I Really Didn’t Want to Be a Trainer-Chapter 636: Evolution in the Blizzard! Pupitar

The Ice-type Gym Leader DeFu from Pokémon XY is elderly and tough, with a blazing heart—he is the eighth and strongest gym leader in Kalos.
DeFu specializes in snow-weather teams, and his Abomasnow is the core of his “Hail Team.” He also commands a Mega Evolution;
his Mega Abomasnow is the absolute backbone of his snow tactics.
When Ash traveled Kalos, he once fought DeFu hard. Not only did Greninja lose to Abomasnow, but that idiot Ash was so defeated he shut down.
This burly bear-like Ice-type gym leader—DeFu’s strength is obvious.
However, when it came to those trainers who also challenged Teacher Lu, everyone agreed:
DeFu is strong.
But Teacher Lu would bomb even a champion’s own fishpond, let alone the Battle Chateau!
On the first day, Larvitar shut out the Rock-type gym leader, giving everyone the oppressive impression of the “Baby Cup Killer.”
The next day, the preview “DeFu VS Teacher Lu” once again sparked heated debate.
“Bringing a baby to the fishpond to level grind… classic Teacher Lu move!”
“Quick question: does Larvitar’s diet include ice?”
“Hail? That’s shaved ice!”
Of course, with level advantage DeFu might still beat one of Teacher Lu’s Pokémon.
DeFu is a famed snow-weather master, and how he and the battle-hardened Teacher Lu would stage a tactical duel—that was what the Chateau audience most wanted to see.
6/28, Monday.
Day two of the qualifiers—the Marquis advancement matches.
The Battle Chateau’s red-carpeted steps welcomed a long-distance guest.
“So hot… whew… finally arrived.”
DeFu hugged his thick arms, wearing short sleeves as he entered the Battle Chateau hall, a thin down jacket draped behind him.
This summer outfit drew many stares.
DeFu didn’t mind—after all he’d just flown in from perpetually subzero Vernal Town and hadn’t had time to change.
“Thank you for your trouble, Yikong!”
DeFu handed the down jacket to the butler. His white beard curled up, his eyes shining with warmth and excitement as he loudly said:
“Who will I be fighting today?”
The butler replied politely, “Marquis DeFu, you will be battling Marquis Lu Ye… you may have heard his name.”
DeFu thought carefully for a moment;
his face grew serious as he said in a low voice:
“The trainer who used Mega Haunter to shut out Champion Lucian?”
The butler nodded slightly. “He is also participating in this tournament, mainly to train up new members in his team.”
“Here to train…”
DeFu exhaled. That meant he wouldn’t be facing that Blastoise or that Haunter.
But from another angle,
DeFu also wanted a fired-up duel with this champion known for tactical prowess.
DeFu excelled at igniting an opponent’s fighting spirit;
his no-holds-barred battles had made him a respected mentor in Vernal Town.
It was DeFu’s encouragement that helped Ash use Greninja’s Bond Evolution with confidence.
“When will the challenge begin?”
DeFu hugged his thick arms, eyes bright with anticipation, booming:
“I can hardly wait!”
The butler smiled: “Marquis Lu Ye is also ready. DeFu, please follow me to the battlefield!”
…
DeFu had deep experience and strong results at the Battle Chateau.
To be promoted to Duke, one only needed to beat DeFu in a 2v2 single-battle with no move limits.
The Chateau’s Duke title carried privileges across most of Kalos—showing the title at luxury places like the Grand Splendid Hotel earned generous discounts.
“Someone who needs a discount as a Duke… that might only be me,” Lu Ye thought to himself.
Though comfortably well-off, he still needed to save—gotta feed the little guys and Cynthia!
If the backside stabbed too hard, then Cynthia would have to support me. (scratch that)
The weather was cool;
the river around the arena rippled and the scent of Flabébé drifted in.
Violet and Grant had arrived early in the spectator area;
Korrina soon followed.
“Looks like we still have some time before start.”
Grant glanced up at the castle wall, gripping his wrist, eager.
Violet held a DSLR and snapped photos of the black-haired youth in ceremonial garb, laughing:
“Teacher Lu looks so handsome in that robe!”
“Oho~”
Korrina’s eyes lit up;
she shook her long blonde ponytail and cheerfully pumped her fist:
“Go, Master!!”
Boom! Boom!
Cannon shots sounded.
DeFu put on a wide red-and-gold robe, hugged his thick arms, and nodded slightly toward Lu Ye:
“Lu Ye, pleased to meet you.”
“You flatter me—just call me Lu Ye, Mr. DeFu.” Lu Ye replied.
DeFu was surprised by the young champion’s humility. After all, people like Yu Long Du and Green had been rebellious when they were young.
The elderly, robust white-haired man’s eyes showed a trace of admiration as he said in a deep voice:
“I read your explanation on hail teams… frankly, I benefited a lot.”
