《"Crown-Rank Trainer"》


 "New World"

    "Cross Scissor!"


    "Slash."


    Su Wen, who had just finished his high school entrance exam not long ago, lazily leaned on the railing, watching the battle below between a Scyther and a Linoone. The clash was intense, with gusts of wind sweeping across the battlefield, leaving occasional marks on the ground.


    "That¡¯s a Scyther? Someone¡¯s got money," Su Wen muttered as he scrutinized the well-trained Scyther.


    Scyther, being one of the top-tier Bug-type Pok¨¦mon, wasn¡¯t easy to obtain.


    Su Wen¡¯s fondness for Pok¨¦mon was well-founded.


    Ever since he was four or five years old, Su Wen had been having fragmented dreams of strange events that felt like memories, yet they were things he had never experienced.


    By the time he was seven or eight, he dreamt of himself battling through the college entrance exams, drowning in endless practice papers like the infamous "Huanggang Exam Papers" and "Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulation." The stacks of papers were taller than he was, and the dark circles under his eyes rivaled those of a panda.


    In that moment, Su Wen remembered everything¡ªthe fear of being dominated by subjects like Chinese, Math, English, Physics, and Chemistry in his past life. He remembered it all.


    Such a complete recollection couldn¡¯t be explained away as just a dream. It had to be his previous life, though it wasn¡¯t a particularly long one.


    How he parted ways with Earth, Su Wen didn¡¯t know. His last memory was completing the main story of Pok¨¦mon Sword and Shield.


    Ah, he had ultimately become one of the many talents Earth had sent to other worlds. The only difference was that while most people were directly transported through soul transmigration, he had undergone a proper reincarnation.


    If you had told his past self that he would reincarnate, he would have immediately called the police¡ªwhat kind of nonsense was that?


    Now, he realized he was wrong. Every time he thought about his reincarnation, Su Wen couldn¡¯t help but complain.


    So, reincarnation really exists¡­ But hey, Grandma Meng, when did your soup start getting watered down?


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to make you forget all past grievances with just one bowl?


    What am I supposed to do now that I remember everything? Can I apply for after-sales service?


    The King of Hell must be skimping on employee wages¡ªwhat a shady business!


    The planet he now lived on, called Blue Star, was somewhat similar to Earth. The White Eagle Federation and the Xia Kingdom, where Su Wen resided, were constantly at odds, while the Western nations had merged into a large federation called the Western European Federation.


    Technologically, Blue Star was on par with Earth, with high-speed trains, airplanes, and all the expected advancements.


    However, due to the existence of Pok¨¦mon, a significant portion of the population had shifted their focus to studying them.


    As a result, Su Wen hadn¡¯t heard of nuclear weapons or other large-scale destructive arms. After all, the power of high-tier Pok¨¦mon was comparable to nuclear bombs, and they were controllable. Why bother with nukes when a Dragonite could just swoop in and blast it out of the sky with a Dragon Breath?


    Speaking of Pok¨¦mon, they had fully integrated into this world. Whether in daily life, work, entertainment, or exploration, Pok¨¦mon were everywhere.


    You might find a Pidgeot delivering takeout, a Chansey assisting in surgery, or a Sudowoodo used as a decorative plant at someone¡¯s doorstep.


    "Honestly, I wanted to go to the world where becoming a Pok¨¦mon trainer meant free meals at Pok¨¦mon Centers, not one where I have to go through nine years of compulsory education again!" Su Wen thought, feeling a bit despairing as he remembered his recently concluded middle school life and the impending high school years.


    Despite his complaints, Su Wen quickly accepted reality and successfully latched onto his father¡¯s coattails.


    The Linoone on the battlefield belonged to Su Chuan, the Normal-type Gym Leader of Jinming City and Su Wen¡¯s father.


    The Scyther¡¯s trainer was a student, though not a long-term one¡ªjust a passerby who had paid for some guidance from Su Chuan.


    Ever since Su Wen¡¯s memories returned at the age of six or seven, his favorite pastime had been watching various challengers get thoroughly beaten by his father in the gym.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Most of the time, these were instructional battles, like the current one. What could have been a one or two-minute fight was dragged out to nearly ten minutes so Su Chuan could thoroughly identify the student¡¯s weaknesses and provide guidance¡ªa duty of every Gym Leader.


    Su Wen was still wondering when the battle would end when, under Su Chuan¡¯s command, Linoone seized an opening and sent Scyther flying to the edge of the battlefield with a Hellish Claw.


    "Scyther!"


    As the challenger exclaimed, Su Wen lazily raised the red flag on his right, confirming that Scyther had fainted.


    "Scyther is unable to battle. Linoone wins."


    Before the challenger could return Scyther to its Pok¨¦ Ball, Su Chuan had already stepped forward.


    "That was a good battle. Your Scyther is well-trained, but you¡¯ve spread its focus too thin. Scyther¡¯s greatest strengths are speed and attack, but you¡¯ve also trained its defense, which is unnecessary¡­"


    While Su Chuan was correcting the challenger¡¯s training methods, Su Wen yawned in boredom.


    Su Wen¡¯s lack of interest wasn¡¯t because the challenger was weak, but because he had seen too many high-level battles involving his father.


    This Linoone wasn¡¯t even in Su Chuan¡¯s top-tier team¡ªit was just used for sparring with novice trainers.


    Su Chuan¡¯s strongest Pok¨¦mon was his Slaking, a Gym Leader-level Pok¨¦mon that had almost overcome the limitations of its Truant ability.


    If compared to game stats, Slaking¡¯s base stats were a whopping 670, rivaling legendary Pok¨¦mon like Groudon and Kyogre. However, the Truant ability severely limited its potential.


    While this world wasn¡¯t as data-driven as the games, the game stats could still serve as a reference. Slaking¡¯s innate potential was immense, but it was incredibly lazy, often lacking the will to fight due to its ability.


    Even if a trainer could motivate Slaking to fight, controlling its attack rhythm was difficult. The sudden pauses or refusal to follow commands caused by Truant often became the deciding factor in battles, which was why few trainers chose Slaking as their main Pok¨¦mon.


    Moreover, in this world, Slaking¡¯s Truant couldn¡¯t be negated by abilities like Skill Swap or moves like Gastro Acid. It wasn¡¯t just an ability¡ªit was an instinct.


    With such a significant limitation, no matter how strong Slaking¡¯s base stats were, few trainers would choose it.


    However, Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking could use the power of a Life Orb to overcome its ability and fight like a normal Pok¨¦mon.


    The Life Orb increased a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attack power but at the cost of draining its stamina.


    In game terms, while other Pok¨¦mon used MP to cast skills, Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking burned both MP and HP.


    As a result, Su Chuan¡¯s battles were incredibly "fast." While other Gym Leader-level Pok¨¦mon could fight for hours¡ªor even days, in the case of tanky Pok¨¦mon like Shuckle and Chansey¡ªSu Chuan¡¯s Slaking would end battles within fifteen minutes.


    In that time, either the opponent¡¯s Pok¨¦mon would be crushed, or Slaking would burn through its HP and faint.


    Most of Su Chuan¡¯s losses were due to Slaking burning itself out.


    However, a Slaking unhindered by its ability was a force to be reckoned with. During the "Ho-Oh Cup," one of Xia Kingdom¡¯s top tournaments, Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking had withstood a Sandstorm and defeated a newly promoted Elite Four-level Tyranitar.


    That battle had nearly made Su Wen¡¯s eyes pop out of his head. Even though the Tyranitar had just reached Elite Four level, it was still a tier above Gym Leader level, and as a pseudo-legendary Pok¨¦mon, it was shocking to see it get crushed by a Slaking.


    That victory had catapulted Su Chuan to fame, making him Jinming City¡¯s top celebrity trainer.


    However, Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking had been stuck at Gym Leader level for four or five years, and it was unclear when it would break through to Elite Four level.


    Su Wen hoped Slaking would advance soon, as it would elevate his status as a "trainer¡¯s kid," or "trainer second generation" for short.


    Based on his past life¡¯s memories, Su Wen had also researched this world¡¯s history and found that all legendary Pok¨¦mon, whether primary or secondary, had been absent from the world for a long time.


    Why this was the case, Su Wen didn¡¯t know. He only knew that history had been largely lost during a great catastrophe six hundred years ago, and since then, the legendary Pok¨¦mon had disappeared.


    Still, the absence of legendary Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t entirely a bad thing. If Groudon and Kyogre decided to duke it out in the Pacific Ocean, coastal cities in the Xia Kingdom might be wiped out.


    As a standard feature for transmigrators, Su Wen also possessed a special ability: Aura.


    In theory, everyone had their own Aura, but few could harness it effectively. Even fewer could use it without formal training, like Su Wen.


    At first, Su Wen thought having such an ability made him a shoo-in for the protagonist role. However, he soon realized others had even more overpowered abilities.


    Some had innate telepathy, allowing them to communicate with Pok¨¦mon.


    Others had psychic powers that could rival a Kadabra¡¯s.


    Even more outrageous were those who could communicate with the spirit world, with an affinity for Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon so high that they could instantly capture a Boss-level Gengar upon meeting it.


    Sorry, I thought I was the protagonist, but it turns out you¡¯re all cheaters. I¡¯m not worthy.


    In comparison, Su Wen¡¯s purely supportive Aura ability seemed a bit underwhelming.


    However, over the years, Su Wen had become increasingly proficient with his Aura, developing several uses for it. One of them was sensing a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s condition.


    Su Wen had now achieved a level of X-ray vision, allowing him to quickly assess a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s abilities at a glance.


    For example, when he looked at his father¡¯s Linoone, he could instantly see its ability, level, and the moves it knew.


    However, when it came to his father¡¯s Slaking, Su Wen¡¯s Aura couldn¡¯t penetrate it at all. It was as if Slaking¡¯s Aura was actively resisting his intrusion.


    As for Elite Four-level Pok¨¦mon, Su Wen hadn¡¯t had the chance to test his ability on them, but he was certain he wouldn¡¯t be able to "spectate" their stats either.


    In this world, Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t limited to learning only four moves. If a trainer wanted, their Pok¨¦mon could learn twenty or thirty moves.


    However, Su Chuan had told Su Wen that top-tier trainers usually didn¡¯t have their Pok¨¦mon learn so many moves at once.


    Instead, they would focus on five or six, or maybe seven or eight, key moves and train them extensively. Other moves were learned as backups.


    After all, like humans, Pok¨¦mon had limited energy. Kids might want to learn everything, but adults knew their limits.


    "Su Wen, go hang the ¡®Closed for the Day¡¯ sign at the entrance. We¡¯re heading home early today¡ªit¡¯s your birthday," Su Chuan said after finishing his explanation to the Scyther¡¯s trainer.

 2."Gift."

    "Alright," Su Wen replied.


    As he walked toward the entrance, he pondered.


    His 16th birthday¡ªwhat kind of gift had his dad prepared? Most likely, it would be a Pok¨¦mon.


    Su Wen, who had decided to pursue the path of a Pok¨¦mon trainer, had applied to the Pok¨¦mon Studies program at Yundu City''s No. 1 High School. In the Xia Kingdom, 16 was the legal age to officially own your first Pok¨¦mon.


    Su Wen skillfully picked up a sign from behind the entrance and, under the watchful eyes of the challengers waiting in line, hung it on the door hook.


    "Closed for the Day?"


    The challengers behind him were stunned. What was going on? The Normal-type Gym usually closed around 8 or 9 PM, but today it was shutting down before 6 PM.


    "Ahem, the Gym Leader has some urgent matters to attend to today. Please make an appointment next time before coming," Su Wen explained.


    The people waiting in line hadn¡¯t made appointments¡ªthey¡¯d probably just had a spur-of-the-moment idea to come and get beaten up.


    But seeing the Gym closed, they could only shake their heads and leave.


    The Gym had security and management staff, so Su Chuan didn¡¯t need to clean up. He simply changed out of his Gym Leader robe and left through the back door with Su Wen, driving off.


    "Dad, what¡¯s the gift?" Su Wen asked from the passenger seat, pretending not to have any idea.


    Su Chuan played coy: "You¡¯ll definitely be satisfied with this gift."


    "Dad, you said the same thing before," Su Wen suddenly recalled past birthdays when his dad had given him things like stuffed animals, toy trains, and even a Barbie doll for his 8th birthday! Was that even something for him to play with?


    Su Wen gave his dad a suspicious look, making Su Chuan feel a bit awkward: "Uh, this time, son, you¡¯ll definitely be satisfied."


    Su Wen subtly rolled his eyes: "Dad, why don¡¯t you just tell me? I¡¯m really starting to get nervous here."


    Su Chuan couldn¡¯t help but try to salvage his image in front of his son: "How about a Pok¨¦mon?"


    "Dad, is that even a gift?" Su Wen expressed his dissatisfaction strongly. "I¡¯m starting school in a month. If you don¡¯t get me a starter Pok¨¦mon soon, I¡¯ll just go to the Pok¨¦mon League and get an egg to hatch myself."


    The Xia Kingdom¡¯s Pok¨¦mon League had strict regulations¡ªprivate ownership of Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t allowed. You could only capture Pok¨¦mon as a trainer, and there was no barrier to becoming a trainer. As long as you were 16, you could register with the Pok¨¦mon League, so pretty much everyone in the Xia Kingdom was a trainer.


    The stronger you were, the more Pok¨¦mon you were allowed to own. Gym Leaders like Su Chuan could raise over 25 Pok¨¦mon under the Gym¡¯s name.


    As for amateur trainers like Su Wen¡¯s mom, they were only allowed to own one Pok¨¦mon.


    "If I¡¯m calling it a gift, of course, it means you get to choose. Otherwise, I¡¯d have already gotten you a Slakoth," Su Chuan huffed, trying to show he hadn¡¯t forgotten about his son¡¯s upcoming school term.


    Su Wen didn¡¯t have any particular fondness for Slakoth. As the initial form of Slaking, Slakoth was even lazier than its evolution, and his dad¡¯s Slaking was a one-of-a-kind case. Plus, Slakoth¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t exactly appealing...


    "I was planning to ask you after you blew out the candles, but since we¡¯re already talking about it, go ahead and choose. What Pok¨¦mon do you want as your starter? Your dad will make it happen," Su Chuan said with great confidence.


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    "Dratini, Larvitar, Bagon, Beldum, Gible, Dreepy, Goomy, Deino."


    Su Wen listed all the pseudo-legendary Pok¨¦mon¡¯s initial forms in one breath, then looked at Su Chuan with a smile and shyly added, "I¡¯m fine with any of these."


    "..."


    After a long silence, Su Chuan said weakly, "Your dad¡¯s been wanting a Gible for a long time..."


    The implication was clear: dream on.


    These eight Pok¨¦mon were in a league of their own. Among all known Pok¨¦mon, their potential was at the very top.


    Apart from Slaking, which had slightly higher potential stats than these pseudo-legendaries, its Truant ability had rendered it almost useless.


    Having a pseudo-legendary as a starter Pok¨¦mon would undoubtedly be a huge advantage, but Su Wen had looked into it. The only officially recorded habitat for pseudo-legendaries was in the Xia Kingdom¡¯s First Forbidden Zone: the Dragon¡¯s Lair.


    All Dragon-type pseudo-legendaries, except for Goomy and Dreepy, had their own groups in the Dragon¡¯s Lair.


    The inhabitants of the Dragon¡¯s Lair had reached an agreement with the Xia Kingdom¡¯s Pok¨¦mon League¡ªtrainers weren¡¯t allowed to disturb the Lair, but behind-the-scenes deals were still happening.


    Any trainer who reached Elite Four level could enter the Dragon¡¯s Lair to capture a Pok¨¦mon or request a specific Pok¨¦mon, and the Lair would provide the initial form or an egg.


    It was a blatant exchange of favors.


    And everyone was more than willing to owe this favor. Who wouldn¡¯t want a pseudo-legendary? Even if they didn¡¯t need it themselves, they could leave it for their children.


    As for the non-Dragon-type pseudo-legendaries, Larvitar and Beldum, they were also incredibly rare.


    Larvitar didn¡¯t have a fixed habitat, but wherever it was found, it was likely in deep, remote forests, often accompanied by two adult Tyranitar.


    Beldum was found deep in caves rich in Steel-type minerals, usually in forbidden zones, making it just as hard to come by.


    Su Chuan had also wanted a pseudo-legendary for a long time but hadn¡¯t managed to get one.


    He¡¯d probably only be able to get one after breaking through to Elite Four level.


    For now, it was best not to think about it.


    Su Wen couldn¡¯t quite understand why the Dragon¡¯s Lair wouldn¡¯t invest in his dad, who clearly had the strength of an Elite Four trainer.


    "How about Froakie, Charmander, Riolu, Eevee, or Torchic? Dad, can you find ones with good potential among these?"


    "Froakie, Charmander, Torchic, and Riolu should have their hidden abilities. Eevee should have the Adaptability ability."


    These five Pok¨¦mon were the result of Su Wen¡¯s careful consideration. Leaving aside the elusive concepts of Mega Evolution, Bond Phenomenon, and Dynamax for now.


    Froakie¡¯s hidden ability, Protean, allowed it to change its type.


    Torchic¡¯s hidden ability, Speed Boost, was an incredibly powerful and practical battle ability, increasing its speed periodically during combat.


    Su Wen¡¯s strong Aura would likely synergize well with Riolu, a Pok¨¦mon known for its Aura abilities.


    Charmander was a versatile Pok¨¦mon, capable of filling multiple roles. Its hidden ability, Solar Power, boosted its Special Attack by 50% in sunny weather, though it drained stamina rapidly. Still, it was an extremely potent ability.


    Eevee had multiple evolution paths, allowing Su Wen to choose based on how he wanted to train it.


    These five Pok¨¦mon were Su Wen¡¯s top choices for a starter Pok¨¦mon.


    Most importantly, these Pok¨¦mon were all good-looking. Su Wen couldn¡¯t help but admit to himself that he was a bit of a sucker for aesthetics.


    Listening to Su Wen¡¯s requirements, Su Chuan thought carefully. "Forget about Froakie. They¡¯re mostly in the Western European Federation. High-quality Froakie are hard to come by in the Xia Kingdom."


    "As for Riolu, there¡¯s a Fighting-type Gym in the capital. I know the Gym Leader there, and they have six or seven Lucario. But getting a Riolu with a hidden ability won¡¯t be easy."


    "I can try to pull some strings for Torchic and Eevee, though, and see if I can get one for you."


    "For Charmander, the Charicific Valley is the best option. Your Uncle Zhu owes me a favor, and it¡¯s currently Charmander hatching season. I¡¯m sure a lot of people are already contacting him. I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow to see if there¡¯s a suitable one. If not, I¡¯ll help you look for Torchic or Eevee. How¡¯s that?"


    With Su Chuan¡¯s status, finding these five Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t difficult. The challenge was Su Wen¡¯s requirement for hidden abilities, which were much rarer.


    Most Pok¨¦mon species had standard abilities and hidden abilities, like dominant and recessive genes. In any given group, most Pok¨¦mon had standard abilities.


    The probability of a hidden ability appearing was about one in several hundred, though it varied by species.


    But like pulling an SSR in a gacha game, every Pok¨¦mon with a hidden ability was a treasure.


    Most hidden abilities had incredibly powerful effects, though some were underwhelming.


    Seeing that Su Chuan had a detailed plan, Su Wen nodded. "That works."


    On the way home, Su Chuan chatted with Su Wen about various Pok¨¦mon-related topics, feeling quite satisfied. Su Wen¡¯s theoretical knowledge was solid, and he showed great talent for Pok¨¦mon training.


    As a top-tier trainer, Su Chuan naturally hoped his son would grow into an even better trainer than himself.


    When they arrived home, Su Wen knocked on the door. Neither he nor Su Chuan carried keys.


    With a click, the door opened, and a small head peeked out.


    "Indeedee, is Mom done with dinner?" Su Wen wasn¡¯t surprised. This adorable Pok¨¦mon was his mom¡¯s only Pok¨¦mon, an Indeedee.


    Indeedee wasn¡¯t his mom¡¯s starter Pok¨¦mon, though. Her first Pok¨¦mon had been a Beedrill, which had long since...

 3."Off to Charicific Valley"

    Bug-type Pok¨¦mon have short growth cycles, and correspondingly, their lifespans are generally not long.


    A Beedrill, if it doesn¡¯t break through its limits, typically lives only about three years. However, as its level increases and its energy accumulates, its lifespan can also extend.


