The Arrogant Returns: White Stockings Aren't a Reward for You~

As Jiang Chuan left the arena, he looked back. The arena was ridiculously dark, standing out from the brightly lit areas around it, like an abyss with no end in sight.

Jiang Chuan withdrew his gaze.

As Xia walked alongside me, she would occasionally turn her head to glare in the direction where the real bird had disappeared, humming and chirping like a little hen who hadn't calmed down yet.

Jiang Chuan saw this and couldn't help but laugh.

"Still hesitating?"

"no."

Xiaoxia turned her face to the side, her lips pouting so much they could hold an oil lamp.

"I just can't stand those bad women, I feel like I want to devour you~"

Jiang Chuan stopped teasing her, raised his other hand, and gently patted the back of her head.

"Alright, I'm all righteous, no matter what bad woman comes my way."

Xiaoxia chuckled, then quickly straightened her face and glared at him seriously.

"You've become so righteous?"

"I see the way you look at that wicked woman; it's not righteous at all."

Hanako listened from the side, covering her mouth and chuckling softly.

Jiang Chuan turned his head to look at her: "Sister Hua Zi, are you also helping Xiaoxia make up stories about me?"

Hanako blinked and said softly, "I didn't make fun of you."

"I just feel that what Xiaoxia said isn't entirely unreasonable."

Jiang Chuan choked.

These two women, one openly causing trouble, the other secretly adding insult to injury.

He shook his head, no longer wanting to get into the topic with them.

When I stepped out of the Tokiwa Dojo, it was already dark outside.

As dusk settles in Tokiwa City, the neon signs lining the streets light up one after another, bathing the entire street in a warm orange-red hue.

Jiang Chuan stood on the steps in front of the dojo and looked back.

The architectural style of the Tokiwa Dojo is quite different from other dojos in Kanto. The exterior is in shades of dark gray and dark green, and the walls are covered with vine-like decorative patterns, which look particularly somber in the night.

The Tokiwa leaf on the museum's emblem glows with a soft green light under the portico lights.

The entire dojo does indeed resemble a giant beast lying in the center of Tokiwa City—quiet, profound, and exuding an understated yet imposing aura.

Jiang Chuan narrowed his eyes.

He knew it perfectly well.

This place is more than just a dojo.

Rockets.

This behemoth, which has been entrenched underground in Kanto for many years, has long since extended its tentacles to every corner of Viridian City.

The Tokiwa Dojo is one of their core strongholds.

Sakaki.

The leader of the Rockets.

A top trainer of Ground-type Pokémon in Kanto.

He is also the publicly acknowledged head of the Tokiwa Dojo.

This person personally fought against me, and then had Zhenniao try to win me over.

To be honest, Jiang Chuan was still somewhat agitated.

It wasn't an overwhelming sense of flattery, but rather a sober assessment.

The Rockets' thirst for talent, especially for strong trainers, was more urgent than he had anticipated.

The three Pokémon I brought out today—Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard—are not particularly rare in Kanto.

In the Kanto region, most trainers with a certain level of skill keep one or two of these three starter Pokémon.

In Giovanni and Makoto's eyes, he was at most a rookie trainer with good talent and somewhat extraordinary combat power.

Even so, the other party still treated them with the utmost courtesy.

Badges will be given, kind words will be spoken, and black and gold business cards will be given away without hesitation.

This indicates that the Rockets urgently need to recruit new talent.

They don't care where you come from or how experienced you are.

They're willing to bet on you as long as you have potential.

Jiang Chuan gently stroked the black and gold business card in his pocket with his fingertips.

The edge of the card was somewhat sharp, and it felt slightly cool as it brushed against my fingertips.

He certainly won't join the Rockets.

There is no inherent conflict of interest or deep-seated hatred between him and the Rockets.

From a certain perspective, many of the Rockets' resources are indeed very attractive to trainers.

But Jiang Chuan knew very well which path he should take.

He has no shortage of resources.

He has a system.

The system alone is enough to give him absolute confidence in the face of any power in this world.

Not to mention that he still has an ancient fossil pterosaur and a Zapdos in his system inventory.

Either of these two Pokémon would be enough to drive Team Rocket crazy.

Zapdos.

