Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Mu Yun discovers that Corphish is not Clauncher’s mate but is intensely devoted to him. Corphish’s unusual Adaptability enhancement would let him breed with any Water-type Pokémon of the opposite sex, with offspring always being Corphish and inheriting Egg Moves from both parents. Mu Yun is astonished by the implications but has no immediate use for it.
• Staryu’s Super Brain enhancement could let it analyze opponents, disrupt their thoughts with Psychic waves, heal itself by controlling cellular regeneration, regrow limbs, and eventually reshape its form. Mu Yun compares its potential to Deoxys and praises Bold’s training.
• Mu Yun receives a notification that the Spirit Channeling Seed has produced a fruit. He presses the ethereal fruit to his forehead, absorbing it and awakening Spirit Channeling Power.
• The newly revealed power is Level 5 and grants three potential contracts with Ghost-type Pokémon. It can help contracted Pokémon grow by absorbing vital energy or temporarily strengthen them by spending it; enable communication with the Netherworld and reduce Ghost-energy move costs once a gate is established; and send the dead to the Netherworld, possibly earning rewards. Two further abilities remain locked.

Character developments and interactions

• Corphish’s devotion to Clauncher is reframed as the source of his extraordinary breeding enhancement, revealing a comically intense and unconventional desire.
• Mu Yun continues exploring how Pioneering Power can produce unusual abilities. He briefly considers using the fruit to create Gifted people, but abandons the idea when it cannot be obtained through the Points Exchange Shop.
• Xiao Du senses Mu Yun’s awakening while teaching Xiao Yan the type matchup chart; both turn toward him as eerie darkness and ghostly winds surround him.

Significant themes

• Evolution through desire and training: Pokémon abilities can manifest in startling ways from deep-seated drives, while disciplined training unlocks powerful potential.
• The boundary between life and death: Spirit Channeling introduces a distant Netherworld, spirit communication, and the possibility of guiding souls onward.
• Power and its costs: Spirit Channeling’s growth and combat benefits rely on vital energy and mental strength, suggesting that its capabilities come with limits.

Key plot points and events

• Mu Yun discovers that his newly awakened Spirit Channeling Power begins at Level 5, saving him the cost of upgrading it himself. Its three abilities are powerful, but improving them requires major physical and mental stamina. Mu Yun concludes that raising Pioneering Power should improve future abilities all at once.
• Spirit Channeling Power includes Netherworld Communication, which reduces Ghost-type energy use, and Spirit Requiem, which can guide departed souls. Mu Yun sees the potential but sets aside the soul-guiding ability for now.
• Since Xiao Yan is still a Fire-type Charcadet, he cannot yet qualify as a Netherworld Envoy. Mu Yun considers contracting the unhatched Gastly but decides not to risk it.
• The Gastly egg suddenly cracks and hatches without the usual glow or nutrient absorption. The newborn Gastly tries to startle Mu Yun and the others, then sulks when no one is frightened. When Xiao Yan laughs at his ghostly expression, Gastly happily joins in.
• Mu Yun checks Gastly’s information: he is a Level 4 Ghost/Poison type with Champion-level potential, a strong move set, and two special bonuses. One gives him stronger moves through his Champion-level parents; the other—an affinity with the Beyond Netherworld—makes him especially suited to Netherworld Communication.

Character developments and interactions

• Mu Yun gains a clearer understanding of his new power and its costs, and sees Gastly as a promising potential Netherworld Envoy.
• Gastly is introduced as playful and theatrical, but his antics seem aimed at making people laugh rather than frightening them. He quickly bonds with Xiao Yan through shared laughter.
• Xiao Du is accustomed to Mu Yun’s remarkable feats and enthusiastically tells Xiao Yan about them, especially the supposed benefits of being patted on the head.
• Xiao Yan is curious about Gastly’s hatching and responds warmly to his humor, helping Gastly feel accepted.

