Chapter 531: Feng Aotian!?

The Gym Challenge is over.

As the Dancer was preparing to leave, she encountered Chairman Yici again.

【You learned from her that although Orange Academy has many students, very few manage to complete all eight Gym Challenges.】

There are many reasons—either lack of strength, or not viewing the Gym Challenge as a necessary part of the "treasure hunt" extracurricular activity; some of these students already have grandchildren, yet still haven't finished their treasure hunt.

Yici came to the Dancer both to thank her for not disappointing her expectations and investment, and to invite her to challenge the Four Guardians of the Pokémon League.

The Dancer was deeply grateful to Yici, who not only revealed to her the origins of Team Star, but also gave her the Terastal Pearl, a key item in the Gym Challenge.

But before challenging the Four Guardians, she decided to return to school to finish her remaining courses and take the final exams.

"Whoa! If I were the Academic Affairs Office, you'd be this year's Model Student!"

Baimu was deeply impressed.

What kind of student actually comes to school properly?

Someone who could have pushed harder and possibly become a Champion-level Trainer, yet voluntarily returns to class and takes exams?

If anyone else did this, he'd assume they were just coming back to show off… but the Dancer was genuinely studying!

According to the narrator, her grades were quite excellent.

【You returned to Town Hall City, resuming your original campus life.】

The Dancer still had a couple of close classmates at school, and as one of the rare Trainers who earned eight Badges, she was quite popular.

But soon after, an even more dazzling person appeared.

"Huh? The game protagonist?"

Baimu froze for a moment, then realized it was the rival from the promotional video.

A black-skinned senior named Nimo.

The narrator revealed that while the Dancer was indeed one of the few students to earn eight Badges, it took her a full semester—while Nimo—

She did it in just three months.

In less than half a semester, she successfully obtained all eight Badges and recently defeated the Four Guardians, earning the recognition of Chief Champion Yici, becoming the new Champion-level Trainer.

Such an extraordinary individual even caught the attention of Principal Cravell, who intended to appoint her as Student Council President.

"Holy shit! Feng Aotian!?"

Baimu sucked in a breath—three months? Even shorter than his own!

Although he also competed in Super Contests, this girl had already defeated the Four Guardians and reached the absolute limit of a regular Trainer in Paldea.

This is fucking—

Compared to her, Ash's rocky rise path felt like he was raised by a stepmother—barely made it to the semifinals in Sinnoh, then regressed to the quarterfinals in Unova.

Nimo's rival status rivals Green from Generation I.

In the scene.

The Dancer was clearly stunned by Nimo's legendary record, and when Nimo ran up and asked if she could be her rival, she firmly declined.

【You said she didn't have to be a rival to be a friend; Nimo, looking dejected, immediately brightened up again.】

The Dancer wasn't particularly passionate about Pokémon battles; battles were merely a side activity during her journey, a way to witness the mutual growth of herself and her Pokémon and create precious memories.

Completely different from Nimo.

The screen flickered.

Before long, the final exams ended, and Nimo, with top grades in every subject, was appointed Student Council President by Principal Cravell.

【Your grades ranked tenth, but you weren't too upset when the cheering, dancing Ducklett comforted you.】

The Dancer seemed to have made up her mind about something.

Not long after the exams, she arrived at the Paldea Pokémon League.

【You told the guard you were here to challenge the Four Guardians.】

The scene shifted.

The Dancer entered a room with white walls; in the distance stood a desk, where a beautiful woman with green hair dressed in a business suit introduced herself as the interviewer.

【You heard her introduce herself as Xinli, realizing she was one of the Four Guardians.】

Beforehand, the Dancer had already inquired of Nimo for all the information she could reveal, including the identities of the Four Guardians.

The interview wasn't difficult.

It felt like nothing more than prompting the Dancer to recall her Gym Challenge journey and her thoughts on becoming Champion—form over substance.

This left both the Dancer and Baimu puzzled, but there must have been a deeper reason.

In any case.

The Dancer's Four Guardians battle began.

Baimu was slightly excited, gripping the steel arm of his Bisharp beside him, who looked at his trainer, who went nuts once a month, with a touch of resignation.

He'd even once suspected whether Bisharp was being fed hallucinogenic mushrooms every month.

Otherwise, there was no explanation!

This behavior started the very first time he encountered it—could it really be because of a Happiny doing something?

Sigh.

Just endure it.

What else can you do?

