Pokémon: I just became a Gym Leader, and Cynthia proposed to me.

Chapter 754 Buried Under the Crimson Flames

As night falls, the athletes' village on Lily of the Valley quiets down.

Li Shuwen gave the Pokémon extra food at the makeshift training ground.

Evening training is extremely taxing, and each Pokémon that gets extra training needs to replenish a lot of energy.

He had prepared a row of nutritious meals by hand. The salamander on the left was gobbling them down, while the Kommo-o-Tai was chewing slowly on the right. The bear-wearing creature squatted in the middle, clutching a jar of honey and refusing to let go.

Azure Flame Blade Demon stood not far away, his twin swords planted in the soil in front of him, quietly watching everything.

Azure Flame Blade Demon has been a member of the team for some time now. He has gone from being taciturn at first to now being able to eat, train, and rest under the moonlight with everyone while smiling.

Azure Flame Blade Demon felt something he hadn't felt in a long time—the warmth from his team.

Azure Flame Blade Demon stood up, as if he had made up his mind, and walked up to Li Shuwen.

The blades were crossed, and the head was slightly bowed—that was how the Azure Flame Blade Demon expressed its request.

Li Shuwen looked at him. "Azure Flame Blade Demon, do you want to play tomorrow?"

Azure Flame Blade Demon nodded.

His eyes gleamed with a dark purple light in the moonlight, a mixture of fighting spirit and gratitude.

After joining the team, Azure Flame Blade Demon felt the warmth and spirit here.

In particular, Li Shuwen's deep care and love for Pokémon inspired Azure Blade Ghost to want to do its part for him.

Li Shuwen smiled and said, "Okay."

Cynthia sat on a bench nearby, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold.

Seeing this, Cynthia's lips curled up slightly.

"Tomorrow your opponent is Robin, and he's not easy to deal with."

Cynthia paused, "Although, back in the Master Ranked Tournament, I defeated four of his Pokémon with just one Garchomp."

"But since then, he has devoted himself to cultivation and has made progress every year. He has mastered multiple attributes and is considered a formidable opponent."

Li Shuwen nodded, "I believe in Azure Flame Blade Ghost; his performance will not disappoint me."

Azure Flame Blade Demon's two blades blazed with eerie blue flames, expressing his fighting spirit and desire for victory.

Cynthia looked at him, a smile in her eyes. "As expected of the person I like, he's so handsome!"

Li Shuwen pulled Cynthia into his arms. "I'll try my best to achieve the same good results as you tomorrow."

Cynthia pressed her face against Li Shuwen's chest and teased, "Then I reckon Robin will never forget the battle with the two of us."

The next day, the arena was bustling with noise.

This is Li Shuwen's battle, and his opponent is the savage Rubin.

Lu Bin spent years venturing into desolate, uninhabited areas, rigorously training the artillerymen to hone their physical and mental strength.

It often became dilapidated, making people think of Robin as a savage.

Robin, on the contrary, took the title of "savage" as an affirmation of his arduous self-cultivation.

Lu Bin stood on one side of the field, his skin was dark, his body was lean, and he exuded the composure that only someone who had spent years cultivating in the deep mountains could possess.

His eyes were calm as water, his breathing even, and he stood there like a tree rooted to the earth.

Greninja makes its appearance, with a slender body and sharp eyes.

His tongue was curled around his neck like a deep red scarf, and the muscles in his limbs were smooth and powerful.

Greninja's stance is slightly forward, ready to unleash astonishing speed at any moment.

Carl remarked from the stands, "Robin gets stronger every year. The Greninja he just caught last year is now being used to perfection."

Denji nodded. "His training method is very special. He doesn't pursue quantity, but only mastery. He will not stop until he has mastered the skills of every Pokémon."

Li Shuwen also released the Azure Flame Blade Ghost, which emitted a sharp and mysterious aura.

