Young Xia Hu Nao had never been very clear about his definition of truth, so even though Yu Ling Long understood him well, she couldn't be sure she could guess his thoughts at this moment.
"You mean, even on the last day, you want to stir up some trouble?"
Xia Hu Nao thought for a moment, then nodded noncommittally, "Hmm, I do have such thoughts. But that's for later tonight. The most important thing is what's in front of us, right?"
With that, Xia Hu Nao walked up to the group chatting around the campfire, "Everyone, we're returning to Ling Yao Star tomorrow. How have you been in the secret realm these past few days?"
No one answered his question. Xia Hu Nao spread his hands, "Alright, do as you please. Just don't play too late, it'll be troublesome if you can't wake up tomorrow morning. Also, Cai Rou, I'll trouble you to keep watch tonight."
Saying that, Xia Hu Nao rummaged through his backpack on the ground and pulled out a bottle of wine, "I'm heading back. You all make yourselves at home, make yourselves at home."
Xia Hu Nao's retreating figure was indeed dashing and free-spirited, while the team members watching him couldn't help but overthink.
"Boss Xia just said to have the captain keep watch, meaning there probably won't be any attacks tonight," someone asked.
"I think that makes sense. After all, Boss Xia was the one keeping watch outside for the past few days and using night raids to scare us. This time, that shouldn't happen again."
"What if it's the opposite? Boss Xia deliberately made us think there wouldn't be anything, but actually caught us off guard?"
"Hmm, that's a possibility, but didn't you see? Boss Xia even took out a bottle of wine. He wasn't drinking on the previous days."
"That's true. If a trainer drinks, it can significantly affect their judgment. It looks like tonight should be quite peaceful."
As they were talking, Ruan Tian noticed a blind spot, "By the way, Boss Xia, how much can he drink? Will he get drunk and act crazy?"
This question was very important. If Xia Hu Nao couldn't hold his liquor, then the Xia Hu Nao who could only drink one cup would definitely not cause any trouble tonight. They were just worried that if Xia Hu Nao couldn't drink much but got very drunk, then went wild and acted erratically, it would be difficult for everyone. Although, it would also be a difficult situation for them if Boss Xia could drink endlessly and still cause trouble at night…
Everyone's gaze turned to Cai Rou and Yu Ling Long. Cai Rou recalled for a moment and then said, "Well, Coach Xia doesn't seem to have a high tolerance for alcohol. At the party after the college student Pokémon competition, I only saw him drink one glass of wine and then he didn't drink much more."
Yu Ling Long agreed with this assessment, "Indeed, in my memory, this kid doesn't really like to drink. But don't worry, his behavior when drunk is still very good. If he feels unwell after drinking, he'll find a way to fall asleep on his own without causing trouble for anyone."
Everyone was relieved and continued their gathering. Meanwhile, in Xia Hu Nao's tent, Xia Hu Nao uncorked the bottle and drank the entire thing in one go.
He let out a burp and casually tossed the empty bottle onto the ground, then sat by his sleeping bag, leisurely browsing his phone, showing no signs of being drunk.
While his phone was loading, Xia Hu Nao glanced outside, "These guys really think I was drinking, don't they?"
Speaking of which, let's adjust the timeline slightly. This bottle of wine was prepared in advance by Xia Hu Nao to prevent anyone from drinking with him. He had collected berries to concoct it. Although it smelled exactly like wine, it contained no alcohol at all. Drinking it would not only not make him drunk but would actually refresh him.
After downing the entire bottle in one go, Xia Hu Nao felt overly refreshed and tossed and turned in his sleeping bag, unable to sleep. Time flew by, and it was already two in the morning. Still buzzing with his refreshing buff, Xia Hu Nao slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out of the tent. He saw Cai Rou sitting under a large tree, playing with Xiao Yi.
As Cai Rou saw Xia Hu Nao emerge, she was about to speak when Xia Hu Nao interrupted her with a shushing gesture, "Keep it down, don't wake them up."
Cai Rou picked up Xiao Yi, "Is Coach Xia okay being out so late? I heard you drank quite a bit earlier."
Xia Hu Nao, in return, pulled out a bottle from his backpack, "Want to try it? This seems to be, let me see, what kind of berry flavor is it?"
Cai Rou blinked, "Huh? Isn't that wine? Then I'll accept it. But speaking of which, Coach Xia, are you out for something?"
Xia Hu Nao handed the bottle to Cai Rou, then unhooked a Poké Ball from his belt and juggled it, "Of course, I am. Who would be up at this hour for no reason, catching a cold wind."
