You are not allowed to date a trainer.

Chapter 11 Come! Fight with me!
"I got up early and put my Growlithe downstairs just to protect you, Qin Zhen," said Teacher Chen.

"Teacher, do you have something to talk to me about?" Qin Zhen chose to play dumb.

"Well, it's about your initial elf."

"So, teacher, are you going to give me one last piece of advice?"

"If you had listened to me, I wouldn't be here today." The old man shook his head. "Qin Zhen, I'm here to challenge you today."

"what?"

Qin Zhen was stunned for a moment, he suspected that he had heard it wrong.

"You heard me right, let's have a Pokémon duel, Qin Zhen. I'll use my Growlithe to challenge your Motorcycle Lizard."

"So is there another bet going on? If I lose, I have to give up Milton? I'll just listen to you, teacher, and pick a new Pokémon from the three starters?"

"I never bet with my students," Teacher Chen shook his head. "This is just a simple sparring challenge. There are no stakes and no penalties involved."

"Qin Zhen, after returning home last night, I carefully recalled our conversation. Guess what I felt?" Teacher Chen stared at Qin Zhen's face. "Confidence, unparalleled confidence, as if challenging a gym and becoming a professional trainer wasn't a difficult feat for you."

Qin Zhen curled his lips inwardly. He certainly didn't think challenging a gym was a difficult task. Before his rebirth, he'd beaten up more gym leaders in the game than he could count on his ten fingers. With that experience, coupled with never having witnessed a real-life gym challenge, how could he possibly feel any awe towards challenging a gym?
"After realizing this, I felt a little relieved. At least this confidence proves that you don't take your life lightly, and choosing that motorcycle lizard was not a momentary impulse," said Teacher Chen.

"But what I'm unsure about is, Qin Zhen, is whether your confidence comes from your own faith in your own commanding talent, or whether there's something else behind this Motorcycle Lizard you've chosen, or... simply pure arrogance?"

"So, teacher, you want to have a spirit duel with me?"

"That's right. Whether you're a conceited genius, or this motorcycle lizard really has some unknown secret, or is just simply arrogant, a fight will tell."

Qin Zhen glanced behind him and frowned slightly. He knew Milton. This stupid lizard's cowardly character was not innate, but was caused by the psychological trauma caused by the attack of a more powerful elf. Before resolving this psychological problem, Milton could be said to have no ability to fight.

He was silent for a long time, and finally said, "So, according to what you said, teacher, I don't have to accept this spirit duel?"

"of course can."

Hearing this, Teacher Chen smiled. He shifted his gaze and looked at Milton who was hiding behind Qin Zhen.

"Hey! Milton!"

The old man suddenly raised his usual lecture volume, instantly attracting countless gazes.

Even Milton was startled by the loud shout and raised his head suddenly.

"I have to admit that you are very unfortunate. Because of your personality, you are not welcomed and have to sleep in the cold school shed for eight years. But at the same time, you are very lucky because you finally met a kind little trainer who doesn't mind your cowardice or your weakness. He likes you and is willing to be friends with you."

"But you may not know the huge price he paid for this choice. Your trainer's dream is to challenge the eight major gyms of the Eastern Alliance. A starting Pokémon that is afraid of battle can be devastating to this dream."

"Wait! Teacher!"

Qin Zhen's eyes widened. He never expected that this old man would use such a despicable tactic to attack his opponent's mind.

"That's what I warned him yesterday, but he still wanted to believe in you! He believed you were the spirit who could carry his dreams!"

No, we can't let this old man continue talking.

Although the game illustrations before rebirth described Milton as "far more powerful and ruthless than the Motorcycle Lizard", Qin Zhen knew only too well how easy it was to fool his own useless lizard - just a week of feeding could make it completely loyal!
Just as Qin Zhen was about to pounce and force Teacher Chen to shut up, a "rustling" sound came from behind. Qin Zhen's steps suddenly froze. He slowly turned his head to look to his side, and saw Millerton passing by him with his head held high.

At the moment they passed each other, Qin Zhen noticed Milton's eyes. In the depths of those green and yellow pupils, there was clearly purple lightning jumping.