Melissa opened her fan, her gaze falling on Li Shuwen. "I'm more interested in that Azure Flame Blade Demon. The combination of ghost and fire, that spirituality... it's rare."

"Greninja, Flying Water Shuriken." Robin's voice was calm and even, without any extra fluctuations.

Greninja crossed its hands in front of it, and four rapidly spinning Sailor Shūki materialized out of thin air, precisely blocking the four directions of the Azure Flame Blade Demon.

Left, right, top, middle.

The trajectory of each shuriken is precisely calculated, so no matter which direction the Azure Flame Blade Demon dodges, one will collide head-on with it.

"A spiritual blade." Li Shuwen's voice was equally calm.

Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords glowed with purple light. With a swing of the blades, four flying shuriken were shattered in mid-air, splashing water everywhere.

"Break the tile!"

The Azure Flame Blade Demon burst forth from the water curtain and sped toward the Greninja, its blade gleaming with a white light capable of splitting tiles.

Greninja did not retreat.

Robin waved his hand, "Water Flows to the Tail!"

Greninja's long tongue suddenly lashed out like a deep red whip, carrying the blue light of its Water Tail, and collided head-on with Brick Breaker.

boom!

Water splashed, and both figures took a half step back at the same time.

"Shadow clone." Robin's voice remained calm.

The form of the Greninja frog suddenly split into one, two, four, and eight.

The area was covered with countless Greninja frogs, each one moving at high speed, making it difficult to distinguish the real ones from the fakes.

"Shadow Strike." Robin's second command came almost seamlessly in.

Black shadow blades simultaneously materialized in the hands of the eight Greninja frogs, silently stabbing at the Azure Flame Blade Demon from eight different angles.

Da Ye's eyes narrowed. "Shadow clone followed by a shadow sneak attack, seamlessly connected. Robin's training regimen is truly impressive."

Denji nodded. "Moreover, the movements of each clone are completely synchronized. This level of control cannot be achieved without ten years of hard work."

Azure Flame Blade Demon turned around; his movements were swift and incredibly precise.

He blocked the shadowy short blade that came from behind with his right sword, and thrust out with his left sword from his side, hitting the Greninja's main body.

A black sword light exploded, and Greninja was pierced, its body stiffening as it was sent flying into the air.

"Sunlight Blade," Li Shuwen's voice rang out.

Azure Flame Blade Demon crossed his twin swords, and brilliant sunlight condensed on the blades.

The blade turned white, and the light grew brighter and stronger.

Until it turned golden, the Azure Flame Blade Demon's figure suddenly disappeared.

After landing, Greninja attempted to dodge, its body already making a backward movement at extremely high speed.

But the Azure Flame Blade Demon's blade is like a leech, impossible to avoid.

The golden sword light slashed down, and Greninja was hit head-on, flying backward and crashing to the ground, sliding several meters.

He struggled to get up, but the power of the Sunblade was too great, and his body had exceeded its limits.

Greninja's vision went black, and its body slumped into a limp relaxation.

Robin recalled the Greninja and remained silent for a moment.

Then he raised his head, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "Scorpion King, enter the arena."

Scorpion King emerged from the white light, spread its wings, and danced nimbly in the air.

Its tail was held high, its pincers gleamed metallically in the sunlight, and its eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"Wave of Evil," Robin commanded.

Scorpion King opened its mouth, and a purple-black light wave burst forth, drawing a strange arc in the air as it blasted towards Azure Flame Blade Ghost.

"The Sword of Regret." Li Shuwen's voice rang out.

Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords ignited with a ghostly blue flame.

The flames were cold yet intense, eerie yet beautiful.

Twin Swords Strike!

The dark blue flames transformed into two sword beams, shattering the evil energy and shooting straight into the sky.

The figure of the Scorpion King danced in the air.

His body moved with the agility of an acrobat, flipping, turning sideways, and diving.

Two flames from the Sword of Regret grazed past his wings.

