c36: Fushi Wild Area and Subduing Pokémon
Fushi is a coastal city situated in the eastern part of Jianfu Province. Not only is it a prominent seaport, but it also serves as the capital of the province.
Even in his previous life, Chen Xiaoxiao had only vague knowledge of Fushi merely that it was once the site of South Shaolin Temple. Who would have thought that upon arriving in this world, Fushi would evolve into a city renowned for its deep association with Fighting-type Pokémon? Even the local Pokémon Gym specialized exclusively in the Fighting-type.
After riding Togekiss across the coastal skies into the Fushi wilderness, Chen Xiaoxiao returned Togekiss to its Poké Ball.
He glanced at the other trainers nearby. Most were dressed in training attire and accompanied by Pokémon like Hitmonchan, Sawk, or Throh.
One couldn't help but sigh this truly was the city of martial spirits. Fighting-type trainers roamed like wild Mankey.
"Hey there, gorgeous! First time in Fushi?"
A young man in track gear approached, Mienshao calmly pacing beside him.
"Do I look like a rookie just off the boat?" Chen Xiaoxiao replied with a raised brow.
"Well, if you were local or even a regular visitor—you wouldn't be staring at everything like it's new." The young man nodded, confident in his observation.
Chen Xiaoxiao blinked. "I hadn't thought of it that way."
"You here to catch some Fighting-types? This is the best place in China for them. You name it—Riolu, Tyrogue, Pancham I know where they hang out. I can be your guide."
"No thanks," Chen Xiaoxiao replied politely but firmly. She had long grown weary of men who saw Pokémon as a pickup line.
"Ever considered dating a guy who trains only Fighting-types? We're all strength and loyalty! Boyfriend stats MAX level!" he added, flexing dramatically.
Chen Xiaoxiao's face froze in mild horror. In the next instant, she teleported away in a flash of light, leaving the young man slack-jawed and humiliated.
Just a minor detour on her journey.
It wasn't that she looked down on the Fighting-type. In truth, her aversion stemmed from the lingering traces of her past life as a man. Even after ten years in this world, she still bristled at the clumsy courtship of overly confident men.
The sensation reminded her of her first schoolyard love letter in this world her instinct back then had been to tear it apart.
She teleported toward the region where South Shaolin once stood in her past life, now replaced by rugged wild terrain.
"Come out—Gardevoir, Meowstic, and Sun Pokémon!"
She released her companions, their Poké Balls flashing open.
"We'll be training here today," she said. Gardevoir and Meowstic stood poised, radiating psychic energy.
With League Points running low, her urgent goal was to train and evolve her young Lapras. But for now, it was Gardevoir who would act as the defensive anchor thanks to her Fairy/Psychic typing and protective move set.
The Fushi wild area was mostly mountainous forest. The outskirts were teeming with wild Pokémon primarily Fighting-types. Many were of modest strength, so Chen Xiaoxiao didn't engage, not wanting to overhunt the ecosystem.
That said, she had no choice when flocks of aggressive Mankey and Primeape highly territorial Pokémon—charged in.
She had just cleared one group when, mere kilometers ahead, another band leapt from the trees with screeches and waving fists.
Chen Xiaoxiao sighed.
"Metagross! Togekiss! Let's finish this! Smelling Salts, rapid deployment!"
With a flash, she summoned all her Pokémon except Lapras and Solgaleo.
The air lit up with glowing move effects. Psychic waves from Metagross, Fairy Gusts from Togekiss, and Disarming Voices from Meowstic collided with the mob. The Primeape and Mankey were flattened in minutes.
"Gardevoir, heal them a bit before we go."
Yes, Chen Xiaoxiao was a kind soul even to those who attacked her.
She gently healed the wild Pokémon just enough to help them regain consciousness after a short rest. Pokémon left unconscious for too long risked becoming prey to predators or falling into the hands of poachers and illegal traders.
Still, if the Mankey and Primeape got up and resumed their ambush?
Chen Xiaoxiao didn't mind playing the villain: knock them down again, heal them again, and repeat until their fighting spirit was subdued or they learned their lesson.
---
Two Days Later
"Meowstic, Togekiss—enough playing around. Wrap this up."
They had reached the deeper regions of the Fushi wild area. Before them stood a particularly fierce Sawk—level 40 and clearly at the peak of elite-tier strength. Its rival was slightly weaker, another Sawk, around level 38. The two had been battling before Chen Xiaoxiao's arrival, and now turned their focus to her team.
The level 40 Sawk had hit its growth ceiling. Despite its power, its base potential or IVs—limited it to elite qualifications. Without a major encounter, evolution item, or intense training regimen, it might never break through to quasi-Elite or beyond.
