Chapter 39 Did You Guys Go Fight a Boss?

Skipping the daytime "wilderness training" livestream naturally sparked the curiosity and concern of his loyal fan, Iono.

Xia Chi didn't hide it from her, sharing the good news of catching Misdreavus with her first.

Iono: "You actually caught a Misdreavus, good taste! (Misdreavus Happy.gif)"

Xia Chi was a bit puzzled. I'm the one who caught it, not you, why are you so immersed in it?

Then it suddenly occurred to him that Iono seemed to have raised a Mismagius herself.

No wonder.

People always hold a favorable impression of those who share their hobbies.

Accidentally boosting Teacher Iono's favorability rating yet again, he figured.

However, Xia Chi no longer consciously overthought such things and replied: "I originally wanted to catch a Grass-type Pokémon, but didn't see a suitable one. I didn't expect to run into a Misdreavus, so I definitely couldn't let that opportunity slip by."

Iono: "Then you're super lucky!"

Iono: "Wait, you actually wanted to catch another Grass-type Pokémon? Are you planning to specialize in Grass-types?"

Actually, not at all, I just wanted to complete a bond synergy...

Xia Chi muttered silently to himself.

Unlike most Trainers in this world, Xia Chi did not believe that sticking to a single type is the ultimate ceiling for a Trainer.

While doing so certainly saves a lot of trouble in training and breeding, from a tactical standpoint, such a team is far too fragile and easily countered by a specific opposing type.

A huge reason for wanting to catch another Grass-type Pokémon was that Sprigatito is not a pure Grass-type; possessing the [Protean] Ability, it is completely unbound by the restrictions of any single type.

Still, it didn't really matter if his second Pokémon wasn't Grass-type; Misdreavus actually fit Xia Chi's team-building needs quite well.

When facing opponents like Aggron, which boast extremely high physical defense but abyssal special defense, Misdreavus's time to shine would arrive.

After chatting with Iono for a bit, Xia Chi took a bus and then a train, making the arduous journey back to school.

Next time, the next Pokémon I catch *must* be a rideable Flying-type!

So thought Xia Chi as he finally collapsed onto the soft dormitory bed.

After lying on the bed for a while to wirelessly recharge and recover his energy, Xia Chi let out both of his Pokémon.

Misdreavus, having rested the entire time inside its Poké Ball, was not lethargic in the slightest; the moment it came out, it began darting around the room with intense curiosity.

For a Pokémon that had lived in the wild since birth and had never set foot in the human world, everything in the room was novelty itself.

"Misdreavus, this is going to be your home from now on."

Looking at the room, which was noticeably less spacious now that it housed yet another Pokémon, Xia Chi corrected himself: "Well... at least it's your temporary home."

And this was assuming both Sprigatito and Misdreavus were relatively small. If he had caught a Snorlax or an Rhyperior... the dorm room would probably burst at the seams.

Xia Chi rubbed his chin in distress.

It seemed the pressing task wasn't catching a Flying-type Pokémon, but rather scouting out a new living space.

Once the Shanghai Cup tournament was over, he'd find a suitable place to rent off-campus.

Well... compared to feeding these two bottomless money pits, renting a place in Shanghai didn't even seem like a big expense anymore.

***

The addition of Misdreavus to the team made Xia Chi feel like a spinning top being whipped into a relentless frenzy.

Running from the hospital to the Pokémon Center, and then taking another trip to the Silph Co. department store.

To earn enough milk powder money for his kids, he couldn't even skip his livestreams.

By the time he helped a high-ranking admiral in the Great Ball tier climb up to the Ultra Ball tier, it was already nearly eleven o'clock.

What else could he do?

Master Xia, exhausted after a grueling day, could only sigh "thirty years of living like this," wash up, crawl into bed, and drift off to dreamland.

Yet while Xia Chi was fast asleep, Misdreavus—accustomed to nocturnal habits—was wide awake.

It floated quietly by the window, its eyes fixed on the outside night view.

Although Shanghai University wasn't located in the bustling downtown center of Shanghai, the towering skyscrapers everywhere still gleamed with gaudy, dreamlike neon lights.

