Chapter 714: The Real "Champion's Path" Begins!

Chapter 714: The Real "Champion's Path" Begins!

Rumble—

A chorus of rumbling stomachs echoed through the Caiyou Arena.

"Too much! This is too much!"

"This isn't a 'Champion's Path,' it's a picnic!"

"A picnic? When has a picnic ever been this good?"

"I can't take it anymore, I need a plate of grilled eel rice!"

Today, the merchants roaming the Caiyou Arena were doing exceptionally well.

If only the Rocket trio had seized this opportunity, they could have made a fortune.

The reason?

It was due to Jinghe and his Pokémon, who were feasting on the big screen.

Others who challenged the "Champion's Path" were usually cautious, keeping their meals as simple as possible to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Not so with Teacher Jinghe.

He had brought out everything—ovens, refrigerators, induction cookers, barbecue grills, coffee machines—you name it, he had it. He even set up a table, spread a picnic cloth, and filled it with a variety of delicious foods: roasted lamb chops, braised pork ribs with potatoes, boiled shrimp, vegetable tempura, and golden fried pork cutlets.

Even through the screen, the audience could almost smell the rich aromas.

Compared to Jinghe's feast, the boxed lunches in the audience's hands suddenly seemed less appealing.

No wonder their faces were filled with frustration.

Did they come to watch Teacher Jinghe enjoy a picnic?

They came to see him struggle, didn't they?

The contrast between the screen and the audience was stark.

Meanwhile, inside the "Champion's Path", Jinghe, after a hearty meal, continued on his journey.

Snivy had evolved, and the energy consumption was a bit higher, so Jinghe let it rest in its Poké Ball. Blastoise came out to take its place.

After leaving "Sleeping Forest", they arrived at a rocky area called "Rubble Grove", home to mostly Rock, Ground, or Steel-type Pokémon. This was Blastoise's domain.

"Bark~"

Blastoise, with a playful expression, walked at the front, holding a handful of Diamonds, munching on them like sunflower seeds, while keeping a "vigilant" eye on the surroundings.

"Blastoise."

Jinghe suddenly held his forehead.

"Bark?"

Blastoise turned to look at him, puzzled, and saw Jinghe pointing at his feet.

"Bark?"

Blastoise looked down and saw a Rhyhorn that had just emerged, now trapped under his foot.

"Bark? Bark!"

Blastoise was startled and quickly lifted his foot, giving Rhyhorn an apologetic smile.

My bad, my bad, I didn't see you there.

Rhyhorn's face darkened.

Without a word, Rhyhorn emitted a bright white light, and a surge of scorching energy began to build, as if it was about to explode.

Oh boy!

Ready to blow up at the drop of a hat?

Jinghe's eyes twitched, and he immediately shouted, "Blastoise! It's going to explode, kick it away!"

"Bark!"

Blastoise, startled, lifted his foot and kicked with all his might.

Bang!!!

The massive Rhyhorn soared into the air.

"Bark?"

Jinghe, Blastoise, and Aipom Lady all shielded their eyes, following the trajectory of the launched Rhyhorn.

Boom!!!

A deafening explosion echoed in the air, showering the ground with debris.

"Bark!"

A perfect kick-off, full of power!

This scene left the audience, who were still fuming over the earlier feast, feeling a bit disappointed.

Too bad.

It didn't hit Teacher Jinghe.

However, the intense explosion seemed to have opened a "Pandora's Box" in "Rubble Grove."

Rustle—Rustle—Rustle—

The already chaotic rocky ground began to shake and slide. One by one, Rhyhorns, Rhydons, Geodudes, Gravelers, Onixes, and Sunstones emerged from various corners.

Seeing these Pokémon, the atmosphere in the area grew tense.

A cold sweat trickled down Jinghe's forehead.

A bad feeling began to form in his mind.

"Bark~"

Blastoise happily waved at the wild Pokémon, giving them a "friendly" greeting.

The next second.

Buzz—Buzz—

One by one, the wild Pokémon began to glow with the same brilliant white light as Rhyhorn.