    Some scholars have published papers on this topic, suggesting that if a Beedrill can reach the Elite Four level, its theoretical lifespan could extend to 150 years¡ªroughly matching the average human lifespan in this world.


    Perhaps due to differences in the world¡¯s material composition, the average human lifespan here has long surpassed 100 years, reaching around 150.


    But Su Wen knew this was nothing special. If he could somehow gain the favor of the "Life God," Xerneas, eternal life might even be possible.


    After Su Wen¡¯s mom¡¯s Beedrill passed away, she hadn¡¯t kept any Pok¨¦mon until Su Chuan gifted her a female Indeedee as their first wedding anniversary present.


    Indeedee is a highly sought-after Pok¨¦mon¡ªcute, efficient, and capable of sensing human emotions. Since getting this Indeedee, Su Wen¡¯s mom had experienced significantly less stress.


    Seeing Su Wen and Su Chuan return, Indeedee happily opened the door and immediately hugged Su Wen.


    "Indeedee, is that Ah Chuan and Wen?" Su Wen¡¯s mom¡¯s voice floated from the kitchen. Indeedee responded with a couple of chirps.


    Su Chuan, after changing his shoes, hurried to the backyard. It wasn¡¯t just a backyard¡ªit was more like a breeding area, covering nearly 200 square meters.


    Since the Gym and Su Wen¡¯s home were located near the outskirts of Jinming City, property prices were relatively low. Su Chuan had bought over 300 square meters of land to build their house, with two-thirds of the space dedicated to housing Pok¨¦mon.


    The backyard was designed to simulate a grassland and forest environment, suitable for raising Su Chuan¡¯s Normal-type Pok¨¦mon.


    "Come on out," Su Chuan said, taking eight Pok¨¦ Balls from his belt and releasing the Pok¨¦mon inside. These eight Pok¨¦mon were all personally trained by Su Chuan and were always with him, including his Slaking.


    "Grumph," Slaking emerged and lumbered over to its designated tree, stretching lazily before lying down on its side, propping its head up with one hand.


    When not in battle, Slaking was no different from any other Slaking¡ªlazy to the core.


    If Su Wen had to guess how Slaking would eventually die, he¡¯d say it would probably be from sheer laziness.


    The other Pok¨¦mon gathered around Su Wen, eagerly watching him. A young Kangaskhan even climbed out of its mother¡¯s pouch and clung to Su Wen¡¯s leg.


    Su Wen skillfully patted the little Kangaskhan¡¯s head and then placed it back into its mother¡¯s pouch. "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll get to it."


    In the past, Su Chuan had always prepared Pok¨¦mon food based on recipes from master breeders. While the meals were nutritionally balanced, the taste was rather bland.


    Perhaps due to his Aura abilities, Su Wen had a natural talent for making Pok¨¦mon food and energy blocks. He was largely self-taught and had reached a very high skill level.


    After Su Wen experimented with a meal for Kangaskhan once, the Pok¨¦mon began to turn their noses up at Su Chuan¡¯s concoctions, eagerly waiting for Su Wen¡¯s creations instead.


    "Dad, get the ingredients ready for me," Su Wen said without hesitation, ordering his dad around.


    "Right, right," Su Chuan was already used to playing the assistant.


    "This is for Kangaskhan and the little one."


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    "This is for Linoone."


    "This is for Slaking."


    "This is for Pidgeot."


    ......


    By the time Su Wen had prepared food for all the Pok¨¦mon, Su Wen¡¯s mom and Indeedee had already brought all the dishes to the table.


    "Indeedee, this is yours."


    Su Wen didn¡¯t forget the family¡¯s little helper, placing a plate of Pok¨¦mon food in front of Indeedee, who had already set out a knife and fork and was sitting properly in its chair.


    It was said that in the Western European Federation, male Indeedee could become professional butlers, while female Indeedee made excellent attendants. With their high intelligence, Indeedee had developed a habit of mimicking humans after close contact.


    "Wen, have you ever considered becoming a breeder? I was chatting with Auntie Wang next door today, and she said the pay for breeders is really good now."


    Su Wen¡¯s mom, Wang Xuan, had long noticed Su Wen¡¯s talent for making Pok¨¦mon food. If he wanted to become a breeder, he could definitely become a master in the field.


    Being a Pok¨¦mon breeder was a lucrative and relatively easy profession¡ªtrainers were more than willing to spend money on their Pok¨¦mon.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the first time Su Wen¡¯s mom had tried to convince him not to become a professional Pok¨¦mon trainer.


    Before Su Wen could respond, Su Chuan muttered, "What¡¯s so great about being a breeder? Son, don¡¯t listen to your mom. Be a trainer."


    Smack.


    Wang Xuan, annoyed, slapped the back of Su Chuan¡¯s head. "Who asked you to speak? You talk too much."


    Su Chuan immediately quieted down and sat obediently to eat.


    "Let¡¯s not talk about that now. Son, blow out the candles first."


    With that, Wang Xuan removed the cover from the largest plate in the center of the table, revealing the birthday cake.


    She carefully inserted candles shaped like the number "16" and lit them, smiling at Su Wen. "Make a wish before blowing out the candles."


    Su Wen obediently closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and silently wished, "I hope I can find a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s right for me."


    Although this wasn¡¯t exactly a wish, Su Wen still opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and blew out all the candles in one go.


    "Son, what did you wish for?" Su Chuan asked curiously.


    Su Wen replied seriously, "If you say it out loud, it won¡¯t come true. By the way, Dad, when are we leaving for Charicific Valley tomorrow?"


    "Huh?" Wang Xuan frowned and looked at Su Chuan. "Why are you going to Charicific Valley? You didn¡¯t tell me about this."


    Su Chuan awkwardly explained, "We just decided. Son said he wants a Charmander as his starter Pok¨¦mon, so I¡¯m taking him to Charicific Valley to check it out."


    Wang Xuan¡¯s brow furrowed, but just as Su Wen thought she might object, she sighed. "Fine, go ahead. But make sure you pick a good one for our son."


    After all, Su Wen had been adamant about becoming a trainer, and his high school application had already been submitted. Her objections were more symbolic than anything else.


    After dinner, Su Wen habitually opened a website and browsed the latest Pok¨¦mon-related topics.


    "Experts have discovered traces of Pok¨¦mon deep within the Yaji Mine. Analysis suggests a Metagross (the final evolution of Beldum) may be inhabiting the depths. Gym Leader Zhou Shou has led a team to explore the area."


    "Large schools of Wishiwashi have appeared in Ximin Lake. Professor Wang Ai is currently analyzing their origins."


    ......


    Nothing particularly interesting caught his eye. Even the news about Metagross seemed likely to be false¡ªover the years, there had been hundreds, if not thousands, of similar reports.


    Su Wen shut down his computer, leaped onto his bed, and sprawled out. "If I catch a Charmander, should I build a team around it? Hmm, maybe add a Torkoal, and perhaps a Cherrim..."


    After a series of random thoughts, Su Wen drifted off to sleep.


    The next day, before leaving, Su Wen¡¯s mom carefully packed his luggage and repeatedly reminded Su Chuan to keep their son safe.


    "Don¡¯t worry. Even if the plane explodes, I¡¯ll bring our son back in one piece," Su Chuan declared, only to earn another smack on the back of his head.


    On the way to the airport, Su Wen asked curiously, "Dad, if the plane really exploded, could you actually get me down safely?"


    Su Chuan glanced at him. "Of course... not. I could ride Pidgeot down, but with your physical condition, tsk tsk, you probably wouldn¡¯t make it."


    Su Chuan¡¯s physical fitness was exceptionally strong¡ªhe could even go toe-to-toe with Linoone.


    Not just Su Chuan, but everyone in this world had significantly better physical fitness than humans from Su Wen¡¯s previous world.


    However, Su Wen was still a minor. Although he often exercised with Su Chuan, his physical condition wasn¡¯t nearly as good.


    As for the plane exploding... not only was the probability astronomically low, but even if something did go wrong, airlines had professional rescue teams composed of Flying-type and Psychic-type trainers. Their response times were impressively fast.


    Su Wen had once seen on TV how a team of over a dozen Gym-level Psychic-type Pok¨¦mon worked together to gently lower a malfunctioning plane to the ground. The ease with which they did it left Su Wen deeply aware that in this world, the only real science was Pok¨¦mon.


    If Su Wen hadn¡¯t been coming along, Su Chuan could have simply ridden Pidgeot to Charicific Valley.


    At the airport, they checked in, stored their luggage, waited, and boarded the plane¡ªeverything went smoothly.


    As the plane took off, Su Wen, sitting by the window, watched Yundu City grow smaller and smaller until the plane entered the clouds. He finally turned away, thinking: Charicific Valley, here I come!

 4."Arrived."

    Less than two hours later, the plane was about to land.


    "Your Uncle Zhu will send someone to pick us up at the airport," Su Chuan said as he put away the newspaper provided by the flight attendant and placed it on the tray table.


    To be precise, Charicific Valley could also be considered a restricted area.


    The Alliance''s definition of a restricted area wasn¡¯t entirely clear, but one common factor was that the energy in such areas was usually extremely dense.


    As a result, powerful Pok¨¦mon often migrated there, while human cities, with their relatively sparse energy, rarely attracted strong Pok¨¦mon.


    In contrast, the habitats of these powerful Pok¨¦mon gradually became restricted areas.


    Charicific Valley was one such restricted area, rich in Fire-type energy and a paradise for various Fire-type Pok¨¦mon. Of course, the dominant species there was still Charizard.


    Conservative estimates suggested that nearly 60% of Charizard in the Xia Kingdom lived in Charicific Valley, with 20% in the Dragon¡¯s Lair, 10% scattered in various breeding facilities, and the remaining 10% roaming the wilds across the country.


    As Su Chuan had said, a young man in a white shirt with slicked-back hair was waiting outside the airport, holding a sign with two large characters: "Su Chuan."


    "Xiao You," Su Chuan led Su Wen over and immediately ruffled the young man¡¯s hair with his large hand. He then introduced him to Su Wen, "This is your Uncle Zhu¡¯s son, Zhu You. He¡¯s six years older than you."


    "Hello, Brother Zhu," Su Wen greeted politely.


    "Uncle Su, you messed up my hair," Zhu You grinned. "So, you¡¯re Su Wen, huh? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you get a top-quality Charmander this time."


    After a few pleasantries, Zhu You led Su Chuan and Su Wen to an SUV.


    "Xiao You, who else has come?" Su Chuan asked as he fastened his seatbelt.


    It was clear that Su Chuan wasn¡¯t the only one coming to Charicific Valley for a Pok¨¦mon. Parents always wanted the best for their children, and everyone was eager to secure a strong starter Pok¨¦mon for their kids.


    Aside from pseudo-legendaries, Charmander was considered one of the top-tier choices.


    "A few Gym Leaders have already come and gone. The one still here is an old acquaintance of yours, Gym Leader Zhang Yun," Zhu You said, a hint of amusement in his voice.


    Su Chuan paused, then chuckled, "Oh right, Zhang Yun¡¯s daughter is fifteen this year."


    He clicked his tongue, "Tsk tsk, that guy¡¯s here too? His daughter is so delicate¡ªdoesn¡¯t seem like a good match for a Charizard."


    Su Wen agreed. Every time Zhang Yun came to challenge Su Chuan, his daughter, Zhang Qian, would quietly hide behind Su Wen like a timid kitten, not saying a word.


    Su Chuan only had one Gym Leader-level Slaking, while Zhang Yun had three Gym Leader-level Pok¨¦mon.


    Moreover, Zhang Yun was a battle fanatic. Over the past few years, he¡¯d come to challenge Su Chuan two or three times a year.


    The results were always similar: Su Chuan¡¯s other five Pok¨¦mon would be defeated, leaving only his Slaking, while Zhang Yun still had two full-health Gym Leader-level Pok¨¦mon.


    The battles usually ended in a stalemate, largely because Zhang Yun¡¯s Snorlax was incredibly tanky¡ªboth durable and powerful, often using moves like Rest and Sleep Talk to stall. Essentially, Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking would usually burn itself out before securing a win.


    Su Chuan was clearly frustrated by this almost cheating strategy, which made Zhang Yun¡¯s challenges increasingly annoying.


    "How many newborn Charmander are there this time?" Su Chuan changed the subject, addressing Su Wen¡¯s main concern.


    "Three hundred and twelve, all hatched within the last year and still in their infancy. Also..." Zhu You paused, "the Charizard leader¡¯s child has hatched."


    The infancy period for Pok¨¦mon was like a baby¡¯s development phase¡ªa slow process of growth and energy accumulation. During this time, a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength barely increased.


    The length of this period varied by species, from a few days for Bug-types to several years for Dragon-types.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Although Charizard was a Fire/Flying-type Pok¨¦mon without the Dragon attribute, it likely had some Dragon lineage, as its infancy period was longer than most Fire-types, lasting about a year.


    Su Chuan raised an eyebrow, "That old dragon¡¯s still got it, huh?"


    Zhu You¡¯s expression was a bit odd. The Charizard leader was over 500 years old, which, for a Pok¨¦mon with Dragon lineage, was considered middle-aged.


    Two years ago, the Charizard leader¡¯s mate suddenly laid an egg, leading to some playful suspicions within the Zhu family about the egg¡¯s parentage.


    But these suspicions were just jokes. Pok¨¦mon had a strong sense of bloodline connection, and the Charizard leader would never mistake its own egg.


    A year ago, the Charmander hatched, and the Zhu family immediately sealed off the news, hoping to have one of their younger members tame it.


    After all, taming this Charmander would mean gaining the support of an Elite Four-level Charizard and, by extension, the entire Charicific Valley.


    The relationship between the Zhu family and Charicific Valley was unique. Hundreds of years ago, during the Great Cataclysm, the Zhu family was protected by the Charizard in the valley, and in return, the Zhu family became caretakers and guardians of the Charizard.


    It was a mutually beneficial coexistence, so naturally, the Zhu family didn¡¯t want to let an outsider tame the Charmander.


    However, this Charmander was particularly stubborn. After a year, none of the Zhu family¡¯s younger members had succeeded in taming it, and it was nearing the end of its infancy.


    As a result, Zhu Tianxing, the head of the Zhu family, had to compromise and see if any close friends¡¯ children could tame it, thus building goodwill while still keeping it within the family¡¯s sphere of influence.


    Su Chuan wasn¡¯t upset that Zhu Tianxing had kept this secret. In large families, the family¡¯s interests always came before personal friendships.


    But since none of the Zhu family¡¯s younger members had succeeded, Su Chuan didn¡¯t expect his son to pull off a miracle.


    "Son, we¡¯ll try to tame the Charizard leader¡¯s child first. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll pick a high-potential Charmander," Su Chuan instructed Su Wen, not bothering to hide the conversation from Zhu You.


    Su Wen rubbed his nose, not holding out much hope.


    However, Su Wen did have an advantage¡ªhis Aura could somewhat enhance his affinity with Pok¨¦mon.


    Zhu You chuckled, "Uncle Su, don¡¯t worry. My dad¡¯s definitely on your side."


    Su Chuan laughed, "Of course Tianxing would help me!"


    Su Chuan and Zhu Tianxing had been teammates in their younger days, exploring secret realms together, and their bond was incredibly strong.


    In fact, Zhu Tianxing¡¯s ace Pok¨¦mon, Volcarona, had been captured in a secret realm with Su Chuan¡¯s help.


    That¡¯s right¡ªas the head of the Zhu family, Zhu Tianxing¡¯s Charizard was only his second strongest Pok¨¦mon.


    In terms of rarity, Volcarona was even rarer than Charizard, as it wasn¡¯t a group Pok¨¦mon and had no fixed capture location, often found in various volcanoes.


    In terms of potential, while both were top-tier, Volcarona¡¯s potential was even higher than Charizard¡¯s.


    Its deep movepool, including its unique move "Fiery Dance," made Volcarona incredibly valuable.


    Especially in a Fire-energy-rich place like Charicific Valley, Volcarona¡¯s growth speed was rapid, and its potential even surpassed that of most pseudo-legendaries.


    Despite being the fourth Pok¨¦mon to join Zhu Tianxing¡¯s team, Volcarona had become his ace, a testament to its extraordinary potential.


    With Zhu You driving, they passed through numerous checkpoints without issue.


    As they progressed, the road became less crowded, and the surrounding forest grew denser, exuding a primal, natural atmosphere.


    The frequent checkpoints also gave Su Wen a new appreciation for how tightly guarded Charicific Valley was.


    "It¡¯s Charmander hatching season, so the valley is on high alert," Su Chuan explained, noticing Su Wen¡¯s surprise. After all, this wasn¡¯t Su Chuan¡¯s first visit.


    After their team disbanded, Zhu Tianxing returned to his family to become its head, while Su Chuan went back to Yundu City, got married, and became a Gym Leader. Although Su Chuan often visited Zhu Tianxing in Charicific Valley, he¡¯d never brought Su Wen before.


    "Dad, are there any other Fire-type Pok¨¦mon here?"


    Su Wen¡¯s interest wasn¡¯t limited to Charmander. If there were better options, he wouldn¡¯t mind considering them.


    "There are other Fire-types, but they¡¯re scattered and don¡¯t form large groups. Once you enter Charicific Valley, there are no wild Pok¨¦mon, so don¡¯t get your hopes up," Su Chuan explained.


    As they talked, Su Chuan grew more animated, sharing everything he knew, with Zhu You occasionally chiming in. Su Wen soon realized that Charicific Valley was truly dominated by Charizard.


    The time passed quickly as they chatted, and before Su Wen knew it, they had arrived inside Charicific Valley.


    "Ah Chuan, long time no see!" Zhu Tianxing, the head of the Zhu family, greeted them warmly with a bear hug, showing no airs.


    Su Chuan patted Zhu Tianxing¡¯s back, teasing, "You¡¯ve definitely put on some weight."


    After a few jokes, Su Chuan introduced Su Wen, "This is my son, Su Wen."


    Su Wen raised his hand slightly in respect, "Hello, Uncle Zhu."


    "Su Wen, you¡¯ve grown so much! I held you when you were born," Zhu Tianxing said, then turned to Su Chuan with a hint of reproach, "You¡¯ve never brought your wife and son here all these years."


    Su Chuan waved it off, "You know my wife¡¯s sensitive around Pok¨¦mon. Bringing her here would¡¯ve been a nightmare."


    Su Wen¡¯s mom, Wang Xuan, wasn¡¯t particularly fond of Pok¨¦mon, especially unfamiliar, powerful ones, which she avoided.


    "Should we rest first, or go see the Charmander right away?" Zhu Tianxing asked for Su Chuan¡¯s opinion. "Zhang Yun¡¯s here with his daughter. I left him to come pick you up."


    Su Chuan¡¯s eyes widened, "He¡¯s already picking one? No way. Let¡¯s go, son, we¡¯re heading over."


    Zhu Tianxing laughed, amused by his old friend¡¯s unchanged temperament.


    Su Wen had no objections. He was eager to see the Charizard, as he¡¯d rarely encountered them in real life.


    Under Su Chuan¡¯s urging, the group hurried to the area where the Charmander lived.


    "Everyone, move quietly. Don¡¯t scare the Charmander," Zhu Tianxing reminded them.


    Newborn Charmander were naturally timid, and startling them would be the Zhu family¡¯s responsibility.


    As they stepped into the inner circle of Charicific Valley, Su Wen was instantly charmed by the sight of the orange Pok¨¦mon scattered across the ground.


    Their cream-colored bellies, sapphire-blue eyes, and tiny fangs on both jaws made Su Wen¡¯s hands itch with excitement. They were even cuter than in the games and anime!


    Charmander for the win!


    "Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to see the leader¡¯s child first," Zhu Tianxing said.

 5."Special requirements."

    As soon as they entered the heart of Charicific Valley, Su Wen noticed the towering Charizard-shaped throne in the distance. He couldn¡¯t tell if it had been built by the Zhu family or if it dated back to ancient times.


    The Charizard leader wasn¡¯t lounging on the throne at the moment. Instead, it was lazily watching its precious child being courted by humans from below.


    Zhang Yun and his daughter, Zhang Qian, had arrived at Charicific Valley the day before but had rested for a day before attempting to tame the Charmander.


    Like Su Chuan, Zhang Yun naturally wanted his daughter to tame this "golden catch" of a Charmander first.


    "Old Zhang, you¡¯re quick," Su Chuan said, patting Zhang Yun¡¯s shoulder.


