Chapter 7

Koduck did not open its eyes.

It stood on the platform at the swimming pool site like a martial arts master with his eyes covered, calm and composed, responding to all changes with a steady demeanor.

When the Kingler raised its large pincers and struck fiercely, Koduck seemed to clearly sense the impending threat and, in a sleeping posture with its head hugged, ... fell to the side!

Plop!

Kingler's attack almost grazed past Koduck!

Attack... Miss!

Koduck perfectly dodged this attack!

This also caused Kingler's large pincers to strike the platform, producing a crisp sound.

Bang!

"Great dodge!"

The referee, Yu Xiaoyu, who was scoring the beginner Pokémon battle, suddenly lit up.

Koduck's side dodge while hugging its head...

It could be said that it used the least amount of effort to defuse Kingler's most intense attack!

It was done with ease!

Shouldn't this get extra points?!

"In this way... Kingler's fierce attack not only missed, but also due to Yang Kaibai's previous commands that provoked Kingler's anger... it accelerated Kingler's own physical exhaustion! Koduck effortlessly defused Kingler's powerful attack, and if it wants to use such a full-force attack again..."

Gu Shun, who was scoring the new trainer's on-site command, had to admit that Yang Kaibai's command... was unexpectedly effective!

Brilliant!

However, the most surprised person by Koduck's side dodge was none other than Yang Kaibai himself!

"I-knew-it!"

Yang Kaibai excitedly and lowly said the line from "Avengers: Endgame" when Thor saw Captain America lift Mjolnir...

He had known it all along!

How could Koduck possibly sleep soundly at such a critical moment!

Eh?

Yang Kaibai's smile didn't last long before he realized...

Koduck, which had successfully dodged Kingler's attack by falling to the side, was actually continuing to sleep right where it fell!

Not...

How did Koduck dodge just now?!

However, the battle was not over yet. Kingler, whose attack had missed, turned around, looking at Koduck lying on the ground with its back facing it, feeling both angry and furious.

And that taunting "come over" wagging tail...

Kingler's pincers were trembling as it raised them...

"Klak!"

Kingler launched another attack toward Koduck!

If the attack was from the back, it should be said...

An ambush!

Referee Yu Xiaoyu closely watched the battle arena.

Koduck was now lying on the ground with its back facing Kingler. Wasn't it... too overconfident?!

"Thundering Half Moon Slash! Sorry... wrong scene... Kingler, jump on the platform and launch a top-down pincer attack!"

Yang Kaibai immediately saw through the attack method Kingler wanted to use in its angry state and preemptively issued a new attack command...

To be honest, in Referee Gu Shun's eyes, Yang Kaibai was indeed commanding the examiner Pokémon Kingler to attack his own Koduck, and Kingler was actually listening to him!

That's right!

Kingler changed its attack method. On the platform, the attack that could cause the most damage to Koduck was to jump and use gravity to power the pincer strike...

And then crush Koduck in one hit!

But Yang Kaibai's command once again confused Kingler's mind!

If it could speak...

The Zuan Kingler would go online directly!

TMD! Can you stop commanding me?!

I can fight on my own!

If you have time, go command your stupid duck!

...

Regardless, Kingler's second attack... had already formed!

Yang Kaibai's eyes were fixed on Koduck.

He needed to know what Koduck would do this time...

Would it activate its psychic-type power in its sleep, burst out with the duck god's small universe, and use a psychic move to instantly defeat Kingler, or...

Koduck turned over.

A completely ordinary action.

Turned over.

Koduck, as if it was dreaming, moved its little claws from hugging its head to its back, scratched an itch, and then...

Turned over again.

It was precisely this seemingly ordinary turning over that coincidentally made Kingler's second jump and pincer attack... miss again!

According to Kingler's plan...

As long as its attack landed on Koduck, it could use Koduck as a "cushion" to avoid the damage of the fall when it landed, relying on Koduck's round belly.

Who would have thought that the Koduck lying still and sleeping on the spot...

Would suddenly turn over at this moment?!

"Klak! Klak!"

Kingler: (ﾟДﾟ)

Kingler lost its "cushion" in Koduck, and the higher it jumped, the more miserable it fell.

The close contact with the platform made Kingler "kiss" the platform and spit out white foam.

However...

This was not the end!

Koduck turned over... and turned back!

A completely powerless Kingler was like being "crushed by a mountain" by Koduck, pressed under it!

If you thought it was over...

You would be wrong!

Koduck, as if it had a nightmare, suddenly opened its eyes...

━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━

Koduck frowned, realizing the situation was not so simple!

On its butt...

It felt like it was being poked by something sharp...

Kingler's pincers!

It was Kingler's pincers!

Pain!

Too much pain!

Quack!

The pain made Koduck's face instantly turn red!

Koduck hugged its bouncy little butt and started running in circles on the spot...

(ó﹏ò｡)

While running, its eyes turned into the shape of two hard-boiled eggs...

Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain!

Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack!

Unfortunately, Koduck couldn't make the "ow ow ow" sound like Tom Cat...

Otherwise, it would have been even more pitiful!

"Koduck~"

Koduck, with its eyes like two hard-boiled eggs, showed Yang Kaibai the red wound on its butt where Kingler's pincers had poked it...

Sigh!

Yang Kaibai sighed and silently hugged its head.

Koduck was a bit silly...

But who could blame it for being his beginner Pokémon?

After all...

It was also a little cutie!

"Koduck~ Quack~"

Koduck seemed to really enjoy being hugged by Yang Kaibai, and the pain seemed to lessen a lot.

(⺣◡⺣) Quack♡～～

...

"Initial test passed!"

"Junior, congratulations, you did very well!"

Referees Gu Shun and Yu Xiaoyu both clapped.

"I've never met a new trainer who commands the examiner Pokémon like you!" Gu Shun shook his head and laughed.

Yu Xiaoyu said with a smile, "Koduck, you dodged Kingler's attacks twice, so steady and so cool!"

Koduck looked up at Yu Xiaoyu in confusion and then turned to look at Yang Kaibai.

Koduck was completely baffled!

Just now...

What happened?

It didn't know anything!

It just felt something poke its butt... and then, and then a Kingler lying on the ground spitting foam appeared...

So strange, quack!

When Yang Kaibai saw the initial test comprehensive score on the screen...

[Initial Test Candidate: Yang Kaibai]

[Beginner Pokémon: Koduck]

[New Trainer On-Site Command Score: 95]

[Beginner Pokémon Battle Performance Score: 90]

[Comprehensive Score: 185]

[Excellent Score, Initial Test Passed!]

...

"Koduck, my superhero!!"

"Koduck~ Quack!"