Qin Zhen was completely stunned. He opened his mouth and felt his heart pounding.

——Could it be that…

Seeing Milton finally stand in front of Qin Zhen and prepare for battle, Teacher Chen nodded slightly and applauded. "Excellent! That's it! Prove it to him! Prove that you have the courage to fight for your trainer!"

At this time, the students who were waiting for registration nearby gradually gathered together. They heard the conversation between Qin Zhen and Teacher Chen, and formed a huge circle with the teacher and student as the center. Many people recognized Qin Zhen and Millerton, and couldn't help whispering to each other.

"Bai Zhi." Teacher Chen turned his head and looked beside Qin Zhen.

"Teacher Chen, I'm here." The girl with the bob haircut stood out stiffly.

"I remember your mother was the referee for the Tanzhou Gym Challenge? It seems you're planning to major in physical education in college? Is your future dream to be a referee for a large international Pokémon tournament?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Could you please act as the referee for this impromptu challenge?"

"No, no problem!"

The girl nodded, took a deep breath, and walked to the center of the big circle. Her eyes swept across Teacher Chen and Qin Zhen's faces from left to right, and finally she raised her right hand high.

"Teacher Chen Zhen, the head teacher of Class 7, Grade 7, Tanzhou No. 1 Middle School, challenges Qin Zhen, a student from Class 1, Grade , Tanzhou No. Middle School. The rules of the battle are v. Trainers, please prepare!"

"What an impressive opening." Teacher Chen nodded slightly, then looked at the puppy at his feet. "Catti, prepare for battle."

The moment it received the order, Growlithe's expression changed. The docile puppy disappeared, and the stern predator slowly walked into the arena. Growlithe came to the front of Milton, lowered its body, and did not make any sound throughout the whole process.

At this moment, a cold feeling of oppression spread from Growlithe's body. The dangerous aura that came towards him was like a sword being unsheathed, and the sharp light from the blade made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

Many students standing behind Qin Zhen couldn't help but raise their hands to cover their faces, but Millerton remained motionless. He raised his head and looked down at Growlithe. His whole body was as if made of iron, and the purple lightning in his eyes became stronger and stronger.

Then eyes began to converge, everyone was looking at Milton, people were expecting to see the revival of an elf that had been silent for several years, but Qin Zhen's eyes twitched, he had seen through the fact that Milton was strong on the outside but weak on the inside - the moment Growlithe entered the scene, the cowardly lizard secretly tucked its tail away.

"Guaoaoao——"

Such a sharp howl sounded!

Milton suddenly took off into the air, and its jet-like hind legs spewed out blue flames, providing it with infinite power. Under the shocked and even horrified gaze of everyone, Milton in mid-air twisted his body and flew across the sky with the agile posture of a flying dragon. Finally... his head... dived behind Qin Zhen, landed on the ground, and coiled into a round discus.

"..."

Qin Zhen covered his face without any surprise.

The whole audience was silent for three seconds, followed by an uproar. Not only the students, but also the many Starter Pokémons and the Growlithe on the field were stunned. No matter what kind of Pokémon, they have the blood of warriors flowing in their bodies. Fleeing without a fight, especially in front of their own trainers, is an unacceptable shame for the Pokémon.

Looking at Milton hiding behind Qin Zhen, Teacher Chen's brows were completely locked. He was silent for a while and issued the first and possibly the last order in this elf duel.

"Catti, bypass Qin Zhen and use Charged Flame on that Motorlizard..."

"Wait a moment!"

Qin Zhen suddenly stepped forward, protected Milton behind him, covered his face with one hand and raised the other.

"Teacher, I admit this game..."

With a crisp "pa" sound, a dark green shadow broke through the air and hit the ground in front of Growlithe, splashing a cloud of dust. The puppy jumped back in shock, blocking Qin Zhen's half-finished declaration of surrender.

The next second, exclamations were heard everywhere, and an emerald green shadow passed over the crowd and landed right in front of Qin Zhen.

A sweet and sharp low hum echoed in Qin Zhen's mind, still with that little queen-like tone, so proud that people wanted to bow down to her on the spot.

"What's the point of bullying a loser? Come on! Fight me!"

(End of this chapter)