Significant themes

• Power and resourcefulness: Mu Yun considers both the cost of developing abilities and the limits imposed by stamina and contract slots.
• Potential shaped by circumstances: Gastly’s unusual early hatching and Netherworld affinity appear connected to Mu Yun’s recent contact with the Other Shore Netherworld.
• Misunderstanding and connection: Gastly’s attempt at comedy is mistaken for a scare tactic, but Xiao Yan’s laughter turns the moment into an immediate bond.

Chapter Summary: “Contract Formed! Levels Soar!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun successfully forms a Spirit Channeling Contract with Gastly, creating a life-linked connection that allows him to transfer energy and potentially boost Gastly’s combat power.
• The contract’s higher-level abilities—Netherworld Communication and Spirit Requiem—remain inaccessible because Gastly is still too weak. Mu Yun estimates they require Elite- and Totem-level strength, respectively.
• Mu Yun pours his surplus energy into Gastly. Gastly’s level rapidly increases from Level 4 to Level 14, far faster than Xiao Du’s previous growth.
• After Gastly reaches his absorption limit, Mu Yun uses Evolution Essence, increasing Gastly’s Special Attack and Speed by 95 points each.
• The improved base stats increase Gastly’s digestion capacity, allowing him to absorb more energy and rise further to Level 19.
• Exhausted from overeating and rapid growth, Gastly falls asleep in a dark corner of the villa.
• Mu Yun checks Gastly’s updated status, noting his expanded move set, improved base stats, and special abilities, including his Champion Descendant lineage and affinity with the Netherworld.
• Mu Yun decides that Hatenna will likely hatch within a day or two. With his team nearly ready, he plans to begin his journey soon.
• Before departing, he chooses to explore Ma Sitong’s ranch on foot, hoping to encounter Pokémon and gain battle experience for his weaker or newer companions.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun: Demonstrates greater confidence in his Spirit Channeling Power and learns that it is exceptionally effective for rapidly developing Ghost-type Pokémon. He also begins planning more actively for his upcoming journey and his team’s training.
• Gastly: Forms his first contract with Mu Yun, gains a dramatic increase in strength, and reaches Normal Level in a short period. His playful personality remains intact, but his rapid growth causes him to become tired and sleep deeply.
• Xiao Yan: Though not directly involved in the chapter’s main events, Mu Yun recognizes that Xiao Yan’s higher potential and future evolution may allow him to benefit even more from the Spirit Channeling Contract.
• Hatenna: Remains inside her egg but is nearing hatching, marking the final stage before Mu Yun’s journey begins.

Significant Themes

• The power of partnership: Gastly’s growth depends on Mu Yun’s energy, emphasizing the mutual bond between Trainer and Pokémon.
• Rapid advancement through rare abilities: The Spirit Channeling Contract gives Mu Yun an unusual advantage, allowing his Pokémon to grow far faster than normal.
• Potential versus current strength: Gastly’s immediate progress is impressive, but Mu Yun remains focused on the greater future potential of Xiao Yan and his other Pokémon.
• Preparation for adventure: Training, evolution, and gaining practical battle experience are presented as essential steps before setting out into the wider world.
• Limits and consequences of power: Even with Mu Yun’s enormous energy reserves, Gastly’s body has a finite absorption capacity, forcing him to rest and digest his gains.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun calls Gastly away from entertaining Xiao Yan and warns him to remain calm during the contract process.
• The contract causes Gastly to feel more positively toward Mu Yun and strengthens their connection.
• Mu Yun carefully monitors Gastly’s condition, sending energy only until Gastly reaches his limits.
• Gastly reacts with delight to the energy, mentally comparing it to delicious food, while Mu Yun treats the process as both nurturing and an experiment.
• Mu Yun reflects on how the same ability might affect Xiao Yan after evolution, showing his continuing concern for the development of his entire team.

