Jun Shafeng watched Ursaring, trapped by Growlithe's clones, and a bold idea struck him. "Growlithe, use Flamethrower while running—don't stop!"
Growlithe, though confused, obeyed. It and its two clones sprinted, spewing Flamethrower. The burly trainer opposite frowned, unsure of Jun Shafeng's strategy.
As Growlithe's speed increased, the three Flamethrowers curved, twisting into a fiery vortex that engulfed Ursaring. A system notification chimed: [Ding! Congratulations, Growlithe has learned Fire Spin!]
Ursaring, caught in the Fire Spin, took double damage due to its Fluffy ability. If it weren't five levels higher than Growlithe, it would've fainted already.
The burly trainer, realizing the danger, shouted, "Ursaring, use Agility to break free!"
Ursaring roared, powering through with Agility to escape the fiery trap. But before it could recover, Growlithe and its clones struck with Quick Attack, hitting Ursaring from three angles.
Overwhelmed, Ursaring collapsed, defeated.
[Ding! Congratulations, Growlithe has gained enough experience to reach level 30.]
Jun Shafeng cheered, thrilled. His performance, broadcast live via drones on Tianhong City TV, earned him a 3,000 Alliance Coin prize. At the Pokémon Battle Club's front desk, he spent 200 coins to register for the next day's match, then headed home with Growlithe.
Unbeknownst to him, the burly trainer followed, tracking him to his house. After confirming Jun Shafeng's address, the man smirked wickedly. "That Growlithe's clones can attack. That's worth at least a million Alliance Coins on the black market. If I snag it, I won't need these measly Battle Club bonuses."
Chuckling, he slipped away.
---
The next morning, Jun Shafeng arrived at the Donghuang Pokémon Battle Club. Before he could enter, a club executive approached. "Mr. Jun Shafeng, there's a change. Today's matches are reduced to one. Win it, and you'll secure the victory."
Jun Shafeng blinked, caught off guard. "That's sudden. My opponent must be tough, right?"
The executive hesitated, then explained. "We're out of primary division contestants. Your opponent is Du Long, a brutal trainer blacklisted by many clubs. His Pokémon often leave opponents injured or worse. He lost his trainer license but can still raise Pokémon since he hasn't broken major League laws."
"Why not just ban him?" Jun Shafeng asked.
The executive sighed. "In the past, we could've. But Du Long's representing a rival club backed by the deputy mayor's brother. Refusing him would hurt our reputation. We chose you because, as a Jenny clan member, you're protected—even the deputy mayor wouldn't dare target you. If you beat Du Long, we'll reward you with 500,000 Alliance Coins."
Jun Shafeng's eyes lit up at the sum, but he stayed cautious. "What's the level of Du Long's Pokémon? If it's too strong, I'm outmatched."
"Don't worry," the executive reassured. "Primary matches cap Pokémon at level 35. We saw your last battle—your Growlithe beat a level 35 Ursaring. You can handle this."
Jun Shafeng nodded after a moment's thought. The executive led him to a special arena, where a punkish young man with purple hair stood, a menacing Drapion at his side.
Du Long's eyes narrowed when he saw Growlithe. Before the executive could speak, he sneered, "I'm busy today, so I'll skip this challenge. But the match is still on—at the Water Village fishing tournament. My boss says if your club wins, we'll forfeit three secret realm entry slots."
The executive glanced at Jun Shafeng, then nodded. Du Long recalled Drapion into its Poké Ball, shot Jun Shafeng a menacing glare, and left.
Jun Shafeng turned to the executive. "Can you arrange another match soon? I need to hit D-rank fast."
The executive smiled. "With Du Long gone, other trainers won't be scared off. I'll set up a match ASAP."
Thanks to the club's quick arrangements, Jun Shafeng entered another primary match. With Growlithe at level 30 and his growing battle experience, he dominated. His opponents' Pokémon, all level 30 or below, couldn't counter his Double Team and newly learned Fire Spin. They fell quickly.
After winning three primary matches in a row, Jun Shafeng received a certificate from the Pokémon Battle Club. He headed to the Pokémon Center to officially upgrade his trainer status to D-rank.
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