Bang!

Jinghe, irritated, slapped Blastoise's arm. "Stop waving hello!"

Don't you see what's happening?

Fortunately, Blastoise seemed to realize the situation and started counting on his fingers.

"Bark."

They can't be kicked away.

A vein pulsed on Jinghe's forehead.

"Stop counting, run!"

With that, Jinghe took off, Aipom Lady following closely using Psychic Power, while Blastoise, after a moment's hesitation, roared and hurried after them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

Explosion after explosion rocked "Rubble Grove."

Explosion! Explosion! Explosion, that's art!

"Good! Good good good!"

"Explode! Make it a big one! Blow him up!"

The audience erupted in cheers, as if avenging the earlier meal.

"Damn it, this place shouldn't be called 'Rubble Grove,' it should be called 'Minefield!'"

As Jinghe ran, he felt the explosions and rumbling around him and couldn't help but mutter.

No wonder there are so many rocks here, all over the place.

The wild Pokémon living here must be the type to explode at the slightest provocation!

"At least I don't have any Pokémon with the Water Absorb ability, or they'd all be kicked around by Blastoise!" Jinghe thought angrily.

Meanwhile.

From the audience's perspective.

Through the aerial view provided by the Rotom Drone, they saw the "challenge" Jinghe was about to face as he moved forward.

At the top of the tallest pillar in "Rubble Grove", shrouded in mist, a pair of sharp eyes slowly opened. The figure extended its massive blood-red wings, resembling a blood moon.

Tyranitar!

At first, the audience's reaction was relatively calm.

A pseudo-legendary Pokémon, after all.

Teacher Jinghe had easily defeated a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, Dragonite, earlier.

The difference was that Tyranitar was one of the first pseudo-legendary Pokémon to appear in the Johto region, making it a hallmark of Johto's pseudo-legendary Pokémon.

However.

When the aerial view shifted and provided some reference points, the audience's breaths hitched, and their throats tightened.

Huge!

That was everyone's first impression of this Tyranitar once they had a reference.

Massive!

Far larger than a typical Tyranitar should be!

If a comparison were to be made, its size was about three times that of a regular Tyranitar!

Standing tall on the towering pillar, it surveyed the entire "Rubble Grove" with a regal presence, exuding an indescribable sense of power and oppression.

The forum erupted in excitement.

"Is this... Could this be one of those Alpha Pokémon from Alola?"

"It also looks a bit like a Paldea Alpha Pokémon."

"This is just... too big, too exaggerated!"

"I don't know why... but I feel like it might even be stronger than the Elite Four's Pokémon."

As the forum buzzed, Genji in the "Four Kings Fortress" couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey! I wonder if Jinghe will be satisfied with this."

Bony, Hibana, and Hangetsu all looked at the somewhat gleeful Genji, silently criticizing him for being a mischievous old man.

The reason the "Champion's Path" required some planning was that some of the particularly powerful Pokémon within were arranged by the Elite Four.

For example, Hangetsu had placed the Dragonite, Bony had borrowed a Kingdra from Chikara, and this Tyranitar was invited by Genji.

In the vast sea, there were Dratini Islands, Rotom Islands, and various other mysterious and unknown islands.

As someone who sailed the seas regularly, Genji had established a good relationship with a mysterious "Dragon Island."

This Tyranitar was one of the leaders on "Dragon Island"!

For a leader Pokémon, being larger is quite normal, right?

"It's also Jinghe's fault", Bony said softly. "He only came to challenge the 'Champion's Path' after becoming a full champion. It's really hard for us to arrange things."

Hibana nodded in agreement, mimicking Jinghe's voice, "Oh? So you mean I could have challenged the 'Champion's Path' even without being a full champion?"

Her imitation made everyone chuckle.

Actually.

According to the Hoenn League's standards.

If four, or even three, of the six main Pokémon reached the level of a regular champion's main Pokémon, they could challenge the "Champion's Path."

