A Few Minutes Earlier, in the Bilibili Livestream Room...
The audience, who had been eagerly waiting since the afternoon after receiving Ai Xia's livestream announcement, were now spamming the chat like a madhouse carnival.
[Where's the streamer? Where's the streamer?]
[Oh no, did Ai-sensei get wiped out in the Hoenn region?]
[Nah, Groudon and Kyogre are just a slide-tackle away for him.]
[New viewer here—is this the streamer who said 'No big deal, I'll handle it' about dealing with Groudon and Kyogre, only for them to actually wake up in Hoenn? The so-called 'Human Emperor'?]
[WHO DARES CLAIM HUMANS HAVE NO EMPEROR?!]
Needless to say, after Ai Xia's infamous "No big deal, I'll handle it" comment, netizens quickly dug up his identity as a Pokémon content creator. His die-hard fans were thrilled to see the meme spread, and they even helped promote it, drawing in curious newcomers who wanted to see this "Human Emperor" in action.
Even though the stream hadn't started yet, the black screen was already flooded with chat messages. For a mid-tier streamer like Ai Xia—someone with decent but not massive popularity—this was a rare and welcome sight.
Just as the chat was speculating about why he hadn't gone live yet, the black screen flickered, revealing the familiar interface of Pokémon Masters, the officially licensed online battle simulator that even Champions, Elite Four members, and Gym Leaders used for testing strategies. Ai Xia's upper body appeared in the camera feed, neatly framed in the bottom-right corner.
For a small-time streamer, relying on looks to charm viewers into hitting that follow button was a solid strategy...
And it worked. A good chunk of Ai Xia's active fanbase were female, no doubt thanks to his striking appearance. Blessed with excellent genes, the eighteen-year-old was undeniably pretty—pale skin, delicate yet sharp features, and a faintly alluring vibe that girls adored. His messy black curls and deep gray eyes left a memorable first impression.
When he wore glasses, he gave off a "well-behaved boy" aura.
"Damn, this kid's handsome."—Anyone who saw him would say that.
Not just looks, though. Firmly believing "There are no weak Pokémon, only weak trainers," Ai Xia held himself to high standards. After reading the Pokémon Adventures manga, he realized how physically demanding real Pokémon battles could be, so he trained hard, building a toned physique that many envied.
He also dressed well—clean, sharp outfits that highlighted his looks and build. A true heartthrob, now sitting in front of the camera, smiling at his audience.
...Well, maybe not just a heartthrob for girls.
Ever since he started streaming with face cam, the chat was never short on "HUBBY" or "WAIFU" spam.
Too bad he couldn't break into the dance category.
"Sorry for the wait, everyone. Been busy lately—had to ride Rayquaza and deal with Groudon and Kyogre in Hoenn, so I only just got time to stream."
Glancing at the chat, Ai Xia smirked, playing along with the jokes while subtly acknowledging their concern.
[THAT SMILE—I'M DEAD.]
[Streamer, tell us about riding Rayquaza to fight Groudon and Kyogre! I'm a new fan who came because of your posts!]
[Eyewitness here—I was literally soaking in Groudon's lava when Ai-bao's Caterpie suddenly evolved into Rayquaza and scared off both legendaries. SO COOL.]
[Still calling him 'Ai-bao'?]
[The three-year trial is OVER! Welcome back, Emperor Ai!]
[LMAO, remember when Ai-sensei's Ludicolo missed THREE Hydro Pumps in a row? Then he goes on vacation and gets caught in a legendary war? Man's luck is so bad it's content gold.]
Clearly, no one took Ai Xia's words seriously, treating it as another instance of the Human Emperor doubling down on his memes. Instead, they all laughed at his disastrous Hoenn trip.
Then—WHOOSH—a Master Ball donation with flashy, rainbow effects exploded across the screen.
[What's today's stream about, Ai-sensei?]
The message followed the donation, clearly from a fan eager to see him battle.
"Thanks for the Master Ball, boss. Now I can afford pickles for my steamed buns for the next few days."
Noticing the donor's ID, Ai Xia realized this was a new fan—someone who only started watching after his Hoenn trip. Yet, they'd instantly dropped a "Fleet Admiral"-level donation, skyrocketing to the top of his fan rankings.
'A potential sugar mommy? Nice.'
His tone warmed up as he got straight to the point.
"Today, we're showcasing the infamous Focus Sash Sleep Powder Butterfree strategy—to honor my Caterpie, who's totally going to evolve into Rayquaza soon."
And with that, the battle began.
Under the barrage of "This is DISGUSTING", "Terrifying, just putting everything to sleep", and "Who even comes up with this?!", Ai Xia flawlessly executed his strategy. In a doubles match, his Butterfree and sweeper combo put all opposing Pokémon to sleep, leaving them helpless as he steamrolled a player named "Cerulean City Mermaid".
"Sleep Powder is better than G-Max Befuddle. With Compound Eyes, it's like 97.5% accuracy—just sleep-lock them to death!"
After effortlessly winning, Ai Xia—delighted by his own dirty tactics—even threw shade at Gigantamax Butterfree's signature move.
The chat was horrified.
[Wait, wasn't Ai-sensei's starter a Caterpie? Is he planning to use this IRL?]
[The opponent's already prepping for real-life hands.]
[This is terrifying.]
[But his Caterpie's been with him for a while now, and in his vlogs, it still hasn't evolved into Metapod... Is he seriously waiting for it to skip evolution and become Rayquaza?]
Ai Xia immediately got defensive.
"What's wrong with not evolving?"
"The Ice-type Gym Leader from Johto, Pryce—the 'Eternal Iceberg'—wrecks everyone with just a Delibird and unevolved Swinub!"
Realizing no one would call him out on his nonsense, he went full bullshit mode, casually dropping "Paradox Pokémon" knowledge:
"Who knows? Maybe next time we see him, that Delibird will be a future 'Iron Bundle', sweeping with pseudo-Legendary stats!"
Predictably, the chat roasted his naming sense before demanding another Sleep Powder massacre.
"Don't rush me. Let's keep torturing—uh, I mean, battling."
Cerulean City, Kanto.
An orange-haired girl with a side ponytail stared blankly at her screen, the words [GAME OVER] burning into her retinas.
"Wh-what... What kind of suffocating strategy is this?!"
Several minutes later, the Cerulean City Gym Leader—known as the "Mermaid" (or "Ruthless Fish", depending on who you asked)—Misty, finally snapped out of her daze.
Remembering how her Pokémon had been instantly put to sleep, helplessly swept without landing a single move, she made a face like she'd bitten into a lemon.
Normally, she'd rage in the chat after losing to such a disgusting tactic.
But this time...
"Ai Xia?"
Calming down, Misty frowned at the opponent's name.
"Why does that sound familiar?"
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