Chapter Summary: “Songshan Ranch! Five Types of Mounts!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun visits Songshan Ranch on the outskirts of Songjiang City, arriving on his flying Pokémon, Namikaze.
• The ranch raises several quadrupedal Pokémon, including Ponyta, Blitzle, Mudbray, Deerling, Skiddo, Rapidash, Zebstrika, Mudsdale, Sawsbuck, and Gogoat.
• Songshan Ranch earns money by:
  • Selling Pokémon bred at the ranch.
  • Renting Pokémon as transportation mounts.
• The chapter explains the difference between battle Pokémon and mount Pokémon. Battle Pokémon focus on combat training, while mounts are trained for endurance, navigation, carrying passengers, and traveling safely over different terrain.
• Mu Yun reviews the ranch’s rental options:
  • Rapidash and Zebstrika: Extremely fast but less enduring; best on flat roads.
  • Mudsdale: Strong, durable, and capable of carrying heavy loads, even in harsh weather.
  • Gogoat: Excellent at climbing, jumping, and crossing mountainous terrain.
  • Sawsbuck: Balanced in speed and stamina, inexpensive, and highly skilled at navigating forests.
• The employee recommends a Professional-level Mudsdale, Sawsbuck, or Gogoat for Mu Yun’s planned journey from Liaoning Province to North River Province.
• Mu Yun chooses Gogoat because his storage ability eliminates the need for a heavy pack animal, while Gogoat’s mountain mobility best suits his route.
• While being escorted into the ranch, Mu Yun unexpectedly encounters his classmate, Ma Sitong, who is helping manage her family’s business during summer vacation.
• Recognizing Mu Yun’s extraordinary strength, Ma Sitong overrides the employee’s ordinary recommendation and arranges for him to rent an Early Totem-level Gogoat, normally reserved as one of the ranch’s herd leaders.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun is shown to be practical and strategically minded. He carefully considers terrain, carrying capacity, and his own abilities before choosing a mount. His portable storage and Aura make some of the ranch’s usual advantages unnecessary.
• His exceptional strength is emphasized again: Ma Sitong knows that an ordinary Professional-level mount might not even match Mu Yun’s running speed.
• Ma Sitong is portrayed as capable, well-connected, and familiar with both Mu Yun’s abilities and the ranch’s operations. She uses her position as the future owner to secure him an elite mount.
• The ranch employee is professional and considerate, offering detailed information and personalized advice despite initially underestimating Mu Yun because of his age.
• The Gogoat selected for Mu Yun is established as an important and powerful Pokémon within the ranch, serving as one of the herd’s leaders rather than an ordinary rental animal.

Significant Themes

• Specialization: Pokémon trained for transportation require skills different from those needed in battle, showing how Pokémon roles can vary beyond combat.
• Practical decision-making: Mu Yun evaluates each mount according to terrain, endurance, speed, and his own unique abilities instead of simply choosing the strongest or fastest option.
• Trusting expertise: The employee’s professional recommendations and Ma Sitong’s personal knowledge both demonstrate the value of relying on people with relevant experience.
• Connections and privilege: Ma Sitong’s family status allows Mu Yun access to a rare Totem-level Pokémon unavailable to ordinary customers.
• Pokémon welfare and responsible care: The ranch is presented as a well-managed place where Pokémon live comfortably and are trained according to their strengths.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun has a courteous, businesslike exchange with the front desk employee, who explains the rental system and mount specialties.
• He discusses his travel plans with the employee and accepts professional advice before making his choice.
• Mu Yun reunites with Ma Sitong, who immediately understands why he is visiting and takes personal responsibility for arranging his mount.
• Ma Sitong speaks with “Sister Yan,” directing her to handle another customer’s Zebstrika rental while she personally escorts Mu Yun.
• Their conversation reveals Ma Sitong’s familiarity with Mu Yun’s accomplishments and her confidence that he requires a mount far stronger than the standard options.

