Chapter 44: Can You Release Your Servine?

A Fake Out followed by a Shadow Claw, and the match was over.

The entire battle lasted for such a short duration that most of the livestream viewers were still debating who would win or lose when the referee blew the whistle indicating that one of the Pokémon had lost its ability to battle.

"I feel like Sprigatito is going to have a hard time winning. After all, Hitmonlee has evolved—?? What the f*** just happened?"

"Holy crap, a Shadow Claw straight-up one-shot it, they're saying!"

"Sprigatito: I have no idea, I thought it was just a Caterpie so I slapped it to death."

"What kind of attack power is this? Even if Hitmonlee is fragile, it shouldn't get one-shot just like that, right?"

"Professional Trainer analysis incoming: The damage from Shadow Claw was the main factor, but [Hi Jump Kick] has a trait where missing the target causes recoil damage. After Sprigatito used Shadow Claw, it turned into a Ghost type, which is immune to Fighting, so the Hi Jump Kick naturally couldn't hit it and instead struck the ground. That made Hitmonlee's already pathetic HP even worse. But then again, this still doesn't hide the fact that Sprigatito's attack output is ridiculously high!"

"666, you mean it kicked its own ingrown toenail and bounced itself to death?"

"What happened? When the match started, my girlfriend called me to stir-fry some vegetables, and how come the match ended right as I finished?"

"Bro thinks he's the Flash?"

"It's fine, three seconds is already very impressive."

"Hilarious, Hitmonlee got one-shot and now you, Quick-Gunner, are getting one-shot too?"

"......"

After all, this was the shortest match since the main tournament began, and it was an unbelievable matchup where Sprigatito one-shot Hitmonlee.

The livestream chat erupted with an extremely enthusiastic discussion.

However, Xia Chi was completely unaware of all this. Having successfully advanced to the Top 16, he brought Sprigatito to the professional medical room provided by the Hongqiao Arena.

Even though Sprigatito had only taken damage from Fake Out during the entire match.

Even the smallest injuries had to be treated; what if it turned into a hidden handicap for the afternoon's match?

Walking into the medical room and handing the Poké Ball containing Sprigatito to the nurse, Xia Chi's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of an unexpected person: Lin Lange.

At this moment, she was sitting on a chair in the waiting area of the medical room, looking at her phone, most likely waiting for her Servine to finish treatment.

Actually, it wasn't that surprising; Xia Chi's match had ended quickly, and it was entirely reasonable to run into Lin Lange, who had just finished hers, in the medical room.

Xia Chi didn't deliberately avoid anyone either. He sat down not far from his "ex-wife," maintaining a social distance of two empty seats between them.

Then he watched the livestream of the next match. The winner of that match would be Xia Chi's opponent in the afternoon.

"Thank you for capturing it."

A cool, detached voice suddenly came from beside his ear.

Xia Chi pretended not to hear and continued looking down at his phone.

The breathing sound beside him grew slightly heavier, and Xia Chi could even sense that the young girl next to him had turned her head to stare straight at him.

Xia Chi curled his lips in disdain; he had no patience for the entitled behavior of such "Gym-descendant" and "campus goddess" types.

After staring for quite a while, Lin Lange realized that if she didn't speak up, the guy really wouldn't say a word.

With a hint of helplessness in her tone, she said, "Xia Chi, I'm talking to you."

"Ah, Senior, were you calling me?"

Xia Chi looked up in feigned surprise, acting completely innocent as he said, "I thought you were on the phone with a Bluetooth headset or something. After all, you didn't actually call my name, right?"

The soft yet prickly attitude left Lin Lange utterly unable to vent her temper. Both reason and etiquette were firmly on his side.

As for pulling rank and throwing a tantrum based on her status as a senior?

The Donghuang region wasn't like Kanto or Johto, where the hierarchical relationship between upper and lowerclassmen had become toxic.

