Bai Qianqian's expression was as dark as could be, but even so, it did nothing to change the outcome of the battle.
If she had other Pokémon, she could have sed out her Squirtle by now—this was permissible under multi-Pokémon battle rules.
But this was a one-on-one match, and to make matters worse, she didn't have a second Pokémon to substitute.
Meanwhile, Chu Kelian was smart. Instead of using offensive moves, she simply relied on Sand Attack.
Sand Attack was a move that lowered the opponent's accuracy, but Chu Kelian took it to another level altogether.
She had her Trapinch bury Squirtle!
Yes, the poor Squirtle was completely buried in dirt, with only its smooth, round head poking out. Its face looked utterly pitiful.
“Squirtle is unable to battle. Trapinch wins.”
Shaking his head, Gu Xin announced the result of the highly theatrical battle.
The match had started well enough, showcasing the level of a novice Pokémon Trainer.
But toward the end...
Well, what could you do? Squirtle was a turtle Pokémon, after all.
Its shell was its greatest defense—and also, in a way, its Achilles' heel.
“Hehe~ A predictable result.”
The victorious Chu Kelian was elated, her face beaming with pride.
In stark contrast, Bai Qianqian was anything but pleased. If anything, she was absolutely fuming!
The battle had been uncertain mere moments ago!
“Get my Squirtle out of there now!”
Unable to stand Chu Kelian's triumphant attitude, Bai Qianqian snapped at her.
“Hehe~ Right away, right away.”
Chu Kelian, still grinning, had her Trapinch dig Squirtle out of the dirt.
“Squirtle! Squirtle!”
Freed at last, Squirtle let out a flurry of angry cries at Trapinch.
It was not convinced it had lost!
Trapinch tilted its large head, staring at Squirtle's incessant “chatter” with a puzzled expression.
Seeing the dazed Trapinch, Squirtle's cheeks puffed up in frustration. “Arghhh!”
“This battle had its moments,” Gu Xin said, smiling at the two trainers. “I believe you two young ladies have the potential to become excellent Pokémon Trainers in the future.”
“We are excellent already!” Chu Kelian retorted, visibly annoyed.
“Mhm, mhm.” Gu Xin nodded nonchalantly, refusing to argue.
“What's with that response? Are you looking for a fight?”
Chu Kelian's earlier joy at winning was dampened by her frustrating boss.
“Let's head back to the shop for a rest,” Gu Xin suggested, chuckling at Chu Kelian's pouty face.
Back at the shop, after buying two bottles of healing spray and applying it to Squirtle, Bai Qianqian seemed deep in thought.
“Boss, can I draw for another Pokémon now?”
“Of course! You can do that anytime. Miss Bai, are you ready to try your luck?”
Gu Xin's eyes sparkled as he asked, wondering if her recent loss had inspired her.
“Yes, I've experienced a Pokémon battle now, and I think I'm ready to train two Pokémon at the same time,” Bai Qianqian replied.
Although losing to that silly Chu Kelian had been frustrating, Bai Qianqian had also found herself loving the thrill of battle.
More importantly, she realized that having only Squirtle wasn't enough.
“I respect the customer's choice as always. You know the process, Miss Bai,” Gu Xin said with a smile, handing her the store's Pokédex.
He hoped for something big, maybe even a pseudo-legendary Pokémon!
“I want to draw one too,” Chu Kelian remarked, sipping her juice while sneaking a glance at the Larvitar by Chen Yun's side.
A pseudo-legendary Pokémon! She couldn't help feeling envious.
But Chu Kelian knew that pseudo-legendary Pokémon were incredibly rare. For now, she needed to focus on evolving her Charmander and Trapinch.
Bai Qianqian took the Pokédex, took a deep breath, and decisively pressed “Go.”
Please, something strong!
She wanted revenge! She wanted to crush Chu Kelian!
The silhouette on the screen spun for a few moments before slowly coming into focus.
“Huh? Is that a fish? It looks... a bit lame,” Chu Kelian said, leaning over for a closer look. Her nose wrinkled slightly.
Until now, every Pokémon they'd drawn had been cute or somewhat endearing. But this fish...
“A bit lame? Could it be Feebas?” Gu Xin's eyebrows raised. “If it's a fish that fits that description, it's probably Feebas or Magikarp.”
And sure enough...
“It is a Feebas. Miss Bai, your luck is as extraordinary as ever,” Gu Xin said with a smirk.
“What do you mean?” Bai Qianqian asked, frowning at the unappealing Pokémon.
Feebas's appearance was undeniably underwhelming. Its dull eyes, blue fins, muddy yellow body, and the numerous blemishes on its skin didn't help.
To top it off, its exaggerated lips were the “icing on the cake.”
It wasn't that Bai Qianqian couldn't accept it, but couldn't it at least have some charm?
Yet this fish... If it had any standout quality, it was being exceptionally lame.
“Some Pokémon undergo drastic transformations upon evolution. The most famous examples are Feebas and Magikarp—they're prime cases of evolution causing a complete turnaround,” Gu Xin explained.
A dramatic transformation upon evolution?
Bai Qianqian blinked. If her boss spoke so highly of it, perhaps there was hope after all.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。