One of the three legendary bird species of Kanto.

A legendary existence.

Ancient fossil pterosaur.

If genetic samples of extinct ancient elves were to leak out, the entire academic community of elves would be shaken.

If Jiang Chuan couldn't resist taking out any of them during today's battle...

Now, what's chasing after him is probably more than just a real bird's business card.

The Rockets will be like sharks that smell blood, relentlessly pursuing him.

No matter what means they use, they will find a way to keep him in Tokiwa City.

By then, things will be in big trouble.

Fortunately, it has a perfect ending now.

They won the badge without revealing too much of their hand.

A perfect ending.

"Jiangchuan?"

Hanako's voice came from the side.

Jiang Chuan snapped out of his daze and found that Xiaoxia and Huazi had already reached the bottom of the steps and were looking back at him.

"What are you standing there for? Come on, come on, I'm so hungry."

Xiaoxia put one hand on her hip and stretched the other hand toward Jiang Chuan, beckoning him with her finger.

Jiang Chuan smiled and stepped down the stairs.

"They're here."

He walked over to the two of them, and Xiaoxia immediately clung to him again. This time, instead of linking arms, she grabbed his hand directly.

Hanako walked quietly on his other side, her shoulder occasionally brushing lightly against his arm.

The three of them walked slowly along the main street of Tokiwa City.

Tokiwa City is indeed much more prosperous than the towns that Egawa had passed through before.

The streets are wide and clean, with exquisitely decorated shops on both sides, displaying various training supplies and Pokémon merchandise in their windows.

The streetlights are shaped like leaf blades, with light shining through the leaf-shaped lampshades and scattering onto the sidewalk like a layer of soft gold dust.

On the electronic screen at the entrance of the pedestrian street, the pre-conference promotional video for the Quartz Conference was playing on a loop.

"68 days until the opening of the Kanto Quartz Convention!"

The countdown numbers on the GG sign jumped up and down, a dazzling red.

Jiang Chuan looked up.

68 days—it's not a long time, but it's not short either.

All eight badges have been obtained, and the qualification for the competition is now secured.

The next step is to upgrade the strength of our lineup to the next level in less than a month.

He was already planning his training program.

It will take a lot of effort to train the team to the point of being able to use their arms and legs perfectly before the Quartz Conference.

But that's a story for another time.

Today is the day of complete victory.

Jiang Chuan put these thoughts aside for the time being and, with Hanako and Kasumi, plunged into the busiest food street in Tokiwa City.

The most famous food street in Viridian City is located near the entrance to Viridian Forest.

The entire street is built along the mountainside, connecting the city center at one end and leading to the edge of the Evergreen Forest at the other.

The streets were lined with evergreen trees, their lush foliage rustling in the night breeze.

The air was filled with the aroma of various foods.

Charcoal-grilled meat, seafood ramen, tree nut pancakes, sweet sauce dumplings, grilled vegetable skewers...

As soon as Xiaoxia entered the street, her eyes widened.

"It smells so good!"

She took a deep breath, and her whole body perked up.

"I want to eat that! And that too! And that one too!"

Holding Jiang Chuan's hand, she darted left and right through the crowd like a playful deer.

Hanako followed behind, watching the two with a smile, her eyes full of indulgence.

Jiang Chuan didn't stop him.

Xiaoxia is in a good mood today, so she can eat whatever she wants and as much as she wants.

The three of them ate their way through the food.

First, we grilled vegetable skewers.

Various tree fruits, a specialty of the Evergreen Forest, are cut into pieces, skewered, brushed with a secret sweet sauce, and grilled over charcoal until the surface is slightly charred.

When you bite into it, the flesh bursts in your mouth, sweet with a hint of sourness, and infused with a smoky aroma.

Xiaoxia ate five skewers all by herself.

Jiangchuan and Huazi each ate two skewers.

Hanako eats slowly, taking only a small bite, and her eyes squint slightly as she chews, like an elegant cat savoring its food.

Jiang Chuan looked at her and felt that it tasted better than anything else.

Next up was seafood ramen.

The ramen broth in Tokiwa City is made from deep-sea fish bones, resulting in a milky white soup that smells incredibly fresh.

