Chapter 628: You Got Me, Big Brow!

Chapter 628: You Got Me, Big Brow!

Humm—

Hualian Armor Knight began to channel Waveguide, holding back its power. The azure Waveguide force condensed within its golden cannon barrel.

Waveguide, a power Jinghe was most familiar with, so when Hualian Armor Knight channeled Waveguide, he noticed it immediately.

Not only him, but Martial Bear and the two Steel Cannon Shrimps in the stream also took notice.

Hmm?

It was evident that Hualian Armor Knight was attempting to mimic the Steel Cannon Shrimp and Iron Cannon Shrimp's "Super Launcher," but this ability belonged to those species, and it wasn't something Hualian Armor Knight could easily imitate.

Boom—

In the end, the Waveguide force within Hualian Armor Knight's cannon barrel transformed into Hydro Pump and was fired.

"Guchia?"

Hualian Armor Knight tilted its head slightly.

The power, compared to the previous direct Hydro Pump, had indeed increased, but it was clear that it hadn't reached the level of the "Super Launcher," which increased power by fifty percent.

However, this boost was mainly due to Hualian Armor Knight's brewing, suppressing, and holding back the Waveguide force.

The slower release speed of the move resulted in an increase in its power.

The two Steel Cannon Shrimps glanced at each other and heaved a slight sigh of relief.

It's not that easy to learn, they thought.

"Hualian Armor Knight, try using Psychic power," Jinghe suggested.

"Guchia!"

At Jinghe's words, Hualian Armor Knight's eyes lit up. Use Psychic to mimic the "Super Launcher"?

Humm—

With Jinghe's reminder, Hualian Armor Knight tried again. Its eyes glowed with Psychic power, and a thin layer of Psychic film covered the golden cannon barrel it held, further compressing the brewed Waveguide.

Boom!!

The power increased by another ten percent.

However, it still fell short of the "Super Launcher."

"If it doesn't work, let's observe and reference it up close," Jinghe said.

Suddenly, the two Steel Cannon Shrimps, who were initially just watching, shuddered, sensing the malicious gazes upon them.

The two Steel Cannon Shrimps glanced at each other again.

If we had known earlier, we would have left sooner. There's nothing interesting here.

"Guchia!"

Hualian Armor Knight, clad in golden armor and exuding a deep, fiery charcoal glow, mounted two deep blue cannons on its shoulders.

Should I say something?

Hualian Armor Knight's stance had an even stronger futuristic warrior vibe than the previous Double Gun Gengar.

Humm—

The azure Waveguide force condensed once more and fired towards the water's surface.

Boom! Boom! The two Steel Cannon Shrimps were at a loss for words. While demonstrating the release of Hydro Pump with the "Super Launcher," they were also being "roasted" on the spot.

Steel Cannon Shrimps: We're almost done, almost done, really almost done!

Hualian Armor Knight unleashed its Waveguide and Psychic power, carefully observing the entire process of the Steel Cannon Shrimps releasing Hydro Pump, and seemed to have a sudden realization.

"Hengga~" Gengar stood to the side, embracing its arms.

If you ask me, if it doesn't work, just take those two cannon barrels and use them yourself.

Steel Cannon Shrimps: Σ(°△°|||)



"Qia!"

Forneus hopped with his hammer, looking thoughtful.

I should have a chance to try it out.

But my suggestion is to let me crack open one of their pincers for research; there's a high chance I can modify Hualian Armor Knight's cannon barrel like that.

The two Steel Cannon Shrimps were almost in tears.

These guys are like living death! Fortunately, Jinghe spoke up, "Alright, stop scaring them. Hualian Armor Knight, you've observed enough; let them go back. I think they're almost done."

The tails of the Steel Cannon Shrimps draped over Hualian Armor Knight's shoulders had even turned a slightly orange-red color.

"Guchia."

Hualian Armor Knight nodded.

In the end, the two Steel Cannon Shrimps and the two Iron Cannon Shrimps returned to the water with many Energy Cubes, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Hey, you know what? These guys may look fierce, like living death, but they're actually pretty nice.

At dusk—

Sizzle—

Jinghe donned an apron, set up a pot rack, added some oil, and soon the sound of stir-frying filled the peaceful outdoors, adding a touch of culinary aroma to the atmosphere.

Tonight's dinner was curry.

It was a Paradius region's Tree Fruit Curry Set, a recipe originating from the "Ancestral Cookbook" of Akamatsu from Blueberry Academy. The main ingredients were the tree fruits and vegetables grown in Jinghe's garden, prepared and cooked with his improvements.

Of course, the most crucial ingredient was the curry powder.

As Jinghe stirred, the golden curry gradually thickened, and its unique fragrance filled the air.

