Chapter 629: The Bustling Battle Castle

Chapter 629: The Bustling Battle Castle



"Why did you come to the Castelia region?" Jinghe asked.

Green laughed heartily and replied, "I came to the Castelia region to carry out a task. After completing the task, I still had some time, so I thought of coming to the 'Battle Castle' for a couple of matches before heading back."

Jinghe wanted to give him a thumbs up and say, "No wonder you're the 'Dragon Messenger,' you're truly dedicated to battles."

But then he had a sudden realization, "By the way, aren't you on an undercover mission for Team Rocket?"

Wasn't Green on an undercover mission for Team Rocket?

As the conversation turned to this topic, Green couldn't help but show a hint of helplessness, scratching his head in distress.

"Sigh, let's not talk about it. My undercover mission wasn't even completed when I was called off by the higher-ups. They told me to hurry back and challenge for the Four Kings position, as one of the older seniors wants to retire."

Green becoming one of the Four Kings was not surprising; it was only a matter of time.

However, once Green became one of the Four Kings and challenged the Champion, his "good days" would be over.

In fact, Jinghe was more curious about something else.

"You were called off?"

"I thought I was doing pretty well. I would send reports back at regular intervals, and I even managed to infiltrate the middle to upper levels of Team Rocket, preparing to make a push for a leadership position."

Middle to upper levels? Aiming for a leadership position?

Green, you seemed so enthusiastic when you mentioned these things.

"How is Team Rocket doing?" Jinghe cautiously inquired.

Since the person he was talking to was Jinghe, the Chief Superintendent of the International Police, and they had a close relationship, Green had no reason to hide anything.

"It's strange to say, but aside from the intense competition within Team Rocket, the treatment and benefits are actually quite good."

They never withheld wages, had fixed holidays for regular days off, and even provided gifts and allowances during major holidays. For those on external missions, there were additional allowances and overtime pay.

"Jinghe, you don't know that if you become a leader in Team Rocket, not only will your salary double, but..."

Green excitedly began to explain to Jinghe.

The more he spoke, the more Jinghe noticed his animated expression, and suddenly he understood why the League had to call off his undercover mission and summon him back.

If they didn't call him back, the esteemed Dragon Messenger, Green, might have become a leader in Team Rocket!

It was a shame that they wouldn't get to see a special edition of Green's replication.

However, Team Rocket was indeed "sincere." Regardless of one's background, within Team Rocket, it was a meritocracy, providing ample competition and opportunities for advancement, along with excellent treatment.

No wonder so many people were willing to work tirelessly for Team Rocket and for Giovanni.

Moreover, with Team Rocket's current transformation, Green had been undercover for so long, yet he couldn't find much "evidence" against Team Rocket. Instead, his own beliefs and views on Team Rocket had undergone some changes.

"Perhaps..."

When Green becomes one of the Four Kings and eventually the Champion, it will mark the completion of Team Rocket's transformation. This could very well be Giovanni's far-reaching plan.

"By the way, Jinghe, why did you come to the Castelia region and end up at the 'Battle Castle'?" Green asked in return.

"Oh," Jinghe snapped out of his thoughts, shrugging his shoulders casually, "Me? We're here for a vacation."

Vacation.

Green: "..."

They were both in the Castelia region, but Green was there for a mission while Jinghe was on vacation. Why was there such a big difference between them?

As the two of them were talking, Charkor finally made his way to the entrance of the Battle Castle.

"Marquis Charkor, it's an honor to serve you," said Utsugi, the castle's butler, always maintaining a gentle and polite demeanor.

Charkor was no stranger to Green, as he was one of the few Dukes in the Battle Castle. After a simple greeting, they headed towards the castle together.

The vast Battle Castle was decorated luxuriously yet not extravagantly, with tall white marble columns standing inside. From the corner of the hall, the mellow and graceful melody of a cello and piano duet filled the air.

As the three of them entered the hall, many people gathered, and some of them recognized Jinghe and Green.

"Professor Jinghe?"

"Is Professor Jinghe also at the Battle Castle?"

"And Duke Green, it seems like things are getting lively here."

"We don't have to worry about Duke Green, but I wonder if Professor Jinghe will be matched up for a battle?"

