"Teacher Guo, I never imagined a dignified celebrity like you would go around dressed like this."
Bai Cai sauntered up beside Guo Yi, a teasing smile on her lips.
At that moment, Guo Yi was wearing sunglasses and had pulled the hood of his trench coat low over his head—the very image of a celebrity sneaking through a crowd in disguise.
As Bai Cai dropped into the seat next to him, Guo Yi pulled off his shades and sighed helplessly.
"Teacher Bai, isn't it a bit much to use Lucario just to track me down?"
He glanced pointedly at the Lucario standing beside her like a silent knight.
Without it, finding him in this sea of spectators would've been near impossible.
But with Lucario's aura perception—
For a trainer who had mastered Aura like Guo Yi, he must've stood out to Lucario like a bonfire in the dark.
All it took was one sweep, and his location was pinpointed instantly.
Bai Cai only shrugged, unbothered.
"Teacher Guo, you ignored my messages and wouldn't pick up my calls. What else was I supposed to do?"
"I had no choice but to ask Lucario for a little help."
Since Guo Yi wouldn't respond, she'd resorted to desperate measures.
However—
She really shouldn't have mentioned that.
The moment she did, Guo Yi's expression darkened.
"Oh, you still have the nerve to bring that up?"
"Tell me—weren't you the one who gave my number to that rich woman?"
"Now she calls me every single day asking about her 'teacher!' I'm losing my mind!"
Among the trio, only Bai Cai had his contact information, so it wasn't hard to guess who'd leaked it.
Had he known Shu Xinni would be this relentless, he'd have turned her down flat from the start.
Now, whenever he blocked her number, she just called again from a new one.
For the CEO of Shanghai's Pokémon Tech Company, getting fresh numbers was hardly a challenge.
"Seriously," Guo Yi sighed, rubbing his temples.
"The dedication of a fangirl is terrifying."
Knowing she was in the wrong, Bai Cai stuck out her tongue playfully, hoping to defuse the tension.
To steer the conversation elsewhere, she quickly turned her focus to the match in the arena.
"A Fire-type Chimchar against a Ground- and Rock-type Rhyhorn… Whether by typing or level, Chimchar's completely at a disadvantage."
As a teacher, Bai Cai immediately spotted the mismatch.
Guo Yi nodded.
There was no denying the gap.
"Looks like Yan'er will have to rely on her Pikachu again," he said, his gaze drifting toward the little yellow mouse perched on Hu Yan'er's shoulder.
Truth be told—Ishimori wasn't especially strong compared to the other Top 32 contestants.
But for Hu Yan'er, he was one of the toughest opponents she could've drawn.
Both of her Pokémon were weak against his team.
Even if Pikachu took down Rhyhorn, she'd still have to face Donphan—immune to Electric attacks.
It was a genuine uphill battle.
"Yan'er's luck is just awful!" Bai Cai sighed.
"Out of everyone she could've faced, Ishimori's the one opponent who counters her the most."
"One in sixteen chance, and she hits the jackpot."
But as she noticed the faint curve of Guo Yi's lips, a realization dawned.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"...Teacher Guo. Don't tell me you arranged this?"
Guo Yi didn't even bother denying it.
He nodded outright.
"'Arranged' sounds too dramatic. I just gave things a little… nudge."
"Otherwise, if they breezed through too easily, wouldn't that be boring?"
The mischievous grin on his face made Bai Cai sigh inwardly.
What kind of teacher makes life harder for his own students?
Sensing her silent complaint, Guo Yi dropped the smirk and continued more seriously,
"Alright, joking aside—Chimchar's at a disadvantage, sure, but that doesn't mean there's no chance."
"With a solid plan and a bit of luck, there might still be a pleasant surprise."
After all—Hu Yan'er carried the Ash Ketchum template.
If she couldn't pull off a few miraculous upsets now and then,he'd start doubting the authenticity of that template himself.
Hearing his confident tone, Bai Cai's curiosity sparked.
"Oh? Then let's see for ourselves how much Yan'er's grown under your guidance, Teacher Guo."
...
"Chimchar, use [Fake Out]!"
Since Hu Yan'er's Chimchar had inherited the move, how could Guo Yi possibly resist teaching her the iconic Bug–Monkey opening combo?
[Fake Out]:A priority attack that always strikes first and causes the opponent to flinch.
Can only be used the moment the Pokémon enters battle.
