"Electromagnetic Acceleration."
Li Yuan's voice was cold and devoid of emotion, sounding like a final death knell for the match.
Electromagnetic Acceleration was a signature move Li Yuan had developed by refining the partner move Zippy Zap. It didn't exist in any official Pokédex. As the name suggested, it took the core of Zippy Zap and merged it with the principles of an Electromagnetic Railgun. The instantaneous burst of speed was far greater than the original, and the destructive force followed suit.
As a man possessing a unique Aura, developing a few signature moves was only natural. If a "cheater" like him couldn't do what even regular trainers in the games could manage, it would be a disgrace.
At his command, Huanhuan transformed into a streak of violent, jagged lightning. She tore across the arena from her corner, slamming into the Infernape like a thunderbolt from the heavens.
BOOM!
A deafening clap of thunder echoed through the Celadon Gym. Before the Infernape could even process what was happening, it was sent flying. Its body slammed into the reinforced wall with such force that it remained embedded in the concrete. The ape was charred black, its eyes rolled back into its head. It was a total knockout—the monkey didn't even twitch.
A one-shot kill.
The entire gym fell into a deathly silence, as if time itself had stopped. Even the livestream chat, usually a chaotic mess of scrolling text, froze for several seconds.
Every eye was fixed on the Grass-type "cat-girl." If her fur weren't still clearly green, they would have bet their lives she was a pure Electric-type.
How could a Grass-type charge electricity faster than a pure Electric Pokémon? Is there no justice left in this world?
And that move—"Electromagnetic Acceleration"—was completely unheard of. Even a search of the global database would yield nothing. Is this really an original move?
Listen here, you Grass-type cat... stay in your own lane! Why are you coming over to our Electric-type territory to flex on us? Are you trying to drive the Electric-type trainers into extinction?
After a long pause, a collective gasp swept through the stands, followed by a frantic explosion of debate in the chat. If there were any doubts before about Li Yuan being the "Mystery Cheat Seller," they were now 90% gone. Raising a Grass Pokémon to understand electricity better than the actual masters of the element? If that wasn't "hacking," what was?
The way the crowd looked at Li Yuan changed instantly. It was a mix of jealousy and raw greed. Everyone wanted his training secrets; their breathing grew heavy with desire.
Only the Top Donor looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He recalled his Infernape, his face ashen. He had fought, and he had lost—humiliated and one-shotted by a lower-ranked opponent in front of millions of viewers. This shame would follow him forever.
Being beaten by a "hack" wasn't the worst part; it happened. But being one-shotted after a full rank gap? He had just earned a permanent spot in the "Hall of Shame." He could already see the highlight reels of "Li Yuan the Great Demon King" using his defeat as a prime example of overwhelming power.
Truly, behind every successful Demon King, there are countless sacrificial lambs like him holding up the weight of their legend...
In the end, the Top Donor didn't even have the courage to leave a parting threat. He slunk out of the gym in silence, trying to salvage the last shred of his dignity.
The Cost of a Goddess
Once the nuisance was gone, Li Yuan turned his gaze toward the crowd. His Aura rippled outward, covering the entire venue and forcibly calming the agitated emotions of the spectators.
"I haven't properly introduced myself yet," Li Yuan began, his voice carrying clearly to every corner. "My name is Li Yuan, a sophomore university student. I know why you've gathered at the Celadon Gym, and I know what you want. You've seen the proof: I possess a unique training method that allows Pokémon to perform at levels far beyond their natural limits. My Huanhuan just proved that a Grass-type can one-shot a higher-ranked fire-type."
He paused, a smirk playing on his lips. "But let me ask you: since you've all dubbed my methods as 'cheating,' did it ever occur to you that these 'cheats' aren't cheap?"
"Take the 'Super Blaze' Blaziken you're all so obsessed with. Do you know how much I charged Sapphire (May) for that service?"
"Five hundred thousand RMB. And that was only because she was my high school classmate—a 50% family discount. I don't give discounts to strangers, and I won't put in the same effort to push an ability to its absolute limit for just anyone. For a stranger, the result would only be 'slightly better' than a normal Blaze."
"Now that I've said my piece, do you still think you're 'destined' for this power?"
"For those who think they have the 'yuan' (destiny/money), I won't make it hard for you. You can come down right now and make your request. As long as the money is right, I can finish the job in minutes. For those without cash on hand, check the Celadon Gym's official website later. I'll be opening a temporary reservation portal. Ten slots a day. First come, first served."
Li Yuan didn't hold back. He laid everything out on the table. He had intentionally set the price sky-high—not because he needed the cash, but because he wanted most of these people to give up. If a thousand people swarmed his shop, he'd never have time to sleep.
Most of his schedule was reserved for "shameless and unbridled" activities with his Auntie Delia. He wasn't about to waste his life on something as trivial as "working."
As his words sank in, the arena and the chat went silent. The figure of one million RMB (the non-discounted price) hit them like a truck. That wasn't a small sum. While the world had its fair share of wealthy trainers, it certainly wasn't the people standing in this crowd.
Is awakening a special Blaze really worth a million?
A normal Blaze only gave a 50% boost to Fire moves and was only active when the Pokémon was near death. Paying a million for a 50% boost that could be shut down by a type disadvantage? Even the rich had to weigh the pros and cons. For a million, I could just buy several high-tier technical machines (TMs).
Of course, Li Yuan's "hacks" weren't just limited to Blaze. He taught moves, and he had god-tier skills like Belly Drum that made every trainer salivate. But the price for those would likely be astronomical. If a simple ability was a million, would Belly Drum be ten million?
Is that even a price for humans?
Still, there would be people fighting for a spot. For those whose net worth was in the billions, a few million was pocket change. If a ten-million-RMB "Belly Drum" could turn someone into a Rank-crossing god, they could potentially challenge for a Gym Leader or even an Elite Four position. The benefits of reaching that status were worth far more than ten million.
The arena was suddenly split: most were complaining that he was more efficient at robbery than a bank, while Erika's phone was simultaneously exploding with calls from high-rollers trying to pre-book a "Belly Drum" session.
Since Li Yuan's private number was a secret, the Gym's official line was the only way to reach him. Erika felt like her head was going to split. Her "bratty brother" hadn't fixed her problem; he had made it ten times worse. Every time I get involved with him, my life becomes a mess!
But the chaos didn't last long. A single presence appeared that instantly drew every eye in the building, making even the dream of becoming an Elite Four member seem trivial in comparison.
Even Li Yuan didn't expect this tiny farce to attract her. With her strength, did she even need "hacks"? She was a living, breathing human hack.
"Master Li Yuan... do I look like someone 'destined' for your services?"
"Heh... Champion Shirona, you're joking. I wouldn't dare call myself a 'Master' in front of you."
Stepping through the challenger's tunnel was a woman with a cascading mane of golden hair. It was the most popular Champion in the history of the Pokémon League—the absolute Goddess of the battlefield—Cynthia.