"There's no choice if he's matched up."

In small groups of three or two, people whispered in the hall.

"It's the Four Kings, Zamora! He's here too!"

From within the castle, a young man with golden, fluffy short hair and dressed in a white chef's uniform emerged. It was none other than Zamora, the Water-type Four Kings of the Castelia region!

Zamora had not participated in the Unova region's "Junior Master World Championship" because he was already a Four Kings in the Castelia region at that time.

However, Jinghe was familiar with Zamora, and they had interacted before.

During the previous Ice Sculpture Competition, Zamora was a special guest. When he presented awards to Jinghe and the Ice Ninetales, they had a brief conversation.

"Gentlemen, would you like to have a meal?" Zamora maintained a smile as the guest chef of the Battle Castle for the day.

As the invited chef, Zamora was dedicated to his work.

For him, he preferred his chef's work over his identity as the Water-type Four Kings.

Jinghe was already accustomed to this.

The Castelia region, modeled after France, exuded a tranquil and leisurely romantic atmosphere throughout.

This was also the reason why many Trainers were more enthusiastic about their "side jobs," and why so many Trainers had side occupations.

It was no wonder that the future Champion Kalous and the Four Kings had set such good examples.

As such, it is understandable that many subconsciously perceive the trainers of the Castelia region as somewhat inferior to those of other leagues.

Sitting in a corner of the hall, Zamora and the castle's staff began serving food prepared by Zamora himself.

Jinghe wasn't hungry, but if you asked him if he could eat, he'd always say he could.

After all, whose house doesn't have a few Pokemon that can never be fully fed?

"Hngg~!"

Gengue, Male devoured the delicately decorated cake on the plate in one bite, smacking his lips, seemingly enjoying the taste.

In Gengue, Male's opinion, the food was good, but the portion was too small.

On the other side, Yuki was eager, knowing that according to the "rules," the next dish was for him.

"Excuse me, may we join you?"

The voice came from behind Jinghe.

They looked towards the source of the voice.

The speaker was a middle-aged beauty in her thirties, with purple hair tied up, a black body-hugging jumpsuit, and a white, oversized cloak.

Upon seeing her, Charkor quickly introduced, "Jinghe, this is Ms. Gladion, the Gym Leader of Hundred Carat City."

Gym Leader Gladion

Gladion seemed quite familiar, sitting next to Jinghe and greeting them with a smile, "Jinghe, Mr. Green, and Charkor."

After sitting down, Gladion continued, "The stars guided me to the Battle Castle, and I didn't expect to meet the destined one."

Hmm?

Not only was Gladion a Gym Leader, but she was also a psychic-type expert with a side job as a fortune-teller, often helping people with star readings and prophecies, earning her the title "The One Who Opens the Way with Starlight."

Today was indeed a lively day.

Jinghe was a bit puzzled, "Ms. Gladion, who is the 'destined one'?"

Could a fortune-teller predict what was about to happen in the Castelia region?

If she could make such a prediction, it would be a good thing; Jinghe could time his escape, and if possible, he'd rather not get involved.

Gladion smiled mysteriously, her wrist trembled slightly, and in her hand, there seemed to be miniature stars twinkling.

"The stars guide everything, Jinghe, your time has not yet come."

Jinghe: "..."

Can the Riddler just leave the Pokemon world?

Jinghe was speechless. He poured the dish just served by the waiter into Yuki's mouth to prevent him from eating the plate as well.

"It's quite lively today," Gladion said, with a hint of implication.

Clang, clang, clang—

The sound of metal armor clashing echoed loudly, capturing everyone's attention towards the castle entrance.

A knight in gleaming silver armor, tall and sturdy, with a string of Poke Balls hanging from his waist like a sword.

Wow.

If someone told him this was the venue for the Master Tournament, he'd believe it.

Today was indeed a day when everyone, living or dead, seemed to be making an appearance.

"Hngg."

Knight, armor!

Wasn't this exactly what he had always dreamed of?

Gengue, Male turned around and started searching Jinghe's waist, quickly finding the Forneus's Poke Ball and releasing Forneus.

"Chah?"

"Chah!"

High-quality metal!

It would be a waste not to take a few swings.

