Chapter 660: The Industry

Won!

Defeated Shi Yuan Zhi, one of the Four Kings!

Although this was a private match, not an official competition like the Champion League or the Four Kings Cup, what mattered was not external recognition or fame.

But confirming that both Pokémon and oneself had never stopped growing.

"Ha…"

Baimu felt joy in his heart, yet his face could not hide exhaustion, for this had been a battle demanding constant, unrelenting mental focus from start to finish.

Thus, compared to negligible physical fatigue, mental weariness was far more pronounced.

Whooshhhhh—

Around him, the applause of the Meteor People erupted in a continuous wave.

Immediately after, the younger generation of Dragon Tamers surged forward, cheering loudly in excitement.

"Baimu! No surprise from you!"

"Big Brother Baimu is amazing!"

"You've got a shot at the Champion League title! Another regional champion is rising among Dragon Tamers!"

"Miss Xijiana will be so happy!"

They spoke all at once, clearly unaware like Shi Yuan Zhi that he had withdrawn from the Hoenn Champion League.

Baimu smiled in reply and explained his intentions outright.

Upon hearing this, they were both surprised and saddened, yet they accepted his decision and offered their blessings—for Dragon Tamers, it made no difference where one became regional champion.

Besides, Baimu had grown up in Orre; it was only natural he wished to become its champion.

Inside the arena.

Wailord returned to its original form, panting heavily as it gazed at the Gyarados lying motionless before it. The usual elation from defeating a strong opponent felt unusually muted this time.

As a Steel-Fairy-type Pokémon, it resisted Flying-type moves and nullified Dragon-type attacks, nearly sealing off every aspect of Gyarados's capabilities—yet it had been forced into a grueling, painstaking struggle to win.

Even if its trainer's battle style contributed, ultimately, its output power was simply insufficient.

Otherwise, with its Guts ability, its first Ice Punch should have taken down Gyarados, which is quadrally weak to Ice—instead, it barely held off a mere Heat Wave and was forced to retreat.

Frustrating.

Had it grown complacent after winning the Grand Festival?

Wailord recalled its recent life and awkwardly realized that, since winning the Festival with its trainer, its leisure time had increased dramatically.

Previously, it watched shows occasionally, but mostly devoted time to practicing performances and move variations for the Grand Festival.

Now, it could spend an entire day watching one show, then spend hours afterward searching for the next.

It tried reading novels, only to discover it knew too few characters.

Instead of learning like it had when first getting its phone—by following Plusle's example—it simply had Plusle read aloud to it in fits and starts.

It gorged itself on sweets, and when scolded by its trainer, threw a tantrum.

"Kee-doh…"

Wailord suddenly fell silent, a flicker of unease crossing its expression.

It had always seen itself as Baimu's sharpest "spear," standing opposite Bonsly, the hardest "shield."

It didn't care about the title of Ace, but insisted on excelling in both performances and battles.

Naturally, it received its trainer's favor, and was revered, protected, and admired by its teammates—even the most defiant and bold Salamence dared to avoid it.

Why?

Because its strength was unquestionable.

Even though the team never determined status or treatment by power, who dared raise their voice when it frowned?

Arrogant, spoiled, and a bit self-willed.

It didn't matter.

After all, Wailord was adorable and powerful, the beloved lady of the team, the undisputed top attacker—whenever a formidable opponent appeared, one had to choose between it and Bonsly.

It had always been this way.

It felt immense happiness, and cherished its current life deeply.

The past?

Long forgotten.

The lonely self, hugging a tattered doll to sleep, seemed never to have existed; its former environment had long blurred into obscurity.

What remained vividly etched in its mind were only beautiful dolls and food, the scenery seen during travels, the laughter of its companions, delicious meals and sweets, and fragrant black tea.

Aside from these.

Most of all, it loved waking up drowsily each morning to see its trainer dragging Salamence off to bathe, the resentful glare of Sunflora awakened by the noise, Plusle flying out from the phone, and Dracozolt materializing in pain after bumping its nose into the door.

Outside the bedroom, the annoying shouts of Dracometeor siblings echoed constantly, Haunter laughed inexplicably, Milotic sang in broken fragments, and Bonsly trudged by with heavy footsteps.

Closing its eyes for another brief nap, it would soon smell the breakfast meticulously prepared by Snorlax—then its trainer's voice would call beside its ear.

"Young Lady~ Time to wake up."

Being patted on the head was annoying, but it never got angry.

