Fire Emperor: From Today Onwards, I Am His Father

Among the falling autumn leaves in the forest, a sturdy, powerful figure carried a young child, racing forward swiftly atop the golden carpet of fallen leaves.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

Taiwan Novel Net

Thick, powerful paw pads crushed the dry, brittle leaves underfoot, sending rustling sounds through the air.

Fire Emperor's golden-red eyes stared straight ahead.

The little one's parents had died protecting their Pokémon. As a member of the Ho-Oh Guard, it was only right for it to take care of their child.

The little one had no parents now. From today onward, it would be the little one's father!

Right now, it needed to bring the little one back to Heavenly Green Mountain. First, because that was the territory of the Ho-Oh Guard.

Not just it—Marshadow, Suicune, Raikou, and even Lord Ho-Oh all lived there.

Second, the little one's existence required Lord Ho-Oh's approval.

Just as Fire Emperor was lost in thought, it suddenly felt the one on its back grab at its fur.

Fire Emperor's mind snapped back to focus. It slowed its pace gradually, finally stopping beside a towering ancient tree.

Fire Emperor turned its head to look at the human child on its back. Those eyes, usually filled with authority and solemnity, now held a trace of tenderness.

"What's wrong?" Fire Emperor asked through telepathy.

Even though the little one couldn't speak yet, Fire Emperor felt that the child on its back could understand it.

At that moment, Dongshu felt completely numb.

From the moment Fire Emperor had snatched him from the human town until now, Dongshu hadn't fully processed what was happening.

Had he been kidnapped by Fire Emperor?

No, impossible...

But more than that, what mattered now was that he really needed to pee!

"Ah-ah-ah!"

Let him down now!

Seeing the little one's anxious expression, as if trying to say something, Fire Emperor's face showed a flicker of confusion.

What was wrong with the little one?

It was about to ask, but the next second, it felt a warm stream trickling down its back.

The little one on its back went stiff, his face a picture of resigned doom.

It's over... Dongshu thought. Fire Emperor was definitely going to bite him to death now, right?

Fire Emperor's pupils contracted. At that moment, it finally realized what that was!

And at the same time, the golden finger panel that had been quiet for so long suddenly flickered before Dongshu's eyes.

[The dignity of a Legendary Pokémon is inviolable. Your act of urinating on a Legendary Pokémon is not only shocking but also a first in Fire Emperor's life.]

[How many firsts are there in a life? Shock Points from Fire Emperor +5!]

"..."

Five minutes later.

In the forest, a clear stream babbled as it flowed.

Fire Emperor's entire body was submerged in the water, only its head poking out, its golden-red eyes fixed on Dongshu on the bank.

There was a hint of helplessness in that gaze.

Dongshu felt thoroughly guilty. Luckily, Fire Emperor hadn't bitten him to death. Instead, it had found a river and jumped straight in.

But watching Fire Emperor bathing in the water, looking so ridiculous, Dongshu couldn't help it—he giggled.

Fire Emperor: "..."

The next second, it stood up from the river. Its massive body gave a light leap and landed precisely on the bank.

Fire Emperor shook off the water droplets, then channeled the flame energy within its body. In an instant, the moisture in its orange-red fur was completely dried.

Then, Fire Emperor moved its sturdy limbs again, walking slowly to Dongshu's side. It lay down behind him, stretched out its tongue, and began to lick the little one's "fur."

Of course, this wasn't actual fur—it was how Fire Emperor, as a feline Pokémon, cleaned and kept itself tidy.

Feeling Fire Emperor's tongue sweep across his face, Dongshu was utterly stunned.

Connecting this to Fire Emperor's behavior over the past few days, an unbelievable thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Could it be that Fire Emperor saw him as its own... cub?

But how was that possible?

They had only known each other for a few days!

Was it because Fire Emperor saw that he had lost both parents, found him too pitiful, and knew that even if he returned to the human town, no one would take care of him? So, out of sympathy, or pity, or a sense of duty as a member of the Ho-Oh Guard, it had simply adopted him?

A few days together had made Fire Emperor treat caring for him as a responsibility?

Dongshu was stunned.

If that was really the case... then the Fire Emperor's every action made perfect sense!

What was this all about?

Despite his shock, Dongshu found it wasn't something he couldn't accept internally.

After all, the anime had shown plenty of examples of humans being adopted and raised by Pokémon.

Like Zarude and Koko in the movies, or Taro, who got separated from his parents in a plane crash and was raised by a kind Kangaskhan.

"So this means... from now on, I'm going to live with the Fire Emperor?"

Dongshu's heart was both shocked and a little happy.

What shocked him was that the Fire Emperor, a legendary Pokémon, had taken him, a human child, as its own cub.

What made him happy was that he wouldn't have to be separated from the Fire Emperor.

After all, his parents in this life had passed away, leaving him with no family in this world, and the Fire Emperor was the closest thing he had now.

More importantly...

From the peeing incident just now, Dongshu had figured out how to use his golden finger.

While the Fire Emperor was busy licking his fur clean, Dongshu focused his mind, and the panel appeared before him.

The Shock Value, which had been zero, was now five.

That meant he could exchange it for a bottle of Moomoo Milk from the shop.

[Moomoo Milk: Nutrient-packed milk produced by Miltank. Long-term consumption makes one grow stronger. Exchange cost: 5 Shock Points.]

"No... I should save up. If some special situation comes up later, I can use it then," Dongshu thought to himself.

By then, the Fire Emperor had finished licking his fur clean.

Seeming to realize that the little one was still young and couldn't handle a long journey, the Fire Emperor chose not to move on. Instead, it lay down on the golden fallen leaves, acting as a big, fluffy cushion for Dongshu.

Dongshu turned his head to look at the Fire Emperor. Sensing his gaze, the Fire Emperor, who had been resting with its eyes closed, opened them and met his stare.

What's wrong? the Fire Emperor asked silently.

But the little one in front of him didn't answer.

Instead, he clumsily turned around, reached out, and gently touched the Fire Emperor's face.

The Fire Emperor was momentarily startled but made no move.

He had to admit—the Fire Emperor was one handsome Pokémon!

In real life, the Fire Emperor looked like a mix of a lion and a Tibetan mastiff, majestic and imposing.

Dongshu couldn't help himself. He leaned in and gave the Fire Emperor a smooch.

The next second, he felt the Fire Emperor's body stiffen.

Then, the panel's notification popped up again.

[The Fire Emperor, who has walked alone since the dawn of its existence, has never been this close to any person or Pokémon. Your affectionate gesture has caught it completely off guard.]

["Maybe the little one sees me as a father too," Shock Points from the Fire Emperor +5!]