Chapter 28: The Glowing Leaf Blade
Shangzhi didn't give Chenxi a clear answer even after his Budew was done soaking; instead, he chose to leave silently.
Clearly, for Shangzhi, whether or not to return to the Yuan Family was a matter worth considering and not something to be decided lightly.
Of course, Ci Lang's Carnivine was also very satisfied after soaking in this energy swamp.
The Carnivine wobbled ashore, its entire body seemingly larger. Seeing Ci Lang, it instinctively wanted to bite him, but it only took a few steps before collapsing. Even its Levitate ability couldn't save it.
Finally, Ci Lang recalled it into its Poké Ball to slowly digest the energy it had absorbed from the mud pool.
Both Floette and Torterra spent a particularly long time absorbing energy in this Grass Type energy swamp.
However, Chenxi patiently waited, as the longer they stayed, the more benefits they would receive.
First, Floette's gracidea flower stopped absorbing the spreading energy and flew back to Chenxi's shoulder. Chenxi noticed that the gracidea flower seemed to have grown several more petals, appearing even more lustrous.
Not long after, Torterra roared and emerged from the energy swamp.
Torterra's size had increased by a full circle, and even the trees on its back were now lush and verdant, forming a canopy. Yet, not a speck of mud or silt clung to it, as if Torterra had learned to completely refresh itself, sweeping the swamp clean.
However, for Chenxi, the most important thing wasn't Torterra's appearance, but that Torterra's status was at a full three-tier Charge system, which brought Chenxi's Torterra directly to its peak state.
Moreover, with this nourishment, Torterra's level was directly pushed to 45.
Even Staryu, despite diligently grinding these past few days, hadn't reached level 40, yet Torterra had successfully completed its transformation.
This was not only due to the nourishment from these Grass Type energy swamps but, more importantly, the help of the level 89 Torterra.
After completing all this, the Tianwang Torterra slowly submerged into the swamp without a word.
Chenxi shouted a loud thank you to the giant Torterra.
Although Ci Lang's Carnivine, which also entered the swamp, also increased by two levels, its Growth was clearly not as significant as Torterra's. It was evident how much care his Torterra had received.
After staying near the swamp for a night, Chenxi and Ci Lang set off, leaving the area.
Torterra's Growth rate this time was indeed astonishing, and it also possessed a relatively complete tactical system.
Although only at level 45, even if it encountered Small Elves above level 50, Torterra, relying on its physique and the triple defense of Charge, was enough to contend with them. Level 50 is already the mark of an Elite Trainer.
Because of Torterra's successful evolution, Chenxi had now removed the Eviolite from Torterra.
Torterra was now equipped with a Miracle Seed, an item that boosts the power of Grass Type moves. This somewhat compensated for Torterra's offensive capabilities; at least for now, this equipment could enhance Torterra's combat power.
The increase in Torterra's strength also motivated Staryu, as if it didn't want to be left behind by its companion.
Therefore, Staryu had been quite proactive in battles these past few days, which pleased Chenxi somewhat.
And so, days passed one by one. Chenxi continued to grind monsters along the way, searching for mud pools to nourish his Small Elves.
As Chenxi and Ci Lang were on their way to a Water Type energy swamp, after Nidoran♂ had soaked in a Poison Type mud pool, they encountered a Golbat that, upon seeing them, immediately collapsed.
“These days, even Golbat are trying to scam people? We only looked at it for a second!” Chenxi said with a laugh, looking at the Golbat not far away. “Never mind, let Staryu use Power Gem. This Golbat’s level is quite high!”
But Ci Lang, being kind-hearted, quickly stopped Chenxi, who was getting a little too crazy with grinding, and said, “Let’s go heal this Pokémon. I didn’t expect there to be a Golbat here!”
“I didn’t expect it either,” Chenxi muttered, looking at the Golbat. “Steamed bat, braised bat, fried bat…”
Ci Lang was a little amused and helpless by Chenxi’s mumbling, knowing that Chenxi was just joking.
Ci Lang naturally proceeded to heal the Golbat as usual, and in a short while, the Golbat regained consciousness.
