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

Chapter 755 Deep Father-Son Bond

In the fourth round of the Masters Ranking Tournament, Li Shuwen faced Donggua.

Even before the match started, the audience was already buzzing with discussion.

Denji crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the old man preparing for the match. "Mr. Donggua's Steel-type Pokémon has amazing defense, and its moves are incredibly versatile."

"Especially his guardian dragon, which has amazing explosive power, it can even fight against the Four Heavenly Kings."

Da Ye, with a toothpick dangling from his mouth, rarely showed such a serious expression. "I fought him last year. The metal explosion from that guardian dragon almost knocked out my Infernape."

"Mr. Donggua's strength is enough to give any opponent a headache."

Melissa opened her fan, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Steel attributes and the will of steel... I wonder how our Midas touch will handle this?"

Donggua stood on one side of the field, tall and with a resolute face and a gaze as steady as a rock.

He threw out a Poké Ball, and Copper Mirror appeared from the white light.

The bronze mirror monster was different from the common ones; it was larger, with sharper edges, and the sound of the wind it generated when it spun was like the whistling of knives.

Melissa's eyes lit up. "This bronze mirror monster is very intelligent. Its defense and strength are no less than the bronze bell, and it is even more agile."

"Mr. Donggua's skill in breeding Steel-type Pokémon is truly masterful."

Li Shuwen raised his hand and threw out the Poké Ball.

The Abandoned Monkey emerged from the white light, arms crossed, calmly looking at the spinning bronze mirror monster opposite him.

"Bronze Mirror Monster, flash!" Donggua gave the first order.

The bronze mirror monster's body suddenly shone with a blinding white light, like a small sun exploding in the center of the arena.

The light was so intense that people in the audience couldn't help but squint.

The abandoned monkey closed its eyes.

He doesn't need to see it.

My ears twitched slightly, trying to catch the sound of the wind created by the spinning bronze mirror monster.

He lowered his body slightly, clenched his fists halfway, and waited for the right moment.

"Spinning top!" Donggua's voice was steady.

The Bronze Mirror Monster spun rapidly, like a sharp flying disc, slicing towards the Abandoned Monkey.

The speed was astonishing; the metal edges left afterimages in the air.

Gasps of surprise came from the audience; the power of that strike was enough to cut through steel plates.

The abandoned monkey still had its eyes closed.

The bronze mirror monster flew to within a meter of it.

Half a meter

Thirty centimeters!

The Abandoned Monkey suddenly swung out his right fist!

That fist had no light, no special effects, only the purest, most primal power.

boom!

The bronze mirror monster was punched and sent flying, tumbling seven or eight times in the air before crashing to the ground, bouncing up again, and falling once more.

It slid several meters, leaving a deep groove in the ground.

A gasp erupted from the audience.

"That punch..." Denji's eyes widened. "The Abandoned Monkey didn't use any force at all; it was just a casual flick of the wrist."

A toothpick fell from Da Ye's mouth. "Just a casual flick of the wrist sent the bronze mirror monster flying this far? Just how strong is that abandoned monkey?"

Melissa clapped softly. "Strength is secondary; timing is key. Close your eyes, rely solely on your hearing, and strike at the very last moment before the bronze mirror monster attacks..."

"This fighting instinct is terrifying."

The bronze mirror monster got up from the ground, trembling all over.

"The Bronze Mirror Monster possesses supernatural powers."

The bronze mirror monster raised its head, its eyes shining with a ghostly blue light.

An invisible spiritual force, like chains, wrapped around the body of the Abandoned Monkey, attempting to bind him.

The Abandoned Monkey's body suddenly glowed with a deep red light, which gathered from its entire body to its right fist.

The crimson light on the fist was so intense it was almost dripping blood.

With a gentle struggle, the chains of supernatural power snapped inch by inch.

Then he swung his fist, and a crimson beam of light shot out from his fist, slamming straight into the bronze mirror monster.

boom.

The bronze mirror monster was blasted away again, crashing into the wall below the audience seats and creating a large crater.

Embedded in the wall, cracks spread like a spider web.

The bronze mirror monster fell off the wall and landed on the ground, where it stood up unsteadily.

The body began to glow, not the glow of skills, but the glow of evolution.

"It's evolved! The Bronze Mirror Monster evolved during the battle!" Karl's exclamation echoed throughout the arena.

"The Midas Touch! It's the Midas Touch!"

The light faded, and the bronze bell remained suspended in mid-air.

Its entire body was made of metal with a bronze luster, and the runes on the edges shimmered in the sunlight.

His demeanor was completely different from before; the sense of oppression was almost tangible.

"Bronze bell, spinning top!" Donggua's voice was tinged with excitement.

The bronze bell spun rapidly, transforming into a bronze-colored whirlwind that crushed towards the abandoned monkey.

It was several times faster than the Bronze Mirror Monster, and the wind it generated was like thunder. Wherever it passed, the ground was torn apart, and rubble was swept into it.

The abandoned monkey's eyes lit up, a gleam of predatory joy.

His body glowed with a deep red light once more, even more intense and violent than before.

