A Runtan plushie had a cute expression, but to the students of Class 5, it looked like a devil.
This Runtan plushie had already defeated four opponents, giving them a full taste of Xia Huna’s terrifying prowess. In this fifth battle, everyone hoped to defeat this opponent.
"Go, Farfetch'd, run and approach Runtan for a surprise attack!"
The Farfetch'd quickly approached Runtan, and without an order from Xia Huna, Runtan took a surprise attack head-on.
Xia Huna looked at the stamina bar provided by the system; it hadn't decreased much and could still take it.
"You've chosen a good Farfetch'd; its attack power is quite impressive."
"Thank you, Assistant Instructor, for the compliment. Farfetch'd, use Slash."
The Farfetch'd swiftly swung its arms and attacked Runtan with the blade on its forehead.
"You're still not done after I let you have one move. Runtan, use Flamethrower!"
Runtan opened its mouth, and in the next moment, scorching flames spewed from its mouth, directly hitting the Farfetch'd. The Farfetch'd was pushed back two steps by the flames before regaining its footing.
Although the Farfetch'd was not seriously injured, everyone present was stunned. What was with this Flamethrower?
Four matches had already been played, and Runtan's four moves were clearly Present, Sleep, Throw, and Knock Off. Why was there Flamethrower?
The young man opposite Xia Huna was baffled. Based on the knowledge learned from books, a Pokémon could only possess four moves with different energy types. Did Assistant Instructor Xia successfully train a Pokémon to have five moves?
While the young man was in a daze, Xia Huna and Runtan continued their offensive: "Runtan, use Stomp."
The crowd was becoming more and more confused by this battle. Runtan had already used six moves, which violated the basic Pokémon knowledge they had learned!
Xia Huna looked at the Farfetch'd, which had been hit twice in a row: "Surprised, aren't you? Thinking it's absurd? There's more absurd stuff to come. Finish it off with Focus Blast!"
Runtan pursued and landed a punch on the Farfetch'd's face. The Farfetch'd fell to the ground.
With the Farfetch'd's fall, the score was fixed at five to zero, but no one cared about the score anymore. Everyone was more concerned about Xia Huna's strange Runtan.
In the spectator stands, a young man said to his girlfriend, "Lily, give me a break."
Along with the slap, the young man covered his face, "Holy crap, this is real, a Pokémon with seven moves!"
Xia Huna cleared his throat and shouted loudly, "Everyone, quiet down, quiet down."
The noise in the arena gradually subsided, and Xia Huna then said, "I'll explain why Runtan has seven moves."
As he spoke, Xia Huna took another Poké Ball from his chest pocket: "Come out, Runtan."
As another Runtan emerged from the Poké Ball, everyone finally understood. What was so amazing about a Runtan with seven moves? What was there to be surprised about if two Pokémon had seven moves?
Xia Huna placed his hands on the heads of the two Runtan plushies: "Class 5 students, this five-round match was my plan from the beginning. I exploited your unfamiliarity with my tactics. The first Runtan could easily win the first two rounds."
The first Runtan nodded its head, likely pleased with Xia Huna's praise.
"The third and fourth rounds also went as I expected. However, no matter what counter-measures you took, after four rounds, you would have the impression that my Runtan knew Present, Sleep, Throw, and Knock Off, and I would have a Toxic Orb left.
I said before the last round, I had checked your data, and you don't have any Poison or Steel-type Pokémon. To deal with my remaining Toxic Orb, you would definitely borrow a Poison or Steel-type Pokémon. Therefore, my second Runtan's moves are Flamethrower, Stomp, Focus Blast, and a Psychic that is not very useful in the final round. In fact, I discussed it with the teacher at the breeding center. As long as you asked, that teacher would have told you that I borrowed all the Runtan plushies."
Feng Bing suddenly thought of a question: "No, didn't you say you were only using one Pokémon?"
Xia Huna looked at the student filming the live broadcast: "Student, please rewind the broadcast and see what I actually said back then."
The two students filming replayed the broadcast. After watching it, everyone fell silent.
"You see, I said I was using Pokémon borrowed from the breeding center. I never said how many I borrowed, you just assumed I only borrowed one. The fact is, language is also part of the strategy. I said I'm most familiar with this Pokémon right now. Do you believe me if I say it again?"
After Xia Huna's explanation, everyone was speechless. Was this Assistant Instructor Xia's elaborate plan, scheming against the entire Class 5 from the very beginning?