This was Jinghe's first time cooking according to Akamatsu's "Ancestral Cookbook," although he had made some modifications.

"I have to say, it smells fantastic," Jinghe muttered to himself.

Speaking to himself, Jinghe scooped up a small spoonful of the thick curry sauce, blew on it, and put it in his mouth. The taste buds were instantly stimulated, making Jinghe feel invigorated.

The taste was far better than he had imagined.

Speaking of which, Jinghe wasn't a big fan of curry, but this pot of curry had given him a new appreciation for it.

"And this is just with regular curry powder."

The original recipe called for better ingredients for the curry powder, including Waterside Herbs and Super Powder.

Jinghe hadn't put much thought into making the curry powder, so he used some lower-quality ingredients as substitutes.

"Even so, this curry has at least reached the level of a 'Charizard' grade."

This genuinely surprised Jinghe.

Seeing this, the seemingly outrageous menu on Akamatsu's 'Ancestral Cookbook' might have a slight chance of attracting a Drifblim, or perhaps even a little more?

While Jinghe was tasting it, the little ones had already gathered around, eagerly watching, especially Gengar and Yuki, their drool almost dripping onto the ground.

Seeing this, Jinghe stopped teasing them and smiled as he used a large spoon to ladle the thick curry sauce over the rice, finally sprinkling on some secret spices to complete the perfect curry.

"I made quite a bit, but I can make more if it's not enough."

On a picnic table, neatly arranged portions of steaming curry were set out, and the little ones were already in the mood to dig in, waiting for Jinghe's signal.

"Let's eat!"

"Hngga!"

Gengar immediately dropped the spoon in his hand and scooped the curry into his mouth with the plate.

"Hngga~(￣～￣)"

Seeing this, Dratini, Martial Bear, and Yuki, who had originally planned to eat with spoons, immediately followed suit.

The next second.

As they continued chewing, four clean plates were passed to Jinghe.

Jinghe: "."

Why did he suddenly feel a bit sweaty?

After finishing their meal, they tossed the plates and utensils into the Rotom dishwasher.

The benefit of having Rotom was that when they were outdoors, they could simply throw electrical devices into Gengar's shadow without worrying about power consumption.

Moreover, with Rotom, they had achieved full automation.

The evening breeze blew gently, the stream babbled, and the moonlight rippled on the water.

Jinghe lay back on the soft grass, gazing up at the night sky with the little ones.

Memories flowed like a stream.

"Hngga~"

Gengar pointed at the brightest star in the sky.

That star seemed like a Jirachi.

Jirachi.

Aside from Yuki and the other little ones who had never encountered Jirachi, the rest had its adorable image pop into their minds.

【Jinghe~ Play~ Jinghe~ Come Play~~】

It was as if Jirachi's call echoed in their minds.

Jinghe's mouth curved into a subtle smile.

Although Jirachi was in deep slumber, the memories of the days spent with it would never fade.

Whenever those memories came to mind, a smile would inevitably appear.

For a moment.

The grass became quiet.

The only sounds were the rustling of the evening breeze through the grass, the babbling of the stream, and the distant music of a Round Bard in the bushes.

It was at this moment.

In the not-so-dense bushes, on an ordinary-looking branch, the bark of an ordinary-looking tree trunk began to curl slightly.

A small, diamond-shaped patch of bark gradually turned a vibrant green.

"Hngga?"

Suddenly, Gengar, sitting next to Jinghe, seemed to sense something and turned around abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Seeing its reaction, Jinghe asked with his hands behind his head.

"Hngga."

Gengar scratched its head and shook its head again.

As a master of 'Backstabbing,' Gengar had an extremely strong sixth sense about its back, and it had just felt like something was watching them from behind.

Hearing Gengar's words, Jinghe's thoughts stirred, and waveguides spread from his body.

Blessed by Alazhe, Jinghe's waveguides were not the best in the Pokemon world, but they were definitely among the top-notch (there weren't many people who could do it anyway).

Under his waveguide perception, the bushes behind them weren't empty.

There were three Round Bards, two Diggersby, four Cutiefly, and a Passimian.

Aside from that, there was nothing else.

Perhaps one of them had glanced their way.

Speaking of the Castelia region.

The main things to be cautious of were the Life God, Xerneas, the Destruction God, Yveltal, and the Blaziken Squad.

Oh, and also "Gundam," the legendary Z-God, the God of Order, Zygarde.

Zygarde, Xerneas, and Yveltal were like Rayquaza, Groudon, and Kyogre in the Sinnoh region, or Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem in the Unova region.

However, most of the time, Zygarde exists as cells scattered throughout the Pokemon world, monitoring and maintaining the balance of the natural environment.

When there are significant changes in the natural environment in certain areas, Zygarde will gather a certain number of cells and transform into different forms to respond to the situation.