Chapter Summary: “New Skill! Riding: Mastering All Mounts!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Sitong takes Mu Yun to her family’s Gogoat habitat, located between cliffs, grassland, and a lake.
• She introduces him to the herd’s unusually large Level 52 Gogoat leader, who is also the mate of her father’s Rapidash. The herd has another leader, so his temporary absence will not disrupt management.
• Ma Sitong explains the Riding Certificate system. Although wilderness travel does not normally require one, a temporary certificate can be issued by a legitimate ranch when someone rents a mount Pokémon.
• Remembering Mu Yun has never ridden before, Ma Sitong offers to teach him. She sees Riding as a chance to defeat him in a field outside Pokémon battling, especially after giving up on surpassing his recent achievements as a Trainer.
• She chooses a gentle, Early Professional-level Mudsdale as Mu Yun’s first mount and demonstrates proper riding posture, balance, leg placement, and control.
• During her instruction, Mu Yun’s system activates. He gains the Riding skill at Level 2 and then spends 10,780 Energy Points to raise it to Level 4.
• The upgraded skill greatly increases his waist and leg strength, Stamina, energy reserves, and recovery speed. It also doubles the ridden Pokémon’s speed and halves its Stamina consumption.
• Mu Yun instantly absorbs extensive riding knowledge through the skill upgrade. Ma Sitong finishes the explanation and hands him the reins, telling him to practice.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun: Shows humility and curiosity by admitting he has no riding experience. His system allows him to rapidly transform from a complete novice into an expert, and he strategically invests his remaining Energy Points into Riding after recognizing its practical benefits.
• Ma Sitong: Remains competitive with Mu Yun, but her ambitions have shifted from defeating him in battling to outperforming him in Riding. Despite wanting a satisfying victory, she sincerely gives him detailed instruction and shares techniques developed through years of experience.
• Gogoat herd leader: Is established as a powerful and experienced Pokémon who previously worked as a rental mount and willingly cooperates with Ma Sitong.
• Mudsdale: Chosen as Mu Yun’s beginner mount because of its gentle temperament, though its enormous size emphasizes the challenge of learning to ride.

Significant Themes

• Competition and changing goals: Ma Sitong’s rivalry with Mu Yun continues, but she adapts after recognizing that he has surpassed her in conventional Trainer achievements.
• Rapid growth through opportunity: Mu Yun’s skill system turns Ma Sitong’s years of expertise into an immediate advantage, highlighting the contrast between natural experience and supernatural learning.
• Trust and cooperation between humans and Pokémon: Riding depends not only on the Trainer’s abilities but also on the mount Pokémon’s intelligence, temperament, and willingness to cooperate.
• Practical Trainer skills: The chapter broadens the story beyond battling, showing that transportation, riding mastery, and Pokémon handling are important parts of a Trainer’s life.
• Humor and exaggeration: Mu Yun jokes about the Riding skill’s unusual “energy” effects, while his comparison to dramatic horse-riding scenes adds a lighthearted tone.

Character Interactions

• Ma Sitong speaks with the Gogoat leader and persuades it to cooperate with Mu Yun.
• She explains Riding Certificates and ranch procedures to Mu Yun.
• Her competitive feelings motivate her to teach Mu Yun thoroughly, even though she hopes to defeat him through Riding.
• Ma Sitong demonstrates her impressive horsemanship on Mudsdale, then provides detailed instruction.
• Mu Yun listens seriously, secretly gains and upgrades the Riding skill, and prepares to put his newfound expertise into practice under Ma Sitong’s supervision.

• Mu Yun discovers he is an exceptional rider. After learning Riding, he mounts Ma Sitong’s Mudsdale and immediately brings out its full speed, making the normally steady Pokémon charge like a racehorse. Ma Sitong is stunned and grows visibly frustrated at how naturally Mu Yun rides. He notices her change in mood but misreads it, then signs the rental paperwork and leaves with Gogoat.
• Riding proves more versatile than expected. On the way home, Mu Yun tests the skill on Namikaze and doubles its speed. He realizes Riding works on any creature that can be ridden, not only Pokémon officially considered mounts. Back home, he resumes making Energy Cubes while Gogoat rests, available to help if Mu Yun is in danger.
• The Martial Arts Fruit blooms. The next day, Mu Yun collects the pale, golden-marked fruit formed by his Pioneering Power and absorbs it. Its effect begins with a drumlike rhythm from his chest that stirs fighting urges in those nearby. Mu Yun and Beedrill suppress the impulse through discipline, while newly hatched Charmeleon becomes eager to fight until Beedrill taps him on the head and reminds him to calm down.
• Mu Yun gains Martial Arts Heart. His new special ability boosts allies’ morale and combat power, links people so they share damage and can combine their strength, and lets him practice martial arts in dreams with greatly improved results. Two further abilities remain locked. Mu Yun is surprised that a power rooted in martial arts seems suited to commanding groups, but sees its potential alongside his other skills.
  Character developments and interactions: Mu Yun’s riding talent and self-control are highlighted. Ma Sitong’s confidence gives way to envy and hurt after he outshines her. Beedrill acts as a calm, disciplined mentor to Charmeleon, who is impulsive and eager for battle. Gogoat is content with its rental routine but remains loyal and willing to protect Mu Yun.
  Themes: Natural talent can provoke envy; discipline means mastering one’s impulses; and strength is most powerful when shared and coordinated.