Just as Xia Huna finished his explanation, the dismissal bell rang. Xia Huna clapped his hands and said, "Alright, alright, class is dismissed. Everyone can go home."
The student who battled Xia Huna in the last round came up to him: "Assistant Instructor Xia, is there a counter to this strategy?"
"Every plan has a counter-plan. You can try to break it."
...
Xia Huna's first battle class ended. In the school team's training room, Zheng Xiaoxiao also got up to leave: "You guys continue training, I have something to do."
After Zheng Xiaoxiao left, everyone gathered around, and the captain asked, "How was it? Do you guys have a way to deal with Assistant Instructor Xia's strategy?"
"We should, right? Assistant Instructor Xia said it himself, every plan has a counter-plan."
"Why don't we invite Assistant Instructor Xia for dinner tonight? I think this assistant instructor, who is younger than us, is very impressive."
After these words were spoken, everyone else remembered: Xia Huna was only sixteen years old, but after just one five-round match, they were already accustomed to calling him Assistant Instructor Xia.
...
After leaving the battle arena, Xia Huna walked along the campus path back to his small room. Along the way, he encountered many students. These students smiled slightly when they saw Xia Huna, and some even greeted him.
Xia Huna felt that this kind of reception meant that a considerable number of students had come to recognize him as an assistant instructor. Xia Huna returned to his small room with a triumphant air, opened his computer, and wanted to check his online image.
After reading a few posts, Xia Huna breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that a good portion of people liked his strategy. Although some people didn't accept it, Xia Huna could understand. After all, there were a thousand Hamlets for a thousand people, and the thousand and first person might be thinking of how to turn Hamlet into Harry Potter.
After reading a few more posts, Xia Huna, feeling bored, decided that playing games was more suitable for him.
As soon as he entered the game, Xia Huna's phone rang. Seeing a number starting with zero on his phone, Xia Huna thought for a moment and then hung up.
Not long after, the number called again. Xia Huna hung up again. This process repeated three times until the phone rang for the sixth time. Xia Huna, frustrated, pressed the answer button and blurted out, "Hello, this is not a Pokémon education service, we do not offer Pokémon training services, we have already purchased stocks in the Minglong National Pokémon League and have no intention of cremating ourselves in the short term..."
"Little Xiazi, what are you talking about?"
Hearing this voice, Xia Huna realized it was Zheng Xiaoxiao calling: "Oh, it's Sister Xiaoxiao. I thought it was some telemarketing call, so persistent."
Hearing Xia Huna's words, Zheng Xiaoxiao was amused: "Are the telemarketing calls you receive that bizarre?"
"Yes, the first two came at the beginning of the second year of high school, saying that for just over ten thousand yuan, you could customize your favorite Pokémon and guarantee admission to your desired Pokémon university. The third was last month, where they said he was the financial manager of the Minglong National Pokémon League and was offering trainers an opportunity to buy league stocks with low investment and high returns."
"I just want to hear how the last one explained it."
Zheng Xiaoxiao was clearly more interested in the last one, and Xia Huna also felt speechless recalling it: "Ah, this call was three days ago. They said to celebrate the grand opening of their Psyduck Funeral Center, buy one get one free, with various flames to choose from. Whether you like Charizard or Cyndaquil, Houndoom or Magby, or even Moltres, they can use their scorching flames to provide you with top-tier service that takes you one step closer to the afterlife, as long as you desire it."
Hearing this call's content, Zheng Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh: "That's ridiculous, how do you even get these calls?"
"I don't know. By the way, Sister Xiaoxiao, did you call me for something?"
Zheng Xiaoxiao replied: "Yes, Li Qiufeng called me and said he wants to invite you to dinner tonight."
Xia Huna blinked: "Li Qiufeng? Who is Li Qiufeng?"
"He's the captain of our school team, a senior this year. He's easygoing and a pretty good person. Are you going? If not, I'll decline."
Xia Huna thought for a moment: "Don't, it's rare for someone to treat me. It would be rude not to go. But Sister Xiaoxiao, can you come and back me up?"
Zheng Xiaoxiao readily agreed: "Okay, Ruoruo and I will both be there. We'll meet at the school gate at seven o'clock, don't forget."
Before Xia Huna could even ask which gate, the call was hung up. Heaven forbid, Liuling University has six gates. Searching for them one by one would be exhausting.
Fortunately, Zheng Xiaoxiao sent a text message shortly after, specifying meeting at Gate 4. Xia Huna recalled the map; Gate 4 should be the northeastern one.
Time passed quickly, and it was soon seven o'clock in the evening as planned...