After all, it's a time of transition. A temporary dip in strength isn’t a problem.

The key is to step up and take on the challenges early.

So, whether it's Jinghe or Da Wu, they all support the idea.

Who knew.

"Maybe Jinghe is just used to competing in the 'Junior Cup'", Bony joked.

Treating the "Champion's Path" like the "Junior Cup", huh?

"Oh!" Hangetsu leaned back, crossing his legs in a carefree manner, "I can't wait to fight Teacher Jinghe!"

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Three hands slammed down on the table.

Genji, Bony, and Hibana all turned to him in unison, speaking in unison:

"Hangetsu, you’re first! It’s decided!"

Hangetsu: "??"

"Next time."

Jinghe caught his breath as the explosion's sound faded, his steps slowing down.

"Don’t let me become the champion, or I’ll make sure to ‘take care’ of you all!"

Against a move like the Big Bang, even the strongest fighter would struggle.

After all, when someone doesn’t care about themselves and just detonates, they lose their fighting ability afterward. What else can they do?

Jinghe, with his "petty" nature, silently vowed to remember this "grudge."

As for whether he would forget or not in the future...

It doesn’t matter, right? There’s always Daiya to remind him.

Whoosh—

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept by.

Then, a massive shadow enveloped Jinghe, Aipom Lady, and Blastoise.

Huh?

Jinghe looked up abruptly.

And there it was—a massive Tyranitar!

"Bark."

Blastoise raised its head, shielding its eyes from the sun, and pouted.

So scary... (Face of a coward)

The audience, witnessing this, suddenly became more alert.

"Here it comes!"

"Massive Tyranitar vs. Teacher Jinghe!"

In an instant, a fierce wind swept through, and the colossal Tyranitar flapped its wings, bringing a powerful sense of pressure.

Intimidate!

Without any exchange, it declared the start of the battle!

Blastoise’s expression turned serious, feeling the Intimidate from the massive Tyranitar, and immediately sensed the threat.

This must be a champion-level, massive Tyranitar!

"Bark!!"

But Blastoise didn’t back down, roaring with the overwhelming aura of the "Desert Tyrant" to face Tyranitar’s Intimidate.

I am the Desert Tyrant!

Have you ever seen a tyrant get scared?!

"Grandpa Genji really is—"

Jinghe held his forehead.

"Roar!!!"

A powerful roar echoed, and a strong dragon-type energy enveloped Tyranitar, surging forward.

Dragon Dive!

"Blastoise!"

Jinghe called out lightly.

A champion-level massive Tyranitar, Aipom Lady was a bit lacking, but Blastoise—

"Rock Spike!" Jinghe waved his hand.

"Bark!"

Blastoise responded quickly, stomping its feet.

Boom!!

Instantly, numerous rock spikes shot up from the ground, facing the diving Tyranitar without fear!

Crash!!

A loud explosion echoed, and countless rocks shattered, raising a cloud of dust.

In the next second.

Swish swish swish—

Sandstorm swept up, instantly covering the entire field, the sand particles scraping against the rocks and mountains, creating a harsh sound.

"Roar!!!"

Tyranitar flapped its wings, dispersing the smoke and creating a temporary vacuum in the Sandstorm.

A powerful roar turned into a wave of sound.

Hyper Voice!

"Endure it, Dragon Dance!"

"Bark—"

Blastoise’s chest puffed out, facing the oncoming sound wave from the massive Tyranitar, its body enveloped in dragon-type energy, its aura rising rapidly.

Seeing this, the massive Tyranitar raised an eyebrow.

Dragon Dance?

Boom—

The intense sound wave hit, and the dark green armor on Blastoise’s body glinted with a metallic sheen.

"Bark!"

Ha! It doesn’t hurt!

Blastoise grinned, patting its chest, showing no sign of discomfort.

The Sandstorm granted it a stronger resistance to special attacks.

Its fists clenched tighter.

"Counterattack, Blastoise!"

Whoosh—

Tyranitar flapped its wings, stirring up the wind, and despite its massive size, it shot up into the sky at an incredible speed.

