Chapter Seven: Taming the New Leaf Cat, the Bond System Activates!
Thoughts returned to the present.
Watching Shinyeh meow, who had just finished eating but still seemed a bit reluctant to leave, Xia Chi suddenly said, “Shinyeh meow, be my Pokémon!”
This was not a whim sparked by the awakening system.
Even without Tongzi Ge suddenly showing up today, Xia Chi had planned to invite Shinyeh meow.
Unlike when they first met, after months of streaming and video content creation, Xia Chi now had some savings—more than enough to support a Shinyeh meow.
Not to mention, Xia Chi was still a system-supported overachiever.
Of course, these were secondary considerations.
The most important thing was that he really liked Shinyeh meow.
Both in personality and appearance, this little cat perfectly suited Xia Chi, a devoted member of the Cat Cult.
As for its past abandonment by a trainer and the label of “incompetent” it bore?
Xia Chi never cared much about that; after all, he never aspired to be a Pokémon Master.
Now… is this something a dignified overachiever like me should worry about?
So he extended the invitation.
Xia Chi’s long-planned straightforward proposal shocked Shinyeh meow quite a bit. The little cat froze mid-lick with a tongue still smeared in creamy cheese sauce, evoking a mischievous urge in Xia Chi to grab and pull it outside.
After a while, Shinyeh meow came to its senses, eyes wide as if to confirm, and asked, “Meow… meow-fee?”
Xia Chi nodded and smiled, “Or put it another way, how about I become your trainer?”
Shinyeh meow instinctively wanted to shake its head in refusal but hesitated upon seeing Xia Chi’s earnest expression.
Xia Chi was not surprised by this reaction.
The time they had spent together allowed him to understand the little cat’s temperament. Its abandonment and naturally somewhat tsundere personality had forged it into a “avoidant attachment meow type.”
In other words, Shinyeh meow was not good at accepting others’ kindness.
Even the nightly feeding routine they had established was a tacit understanding painstakingly developed by Xia Chi over a long time.
However, Shinyeh meow’s hesitation was not resistance but fear.
Fear of forming close bonds with humans again, and the subconscious dread of being abandoned once more.
So Xia Chi needed to give Shinyeh meow a reason.
——————
“Do you remember when we first met, Shinyeh meow?”
“Meow-fee?”
Shinyeh meow paused, its mind flashing back to the pitiful sight of Xia Chi nearly exhausted at the time.
“You were the first friend I made here, my most cherished companion. That day you saved me, so I want to change you too.”
Xia Chi’s voice suddenly grew firm as he fixed his gaze on Shinyeh meow.
“Shinyeh meow, you don’t want to just leave that stage behind, do you?”
As Xia Chi had said before, he understood this little cat whose heart was wrapped in thorns.
The experience of abandonment hadn’t broken its dignity or will; instead, it had made it stronger.
Whether it was its solitary habits or its unyielding defiance against bullying monkeys, all proved this.
Deep inside, it still harbored, perhaps even more than before, a desire to grow stronger.
Xia Chi’s brief statement struck directly at Shinyeh meow’s heart.
Do I miss that stage?
This question flickered within Shinyeh meow’s mind for less than half a second before vanishing.
The answer was, of course, yes.
Shinyeh meow loved the passionate struggle on the battlefield.
In fact, most Pokémon naturally enjoyed fighting.
If it could step back onto the battlefield, it would never refuse.
As for whether Xia Chi would be a good trainer?
That wasn’t even a question worth considering.
“Spending one night with Xia Chi was happier than all the time spent with my former trainer combined.”
If Shinyeh meow could speak, this would be the most direct expression.
It was safe to say Xia Chi’s personality was at least ten thousand times better than that guy who only saw Pokémon as tools for battle.
So what was there to hesitate about?
With this in mind, Shinyeh meow resolutely nodded at Xia Chi.
“Meow-fee!”
Xia Chi didn’t understand Pokémon language, but he understood body language.
Smiling, he reached out his hand toward Shinyeh meow and said, “Then, from now on, please take care of me, Shinyeh meow.”
Once decided, Shinyeh meow never hesitated.
It placed its pale green paw on Xia Chi’s outstretched hand, a rare smile appearing on its cute face.
“Meow-fee!”
From now on, you are my trainer!
——————
[Host has caught their first Pokémon. Bond system activated.]
The cold voice shattered the originally warm and pleasant atmosphere.
Of course, this only disturbed Xia Chi; Shinyeh meow could not hear a single word from the system.
Scratching the fluffy head of his newly caught little cat, Xia Chi browsed through the newly activated bond system in his mind.
[Current Pokémon count (1/6): Shinyeh meow]
[Activated bonds: 0]
[Bonds to activate: Grass type (1/2) — Bonded Pokémon gain +1% physical attack, defense, and HP per second after battle begins, up to 100%! (With six Grass bonds, the cap increases to 200%, and upon reaching the limit, the Life Tree is summoned on the battlefield!)]
[Bonds to activate: Dark type (1/2) — Winning battles accumulates Fear points; every 100 Fear points grant 5% extra damage and a Fear Chest, which provides rewards when opened! (With six Dark bonds, Fear points gained per battle victory double!)]
[Bonds to activate: Rush type (1/2) — Bonded Pokémon’s skill power and energy consumption decrease by 30%, and skill casting speed increases by 50%! (With six Rush bonds, power reduction becomes 20%, and casting speed increases by 100%!)]
[Chosen Pokémon (can be activated with [Chosen Badge]): Chosen Pokémon receive a 20% boost to all stats, exclusive skill enhancements, and an additional bond slot!]
...
Xia Chi fell into thought.
Isn’t this just a blatant ripoff of Teamfight Tactics’ “Eternal Forest” and “Iron Conqueror” bonds?
Tongzi Ge, aren’t you afraid the East Hemisphere’s Second Legal Department will send you a lawyer’s letter?
Do you really think Nanshan Pizza is just for show?
Oh wait, this is the Pokémon world—no red-scarfed penguin involved here...
After silently venting, Xia Chi seriously analyzed Shinyeh meow’s three bonds.
First, the Grass bond is a straightforward multi-attribute buff.
It’s definitely great for Grass-type Pokémon like Nutbell or Cradle Lily.
Of course, boosts to physical attack, defense, and HP are also useful for Shinyeh meow.
The appearance of the Dark bond was a bit strange.
Before its third evolution, Shinyeh meow was purely a Grass-type Pokémon.
This could only mean Tongzi Ge’s bond criteria were based on the Pokémon’s final form.
No matter what, the Dark bond, being a growth-oriented bond, suits Shinyeh meow better at its current early stage.
Of course, the premise is that Xia Chi and Shinyeh meow can pull off a “win streak and harvest” strategy.