The Scorpion King's tail gathered earth-yellow energy, then suddenly lashed out, the force of its stomp concentrated at the tip, slamming fiercely towards the Azure Flame Blade Demon.

"The Sword of Regret"

Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords ignited with a ghostly blue flame once more, meeting the lashing tail head-on.

Flames collided with the heavy stomp, exploding into a sky full of sparks.

Scorpion King was engulfed in flames, fell from the sky, crashed heavily to the ground, and slid several meters.

Robin clenched his fist. "Scorpion King, stand up."

Scorpion King rose from the ground, his body charred black and trembling, but his eyes shone even brighter than before, encouraged by Robin's words.

He roared to the sky, his willpower breaking through the limits of his body, and his aura rose at a visible speed.

The breakthrough is here.

Karl's eyes widened. "The Scorpion King... broke through?"

Denji took a deep breath. "Pushing your limits in battle—that's the bond between Robin and his Pokémon, making them willing to fight to the death for him."

Carl nodded in agreement. "The Midas Touch, truly lives up to his name!"

"Crab claw hammer," Robin said calmly.

The Scorpion King's pincers glowed with a light blue light, and the power of the Crab Claw Hammer gathered at the tip of its pincers as it charged towards the Azure Flame Blade Demon.

As always, Li Shuwen shouted, "The Sword of Regret!"

Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords ignited with a ghostly blue flame once more, while Regret Sword met the attack head-on.

boom--!!!

The sword blade clashed with the pliers, exploding into a cloud of water mist.

Amidst the mist, the Scorpion King was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground and sliding several meters further.

He lay on the ground, convulsing, unable to get up.

Rubin recalled his Gliscor and looked at the slightly warm Poké Ball in his hand.

His lips curled up slightly, a hint of pride in them.

"Scorpio King, you've done a great job."

He raised his head, his gaze still calm. "Scizor, the final match."

The scyther emerged from the white light, its red metallic armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The pincers were slightly open, their blades as sharp as knives.

The scyther stands low with a stable center of gravity, ready to unleash astonishing speed at any moment.

"Bullet Fist." For the first time, Robin's voice carried a hint of force.

The scyther disappeared from the spot.

That's not invisibility; it's speed so fast that it's impossible for the naked eye to detect it.

Appearing before Azure Flame Blade Demon, his right fist struck Azure Flame Blade Demon's crossed swords like a cannonball.

boom!

The Azure Flame Blade Demon was blasted backward, rolling twice on the ground before finally regaining its footing.

"So fast," Piao Tai couldn't help but exclaim.

Karl nodded. "The Scizor's Bullet Punch is 30% faster than last time we met. Robin's special training has been remarkably effective."

Azure Flame Blade Demon rose from the ground, its twin swords once again igniting with a ghostly blue flame.

The Regret Sword was unleashed, its dark blue light aimed directly at the Mantis.

The scyther couldn't dodge in time and crossed its pincers to block.

boom!

The scyther was blasted back several steps, and two charred marks appeared on its metal armor.

"Bullet Fist, continuous attacks," Robin's voice was steady.

The Scizor charged out again, its Bullet Punch transforming into countless afterimages, pouring down like a torrential rain.

Azure Flame Blade Demon's twin swords also transformed into afterimages, cleaving through the tiles to meet the attack head-on.

boom!boom!boom!boom!

The dense collisions sounded like drums, each strike exploding into a burst of sparks.

Robin's voice rose. "Scizor, break through it!"

Scizor's speed increased again, and its Bullet Punch became incredibly fast.

His right fist pierced through the sword curtain of the Azure Flame Blade Demon, and a black light that could strike vital points condensed on the tip of his fist, slamming hard into the Azure Flame Blade Demon's chest.

boom!

The Azure Flame Blade Demon flew backward, crashed to the ground, and slid several meters.

