[Hu Yan'er]
[Age: 19]
[Background: Orphan from Xixi Village]
[Abilities: Aura (Dormant), Super Rookie Physique (Awakening)]
[Compatible Template: Ash Ketchum]
[Note: This girl possesses exceptional talent. It's strongly recommended that you accept her as a disciple.]
An Ash Ketchum template?
Wait—a female Ash?!
Guo Yi's eyes instantly brightened with curiosity at Hu Yan'er's sudden appearance. She might not have Red's legendary template, but the "dense boy" Ash was an iconic trainer in his own right.
The ongoing battle was equally intriguing:
Pikachu versus Raichu—now isn't this history repeating itself?
Guo Yi leaned casually against the railing, murmuring softly to himself. The conflict between Pikachu and Raichu always brought to mind Ash's legendary showdown against Lt. Surge at the Vermilion City Gym.
Had Ash and his Pikachu wavered even slightly back then, perhaps the legendary "Pika-god" wouldn't have existed.
And now…
Hu Yan'er's Pikachu found itself in a similarly disadvantageous situation.
[Pikachu (Electric)]
[Gender: ♀]
[Level: Lv.30 (Excellence-tier)]
[Ability: Static (May paralyze opponents on contact)]
[Moves: Quick Attack, Thunder Shock, Electro Ball, Feint (Frequently Used)]
[Tutor Move: Thunderbolt]
[Egg Move: Electric Terrain]
[Held Item: None]
[Potential: Pseudo-Elite Four]
A solid foundation, Guo Yi analyzed mentally, Among this batch of candidates, a Lv.30 Pikachu is quite decent.
However, Pikachu's limited move pool makes it difficult to seriously threaten that Raichu. The inherited move [Electric Terrain] boosts Electric moves, yes, but unfortunately, it benefits Raichu even more than herself.
Guo Yi quietly assessed the situation as the battle progressed.
In terms of raw power alone, the examiner's Raichu was also only Excellence-tier. But Raichu, being Pikachu's evolved form, naturally held superior base stats.
And crucially, Hu Yan'er's Pikachu lacked the most critical item—[Light Ball].
Everyone familiar with Pokémon understood clearly:
A Pikachu with a [Light Ball] and one without it were worlds apart.
[Light Ball]:When held by Pikachu, doubles both Attack and Special Attack.
All these factors inevitably placed Pikachu at a severe disadvantage.
Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, Hu Yan'er remained fiercely determined, very much reminiscent of Ash himself.
"Pikachu, [Thunderbolt]!"
"Pika—!"
Panting heavily, Pikachu began building electricity, sparks dancing rapidly across her cheeks.
In the next instant—
A powerful [Thunderbolt] surged directly toward Raichu.
Watching this, the examiner helplessly shook his head. Truthfully, this Pikachu's performance was quite impressive. Unfortunately, if only she had evolved, the match would've already ended long ago.
Though sympathetic, as an examiner, he wouldn't pull his punches.
"Student, remember clearly—evolution is a gap you cannot overcome! Raichu, finish this with [Thunderbolt]!"
With a sharp command, the examiner decisively chose a head-on collision.
"Rai—CHU!"
An even more powerful electric current burst forth from Raichu's body, clashing violently against Pikachu's attack.
When two moves of the same type collided, raw power and output determined victory.
Clearly, Pikachu's [Thunderbolt] was no match, steadily being forced back by Raichu's overwhelming strength.
"Pika—!"
Feeling tremendous pressure, Pikachu pushed desperately, forcing out every last bit of power.
I can't lose here!
"Don't give up, Pikachu!" Hu Yan'er shouted encouragingly.
This battle meant everything to her—she simply couldn't afford to lose!
"Pi-ka-CHUUU—!"
As if sensing her trainer's determination, Pikachu suddenly exploded with an unprecedented burst of energy.
In a shocking turn of events, the overwhelming surge of electricity blasted straight through Raichu's [Thunderbolt], striking Raichu head-on.
BOOM—!
An explosion rocked the stadium, covering the entire field in a thick cloud of dust and smoke.
The sudden explosion drew the full attention of everyone nearby.
"No way! Did Pikachu's [Thunderbolt] just overpower Raichu's attack?"
"Can that little electric mouse really possess such strength?"
"What happened—who won?"
"This is the thrill of Pokémon battles! You never know what's coming next!"
