Chapter 254: In Nuvema Town, the Hero's Challenge

The person appearing before Xiang Guangtai now is... Hilda?!

As a protagonist, theoretically, she shouldn't be picking up her Pokémon at this point in time, and what about Cheren and Bianca?

Shouldn't they be picking up their Pokémon at the protagonist's house?

Or is it...

"Hello! My name is Hilda, and I'm planning to pick up my starter Pokémon and set off on a journey!"

"Ah! Although I say starter Pokémon, I already have some partners by my side..."

The heroic girl with the high ponytail was quite polite, but when she saw the Aegislash and Riolu beside Xiang Guangtai, she couldn't help but be attracted.

She had seen Xiang Guangtai's activities on the news before. Unlike others who were concerned about the Plasma Society, what Hilda cared about most were Xiang Guangtai's Pokémon!

At that time, there was only one word that could describe those Pokémon to her, and that was "powerful"!

"Wow! They really look so strong! Seeing them in person is different from seeing them on TV!"

"And this Riolu too! Is this a Pokémon you just caught!"

Aegislash's impression of this young girl suddenly became very good!

And Riolu was observing Hilda.

The feeling Hilda gave it was very similar to its previous Trainer; at the beginning, they were all people full of hope and keen on battling. They would radiate this vitality at all times.

Professor Juniper laughed: "Oh my, Hilda, your timing is just right. I haven't been back to the laboratory for long."

Hilda clenched her fists: "Of course, I've been looking forward to this day for a long time, and I've already accumulated sufficient 'battle experience'...! On the virtual battle software developed by the Battle Company, my ranking is very high. This is all thanks to a certain unknown Trainer..."

"He made me realize that Pokémon moves can be combined in that way... it's simply a try-hard team."

"The naive me from before is already dead. I deeply realize that there are all kinds of people in the world, so I made full preparations before setting off on my journey. Now I know quite a lot about battling..."

"And I also have my own goals..."

Watching Hilda's inexplicably burning fighting spirit, Professor Juniper could only show an awkward but polite smile.

The little girl went dark as soon as she left home, right?

Professor Juniper: "But virtual battles on Battle Company software are ultimately just simulations, and there is a significant difference from real battles."

"Of course I know that! That's why I'm going to challenge the Battle Subway. I want to accumulate my battle experience at the Battle Subway. To be honest, I've wanted to try it for a long time."

Challenge the Battle Subway?

Xiang Guangtai understood now.

Although she also lives in Nuvema Town, it seems Hilda's setting in this world is "Subway Girl."

That is to say, she will set off before Hilbert to train her Pokémon at the Battle Subway!

That's why Cheren and Bianca weren't by her side, and looking at the current situation, Hilda should be a childhood friend of Cheren, Bianca, and Hilbert, so the situation of becoming "strangers" in the Battle Subway won't happen.

Hmm, childhood sweethearts...

And having partners before picking up the starter Pokémon doesn't conflict with "starter partners." Black from the Special manga did exactly this; when he left, he already had a level 50+ Braviary, which normally could beat the game's Gym Leaders to the ground.

But if this is the case, then Hilda is not the "chosen hero."

The hero should be Hilbert.

"Hmm, although I'm in the middle of research, sorry, can Xiang Guangtai wait a moment?"

Professor Juniper quickly fetched three Poké Balls, five empty balls, and a Pokédex.

"Eh? News celebrity, you also have a Pokédex!"

Hilda noticed the Pokédex in Xiang Guangtai's hand at this time, and her eyes lit up, while Xiang Guangtai explained helplessly:

"Don't call me news celebrity... I am Xiang Guangtai, an item craftsman."

"Item craftsman...?" Hilda chewed on this word and suddenly realized something. She quickly opened her Pokedex and asked Xiang Guangtai:

"Then do you know this account?"

Xiang Guangtai: "..."

Without a doubt, the account page Hilda opened at this time... this account was Xiang Guangtai's account at the Battle Company.

And previously, out of a special mentality, he had used virtual battle software after registering the account, and thus used try-hard tactics to pit many Trainers, causing them to be furious and even want to add him as a friend to PK.

"Sorry... this is my account."

Xiang Guangtai told the truth.

"Ah?"

Hilda clearly didn't expect the owner of the account that had pitted her before to be right in front of her. After her expression changed rapidly, Hilda suddenly showed a mischievous smile:

"So it was you! Thank you for your 'care' during online battles before!"

Although she said it with a smile, the smile was too hypocritical, and there was even a feeling of gnashing her teeth.

However, Xiang Guangtai coughed twice with a straight face and explained righteously:

"When Pokémon are battling, using different moves to combine and match, and developing amazing battle methods—isn't this the true meaning of Pokémon battling? Everyone has different tactics. If you want to become a true battle powerhouse, you must master various moves!"