Creating distance!

"Rock Tomb!"

Rocks of various sizes connected into chains, surrounding Tyranitar from all directions under the cover of the Sandstorm.

Seeing this, Tyranitar flapped its wings again.

Sharp, bright wind blades sliced through the air, cutting through the rock chains.

"Rock Slide!"

Swish—

A large rock, like a cannonball, shot up from below.

Tyranitar’s expression tightened.

While its agility wasn’t bad, its massive size made it a perfect target.

It couldn’t dodge.

The experienced Tyranitar immediately made a decision, its mouth opening and closing, a torrent of water gushing out.

Water Gun!

Boom!!

The rock exploded, and the water jet, after shattering the rock, continued to rush toward Blastoise.

In the process, although countless sand particles tried to block it, the water’s impact remained powerful.

It was clear.

Tyranitar had intended to use Dragon Dive for a sudden attack, and if that failed, to use its flying advantage to fight.

Its experience was evident, and its tactics were well-planned.

It didn’t seem like the typical way a wild Pokémon would fight.

But Jinghe had "seen through" its tactics, making Blastoise endure the Hyper Voice to gain the physical attack and speed boosts from Dragon Dance. The focus wasn’t on the physical attack boost, but on the speed boost.

With the speed boost, Blastoise’s Rock Tomb blocked its ascent, and Rock Slide further sealed its upward path.

The message was clear.

Come in for close combat!

Tyranitar, after all, was a Pokémon that excelled in physical attacks.

Realizing it couldn’t fly, Tyranitar decisively attacked, trying to regain the initiative.

"Unfortunately, I didn’t bring a 'Weakness Policy.'"

The rules of the "Champion's Path" allowed only one item, and given Blastoise’s situation, it naturally carried a Mega Stone.

No matter how significant the boost from a Weakness Policy, it couldn’t compare to a Mega Stone.

So, even though Tyranitar’s move was weakened by Rock Slide and the Sandstorm, it wasn’t a good time to endure it.

However—

It’s good that it’s coming in for a direct fight!

Blastoise excelled in direct confrontations.

"Blastoise—"

Jinghe took out the Key Stone.

His eyes sharpened.

This was a rare opportunity, so—

Take it out in one move!

"Mega Evolution!"

"Bark!!"

The power of the Key Stone unlocked the Mega Stone’s constraints, establishing a strong connection between Jinghe and Blastoise. The power of Mega Evolution surged through Blastoise’s body.

Boom!!

In an instant, sand and dust exploded, the Mega Evolution’s light intertwining with the white glow of evolution, and a powerful aura rose!

Tyranitar’s Water Gun was completely blocked by the terrifying upward current!

Tyranitar was taken aback.

Invincible evolution?

Buzz—

In the midst of the Sandstorm, the true "Desert Tyrant" Megablastoise took a step forward, the Mega Evolution symbol flashing.

Jinghe bent his arm and said, "Cliffside Blade!"

"Love~"

Aipom Lady, standing nearby, immediately provided assistance.

"Bark!!"

Megablastoise roared fiercely, the Sandstorm swirling around, the ground trembling violently, and a pillar of rock, enveloped in scorching magma, shot up from the ground.

Boom—

The rock pillar pierced the sky, piercing through the sand and dust, the heat and steam dispersing.

A moment of silence.

The Sandstorm paused, and the sunlight filtered through.

The audience and the Elite Four were all taken aback.

Even Genji, who had been prepared, was slightly stunned.

"This kid—"

At the same time, many viewers who had never seen this move before were buzzing on the forums.

"What move is this?"

"Seems like something Groudon would use—"

"Don’t worry about it! A friend taught him, and you can’t do anything about it!"

"Don’t ask! It’s an illegal move, just get used to it!"

"..."

No matter how much they said, it all boiled down to one thing: "After all, it’s Teacher Jinghe."

On screen.

Boom!!