DeFu continued, “I agree with your view—”
“The soul of a snow team lies in freezing,” DeFu said. “Ice is both hard and fragile. How you employ ice is the pursuit of my life.”
Lu Ye had heard similar words from Liu Bo and smiled: “Have you found it?”
A small smile crossed DeFu’s resolute face.
“Of course. Only with a warm heart can one better command massive ice… that’s my simple life view.”
Lu Ye felt moved.
Truly a different kind of Ice-type gym leader from Liu Bo.
Perhaps, as DeFu said, Ice trainers possess burning souls.
They believe in keen frost, subzero freezes within blizzards—the wondrous absolute zero—
“Butler: please send out Pokémon.”
DeFu tore off his cloak, threw a Poké Ball with force and shouted:
“Go, Avalugg!!”
Lu Ye thought: “Maybe this is the charm of Ice types.”
“Go.” Lu Ye said at the same moment:
“Rotom, initiate D-Luxe Refrigerator form!”
Relying on Rotom’s fridge form for Ice-type resistance, then setting up dual screens and Volt Switch rotations—this was Teacher Lu’s basic strategy.
“Gengarrr~” Haunter pulled a small electric refrigerator out of its pocket, grinned, patted the fridge and motioned for Rotom to jump in.
Rotom Pokédex: “Beep beep… cannot compute, Roto! o(TヘTo)”
Saying no with its mouth, Little Rotom still obediently flew out of the Pokédex and dove into the fridge. The appliance glowed with electric light, then blinked open bright eyes—Frozen Rotom was ready.
“Gengarrr!” Haunter caught the falling Pokédex with both hands and, practiced, aimed at DeFu’s Avalugg.
‘Avalugg: its body is sculpted from glacier-like ice, using a steel-like bulk to crush obstacles as it advances.
Cracks in its body widen with the day’s activity, but they can fully regrow overnight.’
Hearing the Pokédex’s emotionless broadcast, Lu Ye froze for a beat.
Avalugg’s cracks can fully heal overnight—
By right, Larvitar could probably eat ice too, but is that legal…?
“Is that DeFu’s Avalugg?”
Korrina rubbed her arms. “I already feel the chill…”
Grant frowned: “Given DeFu’s battle style, it’s going to get even colder.”
On the battlefield.
Avalugg planted its limbs like frozen pillars, shoulders bearing glacier-like ice. Its amber eyes fixed on Frozen Rotom.
Frozen Rotom—the fridge form—unfurled purple, ion-formed wings and hovered in the air with a stern expression:
“Roto—”
We need to make chances for our teammates, Roto!
Battle started.
Avalugg’s glacial body refracted sunlight as its mouth suddenly formed a bitterly cold, ice-blue orb.
DeFu commanded: “Avalugg, use Sheer Cold Beam on the field—freeze it!”
Bang!!
The ice-blue beam blasted from Avalugg’s mouth, splitting into four or five rays that scattered across the arena. The ground froze at a visible speed, turning into a glossy sheet of ice. A chill instantly drove away the summer heat!
The audience marvelled at the finesse of that Sheer Cold Beam.
“DeFu’s signature tactic,” Violet said.
Grant nodded, “Avalugg’s body is heavy, but on ice it can use sliding momentum to boost speed and crash, even evade attacks.”
Crackle, crackle!
The floor kept freezing;
the ice gleamed. Avalugg tucked its pillar-like limbs and slid like steel toward Frozen Rotom!
“Beep beep… Reflect building, Roto!”
Frozen Rotom flapped its ion wings;
faint energy spread across the arena and a transparent, membrane-like Reflect formed.
The Reflect delayed Avalugg’s crash. Frozen Rotom deftly floated aside as DeFu roared:
“Now, Avalugg—Double-Edge!!”
“Roar!!”
Avalugg’s eyes turned blood-red. It skidded across the ice, kicking up a spray of ice mist, then leapt to collide with Frozen Rotom, white light of ferocity radiating from its body!
The heavy, momentum-driven collision combined with Avalugg’s glacier bulk produced an avalanche-like sense of impending doom!
“Light Screen.” Lu Ye calmly activated dual walls and said in a low voice, “Volt Switch!”
“Beep beep— High-power Light Screen activating!!”
Lu Ye’s front field rose a film-like Reflect to blunt the crash and a Mirror-like Light Screen to weaken beams.
DeFu’s expression stiffened.
He’d expected a hot-blooded contest of give-and-take… but it started with defense?
Lu Ye’s play was airtight!
The Chateau fans showed subtle expressions.
“Opening dual walls at the start? So steady, Teacher Lu!”
Boom!!
Rotom’s body shone with dazzling electric light;
under that glow it combined with the colliding Avalugg and an explosion of ice mist erupted!