"Hngg!"

"Chah?"

"Yo-ho!"

Seeing that Gengue, Male's attention was completely captured by the armor, Yuki's eyes darted around, and he quickly poured the dish meant for Gengue, Male into his own mouth.

Then, he immediately pretended to be watching the "show," nodding along.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! That's a good one! Great style!

Green, Charkor, and Zumi couldn't help but stifle their laughter.

Jinghe's Pokemon were indeed a bunch of treasures, not only full of quirky and imaginative ideas but also determined to put those ideas into action.

Perhaps this was where Jinghe's approach to raising Pokemon differed from others.

While other trainers' Pokemon couldn't be described as rigid, they were more or less influenced by their trainers and had learned some so-called rules to better integrate into human society.

This in itself wasn't necessarily a bad thing; for example, riding Pokemon like Rapidash and Riding Goat would follow traffic rules.

But Jinghe's Pokemon?

When faced with traffic lights, they wouldn't run them, but Dratini would choose to fly over, Yuki might dig a tunnel, and if Gengue, Male wasn't stopped by Jinghe, he'd probably turn the red light into a green and white one.

Their innate nature as Pokemon wasn't overly restrained.

"Count Jinghe, apologies for interrupting your meal, but your opponent has been matched.

"Castle butler Utsugi walked over to the dining table and apologized to Jinghe.

"Have you found a match?"

So fast?

Although this is Jinghe's first time at the Battle Castle, Charkor had already told him a lot on the way here.

Generally, matches at the Battle Castle are slow, and even for a Count, waiting a couple of days is considered fast. For Marquises and Dukes, it's not uncommon to wait a year for a match.

However, Jinghe quickly realized that with Chef Zamora's arrival and his Duke promotion match, many people were attracted, so it made sense that the match was found quickly.

Butler Utsugi replied, "Yes, your opponent is also a Count, Violet, the Violet Countess. The rules will be a 2v2 singles battle, but if both parties agree, the rules can be changed."

Violet Countess?

Another Gym Leader.

Are the Gym Leaders and Four Kings of the Castelia region planning to hold a tournament at the Battle Castle?

"Thank you," Jinghe said.

It doesn't matter who the opponent is; with his current title, he won't be matched with Zamora, Yakkai, or Green.

"You're too kind," Butler Utsugi said with a slight bow. "But before the battle, please change into this set of duel attire."

This is a tradition of the Battle Castle.

Both parties need to change into the Battle Castle's attire before the battle, a traditional outfit resembling a tuxedo and cloak, to showcase the chivalrous etiquette.

Jinghe naturally wouldn't refuse this.

Soon, he put on a brand-new black suit and a light green cloak, and his entire demeanor changed instantly.

Jinghe was quite satisfied with this outfit, except for the color of the cloak.

"To make a decent living, you've got to have a bit of green on you."

In the Battle Castle, the cloaks to some extent represent the respective titles.

White corresponds to Baron, blue to Viscount, green to Count, yellow to Marquis, red to Duke, and purple to the Grand Duke at the top.

Led by Utsugi, they arrived at the castle's rear garden, where there was a spacious and sturdy battlefield surrounded by water channels and tall jade columns.

The battlefield had three sides of open space, and the fourth side was the castle's viewing tower. Many Trainers, knowing there was a battle, had come early to secure the best viewing spots.

Green, Charkor, and others were among them.

"It's Teacher Jinghe."

"Did Teacher Jinghe find an opponent on his first visit to the Battle Castle? I wonder who the 'lucky' guy is."

"The opponent seems to be Violet, the Gym Leader?"

When Jinghe arrived at the battlefield, his opponent, a girl in her twenties with short silver-gray hair, wearing the battle attire and a light green cloak, appeared across from him.

It was Violet, the Gym Leader of the White Cedar Gym in the Castelia region.

She held a camera aimed at Jinghe's side, seemingly ready to capture a beautiful photo of her opponent.

But when she saw her opponent's appearance through the camera lens, Violet's mood suddenly became complicated.

How could it be Teacher Jinghe?!

I concede. Can I lose fewer points?

Violet forced a smile, saying, "Hello, Teacher Jinghe."

