A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

The corridor was brightly lit, yet eerily quiet.

Zhang Heng took the private elevator down and walked out of the magnificent and solemn building of the East China Champions League headquarters.

A cool breeze brushed his face, slightly easing the tension in his heart.

He took a deep breath, preparing to summon Gengar and have it use Shadow Step to quickly return him to his home.

at this time--

A sudden, unexpected gust of wind, as cold as a Siberian cold front, swept in from the side! The wind pressure was so strong that Zhang Heng could hardly breathe!

Immediately afterwards, a huge black shadow tore through the air at an astonishing speed and appeared out of thin air not far from his side!

The tall, muscular figure reflected a cold, metallic sheen and a deep blue luster in the sunlight. It raised one arm, but the end of that arm was not a hand; instead, it was a metallic wing blade that gleamed with an icy light, like a peerless razor!

The blade tore through the air, emitting a sharp hum, and mercilessly slashed diagonally down at Zhang Heng's body!

It was so fast that it left only a blur on the retina!

Moreover, the timing, angle, and speed were all incredibly tricky, clearly indicating that it had been planned for a long time, just waiting for the moment when he walked out of the building and his mind relaxed slightly!

A close call!

"Bam—!!"

A blinding white light burst forth from a Poké Ball at Zhang Heng's waist just before the metal blade touched his skin! The light instantly expanded and condensed!

A massive, pink, muscular swamp monster has suddenly appeared!

It didn't even have time to get into a full fighting stance, relying solely on its fighting instincts and its unwavering will to protect its trainer.

The muscles in his thick right arm bulged instantly, and the arm, wrapped in water, became like the strongest shield, thrusting upwards with a sudden, powerful motion!

"clang--!!!"

The metal wing blades collided violently with the arm! A deafening clang, like metal striking metal, rang out!

"Om-!!"

The violent shockwave transformed into a visible white ring of air, which spread outwards from the point of impact!

The dust and fallen leaves on the ground were all blown away, and even the branches and leaves of the ornamental trees not far away were blown around and made a rustling sound!

Zhang Heng was pushed back a step by the blast wave. His heart rate increased, and his eyes snapped like lightning as he instantly locked onto the attacker.

It was a Pokémon whose main color was black, adorned with elegant dark blue patterns.

Its body is upright like a king, and its most striking feature is the three sharp horns extending from its beak, which resemble a majestic crown.

Its wings gleamed with a cold metallic luster, and the sharp hand strike just now was formed from these wing blades.

It landed steadily, its feet gripping the ground, its blue eyes calmly looking at Zhang Heng and the giant swamp monster blocking his way, its body exuding a heavy and sharp aura.

Emperor Nabo!

The final form of the starter Pokémon in the Sinnoh region, known as "Water Steel" for its excellent resistances and outstanding physical attack power.

At the same time, the system's information panel automatically unfolded in front of Zhang Heng:

Pokémon: Empoleon

【Attribute: Water/Steel】

Titanium crystal's property: Water.

【Trait: Competitive (Hidden Trait)】

[Qualification: Near Master Level]

[Level: 52 (Near-Heavenly King Level Combat Power)]

[Item Carried: Grade A Life Orb]

The combination of the "Competitive" trait and the "Life Orb" is clearly a configuration aimed at achieving the ultimate offensive capability.

But what Zhang Heng was more concerned about at the moment was that, despite possessing the rudimentary form of "overpower," he did not sense any substantial killing intent or violence from this Emperor Naboo.

That attack, though incredibly fierce, seemed... to have left room for maneuver? More like a "warning"?

This made him even more confused. Who was it? And why were they "warning" him in this way?

The answer was quickly revealed.

"Whoosh-!"

A whooshing sound came from afar. Behind Emperor Naboo, a figure was seen riding a simple, ancient-looking one-handed longsword that glowed faintly, flying through the air at incredible speed!

The figure was slender and agile, dressed in a classical-style moon-white outfit, the hem of which fluttered in the night wind.

Flying on a sword? A single sword sheath? Zhang Heng's gaze sharpened.

"Awesome! You can do that? That's a pretty cool Pokémon with a single sword sheath!!"

The figure flew close in the blink of an eye, and without hesitation, leaped into the air several meters above the ground!

Her figure nimbly flipped in the air, like a light swift. After a clean and neat front somersault, her feet landed steadily and silently.

The single sword sheath that carried her there rang out with a clear "clang" and flew automatically into her outstretched right hand.

With a flick of her wrist, she executed a beautiful sword flourish, the tip of the sword trembling slightly as it pointed directly at Zhang Heng!

The sword sheath was teeming with ghost and steel energy, exuding a chilling aura, clearly indicating that it was ready for battle.

Only then did Zhang Heng get a clear look at the person. She was a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a pretty face, but her brows carried an undisguised air of arrogance and sharpness. Her ponytail was tied high, adding to her dashing appearance.

But at this moment, her almond-shaped eyes, glaring at Zhang Heng, were filled with anger and... resentment?

Immediately afterwards, a sharp, angry shout rang out, confirming Zhang Heng's guess:

"You! You're Zhang Heng, the champion's son? You dare to steal my brother's title of 'Number One Seed in East China'?!"

The sound was crisp, yet full of gunpowder.

Zhang Heng: "Old Zhang, you've really put me in a terrible situation..."

A sudden realization dawned on me, followed by a wave of helpless frustration. So that's how it is!

My father mentioned that he wanted me to represent East China as the "first seed" in the competition. This news has probably been leaked through some channel, or it may simply be a rumor that my father intentionally spread.

As a result, it immediately drew the ire of the original "first seed" stakeholders, and in such a straightforward, martial arts-style manner, they "came to their door to demand an explanation."

Looking at the tense and angry girl in front of him, and the Emperor Naboo behind her, whose posture had subsided but whose demeanor remained calm and whose gaze was sharp, Zhang Heng felt a headache coming on.

The situation became tense for a moment. Swamp Monster let out a low growl, stood in front of Zhang Heng, and stared defiantly at Emperor Naboo.

Gengar also floated up from Zhang Heng's shoulder, its red pupils flashing with curiosity and vigilance.

A cool breeze blew by, stirring up a few fallen leaves, creating a subtle yet tense atmosphere.

Just as Zhang Heng was pondering how to avert this unexpected disaster—

"Xiao Ning! Emperor Nabo! Stop right now!!!"

A roar of shock, anger, and urgency from a young man suddenly erupted from the other end of the street, like a thunderclap, instantly breaking the stalemate.