    Zhang Yun smiled, "Same to you. Where¡¯s Su Wen?"


    Su Chuan pointed to the side, "Right there."


    Su Wen had already slipped away to observe the Charmander up close.


    With a thought, Su Wen¡¯s Aura spread outward, instantly revealing the attributes of each Charmander.


    "Gulp."


    Hundreds of Charmander were a feast for the eyes. There was even a shiny one¡ªits usual orange replaced by a striking golden hue.


    However, Su Wen¡¯s focus was on the two Charmander with hidden abilities. If he couldn¡¯t tame the leader¡¯s child, these two would be his top choices.


    "Su Wen, what are you wandering around for? Come here," Su Chuan grabbed Su Wen and pulled him over.


    "Hello, Uncle Zhang," Su Wen greeted awkwardly.


    Zhang Yun was already familiar with Su Wen. Every time he visited to challenge Su Chuan, he¡¯d bring Su Wen small gifts¡ªa very thoughtful gesture.


    "Su Wen, you¡¯re applying for the Pok¨¦mon Trainer program, right? Haha, you might surpass your dad in a few years," Zhang Yun teased.


    Su Wen chuckled awkwardly. Uncle Zhang really didn¡¯t spare his dad¡¯s feelings. Then, Su Wen turned his attention to the Charmander in front of him, which looked particularly vibrant. His Aura extended outward to analyze it.


    At the Novice level, there wasn¡¯t much to say. A newly hatched Charmander was at the lowest tier among the seven levels: Novice, Beginner, Elite, Professional, Master, Gym Leader, and Elite Four.


    Ability... Unfortunately, it was just the standard Blaze ability, which increased the power of Fire-type moves when the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s health dropped to about one-third.


    Overall, this ability was indeed a step below Charmander¡¯s hidden ability, Solar Power.


    As for moves, were there any inherited moves? Scratch, Growl, Ember... Sure enough, there were more than three moves. There was also Dragon Dance, Dragon Rush, and... Outrage?


    Three inherited Dragon-type moves!


    Holy cow!


    Su Wen¡¯s casual attitude vanished instantly. Although the ability was mediocre, three powerful inherited Dragon-type moves more than made up for it.


    In this world, Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t limited to four moves like in the games. The only constraints were whether the Pok¨¦mon could learn the move and the source of the move.


    Outrage wasn¡¯t unavailable as a TM, but as a Dragon-type move with 120 power, its rarity was almost on par with a pseudo-legendary.


    Not to mention, it came with Dragon Dance and Dragon Rush. This was practically hitting the jackpot.


    Inheriting moves wasn¡¯t easy¡ªit placed high demands on the parents.


    Out of the hundreds of Charmander in Charicific Valley, only a few had inherited moves, and even fewer had powerful ones. One with three Dragon-type inherited moves was practically protagonist material.


    Instinctively, Su Wen¡¯s Aura extended to the Charizard leader to see if these moves came from the father or mother.


    However, the next moment, the Charizard leader¡¯s eyelids twitched, and Su Wen¡¯s Aura was forcefully pushed back. If the Charizard leader hadn¡¯t held back, Su Wen would¡¯ve been knocked out.


    Even so, Su Wen felt dizzy and had to shake his head to clear it.


    If Su Wen had a status panel, it would probably look like this:


    Pok¨¦mon: Charizard


    Ability: ????


    Moves: ????


    Yikes, he¡¯d been careless. This was indeed an Elite Four-level Charizard.


    "Roar~~" The Charizard leader scratched its ear, sat up, and subtly glanced at Su Wen before gently pushing Zhang Qian, who was trying to bond with the Charmander, back.


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    "Failed," Zhang Yun said with a hint of regret. This Charmander was stubborn, and Zhang Qian hadn¡¯t been able to capture its interest.


    Zhang Qian didn¡¯t seem too disappointed. Compared to Charizard, she preferred elegant Pok¨¦mon like Gardevoir.


    "My turn?" Su Wen blinked.


    With Zhu Tianxing and the Charizard leader¡¯s permission, Su Wen pulled out some carefully prepared Pok¨¦blocks from his bag.


    The Charmander wasn¡¯t shy. It glanced at Su Wen, then gobbled up four or five Pok¨¦blocks in one bite.


    After chewing and savoring the taste, the Charmander smiled contentedly but showed no sign of being swayed by the treat.


    Even as Su Wen tried to communicate with the Charmander using his Aura, it didn¡¯t express any desire to follow him.


    Sighing softly, Su Wen stood up and shrugged, admitting defeat. "Looks like this little guy doesn¡¯t want to come with me."


    It was expected. The Zhu family undoubtedly had top-tier breeders. While Su Wen had exceptional cooking skills, they weren¡¯t enough to blindly charm the Charmander.


    As for his Aura communication abilities, Su Wen felt like he¡¯d hit a wall. Although the Charmander could connect with his Aura, it only gave him a slightly curious glance in response to his goodwill.


    Perhaps a Pok¨¦mon like Riolu, which also used Aura, would be a better fit for him.


    Su Wen patted his forehead and returned to Su Chuan¡¯s side.


    "It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go check out the other Charmander," Su Chuan reassured him.


    Just as they were about to leave, the Charizard leader suddenly stopped Zhu Tianxing. "Roar roar."


    The Zhu family had lived with Charizard for generations and could communicate with the leader effortlessly.


    As the Charizard leader "roared" a series of instructions, Zhu Tianxing¡¯s expression grew increasingly peculiar.


    "I understand," Zhu Tianxing nodded to the Charizard leader, then turned to Su Chuan and Zhang Yun.


    "The leader wants to have a 1v1 battle with both of you. Whoever earns his approval can take the Charmander."


    ????


    Su Wen and the others were stunned. What was this? A dad-off?


    Su Chuan reacted the fastest. "Alright."


    In a one-on-one battle, Su Chuan wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone. An Elite Four-level Charizard? Sorry, but Slaking would teach it a lesson.


    Zhang Yun, however, was a bit frustrated. In a one-on-one, he definitely didn¡¯t have the advantage Su Chuan did. But he couldn¡¯t exactly say he¡¯d prefer a group battle instead.


    Looking at the valley full of burly Charizard, Zhang Yun feared he¡¯d be carried out on a stretcher if he suggested that.


    "Alright," Zhang Yun agreed, though reluctantly. He wasn¡¯t about to give up this opportunity.


    With both men agreeing, the Charizard leader flapped its wings, soared into the air, and let out a long roar. Instantly, all the Charizard, Charmeleon, and Charmander in the valley cleared out, creating a large open space.


    "Are they battling here?" Su Wen was surprised. Gym Leader-level battles were incredibly destructive and usually required a sturdy arena.


    Zhu Tianxing explained with a smile, "Don¡¯t worry. The ground here has been saturated with Fire energy for a long time, making it extremely stable. Even Elite Four-level battles would struggle to damage it. I¡¯ll act as the referee for these two battles. Who¡¯s going first?"


    "Let¡¯s flip for it," Su Chuan crouched down, picked up a few pebbles, and looked at Zhang Yun.


    The first to battle would be at a disadvantage. Neither Su Chuan nor Zhang Yun had a clear idea of the Charizard leader¡¯s strength, and the first to test the waters might suffer badly.


    "Odd number."


    As Su Chuan opened his hand, two pebbles lay quietly in his palm.


    Zhang Yun¡¯s mouth twitched, and he cursed his bad luck internally. But he quickly composed himself and took his position on the other side of the makeshift arena.


    "Go, Starmie!"


    One of Zhang Yun¡¯s three aces, Starmie, was at the peak Gym Leader level. Its choice wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªWater-type had an advantage over Fire-type.


    Seeing that Zhang Yun and the Charizard leader were ready, Su Wen and the others backed away to a safe distance. Su Chuan shielded Zhang Qian behind him, and Zhu Tianxing nodded slightly. "Battle begin!"


    "Use Light Screen!" Zhang Yun was fully focused. Even if he couldn¡¯t win, he didn¡¯t want to lose too badly.


    Light Screen reduced the damage of special attacks. Knowing he was at a disadvantage, Zhang Yun didn¡¯t dare to attack recklessly and opted for a defensive strategy.


    However, as soon as Starmie finished setting up the Light Screen, the Charizard leader dove down like a fighter jet, closing the distance in an instant.


    The faint Light Screen didn¡¯t slow the Charizard leader in the slightest. In a flash, Starmie and the Charizard leader were practically face-to-face.


    "Old Zhang was too careless..." Zhu Tianxing couldn¡¯t help but facepalm.


    Theoretically, Zhang Yun¡¯s move wasn¡¯t wrong, but no one expected the Charizard leader, known for its special attacks, to be a physical powerhouse.


    In the next moment, the Charizard leader¡¯s claws glowed with a green light. Su Wen immediately recognized it¡ªDragon Claw.


    "Rapid Spin!"


    Boom!


    Starmie was sent flying by the Dragon Claw, but thanks to its timely Rapid Spin, which deflected some of the attack¡¯s force, the damage wasn¡¯t unbearable.


    Su Wen, meanwhile, was amazed. Rapid Spin could be used like that? This move was probably something Zhang Yun had prepared for Su Chuan.


    Zhang Yun, however, had no time to think about that. The pressure from the Charizard leader was unprecedented, and he was fully immersed in the battle.


    "Use Scald to push it back, then set up Rain Dance!"


    Starmie¡¯s core quickly gathered Water energy, and a burst of scalding hot water shot toward the Charizard leader.


    Although the Charizard leader enjoyed hot springs, it clearly disliked this Water-energy-infused Scald. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, it charged straight through the attack.


    Just as Su Wen thought the Scald would hit, a faint light flickered in front of the Charizard leader. The scalding water was blocked as if by an impenetrable wall.


    "That Protect was used to perfection," Su Chuan murmured in awe.


    While the Charizard leader remained calm, Zhang Yun was starting to panic. His Starmie hadn¡¯t been trained much in physical defense. If it got caught in close combat, it would be toast.


    "Protect!"


    Reluctantly, Zhang Yun had Starmie play defensively, but the Charizard leader showed no mercy. Its Dragon Claw relentlessly struck the fragile green barrier.


    One second, two seconds, three seconds...


    The Protect barrier shattered, and the Charizard leader¡¯s Dragon Claw mercilessly landed on Starmie.


    This time, Starmie didn¡¯t get a chance to create distance. It was relentlessly pursued by the Charizard leader.


    Whether it tried to use Water Gun¡¯s recoil to push itself back or attempted to confuse the Charizard leader with Confuse Ray, nothing worked to turn the tide.


    "Starmie is unable to battle. Charizard wins."


    Seeing Starmie lying on the ground, its core flickering weakly, Zhu Tianxing raised his hand to declare the Charizard leader¡¯s victory.


    "Brutal..."


    "So brutal..."


    "Absolutely brutal..."


    The three spectators, Su Wen, Su Chuan, and Zhu Tianxing, mercilessly shared their thoughts.


    This Starmie was one of Su Chuan¡¯s old rivals, and its strength was far from what it had shown today. It was clear that Zhang Yun had just been unlucky.


    Zhang Qian, meanwhile, looked worriedly at Starmie. Although the Charizard leader had held back, the injuries on Starmie were still significant.


    As Zhang Yun reluctantly recalled Starmie and walked back, Su Chuan stretched his limbs. "Son, watch your dad win you a Charmander."

 6.Slaking vs. Charizard

    "Be careful, this Charizard hasn''t been going all out yet."


    Zhang Yun''s expression was grave. He had already subconsciously cast the Charizard in the role of an adversary, and his instincts as a Gym-level trainer were now focused on analyzing its weaknesses.


    Though Su Chuan was equally serious, his face still carried a nonchalant smirk as he teased, "It only used Dragon Claw and Protect the whole time, of course it wasn''t going all out. Old Zhang, your vanguard is really unreliable."


    Zhang Yun was left speechless, rolling his eyes before retreating to the "spectator seats."


    "Hey, Chief, do you need a break?"


    Though Su Chuan was eager to press the advantage and take down the Charizard chief after its recent battle, he couldn''t bring himself to be so shameless, especially since they were on its turf.


    The Charizard chief considered for a moment, then closed its eyes. Around it, the shimmering illusion of feathers began to appear.


    "Roost, huh? So the Charizard chief has a pretty diverse move pool," Su Wen remarked, feeling a bit tired from standing. He found a clean rock and sat down, motioning for Zhang Qian to join him.


    Zhang Qian thought for a moment before obediently sitting beside Su Wen.


    "Old Zhu, give me the lowdown. What exactly is going on here?"


    While the Charizard chief was recovering its strength, Zhang Yun seized the moment to vent his frustration. The situation was utterly baffling to him.


    They had come here to help the kids catch Pok¨¦mon, but now he found himself in a battle. And not just any battle¡ªhe had lost miserably, which was bound to tarnish his image in his daughter''s eyes.


    "Honestly, I''m not entirely sure either, but the chief must have its reasons for arranging things this way," Zhu Tianxing replied with a wry smile, though he had his own suspicions.


    The real issue, Zhu Tianxing suspected, lay with the Charizard chief''s mate. Normally, three months after hatching, a Charmander''s vital signs would stabilize. Though still in its infancy, it would be time for the parents to take it out for training or to find a suitable trainer.


    But this "crown prince" Charmander had been hatched for over a year and was still living a leisurely life. Every time the Charizard chief tried to take it out for training, its mate would intervene. When it did manage to train, it couldn''t handle any hardship or exhaustion.


    The Charizard chief, being a bit of a henpecked husband, had watched helplessly as its offspring was being spoiled into uselessness. This had eventually led the chief to change its stance on entrusting the Charmander to a trainer.


    With its mate away for a few days, the Charizard chief had seized the opportunity to find a trainer for its child. Though it was reluctant to part with its offspring, it was better than letting it become completely incompetent.


    As for choosing a trainer, the Charizard chief had a simple criterion: the stronger the parent, the more suitable they were to become its child''s trainer.


    But the intricacies of this situation were too complex to explain, and if the Charizard chief found out, it might make things difficult for Zhu Tianxing.


    "Roar~~"


    After a few dozen seconds, the Charizard chief opened its eyes and let out a soft roar, signaling that it was ready to continue.


    "Slaking."


    Su Chuan naturally brought out his Slaking!


    Normally, when summoned, Slaking would lie on its side, propping its head up with one hand like a sleeping Buddha. But now, it was completely different. Its body leaned slightly forward, its energy gradually becoming active, and the dormant power within it was like a volcano ready to erupt. Its eyes were fixed intently on the Charizard chief.


    Slaking clearly felt an unprecedented pressure from the Charizard chief.


    "Battle start," Zhu Tianxing announced with great interest, watching as Su Chuan and Slaking burned with fighting spirit. It had been a while since he''d seen his old friend this serious.


    "Rock Tomb!"


    With a quadruple type advantage against Charizard, how could it not be afraid?


    The ground suddenly shook as if an earthquake had struck, and countless stone spikes erupted from the earth, rushing toward the Charizard like dragons.


    But the Charizard chief stomped the ground, and stone pillars rose in front of it, blocking the incoming Rock Tomb.


    A direct counter¡ªRock Tomb versus Rock Tomb.


    In the next moment, the layers of stone pillars were shattered as Slaking swung its Hammer Arm and charged at the Charizard.


    Relentless assault was Slaking''s forte, overwhelming its opponent with a torrent of attacks.


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    Sensing the ferocious power in those arms, the Charizard chief chose not to engage directly. Instead, it flapped its wings and took to the air, creating distance from Slaking.


    Seeing the Charizard firmly controlling the skies, Su Chuan remained calm and unflustered. "Use Aerial Ace to catch up, then Body Slam."


    Slaking leapt from one stone pillar to another, its seemingly heavy body moving with surprising agility. With a final leap, it launched itself into the air, using Aerial Ace to glide temporarily.


    In theory, Flying-type Pok¨¦mon had a natural advantage over most others in battle. But where there''s a will, there''s a way, and Slaking had a well-developed strategy for dealing with airborne opponents.


    Using Aerial Ace, the only Flying-type move it could learn, Slaking could briefly harness Flying-type energy to maneuver in the air and close in on its target. Then, with Body Slam or another move, it could force the opponent back to the ground. This was Slaking''s aerial combat tactic.


    Seeing Slaking charging toward it, the Charizard chief unleashed a torrent of searing flames from its mouth. The intense heat made Su Wen feel as if the air itself was distorting.


    But Slaking raised its left arm to shield itself, enduring the Flamethrower, and then burst through the flames, grabbing the Charizard chief by the ankle and dragging it down to the ground.


    "Su Chuan''s still got the details down. Aerial Ace into Body Slam¡ªif Slaking can pull the Charizard chief into close combat, even an Elite-level Charizard would struggle to gain the upper hand," Zhang Yun commented to Zhu Tianxing, as such an intense battle was a rare sight.


    "Su Wen, why didn''t the Charizard just fly away?" Zhang Qian tugged at Su Wen''s sleeve, feeling that the Charizard had been too easily caught by Slaking.


    Su Wen, who had been engrossed in the battle, was momentarily interrupted. After a moment''s thought, he replied, "Aerial Ace locks onto the target. Escaping it isn''t that simple. Plus, the speed at which Slaking leapt up was clearly faster than the Charizard''s movement speed. If it had tried to fly away, it might not only have failed to escape but also left itself wide open."


    He then added with a sigh, "Wild Pok¨¦mon may not have the same level of move coordination as trained ones, but their combat instincts are truly formidable."


    Zhang Qian asked, puzzled, "Then how did my dad beat Uncle Su?"


    Su Wen nearly laughed out loud, thinking to himself, "How did he win? Protect, Protect, Protect, Sleep, Sleep, Sleep, hahaha..."


    Every time Zhang Yun won, it was by using Snorlax''s Protect to stall, Sleep to recover, then Protect again, Sleep again, combined with moves like Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, Yawn, and Sleep Talk. It was a strategy that wore down Slaking''s stamina.


    No wonder Su Chuan found Zhang Yun so annoying. Even Su Wen, in his past life when playing games, found such players utterly frustrating.


    But to avoid offending Zhang Yun, who was clearly eavesdropping on his daughter''s question, Su Wen coughed lightly and explained, "Pok¨¦mon battles aren''t just about who has the stronger attacks. Strategy plays a big part too."


    Meanwhile, the Charizard chief, having been dragged back to the ground, was furious. Its sapphire-blue eyes were instantly suffused with a blood-red hue.


    "Outrage? Old Zhu, this..."


    The signs of Outrage were unmistakable¡ªthe blood-red eyes and the sudden surge in energy. Zhang Yun recognized it immediately.


    But Charizard naturally didn''t learn Outrage. Was it a breeding move or taught via TM?


    Zhu Tianxing took a step back, shielding Su Wen from the potential fallout, and explained, "The chief''s mother is a Dragonite from the Dragon''s Den."


    Zhang Yun nodded in understanding. A breeding move, then. That made sense. But if the Charizard chief knew Outrage, could its offspring have inherited it as well?


    As Zhang Yun pondered this, the Charizard chief and Slaking were locked in close combat.


    Normally, the Charizard chief would avoid close-quarters fighting, but in the throes of Outrage, a Pok¨¦mon is consumed by rage, and its judgment is severely impaired.


    Yet, even now, with Dragon Claw carving arcs of emerald light, the Charizard chief was actually gaining the upper hand against Slaking.


    This was the terror of Outrage. Though Charizard itself wasn''t a Dragon-type, Outrage could significantly amplify its energy levels.


    However, most Pok¨¦mon using Outrage could only fight on instinct, unable to precisely control their energy or moves.


    The fact that the Charizard chief could channel the energy of Outrage into its Dragon Claw showed a high level of mastery.


    Su Chuan narrowed his eyes, biding his time with Slaking, waiting for the moment the Charizard chief''s Outrage would end.


    Suddenly, the Charizard chief''s onslaught faltered slightly, and the blood-red hue in its eyes began to fade. In that instant, Su Chuan seized the opportunity¡ªthe downside of Outrage had kicked in!


    The impaired judgment caused by rage was just a minor aspect. The true drawback of Outrage was the confusion that followed once it ended.


    "Counter!"


    Counter was a move that could return double the damage taken over a period of time.


    Slaking''s right fist glowed with a faint aura as it swung with thunderous force, the punch generating sonic booms as it connected with the Charizard chief''s abdomen. The impact sent the Charizard chief flying like a shooting star, crashing into the stone wall.