Chapter Summary: “Healing-Martial Unity! A Battle Healer?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun reflects on how his abilities might apply to Pokémon training and combat:
  • Morale Boost could strengthen Pokémon in battle, treating Pokémon battles as a form of warfare.
  • United as One might become extremely powerful if it could link a human with a Pokémon, though Mu Yun currently has little need for it because he is stronger than his Pokémon.
  • Dream Martial Practice could greatly improve his training, potentially increasing the experience gained from practicing martial arts, Aura, and physical conditioning.
• While considering taking a nap, Mu Yun hears an eggshell cracking. He realizes that Hatenna’s Egg is hatching, possibly because it was affected by his Martial Arts Heart.
• Hatenna emerges energetically and immediately tries to claim the top of Mu Yun’s head as her new home. Mu Yun catches and holds her, while she dramatically laments her defeat despite being only minutes old.
• Hatenna’s status is revealed:
  • She is a Level 5 female Psychic-type Pokémon with Healer as her natural ability.
  • She possesses a high Elite Four-level potential and several special powers:
    • Empowerment, allowing her to coat her body in energy and produce unusual physical strength.
    • Healing Heart, which doubles the effectiveness of her recovery moves and can grow stronger as she learns more healing techniques.
    • Healing-Martial Unity, which alternates between strengthening her martial power and doubling the effect of her healing abilities.
• Mu Yun is astonished by Hatenna’s combination of healing and combat talents. He believes she may eventually become the world’s strongest medical Pokémon while also excelling in martial arts.
• After Mu Yun welcomes her into the world, Hatenna again tries to establish contact with his hair. When he prevents her from staying on his head, she burrows into his sleeve in search of more hair, leading to a comedic and embarrassing confrontation when she finds some elsewhere on his body.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun continues to think strategically about how his powers can support and strengthen his Pokémon. He is also shown to value ordinary routines, such as sleeping regularly despite not physically needing rest.
• Mu Yun becomes both impressed and worried by Hatenna’s abilities. He recognizes her enormous potential as a healer and martial artist, but immediately discovers that she is extremely energetic, unconventional, and difficult to control.
• Hatenna hatches as a lively, mischievous, and highly expressive Pokémon. She quickly forms an attachment to Mu Yun, treating his hair as an important source of connection and attempting to make his body her home.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Du observe Hatenna’s birth. Xiao Du views her affectionately as a lively younger sister, comparing her to Xiao Xin in her youth.

Significant Themes

• Unity of healing and combat: Hatenna’s special abilities embody the idea that martial strength and healing are not opposites but complementary forces.
• Potential created through influence and environment: Hatenna’s Martial Heart awakened because of the martial intent surrounding her before birth, showing how Mu Yun’s powers can shape Pokémon development.
• The bond between Trainer and Pokémon: Hatenna’s immediate attachment to Mu Yun emphasizes the emotional and physical closeness forming between them.
• Power balanced by personality: Although Hatenna has extraordinary future potential, her childish behavior and lack of discipline create humorous problems for Mu Yun.
• Nurturing strength: Mu Yun’s role is not merely that of a fighter; he is also becoming a mentor and caretaker responsible for guiding Pokémon with unusual abilities.