Lines like, "Xia Chi, do you think the water in Senior's cup fills itself?" were naturally impossible for her to say.

Lin Lange took a deep breath, steadied her mindset, and said, "Xia Chi, I really am grateful that you captured Sprigatito."

Xia Chi nodded. "And I'm genuinely grateful that you abandoned Sprigatito. Otherwise, how could I have found such a wonderful partner?"

Xia Chi could swear that his words were entirely sincere, spoken from the bottom of his heart without a single drop of sarcasm.

However, Lin Lange obviously didn't see it that way. She only felt that the other person was mocking her for being blind, and her expression instantly turned cold.

Xia Chi completely ignored the suddenly plummeting temperature of the atmosphere and continued, "Oh right, Senior, if you lose your next match, will you release your Servine?"

Lin Lange's mood at that moment had deteriorated to the absolute limit.

She turned her head to glare at Xia Chi and said in a deep voice, "Sprigatito wasn't abandoned by me because of that lost match... Forget it, there's no point explaining it to you. Do you think your training philosophy is the only correct one? What qualifications do you have to——"

"Wait, wait, wait, Senior, you've got it wrong."

Xia Chi hurriedly interrupted, "I don't care why Sprigatito was abandoned by you, nor do I have any intention of criticizing or changing your training philosophy. I just wanted to ask..."

He paused for a moment, looking slightly embarrassed as he asked, "When the time comes, could you tell me where you release your Servine? I think your Servine has been raised quite well..."

Bang!

Before Xia Chi even finished speaking, Lin Lange shoved her chair back, stood up, and stormed off.

"Hey, contestant Lin Lange, your Servine!"

The nurse shouted loudly from behind. The young girl ultimately walked over with a darkened face to retrieve her Poké Ball, cast a fierce glare at Xia Chi, and strode away angrily.

"She didn't even give me a straight answer on whether she'll tell me or not..."

Xia Chi muttered softly to himself.

He was genuinely coveting that Servine.

Not only could it complete a Grass-type bond, but given Serperior's speed after evolution, it might even trigger a [Speed-Attack] bond. It was simply too perfect.

As for criticizing Lin Lange's training philosophy? That was the most monumental injustice.

Xia Chi wasn't that kind of self-righteous saint.

"Contestant Xia Chi, your Sprigatito has also finished treatment."

The nurse's call interrupted Xia Chi's train of thought.

"Oh, right, thank you."

Taking the handed-over Poké Ball, Xia Chi returned to his contestant lounge.

As the top rookie tournament in Shanghai, the Hubao Cup provided services to contestants that were top-tier.

Lunch was delivered by dedicated staff with unlimited refills, and fresh berries and high-quality energy cubes were supplied in endless amounts.

Xia Chi and Sprigatito treated the place like a buffet and ate their fill.

To the extent that when Sprigatito took the stage for its second match in the afternoon, its belly was still bulging round, and it almost threw the match because of it.

Regardless, the opponent's Haunter ultimately failed to stop Xia Chi and Sprigatito from claiming victory.

And after advancing to the Top 8, the matches for the quarterfinals of the Hubao Cup would take place the following weekend.

Firstly, to let the contestants' Pokémon get adequate rest.

Secondly, who in their right mind goes to watch matches on a workday?

——————

"I'm back."

"Meow-fee!"

After the matches ended, Xia Chi and Sprigatito didn't stay at the Hongqiao Arena for dinner; instead, they returned straight to the dormitory at the first possible moment.

That poor little Mimikyu must have been bored at home all day.

As soon as he opened the door, a rich aroma of smoked meat hit him right in the face.

On the living room table, Chen Zunze and his Clefairy were drooling wildly over a large, alluringly glistening beef rib.

The moment he saw Xia Chi enter, Chen Zunze immediately shouted, "Dad, you're finally back! Go wash your hands quickly and come eat."

Xia Chi: "......"

No wait, did Mimikyu possess your body or something?

(Today's readership retention is super important, please!)