She had come to the Battle Castle, requested a match from the castle butler, and then went to take photos at the back of the castle. Just as she was notified of her match, she learned that it was none other than the famous Teacher Jinghe.

It was said that Teacher Jinghe was powerful enough to shatter a Legendary Pokemon with a single punch.

Moreover, she had heard that Teacher Jinghe was quite enthusiastic about the Baby Cup, fulfilling his responsibility as a "role model" by even having a Yuki wear an Everstone to maintain its "baby" form.

Seeing Violet's expression, Jinghe seemed to guess what she was thinking and sighed inwardly.

His reputation had been ruined by those fans who loved and hated him.

But he still smiled and said, "Pleased to meet you, Gym Leader Violet. I heard you're proficient in photography?"

When it came to photography, Violet immediately became distracted and excited.

"Is Teacher Jinghe also good at photography?"

Jinghe shook his head. "I don't know much about it, but I have a little one at home who loves photography."

"Rotom~"

The Rotom Pokedex popped out of Jinghe's pocket and playfully greeted Violet.

Jinghe continued, "Its dream is to become the first 'photographer' in the Pokemon world."

Ho-Oh: I feel a bit offended.

Violet's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh? After the battle, let's have a proper photography competition!"

"Anytime, Rotom!"

Rotom also became energized.

A strange expression flashed across Jinghe's face.

If Violet were to photograph Gengar, she might be startled.

However, after chatting with Jinghe, Violet immediately felt much less pressure.

It's just Teacher Jinghe. Humph! If you're capable, I'll show you by lying down!

"Go, Butterfree!"

Whoosh—

The graceful and agile Butterfree flapped its wings, creating a gentle breeze and appearing in the arena with a scattering of crystal-like dust.

As a Gym Leader, Violet specialized in Bug-type Pokemon, which was related to her frequent walks in the forest for photography.

"Gym Leader Violet's Butterfree is quite powerful."

Among the watching Trainers, some had challenged the White Cedar Gym Trainers and were familiar with Violet's strength.

The latest ⊥ small ⊥ said ⊥ in ⊥ six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ book ⊥ ⊥ bar ⊥ ⊥ first ⊥ release!

In the Battle Castle, titles don't always represent strength.

"Tsk, it's a shame we're up against Teacher Jinghe."

"Indeed."

Teacher Jinghe, despite still considering himself an ordinary Trainer and teacher, was not to be underestimated by anyone.

Rumor has it that Teacher Jinghe possesses strength on par with the Four Kings, and perhaps even that of a Champion or stronger.

The Unova Champion, Adeku, once mentioned in an interview that if he were to face Teacher Jinghe at full strength, his chances of winning might not even reach ten percent.

Setting aside the exaggeration and mutual flattery, Teacher Jinghe might indeed have the strength comparable to a Champion.

The difference between a Champion and a Gym Leader is evident.

After all, the strength of a Gym Leader can vary due to factors like age and the method of inheritance, but a Champion is undoubtedly one of the strongest Trainers in a region.

Facing Violet and her Butterfree, Teacher Jinghe's eyebrows arched slightly.

This isn't about bullying anyone.

"Go, Yuki!"

"Yoji!"

The Yuki at Teacher Jinghe's side responded immediately, taking small yet determined steps forward.

Butterfree, with its Bug and Flying types, is immune to Ground-type moves but is four times weak to Rock-type attacks.

Teacher Jinghe didn't want to gain such a significant advantage from type matchups, but the problem was that if he didn't send out Yuki, the advantage would be even greater.

Whoosh—

Butterfree flapped its wings, its wings resembling a pair of fierce eyes, releasing a terrifying aura.

Intimidate!

Feeling the aura emanating from Butterfree and seeing its wing-like eyes, Yuki was momentarily stunned.

But the next second—

The little guy clenched his fists and pounded his head with two loud thumps, then roared at Butterfree.

"Yoji!"

He wasn't easily intimidated!

Butterfree's round eyes instinctively narrowed, and it felt a bit overwhelmed, especially when it saw the two red marks on Yuki's head.

This guy is terrifying; he's so fierce that he even hits himself!

"Ooh, what a feisty little one. I like it," commented Yakai, dressed in armor, from the sidelines.

