The match had ended, and the atmosphere was electric. Metagross stood tall and proud, its metallic frame glinting under the bright lights of the arena. Nolan's Pupitar lay on the ground, defeated.
"Metagross: That's it,
I didn't even try; you just fell down,"
"Pupitar: We are both pseudo-legendary at least give me some face,"
Whether it was the audience at the scene or the audience in front of the screen, they couldn't believe their eyes. They thought that Metagross, who had fought two matches in a row, and then faced Pupitar, even if it won, would at least have to go through a hard fight.
The result is that Metagross played Pupitar, just like it played Mega Venusaur and Gengar before, and put Pupitar on the ground with only two moves.
"Is this what they mean by a fight between dragons and tigers?" someone remarked. "It's more like a massacre!"
Nolan looked at the fallen Pupitar, rubbed his eyes, and looked again, Pupitar was still on the ground, only then did he believe that he was defeated.
Looking at the timer on the big screen, it was exactly three minutes, and the corners of his mouth twitched violently.
"Metagross is ridiculously strong and unscientific" he muttered.
He knew his own Pupitar had potential and could fight above its level, but against Metagross, it had been completely overmatched. The whole match felt like a crushing defeat.
It would be fine if it was a pseudo-Elite Metagross but the Metagross in front of him was obviously still at the Advanced level, not even the peak.
"What kind of precious treasures does it take to make a Pokémon this powerful?" he pondered, glancing at Julian with newfound respect.
Unlike Julian, who was the sole heir of the Walker family and had access to all resources, Nolan knew his family was larger, spreading resources thinner among many members. All he had received was a blue-qualified Larvitar as his starter Pokémon. If he wanted more from his family, he needed to prove his worth.
The Yale Provincial High School League was a prime opportunity for that, but now, with Julian's overwhelming strength on display, he realized his chances of success were slim.
"Come back, Metagross,"
Julian said, recalling his Pokémon amidst the cheers of the crowd.
He knew Metagross was strong, His five basic stats far exceeded those of typical Metagross at the same level, thanks to various enhancements he had used.
People wondered how he had achieved such a feat, what they didn't know is that Julian had a system that allowed him to purchase items to boost his Pokémon's stats repeatedly. Metagross was now level 51, having just gained experience from defeating Pupitar, and Julian was ready to continue improving its abilities.
"Julian , you are so perverted, how can you be so strong?"
As soon as Julian came back, Will wrapped his arms around his neck. The latter's loud voice made Julian's ear buzz.
"I really hope I don't have to face you in the individual competition," Shen added.
"Agreed"
"Agreed"
Han and Zosh chimed in unison, all three sharing a worried glance.
The individual competition was where everyone could truly showcase their strengths, but facing Julian early would be a disaster for them.
"I'm not afraid; this uncle is very lucky!" Will declared, trying to lift the mood. He hoped to get lucky in the draw and avoid Julian until later in the competition.
With the most powerful Rival Lit Middle School being defeated by Lake No. 1 Middle School, although the team competition is not over yet, everyone knows who the champion is.
Especially after seeing Julian defeat Mega Venusaur, Gengar, Pupitar one against three, other teams have no thoughts about the team championship.
Unless there is a Pokémon among them that can beat that kinky Metagross.
The afternoon of the next day, the champion of the team competition was announced. As expected, Lake No. 1 Middle School took the title, and excitement filled the air.
After the award ceremony for the team competition, the drawing ceremony for the individual competition begins.
The 12 teams participating in the Yale Provincial High School League this time, their main candidates can participate in the individual competition, which means that even if you lose in the team competition due to your teammates, you can completely win back in the individual competition by your own strength.
There are 60 players in the competition, and each can use up to three Pokemon.
"Julian, what number did you draw?" Will asked, holding up a ping pong ball marked with the number 31.
"Number 15," Julian replied, noticing Will visibly relax.
"I wonder who the poor soul with number 46 is," Will mused, his tone playful.