The noodles are handmade, chewy and springy, topped with two thick slices of char siu, half a soft-boiled egg, a small handful of seaweed strips, and sprinkled with chopped green onions.

Xiaoxia picked up the big bowl, took a sip of soup, and then stomped her feet in happiness.

"So fresh! Jiang Chuan, drink it quickly!"

She pushed the bowl in front of Jiang Chuan, her eyes sparkling.

Jiang Chuan took a sip of soup from her bowl.

"Hmm, not bad."

Hanako also took a small bite and nodded in approval.

By the time we finished eating our bowl of noodles, it was completely dark.

All the streetlights were on, and the entire food street looked like a glowing dragon, coiled at the edge of Viridian Forest.

Jiang Chuan noticed that there was a row of dessert stalls at the end of the food street.

One of the stalls had a sign that read "Tokiwa Honey Dumplings".

There was a long queue under the sign.

"I heard this place makes very famous dumplings."

Jiang Chuan pointed to that stall.

"We use wild honey from the Evergreen Forest, and it's available in limited quantities every day."

Xiaoxia's eyes lit up instantly when she heard the word "limited edition".

"We absolutely have to eat it!"

She pulled Jiang Chuan and ran towards the back of the line.

Hanako followed behind, her steps light and slow, like a gentle breeze.

The three of them waited in line for about twenty minutes.

Xiaoxia was so impatient that she kept stamping her feet and occasionally tiptoed to look ahead, like a little sparrow waiting for food.

Jiang Chuan stood behind her, watching her spiky hair and swaying waist, a smile playing on his lips.

Hanako leaned against him, her shoulder gently resting on his upper arm.

Her warm body temperature seeped through her clothes, carrying with it the faint fragrance of flowers.

Finally, it's my turn in line.

The honey dumplings are round and plump, skewered on bamboo sticks, and drizzled with a thick layer of amber-colored honey.

Under the light, it is crystal clear, like a string of pearls encased in amber.

Jiang Chuan bought a whole box, six strings.

Xiaoxia took the box, first giving one string of flowers to Huazi, then one string to Jiangchuan, and finally one string for herself.

She took a bite; the glutinous rice ball was soft, chewy, and springy, the honey was sweet but not cloying, and it also carried the unique floral fragrance of the deep Tokiwa Forest.

"So delicious!"

Xiaoxia's eyes curved into crescent moons.

Hanako took small bites, a little honey glistening on the corner of her mouth under the light.

Jiang Chuan reached out and gently wiped away the trace of honey with his fingertips.

Hanako paused for a moment, then smiled, her eyes crinkling gently.

"Thanks."

Xiaoxia saw it all, but she wasn't jealous.

She knew that Sister Huazi was good to her and good to Jiang Chuan; she was one of her own.

It's only natural for people to be this affectionate with each other.

After finishing their dessert, the three of them strolled around for a while.

Tokiwa City has several famous landmarks.

One is the "Viridian Tree" at the entrance to Viridian Forest, which is said to be the oldest Viridian Tree in Kanto, with an age of over a thousand years.

At night, the branches and leaves of the ancient trees glow with a faint light like fireflies, a beauty that seems almost unreal.

Another is the "Tokiwa Pond" in the city center, a huge natural lake with a calm, mirror-like surface that reflects the lights of the entire city.

Jiangchuan led the two to Tokiwa Pond.

The lakeside path was quiet, with few pedestrians.

A gentle evening breeze rippled across the lake, turning the reflected lights into a dappled tapestry of light.

Xiaoxia leaned on the stone railing by the lake, gazing at the water in a daze.

Hanako stood beside her, her hands clasped in front of her, the night breeze gently lifting her hair.

Jiang Chuan stood behind the two, looking at the lake and then at their backs.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that time had slowed down.

The lake breeze felt cool and refreshing on my face, carrying the scent of water.

"Jiangchuan."

Xiaoxia suddenly spoke without turning around.

"You mean, we'll keep traveling together like this, eating delicious food and seeing beautiful sights in every city we visit?"

Her voice was soft yet full of emotion, completely different from the fierce and aggressive Xiaoxia she usually was.

Jiang Chuan sensed something was off about Xiaoxia's words; she must have been experiencing some kind of emotional fluctuation.