Looking at the Poké Ball in Xia Hu Nao's hand, Cai Rou immediately realized something, "Are you going to start a night raid? I'll immediately..."
"No, it has nothing to do with them. This is just a small personal matter of mine, but I can make a special exception for you to stay close and learn. Opportunities like this are rare."
The more Xia Hu Nao spoke, the more confused Cai Rou became. She only saw Xia Hu Nao throw the Poké Ball in his hand, then clap his hands together, "Gargle, Aqua Jet."
Gargle, who danced out of the red laser from the Poké Ball, casually flung an Aqua Jet towards the moon in the sky, while Gargle performed an impossibly acrobatic backflip and landed on the treetops.
The Aqua Jet that flew out vanished mysteriously mid-air, and then a pink ball emerged from where it had disappeared and shot towards Gargle on the treetop.
Gargle extended a hand and drew a Tai Chi circle in front of his eyes, barely blocking the pink ball, but was thrown off balance and fell from the tree.
Everything that had just happened took only a few seconds. Cai Rou only saw a blur before something landed in front of her.
"Gargle, are you okay? What's going on with Coach Xia?"
Xia Hu Nao squinted slightly, "Holding back, were you? I knew it. In that case, I won't hold back."
Saying that, Xia Hu Nao pulled out a shuriken from his pocket, "Gargle, evolve."
Gargle and Xia Hu Nao simultaneously formed hand seals, but the figure in the sky seemed unwilling to give him the chance. A incredibly fast Hydro Pump descended from the sky and struck beside Xia Hu Nao.
The range of this Hydro Pump attack was expertly controlled. The shockwave just enough to disrupt Xia Hu Nao's footing, causing his hand seals to falter. Fortunately, his connection with Gargle didn't rely on hand seals, allowing Gargle to complete his evolution.
Cai Rou had seen Gargle evolve before. Xia Hu Nao's recordings were plentiful at Mu Zhi Shui's place, and Cai Rou often learned from them to improve her battle abilities. However, based on her observations, Xia Hu Nao only activated his Bond Evolution form when facing an extremely formidable opponent. What had he encountered tonight?
Xia Hu Nao, having regrouped, commanded Gargle to engage with the mysterious Pokémon in the darkness. The clash of energy between the two Pokémon instantly unleashed powerful gusts of wind. The storm swept across the entire camp, making the tents rustle. The campfire in the center of the camp flickered in the strong wind, but thanks to Xiao Yi, who had evolved into a Flareon, protecting it, it didn't go out.
Because of this, Xia Hu Nao and Gargle could continue to contend with their opponent. Although Gargle had considerable night vision, it was still a strain.
As Xia Hu Nao clashed with his opponent, the team members in their tents also emerged, hastily throwing on some clothes. They couldn't help it; the wind was too strong to sleep, and the full power of a Level 100 legendary Pokémon, with its inherent aura, was enough to keep them awake.
"What, what the hell is going on? Didn't we agree there would be no night raid? Why is there suddenly such a huge commotion?"
"I'd like to know too, but it doesn't look like it's aimed at us."
"Stop kidding. If this is the case without targeting us, what would it be like if it were aimed at us? The sky would fall, the earth would collapse."
Yu Ling Long was the fastest to react. The moment Gargle blocked the pink sphere with his Tai Chi circle, she was already awake and quickly emerged from her tent. With her extensive experience, she quickly realized what was fighting Xia Hu Nao. However, upon realizing, she couldn't help but sigh, "Is it necessary to make such a grand display?"
Xia Hu Nao moved his feet continuously, not forgetting to communicate with Yu Ling Long, "No, this is a small affair. I've already tried my best to contain the scene, only inviting one Pokémon to fight me. If it were a grand occasion, I'd invite seven or eight, wouldn't I?"
Yu Ling Long: "..."
Xia Hu Nao continued to fight while observing his surroundings. Once he confirmed that everyone had emerged from their tents, he stopped and gripped the shuriken in his hand tightly, "Alright, Sister Meng, that's enough. My objective has been achieved. They've all woken up, and they've felt enough. If I push any harder, they might break."
In the sky, Mewtwo nodded casually, but its hands didn't relax. It conjured a rather powerful Z-move and was about to unleash it on Gargle.
Xia Hu Nao on the ground was, of course, prepared for this, "Okay, let's use this to conclude this mission. Everyone hold on, don't be scared stiff. Gargle, Torrential Flow Counter Rainbow!"
The colorful Aqua Jet collided with the supreme psychic destructive wave that was powerfully crushing down from the sky, emitting a piercing roar and dazzling light that shook everyone.