"Ah, if you put it that way, it does make sense..."

Hilda blinked, and the annoyance in her heart gradually dissipated.

Hmm... it really is true!

It was she who was too naive. So that's it, while catching Pokémon, one must also pay attention to move matching and combinations... to achieve unexpected effects.

Xiang Guangtai: "That's right. And you have to use items. Different items exert different powers, and using them on different occasions is even more so. Therefore, Pokémon battling contains infinite possibilities!"

"I have quite a few useful items on hand now. If you want to buy them, I can give you a cheaper price! These are things that haven't circulated on the market."

"And soon these items will be updated on the Battle Company's virtual software. By then, you can try more items in the virtual network to make different combinations and choices."

"Don't think that you can win just by relying on power. In battle, power is just a bonus. Sometimes, if you have powerful strength but can't hit the opponent, power loses its meaning."

"Oh oh! Sounds amazing! I'm super interested!" Hilda completely forgot her previous annoyance and was dazzled by Xiang Guangtai's words, while Professor Juniper called her, signaling her not to get lost in fantasies.

"Cough, now choose your partner. Choose one from these three. First is..."

"I want Tepig!" Hilda chose the Fire-type Tepig without hesitation.

"I had already made my choice before setting off on my journey. Tepig is a Fire-type Pokémon, and fire is always rising and burning, which is very similar to my battle spirit! For Fire-types, I just have a feeling of great compatibility!"

"Then..." Hilda looked at Xiang Guangtai:

"Lord Xiang Guangtai, let's battle! This time it's not a battle on virtual software, but an actual challenge."

This is her revenge battle!

【Festival Quest: Challenge from Another Hero.】

【Reward: Release Orb x2, Overwhelming Aura x1, Fighting Spirit x1, Victory Fragment x1, Free Ticket x1.】

【Description: Perhaps in the future, this battle will determine the direction the heroes move in. Not a hero in one's own world, but perhaps becoming a hero when going to another's world. Who are the true twin heroes?】

Another hero?!

Good grief! Xiang Guangtai muttered in his heart.

Master N hasn't gotten the stone of the black and white dragons yet, and you, the Entralink Tree, have already designated the hero?

If Hilda is also a hero, then what about Hilbert, who follows the orthodox plot?

You two childhood sweethearts have cornered the hero position, what about Master N?

"Hmm, but the strength of my Pokémon..." Xiang Guangtai's own Pokémon were all very strong. If he battled with beginner Pokémon, it would be bullying. However, Hilda waved her hand indifferently, and even burned with fighting spirit because of it!

"Giving your all at any time—that is a Trainer! No matter what happens, you must have the courage to challenge. Whether you win or lose the battle, the experience accumulated continuously will not change. Victory or defeat is just a result."

"In short, just battle by intuition!"

Is that so!

Xiang Guangtai understood Hilda's idea.

It seems that someone has indeed said the same thing. In short, no matter who you face, you must give your all. Don't refuse the challenges of the weak just because your Pokémon are too strong. The strong were all weak before they rose...

But doing this makes him look like the protagonist's rival.

"I understand. Then, let Aegislash battle you."

Xiang Guangtai looked at Aegislash, but the latter stared at Xiang Guangtai, and the man and the sword looked at each other for a long time.

"Ge-eh (Can you use it again, that skin-changing item!)!"

"Ah, there's no helping you!"

Xiang Guangtai said so, and then used the Shiny Charm again. In Hilda's shocked gaze, Aegislash turned into a black giant sword!

"Ah! What's going on! However, it looks like it's become even more powerful!"

Hilda's shocked expression made Professor Juniper nod silently on the side.

No matter how you look at it, this isn't a situation that can be covered up by Psychic ability!

Sure enough, whoever comes will find it incredible.

And Tepig beside Hilda looked at the color-changed Aegislash with longing, and then the little pig's gaze moved to Xiang Guangtai's hand.

Ah, a charm that can make people look good?!

If it were me, what color would I become? Would it also be a mix of black and gold?

Tepig began its fantasy time, but it was interrupted before it could fantasize for long.

Hilda picked some items, and Xiang Guangtai generously let her try them out. The battleground was outside the laboratory, and the black Aegislash faced Tepig, one of the starter partners.

A huge sword and a tiny pig, it looked strangely comical and contrasting.

And before the battle started, someone in the town seemed to have come to this vicinity. Xiang Guangtai's gaze moved over, and he finally saw the familiar trio.

Hilbert, Cheren, and Bianca.

"Is that Hilda? Who is she battling?"

"She still likes battling so much..."

"That Pokémon is... looks so cool?!"

One of human nature's traits is loving to join in the fun. The trio was no exception. In the Special manga, they would borrow adults' Pokémon to battle when they were very young. In the game, although the time of their journey was late among all protagonists, this also gave them enough time for theoretical research.

