Leaning back against the twisted roots of an ancient banyan tree, Lin Shou stared at the task progress bar projected before him.
[Pokémon Defeated: 89/200]
He frowned. "Huh… this number's way lower than I expected." A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Guess I got too comfortable relying on my big brother yesterday… slacked off without even noticing."
From deep within the dense forest came the unmistakable clash of steel on steel. The sound rang sharp, cutting through the humid air.
In a clearing surrounded by thirty-seven Slash Commanders, two battered Blade Soldiers were on one knee, their steel arms plunged into the soft, leaf-strewn soil. Their breathing was heavy, and dents marred the sheen of their armor.
The eldest of the Slash Commanders stepped forward, his claws striking a rock with a shower of sparks. The blow lit up the long crack that ran across his left eye, a battle scar etched into his metal plating. "What did you say? Both of you were beaten? And by a human, no less? You've left the novice stage already, yet two against one and you still lost?" His voice was razor-sharp, the metallic scrape carrying both disbelief and scorn.
The two Blade Soldiers lowered their heads. When the clan had first assigned them to fight a human, they'd been reluctant—almost offended. A human? That's not a battle, that's a waste of time. But when they actually crossed blades with Lin Shou, that contempt melted away fast.
At first, they thought it was luck when he dodged their blows. But as the fight dragged on, they realized their stamina was bleeding away, while the man in front of them kept striking with relentless precision. Even when they tried to retreat, he pressed forward without mercy.
By the time they were on the verge of collapse, Lin Shou suddenly stepped past them without a word, letting them live. The humiliation stung more than any wound.
From deeper within the tribe's domain came a low, resonant clang—armor shifting on a throne of iron.
General Pudao rose from his seat, the relics of ancient battles hanging from the cavern ceiling knocking together like windchimes of war. His steel body gleamed coldly in the filtered sunlight. With arms crossed over his chest, his blades rested like silent threats, the faint nicks along their edges whispering of past victories.
"He saw straight through your cowardice," the general's voice grated like an old phonograph needle scratching across a record. "Train harder. You're not ready to face that human again."
Each step back to the Iron Throne was measured, the general moving in time with the silent rhythm of his tribe's breath.
The same story repeated across other clans. Lin Shou had faced—and beaten—their so-called prodigies, yet somehow they all hesitated to fully acknowledge defeat.
By midday, a few stubborn Pokémon sought him out again, determined to prove themselves.
Lin Shou, not recognizing them at first glance, grinned when he spotted challengers approaching. "Well, well… instead of running, you're coming straight to me?"
To the Pokémon, this was a rare chance. They fought with everything they had, hoping to earn the favor of this mysterious human. Now they understood—becoming this man's battle partner meant strength unlike anything they'd ever known.
For Lin Shou, though, the fights were becoming more brutal. These were no mere weaklings pretending otherwise. Every battle was a storm of speed, power, and cunning.
The livestream audience was loving it. Viewers poured into the channel, just in time to see him lean back with impossible agility as a Shadow Ball tore through the air, grazing the tip of his nose. The attack slammed into a tree behind him, leaving a smoking crater two meters wide.
["Holy crap, is he even human?"]["That was a full-power move, right? No way that's not a full-power move!"]["He's totally cheating! Where's the report button?"]
But as the latest opponent staggered before him with only a sliver of health left, Lin Shou frowned—no system notification.
"System? Hey, you broken or something? Explain!"
[Detected repeated challenge against the same Pokémon. This match will not count toward task progress.]
His eyes narrowed. "Wait… you're telling me I already beat this guy this morning? No wonder he looked familiar."
He let out a half-laugh, half-growl. "Seriously? The Pokémon in this forest like getting beaten up? Why are they back for more already?"
This little revelation made his mission a lot harder.
Meanwhile, word was spreading fast. Curious tourists had found the resort's official account and flooded it with demands for an official broadcast of the forest hunt.
The publicity department scrambled, gathering screenshots and rushing to the general manager.
In his office, the general manager sat before a wall of security monitors, rubbing his temples. The instructions for his unopened hangover cure peeked out of his pocket. On his computer screen, pop-ups about the "Mysterious Trainer" trended nonstop.
One of his staff, hands shaking, showed him a tablet where comment after comment begged: Please livestream this man!
Fortunately, the manager had saved Lin Shou's number the day before. He dialed.
The call connected to a hoarse voice, wind whistling in the background and faint cracks of branches underfoot.
"Brother Lin Shou, you still hunting Pokémon in the reserve?" the manager asked, pen tapping restlessly on his desk.
"Yeah. But boss, seriously—what's wrong with the Pokémon here? I didn't catch any in the morning, and then I get the same ones coming back for a rematch in the afternoon!"
The manager blinked. He didn't follow the details, but he was now certain—this "Mysterious Trainer" causing a stir online was indeed Lin Shou.
"Brother… I need your help with something."