How could a little girl who had just emerged from the mountains have ever seen this? Her clear yellow pupils, reflecting the mesmerizing play of lights, were filled with utter wonder.

"Meow-fey? (Want to go out and take a look?)"

Sprigatito suddenly bounded over to its side, giving Misdreavus a start.

It eyed this rival suspiciously, instinctively feeling that Sprigatito bore no good intentions.

"Mee-yoo! (I remember!)"

Misdreavus realized with a start: "Mee-yoo! (You're trying to set me up, Xia Chi explicitly said nobody is allowed to go out after dark!)"

Sprigatito replied calmly: "Meow-fey (You remembered wrong, that restriction only applied to me.)"

Misdreavus thought back carefully and seemed to recall that was indeed the case.

When Xia Chi had said those words, he was looking right at Sprigatito and hadn't mentioned anything about itself.

"Meow-fey... (You're a Misdreavus, you naturally love nocturnal activities. Why would Xia Chi ever stop you from going out...)"

Sprigatito spoke softly, like a serpent seducing Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.

That actually makes sense...

Mis-Eve-dreavus felt a growing urge bubbling up inside.

How could someone as reasonable as Xia Chi forbid it from going out at night?

"Meow-fey... (I know a place where some really bad Pokémon live. No matter how much you prank them, Xia Chi won't get mad...)"

The devil's whispers continued to output.

Misdreavus finally cracked under the pressure: "Mee-yoo? (So... I'm really going?)"

No, I mustn't laugh yet, I have to hold it in!

Sprigatito did its utmost to maintain a straight face, nodding as it said: "Meow-fey! (Go ahead without worry, nothing bad will happen!)"

Misdreavus spun around happily: "Mee-yoo! (I'm off then!)"

Before opening the window and flying out, Misdreavus glanced back at Sprigatito's kindly smile and thought to itself:

This fellow doesn't seem all that bad after all...

And shortly after Misdreavus departed from the room, Sprigatito stepped up onto the windowsill right behind it.

***

Because it had to protect Misdreavus, who insisted on running off to play, it had no choice but to follow right behind.

Entirely reasonable, right?

After Misdreavus's pranks provoked those Primeapes and Mankey into a frenzy, it had no choice but to step in and give them a severe beating.

Also entirely reasonable, right?

Thinking thus, Sprigatito leaped lightly out the window and pulled it shut behind itself.

Then it bounded away into the hazy nightscape.

***

Xia Chi had a dream.

He dreamed that the Fear Value generated by his Dark-type bond was skyrocketing crazily, and the system kept chiming with notifications: [Ding! Your Pokémon Sprigatito has defeated......]

"How bizarre, I'm actually having dreams like this. Could it be that I've already been completely molded to fit System-bro's whims..."

Upon waking, Xia Chi rubbed his bird's-nest-like hair, thoroughly baffled.

Never mind, it was probably just a case of "what you think about by day, you dream about by night."

Pushing the matter to the back of his mind, Xia Chi got up, walked over to the two Pokémon's nest, and asked: "Morning, Sprigatito, Misdreavus. How did you guys sleep last night?"

"Meow-fey..."

"Mee-yoo..."

The two Pokémon exchanged a somewhat guilty glance, then nodded in tacit agreement.

Why are these two acting so weird?

Clueless, Xia Chi headed to the bathroom, starting his new day with the customary morning constitutional.

Opening the campus forum on his phone, he wanted to see what had happened at school during the few days he was away.

Then, a pinned featured post made his expression change abruptly.

[Breaking! The infamous Primeape rampage gang wiped out overnight! Who on earth is responsible behind the scenes?]

Could it be...

Xia Chi recalled his strange dream from the night before and the two little ones' suspicious behavior just moments ago.

He opened the system to check the battle logs.

[......]

[Your Pokémon Sprigatito (Lv. 14) and Misdreavus (Lv. 19) defeated Primeape (Lv. 28), gaining 4.7 Fear Value!]

[......]

Xia Chi's face turned as dark as charcoal.

So you two went out to farm bosses last night, is that it!