As if on cue, Julian's phone buzzed with a message: *Contestant Julian no. 15th will compete at 10:00 in the morning at venue number 6. If you are three minutes late, you will automatically be disqualified. Please don't be late.*
"I'm at venue 5 at 8 o'clock, so cheer for me when the time comes," Will said, excitement creeping into his voice.
"No time"
Julian left without looking back.
"Hey, don't you want to see who your rival is?" Will shouted after him, but Julian kept walking, focused on his own preparation.
On the big screen, the draw results began to appear.
Will first checked his rival number 30.
'Well, a nerd with glasses, definitely not my Rival.'
Then, he looked at the unfortunate number 46. His eyes widened in surprise as he recognized a familiar face.
"Shen, you really are unlucky!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.
Julian's rival was none other than his teammate Shen. This was a unique twist, considering that Shen was also a strong competitor within Yale Province.
At that moment, Shen was preoccupied with a small mirror, admiring her own reflection and adjusting her hair.
Shen Yu: (⊙⊙).
"Looks like things just got interesting," Will said to himself, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face.
The individual competition was about to begin, and the excitement was just starting to build.
"Ding!"
"Daily Mission: Do Two Thousand Skip Ropes"
"Quest Reward: 1 Rare Candy (for Pokémon below level 50) and 300 points"
Every morning at eight o'clock, new daily tasks appear. These tasks can be quite unusual, ranging from skipping rope and feeding Pokémon to climbing mountains.
Some of the stranger tasks include holding your breath underwater for a whole minute, climbing a tree that's 30 meters tall, or simply staring at a Magikarp for an hour!
Julian finished his daily task in under fifteen minutes and was happy to collect his reward: 1a Rare Candy.
In the game, Rare Candy is useful for helping Pokémon level up, but this one can only be used on Pokémon under level 50. Since his Metagross was level 51, he couldn't use it on him. Instead, he called out Lucario and was about to hand the Rare Candy to him when Meltan suddenly jumped up excitedly.
"Here, eat this!" Julian said, pulling out Aron's metal shell from his storage.
When Aron evolves into Lairon at level 18, it sheds this tough metal shell. This shell is special; it's made of all the metal Aron has eaten and can be used for many things, from making tools to crafting items. Plus, some Pokémon really enjoy eating it, like Meltan, who absolutely loves this metal shell.
With the metal shell in front of him, Meltan lost interest in the Rare Candy. Meanwhile, Lucario happily ate the candy, increasing his level from 42 to 43. The candies from the system have no side effects, so there was no worry about Lucario becoming unstable after the level up.
"Ding Dong~"
The doorbell rang.
When the waiter saw Lucario open the door, he paused for a moment before smiling and asking, "What would you like for breakfast?"
Julian quickly ordered his breakfast. He was becoming quite a well-known figure at the conference, so even at the hotel, many recognized him. Most people respected his space, but there were always a few who wanted to chat or take a photo.
To avoid distractions, Julian preferred to stay in his room when he wasn't busy.
His breakfast was simple yet satisfying: ten xiao long bao, a fried dough stick, and a bowl of salty soy milk.
(TL/n: Xiao Long Bao, also known as XLB, is a type of small Chinese steamed bun (baozi) originating from Shanghai and Wuxi. It is a delicate, soup-filled dumpling made of ground pork and pork broth.)
"Long live the salty soy milk!" he joked, releasing Metagross and Dragonair. Luckily, his room was spacious; otherwise, Dragonair might feel cramped with its long, slender body.
He took out energy cubes for Metagross, Lucario, and Dragonair but to his surprise, none of them ate right away. They all looked at him instead.
Julian chuckled, realizing he needed to make the food more appealing. He decided to buy some Fluffy Powder from the mall.
Fluffy Powder: This makes energy cubes soft and tasty.
This powder doesn't add any nutritional value but greatly improves the flavor. Energy cubes can be quite dense, so Pokémon might prefer something soft. After sprinkling the Fluffy Powder on the energy cubes, the three Pokémon eagerly devoured their meals. It's hard for any Pokémon to resist delicious food!