A fiery explosion filled the screen, the roar shaking the "cameraman" so hard that the picture became unbalanced.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Your live stream isn’t professional!"

Amid the audience’s cries, the violent shaking subsided, and as the dust settled, the massive Tyranitar lay on the ground, its eyes spinning.

It had lost its fighting ability!

Megablastoise stood in the Sandstorm, roaring to the sky.

“Bark——！！！”

The Desert Tyrant had fully matured!

Its ferocity and dominance were evident at a glance!

“Damn! One hit KO?”

“Such a massive Tyranitar couldn’t even take one hit?”

“Still, is this really reasonable?”

Jinghe exhaled softly and, along with Blastoise, deactivated the Mega Evolution.

Although this enormous Tyranitar had Champion-level strength, so did his Blastoise!

Moreover, with the help of Dragon Dance, Mega Evolution, Aipom Lady, and a direct hit from Cliffside Blade, a one-hit KO was reasonable.

Very reasonable.

“Bark.”

After deactivating the Mega Evolution, Blastoise picked up a Diamond and began to munch on it.

Crunch, crunch—

Jinghe patted Blastoise’s shoulder and rubbed Aipom Lady’s head.

“Let’s keep going.”

“Beyond this point, there shouldn’t be any major threats.”

To be honest,

Old Genji had given him quite a few “surprises.”

But that was it.

If the “Champion’s Path” were filled with a dozen Champion-level Pokémon like the enormous Tyranitar, no one would be able to reach the “Four Kings Fortress,” right?

Besides,

Jinghe didn’t believe the Hoenn League would go all out to target him.

“It’s just to shut some people up. Why take it so seriously? I don’t care.”

He couldn’t help but pout.

At worst,

Based on some of the barking-like comments online, he could trace the IP address and find the person. It wouldn’t be difficult for either Momoe or Nidorino II.

Then he could go and have a “chat.”

How simple.

Why make it so complicated?

Inside the “Four Kings Fortress,”

“Of course, he was defeated as expected.” Genji sighed with a wry smile.

Jinghe’s growth was too rapid.

That Blastoise, despite using Mega Evolution, wasn’t even in Jinghe’s top-tier Pokémon, right?

A bit scary.

Clap, clap—

Bony stood up and clapped his hands.

“No matter what, we need to be prepared. He should be here soon.”

“Wow, is he going to finish the ‘Champion’s Path’ in one day?” Hibana exclaimed.

It had only been a few hours since he left the Colosseum.

His speed was impressive.

But there was no other way.

Most trainers tried to avoid trouble, steering clear of wild Pokémon territories to avoid unnecessary battles and conserve their Pokémon’s energy, which inevitably led to longer routes.

But Jinghe?

He took the shortest route!

Detours?

Detours were out of the question.

He had to fight his way through.

More importantly,

The battles he engaged in were resolved quickly, which was astonishing.

The only significant obstacles were the Three-headed Dragon, the Substitute King, and the enormous Tyranitar.

Hibana seriously doubted

Whether Jinghe knew the “Champion’s Path” could be detoured or if he hadn’t fully understood the rules.

“Alright.”

Genji’s expression turned serious.

He instructed, “Hangetsu first, Hibana second, Bony third, and I’ll handle the final challenge!”

Although Bony was currently in charge of the Hoenn League, in critical moments, Genji was the final decision-maker.

The elderly man’s broad captain’s coat flared as he laughed heartily.

“He’s someone we’ve been watching, and he has the strength and ability to become Champion, but we can’t be underestimated!”

The Hoenn League’s Four Kings!

As the sun set,

The golden light filtered through “Rubble Grove” and bathed Jinghe, Aipom Lady, and Blastoise in the beautiful sunset as they walked on the soft sand of “Crescent Bay.”

Jinghe was familiar with “Crescent Bay.”

He had been there on a mission before.

In the distance,

He could see the “Four Kings Fortress.”

But Jinghe stopped at “Crescent Bay” and started a fire to cook.