Struggling to his feet, the twin swords ignited with a ghostly blue flame once more. The Regret Sword slashed out, its ghostly blue light striking the Scizor.

boom!

The scyther was also sent flying backward and crashed to the ground.

Both Pokémon got up at the same time.

The Azure Flame Blade Demon stood there, its body covered in wounds, the eerie blue flames flickering on its blade.

The scyther stood there, its metal armor covered in scorch marks, panting heavily.

Azure Flame Blade Demon took a step forward.

Then his body went limp and he fell forward, the sword blade stuck in the ground, unable to support his body.

The scyther slowly straightened up, without falling.

Melissa gently closed her fan. "That Azure Flame Blade Demon... he fought three of them all by himself: Greninja, Gliscor, and Scizor, each one a powerful beast carefully trained by Robin."

"We fought the Azure Flame Blade Demon to the very end." Melissa paused. "That spirituality, that indomitable will, was truly captivating."

Lu Bin stared at the fallen Azure Flame Blade Demon and remained silent for a moment.

Then he looked at Li Shuwen. "Your Azure Flame Blade Demon is very strong."

Li Shuwen nodded, "The same goes for you."

Then throw the Poké Ball.

The Blaziken emerges from a white light, flames leaping from its ankles in the sunlight.

To show respect, Li Shuwen used "Flash Charge".

Blaziken's body burst into deep red flames, transforming into a crimson shooting star as it charged towards Scizor.

The Scizor raised its pincers, air blades condensing on their edges in an attempt to block.

But the power of the Flame Charge was too great, and the air blade was shattered the moment it made contact.

The crimson meteor struck the Scizor, blasting it away.

The scythe crashed to the ground, slid several meters, and remained motionless.

Lubin recalled his Scizor, stared at the Poké Ball, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he looked up and smiled.

There was no frustration in that smile, only relief and satisfaction. "The new generation pushes the old one aside, but the old one won't just stop there; it will keep going."

He looked at Li Shuwen, "Your Azure Blade Demon allowed my Pokémon to break through its limits. Is this the power of Midas Touch...?"

"Truly amazing, no wonder everyone wants to play against you."

He extended his hand. "Thank you, Li Shuwen."

Li Shuwen grasped his hand. "It's all the power you and your Pokémon gained through training together."

The results of the fourth round of draws came out, and Li Shuwen's opponent was Donggua, Piaotai's father.

Piao Tai walked out from the crowd with a complex expression on his face.

He stood in front of Li Shuwen, hesitant to speak, and finally took a deep breath.

"Mr. Shuwen, I hope you can give my father a good talking-to." His voice was somewhat stiff. "Make him realize the mistake of running away from home."

Li Shuwen smiled and said, "You should do this yourself."

Piao Tai clenched his fist and said, "Yes, I should do it myself."

Donggua walked over.

He was tall and had a resolute face, bearing a seven-tenths resemblance to Piao Tai.

He stood in front of Li Shuwen, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Shuwen, thank you for your help to my foolish son, which has enabled him to grow up so quickly."

Li Shuwen waved his hand, "Just call me Shuwen."

Piao Tai turned her face away, refusing to look at her father.

What are you doing here?

Donggua's gaze fell on his son, his eyes filled with pride and unspoken love.

"Come over and thank Shuwen, and see the famous Midas Touch. Alright, I won't disturb your conversation, you young people."

Donggua turned to look at Li Shuwen, "Tomorrow, tomorrow's show."

He then turned and left, his steps steady.

After walking a few steps, Donggua stopped without looking back.

"Hyota."

Piao Tai's body stiffened for a moment.

"You did a great job. Young birds eventually have to leave their parents and fly on their own."

Donggua continued walking and disappeared at the end of the passage.

Piao Tai stood there, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

His eyes were a little red, but he held back his tears.

Li Shuwen patted him on the shoulder. "Your father, he loves you very much."

Piao Tai lowered his head, his voice muffled.

"I know."