Meltan, on the other hand, didn't care for energy cubes. He was content munching on Aron's metal shell, which he preferred over the cubes. However, he was picky about the quality and wouldn't eat just any shell.
All of Julian's Pokémon had developed their preferences, thanks to the best resources he could provide them, whether from the Walker family or the special items from the system mall.
After breakfast, Julian spent some time scrolling through social media, mostly watching Pokémon-related videos. At 9:30, he called back his four Pokémon into their Luxury Balls. His game was scheduled for ten o'clock, and it would take him about 20 minutes to walk to the sixth venue.
The excitement in the air was palpable. This was an individual competition, and the energy of the crowd was even more intense than during the team matches. The venue, which could seat 50,000, was already packed, with many people standing in the aisles.
"Hey, Julian! You didn't cheer for me!"
Will exclaimed as soon as he spotted him. He had just finished his match in venue No. 5.
"Did you win?" Julian asked, grinning.
"Of course! I beat that rookie in less than an hour!" Will replied, his pride shining through as he animatedly shared details about his game.
"Han and Zosh are also competing at ten, so it's just us here," he added, gesturing to their fellow competitors Chase, Chris and Zack.
Though they hadn't qualified for the individual competition, they were still basking in the glory of their recent team victory.
"Don't worry; you'll get bonus points form the team victory for the entrance exam coming up in two months," Julian said, knowing how important every point could be.
As Julian looked around, Will noticed eyes searching for someone.
"Shen is already in the player room," he said, sensing Julian's curiosity.
"Alright, I'll head over now," Julian replied, feeling the gaze of many spectators on him.
The clock struck ten.
As Julian and Shen stepped out from their respective passages, they took their places on the battlefield. It was a standard venue; special themed arenas would only be used in the semifinals.
"I heard they were teammates during the team competition," someone whispered from the crowd.
"Wait, aren't they a couple?" another voice chimed in.
"Come on, Sister Shen, Retaliate for my Nolan, and defeat this b*****d"
"I heard that Nolan likes fried noodles"
The live comments were buzzing with excitement, mostly cheering for Shen and urging her to get revenge for Nolan, it seems a lot of lady fans were present.
As the cheers rang out, Julian took a deep breath, ready for the match ahead.
As the face of the Fighting type, Lucario's entrance drew loud cheers from the crowd. The power of aura radiated from the Pokémon as it stood calmly on the battlefield, ears perked up and eyes shining bright.
"Just as I thought, Lucario is the first choice," Shen whispered to herself. If she were Julian, she would've done the same.
"Go, Hitmonlee!" Shen called out, sending her own Pokémon into the arena.
Hitmonlee, known in some places as Sawamular(Japanese name) or Kick Master, was a skilled fighter.
With a spring-like motion, Hitmonlee launched itself forward, preparing to attack.
"Hitmonlee, use Blaze Kick!"
"Bullet Punch!" Julian commanded.
The two Pokémon rushed at each other. Hitmonlee suddenly stopped about seven or eight meters away from Lucario and unleashed a powerful Blaze Kick.
Did you know? Hitmonlee's legs can extend up to double their length! It's true that Pokémon who make it into the Guinness World Records have extraordinary talents, just like people do.
Lucario hadn't even closed the distance, but Hitmonlee's Blaze Kick was already on its way. Without hesitation, Lucario's Bullet Punch met the attack head-on, extinguishing the flames and striking Hitmonlee's extended leg with full force.
Hitmonlee let out a cry of pain; Lucario's Bullet Punch was really powerful.
"Grab its legs!" Julian shouted.
Just as Hitmonlee was about to withdraw his leg, Lucario grabbed it, causing his movement to stagnate.
"Hitmonlee, throw it out!" Shen ordered, raising her fist in encouragement.
The strongest part of Hitmonlee is its legs. When it swings its legs with all its strength, its body can directly spiral into the sky with this force.
However, Shen had miscalculated Lucario's strength. Metagross, Julian's most powerful Pokémon, had about 70% of his resources, while the remaining 30% were divided among his other Pokémon.
