Chapter 377: So I Was This Strong All Along?
January 26, Tuesday.
The entire Indigo Plateau was steeped in the fiery excitement of the League festivities.
With the Top 32 decided, today marked the beginning of the battles for a place in the Top 16.
On the rocky battlefield covered with jagged stone pillars, Yuto Sundae—dressed in a JK-style school uniform—gracefully commanded:
“Marowak, Bonemerang!”
The powerful boomerang smashed through a glistening energy orb mid-air and struck Victreebel hard across the body.
“Beautiful command!”
Excited commentary rang out across the stadium.
“And the first Trainer to enter the Top 16 is Yuto from Kanto!”
Cheers erupted from the audience. Lu Ye, watching the match, clapped along with them.
Brock folded his arms, nodded slightly, and said in a low voice:
“Hard to believe... even one of Teacher Lu’s students is now strong enough to reach the Top 16.” “Well, he did get plenty of tutoring,” Lu Ye said.
“Huh?”
Yuto Sundae performed exceptionally well—he even secured a clean sweep this round.
Reporters, in their interviews, learned about Yuto’s background and slowly came to understand.
He was one of Teacher Lu’s students?
No wonder he’s absurdly strong!
Come to think of it…
Even his students are in the Top 16, and yet Teacher Lu still participates personally…
Maybe this is what they mean by “never forgetting your roots.”
The male reporter from Modu Evening News scribbled down a bold headline and sighed:
“Truly worthy of being called a real Master!”
Though spring was still a while away, the wind atop Indigo Plateau carried a distinct chill.
On the big screen in the plaza’s live feed, the sacred flame at the main venue still burned bright.
“Teacher Lu, your match is this afternoon, right?” Brock asked.
“That’s right.” Lu Ye smiled warmly. “I’d better get ready properly.”
Brock’s hand trembled slightly as he answered, “I’m off to prep the battlefield. See you later!”
Before the match began,
Lu Ye made a trip to the food area in the plaza, ordered a box of stir-fried rice cakes, and wandered over to the vendor section.
From a distance, he could see Meowth’s coin-logo stall still surrounded by a wall of people.
As for Blue’s booth...
Let’s just say: good luck to her.
“No worries—Silver will probably clear out her inventory anyway.”
Lu Ye held his lunchbox and nodded to himself thoughtfully.
Thankfully, Arcanine didn’t try out Solar Beam in the hotel room yesterday.
And to honor Duck Duck’s desire to grow stronger,
Teacher Lu decided that Sirfetch’d would be up next in the afternoon match.
“Quack~(´థ౪థ)σ” Sirfetch’d took a bite of spicy rice cake and teared up.
Lu Ye glanced over and nodded in satisfaction.
“Look how happy he is!”
That afternoon, the temperature rose slightly.
In a stadium buzzing with excitement, Teacher Lu’s battle officially began.
“Gengar, Mommy’s here to cheer you on~!”
“I’m cold just hearing that. Isn’t Sirfetch’d adorable too?!”
In the livestream, Player Level 15 badge holder—and fellow Top 16 competitor—Feng Shu swallowed nervously.
Back during the real Baby Cup—the Piplup Cup—Feng Shu was already a loyal viewer of Teacher Lu’s streams.
With some family support and relentless effort, Feng Shu had barely managed to collect eight badges and catch up.
And now, Teacher Lu had finally revealed his hand.
This guy had stopped being “human” over a year ago.
He’s basically treating the Indigo League like another Baby Cup—
That’s the vibe we’re here for!
Feng Shu shouted, “Go get ’em, Teacher Lu!!”
“The battle begins!”
The announcer’s voice roared with passion: “The Trainers are sending out Nidoking—”
“—and Sirfetch’d from the Galar region, a pure Fighting-type Pokémon!”
Lu Ye had already gathered intel from Team Rocket beforehand.
This opponent, named Tetsusuke, was a local Kanto Trainer who’d also trained in Unova—his strength wasn’t to be underestimated.
As for that fierce-looking Nidoking, its venomous horn gleamed with a dangerous light.
【Nidoking – Poison/Ground
Ability: Sheer Force
Held Item: Life Orb
Moveset: Earth Power, Sludge Wave, Ice Beam, Fire Blast】
“A special-attack-based Nidoking... not exactly a hidden trump card,”
Lu Ye muttered, “But it does confirm my guess.”
This guy’s hacks are so boring, might as well not use any.
【?】
Lu Ye narrowed his eyes. “Scallion Pancake—Swords Dance!”
