Chapter 335: A Trainer's Dream

"Sigh, Huo La, you weren't wrong." Shan Kui slowly stood up, his gaze falling on the unconscious Rhyperior, his tone carrying a hint of melancholy and self-blame, "Strictly speaking, it's not really my Pokemon; it was left to me by my mother."

Huo La nodded gently and explained in a calm tone, "That makes sense. Later-era research shows that a Pokemon and its Trainer must be at a similar level for the Pokemon to fully obey the Trainer's commands."

"The state Rhyperior was in today was clearly because its strength has far surpassed yours, and on top of that, the stimulation from its severe injuries caused it to lose rational judgment."

Shan Kui crouched back down, his eyes full of distress as he gently stroked Rhyperior's shell and murmured softly, "So that's how it is... It's my fault. I've wronged you, Rhyperior."

Huo La didn't disturb him further. He just turned to look at Xiao Zhao and gave a slight nod. "Xiao Zhao, it's too cold here. Let's go back and rest first, get ourselves sorted out."

Xiao Zhao looked at Shan Kui, who was completely focused on Rhyperior, then at Huo La. She silently nodded, hugged Zorua, and followed Huo La's footsteps.

————

Inside the Diamond Team's stronghold on the Snowfield, the warm firelight dispelled the bitter cold outside.

Xiao Zhao was still holding Zorua tightly, her fingertips gently stroking its soft fur as she looked at Huo La curiously. "Huo La, does the later era really have that saying, 'A Trainer and their Pokemon must be on the same level'?"

Huo La nodded firmly. "Yes, it does."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of confidence, but not arrogance. "Without being modest, before I came to Hisui, aside from the legendary gods, I could contend with any other Pokemon and make them obey my commands."

"And now that I'm in Hisui, as long as I have a Pokemon that can keep up with my strength, even a god, I can try to fight against it."

Xiao Zhao's eyes went wide instantly, her face clearly showing an expression of "You've got to be kidding me," and her disbelief was unconcealed—in her eyes, gods were unattainable beings, and Huo La's words were simply too exaggerated.

Seeing this, Huo La didn't bother to explain further.

He wasn't like Ash, that eternal "newbie from Pallet Town" whose strength reset every time he went to a new region.

Back in the later era, he already possessed the strength to attempt fighting against a Heavenly King's non-core Pokemon; now, after countless real battles in Hisui, his combat skills had become more refined, and his tactical thinking had grown deeper.

As long as he had a Pokemon with a sufficiently high strength level as a partner, he might not necessarily be unable to fight a god.

Inside the Master Ball, Deoxys listened to Huo La's words, its eyes twitching slightly, but it didn't make a sound.

Xiao Zhao tilted her head and pressed further, "So, were all the Trainers in the later era as strong as you?"

Huo La pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "Some were stronger than me, and some were not as strong."

"'Trainer' is just a general term. It doesn't only refer to people focused on Pokemon Battles; there are many other professional divisions, like Breeders, Explorers, Artists, Makeup Artists..."

"They all, based on their own understanding of Pokemon and their personal dreams, conduct special training with their Pokemon, aiming to reach the top in the field they have chosen."

After patiently explaining, Huo La turned his gaze to Xiao Zhao, his tone softening a bit as he asked seriously, "By the way, Xiao Zhao, what kind of Trainer do you want to become?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhao lowered her eyes slightly and tightened her arms around Zorua. Her tone carried a hint of confusion. "I don't know. Originally, I wanted to be like you and Ming Yao, focusing on battles and becoming a strong Trainer, but... fighting really isn't something I'm good at."

She paused, then gently shook her head, the confusion in her eyes deepening. "And after hearing you talk about so many Trainer professions just now, I'm even more unsure which one to choose."

Huo La looked at her bewildered and conflicted expression and couldn't help but laugh. His tone grew even gentler. "That's okay. There's no need to rush into a decision. Just follow your heart. Besides, no matter which Trainer profession you choose, you need to work in sync with a Pokemon that shares your heart. So, before you decide on a career path, it's better to spend more time building a bond with your Pokemon."

After listening, the confusion on Xiao Zhao's face faded a little, and she nodded firmly. "Mm! You're right." She gently nuzzled the Zorua in her arms and said with a smile, "Right now, besides a Dewott evolved from an Oshawott and a Staravia evolved from a Starly, I also have a Pikachu that Ming Yao gave me."

Huo La's eyes lit up instantly, his tone carrying a hint of surprise and approval. "Oh? Oshawott and Starly have already evolved?"

He had always thought Xiao Zhao rarely used her Pokemon and never actively showed them off on a daily basis. He hadn't expected that, without him noticing, she already had two evolved Pokemon.

"Mm! Yes, they've both evolved." She gently nuzzled the Zorua in her arms and looked seriously at Huo La. "Huo La, I want to ask you to battle me. Even though I don't know my future direction, you weren't wrong—I need to be of one heart and mind with my Pokemon."

She took a deep breath and continued, "And right now, battling you is my best choice. I also need to see where my coordination with my Pokemon is and what level we're at."

Huo La looked at the unprecedented determination in Xiao Zhao's eyes. A glimmer of relief flashed in his own, and he slowly nodded, his tone full of anticipation. "Alright. To be honest, I'm looking forward to this match with you."

Just as the two finished speaking, the tent's door flap was suddenly thrown open. The person's face no longer held the earlier dejection, but was instead full of excitement. "Great, great! I come back and run right into something like this. Rhyperior has already taken an Antidote and is out of danger. Just in time to watch you two have a showdown. This time, let me be your referee!"

Upon hearing this, a faint blush crept onto Xiao Zhao's face, but she still nodded firmly.