Although it seems that each Pokémon only has minimal resources, that was only when compared to Metagross. Even these resources are more than what most people use for their six Pokémon combined.
Even though Hitmonlee had used all his strength, he couldn't just throw Lucario up. Instead, he felt pain in the legs that Lucario was holding.
"In that case, Hitmonlee, use High Jump Kick!" Shen instructed.
Hitmonlee retracted the leg that Lucario was holding and prepared to strike. It bent its right knee, creating a wave of air around it.
"High Jump Kick! This move is powerful, and if it connects, Lucario might be in trouble!" Will whispered, watching closely.
"Protect!" Julian commanded.
In response, Lucario released Hitmonlee's leg, and a green barrier enveloped it. Just in time, Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick slammed into the protective shield.
The force was tremendous, but the barrier held strong. As the move ended, the protection faded.
"Close Combat!" Julian called out.
With Hitmonlee now vulnerable, Lucario unleashed a flurry of powerful strikes. Since the High Jump Kick had missed, Hitmonlee was briefly unable to move its right leg due to the side effects of the move.
"Force Palm!"
Julian shouted as Lucario knocked Hitmonlee into the air, chasing after it. Lucario pressed its palm against Hitmonlee's chest, sending the Pokémon crashing against the wall of the venue.
"Hitmonlee loses its ability to fight; Lucario wins!" the referee announced.
Taking a deep breath, Shen returned Hitmonlee to its Poké Ball and sent out her second Pokémon. "Go, Hitmonchan!"
Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee are two of the more well-known Fighting Pokémon, both evolving from the same Pokemon.
Many Fighting trainers include at least one in their teams.
"Quick use Mach Punch!" Shen called out, eager to turn the tide.
"Lucario, Bullet Punch!" Julian responded.
Both Pokémon excelled in speed, but Lucario's power shone through as its Bullet Punch struck first, landing a hit before Hitmonchan could connect.
Hitmonchan had the Iron Fist ability, which boosted its punching moves by 20%. But if it didn't hit, that power meant nothing.
"Steel Beam!" Julian commanded.
"Hitmonchan, use Protect!" Shen shouted quickly.
Basically every Pokémon will learn Protect, a crucial move that can block incoming attacks provided that the opponent's move power does not exceed the upper limit of protection.
This is considered one of Pokémon's life-saving moves, but the success rate of consecutive uses will drop. If a Pokémon isn't careful, it might find itself unable to defend later in the battle.
Under Hitmonchan's horrified gaze, Lucario's Steel Beam broke through the Protect and struck hard.
Hitmonchan's body hit the ground a few times before coming to a stop, motionless.
"Hitmonchan loses its fighting ability; Lucario wins!" the referee declared.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Julian is really merciless, a ruthless man, I'm afraid he will be single for the rest of his life" Will remarked, shaking his head.
"Can't he let Shen have a bit of fun?"
Julian had actually shown restraint; he could have sent out Metagross instead, which would have ended the match even more decisively. Even with Lucario, Julian controlled the power of his moves to avoid serious injury.
"Machamp!"
After adjusting her beating heart, Shen sent out her Trump Card. Although she knew that she was not his opponent, and was crushed by Julian's Pokémon until now, But what made her really frustrated was that her Pokémon hadn't caused any substantial damage to Lucario.
"Machamp, we have only one goal now" Shen instructed firmly, pointing at Lucario. "Injure it!"
Machamp looked back: (?_?)
Julian was also stunned. Could it be that he had pushed her too hard, so much so that her mind became a little unclear, and she started talking nonsense.
"Hahaha, she's so brave to say that out loud!"
"This little sister really is unlucky. Meeting someone like Julian, who doesn't hold back, must be tough for her. Unlike our Nolan, who knows how to treat a lady right," a friend chimed in.
"Yeah, I heard he even cooks!"
"Machamp, use Focus Energy!"
Lucario didn't move.
"Machamp, Bulk Up!"