"Speaking of which, does the shining Z-God Zygarde exist in the Paldea region?"

Even Rayquaza has a shining form, so it's not so hard to accept that there's a second Zygarde, and it's shining.

"Time to sleep."

Jinghe stood up, brushing off the grass clippings on his back, and said, "If all goes well, we'll reach the 'Battle Castle' tomorrow and see if we can find a match."

Then, using the 'Battle Castle' as a center, he planned to investigate the surrounding wilderness to search for traces of Pokemon Hunters.

"Chirp~"

Yuki let out a long yawn.

It had already been feeling a bit sleepy.

Well-fed and content, it simply laid down and fell asleep—a carefree joy that only a child could experience.

The not-so-spacious tent was just large enough to accommodate Jinghe and the little ones.

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Cuddling together in a group was a unique experience in itself.

Dratini and Martial Bear leaned against the entrance, their large backs forming a yellow and brown 'door' that completely sealed the tent.

These 'door gods' provided an extra sense of security.

The next morning, as the little Spearows chirped noisily, Jinghe suddenly pushed away Yuki, who had somehow ended up lying on his chest while he slept, and sat up, gasping for breath.

He rubbed his chest, his face filled with lingering fear.

No wonder he had dreamed that he had turned into a monkey and was slapped down by a golden Buddha during the summit war. Even when he activated his golden hair form, he couldn't break free, feeling as if he were being pushed underwater and unable to breathe.

Stepping out of the tent, he noticed Martial Bear with his hands clasped together, "sincerely" thanking nature for its long-awaited "gift."

After a simple wash and breakfast by the stream, they set off on their journey once again.

"Riding my beloved bicycle, it never gets stuck in traffic~"

After cycling for a while, Jinghe and his group gradually transitioned from the wilderness to the road.

Route 7!

In the distance, they could already see the massive castle perched atop a hill—the renowned Battle Castle of the Castelia region!

Just then, another bicycle suddenly approached from behind Jinghe at an incredible speed.

"Hey, friend! Need a hand?" The youth who had caught up with Jinghe turned around, his face full of enthusiasm as he shouted.

The newcomer appeared to be around twenty years old, with dark skin, a black short-sleeved shirt, and a pair of athletic pants. His hair resembled an upside-down ice cream cone, adorned with red, yellow, and blue stone accessories.

Noticing Jinghe's puzzled gaze, the youth grinned and introduced himself, "I'm Chacklo, the Gym Leader of the Yaxiang Gym. I'm an expert in rock climbing and cycling. Seeing you ride so fast, I couldn't help but feel a sudden urge to challenge you. It's nothing personal."

"Yaxiang Gym? Chacklo?"

"That's right," Chacklo said, gripping the handlebars with one hand and extending the other towards Jinghe, keeping their bicycles parallel.

"Hello."

Jinghe nodded and shook hands with him.

Chacklo, the Gym Leader of Yaxiang City in the Castelia region, was a specialist in Rock-type Pokemon training.

His primary occupation was being a Gym Leader and trainer, while his secondary interests were climbing and cycling.

Known as the "Climber of Flexibility and Strength," his most famous saying was, "I will climb over every wall that stands in my way."

In the Castelia region, it was almost embarrassing for a Pokemon trainer not to have a side hustle.

For example, Kalous had acting as her side job, Four Kings Zhimi was a chef, Chacklo was a climber, and Violet was a photographer.

To some extent, being a Pokemon trainer might even be considered their secondary occupation.

"Hello, Jinghe," Jinghe introduced himself with a smile.

Screech—

Chacklo abruptly slammed on the brakes, leaving two black skid marks on the ground. He stared, his mouth agape, and said,

"Jing—Jinghe, Teacher?"

Jinghe thought to himself that he must have some reputation in the Castelia region as well. He stopped his bicycle and smiled, saying,

"You haven't mistaken me."

Chacklo realized, "No wonder I thought you looked familiar, Jinghe Teacher. I just didn't make the connection."

He glanced at the direction they were heading, as if understanding something, and his expression of surprise intensified. He cautiously asked,

"Jinghe Teacher, you're not heading to the 'Battle Castle,' are you?"

"Yes," Jinghe replied.

He didn't deny it.

The two continued on their way.

"So, what's your current title, Teacher Jinghe?"

"Count."

Count.

Chacklo breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he was currently a Marquis, so according to the normal Battle Castle matching mechanism, they shouldn't encounter each other for the time being.

However, it wouldn't be surprising for Jinghe Teacher to attain the title of Marquis or even higher, given his abilities.

Perhaps there would be a chance for them to battle before Jinghe Teacher's promotion to Duke?

Chacklo, who had been worried about a potential encounter just a moment ago, now felt eager to take on the challenge.

