Chapter 167: Corviknight!

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Mid-December.

A cold wind blew, stripping the trees of their leaves.

Rumors had it that Lin Feng had provoked yet another minor antagonist—this time, a boy from the neighboring Second Middle School, not their own.

Apparently, the guy was one of Xu Wan's admirers?

The two had been spotted hanging out together, leading to a series of bizarre events.

A cliché plotline, really—the kind that appeared in eight out of ten urban novels, but considering Lin Feng and the others were only twelve or thirteen years old, the whole situation felt absurdly comical.

Li Xiang couldn't wrap his head around it and decided to stay out of the mess.

Honestly, it was strange.

Why hadn't he ever run into any of Jiang Shangrong or Qi Sunsun's admirers?

Both senior sisters were stunning, each more beautiful than the last.

Hmm…

Now, Song Jie's admirers? That was a different story.

Girls of all shapes, sizes, and grades—from their school and others—were constantly swarming him, showering him with snacks and love letters.

It happened almost every week, making Li Xiang feel like he'd time-traveled back to the '90s.

Seriously, it was almost 2011.

Who still confessed their feelings with letters?

After being forced to play messenger multiple times—even having girls track him down mid-battle—Li Xiang decided to tattle.

That night, he spilled everything to Anya on WeChat, detailing just how popular Song Jie was at school.

At first, Anya didn't react much.

Ten minutes later, she bombarded him with paragraphs of text, her excitement practically oozing through the screen.

Satisfied with his mischief, Li Xiang leaned back, grinning—especially after Anya said, "I'll have a little chat with him."

Even when Song Jie grabbed him the next day, gritting his teeth as he jabbed Li Xiang in the stomach, he didn't care.

But soon, his glee turned to regret.

Corvisquire reached Level 35—but didn't evolve.

It had taken nearly a month just to go from 34 to 35, and now, it still wasn't evolving.

Meaning Li Xiang would have to wait another month.

Thankfully, it was only December. School wouldn't let out until early February, so there was still time.

But what if Corvisquire still hadn't evolved by summer break?

Li Xiang couldn't help but worry. He had high hopes for Corvisquire's evolution—so much so that he'd already ordered a custom saddle for Corviknight. All that was left was to measure its size post-evolution and finalize the design.

But luck wasn't on his side.

He'd already collected four Hidden Ability Pokémon and one shiny—was it too much to ask for an early evolution?

Was it!?

The world was always so cruel to the lucky.

When will we, the blessed, finally rise up?

Early January.

Fortune smiled upon him once more.

At Level 36, Corvisquire underwent a transformation so profound it was practically a rebirth!

Its deep-blue plumage vanished, replaced by sleek, metallic wings—gleaming like armor as they shielded its body.

Its once-bright eyes darkened, crimson pupils glowing ominously against inky black sclera, sending chills down the spine of anyone who met its gaze.

The feathers and keratin of its face hardened into an indestructible iron mask, resembling a massive, crown-like visor that exuded sheer weight.

Its chest and back morphed into angular steel plates, evoking the aesthetic of a medieval knight.

The only remaining soft spots were the fluffy feathers atop its head and under its beak—like a beard and a tufted crest.

Even its talons were now encased in metal, as if wearing armored gauntlets.

The overall effect was nothing short of majestic—a towering, steel-clad warrior radiating overwhelming pressure!

But the most shocking change?

Its height.

Previously, Corvisquire had only reached Li Xiang's waist.

Now?

It dwarfed him entirely, standing at an estimated 2.2 meters tall!

The backyard door, which stood at 2050mm, was suddenly too short.

Corviknight couldn't even walk through upright—it had to duck, squeeze its body in sideways, or let Li Xiang push from behind.

And this was a door that Feraligatr could pass through effortlessly!

After documenting the entire evolution with photos and video, Li Xiang decided to test it out.

"...Should've asked Dad to replace the backyard door first."

Panting from exertion, Li Xiang sighed in frustration.

The doorframe and nearby floorboards were now destroyed—shattered into splinters from forcing Corviknight through.

What a mess.

Despite its imposing steel armor and massive size, Corviknight weighed less than 80kg—lighter than even Pupitar. If Li Xiang adjusted his grip, he could lift the damn thing.

"You take up more space than anyone else in this house!"

Sitting on the ruined floor, Li Xiang grumbled as he tried to figure out how to explain this to his parents.

Corviknight, crouched guiltily by the broken doorframe, blinked innocently.