Lucario still didn't move.
Shen's strategy of making Machamp stronger with two buffing moves in a row didn't stop. Frustrated, Shen suddenly burst out in anger, feeling insulted.
"Julian! I don't need you to go easy on me!"
Her voice echoed through the loudspeaker, reaching Julian.
"666! I like her fiery temper."
"Julian: I was wrong to hold back."
"This wave of moves should make Machamp much stronger"
Julian was also speechless. Didn't the other party swore to let Machamp hurt Lucario just now, but if she wanted to hurt Lucario with Machamp's strength, unless he deliberately held back, it was really impossible.
So if you don't let him stack a few buffs, increase Machamp's strength, and narrow the distance between him and Lucario, how can Lucario be hurt?
"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"
A glowing, football-sized sphere of energy formed between Lucario's hands, the soft blue light comforting to look at but incredibly dangerous in reality.
"Machamp Dynamic Punch blow it up for me"
Instead of dodging, Shen had Machamp meet the attack head-on. Machamp raised all four of its arms, clenching its fists tight as red and yellow energy swirled around them. It charged forward and slammed its glowing fists into the Aura Sphere.
The sphere exploded on impact, sending a cloud of black smoke over the battlefield.
"Now, Brick Break!" Shen shouted.
Through the thick smoke, Machamp rushed out with a roar, charging straight toward Lucario. Lucario moved forward to meet the attack.
"Bone Rush!"
With his hands stretched out, a white Bone Club appeared in his hands, meeting Machamp's Brick Break.
The two Pokémon clashed, trading blows like seasoned martial artists. One swung fists, the other a staff—both showing off their impressive Fighting-type skills.
In fact, some Fighting Pokémon can indeed learn some martial arts of the human world. With their powerful body, its power might even be infinitely magnified.
Of course, there are also many limitations. The first is that the body structure of Pokémon is different from that of humans. Even if there are some human-shaped Pokémon like Machamp, but their internal structure is more or less different.
So there are not many Pokémon who can really learn human martial arts.
Machamp, with its four arms, attacked at lightning speed, so fast that the audience couldn't even follow the movement. Julian, even with his aura powers, couldn't see the exact motions of Machamp's punches either.
"Wham~!"
Lucario, on the other hand, used the Bone Staff very well and blocked all of Machamp's punches.
"Luca!"
Suddenly Lucario let out a soft cry, his eyes flickered slightly, and the long Bone Staff in his hand suddenly turned into two small bone clubs, one for each hand.
The left and right Bone Club protruded above Machamp, shifted slightly under his feet, dodged the opponent's attack, and then the left and right Bone Club slammed the intersection between Machamp's arms.
Machamp has four arms, two on each of his left and right shoulders, and the middle of the two arms is his biggest weak point.
It's like hitting someone's armpit hard enough to temporarily immobilize their arm.
Humans have done a lot of research on Pokémon, some have studied Pokémon moves, some have studied Pokémon evolution, and some have studied Pokémon's weaknesses.
Books like this are sold in bookstores, and there are records of Machamp's weak points in it, but there are only less than 100 kind of Pokémon recorded in this book.
Under the effect of it's weak point being hit hard by Bone Club, Machamp screamed and his four arms drooped like noodles.
These four arms were Machamp's biggest attacking weapons, and losing them would undoubtedly make Machamp lose 80% of his strength.
"Machamp, don't give up! Use Giga Impact!" Shen was like a obsessed madman, at this point she only had one thought in her mind, hurting Lucario.
Fighting-type Pokémon are known for their toughness, and even though Machamp's arms were useless, it still had its legs.
"I'll kill you scumbag"
At this moment, Machamp and Shen seemed to be united in their minds, and the beliefs between the two sides were conveyed to each other, and a new strength emerged from Machamp's tired body.
In the stands, a teacher from the admissions office of a certain college lit up when he saw this scene.
At this time, Shen felt like she and Machamp seemed to have become one, and she was able to see Lucario from Machamp's perspective.