"It definitely will." Jiang Chuan's voice carried a reassuring certainty.

Hanako didn't say anything, but simply turned her head and glanced at Jiang Chuan.

In that one glance, a thousand words were unspoken, but in the end, they all turned into a gentle light in the depths of her eyes.

The three of them stood by the lake for a long time.

Jiang Chuan didn't speak until the night breeze grew cooler.

"Let's go, let's find a place to stay."

Xiaoxia hummed in agreement, turned around, and her eyes still held a hint of lingering confusion.

The three of them found a lakeside hotel in a great location, where they could see a corner of Tokiwa Pond from the window.

Same as always, suite, one room, three bedrooms.

When Xiaoxia received the room key, she looked up at Jiang Chuan.

There was something indescribable about that look.

Get some rest.

Xia didn't say anything and followed Hanako back to her room.

Jiang Chuan returned to his room, closed the door, and took a shower.

The hot water washed away all the fatigue of the day.

He dried his hair, changed into clean clothes, sat on the edge of the bed, and opened the system panel.

Two new items lay quietly in my inventory.

Charizard X Mega Evolution Stone.

Mewtwo Heart x1.

Jiang Chuan looked at the two items, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

Charizard Mega Stones are extremely rare resources in the Kanto region.

Moreover, his stone was an X-form evolution stone produced by the system.

Charizard's Mega Evolution has two forms: X-form and Y-form.

The X form leans more towards physical attacks, its body turns blue-black, the flames in its mouth suddenly heat up, and its dragon-type energy is fully unleashed.

The Y form is more focused on special attacks, with longer wings and full solar power, capable of influencing the weather.

Both have their own merits.

But Jiang Chuan prefers the X form.

Because his Charizard's fighting style is inherently close-quarters combat and violent suppression.

The X-form's physical attack bonus and Dragon type perfectly complement its fighting style.

In addition, there's the keystone.

When I completed the Reverse Attribute Master quest, the system rewarded me with a top-quality keystone.

Keystones and Evolution Stones are two necessary conditions for Mega Evolution.

Now we have both.

Charizard can evolve into Mega Charizard X at any time.

This is a trump card that could change the course of the battle at the Quartz Conference.

Jiang Chuan's eyes sharpened.

The champion of this Quartz Convention.

He was determined to win, and just as he was contemplating the championship, he heard a knock on the door.

The knocking was very soft.

It was as if they were afraid of being overheard.

Jiang Chuan walked over and opened the door.

The corridor was dimly lit, and Xiaoxia stood at the door.

She changed into a completely different outfit than she had during the day.

She wore a light blue tank top with a low neckline that revealed a glimpse of her delicate collarbone. Below, she wore a short white skirt, the hem swaying gently above her knees.

The most eye-catching thing was the pair of white stockings on her legs.

Pure white pantyhose encased her two firm, straight calves, reflecting a faint sheen under the corridor lights. Light-colored slippers peeked from her toes, which curled slightly within the white stockings.

Xiaoxia looked up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She had one hand behind her back and the other hand gripping the hem of her skirt, her fingertips applying slight pressure through the white silk stockings.

"that……"

She said in a low voice.

"I...I just came to see if you were asleep."

Jiang Chuan leaned against the door frame, looking at Xiaoxia's outfit, without saying a word, but slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

He knew perfectly well what it meant for Xiaoxia to come over dressed like that so late at night.

White stockings, the kind she herself usually says she's embarrassed about.

Sure enough, she was acting strangely by the lake today. It seems that the wicked woman's black stockings were competing with her.

Xiaoxia noticed that Jiang Chuan immediately focused on her legs.

"You big pervert, so this is what you like~"

She glared at him, but her gaze was so soft it had no power whatsoever.

"Let me tell you, this isn't a reward for you. I wanted to tell you about what's happening outside..."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Chuan interrupted her with his actions.

He put one arm around her waist and reached under her legs with the other, lifting her up in his arms.

Xiaoxia cried out "Ah!" and instinctively wrapped her arms around Jiang Chuan's neck.

The white-stockinged legs swayed in the air, the toes pointing straight out.

The door closed behind me.

A "click" sound...