Chapter 216: The Recharge Bug
The female teacher was stunned for a moment after hearing this, only then remembering the whole energy replenishment process.
After all, the unbelievably strong freshman in front of her had already fought nearly 20 rounds without taking a single recharge break.
She had almost forgotten that was even a thing...
Soon, a school doctor in a white coat approached from outside the arena.
Perched on his shoulder was an insect-like pet beast.
Its body was mostly a rusty color, with an orange helmet-like structure on its head edged in yellow.
Its mouth jutted outward in a serrated shape. Strangely enough, the bug also wore a white coat.
When Qiao Sang saw the insect-type pet in a white coat, she was taken aback. She hadn't expected the school doctor's pet to be a Recharge Bug...
Most people who had either been to the Secret Realm or done extensive research on it would recognize this creature.
The Recharge Bug was a bug-type pet beast, one of the unique kinds found in the Yuhua region.
It wasn't rare, per se, but its characteristics were memorable. Added to the fact that it couldn't evolve, it had become a particularly distinctive species.
Recharge Bugs possessed a charging ability, allowing them to store a large amount of energy and transfer it to other pet beasts.
Those who ventured into the Secret Realm often sought out trainers with healing-type pet beasts to team up with.
A trainer with a Recharge Bug was a popular choice because the bug could serve as an automatic energy recovery source.
Despite high demand for Recharge Bugs, trainers aspiring for notable achievements usually wouldn't contract with one, primarily because Recharge Bugs cannot evolve.
"Come here." The school doctor gestured to Little Treasure.
"Xun~"
Little Treasure curiously floated over, staring intently at the Recharge Bug in the white coat.
It was the first time he had seen a dressed-up pet beast outside of a TV screen...
"Go on." The school doctor nodded at the Recharge Bug.
"Chong Chong."
The Recharge Bug nodded and then leapt at Little Treasure with a sudden burst of energy.
"Xun Xun!"
Startled, Little Treasure instinctively dodged to the side.
Thud!
The Recharge Bug hit the ground.
School doctor: ...
"Sorry, I should've explained things to him first." Qiao Sang scratched her head apologetically.
"No worries. Most pet beasts would dodge when something jumps at them unexpectedly." The school doctor replied, understanding.
Well, he had to understand, everyone at the school was watching!
"Little Treasure, don't dodge this time. He's the doctor, here to recharge your energy." Qiao Sang instructed.
Doctor?!
The Recharge Bug, who had just pulled itself up, perked up and quickly dusted off its white coat, promptly forgetting the pain from its fall.
"Xun..."
Little Treasure sheepishly scratched his head.
So, it's a doctor...
After understanding, Little Treasure took the Recharge Bug in his paws and placed it on his own head.
"Xun Xun!"
You go ahead and charge!
The Recharge Bug was momentarily stunned but quickly got to work.
"Chong Chong!"
The Recharge Bug glowed with a strong blue light, wrapping Little Treasure in the same bluish aura.
Watching the glow envelop the arena, the older students let out a collective sigh of relief.
"I knew it. She wouldn't stop after winning just one match."
"That's not what you were saying earlier."
"What did I say before? I forget."
"..."
"For the record, she's already defeated 18 people. Don't underestimate the freshman."
"..."
After recharging, Little Treasure returned to the battle arena.
As the fight resumed, Xia Chengqing snapped her fingers, and her Short-Eared Mouse immediately dug a hole in the ground and disappeared into it.
It was clear snapping her fingers was the signal to dig.
Qiao Sang watched her senior perform the move, noting how the Short-Eared Mouse synchronized perfectly with the finger snap. This gave her an idea.
Just imagine, in a future tournament final...
Her opponent would shout, "Dig a hole!"
While she would just smile calmly, snap her fingers, and rain down sparks from the sky.
The power! The scene!
Just imagining it made her excited.
Not bad, this move could definitely work for her. She'd have to establish this signal with Yabao as soon as she got back...
"Little Treasure, stay alert." She reminded herself, keeping her focus on the battle.
Digging was an intermediate ground-type skill, also known as Burrow.
The pet beast would burrow underground before suddenly emerging to ambush its opponent.
With high accuracy and power, Burrow was often used as a trump card for low to mid-level ground-type pet beasts.
"Xun!"
Little Treasure nodded with a serious expression.
Just as he did, the Short-Eared Mouse shot out from the ground, charging at him.
"Xun!"
Little Treasure was startled but quickly dodged with a teleport.
His eyes then flashed blue as he focused on the Short-Eared Mouse, which hadn't fully landed yet.
The Short-Eared Mouse froze in midair.
In the next second, a 360-degree spin of the mouse played out before everyone's eyes.
"Eaaaaaaar!!!"
The Short-Eared Mouse's scream echoed throughout the hall.
The entire venue fell silent.
If in the previous rounds they had only suspected Little Treasure's ability to teleport invisibly, now, with it clearly performing a teleport and using telekinesis in full view, they had no choice but to accept it.
Ghost-type and psychic-type combined in one pet beast? No one would've dared to imagine!
"...I didn't know ghosts could do that. It sure looks like teleportation."
"Yeah..."
"And that shadow control, it seems it doesn't even need a shadow to activate..."
"Yeah, and its eyes turn blue."
"..."
Elsewhere, Principal Wang Weidou looked at Little Treasure in a daze, murmuring unconsciously, "Psychic-type... psychic... psychic..."
Liu Yao averted his gaze, not wanting to see his goofy expression.
"The Short-Eared Mouse is unable to fight. Qiao Sang wins!"
Although the final scene had made most anticipate Xia Chengqing's defeat, hearing the official announcement still left them in disbelief.
How could an intermediate-level Short-Eared Mouse be unable to escape a beginner-level Treasure-Seeking Ghost's control?
It didn't make any sense!
Considering both energy and stamina, it was unthinkable, unless...
The skill was highly mastered.
"How skilled do you think is that Treasure-Seeking Ghost is with that shadow... or that shadow control?"
"It's insane that it even knows shadow control, and you're talking about its skill level?"
"No, not the shadow control before, but that recent one where its eyes glowed blue."
"Oh, that one. Not sure, but if it's able to control a higher-level pet, it's probably mastered the technique."
Despite Little Treasure's shocking performance, the allure of making the school team was irresistible, so the senior students kept coming, one after another.
Unlike with the freshmen, Little Treasure needed a recharge after every match with the upperclassmen.
After all, controlling intermediate-level pet beasts required much more energy than controlling beginner-level ones.
After 49 rounds, a boy about 1.85 meters tall, with a defined jawline and black hair covering half his forehead, walked up with his hands in his pockets.
"Senior Year 3, Class 9, Xue Chuhua."