'Illusion?'
'I don't care if it's just my illusion.'
'Machamp, let's give it everything we've got!'
The light of Giga Impact suddenly magnified, and the surrounding air began to boil with Machamp's energy, the ground cracked beneath its feet. It left a deep trail behind as it raced toward Lucario.
You have to know that this place can only be destroyed by pseudo-Elite Pokémon.
That is to say, at this moment, Machamp in the early stage of Advanced-level is showing strength equal to a pseudo-Elite.
Lucario didn't know why, but it felt two auras in Machamp.
The final impact will definitely be powerful, but it can be avoided with its superior speed, and just as it was about to do so, Julian's voice came.
"Protect!"
Although it was not clear why Julian gave such an order, Lucario did it without thinking.
An aquamarine protective cover shrouded it, and the next second Giga Impact, emitting a strong white light, hit the protection like a meteor hitting earth.
"Boom!"
The sound of the collision echoed across the arena as a shockwave burst out, though it was stopped by the stadium's protective barrier. Even so, the noise roared through the speakers.
"Machamp, crush it" Shen shouted.
Through Machamp's eyes, Shen saw that the barrier blocked the final impact. But her voice spurred Machamp on, filling it with relentless determination.
"Crack~!"
Machamp roared, pushing harder. Its feet dug into the ground, veins bulging from the strain. Under the pressure, Lucario's Protect started to crack.
Lucario stared in surprise as its shield finally shattered.
"Boom!"
Another explosion came, and Black smoke enveloped the two Pokémon. Many viewers couldn't help stretching their necks, as if they could see through the smoke.
"This is amazing!"
"I got so excited, I accidentally kicked my girlfriend!"
"Machamp, who usually moved bricks at the construction site, turned out to be so powerful"
As the smoke cleared, Lucario stood on the field, arms crossed, with the unconscious Machamp at his feet.
The winner was obvious.
But at this moment, many viewers showed disappointed expressions. Just now, Machamp and Shen chose to fight hard regardless of the strength gap, even though they were clearly outmatched.
That kind of spiritual resonance made them hope that Machamp might somehow pull through.
"Machamp is unable to battle. Lucario wins!"
The referee also seemed to be infected by the performance of Machamp and Shen just now, and only announced the result of the match after a moment of trance.
Julian looked at Lucario, who was holding its arms, and recalled it back into its Poké Ball. while Shen's eyes were slightly lost, looking at the fallen Machamp in front of her, lost in thought.
"That feeling just now..."
"Was it real, or just an illusion?"
Shen felt a strange connection between her and Machamp during the battle. She wondered if it was just in the heat of the moment or something more.
"It felt so real, but it must've been my imagination," she thought.
She had never experienced something like that before, and it left her confused.
"It's not your imagination," Julian's voice cut through her thoughts. "You've awakened a special ability."
Don't know when Julian had walked over from one end of the field to Shen, took Machamp's Poké Ball, He returned Machamp to its ball as Shen looked at him, puzzled.
"Special ability?"
Shen asked, confused. She remembered learning in school that some trainers have rare powers. These abilities were usually passed down through family or randomly awakened, like Psychic.
"Let's go, we'll talk later" Julian said.
Noticing Shen was a bit shaky on her feet he asked "Can you walk?"
"Of course I can!"
Shen nodded, she was stubborn by nature, she wouldn't say that her legs were weak and she couldn't walk.
After Julian took a few steps forward, he suddenly looked back at Shen who was still standing still and said helplessly: "If you can't move, just say so."
"I'm fine!"
Shen's face turned red but she still insisted, even though her legs refused to cooperate.
Seeing this, Julian sighed.
"Metagross, use Psychic to hold her."
Metagross appeared and used its psychic powers to lift Shen gently into the air.
"Here, eat this," Julian said, handing her a Sitrus Berry. "It'll help you regain some energy."
Sitrus Berries can restore a bit of physical strength for both Pokémon and humans, though not all berries are edible for people. Luckily, Sitrus Berries are one of the few that taste decent to humans.