Li Shuwen calmly gave the order, "Abandoned Monkey, Fist of Wrath!"

The light converged once more on his right fist, the red glow on the knuckles shining as brightly as a blood moon.

The bronze bell rushed in front of him, and the Abandoned Monkey threw a punch.

The crimson beam of light collided with the bronze whirlwind, exploding into a blinding burst of light.

The bronze bell was punched and sent flying, tumbling through the air more than a dozen times before crashing into the edge of the arena and smashing through half a wall before coming to a stop.

Embedded in rubble, its runes faded, it never rose again.

Donggua's eyes were filled with astonishment. "The power of the Forsaken Monkey... it can actually erupt to this extent in an instant?"

He took a deep breath, put the bronze bell away, and remained silent for a moment.

"Armored Bird, please."

The armored bird emerged from the white light, its silvery-white steel feathers gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Its eyes were sharp, and its wings were slightly spread, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

"Spread the water chestnuts," Donggua ordered.

With a flap of its wings, the armored bird scattered countless tiny diamond-shaped spikes onto the ground, covering half the field.

"Blow it away." Donggua's second command came almost seamlessly.

With a sudden flap of its wings, the Skarmory created a gust of wind that blew the Abandoned Monkey back into its Poké Ball.

Another Poké Ball opened, and Milton appeared from the white light.

Purple electricity leaped across its body, hovering in mid-air, looking down at the armored bird.

The Skarmory's previously smug expression froze the moment it saw Milton.

The wings froze in mid-air, and those sharp eyes stared wide open.

Donggua was also stunned.

He glanced at the caltrops on the ground, then at Millerton floating in the air, and his lips twitched.

"this……"

Spikes are effective against ground-based Pokémon, but completely ineffective against flying and hovering Pokémon.

His carefully planned tactics were thwarted by a more formidable opponent.

In the audience, Da Ye laughed so hard he almost fell over. "Trading out Milerton with Scattering Water? Mr. Donggua's tactic is really shooting himself in the foot."

Li Shuwen smiled slightly. "Millerton, Lightning Strike!"

Milton's body crackled with golden electricity.

It transformed into a golden lightning bolt and swooped down towards the armored bird.

"Armored Bird, charge straight into the pit!"

The armored bird attempted to counter with a straight-through drill, its beak glowing with an earth-like light as it charged towards the golden lightning bolt.

But Milton's power was too great; the lightning bolt was like a steamroller, and the drill was crushed the moment it made contact.

Golden lightning struck the armored bird, blasting it away.

The armored bird crashed to the ground, landing precisely in the area where it had scattered water chestnuts.

The spikes flew up and pierced his steel feathers, causing the armored bird to let out a scream and convulse.

His neck tilted to the side, and he fell into a coma.

A sigh rippled through the audience.

"The Skarmory got finished off by its own Spikes..."

"Mr. Donggua's tactic was both his strength and his weakness."

Donggua took a deep breath and retracted his armored bird.

He held the last Poké Ball in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white.

"The City Guardian Dragon, the final match."

The guardian dragon emerged from the light, its body resembling a mobile fortress, its armor gleaming with a heavy metallic sheen in the sunlight.

The head shield is like a huge shield with sharp, knife-like edges.

He looked up to the sky and roared, the sound shaking the ground.

Denji's eyes narrowed. "The City Guardian Dragon, Mr. Tougua's ace. Its defense is so strong that even my Electivire can't penetrate it."

Da Ye nodded. "His explosive power is also terrifying. Last year, that metal explosion almost sent my Infernape to its death."

"Freeze Ray!" Donggua ordered.

The guardian dragon opened its mouth, and a beam of icy blue light shot out, freezing the air wherever it passed.

Millerton flicked its tail, its body tracing an arc in the air.

The freezing rays swept past, shattering into countless ice crystals.

"Lightning beam." Li Shuwen's voice was calm.

Deep within Millerton's throat, blue-silver lightning coalesced wildly.

A dazzling beam of electricity descended rapidly from the sky, striking the city's guardian dragon squarely!

boom!

A burst of blue-silver lightning splattered, turning the ground around the city dragon charred black.

The dragon's body swayed, and several scorch marks appeared on its armor, but it still stood firmly.

He raised his head, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

"Cannon beam!" Donggua's voice was steady.

The city-protecting dragon opened its mouth, and a silvery-white metallic beam of light shot out.

Millerton dodged in mid-air, the cannon beam swept past and blasted into the air behind him, exploding into a ball of silvery-white light.

But the city-guarding dragon's cannon cannon fires more than once.

A series of light cannons exploded around Millerton, forcing him to descend continuously.

"Now's the time, defy the odds!" Donggua's voice suddenly rose.

The guardian dragon's eyes turned blood red, and its dragon energy surged wildly throughout its body.

He lowered his head, and his head shield, like a giant warhammer, charged toward Millerton.

Millerton didn't care and charged straight at the oncoming figure.

Lightning Strike!

Golden lightning and blood-red dragon energy collided in mid-air, exploding into a blinding burst of light.