Precisely because of this, two years after the Black and White plot, especially Cheren and Bianca, would become a teacher and a professor's assistant. Both professions require a deep understanding of Pokémon to be competent.

"Hello, Professor Juniper!"

Hilbert greeted Professor Juniper, and they came to the professor's side, watching the upcoming battle with great interest.

"From a theoretical point of view... no, there's no need for theory at all. The strength gap between the two sides can be seen at a glance, right."

Cheren commented. Although Hilda liked to battle with all kinds of people, and she even got her Pokémon much earlier than everyone else, challenging such a seemingly powerful Pokémon...

"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, the current Pokémon is still very weak..."

Hilbert smiled lightly: "It's precisely because it's weak that it needs to challenge a strong enemy! Hey, Hilda, do you need me to lend you Braviary?"

"Ah! Hilbert? No need, just watch from the side!" Hilda waved her hand, her emotions high, and Xiang Guangtai's expression became quite strange.

Not only did Hilda have a Pokémon companion before getting her starter partner, but Hilbert did too?

Starting with Braviary, isn't that Black's plot?

This world is really stitched together quite powerfully!

So, having a level 54 Braviary at the start, why are you still here to pick up a starter partner? Just to get the Pokédex and complete the collection?

"Tepig, Ember!"

Hilda waved her palm, full of fighting spirit, and at this moment Xiang Guangtai could feel, and even vaguely see, an extraordinary power surging from Hilda!

The power obtained from the Psychic Future—Foresight +20%!

That is the spiritual energy that only appears when a person's spirit is high!

"Is that 'Fighting Spirit'?"

"Ah, Tepig has it too!"

Xiang Guangtai saw an incredible thing: synchronizing fighting spirit with one's own Pokémon, and projecting one's own spiritual power onto the Pokémon, causing the Pokémon's level and ability to rise rapidly!

This setting seems to be...

Very similar to "Viridian Force"!

Sure enough, this battle is not a simple bullying of the weak. Hilda, as a hero candidate, has her own unique power. I remember in the side work Pokémon Masters, Hilda had become a sync pair with Victini!

Well, although this is a very mysterious energy, it is not impossible to "visualize." The Z-Moves in the Alola region are typical cases. The idealistic power of the Pokémon world is very powerful.

Tepig's power rose significantly, and the "Ember" it spat out directly grew rapidly, bombarding the field in front of it until it burned!

Hey, where is this still Ember! It's simply Flamethrower!

Aegislash was also surprised. The little pig in front of it didn't seem to have any strength, but now it seems it's quite strong!

Thus—

King's Shield!

Aegislash held the giant shield in front of it, and the dark golden giant shield blocked all the flames!

"What great power!" Bianca's eyes shone as she watched. She also wanted to become a Trainer and had been preparing for it for many years.

While Cheren pushed his reflecting glasses, looking at the Tepig that was performing extraordinarily: "Theoretically speaking, Tepig shouldn't have such powerful strength..."

"Haha, it must be Hilda's fighting spirit infecting Tepig." Hilbert gave the answer, while looking at the pitch-black giant sword, slightly thoughtful, as if asking Cheren, and as if talking to himself:

"Is this shield posture Protect?"

"And the Trainer didn't give an order? The Pokémon acted on its own?"

"The order should have been given." Cheren began to observe Xiang Guangtai: "My feeling is like this."

"Of course, Lord Xiang Guangtai is a Psychic, he should be communicating with his Pokémon through telepathy. I saw before that he didn't give orders, and the Pokémon could act on their own..."

Professor Juniper explained to the three, and when they heard that Xiang Guangtai was a Psychic, the expressions of the three were different.

Hilbert was excited, as if seeing a strong enemy.

Cheren was thoughtful, thinking about how to defeat the same Psychic.

Bianca was yearning, she also wanted to become a powerful Trainer.

"Another year, one year later... no, nine months later, it will be time for us to set off on our journey. By that time..." Cheren muttered to himself.

And at this time, Hilda opened the Pokédex and began to check what moves her Tepig could use:

"Tepig, use Flame Charge! Run around the field!"

The little pig opened its four hooves, wrapped in accelerating flames, and Xiang Guangtai couldn't help but complain in his heart: Flame Charge, which can only be learned at level 15, can be used at the start?

You really don't treat the Bug Catcher on the side as a person! Pushing all the way with Flame Charge, who else can stop this power?

Professor Juniper's cultivation of Pokémon is a bit too good!

Aegislash watched the little pig running around the field, knowing that it wanted to find a gap, because the smoke and dust on the field had blocked its line of sight.

And receiving Xiang Guangtai's order in its heart, it immediately used "Air Slash"!