    Su Chuan was about to press his advantage, but the Charizard chief let out a roar, and Zhu Tianxing immediately raised his hand. "Battle over!"


    Seeing everyone''s eyes on him, Zhu Tianxing smiled. "The chief has recognized your strength. It must have agreed to entrust the Charmander to you and Su Wen."


    Su Wen''s eyes lit up. Was it really that simple? It had been easier than he expected.


    Su Chuan, however, seemed a bit disappointed that the battle was over. After all, such a fight was truly exhilarating. But he quickly recalled Slaking, still wary of the Charizard chief.


    "After that last hit from Slaking, the Charizard chief was still able to call the battle off immediately. It clearly wasn''t seriously injured."


    In Su Chuan''s view, Charizard wasn''t exactly a tank. Even at the peak of the Gym level, three Hammer Arms would probably be enough to take one down. But this was an Elite-level Charizard chief, after all.


    Having decided on a trainer for its offspring, the Charizard chief began working on convincing the Charmander. At first, the Charmander was reluctant to go with Su Wen, but after two swift knocks on the head from the chief, it finally saw reason and tearfully stood before Su Wen.


    Taking out a Pok¨¦ Ball he had prepared earlier, Su Wen gently tapped the Charmander''s head, and it was drawn into the ball in a flash of red light.


    After three flashes, the Pok¨¦ Ball stabilized, signaling that Su Wen had successfully caught his first Pok¨¦mon.


    "Whew!"


    Seeing Su Wen''s success, both Su Chuan and the Charizard chief let out a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance, both feeling the weight of parental concern.


    Zhang Yun patted Su Chuan on the back sincerely. "Congratulations, Su Wen."


    Zhang Qian was also happy for Su Wen, though she hadn''t managed to catch the Charmander herself. At least now she could try to catch a Ralts.


    Su Wen''s face was beaming with joy. There was something uniquely satisfying about catching a Pok¨¦mon himself.


    Pressing the button on the Pok¨¦ Ball, he released the Charmander, which emerged with a shake of its head, still a bit disoriented.


    "Roar roar~~" The Charizard chief let out a couple of urgent roars, signaling Zhu Tianxing to escort Zhang Yun and Zhang Qian out. The next step was for the chief to give its offspring a crash course in power-leveling.

 7.Resources and Heirlooms

    Under the Charizard chief¡¯s urging, Zhu Tianxing had to escort Zhang Yun and his daughter, Zhang Qian, out of the inner valley of Charizard Mountain. He arranged for some clan members to show them other Pok¨¦mon, even though it was unlikely Zhang Qian would choose her starter here. Still, they had to go through the formalities.


    Zhang Yun could guess what was coming next. After all, this was the chief¡¯s own offspring¡ªits treatment would be far from ordinary. Though curious, Zhang Yun didn¡¯t insist on staying and bid farewell to Su Chuan and Su Wen before leaving the inner valley.


    After settling Zhang Yun and his daughter, Zhu Tianxing hurried back to act as a translator.


    ¡°Su Chuan, let me first explain the chief¡¯s conditions. It wants Su Wen to bring the Charmander back once a year for evaluation. If the training results don¡¯t meet its expectations, it will take the Charmander back. As compensation, Su Wen can choose another Pok¨¦mon.¡±


    Hearing this, both Su Wen and Su Chuan¡¯s expressions darkened. Su Chuan frowned. ¡°Old Zhu, this is ridiculous.¡±


    The idea of the Charmander being taken back if it didn¡¯t meet expectations felt like a slap in the face. What if, after years of hard work, the Charizard chief simply decided it wasn¡¯t satisfied and took the Pok¨¦mon back?


    ¡°Let me finish. When have I ever steered you wrong?¡± Zhu Tianxing continued. ¡°The chief said that as long as the Charmander reaches the second tier¡ªOrdinary Level¡ªby this time next year, it will pass the first evaluation. Once it reaches the fifth tier¡ªMaster Level¡ªthe chief won¡¯t require any further evaluations.¡±


    At this, Su Chuan and Su Wen¡¯s faces grew even more troubled. Ordinary Level? Breaking through two tiers in a year seemed almost impossible.


    In the Pok¨¦mon training hierarchy, there were seven main levels: Novice, Ordinary, Elite, Champion, Master, Gym, and Elite Four. However, these corresponded to tiers zero through seven. Tiers zero and one were grouped under Novice Level, as Pok¨¦mon below Ordinary Level were considered too weak to warrant further distinction.


    Reaching Ordinary Level meant taking the Charmander, currently at the early zero tier, all the way to the second tier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Charizard Mountain will provide the highest-level resources for the chief¡¯s offspring. These resources will be sent to Su Wen every month. Here¡¯s the list.¡± Seeing the Su family¡¯s displeasure, Zhu Tianxing quickly added, pulling out his phone to send the pre-prepared list to Su Chuan.


    These resources weren¡¯t provided by the Zhu family but by Charizard Mountain¡ªor rather, the Charizard chief itself. The same resources would have been given to any Zhu family member who captured the Charmander, though the Zhu family might have added extra support.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Two Fire Stones, one Charcoal, ten Fire Gems, fifteen Flame Berries¡­ per month.¡±


    Su Chuan¡¯s eyes widened at the sheer value of the resources. Su Wen, looking over the list on his father¡¯s phone, gasped. The total worth of these items had to be in the millions.


    Fire Stones, depending on quality, ranged from 50,000 to 500,000 yuan on the market. Most people bought them for Pok¨¦mon evolution, though their fire energy could also be directly absorbed¡ªa practice considered wasteful.


    The ¡°Charcoal¡± listed wasn¡¯t the kind used for burning but a special item that enhanced Fire-type moves when absorbed by a Pok¨¦mon.


    Absorption was a term unique to Pok¨¦mon items. When an item was absorbed, it didn¡¯t disappear but bonded with the Pok¨¦mon in a special way, allowing it to be ?separated later. This meant items could be temporarily used to boost a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength, though a Pok¨¦mon could only absorb one item at a time.


    Fire Gems, though less valuable, were typically used as one-time boosts in battle. However, with ten provided monthly, it was clear they were meant for training, helping the Charmander quickly master Fire-type moves.


    Su Wen¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked at the Charmander. This wasn¡¯t just a Pok¨¦mon¡ªit was a walking goldmine.


    ¡°The resources are for Su Wen to use as he sees fit, but with this much, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll succeed,¡± Zhu Tianxing said, patting Su Wen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll also send you the Zhu family¡¯s Charizard training guide. While the core secrets can¡¯t be shared, it¡¯s more than enough for Su Wen. Just keep it confidential.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Zhu,¡± Su Wen said gratefully. The guide¡¯s value likely surpassed even the resource list. Centuries of Zhu family knowledge on raising Charizards represented the pinnacle of Charizard training.


    Su Chuan thumped his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tianxing. If Su Wen doesn¡¯t train this Charmander properly, I¡¯ll give him a good beating.¡±


    Real father energy¡­


    With the details settled, the Charizard chief signaled for a moment and flew off into the back of the valley.


    Zhu Tianxing chuckled. ¡°The chief really cares about its child.¡±


    Su Chuan asked, ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zhu Tianxing explained, ¡°You know how Charizard Mountain¡¯s fire energy concentration is far higher than most places? For example, Yun City¡¯s fire energy is only a fraction of what¡¯s here.¡±


    Su Chuan sighed. ¡°In cities, there¡¯s too much demand and too little supply. With so many Pok¨¦mon, the energy concentration naturally thins out.¡±


    Zhu Tianxing nodded. ¡°Charizard Mountain has three heirlooms. One is the Charizard Stone Carving, essential for fire rituals. The other two are the Crimson Flame Orb and the Indigo Flame Orb. These orbs are rich in energy and help concentrate fire energy.¡±


    Su Chuan was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ incredibly generous. But won¡¯t taking one weaken the valley?¡±


    Zhu Tianxing smiled. ¡°Not really. Charizard Mountain is an extinct volcano. After millennia, its fire energy is naturally dense. The orbs¡¯ effects only extend a few meters, and they¡¯re most effective on Charmanders¡ªlike they¡¯re a perfect match.¡±


    Su Chuan relaxed, but Su Wen was puzzled. Charizard Stone Carving? Crimson and Indigo Flame Orbs? This was completely new to him.


    As a die-hard Pok¨¦mon fan, he¡¯d never heard of these. Had he somehow become out of touch with this world?


    Meanwhile, the Charmander circled Su Wen, eager to get to know its new ¡°chef.¡±


    Before long, the Charizard chief returned, clutching the so-called Indigo Flame Orb. Seeing it, Su Wen¡¯s mind was blown.


    So this was the Indigo Flame Orb.

 8.The Promise of Mega Evolution

    This is clearly the Charizard X Mega Stone, so is the Red-Orange Fire Orb the Charizard Y Mega Stone?


    When Pok¨¦mon reach their final evolution stage, their life forms generally don¡¯t change anymore. However, there are a few Pok¨¦mon that, under the influence of Mega Stones, can temporarily enter a Mega Evolution state, undergoing another transformation in their life form.


    I¡¯ve been in this world for quite some time now and haven¡¯t seen any information about Mega Evolution. I thought this world didn¡¯t have Mega Stones, but it turns out that¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s just that no one has discovered their use, or perhaps someone has but hasn¡¯t revealed it.


    Wow, Mega Stones are being used to store energy? That¡¯s like using a cannon to kill a mosquito¡ªsuch a waste of potential.


    I¡¯ve hit the jackpot! This is what you call starting with a Charmander and having divine artifacts handed to you.


    The Charizard clan leader pressed the Charizard X Mega Stone onto the Charmander¡¯s forehead, and the Mega Stone seemed to sink into the Charmander¡¯s body as if it had melted into water.


    This is absorption. Since Mega Stones are also a type of item, they can naturally be absorbed into the body.


    However, for a Pok¨¦mon to Mega Evolve, not only is a Mega Stone required, but the Pok¨¦mon must also have reached its final evolution stage, and there must be a Key Stone to activate the Mega Stone.


    If a Pok¨¦mon merely holds a Mega Stone, it cannot achieve Mega Evolution because the Pok¨¦mon cannot harness the energy within the Mega Stone to unlock its genetic potential.


    To achieve Mega Evolution, a trainer must use a Key Stone to help the Pok¨¦mon activate the Mega Stone and unlock its genetic potential, allowing for a temporary Mega Evolution.


    But where can I find a Key Stone? After all, there¡¯s no information about Mega Evolution in this world.


    Could it be that the method of Mega Evolution was lost during that great catastrophe?


    Su Wen fell into a new wave of frustration.


    But regardless, at least I now know that Mega Evolution is possible in this world, and I¡¯ve already obtained the Charizard X Mega Stone. As for the Key Stone, if I come across it, great; if not, I can¡¯t force it.


    After absorbing the Mega Stone, the Charmander felt a warm, soothing sensation throughout its body, as if it were soaking in a hot spring. It couldn¡¯t help but let out a couple of soft cries.


    ¡°A-Chuan, the Charmander is now Xiao Wen¡¯s partner. Let me take you and Old Zhang around the Charizard Valley so I can be a good host,¡± Zhu Tianxing said, seeing that the matter was settled.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but Old Zhang might still need to find a suitable Pok¨¦mon for his daughter,¡± Su Chuan replied. It had been a while since he last caught up with Zhu Tianxing, so he was happy to spend some time together.


    Su Wen crouched down and gently rubbed the Charmander¡¯s round head. ¡°Dad, you and Uncle Zhu go ahead. I want to spend some time getting to know my Charmander.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, this kid.¡±


    Zhu Tianxing and Su Chuan exchanged a knowing smile, remembering how excited they were when they first got their Pok¨¦mon. They could totally relate.


    ¡°Alright, son, your Uncle Zhu and I are off to grab a drink,¡± Su Chuan said, noticing that Su Wen was completely focused on his Charmander and had no intention of paying attention to him.


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead,¡± Su Wen waved them off, eager to spend some alone time with his Charmander and also to study the Charizards in the valley more closely.


    ¡°Roar~ Roar roar!¡± The Charizard clan leader, seeing that Su Wen wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave, grew anxious. If its wife returned and found out about its plan to push their son to greatness, its hopes would surely be dashed.


    Su Wen sensed the Charizard leader¡¯s impatience and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the clan leader saying?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Zhu Tianxing hesitated, feeling a bit awkward. ¡°The clan leader said: ¡®Get the hell out of here, all of you.¡¯¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ???


    A parent who¡¯s eager to send their own child away? That¡¯s a first.


    Not knowing the backstory, Su Wen and Su Chuan could only assume that this Charmander might not be the clan leader¡¯s biological child. After communicating further with the Charizard leader, Zhu Tianxing finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll talk as we walk.¡±


    Su Wen took out a Pok¨¦ Ball, intending to return the Charmander to it, but the Charmander seemed reluctant to go inside.


    After a moment of consideration, Su Wen simply picked up the Charmander. Despite it weighing over ten pounds, Su Wen didn¡¯t feel any strain¡ªperhaps due to his naturally good physical condition in this life. He then said to Su Chuan and Zhu Tianxing, ¡°Uncle Zhu, let¡¯s head out.¡±


    ¡°Roar~¡± The Charizard leader nodded, as if saying, ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll throw you out myself.¡±


    Once they were out of the inner valley, Zhu Tianxing explained his theory to Su Chuan and Su Wen.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Su Chuan said, nodding in agreement. ¡°Being afraid of your wife has nothing to do with your strength.¡±


    ¡°Dad, should we head straight back to Yun City? A month should be enough time for the Charmander to reach its first stage of evolution,¡± Su Wen said. Although he would have liked to spend a few more days in the natural beauty of Charizard Valley, he didn¡¯t want to risk losing his first Pok¨¦mon due to his own laziness.


    Zhu Tianxing frowned at Su Wen¡¯s words. ¡°Xiao Wen, raising a Pok¨¦mon requires patience and a solid foundation. If you want to become a qualified trainer, you must take it step by step and not rush things.¡±


    Su Wen had based his estimate on the training speed of the students at the gym, but after hearing Zhu Tianxing¡¯s advice, he realized he¡¯d been mistaken. Everyone¡¯s training methods are different, and a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s growth should be tailored to the individual.


    ¡°I understand, Uncle Zhu. I¡¯ll go back and study the Charmander training materials you sent me carefully.¡±


    The 40+ GB of materials had already been uploaded to Su Chuan¡¯s cloud storage, and Su Wen planned to print them out as soon as he got home.


    Seeing that Su Wen was still relatively level-headed, Zhu Tianxing felt reassured.


    Over the years, Zhu Tianxing had seen countless cases of trainers ruining their Pok¨¦mon¡¯s potential by rushing their evolution. For trainers, it might just be a temporary setback, but for the Pok¨¦mon, it could mean a lifetime of limitations.


    Because he¡¯d witnessed so many tragedies, Zhu Tianxing was strict with both his family members and the students at his gym.


    On the way out, Zhu Tianxing handed Su Wen a suitcase containing the resources for the month and explained that the resources would be delivered to him on time every month by a designated person.


    Not long after, Su Wen met Zhang Yun and his daughter, Zhang Qian, who were waiting for them.


    ¡°A-Chuan, are you leaving too?¡± Zhang Yun had originally planned to leave with his daughter, but after receiving a message from Su Chuan saying they were also leaving, he decided to wait a bit longer.


    Su Chuan replied, ¡°The Charizard leader is kicking us out. If we don¡¯t leave, we might get thrown out.¡±


    Zhang Yun glanced at the suitcase in Su Chuan¡¯s hand, wondering, ¡°Is this the reward from the Charizard leader? How much could fit in such a small case¡­¡±


    If Zhang Yun knew just how many resources Su Wen had received, he would probably have done everything in his power to try his luck again.


    Shaking off the thought, Zhang Yun asked, ¡°I¡¯m taking Qian to Kunling City next. Do you want to come along, A-Chuan?¡±


    Since Su Wen had already obtained his Pok¨¦mon, Su Chuan had no reason to wander around and politely declined.


    After saying their goodbyes, Su Chuan and Zhang Yun bid farewell to Zhu Tianxing.


    Kunling City wasn¡¯t far from Huofeng City, where Charizard Valley was located, so Zhang Yun planned to rent a couple of Corviknight from the Corviknight base.


    Corviknight, originally trained by the Dep Company in the Western Federation as flying mounts, had once been referred to as ¡°sky taxis.¡± Decades ago, Tengfeng Group in Xia Country introduced Corviknight, and by now, Corviknight riding stations had been established in major cities, making travel extremely convenient.


    Su Wen and Su Chuan, on the other hand, would still be taking a flight back. Originally, Su Chuan had wanted to spend a couple more days in Huofeng City with Su Wen, but Su Wen declined. He was eager to return and show off his new Charmander to his best friend, Chen You.


    Chen You¡¯s father was a good friend Su Chuan had made after moving to Yun City. He was also a gym-level trainer, but instead of running a gym, he preferred to join Xia Country¡¯s exploration teams with Chen You¡¯s mother.


    However, when Chen You was seven, his father¡¯s exploration team accidentally trespassed into the territory of a Champion-level Duraludon and attempted to steal its egg. The enraged Duraludon wiped out the entire team, and only Chen You¡¯s mother managed to escape with her life, thanks to her husband¡¯s desperate efforts to protect her.


    But due to her severe injuries, Chen You¡¯s mother passed away not long after entrusting Chen You to his grandmother.


    Although both of his parents had passed away, Chen You lived a relatively comfortable life thanks to the subsidies from Xia Country and the care of Su Chuan and another friend of his father¡¯s, Zhou Li.


    After Chen You¡¯s grandmother passed away a hundred years ago, both Su Chuan and Zhou Li had offered to take Chen You in, but he refused.


    This year, both Chen You and Su Wen had applied to Yun City¡¯s First High School, though it was unclear if they¡¯d be in the same class. Su Chuan had prepared several high-quality Normal-type Pok¨¦mon for Chen You to choose from, while Zhou Li had prepared some Fighting-type Pok¨¦mon.


    However, after looking at the options, Chen You said he had his own ideas and declined Su Chuan and Zhou Li¡¯s offers to help him find his starter Pok¨¦mon.


    Although Su Wen wasn¡¯t sure what Chen You was thinking, he knew his best friend had always been full of ideas. And if Su Wen had to guess, Chen You¡¯s favorite Pok¨¦mon was probably¡­

 9."The Special Dispatch Order and the Aura Shift"

    Chen You¡¯s favorite Pok¨¦mon were probably Ghost-types. It was unclear when it started, but Chen You had developed a fascination for all sorts of strange and eerie supernatural events, to the point where Su Wen once felt that Chen You had become somewhat... unnerving.


    Su Wen had left Yun City in the morning, completed his trainer registration in Huofeng City in the afternoon, and returned home by midnight. Wang Xuan, who had received the news early, had prepared a meal at home for Su Chuan and Su Wen.


    Watching Su Wen wolf down his food, Wang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have dinner in Huofeng City before coming back?¡±


    Su Chuan looked at Su Wen helplessly. ¡°Having dinner there would¡¯ve meant staying overnight. Su Wen wanted to come back early to bond with his Charmander.¡±


    Wang Xuan glanced at the Charmander, leisurely enjoying the special meal Su Wen had prepared for it, and couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to pat its head.


    ¡°Look at how happily its tail is wagging,¡± Wang Xuan said, watching the Charmander practically lick the plate clean. She didn¡¯t mind at all¡ªafter all, who could resist something so adorable?


    The breeder from the Zhu family had provided top-tier Pok¨¦mon food for the Charmander, perfectly balanced in both energy and nutrition. However, to maintain this balance, the taste of the food was inevitably compromised.


    To quickly improve his bond with the Charmander, Su Wen had consulted the materials Zhu Tianxing had given him and made some adjustments. He sacrificed some ingredients that would enhance the Charmander¡¯s energy growth in favor of creating a meal that was, for the Charmander, an unprecedented culinary delight.


    Under the temptation of such delicious food, the Charmander had even shaken off the slight melancholy of leaving Charizard Valley, now thoroughly enjoying its new life.


    With the abundance of resources at his disposal, Su Wen wasn¡¯t worried that the change in diet would hinder the Charmander¡¯s growth.


    As the family enjoyed their peaceful evening, Su Chuan¡¯s phone suddenly emitted a sharp, piercing sound.