Hugging its beloved doll, rubbing its eyes, it walked into the living room, where its noisy companions waited for it to sit down.

A wonderful day began with the first cup of black tea brewed by its trainer—

So good.

Wailord clenched its fists.

It believed that if it continued slacking off, relying on past glory, then when future opponents like Metagross and Shiny Haunter gained Mega Evolution, and more teammates acquired greater power, it would struggle to maintain its current position.

Even if its trainer would never neglect it, and its teammates would still treat it as before.

But some things will inevitably fade away in silence.

Do not wish to change.

It must grow strong forever.

"Kee-doh."

Bigmouth turned suddenly, its steps light yet resolutely firm, its resolve settled.

——

"Cough… cough…"

Shi Yuan Zhi coughed twice, recalled his fainted Flygon, and said hoarsely, "You've worked hard."

Encountering a Pokémon that completely counters you yet matches your strength is indeed frustrating. Resonance remains a low-probability event, intimately tied to one's mental state, remaining stamina, the Pokémon's will, and the trainer's passion.

Even with all prerequisites met, it may still not occur.

He never expected to force a resonance to win; that would be no different from gambling. A trainer must truly rely on the physique, will, and experience forged over years of training.

"Shi Yuan Zhi!"

Old Qingliu's call made him turn his head.

The man's face was filled with deep concern: "Are you alright?"

"Of course."

Shi Yuan Zhi replied calmly. Aging naturally weakens bodily functions, but it had not yet reached the point where a single battle left him unsteady on his feet.

Old Qingliu observed his still-straight posture and quietly exhaled in relief, smiling: "How about it? How does our top-tier young Dragon Tamer among the Starfall Folk fare?"

"Exceptionally excellent. He has already gained the ability to realize his dream. Fighting him brought me great joy. Cough."

Shi Yuan Zhi lavished praise on Baimu without restraint—he was always a mentor who cherished uplifting the young, and he never withheld encouragement and support from those he admired.

Yet the right to pursue a dream and the ability to realize it are two distinct concepts.

His adoption of the latter view proves his confidence in Baimu's future.

"Hahaha!"

Old Qingliu laughed heartily. The strength of his junior filled the elder with pride—who else but Shi Yuan Zhi had dominated their generation of Dragon Tamers?

Among the Starfall Folk, the relationship between aging Dragon Tamers and Shi Yuan Zhi resembled that of Norman and Ash.

Initially, they clashed bitterly, arguing over every word; but as Norman matured, he gradually came to recognize Ash's strength, often praising him, and by the time of their journey, he openly mocked Max for being unworthy to travel alongside Ash.

The Starfall Folk's acceptance of Shi Yuan Zhi was less dramatic.

After laughing, Old Qingliu suddenly sighed: "Too bad if your body—"

"I never make excuses for defeat. Lose, and you lose. Even seeking reasons for defeat serves only to avoid repeating it—not to convince yourself. Cough, cough."

Shi Yuan Zhi cut him off, sternly saying: "Moreover, what truly let Baimu win was not my physical condition. It was his complete elimination of distractions, his focused attention on the battle, his careful observation of every detail, his steady maintenance of his own rhythm. Such a trainer deserves victory!"

In contrast, I lost focus mid-battle. To lose was only natural.

Of course.

Humans are not machines. Minor mistakes after severe exhaustion are perfectly normal. Had he never made a mistake, he would have been Regional Champion long ago.

Old Qingliu, known in the village for his odd temper, was scolded but did not grow angry. He only awkwardly raised his hand and said, "Alright, alright, I get it! You're always snapping at others—how are young people supposed to approach you?"

Shi Yuan Zhi's stern expression froze.

The naturally cold-faced Dragon King was often scolded by friends for his intimidating expression, frequently frightening timid boys and girls—so despite his respect, few children dared to come near him.

Yet he was soft-hearted beneath the tough exterior.

As the two chatted freely,

Baimu and Bigmouth approached. The young people who had gathered around, as Old Qingliu had said, still feared Shi Yuan Zhi and dared not draw closer.

"Thank you for the guidance. Fighting you taught me much—especially about resonance."

He had intended to bow slightly in respect, but Shi Yuan Zhi extended his hand first, so they shook.

Thin, rough, yet firm and powerful.

No wonder he was a man who still conquered the seas at his age!

Shi Yuan Zhi was also pleased with Baimu's sturdy arms and said: "Cough. Your physique is strong. Had I met you years earlier, I would have invited you aboard my ship."

