"He's getting stronger again…"
"I didn't expect that he was also from No. 11 Middle School."
Li Mengxue muttered to herself as she watched the battle video on her phone. The glow of the screen reflected off her serious expression.
When she had fought against Renjiro for the first time, his Beedrill had only been at level 19. Now, judging by this video, it had grown to level 24 in just a few days. An impressive leap of five levels in such a short period. And more than just leveling up—Renjiro had even defeated a junior trainer.
"But why? Why is such a powerful trainer someone from the same school as me, and I never heard of him before?" she wondered aloud, her fingers tightening around the phone.
Just as she was lost in thought, a warm and familiar voice sounded behind her.
"He's the trainer who fought against Salamence, right?"
Startled, Li Mengxue turned around. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw her father standing at the doorway.
"Dad! You're home early today? I thought you'd be at the gym at this hour." She blinked in surprise. Li Fei, a respected gym trainer, was usually busy until late.
Li Fei chuckled and stepped into the room. "Haha, well, the college entrance examination is almost here. No matter how packed my schedule is, I can't neglect my precious daughter." His eyes softened as he looked at her. "Besides, I've been too tied up lately. I figured it's about time we had some proper father-daughter time."
Li Mengxue's lips curved into a small smile. She couldn't deny it—she had missed this.
Li Fei's gaze shifted toward the phone in her hand. "So… you lost to him before, didn't you?"
He had noticed how, ever since that day, his daughter had become unusually focused on studying Beedrill's moves and strategies—something few trainers cared much about. Today's video spreading online just confirmed his hunch.
Li Mengxue hesitated for a moment, then nodded. There was no point in hiding it.
"Yeah... I lost to him a few days ago. Just like in this video, Charmeleon couldn't even land a single hit on his Beedrill." Her voice was tinged with frustration but also respect. "At first, I thought it was just Beedrill's attack power. But… his speed. And the way Renjiro commands him—it's on a whole different level. His reflexes, his ability to predict Charmeleon's movements even through smoke... I've never been so thoroughly defeated."
Li Fei nodded thoughtfully, as if analyzing her words. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Mengxue. That Beedrill is no ordinary Pokémon. It's exceptional in its tier. Even Swellow, with nearly ten levels of advantage, was no match. Losing to it doesn't reflect badly on you at all."
His daughter didn't reply, but the determination in her eyes deepened. She had been pushing herself hard since that defeat, hoping to close the gap. Now, seeing Renjiro's growth, she realized there was still a long way to go.
"Come on," Li Fei said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We haven't practiced together in a while. Let's have a match. It'll help warm you up for the exam."
Li Mengxue looked up at him and nodded. "Alright." She powered off her phone, grabbed Charmeleon's Pokéball, and followed him out.
If she wanted to stand alongside the best, she had to keep moving forward.
---
Meanwhile, across the city, Zhong Ling was seething.
"That damned brat! Let's see how you explain yourself this time!"
Her eyes blazed as she glared at her phone. She hadn't even changed out of her work uniform yet. A colleague had just forwarded her the link to the viral video featuring Renjiro's latest battle.
She clenched her jaw, recalling how Renjiro and Liu Shuyun had brushed her off before. Their evasive answers, their guarded attitude—they played dumb while the case dragged on.
"If they'd just cooperated, this would have been over long ago!" she muttered bitterly.
But after that frustrating visit, she hadn't let it go. Back at the station, she had dived deeper into their backgrounds, determined to uncover the truth.
What she found complicated everything.
Liu Shuyun hadn't come to Shanghai alone—he had arrived with an assistant. And if it had been a secret rendezvous with Renjiro, why bring an assistant at all? The surveillance footage from the café showed a meeting that was formal, almost awkward. No hint of familiarity, no sign they were anything other than strangers.
Zhong Ling's frown deepened as she reviewed the video over and over.
Unfortunately, the café's cameras didn't capture audio. She had no way of knowing what was actually said.
But one thing stood out: when the broadcast cut off and chaos broke out in the café, Liu Shuyun's assistant had been pushed out with the crowd. He hadn't waited for Liu Shuyun. Instead, he'd followed the crowd, leaving his employer behind.
"That's not right," Zhong Ling muttered. "No loyal assistant would do that."
Everything pointed to something far darker.
She checked the records for Pokémon registered during their flight to Shuangyang City. Liu Shuyun's team included a level 50 Sun Pokémon—an impressive guardian.
But during the battle, that Pokémon never appeared.
"Why wouldn't he use it in such a dangerous situation? Unless…"
The realization hit her like a thunderbolt.
"That assistant… he betrayed Liu Shuyun! He planned the Salamence attack!"
It all made sense now. The assistant had probably used the Sun Pokémon as cover, or worse, as part of the scheme.
For the first time in days, Zhong Ling felt like she was closing in on the truth. But one thing still nagged at her.
"If they're both victims, why won't they cooperate? What are they hiding?"
Determined to press for answers, she had returned to Renjiro's house the next morning. But when she got there, she was met with an empty home.
Renjiro and Liu Shuyun had already left. Gone. Flown to Magic City.
Zhong Ling stared at the closed door in disbelief.
Her fists clenched. "You can run, but you can't hide forever! The college entrance exam is the day after tomorrow. You'll have to show up eventually."
She turned on her heel and stormed off, already planning her next move.
---
Back in Magic City, Renjiro stood at the balcony of his hotel room, overlooking the skyline. The events of the past few days played over in his mind—the battles, the secrets, the narrow escapes. He knew that his cover couldn't last much longer. The video had gone viral. His classmates were talking, speculating, some praising him, others doubting.
But it didn't matter.
"I'm done pretending," he said quietly to himself, the city lights twinkling like stars. "No more hiding who I am. From now on, I'll show my cards."
Behind him, Beedrill buzzed softly, sensing the resolve in its trainer's voice.
Together, they would face whatever came next.
---