“Quack!” Sirfetch’d angrily swung its leek.
He got my name wrong again!
But... Sirfetch’d looked up at the menacing Nidoking and shivered.
“Quack! (ಥ_ಥ)”
If I lose, maybe Togepi will avenge me, right?
“Lu Ye is going on the offensive early with a stat-boosting opener!”
The announcer called out, “Tetsusuke responds immediately!”
Tetsusuke was a tall, skinny middle-aged man who had heard of Teacher Lu’s reputation.
But now back in his homeland of Kanto, he hoped to prove himself.
Tetsusuke took a deep breath to steady himself and shouted, “Nidoking, Earth Power!”
“Rooaaarrr!”
Nidoking stomped the ground. Shards of rock shot upward, forming razor-sharp blades that floated around it.
In the next moment, the stones launched like machine-gun fire, exploding into the earth and kicking up a cloud of dust!
“Quack!”
But Sirfetch’d’s Swords Dance was completely unaffected.
He spun inside a gust of wind, using the move’s momentum to envelop himself like a vortex.
“Quack!” Sirfetch’d swept his leek horizontally, holding his shield steady—his spinning speed intensified until a blade-storm formed.
Flying rocks clashed against his leek and shield, each hit sparking brilliant blue sparks!
“Hmm...” Lu Ye nodded.
Duck Duck’s Swords Dance now incorporated his natural, wild swinging rhythm—and with the shield, it was forming a solid counter-offensive style.
Though...
Lu Ye felt a little conflicted.
Swords Dance was now somehow acting like a King’s Shield too?
Was that... even legal?
“Such a stylish tactic,”
At the window of a second-floor viewing booth,
League President Damalanji said in awe, “It’s not just for show—it even enhances defense.”
Beside him, a red-haired man in a cape stood with arms crossed.
With Teacher Lu in the tournament, there's barely any suspense...
Still, this newly trained Sirfetch’d was intriguing.
Lance smirked and looked toward the battlefield.
Sirfetch’d finished his Swords Dance and took an Earth Power head-on—barely scratched.
The dust cloud cleared, and the audience stared in stunned silence.
“Perfect block?!”
“This is what a Master-level play looks like!”
“Quack?” Sirfetch’d glanced at his now-gleaming leek blade, then looked down at his snowy white chest.
I didn’t get one-shot?
Holy crap... I’m actually this strong?!
“Quack~! (✪ω✪)”
Sirfetch’d’s thick eyebrows shot up, his eyes sparkled, and he charged forward with heroic strides.
Let’s gooo, Duck Duck!!
Tetsusuke’s expression grew grim.
This one-sided pressure reminded him of the time he recklessly challenged an Elite Four member.
But he wasn’t out of tricks yet!
As the gap between the two Pokémon closed,
Under Sirfetch’d’s fierce aura, even the savage Nidoking broke into a cold sweat.
They were almost nose-to-nose!
Tetsusuke raised a hand and shouted, “Nidoking, Fire Blast!”
“ROAR!!”
Nidoking opened his jaws, summoning a blazing fireball glowing with orange light—
The searing heat instantly surged outward.
The audience went dry-mouthed. Silence fell.
A point-blank Fire Blast...
Even Fire-types would be wrecked at that range!
Almost simultaneously—
Lu Ye snapped his fingers:
“Detect!”
BOOM!!
Flames erupted, tinting the whole stadium in a fiery orange glow.
The 大 (da) character-shaped Fire Blast surged toward Sirfetch’d with a deafening roar!
Did it hit?! The crowd was frozen. Even Tetsusuke looked unsure.
SWISH!
A flash of cold steel.
The proud white knight raised his blade, slicing upward in a flawless Iaido strike, cleaving the Fire Blast down the middle!
BOOOM!!
Twin explosions erupted behind him, just barely grazing both sides.
Then—Sirfetch’d charged forward, blade gleaming with razor-sharp Grass-type energy!
Leaf Blade fell like judgment!
“ROOAARR—!” Nidoking’s roar was cut short.
The stadium was dead silent—
only the wind and the crackling of scorched earth could be heard.
THUD!
The fierce purple beast collapsed to the ground.
“Nidoking is unable to battle!”
The referee blew his whistle.
“The winner is: Sirfetch’d!”
In an instant, the stadium burst into thunderous cheers.
With calm eyes and a composed expression, Sirfetch’d suddenly became the center of attention.
“D**n, that was epic!”
“Quack! (´థ౪థ)σ” Duck Duck cried.
That was so close—
I almost turned into roast duck!