It was Li Xiang who insisted on testing if it could fit—why was it getting blamed?

"Caww—"

"Shut up! Out!"

Li Xiang stood and kicked Corviknight—only to regret it immediately when his foot throbbed from the impact against its shock-absorbing metal body.

The other three Pokémon watched from a distance, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief.

They'd known Corviknight would be big—its father had been huge—but facing it in person was another matter entirely.

Torracat: Holy crap, it can't even fit through the door.

Riolu: How much food is this thing gonna eat in a day?

Frogadier: It's all steel… Can I even assassinate it?

Despite their private thoughts, they all stepped forward to congratulate Corviknight.

A Pokémon only evolved once or twice in its lifetime—this was a moment worth celebrating.

"Caww!"

Corviknight laughed, raising a wing in response—only to accidentally smash the doorframe inward with a heavy THUD.

Well.

Now the whole door needed replacing.

Li Xiang could only sigh.

....

Outside.

Corviknight couldn't resist the urge to take flight.

A bird born for the skies, it ached to test its new wings—especially now that it was stronger, faster, and infinitely more majestic. Flying would also help it adjust to its new body.

Before it could take off, Li Xiang stopped it, fastening a metal tag around its neck.

In urban airspace, wild mid-to-large avian Pokémon were often chased away by patrols.

To distinguish tamed Pokémon from wild ones, the Association issued these ID tags—like dog tags for birds.

As long as Corviknight displayed it, the patrols would leave it alone.

"Caww!"

Corviknight hopped in place, ensuring the tag was secure, then turned to Li Xiang with eager eyes. It tilted its body, nudging its head toward its back—clearly offering a ride.

"Dude, I can't ride you without a saddle! Plus, it's illegal to fly with a trainer here! Go on your own—head east, away from the city!"

Li Xiang patted Corviknight's beak.

What had once fit in his palm now required both hands to hold properly.

Seeing that Li Xiang wouldn't climb on, Corviknight drooped slightly—it had really wanted to carry him.

Oh well.

There'd be other chances.

With a powerful flap of its wings, Corviknight shot into the sky like a black arrow!

Within minutes, it was nothing more than a distant speck.

This guy really went all out.

Li Xiang shook his head, turning back to Torracat and the others—only to find them all staring at him.

"What? Wings are OP."

Riolu raised a brow, activating Magnet Rise to float into the air.

Frogadier leaped up without a word, white energy swirling around it as it soared.

On the ground, only Li Xiang and Torracat remained, locked in a silent standoff.

"...Meow!"

After a moment of deliberation, Torracat decided it had been insulted—and promptly pounced on Li Xiang.

"Hey—HEY! I just bought these clothes—!"

A loud RIP echoed through the yard.

"...Goddammit."

....

Half an hour later.

Corviknight returned, wobbling slightly mid-flight.

The winter sky was harsh—high-speed winds at altitude were brutal even for a steel bird, but for Corviknight, the cold was nothing.

It was just exhausted from flying too hard.

"Caww...."

Landing beside its nest, it deftly turned on the outdoor faucet with its beak, gulping down water.

Once refreshed, it hopped over to Li Xiang, who was scribbling notes in a notebook on the patio.

"Back already?"

Without looking up, Li Xiang pointed toward the nest.

"Go spar with Torracat. Test out all your new moves—and the old ones too."

Nearby, Torracat—who had been waiting for this—stepped out of the nest, relieved.

Two white sticky notes clung to its whiskers—remnants of a card game it had been losing horribly against Riolu and Frogadier.

Another loss, and it'd be sleeping on the floor tonight.

Behind it, Riolu and Frogadier tossed their cards aside in frustration.

The battle began.

Unlike a real match, this was about precision—honing techniques and maximizing their power.

Li Xiang watched closely, noting that Corviknight had learned several interesting moves post-evolution.

First was Steel Wing—a favorite of Steven Stone's—which transformed Corviknight's massive wings into twin walls of steel, extending its attack range dramatically.

Next was Metal Sound, a visible silver shockwave that sharply lowered the opponent's Special Defense—useless in most cases, just like Fake Tears.

Finally, Iron Defense—turning its entire body silver and boosting its physical defense to insane levels.

"Hmm… Still mostly learns garbage moves."

Li Xiang sighed.

Corviknight's movepool wasn't deep. As an eighth-generation Pokémon, it lacked the decades of legacy moves older species had.

"Iron Head, Body Press, Bulk Up, Substitute, and dual screens—start with these."

He jotted them down in his notebook.