Chapter 171: Squirtle Is Way Too Cautious
September 16th, Wednesday.
Modu University vs. Modu Jiaotong University.
The official livestream of the University League Semifinals was flooded with Teacher Lu's fans.
"When is Teacher Lu going on?"
"That Kingdra on the Rain Team is way too strong!"
All eyes were locked on the two Trainers at the center of the battlefield. Inside the protective barrier, torrential rain poured down. The seahorse-like Kingdra shot a high-pressure stream of water from its snout. The opposing Liepard couldn't dodge in time, and a razor-sharp Water Pulse tore through its body, knocking it out.
"Modu is in a tough spot!"
"Kingdra is just too fast, they can't keep up!"
With Jiang Chen's defeat, the scoreboard updated—3:2. Coach Zhai folded his arms and gave Jiang Chen a nod of acknowledgment. "That Kingdra is their ace. You did well stalling out their Rain turns."
Jiang Chen nodded silently, glancing at the piercing eyes of the Kingdra. He sighed, unwilling to accept defeat.
"I'll go next," Lu Ye spoke up.
Coach Zhai looked at him for a moment before nodding. "I'll leave it to you!"
Lu Ye nodded back, stretching his wrists as he casually walked onto the battlefield. Winning isn't a big problem, but this is bound to be a tough fight. If Squirtle can realize the truth before it's too late, there's still hope!
The crowd erupted into a frenzy. In Imperial University's player seats, the normally composed Chen Tingyue blushed slightly.
"You feeling sick?" one of her teammates asked.
Beside them, another player giggled. "Teacher Lu is on the field! Tingyue is a huge fan!"
The first player blinked. Damn, we've got a traitor on the team!
The camera focused back on the battlefield. Lu Ye gazed at Squirtle, who was doing push-ups, and nodded. "I'm counting on you, Squirtle!"
Squirtle lifted its head, eyes sharp. "Squirtle!"
"From Modu University, contestant Lu Ye takes the stage!" the commentator sounded surprised. "But choosing Squirtle when already at a disadvantage… this seems like a questionable move!"
As a Water/Dragon-type, Kingdra was a tough opponent for any Pokémon, while Squirtle was a pure Water-type. Sending out Squirtle against Kingdra didn't seem like a wise choice.
"Squirtle? Does Teacher Lu even understand Pokémon?!"
"How is Squirtle supposed to fight Kingdra?!"
Across the field, Jia Yi, Kingdra's Trainer, discreetly wiped sweat off his forehead. He had researched Teacher Lu—his tactical skills were terrifying. But sending out Squirtle against Kingdra… That's just outright disrespectful!
"Let's do this, Kingdra." Jia Yi took a deep breath. "Stay alert!"
Kingdra narrowed its eyes at Squirtle and gave a subtle nod. At the same time…
Lu Ye glanced at his Pokédex and muttered, "No Dragon Pulse? That's a shame… I was hoping Squirtle could learn from it."
Jia Yi's face twitched. He figured out Kingdra's moveset with just a glance?! Damn it… and he was right, too!
The referee's whistle blew. "Battle, begin!"
Jia Yi, already on edge, commanded cautiously. "Kingdra, use Dragon Breath!"
The rain continued to pour. With its Swift Swim ability, Kingdra darted through the rain, its snout releasing a heated, purple vapor that cut through the downpour.
"Squirtle, dodge and use Water Gun!"
Squirtle leaped into the air and puffed up its cheeks. A compressed orb of water formed at its mouth before exploding forward like a cannonball!
Jia Yi: ??? "Wasn't that supposed to be Water Gun?! Why does it look like Hydro Pump?!"
Jia Yi hadn't even recovered from the shock before Kingdra sidestepped. BOOM!! The powerful blast shattered the ground, sending cracks across the battlefield. Jia Yi broke into a cold sweat. "Good thing I dodged!"
"Kingdra, Hydro Pump!"
In the next instant, Kingdra whipped its tail, launching itself skyward. A devastating torrent of water gathered at its snout, aimed straight at Squirtle!
Lu Ye furrowed his brows. Can't hold back too much—getting Squirtle injured would be bad. "Squirtle, withdraw into your shell."
BOOM! The Hydro Pump crashed onto Squirtle's shell, sending water splashing everywhere—but it didn't budge an inch. As the mist cleared, the stadium erupted.
"Not… not a single scratch?!"
"What kind of Squirtle is this? Does Withdraw boost Special Defense too?!"
Across the field, Jia Yi's eyes were wide in disbelief. That was a Rain-boosted Hydro Pump! At least pretend to be hurt—leave me some dignity!
Meanwhile, Lu Ye's expression turned odd. "I thought it would be stronger… So this Hydro Pump… can't even break through its defense?"
"Squirtle!" Squirtle slowly stood up, glancing at the faint scuff marks on its shell. Its battle spirit ignited. This really is a battlefield full of danger…!
"Squirtle, Water Pulse!"
Squirtle's eyes sharpened as it opened its mouth wide. A water blast, several times stronger than before, shot straight into the sky—and rained down like a waterfall! BOOM!! The impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield. Even as a mighty Water/Dragon-type, Kingdra stumbled, struggling to stay upright.
And then—it fell into confusion!
The crowd gasped. "What's going on?!"
"Why does this Squirtle suddenly look broken?!"
"The battle has shifted! Squirtle's move just skyrocketed in power!" the commentator shouted. "Squirtle is actually cracked! Teacher Lu was hiding its true strength all along… so sneaky!"
Most of the audience didn't understand Squirtle's personality. But Lu Ye did. He glanced at the faint scratch on its shell—and let out a long sigh.
"So just because your shell got scratched, you decided to activate Torrent?!"
Torrent: When a Pokémon is in a critical situation, its Water-type moves receive a significant boost. But at full HP?! Squirtle, aren't you being a little TOO cautious?!
With Kingdra confused, its speed advantage disappeared. Squirtle seized the moment, charging forward. A point-blank Hydro Pump slammed into Kingdra's body. If I'm right next to you, there's no way I can miss!
BOOM!! Water exploded on impact—and Kingdra was sent flying. It crashed into the stadium wall—completely unconscious!
The Jiaotong University team stared in shock. Jia Yi was their team captain, and yet… a mighty Kingdra got completely crushed by a Squirtle… If this thing evolves into a Blastoise, won't it just solo entire teams?!
The referee hesitated before blowing the whistle. "Victory goes to Lu Ye!"
For a brief moment, the stadium was silent. Then—thunderous cheers erupted!
"Teacher Lu is insane!"
"Modu is going all the way to the championship!"
Lu Ye looked down at Squirtle, his expression complicated.
"Squirtleヾ(⌐■_■)!" Squirtle met his gaze and nodded cautiously. "That was far more dangerous than expected… Just like Master said, this was truly an extremely difficult battle!"
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