The two Pokémon clashed, Milton's lightning bolts exploded on the Garuda, and Garuda's Outrage left deep claw marks on Milton's body.

They fought fiercely and were evenly matched.

Denji gasped. "The City Guardian Dragon's melee combat ability is actually able to fight Milton to this extent?"

Milton lashed the city dragon with his iron tail.

boom!

The city dragon was slapped and sent flying, crashing to the ground and sliding several meters.

He got up, covered in wounds, but his eyes were still bright.

"Metal explosion!" Donggua's voice was hoarse.

The guardian dragon's body glowed with a silvery-white light. It transformed all the damage it had taken in battle into power, unleashing it all at once!

It coalesced into a dazzling ball of light, aimed at Millerton, and shot out a silvery-white beam of light.

"Lightning beam." Li Shuwen's voice remained calm.

Millerton opened his mouth, and blue-silver lightning collided with a silver-white beam of light in mid-air.

boom--!!!

The collision of the two energies exploded into a mushroom cloud of light, and the shockwave ripped up layers of the ground in the center of the arena.

When the light faded, the guardian dragon stood at the edge of the pit, its body charred black and its armor shattered.

Milton hovered in mid-air, bearing several wounds, yet he continued to fly defiantly, proclaiming his power.

Piao Tai stood in the stands, cupping his hands to his mouth, his voice hoarse. "Father—! Go—! Guardian Dragon—!"

Donggua heard his son's voice, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Looking at the heavily wounded city-guarding dragon, "City-guarding dragon, Ironhead!"

The guardian dragon lowered its head, and its shield gleamed with a metallic light.

With heavy steps, they rushed toward Millerton.

Each step made the ground tremble, and each step left a deep footprint.

"Lightning Strike." Li Shuwen's voice was as calm as still water.

Milton's body lit up with golden lightning once more, transforming into a golden bolt of lightning that crashed into the charging figure.

boom--!!!

The entire arena trembled the moment the two figures collided.

Golden lightning and silvery-white metallic light clashed and tore at each other wildly.

As the light faded, the guardian dragon lay motionless at the bottom of the pit, its eyes closed and its armor shattered.

The entire audience erupted in thunderous applause.

It's not about winning or losing, but about that indomitable fighting spirit.

Piao Tai walked down from the audience and stood in front of Li Shuwen.

His face was slightly flushed, and his voice was low. "Mr. Shuwen, I asked you to help wake my father up, but I ended up cheering him on myself..."

He scratched his head. "Sorry."

Donggua walked over.

He stood in front of Piao Tai and remained silent for a moment.

Then he took out a small fossil of a sunflower seed from his pocket. It was well-preserved and had clear patterns.

He handed the fossil to Piao Tai.

"This is the first fossil you dug up when you were a child. You gave it to me." His voice was a little hoarse. "I've always carried it with me."

Piao Tai was stunned.

He looked at the fossil, at his father's rough fingers, at his hands covered in calluses.

"I left home not to escape," Donggua said in a low but clear voice. "It's so you can grow up independently."

"As long as I'm by your side, you'll always rely on me. Only when I'm not around can you truly stand up."

Piao Tai's eyes reddened. "Father..."

"I participated in the Masters Ranking Tournament this time because I wanted to see your progress firsthand." Donggua paused, "and I wanted to play a match against you."

Piao Tai's tears finally fell.

"Father, I won't let you down. I'll definitely win next time we face each other."

Donggua looked at his son, a slight smile playing on his lips.

That was a father's deepest love for his son. It didn't need words or hugs; just a look was enough.

Li Dazhuang stepped out from the crowd.

He looked travel-worn, clearly having rushed here.

He walked up to Li Shuwen and patted him on the shoulder. "They have a deep bond between father and son, and I won't let my son down. Although the Four Heavenly Kings have a lot of work, I still came to cheer you on."

Li Shuwen looked at him. "Is a newly appointed member of the Four Heavenly Kings this busy?"

Li Dazhuang sighed. "If I hadn't been helping Cynthia with her work so you could reunite with her sooner, I wouldn't be so busy, and I wouldn't be so late."

He raised an eyebrow smugly, "Your father has worked himself to the bone for your happiness."

Li Shuwen paused for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you, Dad."

Li Dazhuang patted him on the shoulder, his eyes full of satisfaction. "Shuwen, I've seen your growth. To be honest, I haven't been able to offer much help in your development."

"I'm a bad father," he said, his voice low. "I'm sorry."

Li Shuwen looked at his father, paused for a moment, and then said, "Dad, you've done a great job. My sister, Mom, and I are all very happy that you've been able to pull yourself together."

Li Dazhuang's eyes reddened, and he patted his son's shoulder hard without saying another word.

The father and son stood side by side, watching the sunset slowly descend.

The distant sea shimmered like shattered gold.

Li Dazhuang suddenly laughed. "If your mother saw you like this, she'd be overjoyed."

Li Shuwen stared at the sea, muttering to himself.

Perhaps... there will be a chance.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the arena, on the father and son, and on everyone who strives for their dreams.