Thud!!
Amid the spray, Avalugg landed with a heavy thud, its pillar-like limbs embedding in the ice. The gleaming glacial surface showed scorched marks from the electric shock. Eyes blood-red, it roared:
“Roar!!!”
Rotom transformed during Volt Switch into a red beam and shot into the Poké Ball;
the dark ball opened and a red light struck the ice.
A gray-green Larvitar emerged—its blunt head, sharp-eyed expression.
“Yojji!”
Just entering, Larvitar hadn’t struck a pose yet and immediately slipped on the ice, flailing.
“Yo, yoji!”
Violet propped her chin with a hand: “Against a frozen field, DeFu’s advantage is enormous.”
Korrina nodded slightly, serious as she quietly cheered for Larvitar.
DeFu seized the opportunity: “Avalugg, Ice Fang!”
Crack!
Avalugg’s fangs gleamed with icy light. Using the ice surface to slide at high speed, it charged the unsteady Larvitar;
its cone-sharp fangs bit into Larvitar!
Bang!!
Ice shattered, showering frost.
Larvitar flew backward, skidding across the ice and carving out dents, finally stopping with two thuds.
Grant frowned: “A juvenile quasi-legendary taking on… still a struggle, huh?”
“No—” Korrina touched her chin and murmured, “With Reflect up, Ice Fang shouldn’t have that much power.”
Suddenly Korrina realized the truth.
“This is to lull DeFu—there’s a hidden Weakness Policy, right?”
Given Master Lu’s skill level, that was quite plausible!
And indeed it was so.
Earlier, Lu Ye had issued the command through Aura.
‘When it flies back… act like it hurts more than it does.’
Larvitar’s acting was superb;
it smashed itself into two big pits and even nibbled a bit of ice: “Yojji…”
At the same time, the energy membrane attached to Larvitar’s armor cracked, and a surge of energy rushed into Larvitar.
Larvitar planted its feet on the ice, eyes sharp, its momentum steadily building as it gave a piercing cry:
“YOJJI!!!”
Boom!!
A Rock Slide gathered above Avalugg like meteors and smashed down, thundering and instantly burying Avalugg!
DeFu hugged his arms, a little dazed, then broke into an appreciative smile.
Ice and Rock types have many weaknesses, but their offense is also outstanding.
Lu Ye had turned Larvitar’s weakness into aggressive tactics.
“Given Larvitar’s Weakness Policy—”
DeFu said with feeling, “It seems you can trigger Weakness Policy no matter what…”
Opening dual walls at the start was precisely to prepare Larvitar’s momentum!
Avalugg’s defense was formidable;
a single Rock Slide couldn’t take it out.
“Yojji! (▼へ▼メ)”
Larvitar’s fighting eyes deeply moved DeFu.
DeFu crossed his arms, feeling his chest burn with passion;
his gaze was steady and he smiled:
“In that case, let’s have a blazing snowfield battle!”
He recalled Avalugg and with all his might hurled the Poké Ball. The audience looked surprised.
“Roar!!!”
The bulky Abomasnow stood tall on the ice, white and green like an evergreen, raising thick arms and fierce eyebrows as it roared.
Abomasnow’s Ice Breath spread across the arena, turning into dense falling snow;
ice crystals constantly formed and the howl of a blizzard could be faintly heard!
Crackle, crackle!
Chunks of hail began to fall.
Abomasnow’s ability: Snow Warning!
The audience instinctively tightened their clothes.
Now they understood why DeFu brought a down jacket even in summer!
DeFu was unfazed by the cold and looked at Lu Ye with even greater admiration.
Lu Ye adjusted his surface temperature with Aura, staring at Larvitar struggling blindly in the thick snow.
Unable to get trainer commands, unable to identify friend from foe, with hail chipping at its skin—
Aura sensed Larvitar’s complex emotions.
Lu Ye suddenly perceived a change in Larvitar’s momentum.
As if making up its mind, Larvitar clenched its little fists and cried sharply:
“YOJJI!!”
Facing the towering, iceberg-like Abomasnow many times its size, Larvitar dove into the blizzard and charged toward Abomasnow!
On the slick ice, Larvitar’s body circled with the purple-red glow of Dragon Dance;
its sharp claws dug into the ice, sending up sprays of frost as it surged forward!
“Good move!”
DeFu bellowed: “Abomasnow, use Wood Hammer!!”
“Roar!!”
The blizzard howled as Abomasnow raised its right arm;
brilliant emerald energy swelled into its fist, shining bright as the Wood Hammer slammed down!
“Stop, Larvitar—”
The Wood Hammer came down. Larvitar instinctively trusted its trainer’s command and stopped its step.
“Use Rock Throw!” Lu Ye snapped.
Boom!!
Abomasnow’s fist smashed the ice ahead of Larvitar, sending up a storm of ice shards and snow, crushing toward the tiny Larvitar like an avalanche.