    ¡°Special dispatch: Su Chuan, gym-level trainer of Yun City, report to the Yun City Pok¨¦mon Center immediately! Repeat: Su Chuan, gym-level trainer of Yun City, report to the Yun City Pok¨¦mon League Center immediately!¡±


    The faces of Su Wen, Su Chuan, and Wang Xuan all turned pale. It was a special dispatch order!


    A special dispatch order was a unique requirement for all trainers in Xia Country. Once issued, the targeted trainer had to comply unconditionally and immediately. Failure to do so without a valid reason would result in severe consequences.


    In Su Wen¡¯s memory, Su Chuan had only received two special dispatch orders. The first was when Su Wen was five years old, and the Sakura Country, under the influence of the White Eagle Federation, had crossed the border and provoked Xia Country¡¯s territorial sovereignty. At that time, all master-level trainers and above in the eastern region had been summoned, and they had annihilated the Sakura Country trainers who had crossed the maritime border.


    The second time was when Su Wen was nine. A wild Champion-level Salamence had suddenly appeared and showed signs of heading toward Yun City. Su Chuan had been dispatched to intercept it.


    Both incidents had been major events that threatened the entire city, if not the nation. In all these years, there had only been these two special dispatches.


    So, what could this one be about?


    Without a second thought, Su Chuan rushed to the backyard, gathering his Pok¨¦mon, including his Slaking, into their Pok¨¦ Balls. Wang Xuan quickly grabbed his coat and waited at the door.


    ¡°Dad, be careful,¡± Su Wen called out as Su Chuan hurried out.


    Su Chuan didn¡¯t look back, simply waving as he mounted his Pidgeot and flew toward the Yun City Pok¨¦mon Center.


    After watching Su Chuan leave, Wang Xuan immediately turned on the TV to check for any news updates, while Su Wen opened a forum to look for any reports of unusual activity near Yun City.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°A suspected portal to a secret realm has been discovered 13 miles south of Yun City.¡±


    ¡°Some trainers and a few civilians have already been pulled in.¡±


    ¡°My grandfather lives there. If anyone has the latest information, please DM me. Thank you!¡±


    ...


    The forum, which should have been quiet at this hour, was flooded with messages. Su Wen quickly realized the reason for the special dispatch.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s a secret realm!¡± Su Wen said, feeling a bit relieved. If it was just a secret realm, his dad should be fine.


    Wang Xuan, still waiting for news on the TV, took Su Wen¡¯s phone and skimmed through the forum. Her expression didn¡¯t lighten. ¡°Your Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen died because of a secret realm. Your dad will definitely be on the front lines. I just hope this secret realm doesn¡¯t have any dangerous Pok¨¦mon.¡±


    Yun City didn¡¯t have any Champion-level trainers¡ªafter all, there were fewer than 200 in all of Xia Country. Su Chuan was already at the top of the hierarchy in Yun City. As the strongest, he would undoubtedly be at the forefront of any mission.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. With Slaking¡¯s strength, even if they can¡¯t win, they¡¯ll be able to retreat safely,¡± Su Wen reassured her.


    Secret realms were like water droplets clinging to a piece of paper, connected to the main world but not entirely part of it.


    The most famous secret realm in Xia Country was the Spirit World, a sanctuary for Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon. It was said that every Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon could be found there, and trainers who could communicate with the Spirit World were considered favorites of Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon.


    Even now, Su Wen¡¯s knowledge of the Spirit World was limited to fragments of information online. One reliable theory was that Xia Country had encountered Pok¨¦mon too powerful to handle during the development of the Spirit World and had ultimately abandoned the project.


    Su Wen didn¡¯t believe there were any Pok¨¦mon that could withstand the full force of Xia Country. It was more likely that the cost of developing the Spirit World simply outweighed the benefits.


    As one of the few top-tier secret realms, the only beings that could deter Xia Country from developing it were likely the legendary ¡°gods.¡±


    Giratina, the Renegade Pok¨¦mon? Marshadow, the Gloomdweller Pok¨¦mon? Spectrier, the Swift Steed Pok¨¦mon? Or perhaps even Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests?


    Which one¡ªor which ones¡ªresided in the Spirit World?


    There were no records of these legendary Pok¨¦mon in existing documents, but Su Wen didn¡¯t believe they didn¡¯t exist. In some ancient texts, he could vaguely trace their presence.


    As for the secret realm near Yun City, Su Wen guessed it couldn¡¯t be more than a mid-level secret realm. If it were a large one, the League Center would have sealed off the information, not allowed it to be discussed openly on forums.


    Shaking off his thoughts, Su Wen comforted Wang Xuan before taking the Charmander, which was happily chasing its own tail, into his room.


    Whether it was secret realms or legendary Pok¨¦mon, these things were far beyond the reach of a rookie trainer like him. All he could do now was familiarize himself with the Charmander¡¯s abilities and plan its training carefully.


    ¡°Charmander, be careful with your tail. Don¡¯t burn the furniture,¡± Su Wen reminded the Pok¨¦mon as he patted its head.


    The flame at the end of the Charmander¡¯s tail symbolized its vitality. If the flame went out, it meant the Charmander¡¯s life was nearing its end. Conversely, the brighter and more intense the flame, the better the Charmander¡¯s condition.


    The Charmander could control the temperature of its tail flame, as it was more like a life flame than an ordinary fire.


    Hearing Su Wen¡¯s reminder, the Charmander proudly held up its tail, showing off the flame that had turned from red to a radiant white. Su Wen reached out and felt the flame¡ªit was comfortably warm, around 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.


    After feeding the Charmander an energy cube, Su Wen sat cross-legged on the carpet, placing his right hand on the Charmander¡¯s head and extending his Aura.


    Ever since successfully bonding with the Charmander, Su Wen had felt something different¡ªa sensation he had never experienced in his 15 years of life. It was as if a key had finally found its lock.


    That was why he had been so eager to return home, to quietly study his Aura in peace.


    Sure enough, when his Aura touched the Charmander¡¯s, it no longer merely hovered on the surface, as it had with other Pok¨¦mon. Instead, Su Wen¡¯s Aura began to merge with the Charmander¡¯s, albeit clumsily, like sugar slowly dissolving in water.


    Even this small amount of fusion opened up a whole new world in Su Wen¡¯s mind.


    It felt as if Su Wen and the Charmander had become one. Su Wen could sense not only his own body but also the Charmander¡¯s.


    As the fusion deepened, Su Wen even vaguely felt the flow of energy within the Charmander¡¯s body, as if he could use the Charmander¡¯s six moves. His Aura seemed capable of guiding this energy.


    It was as if he had always known these moves but couldn¡¯t use them smoothly for some reason.


    However, Su Wen quickly realized this was just an illusion. What he was feeling and understanding were the Charmander¡¯s abilities, not his own.


    ¡°Roar!¡± The Charmander let out a soft cry, abruptly breaking the connection. Su Wen felt a strong repulsion, and his Aura could no longer merge with the Charmander¡¯s.


    ¡°Too unfamiliar?¡± Su Wen mused, watching the Charmander nuzzle his hand. He could sense that the Charmander had grown even more attached to him.


    As he played with the Charmander, Su Wen pondered the changes in his Aura.


    First, this change in Aura likely only worked with his own Pok¨¦mon. After all, his father¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were also close to him, but they lacked this kind of connection.


    Second, if he could use his Aura to guide the Charmander¡¯s energy, did that mean he could help the Charmander grow in a different way?


    Of course, these were just speculations. But over the next week, Su Wen was confident he would figure out whether these ideas were valid.


    Meanwhile, Su Chuan had already arrived at the Yun City Pok¨¦mon Center.

 10."The Secret Realm and the Champion"

    Since Su Chuan¡¯s residence was quite far from the Pok¨¦mon Center, even riding his Pidgeot, he arrived to find a group of trainers already gathered there.


    ¡°Old Su is here!¡± A sharp-eyed trainer immediately recognized Su Chuan¡¯s Pidgeot, and a crowd came forward to greet him.


    After dismounting and returning his Pidgeot to its Pok¨¦ Ball, Su Chuan clasped his hands in greeting to the trainers who had come to meet him. He then turned to a middle-aged man with a beer belly and asked, ¡°Director Wang, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    The head of the Yun City Pok¨¦mon Center was Wang Qing, a master-level trainer who had been coasting through his career. The sweat on his forehead made it clear that Wang Qing was internally cursing his luck.


    When the survey team had detected anomalies in the southern suburbs, they had immediately notified Wang Qing, and the police department¡¯s alert had followed shortly after.


    Upon learning the situation, Wang Qing¡¯s heart sank. With only four years left until retirement, his son had already started a family, and Wang Qing had been looking forward to a peaceful retirement. But now, he might end up ruined in this final stretch.


    Despite his usual complacency, Wang Qing had enough professionalism to issue the special dispatch order without delay.


    Wang Qing grabbed Su Chuan¡¯s hand and pulled him into the Pok¨¦mon Center as if clutching a lifeline. ¡°Gym Leader Su, let¡¯s talk inside.¡± He then called out to the surrounding trainers, ¡°Everyone, please come in. Time is of the essence.¡±


    Inside the Pok¨¦mon Center, the main hall had been temporarily converted into a command center. Once all eleven gym-level trainers from Yun City had arrived, Wang Qing led them to a large screen.


    ¡°Take a look, everyone. This is footage from the vanguard team,¡± Wang Qing said, pointing at the screen.


    The screen showed the southern suburbs, which should have been lush and green, now enveloped in a shimmering curtain of water. Within the curtain, mountain ranges rose, and unfamiliar flora and fauna could be faintly seen.


    Su Chuan, drawing on his years of experience exploring secret realms, spoke up. ¡°This is nearing the initial stages of fusion!¡±


    Secret realms were supposed to exist in separate spaces, but if a secret realm fused with the main world, it would stabilize and likely be marked as a restricted area.


    Wang Qing¡¯s expression was grave. ¡°Gym Leader Su is correct. According to the research institute¡¯s analysis, the secret realm will stabilize and fuse with the main world in approximately 186 hours.¡±


    186 hours¡ªless than eight days! Everyone in the room was stunned.


    One gym-level trainer exclaimed, ¡°Impossible! A secret realm of this size would take at least two months to fully fuse with the main world!¡±


    The other trainers nodded in agreement. This was common knowledge; it was impossible for the fusion to stabilize in less than eight days.


    Su Chuan, however, had a sudden realization. ¡°Could this be related to that Salamence from a few years ago?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The sudden appearance and disappearance of that Salamence had left a deep impression on all the trainers in Yun City.


    Wang Qing sighed bitterly. ¡°Exactly. According to the analysis, that Salamence likely came from this secret realm. Since then, the stability of the secret realm¡¯s space has been declining, and it has been gradually fusing with the main world.¡±


    There was no time for regret. After briefly explaining the situation, Wang Qing divided the eleven gym-level trainers into five teams, each leading a group of master-level trainers to carry out specific tasks.


    ¡°Everyone, our primary objective is to rescue the trapped civilians. Second, we need to gather as much information as possible about Champion-level Pok¨¦mon. Finally, if any Pok¨¦mon attempt to cross the barrier into the main world, you must stop them. The safety of Yun City is in your hands!¡±


    Wang Qing bowed deeply to the trainers in the room.


    Led by Su Chuan, the trainers thumped their chests with their right hands. ¡°We have no regrets, and we will protect our homeland.¡±


    The teams then entered the secret realm through several points where the spatial stability had already reached acceptable levels.


    As the strongest trainer, Su Chuan naturally led a team alone and took the central route to facilitate quick support for the other teams.


    ¡°The Dragon and Fire-type energy here is incredibly dense!¡± Su Chuan exclaimed as soon as he entered the secret realm, watching the readings on his wrist monitor skyrocket.


    In such an environment, it was no surprise that a Champion-level Salamence had emerged.


    All the master-level trainers had already dispersed with their squads to carry out rescue missions, while Su Chuan patrolled the skies on his Pidgeot.


    Secret realms were feared because the Pok¨¦mon within might have never encountered humans, making them far more aggressive than those in the main world.


    If Pok¨¦mon from a secret realm were released into the main world without caution, it could lead to a surge in Pok¨¦mon attacks on humans.


    However, after some time interacting with humans, most Pok¨¦mon, being highly intelligent, would establish a relative peace, coexisting with humans without conflict.


    ¡°C3 area, three civilians found, one injured. Returning to base.¡±


    ¡°B5 area, rare berries discovered, under attack by a fifth-tier Primeape. Requesting backup! Requesting backup!¡±


    Secret realms didn¡¯t just bring risks¡ªthey also offered abundant resources.


    Under the current circumstances, no one was actively seeking resources, but if they stumbled upon any, they certainly wouldn¡¯t pass them up.


    Most of these resources would be used to cover the expenses of the operation and as rewards for the special dispatch order.


    ......


    While the rescue operation was in full swing, Su Wen had already woken up.


    Upon waking, Su Wen noticed that the Charmander had somehow climbed from the small bed he had prepared for it onto his own bed, sleeping soundly while hugging its tail.


    After washing up, Su Wen prepared breakfast for the Pok¨¦mon at home, including a portion for the Charmander, and then roused the little fire lizard.


    ¡°Mom, any news from the Pok¨¦mon Center?¡± Su Wen asked, stirring the steaming honey porridge in his bowl.


    Wang Xuan was busy discussing the lunch menu with her Indeedee and didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Director Wang sent a message. He¡¯s reported it to the League Center, and a Champion is on the way. Your dad should be back in two or three days.¡±


    ¡°A Champion?¡± Su Wen was genuinely surprised.


    He had expected a Champion-level trainer at most, but now an actual Champion was coming.


    In Xia Country, with a population of nearly two billion, there were fewer than three hundred Champion-level trainers.


    Among these three hundred, only eighteen held the title of Champion, each representing one of the eighteen types: Normal, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Bug, Flying, Ground, Rock, Fighting, Psychic, Ghost, Poison, Dark, Steel, Dragon, and Fairy.


    In a sense, these eighteen were the strongest in Xia Country.


    The conditions for earning the title of Champion were extremely stringent. For example, if Su Wen wanted to apply for the title of Fire-type Champion in the future, he would first need to win the 1v1 championship in the Champion Challenge Tournament, held every three years, using a Fire-type Pok¨¦mon.


    After that, Su Wen would need to defeat the reigning Fire-type Champion in both 1v1 Fire-type battles and 6v6 battles using any type of Pok¨¦mon to claim the title.


    As a result, every change in the Champion title was a major event that shook not only Xia Country but the entire world.

 11.Long Xu.

    Due to the immense strength of each Heavenly King, almost all of them are assigned their own tasks¡ªwhether it¡¯s guarding the borders or suppressing top-tier forbidden zones. Pulling a Heavenly King away from their duties is no small matter.


    What kind of value does this secret realm hold that it warrants the Alliance Center to dispatch a Heavenly King?


    Though I¡¯m not sure which Heavenly King will come, my father should be able to meet them.


    Wang Xuan finalized the lunch menu and noticed Su Wen absentmindedly stirring the porridge in his bowl. She chuckled, "Hurry up and eat. If you keep stirring, the porridge will get cold."


    Only then did Su Wen realize that even Charmander had finished eating and was now waving its claws around, seemingly trying to execute a Dragon Claw move.


    Su Wen quickly slurped down the porridge, accompanied by some pickled radish, and then led Charmander to the backyard.


    After a night¡¯s rest, Su Wen found that his Aura could once again merge with Charmander¡¯s.


    He first turned on the only detector at home and said to Charmander, "Charmander, it¡¯s time to start training. Let¡¯s try absorbing the Fire-type energy in the air first."


    During yesterday¡¯s Aura fusion, Su Wen had already gotten a basic grasp of Charmander¡¯s subconscious energy absorption speed.


    Once Charmander understood Su Wen¡¯s intention, it began actively gathering the surrounding Fire-type energy.


    Thanks to the Charizardite X, the concentration of Fire-type energy around Charmander was almost comparable to that of the Charicific Valley.


    Under such energy density, Charmander¡¯s active absorption speed was about six to seven times faster than its passive absorption. However, after less than five minutes of absorption, Charmander relaxed its focus and started slacking off.


    Su Wen took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration. He had known that Charmander was spoiled, but this was just ridiculous. After all, his father¡¯s Pok¨¦mon trained for hours at a time.


    Watching Charmander sprawled on the ground, pretending to be dead, Su Wen rolled his eyes. He concentrated the Aura flowing through Charmander¡¯s body, guiding the surrounding Fire-type energy to gather into Charmander.


    £¿£¿


    Charmander¡¯s eyes widened in confusion as it felt the energy within its body rapidly expanding, filling every corner of its being. The extreme discomfort forced Charmander to work hard to absorb and contain this energy.


    Su Wen stroked his chin, a hint of amusement in his eyes. While he could use his Aura to channel Fire-type energy into Charmander¡¯s body, he couldn¡¯t help it absorb the energy. Now, this little guy had no choice but to stop slacking off.


    To avoid harming Charmander¡¯s body, Su Wen adjusted the energy infusion speed to a level Charmander could handle after a few tests.


    Based on Charmander¡¯s energy absorption rate, Su Wen roughly calculated that if Charmander¡¯s passive absorption speed was 1, its active absorption speed during training was about 5, and with his Aura guidance, it reached around 10.


    After half an hour of training, Su Wen looked at Charmander, which was now rolling its eyes, clearly signaling that it would rather explode from energy overload than continue training. Su Wen scratched his head. Since his Aura was also reaching its limit, he disconnected and took out an energy cube.


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    He brought the energy cube to Charmander¡¯s mouth, and Charmander eagerly chomped down on it, wagging its tail contentedly. The way it sprawled on the ground, wagging its tail, resembled a Slowpoke.


    The energy cube didn¡¯t contain much energy, but its taste was exceptional, like candy used to soothe a crying child.


    Leaving Charmander to bask in the sun in the backyard, Su Wen returned to his room to retrieve the resources he had obtained from Zhu Tianxing the previous month.


    "Let¡¯s start with the Fire Stone," Su Wen muttered, holding the Fire Stone up to the sunlight. The stone glowed with a warm yellow-red hue, its center seemingly flowing with flames, making it a beautiful sight.


    Although Su Wen wasn¡¯t sure about the exact purity of this Fire Stone, according to online sources, such a pristine stone must be of high quality.


    Returning to the backyard, Su Wen found Charmander chasing after a Butterfree, scaring it so much that the Butterfree folded its wings and trembled on a tree branch.


    "Charmander," Su Wen called, beckoning Charmander over. He then pressed the Fire Stone against Charmander¡¯s body.


    "Try absorbing the energy from this," Su Wen said, releasing his Aura but not guiding the energy from the Fire Stone, instead letting Charmander absorb it on its own.


    Charmander initially resisted, but after Su Wen promised an unlimited supply of energy cubes once today¡¯s training was over, it reluctantly closed its eyes.


    The energy within the Fire Stone was incredibly dense, which was why it could trigger the evolution of certain Pok¨¦mon.


    However, absorbing this energy wasn¡¯t easy for Charmander. It was like trying to suck water through layers of sponge, as evident from Charmander¡¯s strained expression.


    After less than two minutes, Charmander collapsed, exhausted, while the Fire Stone¡¯s color remained unchanged.


    Still, the energy absorption efficiency was much higher than absorbing Fire-type energy from the air, likely because the energy within the Fire Stone was far more concentrated.


    After letting Charmander rest for a while, Su Wen used his Aura to help Charmander absorb the energy from the Fire Stone.


    With Su Wen¡¯s assistance, the difficulty of absorbing energy went from sucking water through a sponge to drinking through a straw. Charmander¡¯s entire body relaxed.


    Su Wen, however, was shocked by the terrifying speed. The efficiency of absorbing energy from the Fire Stone was more than three times faster than guiding Charmander to absorb energy from the air.


    And this was under the condition that Charmander¡¯s surroundings were already saturated with Fire-type energy due to the Charizardite X.


    In other words, if Fire Stones could be supplied consistently, Charmander¡¯s one hour of training could surpass dozens of hours of training for other Pok¨¦mon.


    Is this the power of spending money?


    With this kind of training speed, even if Charmander wasn¡¯t particularly fond of training, Su Wen could still surpass other trainers.


    However, using Aura to absorb energy from the Fire Stone was also extremely taxing on Su Wen¡¯s stamina and focus. This time, it was Su Wen who couldn¡¯t keep up.


    Seeing Su Wen lying on the ground, gasping for breath, Charmander looked at the energy cube in its hand and, after some consideration, offered it to Su Wen.


