Chapter 99: Being handsome is a lifelong thing!

However, what is he doing?

Clemont looked puzzled at the Battle Flying Bird that had not chosen to directly finish off the opponent.

Just then,

A thin old man wearing a scarf passed by and answered everyone's doubts.

"This is the classic pose he often strikes! Before he uses his ultimate move, he definitely strikes that pose; it's his winning strategy!"

Although this cleared up everyone's doubts, it also made people even more puzzled,

Serena directly voiced the doubt in her Mind: "But wouldn't striking that pose alert the opponent?"

As if to confirm what Serena said,

As the Battle Flying Bird's wings spread atop the treetop, it swooped down from above,

The Circle Circle Bear that had been lying on the ground playing dead suddenly rolled aside, dodging to the side to avoid the Battle Flying Bird's final aerial smash!

The Battle Flying Bird, having missed, slammed hard into the ground, kicking up a large amount of dust.

"Just like that, his ultimate move is always dodged by the opponent!" the old man walked over to Ash's group and introduced himself.

"But why must he show off?" Serena asked, puzzled.

"Even if the opponent dodges his attack, the battle process must still be sufficiently cool; some Pokémon fight like this."

"What a distinctive Pokémon! I feel it would be fun to travel together!" Ash praised.

While everyone was chatting,

The dodging Circle Circle Bear did not flee; instead, it picked up a watermelon-sized stone from the side,

with a smug, ill-intentioned grin, it walked back to the fallen Battle Flying Bird, raised both hands, and prepared to smash down.

"Watch out!"

Ash quickly stepped in front of the Circle Circle Bear; amid the crowd's gasps, he extended his hands to support the stone the bear was about to drop, and the man and bear engaged in a test of strength.

"This this this... Ash!"

"Is this really happening?"

"Good heavens!"

The astonishment on the scarf-wearing man's face could not be concealed; this is a Circle Circle Bear, you—a human—are wrestling with a Circle Circle Bear?

What's even more absurd is that the Circle Circle Bear truly cannot do anything to Ash.

What the heck!

Amid everyone's astonishment, the Pikachu on Ash's shoulder was not idle.

"Pika pi!"

Its body leapt into the air, spinning 360 degrees; its tail, gleaming with metallic sheen like a hatchet, cleaved the stone in two and then smashed it onto the Circle Circle Bear's head, nearly splitting the bear's skull.

While Pikachu was acting, Diancie was also not idle,

Although she was a princess who valued etiquette greatly, the threat to Ash's safety still made the princess pout.

Diancie directly charged at the Circle Circle Bear with astonishing momentum to attack; although using a body slam, Diancie herself would also sustain minor harm.

But that amount of harm was truly negligible for Diancie.

Feeling as if its head had left its own body, the Circle Circle Bear still did not know what had happened,

then it felt as if its chest had been struck by a speeding truck; its body shot out like a cannonball and crashed into the distant forest.

Twitching at the corners of their mouths, they watched the whole ordeal,

Everyone sincerely lamented, "What a miserable Circle Circle Bear..."

"Are you okay?"

Throwing aside the stone split in two, Ash turned to look at the Battle Flying Bird lying on the ground behind him, bent over, and extended his hand.

Likewise stunned by Ash's astonishing strength, the Battle Flying Bird briefly froze, then reacted, placing its hand in Ash's palm.

Being lifted from the ground by Ash's unmatched strength,

Experiencing it firsthand, the feeling that even its own strength was far inferior to Ash's made the Battle Flying Bird grow increasingly apprehensive.

Are humans really this terrifying?

Indeed... I am still not strong enough; I must continue training.

Thinking this, after nodding at Ash, the Battle Flying Bird leapt away a few times and left this place.

"What great speed..." the crowd exclaimed.

"But it's still not fast enough!"

Ash's muttering immediately aroused everyone's doubts, to the point that they recalled Ash's exaggerated strength—could his speed also...?

But soon, upon hearing Ash's next words, everyone realized they had misunderstood.

