Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!

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Afternoon.

The weather was still scorching, even hotter than earlier.

Instead of hiding in an air-conditioned room, Li Xiang went looking for that Litten capable of using Fake Out.

He had originally planned to wait until next month to learn it, intending to first build a better bond with his own Litten.

But unexpectedly, the relationship between him and his Pokémon improved rapidly, far faster than a month's time.

Considering that, he figured it was better to learn the move sooner rather than later. Who knew what other tasks might arise next month?

Li Xiang briefly recalled that night when he was suddenly informed he'd need to learn martial arts.

"Free activity zone... no idea if it's that Litten's turn right now," he muttered.

With Purugly and his own Litten in tow, he headed to the Pokémon recreation and relaxation area.

He glanced at the schedule posted in the hallway, his eyes locking onto the large open space not far ahead.

Due to the limitations of the conservation center's space and resources, it wasn't feasible to release all the Pokémon into the wild at once to let them fully enjoy the blue skies, white clouds, and green mountains.

Instead, they were let out in batches by type, to avoid conflicts caused by type disadvantages.

Pokémon deemed to have a level of danger were monitored even more strictly.

It sounded a bit like a prison, and in some cases, it sort of was.

That said, if a Pokémon really wanted to come out—or wanted to come out earlier—it was possible to negotiate with the caretakers.

Take the case of the Dodrio earlier that morning. It wanted to go for a run but got so excited that it accidentally behaved like it was trying to escape. This misunderstanding by three inexperienced caretakers ended up extending its "sentence."

Whether it could be adopted by someone now remained uncertain—one could say it brought the consequences upon itself.

Today, however, Li Xiang didn't have to deal with Su Yiliu, the occasionally sweet but more often not-so-sweet caretaker. While that meant freedom from her iron grip, it also meant losing the convenience of sneaking past certain rules under her help.

Things that Madam Yin wouldn't allow Li Xiang to do? Su Yiliu would usually handle them for him.

Purugly twitched its nose and gently pushed Li Xiang's leg with its paw.

"Meow~"

"You found it? It's nearby?" Li Xiang asked, a hint of delight on his face.

His Purugly had an incredibly sharp sense of smell. Once it remembered a particular scent, it could locate its source as long as it wasn't too far.

Purugly nodded lightly and dashed outside.

Li Xiang and Litten quickly followed.

Strangers barging into the Pokémon activity zone risked being attacked, but Li Xiang wasn't considered a stranger. He had interacted with at least hundreds, if not thousands, of Pokémon at the center.

Moreover, he was wearing a small-sized staff uniform.

The standard design and familiar colors helped put most Pokémon at ease.

These Pokémon didn't recognize faces as well as they did clothing.

After all, the conservation center's uniforms were highly distinctive, and Pokémon weren't great at remembering every human's face. Purugly's presence also provided reassurance.

As Madam Yin's strongest Pokémon in battle, Purugly had left an indelible impression on many of the conservation center's Pokémon.

Except for those with high danger levels, most of the troublemakers prone to random attacks had been beaten at least once by Purugly—sometimes with assistance from Meowstic and Flogres.

With Purugly around, Li Xiang was perfectly safe.

Not to mention the caretakers stationed all around, ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Madam Yin wouldn't let him roam freely in the center if it weren't safe.

The trio—two Pokémon and one human—quickly moved forward, encountering several caretakers patrolling along the way.

Li Xiang greeted them as he ran.

Most of them recognized him and waved back with a smile.

Even those who didn't recognize him knew Purugly.

After all, there were only so many supervisors at the center, and apart from the director, supervisors were the highest-ranking staff.

Anyone with aspirations to advance in their career made it a point to remember their boss's Pokémon.

.....

At an open area resembling a plaza, under a large boulder blocking part of the path, Li Xiang finally found that Litten.

The Pokémon was leaning half its body against the hot surface of the boulder, lazily yawning with half-closed eyes, looking like it hadn't slept well.

Instead of approaching immediately, Li Xiang observed from a distance for a moment. It didn't take long for him to identify the differences between his own Litten and this one.

First, his Litten was smaller. This was due to its young age—barely over a month old. That would change in time.

Second, its fur was shinier and smoother than the other Litten's, indicating better health.

Fur quality was a common way to assess a Pokémon's overall condition.

Lastly, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, Li Xiang felt that the devilish red markings on his Litten's forehead—patterns considered ominous in his previous life—were darker in color compared to the other Litten's.

Based on these three points, Li Xiang was confident he could tell them apart if they stood side by side.

Still, considering the slim chance of a mix-up, he figured it might be worthwhile to get something distinctive for his Litten—something to make it stand out.

Collars were out of the question.

Apart from utility items, other accessories weren't particularly practical for a battle-ready Pokémon.

After all, dealing with heat and flames was an everyday occurrence.

Setting the idea aside for now, Li Xiang pulled out the "bribe" he had prepared—or more accurately, a payment—and coaxed Purugly into making the first move.