"It would be my honor. Your ship has long been the dream of many trainers."

He replied politely.

Online rumors long claimed that the Four Heavenly Kings Shi Yuan Zhi favored mentoring the young, and that every crew member aboard his ship was a trainer he personally approved.

In truth, trainers who emerged from Shi Yuan Zhi's ship were indeed generally stronger.

His top disciple, Liang Guang, once replaced Brock as commentator during the Advanced Generation, enthusiastically praising Shi Yuan Zhi's battle against Ash.

Now he is a well-known veteran trainer in Hoenn, frequently competing in major and mid-sized tournaments, hailed as a prospective Fourth Heavenly King.

"My ship can't carry you now."

Shi Yuan Zhi was in good spirits and even made a light joke, mainly because he noticed the young man, though polite, showed not a trace of fear. He suggested: "But I can still take you to Orre."

"Huh?"

Baimu blinked, instinctively glancing at Old Qingliu beside him, who gave a slight nod. Baimu then said: "Then—I won't refuse. But I still have a few companions not here…"

"No problem. Preparations before setting sail are an essential part of conquering the sea. Waiting for your companions is perfectly fine," Shi Yuan Zhi said gently.

Too kind.

Even with prior expectations, Baimu couldn't help internally grumble at the vast contrast between this Heavenly King's appearance and his personality.

Then,

The group walked together toward the small clinic in Starfall Village. Like Genesis Valley, it had no Pokémon Center—but it still possessed the ability to treat Pokémon.

Otherwise, Dragon Tamers would never dare battle freely.

His reason for accepting Shi Yuan Zhi's offer was undoubtedly to fight him again—battling strong opponents benefits both trainer and Pokémon's growth.

Old Qingliu also recognized this, so he urged him to accept the offer.

During the treatment, Shi Yuan Zhi's occasional coughs drew Baimu's attention; after learning the reason from Old Qingliu, he couldn't help feeling guilty and urged him to get checked.

Fighting a worthy elder and leaving him physically unwell made it hard to treat the matter with calmness.

Shi Yuan Zhi himself was displeased with Old Qingliu's unnecessary explanation and bluntly said it was just a minor ailment; to prove his words true, he accepted the clinic's examination.

Indeed, as he said, it was merely respiratory discomfort from inhaling too much dust—drink more water and it'll be fine.

But.

Later, Shi Yuan Zhi himself admitted that the battle with Baimu had drained his energy severely, causing his focus to waver.

Old Qingliu then said that in all of Hoenn, fewer than one hand's worth of trainers could drain Shi Yuan Zhi's spirit so thoroughly.

"I don't think this is something to be happy about."

Shi Yuan Zhi's tone was somewhat somber.

For years he had been searching for a successor; while the Elite Four positions were by invitation, a new Elite Four member must be approved by the other three.

How is approval given?

Surely through battle.

"What about the Saffron City Gym Leader, Chien Li?" Baimu remembered Chien Li was hailed by many as the next Elite Four member; logically, his succession should pose no problem.

Shi Yuan Zhi shook his head: "That man declined the Elite Four invitation two years ago."

"Declined!?"

"Correct. He said he wasn't ready to take the position of Hoenn's strongest Elite Four and needed more time," Shi Yuan Zhi said softly.

Baimu: "..."

Chien Li was indeed an exceptionally proud man, whether in the special manga or the anime.

He just says "Hoenn's strongest Elite Four"—how are Queen Boni, Fu Rong, and Hua Yue supposed to swallow that? Do you know how arrogant your father is, Xiao Yao and Xiao Sheng?

Baimu asked again: "What about your top disciple?"

"He's nowhere near ready!"

Shi Yuan Zhi answered without hesitation, in the tone of a master who knows his student best—making everyone hold their breath for Liang Guang.

The old man's gaze settled on him and said: "If your goal isn't the Orre Champion title, I believe you're extremely suitable—even transitioning to the Champion position someday, like Agatha, wouldn't be an issue."

"Ahahaha..."

Baimu laughed awkwardly.

Hoenn is truly lacking talent!

Since arriving in Hoenn, Baimu realized the entire trainer world seemed to be searching for successors—forget about Champion Dawu and Mi Ke Li; even Adam and Shi Yuan Zhi, one a Gym Leader and one an Elite Four member, couldn't find a successor.

The "industry" is doomed!