Everyone watched with anticipation as the dust slowly settled.
Beside them, Guo Yi smiled knowingly.
Interesting! Not only does the trainer share Ash's template, this Pikachu seems to have inherited Pikagod's classic explosive power as well.
A pity—it's still not enough.
Such explosive bursts were rare and impressive, but raw power differences weren't so easily overcome by a temporary surge.
As the smoke finally cleared, the Pokémon's conditions became apparent:
Raichu stood panting heavily, body battered but still upright.
Pikachu, however, had exhausted all her strength and lay collapsed on the ground, unconscious.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!"
"The winner is the examiner!"
The referee, visibly regretful, waved his flag decisively.
For a brief moment, he'd genuinely thought Pikachu had secured victory.
Sadly, she'd just fallen short.
Surrounding students and examiners shook their heads, sighing sympathetically.
"So close! Just a little bit short…"
"As expected, evolution really does make a world of difference."
"If only she had evolved her Pikachu to Raichu, that girl would've passed for sure."
Though Pikachu had unleashed an incredible last-minute burst, ultimately, the gap was simply too large to bridge.
"Pikachu!"
Hu Yan'er rushed over anxiously, scooping up her exhausted partner with worry-filled eyes.
Though the exam meant a great deal to her, clearly Pikachu's wellbeing meant infinitely more.
"Pi…ka…"
Pikachu weakly opened her eyes, trying to reassure her trainer despite her exhaustion.
I'm okay, Trainer!
"I'm so sorry, Pikachu! I shouldn't have pushed you so hard," Hu Yan'er murmured softly, voice thick with guilt.
Had she not insisted on challenging Raichu, perhaps the result might have been different.
"Here, use this spray on Pikachu. It'll speed up her recovery."
Guo Yi walked over, producing a special healing potion purchased from his system.
Hu Yan'er hesitated briefly, glancing carefully at Pikachu, before accepting it gratefully.
"Thank you."
She began carefully applying the potion to Pikachu, whose condition visibly improved within moments.
At this moment, the examiner approached with his Raichu.
Giving Guo Yi a curious glance, he then spoke kindly to Hu Yan'er:
"Your performance was genuinely impressive, student. If your Pikachu had evolved into Raichu, I'm certain you would've defeated me today."
He still felt shaken recalling Pikachu's explosive final attack—he'd never imagined an unevolved Pikachu could unleash such devastating power.
"Raichu, huh?" Hu Yan'er's expression grew complicated as she glanced thoughtfully at Raichu before bowing deeply to the examiner.
"Thank you for your advice, Teacher. I'll think about it seriously."
The examiner nodded encouragingly. "You still have one more chance to pass the independent enrollment test. If you evolve Pikachu into Raichu within the next two days, you'll surely defeat me."
Due to examination rules, Hu Yan'er couldn't change opponents midway. Choosing and analyzing appropriate matchups was an essential skill for Pokémon trainers, after all.
To enter Shanghai Pokémon University, she needed to defeat this Raichu.
"Oh, and if you don't have a [Thunder Stone], I'd be happy to provide one," the examiner added kindly.
Clearly, he sincerely hoped to help Hu Yan'er enroll.
But Hu Yan'er gently shook her head.
"Thank you, Teacher. I already have a [Thunder Stone]."
"I'll be leaving now," she excused herself quickly, carrying Pikachu out of the stadium.
The examiner sighed heavily, watching her retreating back.
"What a shame…"
"It seems Pikachu doesn't want to evolve. But without evolving, there's only so far a Pikachu can go."
The examiner, with over a decade of experience, immediately read Hu Yan'er's expression and guessed the situation.
After all, having a [Thunder Stone] but not evolving could only mean the Pokémon itself was unwilling. This wasn't the first time he'd encountered such a scenario.
Once, a candidate had a Pokémon that reached Veteran strength but remained in its base form. Even though that student managed to get into the university, he eventually faded into obscurity.
Evolution was the quickest shortcut to strength—if you chose not to take it, someone else would. And eventually, that gap would widen until raw talent alone couldn't close it.
Whether this candidate could succeed now depended entirely on her choice.
The examiner sighed helplessly and took his Raichu to the infirmary.
Meanwhile, Guo Yi watched Hu Yan'er's retreating figure thoughtfully before deciding to quietly follow after her.
…
"What should we do, Pikachu?"
