the huge Qing Mu Black Market is a juicy prize; wolves, tigers, and leopards all want a bite. So I want to find a new backer for the Qing Mu Black Market.”
Liu Li hid nothing about this, even explaining the benefit ties behind the Qing Mu Black Market.
Hearing that the Flying Heavenly King Ling Kong actually took a cut from the Qing Mu Black Market, Lu Li was stunned.
There was no most explosive, only more explosive!
Flying Heavenly King Ling Kong was famous for his righteous hatred of evil.
Lu Li didn’t refuse; after all, she just wanted him to act as a middleman, no reason to turn it down.
Lu Li agreed: “Sure, I can ask for you. If the Yao Gym Leader is interested, I’ll give you her phone number.”
Liu Li nodded and said: “Yeah, reply to me as soon as possible.”
