A Few Cannon Fodder, and a Look Back

Late August.

Heiduo began packing his things to head down the mountain.

Although Silver Town, the venue of the event, was very close to Mt. Silver, he still had a few other matters to attend to.

Besides, while he could not say he had a one-hundred-percent chance of winning, he was ninety percent certain. The remaining ten percent depended on unforeseen circumstances, like some contestant pulling out a Legendary Pokémon, or some contestant receiving the screenwriter's favor.

Anything was possible.

This trip down the mountain was mainly related to a call Yujian had given him.

He said there was something important he needed to discuss in person, and that he had a gift for him.

A gift... You really shouldn't have.

Heiduo swore that he had declined several times. Only after Yujian's repeated insistence did he reluctantly accept the gift.

Of course, Garchomp immediately preparing to take off was merely an illusion.

He went by Charizard.

"Can you handle it? Umbreon and I together are a little heavy." Heiduo was somewhat worried about Charizard's smaller frame. Unlike Garchomp, which was broad and powerfully built, Charizard had a streamlined body and the height of an ordinary Charizard.

—One meter seventy.

Not like its predecessors, all of whom looked as if they had been fed hormones.

"Roar~" Charizard let out a delighted roar, smiling. It had long wanted to carry Heiduo, just as Heiduo had carried it when it was little, but it had never gotten the chance.

Get on its back.

Charizard slowly flapped its wings, lightly lifting Heiduo and Umbreon into the air. Their combined weight of over a hundred kilograms seemed like nothing to it.

Its flying speed was not the slightest bit slower than Garchomp's.

"Looks like you're not forcing yourself."

Heiduo touched Charizard's muscles. They were not