"Excavating Pokémon fossils."
Ash held a poster tightly in his hands, staring at the contents as his pupils slowly widened with excitement.
Big Sand Valley (also known as Da Sha Valley… or jokingly, "Big Dumb Valley").
Isn't this the place where Charmeleon evolves into Charizard in the original story?
[Ding! New mission triggered: Command Charizard to defeat Aerodactyl.]
Reward: Speed Booster
Just one level away from evolution…
Ash checked the date on the poster. It had only been released yesterday, and the excavation work had just begun today. There was no way they had already found fossils yet.
First things first—he needed to evolve Charmeleon into Charizard.
Ash found a suitable wild Pokémon to battle.
With a single Flamethrower, Charmeleon instantly defeated a Vileplume. After the battle, Ash fed it five Rare Candies.
Pokémon: Charmeleon
LV 35 → LV 40
A brilliant evolution light erupted from Charmeleon's body.
The glow was dazzling. Even under the bright daylight, the intense light caught Misty's attention.
"Another evolution?!"
Charmeleon hadn't evolved from Charmander that long ago, yet now it was evolving again—into Charizard.
The speed of this evolution was simply terrifying.
Charizard is finally here…
Ash watched excitedly as Charmeleon evolved.
The strongest Charizard in the world.
The light faded, revealing Charizard.
Its size looked similar to an ordinary Charizard, but its limbs were powerful and sturdy. Its three sharp claws radiated strength. The wings on its back were slightly larger than average yet still gave off an agile, streamlined feeling.
At the end of its long, thick tail burned a fierce flame.
"Charizard."
Ash reached out and gently stroked Charizard's neck.
Pikachu jumped onto Charizard's shoulder, celebrating its partner's evolution.
Unlike in the original anime, Charizard didn't show any rebellious behavior. Instead, it seemed extremely gentle, nudging Ash lightly with its head and smiling happily.
"Charizard…"
After hesitating for a moment, Misty also reached out and touched Charizard.
Although it wasn't as cute as when it was a Charmander, Charizard now carried a powerful sense of majesty and security.
It was the kind of Pokémon that made people think "That thing is seriously strong" at first glance.
Charizard responded warmly to each of its companions.
Now Ash already had riding Pokémon for water and air.
All he was waiting for was for Wartortle to evolve into Blastoise.
Among the three Kanto starters, only Bulbasaur remained unevolved. But Ash wasn't going to force it—he respected Bulbasaur's choice.
After a short rest, Ash and his friends headed to Big Sand Valley, where people were excavating Pokémon fossils.
Not only could they earn a decent reward, but Ash could also complete his mission.
And while he was at it, he might even find other fossil Pokémon.
Ash didn't join the crowd digging on the surface.
The underground cavern was where Aerodactyl appeared.
And honestly, Team Rocket's method was much more efficient—simple and direct.
Using his psychic perception, Ash sensed Team Rocket's presence. After briefly telling Misty what was going on, he slipped away alone with Pikachu.
He soon arrived at a hidden cave entrance, partially concealed by artificial rocks.
Team Rocket really did work in secret.
Inside the cave, Ash used the flashlights that Team Rocket had set up to observe the surroundings.
It seemed they had already discovered the underground cavern. Faint noises echoed from deeper below.
Ash released Charizard and climbed onto its back.
Together, they slowly descended into the cavern.
The underground chamber was enormous—large enough for Charizard to even fight Aerodactyl in an aerial battle.
"Hey twerp! Did you come to help us?"
The emotions of the two humans and one Meowth were like a roller coaster.
Just moments ago, they had been chased by several Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops.
Those fossil Pokémon had been awakened by their excavation.
Now the trio were fleeing in complete panic, their bodies covered in dust and scratches.
And just when they were at their most desperate—
They saw a kid riding a Charizard appear before them.
Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops—four types of fossil Pokémon were still chasing Team Rocket.
"When did the twerp's Charmeleon evolve?" Team Rocket stared at Charizard.
Now that the kid had arrived with Charizard and Pikachu, they suddenly felt much safer.
But Ash looked around with confusion.
Where's Aerodactyl?
He patted Charizard, signaling it to lower its altitude so he and Pikachu could land and search the area more carefully.
"Dragon Breath."
He planned to drive off these fossil Pokémon first—then let Aerodactyl sense Charizard's presence and come out for a real fight.
The fossil Pokémon had only just awakened, and their levels were similar to ordinary wild Pokémon.
They posed little threat to Charizard.
Although they didn't take heavy damage, they still couldn't withstand the combined attacks of Charizard and Pikachu.
"Let's see if you still dare to chase us now!" Jessie shouted triumphantly.
"Nice work, twerp!" James added.
The trio stood behind Ash, acting tough now that they had backup.
ROOOAAARRR!!!
A thunderous roar exploded from deep within the cavern, echoing through every corner.
The four fossil Pokémon froze in fear.
Without hesitation, they scattered and fled.
Their eyes were filled with terror as they sprinted away.
The ground trembled beneath their feet—as if some massive creature was approaching.
The roar grew closer, shaking the entire cavern.
Then—
A gigantic shadow rushed forward in the darkness.
Aerodactyl burst out from the shadows, powerful winds whipping through the cavern as it emerged.
"Meow… there's an even bigger one!" Meowth squeaked, quickly hiding behind James.
"Maybe… we should just run?" James muttered regretfully. Coming here had been a terrible idea.
Sure, they had found fossil Pokémon—but they attacked in groups.
In a one-on-one fight he might manage, but against a swarm? Impossible.
"Don't just stand there," Jessie whispered. "Once that twerp distracts the big guy, we'll escape."
"Pika—chu!"
Pikachu had clearly heard them.
Electricity crackled in its cheeks as it glared threateningly at Team Rocket.
"We're villains! Not having loyalty is perfectly normal!" Meowth argued.
"If you want to leave, go now," Ash said calmly.
"Otherwise Aerodactyl might grab you."
Pokémon: Aerodactyl (Weakened State)
Level: 40
Level 40 even in a weakened state, huh…
Good thing it had just awakened from a long slumber.
If it were at full strength, Ash might have had to call in the thousand-year-old Gastly.
"Dragon Claw."
In the original storyline, Jigglypuff's singing interfered with the fight, so there was never a proper battle against Aerodactyl.
But now—
Both Pokémon were the same level.
Charizard was even at a four-times type disadvantage.
Let's see whether Charizard's first battle could become legendary.
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.If you're enjoying the fic, even a little, supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent .
complete fic (all chapters ) are already up on Patreon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789
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