"I don't want to go against your wishes, but if we don't evolve, we'll never beat that Raichu."
"If we fail here, Grandpa's last wish will never come true…"
Sitting in a waiting area near the stadium, Hu Yan'er confided softly to Pikachu, clearly distressed.
Just as the examiner suspected, she had a [Thunder Stone]—had it for a long time, in fact—but the only reason she hadn't used it was because Pikachu herself refused to evolve. Out of respect for Pikachu's decision, she never forced the issue.
But now, the truth was clear: without evolving, Pikachu had no chance of beating that Raichu, not in the short two days they had left. Even with that incredible burst earlier, they'd still lost. Relying on miracles wasn't a strategy.
"Pika…"
Pikachu drooped her ears, clearly feeling guilty. She didn't want to evolve, but neither did she want her trainer to miss the chance to enter Shanghai Pokémon University because of her.
Suddenly, memories surfaced in Pikachu's mind, her eyes reflecting newfound determination.
"Take good care of little Yan'er, Pikachu."
Recalling Grandpa's last words, Pikachu's expression hardened resolutely.
"Pika-pi! (Trainer, I've made up my mind—I'll evolve!)"
"What?"
Hearing Pikachu's words, Hu Yan'er stared at her partner in disbelief, but quickly shook her head firmly.
"No, Pikachu! I can't force you to evolve for my sake."
She knew Pikachu was only agreeing for her benefit. Precisely because of that, Hu Yan'er couldn't accept.
"Pika!" Pikachu, growing irritated, placed her tiny paws on her hips and glared indignantly at her trainer, as if delivering a lecture.
[If we don't evolve, do you have another solution?]
[You've already spent almost all your savings to come take this exam. If we fail, how are you going to survive afterward?]
[Are you planning on selling that [Thunder Stone]? Grandpa left it for you—could you really bear to sell it?]
[If you lose both your dream and Grandpa's keepsake, how could you face him?]
The roles had reversed so abruptly, it almost seemed Pikachu had become the trainer.
"I…"
Unable to find a proper rebuttal, Hu Yan'er fell into conflicted silence. But even then, she refused to relent. She simply couldn't force her partner's evolution against her wishes.
"Pi-ka!"
Seeing her trainer still refusing to back down, Pikachu acted decisively. Without another word, she lunged at Hu Yan'er's bag, intent on forcing the matter herself.
Realizing Pikachu's intentions, Hu Yan'er quickly pulled the bag away. In the blink of an eye, trainer and Pokémon found themselves wrestling for control.
Suddenly, a small, pale-yellow stone slipped from the bag, landing with a sharp clatter on the ground.
"The [Thunder Stone]!"
Pikachu and Hu Yan'er's eyes locked simultaneously, both blazing with determination.
As expected of an Ash-type trainer—at such a crucial moment, she ends up competing against her own Pokémon!
Both lunged toward the [Thunder Stone] simultaneously.
Of course, as a mere human, how could Hu Yan'er hope to match Pikachu's speed? Even exhausted from the previous battle, Pikachu was still far quicker than she was.
As for the Super Rookie Physique, that was only good for enduring hits, not for speed.
Yet just as Pikachu's tiny paw nearly touched the stone, a large hand calmly picked it up first.
Hu Yan'er stared in surprise. That familiar figure stood casually beside them, playing thoughtfully with the [Thunder Stone].
"It's you?"
Indeed, it was Guo Yi.
"Here, catch."
Guo Yi casually examined the stone, then tossed it back to Hu Yan'er.
Just as he'd guessed, it was a Perfect-Grade [Thunder Stone]. Aside from its description on her profile, incredible luck was another trait famously associated with Ash.
Clearly, Hu Yan'er had inherited this as well. How else would an orphan like her have obtained something as valuable as a Perfect-Grade [Thunder Stone]?
"Pika-pika!"
Seeing this random human interfering with her plan, Pikachu bared her teeth angrily, sparks crackling across her cheeks, as if prepared to attack at any moment.
"Oh? What's wrong, little one? Did I ruin your plans?"
Seeing Pikachu's adorable yet fierce expression, Guo Yi crouched down to comfort her.
"Sir, wait—!"
Hu Yan'er's expression changed instantly.
Her Pikachu was notoriously unfriendly toward strangers—anyone other than herself usually ended up electrocuted.
Yet, as she took a step forward to warn him, she froze, her eyes widening in shock at what happened next.