"Hoo-cha!"
Responding instantly, Chimchar kicked off the ground with explosive force.
Flames burst behind him like a jet engine as he dashed across the battlefield—a streak of fire closing the distance in a heartbeat.
In an instant, he was right in front of Rhyhorn.
The attack landed clean—but with the vast difference in their levels,the physical blow barely scratched the Rock-type's thick hide.
However, the 'Flinch' effect was unavoidable for Rhyhorn.
"Chimchar, fall back! [Swords Dance]!"
Knowing full well the gap in their strength, Hu Yan'er's first move was to boost Chimchar's offense.
And Swords Dance was the perfect choice.
To make sure Chimchar wouldn't be interrupted mid-setup, she'd cleverly used Fake Out first to guarantee a safe window.
"Hoo-cha!"
At her command, Chimchar spun lightly on his feet.
Spectral blades of light shimmered into existence, circling his body in a whirling dance.
The hum of sword-energy filled the air as Chimchar's momentum surged.
Then—the phantom blades dissolved into his body, their power fusing with his muscles.
Fwoosh!
The flame on Chimchar's tail roared brighter, flaring like a blowtorch.
"Rhyhorn, [Rock Blast]!"
Ishimori reacted instantly.
As Chimchar finished his setup and Rhyhorn shook off its flinch, the Rock-type retaliated.
Whum—Whum—Whum!
A deep, rhythmic rumble built at the tip of Rhyhorn's horn as a boulder nearly half a meter wide took shape.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three shots in quick succession—the rocks hurtled forward in a triangle pattern, sealing off every escape route.
In a heartbeat, Chimchar's path to retreat was completely cut off.
"Chimchar, [Flame Wheel]! Charge through it!"
Even if there had been room to dodge, Hu Yan'er would've made the same call.
There was no other way.
Chimchar's only ranged move, Ember, couldn't even scratch Rhyhorn's thick hide.
Meanwhile, Rhyhorn could attack freely from afar with devastating Rock- or Ground-type techniques.
If Chimchar wanted to win, he had to close the distance—and land a solid Brick Break.
Once he got in close, Rhyhorn's heavy frame would never match Chimchar's speed.
"Hoo-cha!"
With a sharp cry, Chimchar's tail flame burst into a blazing inferno.
Fire swept across his body, wrapping him in a vortex of heat.
In the next instant, he transformed into a blazing wheel of flame and charged forward.
Here, the flaw in Rhyhorn's Rock Blast formation became obvious.
Had the three stones been fired in a straight line, Chimchar would've had to smash through all three to reach his target.
But arranged in a triangle, there was a gap—he only needed to shatter one.
Perhaps even Ishimori hadn't expected Chimchar to charge straight in instead of dodging.
Boom!
The spinning Flame Wheel met the first boulder head-on.
With Rock Blast's modest base power of 25, it didn't stand a chance against a Swords Dance-boosted Flame Wheel.
In just three seconds, the rock exploded in a burst of debris.
Dust and grit filled the air—but Chimchar shot through the cloud like a meteor, still spinning fiercely.
As the fiery wheel soared over Rhyhorn's head—
"Now's our chance! Chimchar, [Brick Break]!"
Hu Yan'er seized the opening without hesitation.
"Hoo-cha!"
Chimchar's right fist blazed white with concentrated power—the telltale light of Brick Break.
Under the eyes of the roaring crowd, the glow tore through the surrounding flames as Chimchar dove down toward his opponent.
"Rhyhorn, [Horn Attack]!"
Ishimori barked his counter instantly.
Even in close quarters, he wasn't afraid to meet force with force.
Whoosh!
Rhyhorn braced its hind legs and lunged upward,
its body—easily over a hundred kilos—momentarily airborne.
The horn atop its head gleamed white, aimed straight at Chimchar's descending strike.
Brick Break vs. Horn Attack.
A heavy thud rang out as the two moves collided.
Thanks to Swords Dance, Chimchar's power now nearly matched Rhyhorn's raw might—and with the advantage of striking from above, the impact evened out.
The clash ended in a draw.
But the next second, that upper-handed position betrayed him.
Still airborne, Chimchar couldn't dodge or readjust his stance—while Rhyhorn, landing solidly on its feet, needed no recovery time at all.
Ishimori didn't miss the opening.
He thrust his arm forward decisively.
"Rhyhorn, [Drill Run]!"