As a knight, he valued chivalry, and Yuki's response to Intimidate was right up his alley.

Green also had a smile on his face. "Teacher Jinghe's Yuki has truly cultivated a rugged style."

Rugged style? If Yuki knew Green was describing it like that, it would definitely want to have a word with Green.

It's the offspring of the Desert Tyrant, and it's got brains, too!

Besides, what's this rugged style? It's the majestic aura of a tyrant!

Didn't you see how Butterfree was intimidated?

"Butterfree, Water Pulse!"

Although Butterfree is a Bug and Flying-type Pokemon, its name contains the word 'rain,' and during its Lollypop stage, it was active on water surfaces, so it's not incapable of using Water-type moves.

Buzz—

Water vapor was drawn towards Butterfree, forming a faintly glowing water ball in front of it, which it launched directly at Yuki.

Utilizing its flying ability and agile body, Butterfree faced off against Yuki for a moment before finding Yuki's "opening." Without hesitation, it attacked.

As the Water Pulse was thrown, Butterfree didn't remain stationary but quickly circled behind Yuki.

Even if this attack missed, the initiative was now in Violet's hands.

From this, it wasn't hard to see that Violet's practical combat skills weren't bad.

However—

"Yuki, block it," Teacher Jinghe commanded.

Block it? How? Suddenly, Yuki opened its mouth, revealing a menacing smile, and stomped its foot down.

Boom!!

The sturdy battlefield ground shook, and a large rock, like a seesaw, tipped up when Yuki stomped on it.

Bang—

The water blast hit the raised rock and scattered in all directions.

"So, this is how Rock-type Pokemon deal with Water-type moves!"

Some Trainers were amazed, learning something new.

"Dragon Dance!"

Taking advantage of the brief respite, Yuki's momentum began to rise. Violet, seeing this, felt a twinge of anxiety and quickly commanded:

"Butterfree, Energy Ball! Interrupt it!"

A green glow flashed, and Butterfree, positioned behind Yuki, swiftly gathered an Energy Ball, slamming it into Yuki's back, attempting to disrupt its Dragon Dance.

But it was too late.

"Crunch!"

"Yoji!"

Yuki let out a fierce cry, spun around, and opened its mouth to meet the incoming green Energy Ball.

The Energy Ball, infused with Grass-type energy, was bitten and shattered by Yuki right before Violet's astonished eyes.

"Bite... Bite it? Is a Grass-type Energy Ball so easily bitten through?"

Many Trainers exclaimed in surprise.

"Yoji. (￣~￣)"

Yuki seemed to say, "The taste isn't as good as the branches of the World Tree."

At the same time, a faint glow enveloped Yuki's body once more, and its momentum rose again!

"Weakness Policy?"

Someone recognized the item Yuki was holding.

[Weakness Policy: When the holder is hit by a super-effective attack, its Attack and Special Attack rise by two stages!]



"No, we understand the logic, but..."

"How dare Teacher Jinghe give Yuki a Weakness Policy!"

With a four times weakness to Grass and Water-type moves, a super-effective attack on Yuki's small frame in its base form could easily knock it out in one hit.

But in reality, Yuki not only endured the attack but also bit through the Energy Ball.

Jinghe smiled slightly.

Our Yuki had been using the branches of the World Tree of Creation as a chew toy and the Leaf Stone as a snack.

After such dedicated and vigorous training, the little guy's resistance to Grass-type attacks had indeed improved significantly.

Of course, the fact that the Energy Cube could withstand the attack and seemed to suffer minimal damage was also because Yuki had bitten it to pieces.

"Rock Blast!"

With everything in place, it was time for our counterattack.

"Yoji!"

Yuki lifted its foot and stomped on the ground with force.

A deafening roar filled the air as sharp rock spikes erupted from the ground, aiming directly at the Rain Wing Moth.

"Rain Wing Moth, dodge!" Violet waved her hand and shouted urgently.

Whoosh—

The Rain Wing Moth flapped its wings, showcasing its Agility attribute to the fullest. The seemingly formidable Rock Blast attack, which had left the audience in awe and admiration, missed its target.

"Damn, I can confirm that it's definitely Jinghe-sensei in person."

"The power is immense, but it's useless."

