Even if Blaziken pretended to be over level 20, she could only unleash four solid bursts of flame. What Lin Shou worried about most wasn't her strength — it was her status panel being exposed.
His opponent was an Elite-level trainer, the kind who could read a battle like an open book. If the damage from one of Blaziken's punches didn't match what they expected, that sharp mind would pick up on it instantly. And if that happened… the restaurant would definitely refuse to hand over the reward voucher.
So his biggest concern wasn't winning — it was figuring out how to earn that voucher without revealing too much.
Then came a sudden system prompt:
[Special Event: Trainer personally takes the stage][Objective]: Participate in the battle and cause damage exceeding 50% of the total damage[Reward]: 1 random skill, 1 random trait
Lin Shou's brow lifted. This… might be the perfect way to handle things.
"Dear audience," the host announced, "our challenger, Trainer Tan, has requested a pause in the match! Likely to discuss strategy — after all, facing a Gym Leader's Pokémon is no small challenge!"
The crowd turned toward Lin Shou with renewed excitement.
"Come on, Boss Lin!" someone shouted."Boss Lin is awesome!" another chimed in.
The host, accustomed to unpredictable situations, forced a cheerful smile. "It seems our challenger is quite a celebrity himself! This next bout should be thrilling!"
The chants grew louder:"Boss Lin, get on stage!""Boss Lin, go!"
The host blinked in mild confusion. If the trainer already on stage was Boss Lin, then… who exactly were they calling for?
A moment later, Lin Shou strolled forward, patting the host's shoulder. "They're talking about me."
Before the host could respond, Lin Shou stepped onto the battlefield opposite the Kangaskhan. "Let's see what kind of power a top Gym Leader really has."
The fans, well-versed in his fighting style, erupted into cheers. Many whipped out their phones, eager to capture the moment. After watching Tan dispatch eight challengers in a row, they'd assumed Lin Shou wouldn't return to the fight — but here he was, stepping up for the final, decisive match.
The pause wasn't for any deep tactical discussion with Blaziken. No, Lin Shou had been thinking about the pile of low-tier system entries he'd been hoarding — and whether he could fuse them into something more useful.
The system's exchange rate was absurd: five white-tier entries for one random blue-tier, and twenty if you wanted to pick a specific one. Still, he had over seventy white-tier entries shimmering before his eyes like a galaxy.
He chose carefully:[Speed Boost] (Purple) – Speed increases with each round.[Freeman] (Purple) – Type changes to match the move used.[Multiscale] (Purple) – At full HP, incoming damage is reduced by 50%.
The moment Multiscale activated, a prickling itch spread across his skin. Under the arena lights, faint dragon-scale patterns shimmered across him before fading away.
Only one person noticed — Latina. She'd barely been watching until a sharp red gleam flared in her eyes, locking onto the traces of those dragon scales.
Zhou Ze, the opposing trainer, stood silently, unaware of Lin Shou's unconventional style. He waited, assuming the match would begin once Lin Shou retreated to a safe distance.
But Lin Shou didn't move.
"Challenger, step back!" Zhou Ze finally called.
"Step back?" Lin Shou glanced over his shoulder. Any further and he'd be outside the battlefield entirely. Then he remembered — the Pokémon he'd fought before were wild. He'd never had to explain himself to them.
"This is my style," Lin Shou said firmly. "Pokémon and trainer advance — and retreat — together."
"Well said!" Zhou Ze's eyes lit up. A veteran of battles in the Ultra Cavern, he respected those who stood on the front lines. This young man wasn't hiding behind his Pokémon — he was sharing the danger.
"In that case," Zhou Ze grinned, "I'll stay on the field too. Let's begin."
Lin Shou blinked. Wait, is this guy also the type to fight Pokémon directly? This could turn into a two-on-two brawl real quick.
The bell rang.
"Kangaskhan! High-Five Surprise Attack!" Zhou Ze commanded.
Lin Shou instantly dashed forward, intercepting the massive Pokémon before it could reach Blaziken. This wasn't a particularly damaging move, but getting slapped twice in the face by a Kangaskhan? That would ruin anyone's image.
But Lin Shou was faster. The kangaroo-like Pokémon had been aiming for Blaziken, leaving itself wide open. Lin Shou's palm struck its chest in a sharp, controlled slap — and hidden in that strike was a Wave Missile.
The Freeman trait activated at once, shifting his own type to Fighting.
Boom!
Kangaskhan stumbled back two full steps, only barely keeping its footing.
Lin Shou's system panel showed the result: the Wave Missile's base damage was boosted by his system, hitting for 150%. Combined with the slap's minor damage, he'd taken off 51 HP — roughly 60% of Kangaskhan's total health.
The crowd roared.
From their perspective, it was a dazzling display: one moment Kangaskhan was lunging in, the next it was shoved backward by a deceptively light slap. It was almost like Lin Shou had used some martial art technique, redirecting the Pokémon's force against it.
"Boss Lin is incredible!" even non-fans shouted now.
Lin Shou smirked slightly. The match was far from over, but the momentum was his — and in battles like this, momentum was everything.