As soon as the Golbat woke up, it struggled, flapping its wings, and yelled at Chenxi.
“Don’t move, don’t move!” Ci Lang quickly held down the struggling Golbat, saying, “Your wing is injured. If you move it again, it might leave sequelae.”
“This Golbat…” Chenxi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the Golbat and saying, “It recognizes me!”
Hearing Chenxi’s words, the Golbat’s face showed a hint of joy, and it nodded repeatedly.
“This Golbat, Chenxi, have you seen it before? It seems quite intelligent!” Ci Lang couldn’t help but say, seeing this scene.
“I think it’s a complete nuisance!” Chenxi couldn’t help but say, looking at the Golbat in front of him.
The only Golbat that had left a deep impression on him so far was Zhen Xing's.
But if this Golbat belonged to Zhen Xing, it meant Zhen Xing was in danger.
Although Zhen Xing was a commoner and therefore had no Guardian Charm, he was backed by Shi Ying and received his care.
Shi Ying’s background was both simple and complex, and he himself was a very capable Trainer. Under normal circumstances, no one would dare offend him.
But now, if even Shi Ying couldn't handle it, this in itself was a major problem that should not be underestimated.
“Do you know what happened?!” Ci Lang couldn’t help but ask Chenxi upon hearing this.
Chenxi shook his head and said, “I hope it’s just a minor issue like stepping into a swamp and needing rescue.
Otherwise, we might have to use this Guardian Charm.
Golbat, you lead the way, and let Torterra take us forward!”
Although he didn't particularly like Zhen Xing and had even fought him before, in truth, there was no real animosity between them.
If something really happened, as long as it wasn't too serious, he would lend a hand.
After all, in the future, Zhen Xing would become a core member of Team Galactic. If they had a favor between them, it might become a bridge between the Yuan Family and Team Galactic.
Therefore, Chenxi ultimately decided to go and rescue Zhen Xing.
At that time, if they truly encountered any danger, Chenxi believed the other party would still show some respect.
It was still the same saying: those who knew his background would be wary of attacking him, and enemies who didn't know his background generally couldn't defeat his Floette.
At this moment, Torterra began to advance rapidly under the guidance of the Golbat.
Although Torterra appeared bulky and not very agile, in this swampy terrain, Torterra was like an off-road vehicle, running steadily and wildly, thundering forward at high speed.
However, Zhen Xing was in a very sorry state at this moment.
Before him, he had summoned a Chimecho and a Bronzor, two Psychic Small Elves guarding him.
He himself was leaning against a large tree, as if cornered, staring at the Spirit Hunter in front of him.
The Spirit Hunter, codenamed Evil Blade, was a direct subordinate of Letter Hunter Y.
At this moment, he only had one Small Elf, a Shiftry, but this Shiftry possessed Elite Class strength at level 53.
“My Golbat, you released it on purpose… cough, cough, cough!” Zhen Xing coughed a few times, his face grave, and said.
“I couldn’t help it. Who would have thought you were a Psychic?
Not only did you master telepathy, but you also managed to multitask, commanding two Small Elves simultaneously!”
Evil Blade looked at Zhen Xing and calmly said, “Letting your Golbat leave not only allows my Shiftry to unleash its full strength.
More importantly, I know you want to seek help from that anomaly, Shi Ying.
But do you think he can save you? He can't even save himself. The arrival of that Golbat will only distract him!”
“You want to attack the boss, why? We are all Spirit Hunters, why is this happening!” Zhen Xing angrily said.
Evil Blade said, “He’s gone legitimate, become a Gym Leader, living such a happy life!
But what about us Spirit Hunters!
We’re not allowed to do this in Yuanzhi City, not allowed to do that in Yuanzhi City. How are we supposed to survive?
And he even brought Trainers from his Gym to destroy several of our strongholds.
Even the Five Great Families don’t interfere with these matters, so why should he? Does he think he’s amazing just because he became a Gym Leader?
He’s just an ungrateful bastard who has long forgotten his origins as a Spirit Hunter.”
As he spoke, the Synthesis light on Shiftry’s body suddenly flared brilliantly.