    "Char~" (£à?w?¡ä)


    Seeing Charmander¡¯s concerned expression, Su Wen sat up cross-legged, smiling as he rubbed Charmander¡¯s cheeks. "You eat it. I have plenty more."


    Once Su Wen declined, Charmander happily popped the energy cube into its mouth ©c(£þ¨Œ£þ)? and, with Su Wen¡¯s permission, went back to tormenting the other Pok¨¦mon in the backyard.


    Leaning against a large transplanted Sitrus tree, with sunlight filtering through the lush leaves and dappling his body, Su Wen recorded the data from the tests in his notebook while pondering some questions.


    "Charmander¡¯s upper limit hasn¡¯t been determined yet, but it definitely exists. Once my Aura recovers, we¡¯ll continue training. Today, I must figure out Charmander¡¯s daily absorption limit."


    "As for whether my Aura has this special effect only on my Pok¨¦mon or if Charmander is the unique one, I¡¯ll have to wait until I capture a second Pok¨¦mon to find out."


    "Skill training... Forget it. Don¡¯t rush things. Let¡¯s not start that on the first day."


    Just as Su Wen was wondering if he had missed anything, his phone rang.


    The screen displayed the name "Chen You" in bold letters.


    Su Wen raised an eyebrow. This guy hadn¡¯t replied to messages or answered calls, and now he finally shows up?


    As soon as Su Wen answered the call, Chen You blurted out in a frantic rush, "Su Wen, Long Xu has come to Cloud City!"

 12."Dragon-Type Heavenly King"

    The name ?Long Xu is known to everyone, even internationally.


    At the age of 26, he led his team to win the World Championship.


    At 29, he successfully challenged the previous Dragon-Type Heavenly King, becoming the only trainer in Xia Kingdom''s history to achieve the title of Heavenly King before turning 30.


    By 36, he had defeated all Heavenly Kings except the Fairy-Type Heavenly King, Xia Lingdi. Even Xia Lingdi admitted that if it weren¡¯t for Dragon-type moves being completely ineffective against Fairy-types, she would have had no chance of defeating Long Xu. Since then, Long Xu has been crowned the ?Strongest Heavenly King.


    Such a legendary figure is actually coming to Cloud City?


    "Su Wen? Su Wen? Su Huzi! Are you listening to me?" Chen You, hearing no response, couldn¡¯t help but shout Su Wen¡¯s childhood nickname, snapping him out of his shock.


    Annoyed, Su Wen shot back, "If you don¡¯t know how to talk, just shut up. I¡¯m listening!"


    Seeing Su Wen respond, Chen You quickly changed the subject. "Do you know why Long Xu is coming to Cloud City?"


    "Besides the suddenly opened secret realm, what else could attract Long Xu here?" Su Wen countered. "How did you even know Long Xu is coming to Cloud City?"


    Chen You sounded puzzled. "Secret realm? What secret realm? Long Xu¡¯s visit to Cloud City is all over the forums. His fans are going crazy since he¡¯s rarely seen in public."


    Su Wen noticed something was off. "You¡¯re not in Cloud City? Where are you?"


    If Chen You were in Cloud City, he couldn¡¯t have missed the news about the secret realm opening.


    Chen You immediately stammered, "Uh... I¡¯ve got something to do. Gotta go!"


    Faced with Chen You¡¯s sudden exit, Su Wen didn¡¯t have time to figure out what he was up to. He quickly opened the Trainer Forum and, sure enough, the entire platform was flooded with news about Long Xu.


    After scrolling for a while, Su Wen found the source. A fan of Long Xu, while riding a Corviknight, spotted Long Xu on his Dragonite. The fan abandoned their mission and chased Long Xu, eventually losing track of him but deducing he had entered Cloud City.


    When the fan posted this on the forum, Long Xu¡¯s fan army mobilized, analyzing every detail. Finally, when a trainer at the Pok¨¦mon Center posted a sneaky photo of Long Xu, it was confirmed.


    Sigh, these fanatics are terrifying... Su Wen muttered to himself, shaking his head.


    Putting his phone away, Su Wen didn¡¯t dwell too much on Long Xu¡¯s arrival. His father would eventually cross paths with Long Xu, and he could ask him then. If it was something his father couldn¡¯t share, overthinking it wouldn¡¯t help.


    As for Chen You, he was being all mysterious now, but Su Wen thought, Let¡¯s see where you run when school starts.


    Su Wen stretched, feeling sufficiently rested. He plucked a Sitrus Berry from the tree, wiped it on his shirt, took a bite, and called Charmander over.


    "Charmander, back to training!"


    Meanwhile, the Pok¨¦mon Center in Cloud City was in chaos. Long Xu¡¯s fans had surrounded the building, even monitoring the airspace.


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    "Hubby, I love you!"


    "Long Xu, please give me your autograph!"


    "Long Xu, my baby, mommy loves you!"


    "Wait, you¡¯re a dude!"


    Behind the third-floor window of the Pok¨¦mon Center, a young man with a delicate appearance leaned on the railing. "Wow, Uncle Xu, you really have fans from 18 to 88, huh?"


    Long Xu, sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, choked on his drink and put the cup down, exasperated. "Long Ming, you¡¯re getting more and more disrespectful."


    The Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s manager, Mr. Wang, sat across from Long Xu, pretending not to hear the exchange.


    "Manager Wang," Long Xu turned to him with a smile, "when can we enter the secret realm?"


    Mr. Wang hurriedly replied, "Everything¡¯s ready. It¡¯s just that, Heavenly King Long..." He glanced out the window, hinting at the crowd outside.


    Long Xu understood. These fans were the most troublesome¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t leave, and they couldn¡¯t be treated like criminals and forcibly removed.


    With a sigh, Long Xu asked, "Manager Wang, is there a back door here?"


    "The back door¡¯s open!" someone suddenly shouted, and the crowd surged toward the back door.


    But they didn¡¯t find Long Xu. Instead, a middle-aged man in a janitor¡¯s uniform stood awkwardly, pushing a slightly dirty utility cart, surrounded by the crowd.


    "Ugh!" The crowd dispersed, scattering to various spots to stake out again.


    When the janitor turned the corner, he casually tossed the utility cart into the garbage area and left.


    The followers trailing him shook their heads, not even bothering to search the cart, and hurried back to the Pok¨¦mon Center.


    About six or seven minutes later, two slightly disheveled figures crawled out from under the cart¡¯s tarp.


    "Wait, why did I have to crawl through a garbage cart too?" Long Ming complained, patting his clothes in disgust.


    Long Xu, wearing a mask, scanned the area before smacking Long Ming¡¯s head. "If it weren¡¯t for helping you find your starter Pok¨¦mon, would I need to crawl through a garbage cart?"


    Long Ming grinned. "Yes, yes, Uncle Xu is the best. Uncle Xu, are you sure there¡¯s a Bagon in that secret realm?"


    Bagon is the initial form of Salamence, and Long Ming had his heart set on one as his starter Pok¨¦mon. He had no interest in other Pok¨¦mon, not even other pseudo-legendaries.


    When Long Xu heard about the Salamence sightings and the secret realm in Cloud City, he volunteered to oversee the situation.


    Long Xu smiled. "Don¡¯t worry. If there¡¯s no Bagon here, I¡¯ll post a task on the international market. I¡¯ll definitely find you a suitable Bagon."


    The usually cold, determined, and ruthless Long Xu on the battlefield had such a gentle side, which would drive his fans even crazier if they knew.


    After walking for a while, the vehicle arranged by Mr. Wang appeared as planned. To stay discreet, Long Xu decided against using Dragonite to transport himself and Long Ming to the secret realm.


    As Long Xu headed to the secret realm, Su Chuan and the others finally ran into trouble.


    "This Salamence is even more terrifying than it was a few years ago," one of the Gym Leaders beside Su Chuan said, looking nervously at the Salamence surrounded by a group of Pok¨¦mon.


    After a team spotted this Salamence, the Gym Leaders quickly gathered. Its red wings were deeper in color, and its body was more robust than before. If it weren¡¯t for the scar on its left eye, they might have thought it was a different Pok¨¦mon.


    One confident Gym Leader suggested testing its strength and sent out his Gallade to engage, even attempting a preemptive strike.


    But in just one encounter, the Gallade was incapacitated. If Su Chuan hadn¡¯t intervened, sending out his Slaking to hold off the Salamence, the Gallade might have been killed on the spot.


    "It¡¯s the ?Intimidate ability," Su Chuan explained. The Gym Leader had underestimated the Salamence and overestimated his Gallade.


    The ?Intimidate ability caused surrounding Pok¨¦mon to feel a certain level of suppression, reducing their physical attack power. Combined with Gallade¡¯s inherent fragility, one hit was all it took to take it out.


    Even Slaking, with the support of other Pok¨¦mon, could barely hold the Salamence back.


    "Looks like we can¡¯t handle this Salamence. Even with Chansey constantly healing Slaking, we can¡¯t keep this up. Let¡¯s retreat," one trainer suggested.


    Su Chuan frowned. "It¡¯s not easy. This Salamence is sticking too close. It¡¯ll be hard for us to retreat unscathed."


    Just as they were at a loss, their earpieces crackled to life. "Please hold on for another half hour. Heavenly King Long Xu is on his way to the secret realm."


    Who?


    They thought they¡¯d misheard, but when the message repeated, the trainers erupted in excitement.


    "Long Xu is coming? Hold on, hold on! In half an hour, we¡¯ll teach this Salamence a lesson!" The trainers were already imagining the Salamence being ground into the dirt.


    Su Chuan exhaled softly. As the temporary leader, he¡¯d been under immense pressure. Hearing this news was a huge relief.


    But Su Chuan still warned, "Don¡¯t let your guard down. Stay alert in case the Salamence counterattacks!"

 13."The Power of the Heavenly Kings"

    The half-hour passed quickly, but the area where Salamence had been residing was now in ruins, with broken roots and scattered rubble everywhere.


    "Watch out for its ?Double-Edge!" Su Chuan, sharp-eyed, caught Salamence¡¯s charging stance and shouted a warning.


    Already, three Gym-level Pok¨¦mon had fallen to Salamence¡¯s ?Double-Edge, its ultimate move. The attack was devastating, and while it caused recoil damage to Salamence, the impact on Gym-level Pok¨¦mon was far more severe.


    The fact that Salamence could use ?Double-Edge was proof that its strength was nearing the mid-stage of Heavenly King level.


    "Has Heavenly King Long Xu arrived yet?" a trainer asked into his earpiece.


    They had expended significant effort to keep Salamence confined to this area. If not for their coordinated teamwork and the fact that Salamence lacked a trainer¡¯s guidance, they would have been overwhelmed long ago.


    "He¡¯s here."


    The response didn¡¯t come through the earpiece but from behind them.


    Su Chuan and the others turned in surprise to see Long Xu nodding slightly. He then smiled at Su Chuan and said, "Senior Su Chuan, it¡¯s been a while."


    The trainers around them were stunned. Su Chuan was actually Long Xu¡¯s senior? Who knew they had such a connection?


    Su Chuan waved it off. "We¡¯ll catch up later. Now that you¡¯re here, it¡¯s your show. We¡¯ll back you up."


    Long Xu took a Pok¨¦ Ball from his belt and shook his head. "No need, Senior. Just have everyone pull back." His tone was brimming with confidence. He then lightly tossed the ball and said, "Go, Dragonite."


    Unlike the usual cream-colored Dragonite, Long Xu¡¯s was a shiny variant, its body a soft green. The two long antennae on its head floated in the air, swaying up and down as Dragonite¡¯s wings flapped, making it look almost whimsical.


    Compared to the menacing Salamence, Dragonite seemed downright adorable, appearing harmless at first glance. But those who had seen Long Xu¡¯s battles knew just how terrifying this Dragonite could be.


    "Use ?Extreme Speed!" Long Xu pointed at Salamence, aiming to end the fight in one move.


    Dragonite¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t particularly outstanding among pseudo-legendaries, let alone all Pok¨¦mon. But a Dragonite that had mastered ?Extreme Speed was a completely different beast.


    The trainers could barely see a faint glow surrounding Dragonite before a streak of green light shot through the air, leaving a trailing emerald tail behind.


    The sharp sound of breaking air reached Su Chuan¡¯s ears just as Dragonite closed in on Salamence. Salamence¡¯s triangular eyes widened in shock, but instinct kicked in, and it twisted its body slightly, causing the attack to miss its vitals and only graze its left forelimb.


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    Salamence reacted quickly, its mouth already glowing with the energy of ?Hyper Beam. But Dragonite was faster. Using the momentum of its charge, Dragonite swung its tail, striking Salamence¡¯s jaw.


    "Ugh!" Salamence¡¯s mouth erupted with thick smoke as the ?Hyper Beam exploded inside, forcing it to stagger back in pain. Fear flickered in its eyes, but its killer instinct only grew stronger.


    As its eyes turned crimson, Salamence¡¯s aura surged like a rising tower, pressing down on the trainers, some of whom struggled to withstand the pressure.


    "It¡¯s ?Outrage," Su Chuan said, recognizing the move from the Charizard leader¡¯s recent use of it.


    However, Salamence¡¯s mastery of ?Outrage was clearly not as refined as the Charizard leader¡¯s. Salamence¡¯s rationality had crumbled, and it flapped its wings, pinning Dragonite against a cliff as rocks scattered everywhere.


    "Use ?Protect."


    The trainers quickly had their Pok¨¦mon use ?Protect to shield themselves, while Long Xu summoned an Altaria to guard himself and Long Ming, eliminating Su Chuan¡¯s need to protect him.


    Salamence, of course, paid no attention to these "spectators." Its fangs crackled with electricity, and it clamped down on Dragonite¡¯s left shoulder, the lightning masking its injuries.


    "Use ?Hyper Beam."


    While ?Thunder Fang was super effective against Dragonite due to its Flying typing, Long Xu¡¯s Dragonite had the ability ?Multiscale.


    Multiscale acted like heavy armor, significantly reducing damage when Dragonite was at full health.


    So Long Xu¡¯s plan was to strike first.


    But this time, Long Xu miscalculated. When Salamence¡¯s ?Thunder Fang bit into Dragonite¡¯s left shoulder, electricity surged through Dragonite¡¯s body, causing paralysis. The ?Hyper Beam Dragonite had been charging dissipated silently.


    "This luck..." Su Chuan¡¯s lips twitched.


    Thunder Fang had a small chance to inflict paralysis, which would drastically reduce a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s speed and occasionally render it unable to move due to internal electrical surges.


    Instinctively, Su Chuan glanced at Long Xu, who remained calm.


    In Long Xu¡¯s battles, unexpected turns were common. For him, Salamence¡¯s actions only delayed its inevitable defeat.


    "Use ?Thunder Punch," Long Xu commanded. His first priority was to separate Dragonite from Salamence, as Salamence was still clamping down on Dragonite¡¯s left shoulder.


    Dragonite endured the pain and raised its right claw, electricity crackling as it struck Salamence¡¯s left cheek.


    If Salamence had a trainer, they would have had it continue using ?Thunder Fang, as Dragonite had the upper hand in this exchange.


    But for Salamence, which shared the Dragon and Flying typing, ?Thunder Punch was equally devastating. And it didn¡¯t have ?Multiscale for protection.


    So even in its ?Outrage state, Salamence instinctively released its grip and was kicked away by Dragonite.


    "Use ?Extreme Speed to create distance, then ?Rest."


    Paralysis had severely hindered Dragonite¡¯s speed, which was now visibly slower even in ?Extreme Speed mode.


    In this state, using ?Rest to recover health and remove the paralysis was the best option.


    But Salamence wouldn¡¯t give Dragonite a chance to breathe. Though still disoriented from ?Outrage, Salamence immediately flapped its wings and charged at Dragonite.


    With its eyes closed and hovering in place, Dragonite seemed vulnerable as it drifted into sleep. But Su Chuan and the others weren¡¯t worried.


    Because Long Xu¡¯s Dragonite had another trait: its mastery of the move ?Sleep Talk.


    Sleep Talk allowed a sleeping Pok¨¦mon to use random moves.


    However, this Dragonite reportedly had a history of sleepwalking, giving it an innate talent for ?Sleep Talk. Thus, being asleep didn¡¯t hinder its combat effectiveness.


    "Dodge left, then use ?Dragon Dance!"

 14."Awaken"

    It was as if Dragonite didn¡¯t even need the command for ?Sleep Talk¡ªthe move seemed ingrained in its DNA. Even in its sleep, Dragonite could accurately follow Long Xu¡¯s orders.


    Salamence hadn¡¯t expected a sleeping Dragonite to still be capable of action. Its seemingly ferocious ?Dragon Claw was gracefully dodged as Dragonite danced through ?Dragon Dance.


    Under Long Xu¡¯s command, Salamence was completely drawn into Dragonite¡¯s rhythm.


    Every attack Salamence launched felt half-hearted, like a child being toyed with. This infuriated Salamence, which had long prided itself as the dominant force in the area.


    Abandoning attempts to tear Dragonite apart with ?Dragon Claw or ?Thunder Fang, Salamence suddenly stopped. The sky above it churned, dark clouds swirling together in an instant.


    "Everyone, retreat! All Gym-level trainers, protect the surroundings!"


    For the first time, Long Xu¡¯s expression changed. This was the precursor to ?Draco Meteor, one of the most powerful Dragon-type moves known.


    With its immense power, ?Draco Meteor also had an incredibly wide area of effect.


    Salamence had given up on close combat, deciding instead to use this all-encompassing move to leave Dragonite with nowhere to hide.


    What made Long Xu uneasy wasn¡¯t the sheer power of ?Draco Meteor, but the fact that a wild Salamence shouldn¡¯t have been able to learn this move in the first place.


    The same went for ?Thunder Fang earlier.


    Trainers generally categorized moves into three types:?Level-Up Moves: Moves that Pok¨¦mon naturally learn as they reach certain levels, as if unlocking an innate ability.?Egg Moves: Moves inherited from a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s parents, like Charmander, which could have up to three egg moves.?Taught Moves: Moves that trainers teach their Pok¨¦mon through TMs or other methods to cover weaknesses or enhance their strength.The biggest difference between wild Pok¨¦mon and those raised by trainers was that wild Pok¨¦mon, aside from a few with egg moves, could only learn their level-up moves.


    This Salamence, which had lived in the secret realm for years, was nothing like the Charizard leader, who had close contact with humans.


    So, by all logic, this Salamence shouldn¡¯t have been able to learn ?Thunder Fang and ?Draco Meteor, which weren¡¯t level-up moves.


    Unless they were egg moves¡ªhad this Salamence¡¯s parents been raised by a trainer?


    For some reason, Long Xu felt a faint sense of pressure.


    "Hydreigon, Haxorus, Noivern, Sceptile, go!"


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    Including Dragonite, which was already battling Salamence, and Altaria, which was protecting Long Xu, these six Pok¨¦mon were all Heavenly King-level, with four of them being pseudo-legendaries.


    The luxurious lineup left the trainers in awe and envy, but also with a sense of unease. Why had Long Xu suddenly brought out all six of his Pok¨¦mon? The battle rhythm had already been in Dragonite¡¯s control.


    "Senior Su Chuan, have everyone evacuate the secret realm immediately," Long Xu said gravely.


    He now needed to subdue Salamence as quickly as possible and reinvestigate this secret realm.


    This secret realm was far from simple.


    However, just as everyone except Su Chuan, Long Xu, and a researcher had evacuated, Salamence, already overwhelmed by the five Heavenly King-level Pok¨¦mon, exchanged injuries for a chance to soar into the sky and let out a piercing, mournful roar that echoed endlessly throughout the secret realm.


    Though the five Heavenly King-level Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks hit Salamence moments later, and it fell to the ground, battered and bruised, in less than a minute, the researcher by Su Chuan¡¯s side noticed something unusual.


    "Heavenly King Long Xu! The energy density of the secret realm is rapidly increasing!"


    Long Xu didn¡¯t have time to capture or even take Salamence with him. He quickly led the group toward the exit.


    "What¡¯s the alert level?"


    "It¡¯s... almost reaching Level One!"


    A Level Three alert indicated a high probability of Heavenly King-level Pok¨¦mon activity. What did it mean to be nearing Level One?


    Su Chuan¡¯s back was drenched in cold sweat, and the researcher¡¯s forehead was beaded with sweat as he frantically typed on his laptop while riding Altaria.


    "The data shows the energy source is at the center of the secret realm!" The researcher instinctively looked west, the origin of the energy fluctuations.