"I mean, if the Battle Flying Bird still wants to maintain that flamboyant fighting style, it must have greater speed."

"That's indeed true!"

The crowd nodded in agreement.

""Are you, Duke, intending to capture that Battle Flying Bird?" the elderly scarf-wearing man finally recognized Ash."

"Our purpose in coming here is that we heard there is a very strong Fighting-type Pokémon known as the Forest Fist King."

"That's correct; he is your target. Moreover, I am the forest ranger of this woods; thank you, Duke."

Saying this, the scarf-wearing man knelt down amid the crowd's astonishment and began kowtowing to Ash.

"This..."

The sudden change directly threw everyone's thoughts into disarray, leaving them stunned in place.

Still, Ash, as the party involved, was the first to react, helping the man up and asking, "What's going on?"

The man took a deep breath and began to explain the circumstances,

My name is Jin Ze, Duke, do you still remember the old lady from Similu Village?

Of course I remember. Ash and his group all nodded.

His late husband was actually my old sworn brother, and over the years we others have been trying to look after his child, but as forest rangers our salary is just this little, we really want to help but lack the means, we can only offer token support,

Thanks to you and Hall Master Clemont,

After that, not only did his widow live a good life, we forest ranger brothers also managed to put our minds at ease,

The Alliance also began to value us forest rangers; not only did the benefits for families of those killed in action improve, but even our on-duty salaries and benefits were greatly increased.

Now all the forest rangers in Kalos are very grateful to you!

Many of our old comrades who had never used a phone bought one just to see what you look like, and if they meet you they'll surely treat you well, so please come to my place for lunch at noon.

I couldn't refuse such kindness, and besides, it's already noon,

Ash and his group then followed him to the wooden cabin he had built in the forest.

Jin Ze took all the meat he had just bought yesterday out of the refrigerator and set up the barbecue equipment.

While eating the barbecue, Jin Ze told Ash about the Combat Bird.

"That Combat Bird is the current Forest Fist King; it usually takes it upon itself to maintain peace in the forest and protect weak Pokemon from being bullied.

"Besides that Circle Bear you saw, there's also a Construction Elder who often bullies the weak and has been punished by the Combat Bird.

"Fortunately, those two Pokemon, due to their territories, have never teamed up, which makes my job not too difficult."

"The current Forest Fist King? Then who was the former one?!"

"The former Forest Fist King was a Strong Force, likewise hating evil and despising the bullying of the weak; thanks to him, my previous work went smoothly.

"However, after being defeated by the Combat Bird, I never saw that Strong Force again; perhaps it's hiding somewhere training, hoping to one day take revenge on the Combat Bird.

Twenty minutes later,

"I've finished eating; now I'll go capture that Combat Bird!" Ash stood up,

"Yeah, let's go!

……

At the same time,

What Forest Ranger Jin Ze, Ash and the others didn't know was that shortly after they left, the Construction Elder who had been secretly observing came to the fallen Circle Bear's side,

He first used tree fruit to treat the Circle Bear's injuries, then conspired to plot against the Combat Bird,

The two ill‑tempered Pokemon went to the hermit's cave of the Strong Force,

"Old Craftsman, Old Craftsman~" After defeating you, the Combat Bird has been bullying the weak all day; now we rely on you, Old Fist King, to uphold justice.

"Strong Force!" You two have often bullied the weak before; I don't believe it!

"Circle circle circle circle~" We've long since reformed; these wounds I got were from protecting Pachirisu and friends' harvest from being snatched under the Combat Bird's claws, that's why I got beaten!

"Strong Force~" Really?

After examining the Circle Bear's wounds closely, the claw marks didn't look fake and indeed matched the Combat Bird's typical scratches,

The Strong Force then reluctantly believed it.

"Strong Force, Strong Force~" Don't worry, I'll uphold justice for you!

Saying that, the Strong Force angrily led the way to the waterfall where the Combat Bird trains, unaware that behind him the Construction Elder and the Circle Bear exchanged a glance, revealing a smirk of their scheme succeeding.