"Meow."

Purugly shot Li Xiang a sideways glance, mewed softly, and strutted toward the other Litten with a swaying gait and a confident air.

Don't be fooled by how cartoonish Meowth's disdain for Purugly looked in the shows, portraying Purugly as universally unappealing among feline Pokémon.

In reality, one can't even begin to imagine just how popular Purugly is with its "peers." Calling it a heartthrob among cats wouldn't be an exaggeration in the slightest.

Li Xiang wasn't too concerned about this. Many Pokémon have aesthetic standards vastly different from humans.

To them, a strong and robust female might look as dazzling as a movie star enhanced with beauty filters does to us.

Although, there have been rare cases of Pokémon even marrying humans… (bombastic side eye)

Li Xiang and Litten waited patiently.

Under their watchful gaze, Purugly slowly started conversing with that Litten.

Whatever it said worked like a charm—the once lazy and indifferent feline instantly transformed into an enthusiastic admirer. It circled Purugly with soft "meows," sniffing at it eagerly.

From a human perspective, the behavior seemed downright creepy.

But Purugly was unfazed. With a practiced motion, it smacked the Litten down with its paw and gestured towards Li Xiang with a nod. The Litten responded with a cheerful "meow," which likely meant it agreed.

Li Xiang's heart leaped with excitement as he observed this exchange.

Out of all of Incineroar's moves, Fake Out was undoubtedly the most crucial.

First, it has priority over any other move. Second, it forces the opponent to flinch, effectively buying time.

For example, if weather or terrain effects are nearing their end, sending in Incineroar and using Fake Out to stall can be a game-changing strategy.

However, the move does have its drawbacks.

Fake Out has low base damage, is not a same-type attack bonus move for Incineroar, and its flinch effect only works within a specific time window.

Yes, the mechanics of Fake Out had been altered in this world.

It's no longer limited to the first turn because this world doesn't use a turn-based system, nor does it distinguish between in-combat and out-of-combat statuses.

Instead, its effect is triggered within a restricted time-frame.

Additionally, like the Intimidate ability, a Pokémon can only be forced to flinch once under certain conditions.

Otherwise, you'd end up with a hilarious situation where Fake Out becomes a one-use-only move for the Pokémon's entire life.

…...

When it comes to Pokémon learning moves from one another, Li Xiang knew better than to interfere.

He couldn't possibly understand what those two cats were communicating—each "meow" was as cryptic as the last.

By the end of their exchange, Li Xiang felt utterly sidelined. The three cats were enthusiastically chattering away, while he stood there, dumbfounded and utterly irrelevant.

Feeling like a forgotten piece of furniture, he silently backed off to give them space.

'Their joy is theirs, and I have nothing.'

"Sigh..."

He let out a long sigh and decided to look for other Pokémon to keep himself entertained. If he remembered correctly, a Steelix was scheduled for outdoor time during this period.

That's right.

Nearby, there was a monstrous Steelix, over 13 meters long and weighing a colossal 600 kilograms!

This beast was easily one of the most dangerous Pokémon in the entire facility, with an energy level of 61.

Translated into ranked league standards, that put it on par with Pokémon in the Advanced Ball tier.

In other words, the level of an elite Gym Leader.

For Li Xiang, who had only ever seen such creatures as fossil displays in museums—strung up with steel wires and pinned in place—this was an irresistible curiosity.

According to rumors, this Steelix had once been the ace Pokémon of a Qingcheng Association Trainer who had tragically died in the line of duty.

With no relatives to claim it, the association entrusted the Pokémon to the conservation facility for care.

Why wasn't it given to a new Trainer?

Li Xiang had wondered the same thing at first, but after some digging, he learned there were two reasons.

First, Steelix didn't technically belong to the association, so they had no authority to assign it to anyone. While the association appeared united to the public, it was internally divided.

Some staunchly opposed the "waste utilization" idea proposed by another group.

Second, Steelix itself refused.

It had been with its Trainer for over 40 years—40 years!

Considering the bond between Pokémon and their Trainers, 40 years of daily companionship, shared memories, and experiences...

The fact that Steelix hadn't succumbed to despair was already a blessing in itself.

Li Xiang doubted anyone could crack the fortress that had become its heart after all this time. Not that he intended to try—he just wanted to see it with his own eyes.

As he walked, he reached the sandy gravel area.

To ensure every Pokémon had a suitable environment, the facility had built various specialized habitats, both in the eco-park and outdoors.

The sandy gravel zone he was stepping into was one such area.

"Pfft."

A sound like a small puff of air drew his attention.

Turning his head, Li Xiang spotted a peculiar Pokémon with a massive head, pincers shaped like pliers, an orange, hard-shelled body, and a dazed expression poking out of the ground.

——It was a Trapinch, a Ground-type Pokémon.

From its appearance, the little creature actually seemed quite adorable.

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