    Without needing a reminder, Long Xu and Su Chuan felt the shockwaves of energy moments later.


    Centered around a towering, snow-capped mountain in the heart of the secret realm, the clouds were pushed aside, and the trees swayed violently. Yet, all the Pok¨¦mon in the area fell silent.


    Whether flying in the sky, swimming in the water, or cautiously watching from the forest, every Pok¨¦mon turned toward the mountain and fell into a reverent silence.


    This eerie sense of pilgrimage, accompanied by the continuous shockwaves, felt profoundly unsettling.


    "Reshiram~"


    A clear, ethereal voice rang out, piercing the unnatural silence of the secret realm.


    If it weren¡¯t for the ominous atmosphere, Su Chuan might have found the voice beautiful. But now, he just wanted to escape the secret realm as quickly as possible.


    He even hoped the owner of the voice would just call out a few times and not appear.


    As if deliberately defying Su Chuan¡¯s wishes, a Pok¨¦mon soared out of the mountain, breaking through the clouds and gliding through the sky.


    This pristine Pok¨¦mon, without a single blemish, could only be described as "sacred" in Su Chuan¡¯s mind.


    Its appearance was a blend of a white bird and a Western dragon with massive wings and claws. Its body was covered in soft, feather-like white fur.


    Its icy blue eyes and black sclera added to its mystique. Long, cloud-like fur extended from its head, resembling the tassels on a spear, giving it an ethereal grace.


    Its face resembled a white wolf, with two metallic rings around its neck. Its belly was wrapped in soft white fur. Its legs had distinct, hard protrusions with clear textures, and its hind legs were shaped like high heels, giving its overall form a sharp, predatory look.


    Like its neck, Reshiram¡¯s tail base was encircled by two metallic rings, beneath which was a structure resembling an engine. The tail¡¯s end resembled a flame or wisp of smoke, reminding Su Chuan of the sacred torch from the Ho-Oh Cup.


    "Reshiram, the White Dragon of Truth..." Long Xu murmured as he watched Reshiram cut through the clouds like a fighter jet.


    Su Chuan had never seen such a complex expression on Long Xu¡¯s face¡ªa mix of desire, fear, eagerness, and confusion.


    But Reshiram didn¡¯t give Long Xu and Su Chuan time to reflect. It quickly spotted the two intruders daring to fly through its domain.


    Blue flames erupted from Reshiram¡¯s mouth¡ªa move Su Chuan had never seen before. Long Xu snapped out of his daze and immediately entered battle mode.


    "Protect!"


    Apart from Altaria, which carried Long Xu and the researcher, the other five Pok¨¦mon formed a defensive line, raising emerald-green barriers.


    Su Chuan and Long Xu urged Pidgeot and Altaria to retreat.


    The green barriers met the blue flames and melted away like snow under fire, disappearing without a sound.


    The first layer...


    The second layer...


    By the fourth layer, the blue flames finally dissipated.


    Strangely, Reshiram didn¡¯t seem intent on finishing them off. It simply watched from the sky as Long Xu and Su Chuan fled.


    The moment Long Xu and Su Chuan exited the secret realm, the spatial portal vanished as if a gate had been slammed shut. If it weren¡¯t for the countless staff and trainers scattered across the mountains, it would have seemed as if the secret realm had never existed.


    "Heavenly King Long Xu, what¡¯s going on?" Manager Wang, who had rushed to the secret realm, approached with a group of higher-ups.


    "We¡¯ll discuss it back at headquarters," Long Xu said, signaling Su Chuan and the researcher to follow.


    Su Chuan took a deep breath, realizing that some mysteries might finally be unveiled.

 15."Move Selection"

    In Su Chuan¡¯s eyes, the past two days had been the most thrilling experience of his life, truly a brush with death.


    However, because of this, he had also learned many things he wasn¡¯t supposed to know.


    If it weren¡¯t for this unexpected turn of events, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been privy to this information until he reached the Heavenly King-level as a trainer.


    As for the researcher, he had been transferred to the capital to work on related projects.


    But for Su Wen, it seemed like his father had just gone out for a couple of days. He hadn¡¯t even had much time to explore Charmander¡¯s moves before Su Chuan returned.


    Seeing Su Chuan¡¯s exhausted and dusty appearance, Wang Xuan immediately went to prepare hot water and lunch, wanting him to rest properly.


    Su Wen sat down beside Su Chuan. "Dad, what happened? Why did the secret realm suddenly close?"


    The forums were already devoid of any news about the Cloud City secret realm. Su Wen knew the Alliance must have intervened.


    A secret realm that was supposed to merge with the real world suddenly disappearing¡ªit was the kind of thing that felt shrouded in mystery.


    However, Su Chuan just ruffled Su Wen¡¯s hair. "Nothing happened. The secret realm closed because it was unstable."


    Su Chuan didn¡¯t reveal anything about the secret realm to Su Wen, but Su Wen just pursed his lips, knowing his father wasn¡¯t telling the whole truth.


    Chen You had sent him a message saying that someone on the forums claimed to have seen Heavenly King Long Xu fleeing the secret realm with two others.


    If even the strongest Heavenly King had to flee, the secret realm must have been far from ordinary.


    But the post had been deleted within a minute, and only someone like Chen You, who practically lived on the forums, could have caught it.


    Understanding that his father wouldn¡¯t tell him, Su Wen didn¡¯t press the matter. Once he was strong enough, his father would eventually share the details.


    After confirming that Su Chuan wasn¡¯t injured, Su Wen returned to the backyard to interact with Charmander.


    That morning, Su Wen had wanted to see how many of Charmander¡¯s three inherited moves it could actually use.


    It turned out that, apart from ?Dragon Claw, which could barely manifest as a faint green glow on its claws, ?Outrage and ?Dragon Rush were completely unusable.


    There was still a long way to go.


    However, Su Wen was pleasantly surprised to find that while Charmander disliked training, it was quite enthusiastic about practicing moves.


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    In the mere ten minutes Su Wen had spent asking Su Chuan questions, Charmander, who he thought would slack off, had been diligently practicing ?Dragon Claw on thin air.


    "Take a break," Su Wen said with a smile.


    Charmander walked over to Su Wen, looking frustrated. It couldn¡¯t even properly condense the energy for ?Dragon Claw, let alone use it.


    Su Wen reassured it, "Dragon Claw is one of the top-tier claw-based moves. It¡¯s not easy to master. Let¡¯s start with the basic move, ?Scratch."


    When it came to using moves, there was something called ?STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus).


    This meant that when a Pok¨¦mon used a move of its own type, the move¡¯s power would be significantly boosted.


    Charmander didn¡¯t have the Dragon type, so even if it mastered ?Dragon Claw, it wouldn¡¯t be able to unleash its full power.


    But Su Wen already had the Charizardite X. If he could find a Key Stone, Mega Charizard X would gain the Dragon type.


    Even if Mega Evolution wasn¡¯t possible, mastering Dragon-type moves would expand Charmander¡¯s coverage.


    If Charmander ever faced a Dragon-type Pok¨¦mon, Fire-type moves would be less effective, making Dragon-type moves a valuable asset.


    So Su Wen decided to focus on Fire and Flying-type moves, which were Charizard¡¯s natural types, with Dragon-type moves as a secondary priority. Other moves would be added based on coverage.


    Apart from its inherited moves, Charmander currently only knew three moves: ?Scratch, ?Growl, and ?Ember.


    Scratch and ?Growl didn¡¯t need much training. These starting moves were like a baby¡¯s flailing punches or noise attacks¡ªthey had almost no training value.


    Or rather, they were of no use to Charmander at this stage.


    A baby¡¯s punch and a martial arts master¡¯s punch were worlds apart.


    Only when Charmander reached Tier 1 would Su Wen start teaching it combat techniques.


    After merging his Aura with Charmander, Su Wen entered that unified perspective again.


    Through experimentation, Su Wen found that this unified state was the most draining, while simply guiding energy to assist Charmander¡¯s training could be maintained for a longer period.


    Once again, Su Wen felt the six stars representing Charmander¡¯s six moves.


    "Charmander, use ?Ember."


    Without needing to speak, Su Wen directly conveyed his thoughts to Charmander through Aura.


    Charmander was momentarily startled, curious about how Su Wen was communicating with it, but it quickly complied. The flame on its tail flared up, the temperature rising sharply, and then it flicked its tail, sending out a small flame.


    Along with the flame, Su Wen¡¯s consciousness was also flung out.


    "Ugh~" Su Wen instinctively rubbed his tailbone.


    For a moment, Su Wen had even thought he was the one using ?Ember. Startled, his Aura fluctuated violently, instantly disconnecting from Charmander.


    After calming down, Su Wen merged his Aura with Charmander again.


    "Charmander, use ?Ember again."


    Su Wen had never heard of this state before, so he had no experience and could only slowly figure it out himself.


    And so, it went: merging Aura, being flung out, merging Aura, being flung out.


    Even after exhausting his energy, Su Wen still hadn¡¯t gotten used to this state.


    "Gulp gulp gulp~ burp~" Completely drained, Su Wen downed half a bottle of ice-cold cola.


    Charmander was also exhausted, absorbing energy from the Charcoal while giving Su Wen a reproachful look, making Su Wen feel a bit guilty.


    "Let¡¯s stop the move practice for today. We¡¯ll start training now," Su Wen suggested to Charmander.


    "Char char~" `(£¾©n£¼)¡ä


    Charmander quickly staggered to its feet, waving its little arms to show it was still okay. Su Wen couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He hadn¡¯t expected the little guy to be so averse to training.


    But there was no escaping it. To reduce Charmander¡¯s resistance, Su Wen broke the training time into smaller segments spread throughout the day.


    In total, Su Wen scheduled two hours of training for Charmander each day. With Su Wen¡¯s assistance and the Fire Stone, two hours were enough for Charmander to reach its daily energy absorption limit.


    For other Pok¨¦mon, relying solely on the sparse energy in the city, even training 24 hours a day without eating or drinking wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach the limit.


    After forcing Charmander to train for fifteen minutes, Su Wen and Charmander returned to practicing moves.


    "Try ?Scratch. Use that target as your goal."


    The results of repeatedly using ?Ember were slow progress, so Su Wen decided to try a different move.


    Charmander looked at the wooden target, which had been specially processed to be quite sturdy.


    Raising its right claw, a faint grayish-white glow barely visible to the naked eye enveloped its short claws.


    "Clang." The friction with the target produced a metallic sound, and unsurprisingly, only three white marks were left on the wooden target.


    This time, however, Su Wen wasn¡¯t flung out, and his Aura didn¡¯t disconnect.


    In fact, Su Wen felt that Charmander¡¯s method of exerting force wasn¡¯t quite right.


    When Su Wen was younger, he had trained in martial arts for a while with Uncle Zhou Li, but he eventually gave it up for various reasons.


    However, during that time, Su Wen had learned a straight punch technique.


    The legs had to push, the waist had to twist, the shoulders had to drive, and the force had to focus on the fist. With one strike, nothing could withstand it.


    In a daze, Su Wen subconsciously activated his Aura.


    Then, Charmander twisted its waist, turned its body, and delivered a straight ?Scratch to the target.


    This time, instead of a metallic clang, there was a dull thud as Charmander¡¯s claws pierced into the wooden target.

 16."The Unluckiest Trainer"

    As Charmander¡¯s claws pierced into the wooden target, Su Wen¡¯s consciousness was forcefully ejected for the first time¡ªby Charmander itself.


    This indicated a significant emotional upheaval in Charmander¡¯s mind.


    Staring at the three claw marks on the wooden target, Charmander and Su Wen exchanged glances, speechless.


    "Char~"


    Charmander was both curious and eager, urging Su Wen to reconnect his Aura. That moment of sudden enlightenment had instantly hooked Charmander.


    If they could get results without effort, who wouldn¡¯t take the shortcut?


    Su Wen chuckled awkwardly. "Ahem, that¡¯s the only move I know."


    (£þ¡õ£þ£»)


    Charmander¡¯s eyes darted around before it looked at Su Wen with a mix of pleading and expectation. "Char char~" (£¾w?*)?


    Su Wen¡¯s eyes widened as he pointed at himself. "You want me to go learn more moves?"


    Sigh, in that moment, Su Wen caught a glimpse of his future.


    While all the other trainers were busy training their Pok¨¦mon, he¡¯d be the one being trained by his Pok¨¦mon...


    No! Absolutely not!


    But seeing the look in Charmander¡¯s eyes¡ª40% pleading, 30% expectation, and 30% menace¡ªSu Wen knew there was no way to refuse.


    If he rejected Charmander now, future training sessions would be out of the question unless he changed his mind and became a breeder.


    Well... his mom might be thrilled about that.


    Gritting his teeth, Su Wen said with a pained expression, "Fine, but Charmander, you have to take training seriously too."


    At the same time, Su Wen made up his mind: in the future, when catching more Pok¨¦mon, he¡¯d have to be cautious about using this Aura ability.


    With just Charmander, it was manageable. But if he ended up with five or six Pok¨¦mon, each demanding he learn moves for them, his life would be over.


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    After some negotiation with Charmander, they reached an agreement: whenever Charmander practiced moves, Su Wen would learn alongside it, while Su Wen would handle all the combat training, with Charmander supervising.


    In exchange, Charmander had to follow Su Wen¡¯s training schedule without complaints.


    "Su Wen, time for dinner!" Wang Xuan called from the backyard entrance. Su Wen realized it was already dinnertime.


    As usual, Su Wen prepared food for the household Pok¨¦mon while Wang Xuan and Indeedee finished cooking dinner.


    During dinner, both Su Wen and Su Chuan were unusually silent, each lost in their own thoughts. What was usually a warm and lively mealtime had turned into an awkward silence.


    Indeedee, sensing the strange atmosphere, drooped its twin tails and quietly sipped its milk, not daring to speak. Only Charmander remained blissfully unaware, happily wagging its tail as it ate.


    Wang Xuan gently tapped the table. "What¡¯s going on with you two? Big and small, both silent. Are we playing The Silence of the Lambs here? If the food¡¯s not good, just say so."


    Seeing his wife upset, Su Chuan quickly smiled and said, "No, no, your cooking is the best, honey. After dinner, I have something to discuss with you."


    Su Wen scratched his head. "I was just wondering when Uncle Zhou and Sister Wan will be back."


    Uncle Zhou was Su Chuan¡¯s close friend, Zhou Li, also a Gym-level trainer.


    A month and a half ago, Zhou Li had left Cloud City with his daughter, Zhou Wan, to find a suitable starter Pok¨¦mon, cutting off Su Wen¡¯s contact with Zhou Wan.


    This was also why Zhou Li hadn¡¯t been summoned during the secret realm incident.


    Now that Su Wen wanted to learn combat techniques from Zhou Li, he was wondering when they¡¯d return.


    Su Chuan thought for a moment. "Your Uncle Zhou mentioned last week that he¡¯d be back soon. It should be in the next few days."


    "What¡¯s Sister Wan¡¯s starter Pok¨¦mon?" Su Wen asked.


    Su Chuan chuckled. "Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself when she¡¯s back? Miss her already?"


    Su Wen shuddered. Miss Zhou Wan? Not a chance. That girl was a force of nature.


    Zhou Wan had been the undisputed leader of Su Wen and Chen You¡¯s group since childhood, a title she¡¯d earned through sheer physical dominance.


    In the trainer community, there wasn¡¯t a kid who didn¡¯t respect Zhou Wan.


    "No, no, I just want to learn some combat techniques from Uncle Zhou," Su Wen quickly clarified.


    "Is that so?" Su Chuan seemed to recall something, barely suppressing a laugh. "Well, go talk to him when he¡¯s back."


    Wang Xuan frowned. "This child, you gave up on martial arts when you were younger. Why the sudden interest now?"


    Su Wen clenched his fist. "Just trying to build up some manly strength."


    Once the topic was broached, the dinner atmosphere lightened up. Indeedee perked up and even washed an apple for Su Wen after dinner.


    After dinner, Su Wen took Charmander back to their room, while Wang Xuan cleaned up before joining Su Chuan in theirs.


    After some quiet moments, Wang Xuan, lying in Su Chuan¡¯s arms, asked, "What did you want to discuss, Ah Chuan?"


    Su Chuan hesitated before finally blurting out, "Honey, I want to go out and train for a while."


    The secret realm incident had made Su Chuan realize that his title as the strongest Gym-level trainer wasn¡¯t all that impressive.


    If even Long Xu, the so-called strongest Heavenly King, could only flee from Reshiram¡¯s attacks, how could he protect his family?


    So, he needed to find a way to grow stronger.


    But instead of the expected storm, Wang Xuan simply replied softly, "Okay."


    Su Chuan was stunned. "You¡¯re not against it?"


    Wang Xuan tapped Su Chuan¡¯s forehead. "Do you think I¡¯m that unreasonable? You¡¯re a trainer. You stayed in Cloud City because of me back then, right? If you want to go exploring again, you must have your reasons."


    She paused before adding, "Su Wen¡¯s so mature now. I have no worries. Why would I hold you back?"


    Su Chuan was speechless. "Wait, honey, are you saying you¡¯re coming with me?"


    Wang Xuan¡¯s words implied that the couple would leave Su Wen at home, essentially making him a "left-behind child."


    Wang Xuan rolled her eyes. "What? Did you make plans with some female trainer?" Her tone carried a hidden threat, making Su Chuan quickly agree.


    After discussing, they decided to leave Cloud City once Su Wen settled into the new school term, seeking a way for Slaking to break through to the Heavenly King level.


    Su Wen had no idea that his parents had already deemed him capable of living independently before he even reached adulthood.


    In the following days, Su Wen and Charmander continued their steady training. Charmander¡¯s strength grew noticeably, and it even learned a new move, ?Smokescreen.


    Finally, a week before school started, Zhou Wan sent a message.


    "Just got home. Call if you need anything."


    Short and to the point¡ªvery Zhou Wan. Su Wen nodded and immediately made the call.

 17."Double the Joy"

    "Sister Wan~" Su Wen¡¯s voice turned unusually gentle the moment the call connected, with a hint of flattery in his tone.


    "What¡¯s up? You¡¯ve called me like 17 or 18 times while I was away, and your messages were so long I didn¡¯t even bother reading them," came the voice on the other end, carrying a sense of decisiveness that clearly belonged to a strong-willed girl.


    Su Wen thought for a moment before asking, "Is Uncle Zhou home? I want to learn martial arts from him."


    Zhou Wan sounded surprised. "You weren¡¯t interested in martial arts before. I had to drag you to practice for a month back then. What¡¯s changed now?"


    Su Wen felt a bit awkward. "Well, times are different now, Sister Wan. I need to toughen up this little body of mine."


    But in his heart, Su Wen was wailing, "If it weren¡¯t for Charmander, I¡¯d never touch martial arts in my life."


    Zhou Wan let out an ambiguous laugh on the other end. "Hehe, my dad dropped me off and then left for some business. You¡¯ll just have to train with me."


    Su Wen was stunned. He instantly realized why his dad had been grinning so weirdly yesterday¡ªhe must have known Uncle Zhou would be busy, leaving Su Wen with no choice but to train with Zhou Wan.


    Licking his dry lips, Su Wen steeled himself and replied before Zhou Wan could get impatient, "Alright, Sister Wan, I¡¯ll come over this afternoon."


    Zhou Wan responded, "I¡¯ll be at the gym in the afternoon. Come by the training field at 6:30 tonight, and don¡¯t forget to bring your Charmander. I want to see it."


    "Sister Wan, what¡¯s your starter Pok¨¦mon?" Su Wen wasn¡¯t surprised that Zhou Wan knew about Charmander. His dad must have bragged to Uncle Zhou about it, considering it was a Pok¨¦mon he¡¯d earned through the recognition of a Heavenly King-level Charizard.


    Before hanging up, Zhou Wan dropped a line, "You¡¯ll find out when you get here."


    Looking at Charmander, who was still training, Su Wen stepped forward and playfully squished its cheeks. "Charmander, oh Charmander, I¡¯ve sacrificed so much for you."


    ¡Ñ(?¡ó?)£¿ Charmander had no idea what its trainer was talking about, tilting its head in confusion.


    At 6:30 PM, Su Wen arrived at the training field of Zhou Wan¡¯s family gym. The students had all left, leaving only Zhou Wan, dressed in loose white training clothes, her hair tied into a ponytail, sitting cross-legged on the floor, waiting for Su Wen.