"Hahaha—an 80% accuracy move missing its mark, as expected of Jinghe-sensei."

Jinghe coughed awkwardly, facing Violet who was patting her chest. With a light tone, he said, "Rock Slide."

Fortunately, I had anticipated this possibility. If 80% accuracy isn't enough, then we'll use a 90% accuracy move! There's always a move that will hit the target.

The Rain Wing Moth, which had been forced into a corner trying to dodge the Rock Blast, now faced Yuki's forcefully thrown rocks, which came at it like fast-moving cannonballs. It had no room to dodge.

Bang!!

The rocks shattered into pieces, and the Rain Wing Moth wailed as it fell from the sky, losing its ability to battle!

"Yoji!!"

Yuki roared with a commanding presence.

The Desert Tyrant's offspring is indeed strong and clever!

Putting aside the words Yuki had been shouting, at this moment, it truly exhibited the aura and silhouette of the Desert Tyrant.

Instant Kill!

The watching trainers had varied expressions.

Although the Rain Wing Moth had a 4x weakness to rock-type moves and Yuki had received a boost, an instant kill seemed like a normal occurrence.

However, they instinctively glanced at the huge rocks that had fallen to the ground and shattered into multiple pieces, and couldn't help but swallow their saliva.

Turns out it was Rock Slide, if they didn't know better, they would have thought it was Rock Blast.

"Rain Wing Moth has lost its ability to battle," Utsugi, the butler and referee, announced. "Viscount Violet, please send out your next Pokemon."

Violet recalled the Rain Wing Moth and muttered under her breath, "It's all a trick, this Yuki is actually a Banjilas disguised as Yuki, right?"

Despite her muttering, her actions were swift, as she had already prepared herself mentally.

"Go, Vivillon!"

Vivillon is the "Family Moth" of the Castelia region. Due to its diverse habitats and growth environments, the patterns on its wings can vary greatly.

Currently, it is known that Vivillon has 20 different wing patterns, making it a sought-after Bug-type Pokemon among many Bug-type trainers.

The Vivillon summoned by Violet was in the relatively common "Garden Pattern" form.

However, like the Rain Wing Moth, Vivillon is also a Bug/Flying-type Pokemon with a 4x weakness to rock-type moves.

It was difficult to withstand Yuki's attacks, so how should they proceed?

"Vivillon, use Poison Powder and Stun Spore!" Violet changed her strategy.

Colorful wings fluttered, scattering scales that carried toxins and paralysis effects.

This was an attempt to restrict Yuki's mobility and gradually wear it down.

"Using a 'quality' strategy against the most 'quality' trainer?"

"But logically, doesn't Yuki have any countermeasures?"

Countermeasures?

"Yuki, use Sandstorm!" Jinghe waved his hand.

Scales?

It was uncertain if they could fall normally in the sandstorm.

"Yoji!"

Quickly, a sandstorm rose from beneath Yuki's feet, engulfing the entire battlefield in a terrifying cloud of dust and sand.

Vivillon's colorful scales, which had been fluttering gracefully, were instantly dispersed by the raging sandstorm.

Even Vivillon itself began to sway in the midst of the sandstorm.

Although the battle was not over, the outcome was already clear.

Vivillon's tactics failed to restrict Yuki's movements, so the focus shifted to when Yuki's move would hit Vivillon.

After two unsuccessful Rock Slides, the third Rock Slide hit Vivillon, and the battle ended!

"Vivillon has lost its ability to battle!" Utsugi announced the result of the battle. "The winner is Jinghe, the Viscount!"

A brief silence followed, and then the audience broke into applause.

Utsugi then made another announcement, "In recognition of Jinghe's power and the points earned in this battle, Jinghe is promoted to Marquis Jinghe!"

A murmur of surprise filled the room.

A promotion to Marquis after just one battle?

But as the sandstorm dissipated and the audience saw the state of the battlefield, they fell silent.

With such power and destructive capability, a direct promotion to Duke is recommended.

The Marquis trainers queuing for matches at Battle Castle felt a chill down their spines.

Oh no, oh no. Could we be matched against Jinghe-sensei? Can we cancel the match now?

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PS: Two chapters in one, seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end