Bisharp sighed, dragging its other paw under its chin; in that moment, the giant monster looked uncannily like Baimu, drawing starry-eyed glances from a Shiny Milotic beside it.

And in the simulation.

The first Guardian the Dancer faced was the interviewer, Xinli.

【You nervously sent out your Pokémon.】

Xin Li's Pokémon are Ground-type; the Dancer's Pokémon still hold a type advantage, but as a Four Heavenly Kings member, their strength is naturally greater than that of a Gym Leader.

【You are immensely grateful you returned to school to further train your Pokémon before challenging the Four Heavenly Kings】

From the narrator's explanation and the pixelated battle footage, it is clear that, though it remains unknown whether the Four Heavenly Kings used their full strength.

But as things stand now, Xin Li's power is transcendent; the Dance Moves mastered by Carnival Dance Duck and others are no longer as effective as before.

The number of hits taken has increased.

The Dancer thus fights with extraordinary difficulty.

"Bad start… how will this end be counted?"

Baimu's joy turns to worry; since the Paldea region has no League Championship, the reward calculation naturally follows the same method as Galar.

And if the intensity of the first Four Heavenly Kings battle far exceeds the regional League Championship qualifiers, doesn't that mean the value of a Champion-level Trainer is far greater than that of a Championship winner?

That makes sense.

Remember, Champion-level Trainers must also defeat Yici, the Chief Champion—only with her approval can one be called Champion-level; Championship winners haven't even begun battling the Champion League, how could they compare to Champion-level Trainers?

【You unleashed all your ultimate moves】

The Dancer turned over nearly every card they had, even Carnival Dance Duck briefly burst forth in power, aided by its Terastallization and Torrent ability.

Only then did they barely defeat Xin Li.

Of course, the more critical reason may be that Xin Li only used five Pokémon to battle the Dancer.

【You are immensely grateful that this Four Heavenly Kings battle only required facing five Pokémon at a time】

"So that's it—they held back…"

Baimu nodded silently.

The Paldea region truly is peculiar in every way, stranger even than Galar, which treats Gym Leaders like celebrities.

The Four Heavenly Kings battle follows the same format as the game: a classic wheel battle.

What surprised him was that the second Four Heavenly Kings opponent the Dancer faced was Aoki, the Gym Leader they had met in Jinhui Town.

That technique was 【Endure】; a man radiating the aura of Gorou and a middle-aged office worker.

【You learned from Aoki that serving as a Four Heavenly Kings member was arranged by the League, and the League required him to alter his style during his tenure as a Four Heavenly Kings】

Alter his style.

That meant Aoki shifted from being a Normal-type Gym Leader to a Flying-type Four Heavenly Kings.

Just as when challenging the Jinhui Gym, Aoki's strength had risen another level—a disaster for the Dancer, whose Pokémon had little rest time.

Magmortar's Magmortar Dance defeated Tropical Dragon, but fell before the Sparkle Dance of Floragato.

Sweeting's Tropical Kick defeated Floragato, but was defeated by Skarmory.

Floragato's Electric-type Awakening Dance defeated Skarmory, but lost to Togekiss.

Only when Crimson Blade Ghost and Skirt Lady joined forces did they barely hold their ground against Togekiss.

Carnival Dance Duck faced Aoki's final Pokémon—Crimson Crane—in a final showdown; their Terastallized Water and Terastallized Flying types, neither having an advantage over the other, held out until the very last moment.

On screen.

Exhausted Carnival Dance Duck and Crimson Crane stood frozen in place, gazing at each other as they gasped for breath.

The narrator's commentary vanished.

In its place came the Dancer's inner voice.

【You know your relationship with Carnival Dance Duck is deeply complex】

【You are both traveling companions and dance partners, but more crucially, when you were at your lowest, most helpless moment】

【It was Carnival Dance Duck who reached out its hand to you】

【You were redeemed by Carnival Dance Duck's dance, drawing strength from its movements—so you know, this time it is your turn to give strength to Carnival Dance Duck】

The Dancer suddenly began to dance—not the later-studied Battle Dance, but the very first dance stolen from the Water Duck.

At this moment.

The Dancer's dance seemed granted a true soul.

Even in pixelated visuals, Baimu could sense the intense emotion within it—the uplifting power nearly brought him to tears.

And Carnival Dance Duck, inspired, unleashed unprecedented power—

A vast, glowing blue tide spreading nearly across the entire screen.

The true 【Flowing Waltz】.