"Meowstic, Reflect! Then use Disarming Voice!"
A shimmering light screen materialized in front of Meowstic, softening incoming physical blows. The cat-like Psychic Pokémon followed with a high-pitched, shimmering note a Fairy-type attack particularly effective against Fighting-types.
The battle had just begun, but Chen Xiaoxiao already had her eyes on potential targets for capture or study. Each encounter here sharpened her tactics and brought her team one step closer to peak strength.
Because Disarming Voice is a Fairy-type move that inflicts damage using sound waves and emotion-based psychic energy, it is unavoidable it bypasses evasive maneuvers and always hits its target.
The Pokémon battling Meowstic winced visibly as the wave of psychic-sound energy struck, triggering a low, involuntary Growl as a sign of mental pain.
Both the bruises on this Pokémon and the fatigue showing on Meowstic made it clear the battle had already been underway for quite some time.
Conkeldurr
Gender: ♂
Level: 56 (Quasi-Elite Peak)
Type: Fighting
Nature: Brave (↑ Attack, ↓ Speed)
Ability: Guts (Boosts Attack by 50% when afflicted by a status condition, and nullifies the Attack-halving effect of Burn)
Hidden Ability: Iron Fist (Boosts punching moves' power by 20%)
Potential: Elite-level
Yes, it was a Conkeldurr a powerhouse with both quasi-Elite strength and Elite-level potential engaged in close combat with Meowstic.
In the past two days, Chen Xiaoxiao had encountered several Pokémon at quasi-Elite strength.like Hariyama and Hitmontop but none with the combination of power, endurance, and potential that this Conkeldurr possessed.
The moment she confirmed its battle stats, Chen Xiaoxiao's pulse quickened with excitement.
Despite taking a solid hit from Meowstic's Disarming Voice, Conkeldurr gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain his sheer tenacity allowing him to close the gap.
Once within striking range, he unleashed a Drain Punch, aiming straight at Meowstic.
Chen Xiaoxiao hadn't anticipated that Conkeldurr would possess such unwavering perseverance, powering through the mental assault to land a blow.
Meowstic, already drained and showing signs of fatigue, couldn't evade. The Drain Punch landed directly.
Thankfully, Meowstic's Psychic typing offered resistance to Fighting-type moves, cutting incoming damage in half. On top of that, the Reflect barrier she had cast earlier further halved all physical damage.
If not for those defenses, a full-force Drain Punch from a Level 56 Conkeldurr with a base 140 Attack stat, Brave nature attack boost, and Iron Fist's 20% bonus to punching moves would've likely knocked Meowstic out cold.
Even so, the blow connected cleanly.
As the green aura of Drain Punch surged, Conkeldurr's stamina began to recover, his ragged breath steadying slightly.
"Meowstic, Psyshock!" Chen Xiaoxiao commanded, eyes sharp.
Still airborne from the impact, Meowstic recovered mid-air. She conjured glowing blue, psychic energy a Psyshock sphere that traveled like Lucas's aura sphere from Smash Bros and hurled it at Conkeldurr.
Conkeldurr didn't hesitate. With a mighty roar, he raised one of his concrete pillars and slammed it forward triggering Rock Slide, a Rock-type move capable of countering incoming attacks and flinching foes.
Boom!
The two attacks collided midair, detonating in a burst of dust and force, shaking the ground. Chen Xiaoxiao reacted instantly.
"Disarming Voice, again!"
Meowstic cried out once more, her voice infused with supernatural charm and amplified by the battlefield's natural acoustics.
The sonic pulse tore through the clearing.
Conkeldurr's defenses wavered. The constant psychic-sound onslaught wore him down. He dropped to one knee… then both. His twin stone pillars thudded onto the forest floor beside him.
"Finish it! Psychic!"
Meowstic's eyes glowed violet. A powerful psychic current surged forward and engulfed the weakened Conkeldurr.
With a defiant final roar, he resisted but only briefly.
Then, like a Contest finale, he collapsed gracefully, eyes swirled like a fainted Pokémon in the anime.
"Go, Poké Ball!"
With practiced motion, Chen Xiaoxiao hurled the red-and-white capsule.
The Poké Ball struck Conkeldurr, burst open in light.and snapped shut without even a wiggle.
One click. Instant capture.
Chen Xiaoxiao strode forward and picked it up, holding the Ball in her palm. A wide grin bloomed across her face as she gazed at her newest partner.
"Welcome to the team," she whispered, unable to suppress her excitement.
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