By evening, Ivysaur and Wartortle trudged wearily behind Gengar, scavenging food with what little strength remained.
On the way, Wartortle whispered nervously to Ivysaur, asking if the boss was always like this.
Ivysaur scratched its head thoughtfully, then nodded and reassured Wartortle with a slow, honest smile. Yep, this was standard routine; he'd get used to it in no time.
At that instant, Wartortle seriously considered running away—but before he could act, a chilling stare shot his way from Gengar, sending shivers down his spine. That sneaky creep!
With Gengar watching, escape was clearly impossible. Wartortle resigned himself to obediently gathering ingredients alongside Ivysaur before returning to camp.
They arrived to find Ray Chu gently floating down from the sky. Without proper navigational gear, he'd relied purely on eyesight to plot their route. Thankfully, they were close enough to their destination that the city's silhouette loomed faintly ahead. After a quick dinner, they could make the final stretch easily.
Of course, camping under the stars was routine for wild Pokémon—but Ray Chu, human at heart, naturally preferred a town's comforts.
Moreover, Pokémon raised by human Trainers were generally stronger than their wild counterparts—a challenge Ray Chu eagerly anticipated.
Yet… Ray Chu felt vaguely like he'd forgotten something important back in Cerulean City…
He shook off the thought. Nearby, a cheerful Lala eagerly assisted Dapple, who deftly wielded her leek to whip up a delicious meal. After their grueling day, every Pokémon present—including the usually strict Ray Chu—looked forward to savoring the Shiny Farfetch'd's excellent cooking.
At moments like this, even Ray Chu, ever the strictest of Trainers, eased up on Ivysaur and Wartortle, giving them a rare chance to breathe easy and rest.
As soon as Dapple's dishes were ready, cheers erupted across camp. Even the ghostly Gengar eagerly dug in. The proud Rapidash, thoroughly chastened by Ray Chu earlier, was granted a small bowl and quickly emptied it, snorting appreciatively—clearly never having tasted anything so wonderful.
Unexpectedly, Dapple's cooking drew yet another Pokémon out of hiding—a familiar face to Ray Chu and Dapple alike.
Scarred skin, claws worn dull, tail-tip blazing, and eyes weary but fiercely determined—it was the same Charmander they'd met during their earliest travels. Clearly drawn by the familiar scent, Charmander hesitated when it recognized Dapple and the others, embarrassment flickering in its eyes.
"Farfetch'd!" Dapple greeted warmly, inviting Charmander to join their meal. Charmander paused awkwardly, then abruptly turned and darted off, leaving everyone bewildered.
Moments later, however, it returned, lugging a surprisingly large collection of berries and ingredients. Where it'd found such a bounty, no one knew.
Delighted, Dapple happily got to work again, cooking another batch. This time, Charmander didn't decline, though it sat apart on a solitary stone, quietly savoring its meal alone.
It ate quickly, as if chased by some unseen urgency. Finished, Charmander gave Dapple a grateful nod before resolutely slipping back into the shadows.
Wartortle snorted. That Charmander had terrible manners—couldn't it see all the senior Pokémon gathered here?
Ivysaur frowned instead, worried about Charmander's badly injured state. Would it really be okay on its own?
Dapple stared quietly at Charmander's retreating figure, anxiety filling her face as she waddled toward Ray Chu. She felt strongly that something was wrong with Charmander, and hoped Ray Chu might lend a helping paw.
Ray Chu: "…"
He was hardly a compassionate person, but what self-respecting Pokémon Trainer would pass up an opportunity to recruit a valuable starter Pokémon like Charmander? Besides, if this little guy joined up, he'd complete a perfect starter trio.
Ray Chu thumped his chest confidently: Leave it to me.
He snapped his fingers. Immediately, Gengar melted from the shadows, enveloping Ray Chu in darkness. In moments, they were indistinguishable from the surrounding shade, speeding after Charmander's trail unseen.
Grass blurred past as they quickly caught sight of the reddish-orange figure ahead.
Surprisingly, Charmander was locked in fierce combat against a Tauros, fighting bravely like a defiant matador repeatedly charging its massive foe.
Tauros, clearly temperamental, charged ferociously at the smaller Pokémon. Though Charmander's fighting spirit burned strong, the stark gap in strength and level was undeniable. After just a few collisions, it was battered to the ground, mercilessly trampled.
Yet moments later, the bruised and battered Charmander rose unsteadily and immediately challenged a nearby Pinsir. Another brutal battle quickly erupted.
Ray Chu could see Charmander was genuinely talented. Its combat instincts even surpassed Wartortle. Unfortunately, its body was far from peak condition; wounds hampered its performance, placing it instantly at a disadvantage.
Pinsir's razor-sharp pincers carved deep cuts into Charmander's scales, sending flecks of blood spraying through the air as Charmander's movements grew increasingly sluggish.
"Geng… gar…" Gengar murmured, suggesting that Charmander looked nearly done for—should they step in?
Standing quietly, arms folded, Ray Chu murmured from the shadows, "So even you're worried about this little guy, huh, Gengar? Lucky him. Still, let's wait a bit longer. Show me, Charmander—what exactly are your limits?"
As if responding to Ray Chu's silent challenge—or perhaps driven purely by its own unyielding determination—Charmander's eyes ignited fiercely. The flame on its tail roared to life, surging brilliantly as raw battle aura fed the blaze.
Fiery energy gathered swiftly in Charmander's mouth, condensing into a searing character-shaped blaze that hurtled directly toward Pinsir, erupting in an explosive flash upon impact.
[FIRE BLAST]
In the desperate heat of battle, Charmander had unleashed an advanced Fire-type move, its prodigious talent fully revealed.
A charred figure eventually emerged from the inferno—Pinsir, scorched black, one horn snapped clean off, its body giving off the faint aroma of cooked flesh.
Yet despite its severe injuries, Pinsir hadn't collapsed. Instead, the brush with death only fueled its rage, its insectoid eyes flashing crimson.
Charmander, drained utterly from the powerful Fire Blast, teetered precariously on shaky legs—yet stubbornly refused to fall.
"Rooaaar!"
---
T/N: LETS GO CHARMANDER RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH also u forgot the badge
T/N2: hehehe sorrgeee well not really but i actually forgot about webnovel LMAOOOO anyway heres ur 4 chapssss
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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