Crimson Crane was completely submerged.

"Of course, this world is different."

Baimu sighed from the depths of his heart; though the Four Heavenly Kings battle resembled the game so closely it nearly misled him.

But when Carnival Dance Duck, inspired by the Dancer's dance, unleashed its full power, he understood this was an enhancement only possible in an animated setting—

The power of the heart!

Yet after defeating Aoki, the Dancer was too exhausted to face the next Four Heavenly Kings.

【You fought against Bashuo, the art teacher who always calls himself 'this humble one'; his strict and extraordinary strength crushed you quickly】

Bashuo specializes in Dragon-type Pokémon; the narrator reveals he is also the young master of Paldea's Dragon Tamer family.

"This… young master?"

Baimu glanced at Bashuo's actual photo; he looked nearly as old as Qianli—still a young master? How old would the head of Paldea's Dragon Tamer family be?

Meanwhile,

He regretted not having met Poba, Paldea's popular six-year-old Heavenly King—ah… she probably isn't six yet.

【Your League Challenge journey has ended】

【You met Yici again, apologized to her; she paid it little mind and instead asked if you intended to join the Pokémon League】

【You declined, stating that in the future you wished to become a dance teacher at Orange Academy, helping bullied students and easing tensions between the Star Team and the school.】

【You heard Yaci smiling and said that a dance teacher and a Pokémon League employee need not be mutually exclusive—like Hachisaku—and replied that you would think it over.】

"A dance teacher… indeed, a fine choice."

Baimu nodded silently, his anticipation for the reward rising again.

Yet just as the simulation screen faded, it suddenly lit up once more.

Before him appeared an opulent office: a dancer stood at one end, while the principal, Craver, stood at the other.

【You revealed everything you knew about the Star Team to Principal Craver, who, after consideration, promised to locate the Star Team's true leader as soon as possible.】

【Simulation ended.】

"Huh? There's a post-credits scene? What's this mean? Is the principal going to move against the Star Team?"

Baimu froze, suddenly feeling as if he'd choked on his food.

He bitterly cursed himself for not having been reincarnated a little later—even if the Star Team's plot in the anime world surely differed from the game, it would still offer some reference.

Not like now, stuck halfway up and unable to climb higher or retreat.

He hurriedly searched online and found that even in the real world, the Star Team remained unresolved; he suspected the dancer's simulation must have taken place within the past few months.

Ah—

So painful.

Baimu angrily pounded the arm of his Bisharp twice, his mood slowly calming.

He turned to the rewards.

【Fixed Reward: TM ×2 (selectable type)】

【Fixed Reward: The Dancer's Original Battle Dance Memory—The Crimson Flame Blade Ghost Dance Chapter (viewable repeatedly)】

…

【Choice Reward One: Any Pokémon gains two levels (below lv. 70)】

【Choice Reward Two: Clue to a catchable Pokémon (selectable type)】

【Choice Reward Three: Move—Close Combat (selectable Pokémon to learn)】

【Choice Reward Four: Retain the 【Elite System】 Talent for the next simulation】

"Hey… this is a runner-up-level reward."

He instantly recognized it as the prize awarded only to the runner-up; so defeating the third King, Hachisaku, would make him the tournament champion?

What about the fourth?

The true full-strength King level?

Or would he have to defeat Yaci again? Defeat Yaci, and then… ah, Champion-level Trainer.

Only the Head Champion is the Regional Champion.

Baimu suddenly realized that the Paldea region might not offer the top-tier reward—the Regional Champion's prize—though he'd only ever received one reward at the King level so far, that didn't stop him from dreaming a little.

【A stable, long-running novel app, comparable to the old version of Zhuochong's preferred source-switching app, huanyuanapp.】

What if he simulated a former Regional Champion?

Such regions shouldn't be added to the Blue Simulation again.

He nodded silently.

Although the Paldea simulation had some appeal, it was only because he'd never played Zhu Zi; otherwise, it would've been just a routine Gym Challenge.

"Four choices… pick Close Combat and the level-up."

Baimu glanced at his inventory; he had too many Pokémon clues already—better to swap for Close Combat, a powerful move.

Moves aren't something you can just learn whenever you want.

As for the Battle Dance Memory…

The Crimson Flame Blade Ghost Dance? Could it be used by Garganacl? Or would he need to catch another Pokémon that wields weapons?

"Let's take a look first."

Baimu tapped the memory—and instantly collapsed onto Bisharp's arm.