Completing the “Champion’s Path” in one day was impressive,

But he wasn’t about to push himself to the point of not resting to challenge the Four Kings. That would be treating them like babies.

Not to mention,

Genji alone posed a significant threat to Jinghe.

If Genji had wanted to be Champion, he would have been the Hoenn League’s Champion.

Though titled as a Four King, his strength was undoubtedly at the Champion level!

As for Bony, Hibana, and Hangetsu,

They might not be as formidable as Genji, but their ace Pokémon were Champion-level.

Becoming a Four King in the competitive Hoenn region was a testament to their strength.

On Jinghe’s side,

While Aipom Lady, Blastoise, and Snivy had done most of the work, he, as a trainer, had also expended a lot of energy.

The continuous battles and skirmishes had drained him.

Fighting while fatigued could lead to a defeat.

So,

He enjoyed a hearty meal, a hot spring, and a good night’s rest to regain his strength.

“Crescent Bay” was a natural formation created by an ancient underwater volcano. Though the volcano was now extinct, it had created several natural hot springs.

A pot of steaming curry added to the comfort.

Life couldn’t get better.

The viewers watching the live stream cursed again.

“Champion’s Path”?

No, a vacation route!

Even the Four Kings preparing inside the “Four Kings Fortress” couldn’t help but comment.

They were ready, but Jinghe had called it a day?

“I get it! This is a strategy! A psychological tactic by Jinghe!”

“Exactly! The Four Kings were well-rested, but now they’re the ones on edge, not knowing when Jinghe will challenge them!”

“True, look at Jinghe enjoying his curry and hot spring. What do you think the Four Kings are feeling?”

“Damn! Is that it?”

“So dirty! Playing mind games is ‘dirty’!”

The “know-it-alls” on the forum analyzed Jinghe’s actions with logical reasoning.

It sounded plausible, making it seem like a real strategy.

Splash—

The water in the hot spring rippled as Blastoise broke the surface, making a menacing face.

“Go play.”

Jinghe leaned against the edge of the pool and splashed water at Blastoise.

Since learning to swim, Blastoise had developed a love for water.

It was a bit odd for a Pokémon known for its toughness to enjoy water so much, but who was he to judge?

“Bark~”

Blastoise smiled and swam away.

The Magnemite Cam and Rotom Drone had returned, confirming that Jinghe wouldn’t challenge the Four Kings at midnight. The live stream for the day was over.

Jinghe, however, was thinking about his strategy for facing the Four Kings the next day.

Dark, Ghost, Ice, and Dragon types.

His phone rang.

The caller was Hiruna.

The whole world knew Jinghe was challenging the “Champion’s Path,” so his girlfriend couldn’t have been unaware.

“Am I disturbing your rest?” Hiruna’s voice was as gentle as ever.

“Of course not, just the Four Kings,” Jinghe grinned.

“Your confidence reassures me.”

“Watch me tomorrow, I’ll show you how to beat Daiya and the others.”

“Hmm.”

The next day,

The sun was bright.

After a good night’s sleep, Jinghe emerged from his tent with messy hair.

As soon as he stepped out, the Magnemite Cam and Rotom Drone swarmed around him.

Today’s “Champion’s Path” was more popular than yesterday.

After all,

While the journey to the Four Kings was challenging, many could complete it with careful planning and Pokémon management. Avoiding difficult Pokémon and conserving energy, it was possible to reach the “Four Kings Fortress” in a few days.

The true difficulty of the “Champion’s Path” lay in challenging the Four Kings!

No Pokémon Centers, limited recovery items, and continuous battles against the Four Kings and the Champion. Only then could one claim success!

Bang!!

The doors of the “Four Kings Fortress” were pushed open.

Jinghe, dressed and ready, stood at the entrance, the light following him.

Clang, clang, clang—

The lights inside the fortress lit up one by one, illuminating the entire battlefield.

On the second floor’s railing,

The Hoenn League’s Four Kings, Hangetsu, Hibana, Bony, and Genji, stepped out with smiles.

The true “Champion’s Path” had begun!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end