Countless air blades tore through the smoke and dust, and following closely, Aegislash immediately used:

Aerial Ace!

Using light (x), using heavy (√) movements to tease the opponent and then slash, the attack will definitely hit!

The black sword slashed fiercely, bringing up a whistling sound that tore the sky, and with one sword, it sent the little pig that was still running in circles flying!

The little pig fell to the ground from the sky, but the scene of losing combat ability that was expected did not appear. Instead, it used Flame Charge again the moment it landed!

"The item Tepig is holding is 'Focus Band'!"

Honestly, Xiang Guangtai didn't expect Hilda to choose the band instead of the Focus Sash.

After all, the band is also known as the luck band; only a very low probability can ensure that one does not fall into a near-death state. Although it can be triggered continuously, Europeans are not seen everywhere.

This Flame Charge hit Aegislash accurately!

"Good chance, Fire Spin! And then pull away the distance!"

Hilda commanded while looking at the Pokédex, not at all like it was her first time using Tepig. Perhaps she had used the Tepig family many times on battle software. And at this moment, intense flames spewed from Tepig's nostrils, trapping Aegislash in the burning Fire Spin!

Tepig did a somersault and pulled away from Aegislash!

"No, that Pokémon has no expression of pain at all? No reaction?!"

Bianca discovered the abnormality. She looked at Cheren beside her with some confusion, but Cheren also had a strange face:

"If that Pokémon is Steel-type, then Fire-type should be especially effective against it, right? Why does it look completely ineffective? Unmoved...?! "

"Ember!" Hilda didn't think that much, but continued to command.

Dense embers spewed over like machine gun bullets. Aegislash used King's Shield to block the attack, and the next moment Tepig took this opportunity to use a move!

"Flame Charge!"

Tepig's body burned with fierce flames again, and in Xiang Guangtai's observation, the spiritual power on Tepig's body rose again!

Fighting spirit was continuously transmitted, and the strength of this little pig was now not weak at all.

Then, let's end it with the first one.

Tepig hit Aegislash, but just when Hilda thought she had won, Aegislash's body suddenly disappeared.

Following closely, the pitch-black giant sword appeared behind Tepig, raised the petrified shield, and smashed it down fiercely!

Double-Edge!

This blow was powerful, and Tepig, which was 2x weak to Rock and had a fragile frame, couldn't block this blow at all, and was smashed into the ground and fainted on the spot.

"Escaped from Fire Spin? How did you do it?"

Cheren, who was watching the battle, looked at the scene in front of him in disbelief. Xiang Guangtai also explained to Hilda, who was equally confused: "Fire Spin will cause the Pokémon to be in a bound state, and Substitute can lift this state. You guys don't seem to know about this yet."

"Hmm! There is such a thing, I really don't know much about it. I've noted it down."

Cheren nodded and noted this new "knowledge" in his mind.

"It's incredible, this is the first time I've seen this situation." Hilbert began to simulate the battle in his mind.

And looking at Hilda, after the first one was defeated, her fighting spirit rose even more!

"I'm burning up!" Hilda's expression became quite serious, causing Hilbert on the side to complain: "When battling, Hilda's expression becomes very scary."

Hilda: "After all, if you don't take it seriously, you will lose. Although I said victory or defeat is not important, no one doesn't want to win, right?"

"Then the second one..."

"Darmanitan!"

Eh, this lineup... Xiang Guangtai saw that red Pokémon with burning eyebrows appear, and recalled it.

Hmm, it's the lineup of the Battle Subway.

Speaking of which, Hilda is Tepig + Darmanitan, and Hilbert should be Braviary + Axew, and the choice of the initial Pokémon is... Hilbert should be Oshawott.

Is this the gold content of Unova's new Trainers? Starting with a final evolution form, right.

A tiny Nuvema Town is actually so full of hidden talents!

"Taunt!" Hilda ordered. Darmanitan used Taunt on Aegislash, hooked its big hand, and sealed the status moves! And then—

"Belly Drum!"

Darmanitan slapped its body fiercely!

Reducing its HP to half of its maximum HP, thereby maximizing its attack!

Darmanitan's attack reached 13,000 points!

"Flare Blitz!"

Facing Darmanitan rushing over like a flaming meteor, Aegislash had no intention of retreating at all.

The shield was raised.

Hilbert, who was watching the battle, frowned: "It's impossible to defend, the status moves have been sealed, even Iron Defense..."

"Wait, the shield is starting to glow?"

The dark golden shield lit up three light spots in order, and a huge silver-white beam gathered on the shield!

Steel Beam!

The item carried is Steel Gem! When using a Steel-type move, increase the power of this attack by 30%!

The huge silver-white beam directly submerged Darmanitan's flames!

The outcome is decided!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 255 =====