“YOJJI!!”
Larvitar gritted its teeth;
its right claw gathered piercing white light and struck the avalanche in midair!
Rumble!!
The ground split, rows of stone pillars shot up and split the avalanche in two. The Rock Throw struck Abomasnow center, shaking the entire Chateau!
Boom!!
Abomasnow crossed its arms to block the barrage of sharp pillars;
rocks shattered and dissolved into the raging blizzard.
Abomasnow then reared and roared as deep blue Ice Breath began spouting again!
No one expected Larvitar to dodge the Wood Hammer’s lethal blow.
DeFu was greatly encouraged by this counterattack Rock Throw.
If so, respond with an even fiercer fight to match trainer and Pokémon passion!
DeFu clenched his fists and roared:
“Abomasnow, use Blizzard!!”
Gales blew;
hail slashed down.
In the white arena, a howling blizzard swept across like knives, the cold front piercing the Light Screen and engulfing Larvitar!
The audience held their breath, moved by the tremendous spectacle.
As the cold front subsided,
In the center Larvitar was trapped in an ice sculpture, its little face tense.
“Did the Blizzard’s added freezing effect trigger?” Grant pondered.
Korrina whispered: “Larvitar did its best!”
DeFu hugged his arms and looked at Larvitar encased in ice.
“Freezing… unlike sleep, it’s hard to handle effectively.”
DeFu said in a low voice, “And that is the power of snow and freezing.”
Lu Ye was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes to sense the will within the ice sculpture.
“Yo, jji…”
It doesn’t want to give up…
I can still fight, keep getting stronger.
And together with everyone, make my trainer the world champion!
“YOJJI!! (▼へ▼メ)”
I still want to keep fighting!!
“…Larvitar.”
Lu Ye smiled softly and said, “Maybe it’s time for a new name.”
Ice shards slowly fell away and DeFu’s pupils constricted slightly.
Even in such a state, this Larvitar had such a powerful fighting spirit?
DeFu instinctively looked at Lu Ye and understood this champion’s firm heart more deeply.
DeFu hugged his thick arms, gaze steady: “But young man, freezing isn’t solved by will alone!”
“The ways to remove freezing—”
Lu Ye said slowly:
“Apart from moves like Burn Out or Heal Wish, a few abilities can help.”
DeFu startled, realizing something: “Abilities…”
“Abilities that remove freezing include switching-out Natural Cure, Rain’s Hydration—”
“And.” Lu Ye said, “Pupitar: Shed Skin.”
[Shed Skin: By shedding its outer layer, this ability lets a Pokémon recover from status conditions during battle!]
Clack, clack!
The ice began to break away. Four or five beams of white light extended outward from the ice sculpture, and a dazzling evolution light bloomed across the Chateau.
The spectators were stunned.
“What?”
“Larvitar evolved! At a time like this?!”
“Was this part of Teacher Lu’s plan?!”
Evolution wasn’t simply a trainer’s tactic but a Pokémon’s will and the result of mutual resonance.
The evolution light shone over the field.
A tinge of sadness rose in Lu Ye’s heart but his eyes hardened;
his black hair whipped in the wind.
Trainers sometimes must answer a Pokémon’s expectation.
If so, return the Blizzard with a more intense Sandstorm!
Crack—
The frozen block shattered completely. The blizzard still howled in the arena.
DeFu hugged his arms, eyes shining.
The bond between trainer and Pokémon… that was what battle could best demonstrate.
Blood burned in his chest;
DeFu grabbed the pendant at his breast and raised his face in a wide smile, his eyes aflame.
“To be able to shatter that hard ice—beautiful… Abomasnow and I will answer with even stronger conviction!”
“A fiercer Blizzard—”
He raised his Keystone pendant high;
brilliant rainbow light rose in the arena as DeFu bellowed:
“Abomasnow, Mega Evolve!!”
Strong winds blew;
the cold air rippled across the field and everyone’s hearts trembled.
“Using Mega Abomasnow against Larvitar?!”
“Dual Walls and Weakness Policy—this isn’t an ordinary juvenile quasi-legendary!”
“No, that’s Pupitar!”
As the rainbow light bathed the stadium,
The evolution glow faded.
Lu Ye looked at Pupitar.
In the white haze and howling wind, the pupal-shaped little one stood firm on the ground.
Its gray-blue hardened shell like a mask—Pupitar’s round mask holes glowed with crimson light.
Pupitar met Lu Ye’s gaze and nodded with determination:
“Sajjii!”
Lu Ye’s face showed a faint smile.
Not Larvitar… but Pupitar.
“Make only Sandstorm weather, Pupitar!”
Lu Ye raised his hand to the sky, clenched his fist and shouted:
“Pupitar, use Sandstorm!!!”