"Thanks," Shen said, floating awkwardly in the air. It was weird, but it was better than collapsing.
As they moved toward the player's area, footsteps echoed. Will, Chase, Zack, and Chris came rushing over.
As the match ended, they found that something was wrong with Shen's condition, and when they saw Julian walking over, the four of them immediately rushed from the stand to the player's passage.
"Shen, you aren't paralyzed are you?" Will asked with wide eyes, seeing her being carried by Metagross.
His words also startled the three next to him, and they immediately looked at Shen with worried eyes
"Go away, this lady is still very strong"
Shen shouted to Will angrily, and raised her clenched fist.
"Just kidding, just kidding!"
Will smiled wryly.
When they were about to reach the exit, Shen said, "Julian can you let Metagross put me down"
The Sitrus Berry had worked, and she could walk again. She didn't want to be seen floating like a decoration.
"Alright, Metagross, return."
Julian called Metagross back. However, as Metagross disappeared, Shen, who was still partly in the air, dropped down with a thud, landing on her rear.
Julian: (@_@)
Shen: When this lady is healed, just wait to taste my iron fist.
The moment grew awkwardly quiet. Will clamped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing, knowing Shen would beat him up if he did.
The group returned to the hotel and entered Julian's room.
"Julian, earlier you said something about me awakening a special ability,"
Shen blurted out as soon as they sat down. She had been holding back her questions for a while now.
"What? Shen, you've got special powers now?"
Julian hadn't even spoken yet, but Will had already called out, looking at Shen in disbelief and admiration.
"Julian, are you mistaken? Even I haven't awakened special abilities. How could Shen awaken them?"
This is jealousy talking, If I can't have it how can others.
Ignoring Will who was making a fuss next to him, Julian turned to Shen. "Earlier, did you feel like you and Machamp became one, like your body and mind were completely connected?"
Shen nodded quickly. That feeling was unforgettable.
"That's it"
"What do you mean, that's it, Julian, you have to make it clear."
Will was more anxious than Shen, "Wait, sometimes I feel like I'm one with my Charizard too! Does that mean I also have powers?"
Not paying attention to Will's shenanigans, Julian continued: "You know the 'Heart's eye', right?"
(T/N: don't know what the author is talking about as this is not bond evolution or battle bond, I searched for it and all I could find is Bruno doing something similar with his Machamp in a game called Pokémon Masters EX that ability is dubbed 'sync pair', so I will take this as an AU or if any of you know just comment.)
Shen nodded, then came to his senses, and said in surprise: "You are saying what I awakened is that"
"Exactly."
"You've probably heard about the 'Heart's Eye' in school. It's a special ability that lets you and Fighting-type Pokémon sync up, both mentally and physically. That's why Machamp was able to push so hard and why you felt weak afterward."
"Heart's Eye makes the bond between you and your Pokémon stronger, enhancing their abilities," he explained. "That's why Machamp could break through Lucario's Protect with Giga Impact."
Heart's Eye is similar to Bond Evolution but only works with Fighting-type Pokémon. Unlike Bond Evolution, which can change a Pokémon's form, Heart's Eye doesn't alter appearance—it just boosts strength through the connection.
"I really awakened it?" Shen was overjoyed. If she wasn't still a bit weak, she would have burst into action with excitement.
"Yes, but don't celebrate too soon," Julian warned. "Right now, you've only half-awakened it. It triggered unconsciously. To truly master it, you'll need more experience and effort."
"How do I train for it?" Shen asked eagerly.
"Through battle," Julian answered. "Like today's fight. Your strong belief in Machamp helped awaken your ability. The connection you felt comes from a shared purpose between you and your Pokémon."
Will, listening on the side, started thinking. "So if I battle a lot, I might awaken powers too..."
Julian, sensing Will's thoughts, smirked. "Don't even think about it. Even if you awaken your Heart's Eye, you'd have to switch to being a Fighting-type trainer."
Will's excitement deflated instantly, causing everyone to chuckle.