    Beside her, also sitting calmly, was a Pok¨¦mon Su Wen recognized instantly.


    "Farfetch¡¯d!"


    But this Farfetch¡¯d was different from the ones commonly found in Xia Kingdom. Xia Kingdom¡¯s Farfetch¡¯d had brownish-gray feathers covering their bodies, with cream-colored chests and bellies, and triangular serrated patterns separating their bellies and beaks. Their feet were yellow, and they had three tufts of hair on their heads. A black "V" shaped mark on their foreheads and a leek carried in one wing were their defining features.


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    This Farfetch¡¯d, however, was more robust, with darker feathers, sharper eyes, and a "V" shaped mark that looked more like eyebrows. The leek it carried was thicker and sturdier, resembling a long spear slung over its shoulder.


    This was an England-exclusive Farfetch¡¯d! No wonder Zhou Wan had taken so long to find her starter Pok¨¦mon.


    Charmander, in an unfamiliar place, timidly stuck close to Su Wen, clutching the hem of his shirt with one little claw.


    "Change into these."


    Zhou Wan tossed a clean set of training clothes she¡¯d prepared earlier to Su Wen, who fumbled to catch them.


    After changing, Su Wen adjusted his belt and asked, "Sister Wan, where did you find this England Farfetch¡¯d? It¡¯s not easy to catch one."


    Countries were always wary of each other, making it difficult for Pok¨¦mon from England to circulate in Xia Kingdom, just as Xia Kingdom controlled the outflow of its Pok¨¦mon to prevent other countries from studying them.


    Catching this Farfetch¡¯d was no less challenging than Su Wen catching Charmander. But with so many Fighting-type Pok¨¦mon in Xia Kingdom, and Uncle Zhou being a Gym-level Fighting-type trainer, why had Zhou Wan specifically chosen Farfetch¡¯d?


    Zhou Wan patted Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s back. "Because this little guy is the only one who resonates with me."


    Su Wen suddenly understood.


    The reason Zhou Li had become such an exceptional Fighting-type trainer was due to his unique ability: he could rapidly impart his martial arts experience to Pok¨¦mon that resonated with him.


    Thus, Fighting-type Pok¨¦mon became Zhou Li¡¯s first choice when capturing new Pok¨¦mon.


    As Zhou Li¡¯s daughter, Zhou Wan had naturally inherited this ability. However, her resonance ability paled in comparison to her father¡¯s. None of the gym¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, including the starter Pok¨¦mon, could resonate with her.


    After a long heart-to-heart with her father, Zhou Wan had even given up on capturing a Machop, which she¡¯d originally considered.


    Zhou Li and Zhou Wan¡¯s resonance ability was somewhat similar to a part of Su Wen¡¯s Aura ability. However, their ability was far more limited, only allowing them to impart martial arts experience. Su Wen felt that he could potentially transfer everything he mastered to his Pok¨¦mon through Aura.


    In other words, if Su Wen thoroughly understood the mechanics of ?Flamethrower and could use it himself, he could teach Charmander to use ?Flamethrower quickly through Aura, even if he couldn¡¯t perform it himself.


    "What about you? Why the sudden interest in martial arts? Does it have something to do with your Charmander?"


    Zhou Wan had tried to pet Charmander, but it dodged her hand, leaving her to awkwardly retract it.


    Su Wen scratched his head. "Actually, I¡¯ve awakened an ability similar to yours, Sister Wan."


    "Oh?" Zhou Wan looked at Su Wen as if he were a fascinating new creature, sizing him up before sighing. "Did you awaken it after catching Charmander? You might want to consider switching to a Fighting-type starter Pok¨¦mon. That would help you the most."


    Zhou Wan clearly assumed Su Wen¡¯s ability worked the same way as hers. Charmander, who¡¯d been hiding behind Su Wen, seemed to understand her meaning, peeking out half its head to glare at Zhou Wan.


    "Char char!" (¨p£þÃó£þ) Charmander waved its claws in protest.


    Su Wen chuckled and reassured it, "Of course, my Charmander is the best."


    Zhou Wan stood up, flicking her ponytail behind her. "School starts in a week, and we won¡¯t have much time to train after that. Let¡¯s make the most of the time we have now. Charmander and Farfetch¡¯d will join us too."


    Since Su Wen had some basics, Zhou Wan decided to jump straight into advanced training. And she wasn¡¯t about to let Charmander off the hook either, especially since it had refused to let her pet it.


    A sly smile played on Zhou Wan¡¯s lips, sending shivers down Su Wen and Charmander¡¯s spines. Charmander, in particular, hadn¡¯t expected to be roped into training.


    What happened to Su Wen handling the martial arts while Charmander focused on training?


    Charmander didn¡¯t dare challenge Zhou Wan, so it could only look pleadingly at Su Wen. Su Wen, however, raised Charmander¡¯s hand and stifled a laugh. "It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s do it. Double the training, double the fun!"


    Although Su Wen had originally planned to start combat training after Charmander reached Tier 1, seeing that Zhou Wan¡¯s Farfetch¡¯d was only at the peak of Tier 0, he figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt for Charmander to start now. After all, under his care, Charmander¡¯s growth had been steady.


    "Char!" ¨“¨Œ¨“


    In the end, Charmander had no choice but to join Su Wen in training under Zhou Wan¡¯s intimidating presence.


    While Su Wen endured a beating, Charmander and Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s training was much gentler, focusing on the basics.


    It had to be said, Zhou Wan had truly absorbed her father¡¯s training methods over the years.


    "Sister Wan! Take it easy!" Su Wen thought to himself, Next time, I¡¯m dragging Chen You into this mess with me. After all these years, the taste of these fists hasn¡¯t changed a bit.


    Meanwhile, in a dark, distant place, Chen You sneezed. "Achoo!"


    Wiping his nose, Chen You muttered to himself, "Probably Su Wen talking about me. He¡¯s definitely up to no good. I¡¯ll just wait until school starts to go back."

 18."Su Guaren, the Left-Behind Child"

    The week before school started was one of the most fulfilling weeks Su Wen had ever experienced.


    He and Charmander would sleep in until 9 or 10 in the morning, then get up to brush their teeth, wash up, and have lunch. After a short break in the backyard, they¡¯d spend two hours training and another two hours practicing moves.


    At 6:30 PM sharp, Su Wen would head to Zhou Wan¡¯s place for two and a half hours of martial arts training.


    There was a small incident during the week: a peak Gym-level trainer came to challenge Su Chuan¡¯s Slaking, wanting to test the strength of this so-called "strongest Gym-level Pok¨¦mon." Naturally, he was thoroughly crushed.


    Under Zhou Wan¡¯s rigorous coaching, Su Wen made rapid progress. As Zhou Wan put it, this was "cultivating combat instincts."


    With Su Wen¡¯s Aura and Zhou Wan¡¯s resonance ability, Charmander and Farfetch¡¯d also saw significant improvements in their combat skills, quickly progressing to sparring mode. However, since Zhou Wan¡¯s martial arts experience wasn¡¯t something Su Wen could learn overnight, Charmander lost more often than it won.


    On the last day before school started, Charmander naturally progressed to Tier 1. After finishing their martial arts training that evening, Su Wen didn¡¯t rush to leave. Instead, he asked, "Sister Wan, the class assignments are out. Which class are you in?"


    Zhou Wan blinked. "Haven¡¯t checked yet. Let me see." She pulled out her phone and started scrolling.


    It wasn¡¯t that Zhou Wan was completely disconnected from the world, but with Zhou Li away on business, she didn¡¯t want to close the gym again¡ªher students were already complaining. So, she took on the role of temporary martial arts instructor.


    Of course, Pok¨¦mon-related training would have to wait until Zhou Li returned.


    But just teaching martial arts kept Zhou Wan so busy she barely had time to check her phone during the day.


    "I¡¯m in Class 3. What about you?" Zhou Wan found the email from Cloud City High School among the flood of notifications.


    Su Wen shrugged. "Same as Chen You, Class 2."


    Chen You had called Su Wen the moment the email was sent, making Su Wen wonder how the guy managed to stay so plugged in 24/7.


    Mentioning Chen You, Zhou Wan crossed her arms and grinned. "That guy hasn¡¯t met up with us all summer. Wonder what he¡¯s been up to. Maybe he got swept off his feet by some girl."


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    Su Wen instinctively denied it. "No way. That guy¡¯s too cunning. Wait..."


    Thinking about it, Chen You, despite being cunning, was also smooth-talking and had been dubbed the "women¡¯s best friend" since childhood. It wasn¡¯t impossible that he¡¯d charmed some girl.


    Zhou Wan slung an arm over Su Wen¡¯s shoulder, leaning in. "If you hear anything, let me know ASAP."


    Su Wen chuckled inwardly. Despite her tough demeanor, Zhou Wan¡¯s love for gossip hadn¡¯t changed a bit. Out loud, he said, "Don¡¯t worry, Sister Wan. If you ask Chen You, he won¡¯t dare not tell you."


    Zhou Wan rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. That guy¡¯s only sent me a few messages all summer, not a single call. Let¡¯s meet at the school gate tomorrow morning. My dad¡¯s not home, so if there¡¯s anything that needs a parent, I might have to trouble Uncle Su."


    "No problem," Su Wen gave a thumbs-up, then headed home with Charmander to rest.


    But when he got home, he was hit with another bombshell.


    "Dad, you¡¯re saying you and Mom are going on a trip?" Su Wen stared at Su Chuan and Wang Xuan in disbelief.


    Su Chuan corrected him, "To be precise, we¡¯re taking all the Pok¨¦mon, including Indeedee, with us. The gym will be temporarily closed, and you¡¯ll be the only one left at home."


    "What?! At least leave Indeedee behind!" Su Wen couldn¡¯t help but curse. Taking Indeedee too? He was really being left to fend for himself.


    As for the gym closing, Su Wen didn¡¯t mind. Su Chuan¡¯s gym didn¡¯t have any special programs¡ªit was just Pok¨¦mon training. Unlike Zhou Wan, who could keep part of her gym running, Su Wen couldn¡¯t handle it at all.


    Su Chuan waved his hand dismissively. "Don¡¯t even think about it. I¡¯m just informing you, not asking for your opinion."


    Su Wen looked to Wang Xuan for help, but she just stood to the side, stifling a laugh.


    "Fine, fine, go ahead," Su Wen gave in. He¡¯d lived alone in his past life, but he¡¯d gotten used to having someone take care of him. Now, it felt a bit uncomfortable.


    Su Chuan wasn¡¯t surprised by Su Wen¡¯s quick acceptance. After all, Su Wen had always been mature for his age. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have felt comfortable leaving him alone at home.


    After giving Su Wen a few reminders, Su Chuan and Wang Xuan started packing. Judging by the looks of it, they¡¯d be leaving as soon as Su Wen started school the next day.


    The ones who would miss Su Wen the most were Su Chuan¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Without Su Wen, they¡¯d have to go a long time without enjoying his cooking.


    The next day, Su Wen woke up early, neatly packed his bag, and slung it over one shoulder.


    "I wonder how high school will be different from middle school," Su Wen thought, munching on a piece of bread.


    The difference between middle and high school in the Pok¨¦mon world was significant. In middle school, students hadn¡¯t received their starter Pok¨¦mon yet, so the focus was on academics. In high school, with Pok¨¦mon in hand, the curriculum was entirely different.


    As soon as Su Wen arrived at the school gate, he saw Zhou Wan holding Chen You by the scruff of his neck, smiling sweetly while saying something.


    "Sister Wan, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll never do it again," Chen You pleaded, hands clasped together. Then he spotted Su Wen walking over. "Su Wen, Su Wen, help me out here!"


    Su Wen ignored him and instead asked Zhou Wan, "Sister Wan, what did this guy do now?"


    Zhou Wan smirked. "This idiot tried to flirt with the dean¡¯s daughter at the gate. Almost got expelled on the spot."


    "Yikes," Su Wen sucked in a breath and gave Chen You a thumbs-up. "Brave move."


    Chen You looked like he was about to cry. "How was I supposed to know that random girl had such a big background?"


    "You three, stop fooling around and get inside," Su Chuan said cheerfully as he strolled over.


    Zhou Wan finally let go of Chen You, and the two greeted Su Chuan. "Good morning, Uncle Su."


    Then the three of them walked into Cloud City High School together. A father standing nearby smiled and said, "You¡¯re lucky to have two sons and a daughter."


    Su Chuan didn¡¯t correct him, just smiled and nodded.


    "Class 2 and Class 3 seem to have the same homeroom teacher," Su Wen said, surprised as he looked at the notice posted on a pillar. Homeroom teachers usually only handled one class.


    Chen You sighed. "Bro, look closer. That¡¯s the trainer-specific course homeroom teacher, not the academic one."


    Su Wen noticed the footnote below: high school had separate homeroom teachers for academics and Pok¨¦mon training, clearly designed for people like him.


    "To be precise, all five classes in the Pok¨¦mon Trainer program share the same homeroom teacher," Zhou Wan pointed out, correcting him.

 19.Wu Yan.

    Su Wen¡¯s knowledge of Wu Yan came about quite unexpectedly. When Su Wen was about six or seven years old, he remembered a highly talented trainer visiting the gym, using a Jolteon as his main Pok¨¦mon.


    After that trainer left, Su Chuan, unusually, muttered to himself, "If Wu Yan hadn¡¯t had that accident, maybe the Electric-type Heavenly King would¡¯ve been replaced by now."


    Later, Su Wen specifically searched for Wu Yan on the forums and found that people were still discussing this trainer who had been active twenty years ago.


    Twenty years ago, Wu Yan was one of Xia Kingdom¡¯s most talented trainers, with his Jolteon as his signature Pok¨¦mon.


    Wu Yan¡¯s Jolteon had the ability ?Quick Feet, which, combined with his paralysis tactics, made him a dominant force in Xia Kingdom¡¯s competitive scene.


    But during that year¡¯s World Cup team competition, multiple countries conspired against Xia Kingdom. To cover the retreat of Xia Kingdom¡¯s elite, Wu Yan decided to hold the line alone. In the end, all three of Wu Yan¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were killed, including his Jolteon, which was already half a step into the Heavenly King level.


    After that, Wu Yan disappeared from the public eye, never to be seen in the Pok¨¦mon world again.


    Who would¡¯ve thought that Wu Yan would become their trainer homeroom teacher at Cloud City High School? No wonder he was the homeroom teacher for all five classes. Su Wen had no doubt that Wu Yan had the strength for it.


    But a trainer from over twenty years ago, who hadn¡¯t made any noise in so long¡ªit was only natural for the world to forget him.


    "Dad, do you know why Wu Yan is our homeroom teacher?" Su Wen asked, noticing that Su Chuan didn¡¯t seem surprised, so he figured his dad must know something.


    Su Chuan shook his head. "I have some guesses, but I¡¯m not entirely sure. You don¡¯t need to know why. Just focus on learning as much as you can from Wu Yan."


    Chen You, not understanding Su Chuan¡¯s seriousness, retorted, "Uncle Su, you¡¯re a Gym-level trainer too. Could this Wu Yan really be stronger than you?"


    Su Chuan felt a bit embarrassed but didn¡¯t try to inflate his ego. He gently smacked Chen You on the back of the head. "Kid, don¡¯t say that in front of others. Your Uncle Su might get scolded into resigning in shame."


    After all, Wu Yan had sacrificed so much for Xia Kingdom and his teammates. And his fans from back then were still alive and well. If word got out, some Heavenly King-level trainer might come knocking on Su Chuan¡¯s door.


    Chen You awkwardly said, "Got it, Uncle Su."


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    After sending Su Wen and the others to their respective classes, Su Chuan gave Su Wen a final reminder before leaving the school.


    Su Wen watched Su Chuan¡¯s retreating figure, knowing it might be a long time before he saw his father again.


    "Dad, when we meet again, let¡¯s both be stronger," Su Wen silently vowed. He knew his father wouldn¡¯t just leave him alone at home for something as simple as a vacation.


    Even if his dad had such an idea, his mom would make sure Su Chuan understood why the flowers were so red.


    If both his parents were leaving, Su Wen figured his dad must be trying to break through to the Heavenly King level.


    Chen You, now aware that Su Chuan was leaving, slung an arm over Su Wen¡¯s shoulder and sighed, "Looks like the three of us are really left to fend for ourselves now."


    Su Wen pushed aside his melancholy and locked Chen You in a headlock. "Spill it. What¡¯s your starter Pok¨¦mon? You¡¯ve been so secretive all summer, disappearing without a trace."


    Chen You frantically patted Su Wen¡¯s arm, begging for mercy. "Alright, alright, let go and I¡¯ll tell you."


    Su Wen released him, flexing his wrist as he waited for Chen You¡¯s answer.


    Chen You pulled out his phone, and just as Su Wen was wondering what was going on, two eyes suddenly opened on the screen.


    "What the¡ª!" Su Wen was so startled he nearly fell backward, but Chen You quickly grabbed him.


    "Tsk tsk, so uncultured," Chen You teased mercilessly.


    Su Wen, recovering, locked eyes with the two eyes on the screen and immediately understood. "Rotom!"


    Rotom is an incredibly rare Pok¨¦mon, an Electric/Ghost-type, with a body made of plasma.


    Its orange core is surrounded by a semi-transparent blue plasma, which can solidify to form Rotom¡¯s hands.


    What makes Rotom so special is its ability to possess various electrical appliances, transforming into different forms. Currently, five appliances have been discovered that grant Rotom combat abilities: microwave, washing machine, refrigerator, fan, and lawnmower.


    These five appliances correspond to Heat Rotom, Wash Rotom, Frost Rotom, Fan Rotom, and Mow Rotom.


    When Rotom possesses these appliances, its form and typing change.


    Even if it doesn¡¯t possess these five appliances, entering devices like phones, computers, or tablets can add various functionalities to the electronics.


    "You lucky jerk," Su Wen said, his eyes green with envy. He¡¯d always wanted a Rotom in his phone¡ªautomatically replying to messages, updating apps, and waking him up with a cute voice.


    Wait a minute...


    Su Wen stared at Chen You, his gaze piercing. "Was it Rotom chatting with me all summer?"


    Chen You quickly shook his head. "No, no, Rotom was just helping me keep track of messages."


    Su Wen finally understood why Chen You always seemed to be the first to notice everything, even posts that were deleted within a minute. He had the ultimate assistant.


    "Where did you catch this Rotom?" Su Wen gently touched the red lightning-shaped protrusion on Chen You¡¯s phone, which was Rotom¡¯s sensory organ.


    "That¡¯s a long story," Chen You sighed, though his eyes gleamed with pride. "I awakened a special ability."


    Su Wen, seeing Chen You¡¯s smugness, decided to bring him down a notch. "So did I and Sister Wan."


    "Huh? What are your abilities? Wait, Sister Wan¡¯s is probably martial arts resonance, right? What¡¯s yours?" Chen You had thought he was the protagonist with a unique ability, only to find his friends had their own special powers.


    Su Wen¡¯s ability was complicated to explain, so he kept it simple. "It¡¯s similar to Sister Wan¡¯s, so I¡¯ve been training with her in martial arts lately. Now, tell me what you¡¯ve been up to all summer."


    "It all started when I awakened my ability at the beginning of summer," Chen You began, still a bit shaken by the memory. "I was at home thinking about where to work during the break when a Gengar suddenly phased through the wall and scared me unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a dark forest."


    "You went to the Spirit World?" Su Wen frowned.


    Chen You looked stunned. "How do you know about that?"


    Su Wen shrugged. "I do use the internet, you know. There¡¯s a girl in the capital with max affinity for Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon. Your story sounds just like hers, except she walked in on her own."


    Chen You thought about it and decided not to dwell on it. "Anyway, I was terrified. I had no idea where I was, my phone was dead, and I couldn¡¯t contact you guys. It was like heaven and earth had abandoned me."


    "Just when I was about to give up, I ran into Rotom. At the time, I wasn¡¯t thinking about catching it¡ªI just wanted some company," Chen You said, patting his phone.


    "Later, I calmed down and guessed I was in the Spirit World. So, I asked Rotom how to get out. Rotom took me to a short little Pok¨¦mon, who used telepathy to tell me it could send me back if I wanted."


    "But it also told me that I¡¯d awakened a Ghost-type related ability and suggested I stay in the Spirit World a bit longer to stabilize it," Chen You finished, spreading his hands.


    "A short little Pok¨¦mon?" Su Wen, now less interested in Chen You¡¯s ability, was more curious about that Pok¨¦mon.