In Chacklo's eyes, Jinghe was like a towering mountain standing before him, and as a "climber," he naturally wanted to take on this challenge.

Worry was instinctual, but overcoming fear and facing challenges head-on was the true determination of a climber!

Jinghe, for his part, held no sense of disdain for Chacklo.

Aside from other things, at least in the anime, Charklo is the only Trainer who, in front of Satoshi, advanced from Duke to Grand Duke!

At that time, the Four Kings were only Dukes, and the only female Grand Duke was the Champion, Kalous.

Of course, it's not to say that Charklo is stronger than the Four Kings, but it does indirectly demonstrate that his strength is not weak.

Charklo and Jinghe traveled together, and along the way, he shared some information about the "Battle Castle."

"Jimi?"

Jinghe heard about Jimi, one of the Four Kings of the Castelia region, from Charklo.

"That's right, Jimi's Duke Promotion Battle is in the next couple of days," Charklo nodded seriously.

The Duke, a rare title in the Battle Castle, combined with the status of the Four Kings, made this promotion battle quite the spectacle.

In fact, with Jimi's strength, advancing to Duke wasn't particularly difficult.

It's just that Jimi is often busy, cycling through his various chain stores, and with his focus on cooking, he doesn't have much time for the Battle Castle.

This time, he came for a specific reason.

On the one hand, it's because he's matched with a suitable opponent.

On the other hand, the Battle Castle's butler invited Jimi to prepare a grand meal within the castle and also invited many Battle Castle contestants, making it a dinner party to promote battles.

"I see."

After listening to Charklo's explanation, Jinghe understood.

The Battle Castle is similar to a Pokemon Center, offering free room and board to Trainers who have earned titles.

Moreover, the quality of the accommodations is quite good, at least a little better than a Pokemon Center.

Additionally, the Battle Castle, a tradition passed down from ancient times, focuses on promoting the spirit of knighthood and the etiquette of battles, often hosting "noble" events like this dinner party.

"In that case, it's easier to find a match during the party, right?"

"Of course."

Charklo braked again and stopped in front of a steep cliff, with the Battle Castle above and a winding road leading up.

However, Charklo skillfully took out his climbing gear, sprinkled magnesium powder on his hands, and turned to Jinghe, saying, "But if you're in a hurry, Jinghe-sensei, you can also choose the 'Designated Challenge' method."

As he spoke, he started climbing nimbly, without relying on too many safety measures, seemingly very confident in his abilities.

"Hng."

Gengue tilted his head, looking at Charklo, and muttered.

If he loses his grip and falls...

Jinghe glared at the purple-skinned chubby boy.

Don't be a jinx!

Then he said, "Designated Challenge?"

"It's a method similar to a medieval duel, where the challenger designates the challenged, and the challenged usually doesn't refuse. But if the challenge fails, the punishment for the challenger is also severe."

High reward, high risk.

It even has a bit of offending people.

Aside from the "Designated Challenge," most people choose the "Random Match" method, where the Battle Castle butler arranges opponents of equal titles or suitable matches, which takes longer but also carries less risk and reward.

"A 'traditional' matching mechanism."

"Jinghe-sensei, let's meet at the castle entrance—"

Charklo's voice echoed from a distance; he was already halfway up the mountain.

Jinghe opened his mouth, struggled for a while, and managed to say one word.

The Battle Castle stood tall, and after passing through the garden and fountain in front of the castle, they walked up the white marble steps to the main entrance.

On both sides stood white jade pillars, and Charklo was climbing up from one side.

An elderly butler with a monocle noticed Jinghe's arrival and his attire, especially the monocle Jinghe was wearing, and his eyes lit up.

"Sir, I am the Battle Castle's butler, Yikong. How may I be of service?"

Jinghe smiled and handed over the invitation letter from Dr. Blartano.

"So it's Count Jinghe," Yikong took the invitation letter and said in a casual tone:

"May I ask, Count Jinghe, do you wish to match with an opponent, or is it a designated challenge, or would you like to rest and have a meal first? Today's lunch special is—"

"Jinghe?"

Before he could finish speaking, another voice suddenly came from behind.

Hearing this voice, Jinghe showed a hint of surprise.

He turned around and saw a young man with a blue jacket, a red cape on his back, and red short hair, jumping off the back of a Dratini and landing at the entrance of the Battle Castle.

"Ado?"

Seeing the familiar cape-flipping gesture, Jinghe was genuinely surprised.

The "Dragon King" himself, instead of managing the Kanto region, what's he doing in Castelia?

Yikong faced Ado and bowed slightly again, politely saying, "Duke Ado, it's an honor to serve you."

Hmm?

You sly Ado, with your bushy eyebrows and big eyes, as a Kanto Trainer, you secretly climbed up to Duke?!

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end