Jiang Feng spent a hot minute tweaking the gear.
Back in his past life, he moonlighted as a street performer, so he was no stranger to instruments.
But the Pokémon world's tech tree was wild. This guitar? Pure high-end swagger—solar-powered, packing a million-watt sound system. Took some getting used to.
What song had the soul and power to fit this moment?
Reflecting on his past and present lives, Jiang Feng opened his eyes, the answer clear.
Since the heavens dropped him in the Pokémon world, he was gonna chase his dreams with zero chill!
"Here's Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart for y'all—hope you vibe with it!"
The crowd's response? A big ol' meh. As Nie Zi stans, they were here for Jiang Feng's flop.
Where's this world full of Pokémon?
If it's real, I'm there in a heartbeat.
Never gave up on my dreams,
Even when life's got me covered in dirt!
The god-tier melody kicked in, and the room went dead quiet. Everyone was hooked, sucked into the vibe.
Pros show up, and you know they've got it.
Casuals watch for the lulz; experts see the craft.
Original song?!
Nie Zi's face turned serious. He sat up straight, listening hard. This kid's got something!
But I'll keep searching,
Pouring my youth into it, no regrets!
Run forward, face the sneers and jeers!
Life's vastness—how can you feel it without the grind?!
The chorus hit, and Nie Zi was shooketh!
He shot to his feet, face flushed with emotion. No song had ever hit him this hard!
His years of struggle flashed before him, eyes tearing up.
This song? It was his life story!
Mali was equally flabbergasted. Wasn't this dude all about sappy love songs? When'd he get so wild?
Her eyes sparkled, cheeks flushing as she recalled Jiang Feng's earlier alpha energy.
Oh no, he's so fierce… I'm kinda into it!
Music's magic was limitless. Amplified by the million-watt speakers, the crowd caught the fever, jumping up to clap and cheer.
Fate can't make us grovel and beg!
Even if blood stains our hearts!
Keep running (voice crack)!
Jiang Feng's throat-shredding rendition of Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart hit like a Focus Blast, shaking souls and igniting blood.
This is the stuff!
The Pokémon world's music scene was a barren wasteland, so Jiang Feng's banger was a straight-up dimensional strike.
Nie Zi, hit hardest, was wrecked.
"Mali, this marriage… I'm signing off!" Nie Zi declared, dead serious.
Mali, mid-munch on sunflower seeds, froze. Her face went tomato-red. "Bro, what the Muk?! Stop selling me out!"
What kinda brother trades his sister for a song? Unreal!
Nie Zi shook his head. This wasn't just talk. As a musician, the song's unyielding grit and defiance moved him to his core.
One song showed Jiang Feng's talent, heart, and ambition.
This kid? A total diamond in the rough!
Nie Zi saw his younger self in Jiang Feng, his attitude softening with a rare smile.
"Jiang Feng, what's your dream?!"
Dream?
Yo, asking someone's dream outta nowhere? Rude much?
Jiang Feng itched to slap him, but one glance at the hulking Overqwil nearby shut that idea down.
He straightened up, all serious: "I wanna be a Sea King!"
Sea King?! For real?
Nie Zi blinked, then got it. "You mean Water-type Champion, right? Solid dream, but… your starter's Combusken, a Fire-type?"
A Fire-type starter for a Water-type king? Something's off.
Only Mali seemed to catch on. Not that Sea King, is it?
"Yup, the ultimate Water-type Champion—Sea King! I need to train at the Gym to prep for the Graduation Tournament."
"Training's no biggie, let's go!" Nie Zi was thrilled to have a musical genius in the Gym. They could swap ideas between drills—maybe spark some inspiration.
Seeing her brother chumming it up with Jiang Feng, Mali pouted. Her plan to roast him today? Busted. She trailed behind, eyes darting, plotting something sneaky.
"Let's start with a full checkup on Combusken—test its talent and stats." Small but stacked, the Gym's training area was loaded with gear.
Talent?
As far as Jiang Feng knew, this world didn't have clear talent tiers.
Like the anime, levels weren't a thing either.
Pokémon were magical creatures—some seen as "weak" hid unknown potential, waiting for Trainers to unlock.
Generally, higher base stat Pokémon had better talent.
But exceptions existed.
With enough numbers, even low-stat Pokémon could be prodigies.
Even the system didn't rank Pokémon talent, only showing basic info:
Name: Combusken ♂ Ability: ?? Moves: Scratch, Quick Attack, Focus Energy…
No talent or level rankings. Jiang Feng relied on Aura to guesstimate strength.
How was Nie Zi testing this?
Jiang Feng tagged along as Combusken ran through skill, stamina, attack, defense, and speed tests.
Nie Zi reviewed his notes, concluding: "It's average across the board, but its attack stat's a standout."
"But it's got a major flaw."
"What flaw?"
"For some reason, its flame temperature's way too low—far below normal. It can't use Fire-type moves."
"Not even a basic Ember."
Nie Zi shook his head, a touch of pity. "Combusken's a Starter, but yours is… unique. Too hot-headed, tough for newbies to handle."
"Plus, no Fire moves? It's a bit of a dud—too good to ditch, but not great either."
"If you're aiming for Sea King, grab a Water-type. Pokémon talent sets a Trainer's ceiling—choose wisely."
Jiang Feng: Bro, keep your advice to yourself!
Beaten down by life, Nie Zi had bought into the talent gospel, no longer the fearless kid he once was.
But a Trainer's grit and bond with their Pokémon mattered just as much.
Hearing Nie Zi call it a dud, Combusken's eyes blazed with rage, baring its teeth, visibly fuming…
A dud?
Facts!
Jiang Feng slapped his forehead, nodding hard. "You're so right! Combusken's not just a dud—it's straight-up trash!"
"Useless at everything except scarfing food! Always eating, with a temper harder than a Rhydon's hide!"
"Zoom in with a magnifying glass, and you still won't find a single redeeming quality!"
Ding! Host's mockery enrages Combusken! Rage Meter +777!Ding! Host's mockery enrages Combusken! Rage Meter +777!Ding…
Jiang Feng's roast sent Combusken into a fury, system alerts popping off like a broken slot machine!
This time, Combusken was pissed!
Rage explosion! Seven stacks of fury, too much for the Smile Card to convert!
Combusken chomped Jiang Feng's arm with a vengeance!
Ouch!
"Chicken Bro, you serious?!"