At this moment, Evil Blade sneered, saying, “Go to hell and have a good journey, Leaf Blade!”
As he spoke, the leaves on Shiftry’s hand bent and elongated. The rich Green Leaf Power, activated under Shiftry’s control, transformed the now sharp Leaf Blade, which swung directly towards Zhen Xing.
Zhen Xing, seeing the scene before him, did not panic. He commanded Bronzor to use Iron Defense as a shield while having Chimecho use Yawn, trying to prolong the battle as much as possible until a turning point appeared.
There was nothing he could do. Originally, he had only wanted to send Golbat out to call for rescue.
But he hadn't expected the more experienced Evil Blade to turn the tables, releasing the Golbat that countered Shiftry.
After losing Golbat, Evil Blade then brought out Shiftry to fight him, leaving Zhen Xing with only two Psychic Small Elves against Shiftry, which was extremely restrictive.
No matter what Psychic moves his two Small Elves used, they had no significant effect on this Shiftry.
This forced Zhen Xing to be on the defensive, unable to launch an effective offense.
Because at this time, Zhen Xing simply did not know about the Dark Type and related information.
At this time, the Dark Type had not yet been publicly revealed.
The official announcement of the Dark Type would have to wait another three or four years, with the appearance of Elite Lihua, a Dark Type Trainer, before it was revealed!
Currently, all relevant information about the Dark Type was still being kept under wraps by the authorities.
If one didn't have sufficient knowledge of this type of Pokémon, an ordinary commoner truly wouldn't know that the Dark Type was immune to Psychic moves.
And although Zhen Xing was a Psychic, and his talent was quite good—mastering telepathy and multitasking at twelve years old, able to command two Small Elves simultaneously—he was, after all, self-taught, and his foundation was simply too weak.
Moreover, he hadn’t mastered Teleport, the most iconic ability for a Psychic.
Otherwise, Zhen Xing wouldn’t have been so severely suppressed by Evil Blade.
However, this was also normal. Not everyone was like Na Zi, whose Psychic abilities were impossibly strong at just a few years old, and who, at eleven or twelve, became the undisputed official Gym Leader of Goldenrod City, even capable of turning people into dolls.
Even so, the talent Zhen Xing displayed still provoked a strong murderous intent in Evil Blade.
If Zhen Xing were an ordinary Trainer, it would have been fine. After defeating his Small Elves, taking Zhen Xing hostage might have served as leverage or a bargaining chip to threaten Shi Ying.
But upon discovering that Zhen Xing possessed such Psychic abilities, Evil Blade now only wanted Zhen Xing dead!
If Zhen Xing didn't die this time, he feared he would be targeted by a Psychic.
And a genius who mastered Psychic abilities at twelve and could utilize them.
Even if he was just a Psychic genius in the eyes of ordinary people, Evil Blade felt that such a genius was better off dead sooner.
So, while using the recent small talk to allow Shiftry to recover, he also employed a small trick.
By leveraging the energy from Synthesis, he forcibly used Growth to achieve a two-stage boost, making Shiftry’s glowing Leaf Blade unleash power far beyond anyone’s expectation. Even if Bronzor rushed forward at this moment to use Iron Defense to block the attack,
Zhen Xing’s Bronzor was directly critically injured by a single blow from the Shiftry and lost its ability to battle.
Although Evil Blade was just an ordinary Elite Class Trainer, grassroots Trainers also had their own ways of survival.
They had limited access to skill discs or legacy scrolls, and even if they did, the exorbitant price of each was beyond the means of most grassroots Trainers.
In such circumstances, grassroots Trainers would deepen their mastery of the skills they possessed. To reach the Elite Class, their signature skills could even be considered a specialty.
And the Leaf Blade, currently enhanced by both Growth and Synthesis, was Evil Blade’s signature move.
This Leaf Blade was not only strengthened in attack power, but more importantly, if the Synthesis state was maintained, it could even imbue the Leaf Blade with a slight Fire Type attribute.
And Zhen Xing suffered a loss, causing Bronzor to lose its combat capability.