The Strongest in the Universe

At that moment, nine red-and-white Poké Balls sat on the table in front of Su Hao.

The Pokémon inside were: [Charmander], [Cyndaquil], [Torchic], [Chimchar], [Tepig], [Fennekin], [Litten], [Scorbunny], and [Fuecoco]—nine Pokémon in total, all Fire-type Starters from every generation of the Pokémon games before his transmigration.

There was good reason why the three types of Starters were the Pokémon League's most recommended Starter Pokémon.

Starter Pokémon could all evolve twice, and their final evolutions did not require particularly high levels. They could complete their evolution upon reaching Elite Level. Starter Pokémon generally had high potential as well, and their temperaments were also highly suitable for being Starter Pokémon.

The staff soon released the Pokémon from their Poké Balls one after another.

The small table was crowded with Fire-type Starters in their initial forms. There was the timid Cyndaquil hiding behind the steady Charmander; the energetic Torchic, Chimchar, and Scorbunny, who began playing around the moment they came out; the Fennekin quietly grooming its fur as though nothing concerned it; the dozing Litten; and the already asleep Fuecoco.

The nine Pokémon displayed all kinds of personalities, but Su Hao had already decided whom to choose on the way here.

Su Hao turned his gaze toward the Litten dozing on the table. Litten was a small cat-like Pokémon covered in black fur. Its face bore red markings and whiskers, with some of its red fur forming a pattern of two horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke. Red stripes also ran along its limbs. Litten had a pair of bright yellow eyes, and the tip of its tail had a few spiky tufts of fur.

Pokémon: [Litten]

Type: [Fire-type]

Gender: [Male]

Ability: [Intimidate]

Level: [5]

Moves: [Scratch, Ember, Growl, Fake Out, Heat Wave, Nasty Plot, Revenge]

Su Hao had actually liked the Incineroar line of Pokémon even before his transmigration, but he had not chosen Litten for the supposed strength-based appeal of "the strongest Incineroar in the universe."

After all, he had truly transmigrated into the Real World, a world with Pokémon. These living, breathing Pokémon could not be defined by a string of data.

Although Su Hao wanted to choose Litten right away, this selection opportunity had cost Su Hao's father quite a few resources. They still had to go through the proper process.

The staff soon led the father and son to a spacious training ground, where they instructed the nine Pokémon to demonstrate their talents and moves.

Charmander possessed excellent physical capabilities and had inherited powerful Dragon-type moves. Cyndaquil's flames burned at an extremely high temperature, while Torchic was remarkably agile. The other Pokémon also performed exceptionally well. These Pokémon, each worth a fortune outside, were now laid out before Su Hao for him to choose from freely.

If I could choose more than one, I'd definitely take them all.

Litten's performance was also distinctive. Its movements were incredibly nimble, and during a sparring demonstration with the other Pokémon, Litten lowered its compact body at the instant the match began. The moment a threatening Growl emerged from its throat, Chimchar's face immediately showed fear. Even the Fire Punch it had been preparing in its hand was forcibly dispersed.

Su Hao's father remarked that it was rare to see a Pokémon at such a young stage able to control its Ability so freely and develop different ways to use it.

As part of a Pokémon's overall strength, Abilities could produce all manner of remarkable effects.

Litten's Ability was either the standard Ability [Blaze] or the Hidden Ability [Intimidate]. Before his transmigration, as a Generation Seven Starter Pokémon, Litten's final evolution, Incineroar, had dominated the competitive scene with its excellent bulk, broad Movepool, and the god-tier Ability Intimidate in the games. Even in the legendary battles unlocked during the later stages of the games, it did not fear other Legendary Pokémon in the slightest.

It could retreat to support its teammates and absorb damage, or charge forward and slap the opponent right in the carotid artery. Though Game Freak had relentlessly nerfed it in the next generation's update, Incineroar had once enjoyed its glory.

In this world, many Pokémon could only activate their Abilities in a simple manner and let their effects take hold. Only a very small number could develop various functions based on their Abilities.

This Litten was one such Pokémon. Intimidate's effect was to lower an opponent's Attack by one stage upon entering the field.

In reality, this Ability manifested as a Pokémon with the Ability using its own presence to pressure its enemies upon appearing, causing their output to weaken.

This Litten, however, was somewhat different. Beyond its original effect, it could even use Intimidate to slow its opponent's movements and interrupt moves they were preparing.

The nine Pokémon here could all be considered among the finest individuals in the Divine Land Alliance, yet Litten stood out even among them. Combined with Su Hao's own desire to choose Litten, the decision was practically set in stone.

After discussing his thoughts and the details he had observed with Su Hao's father, Su Hao received his father's approval and finally walked out of the room with Litten in his arms.

Su Hao had put in quite a bit of effort before he could hold Litten. At first, Litten would not even let anyone touch it.

Su Hao could only patiently release Aura filled with goodwill through his Wave Power. Then he crouched down and extended his right palm before Litten's nose. After a brief standoff, Litten finally sniffed the scent on Su Hao's hand. After a little more effort, it was finally willing to let Su Hao hold it.

As he walked down the road carrying the more than forty-centimeter-long, nearly five-kilogram Litten, Su Hao's joy was surpassed only by the day he had received Carbink.

Litten's compact body constantly radiated a warm temperature. In such cold weather, holding Litten was like carrying a hand warmer.

Supporting Litten with his right hand, Su Hao's left hand was not idle either as he gave Litten a thorough petting. Litten was so comfortable that it began to purr.

Before his transmigration, Su Hao had been a regular at cat cafés. Spending every day among so many flowers had honed his cat-petting skills to perfection. No feline could last five seconds under his hands. After he transmigrated here, that skill seemed to have evolved even further.

One day, Su Hao's craving to pet cats suddenly flared up, so he ran to a Pokémon cat café near his home. Since it was his first time visiting a Pokémon cat café, he did not understand the job duties of Persian and Zangoose. He thought they were also cats meant to please their human servants.

The Persian and Zangoose responsible for security at the cat café, who never allowed anyone to touch them, both let out unbelievably adorable purrs beneath his masterful technique. The café owner had even come running over to learn the skill, offering a tuition fee of ten thousand.

Litten