Important Character Interactions

• Mu Yun catches Hatenna after she hatches and attempts to restrain her while she playfully resists.
• Hatenna repeatedly declares or implies that Mu Yun’s head—and later his clothing and body—are her new home.
• Mu Yun welcomes Hatenna affectionately but quickly becomes exasperated by her persistent attempts to find and grab his hair.
• Xiao Yan and Xiao Du watch the scene, with Xiao Du responding warmly to Hatenna’s arrival.

Chapter Summary: “Indeedee! Birthday!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun introduces the newly obtained Hatenna to the household. He names her Wen Xian, nicknamed Xiao Wen, a gentler name reflecting her future role as a healer.
• Hatenna reacts enthusiastically to her name and meets the other Pokémon: Xiao Du, Xiao Yan, A Ren, and Bingbing.
• Mu Yun entrusts Xiao Wen to Bingbing’s care. Unlike Xiao Xin, Xiao Wen immediately enjoys Bingbing’s cool, soft tails and is not intimidated by her.
• Because Mu Yun plans to leave on a journey the next day, he goes shopping and decides to prepare a meal for Wang Dan, the single mother who raised him and Duoduo.
• Worried that Wang Dan will be lonely once both he and Duoduo become busy Trainers, Mu Yun purchases an Indeedee Pokémon Egg for her. He chooses Indeedee because it can provide companionship and help with household tasks.
• Mu Yun delivers the egg to Wang Dan’s home and begins preparing dinner. When Wang Dan arrives, she surprises him with a birthday cake, reminding him that he is turning eighteen at midnight.
• The chapter ends with Mu Yun explaining that the Indeedee is meant for Wang Dan, not himself, so she will have companionship while he and Duoduo are away.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun shows a nurturing and responsible side. He patiently names and introduces Xiao Wen, delegates her care to Bingbing, and thinks carefully about Wang Dan’s future loneliness.
• His relationship with Wang Dan is revealed as deeply familial. Though she is not his biological mother, he views her as family and wants to repay her care by ensuring she is supported.
• Hatenna/Xiao Wen is established as energetic, mischievous, and affectionate. She pretends to faint to avoid Mu Yun’s lecture but becomes delighted when given her name.
• Bingbing continues her role as the household’s dependable eldest-sister figure. She easily manages Xiao Wen, though she is surprised by how eagerly the new Pokémon accepts her.
• Wang Dan remains modest and self-sacrificing. She instinctively worries that Mu Yun is wasting money on her, while simultaneously making an effort to celebrate his birthday.
• The chapter also highlights Mu Yun’s growing independence and wealth: he can afford rare Pokémon, premium courier services, and valuable resources for those he considers family.

Significant Themes

• Family beyond blood relations: Mu Yun’s bond with Wang Dan is based on years of mutual care rather than biology.
• Companionship and loneliness: The Indeedee is intended not simply as a useful Pokémon but as emotional support for Wang Dan after Mu Yun and Duoduo leave.
• Growing up and responsibility: Mu Yun’s eighteenth birthday marks his transition into adulthood, reflected in his increasing concern for others and his willingness to provide for the household.
• The Pokémon as family members: Xiao Wen is introduced through naming, acceptance, and integration into the household rather than treated merely as a battle asset.
• Care expressed through practical actions: Both Mu Yun and Wang Dan show affection through food, gifts, and household support rather than dramatic declarations.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun lectures Xiao Wen about being reserved, but her playful “playing dead” response undermines his authority humorously.
• He introduces Xiao Wen to the other Pokémon, including the sleeping A Ren, whom she appears eager to tease.
• Bingbing gently wraps Xiao Wen in her tails, and Xiao Wen enthusiastically embraces the experience, creating a contrast with Xiao Xin’s earlier fear of Bingbing.
• Mu Yun and Wang Dan exchange birthday and family gestures: he cooks for her and buys her a Pokémon, while she buys him a cake and celebrates his adulthood.
• Their final conversation emphasizes their mutual concern: Wang Dan worries about his spending, while Mu Yun worries about her being alone.

Chapter Summary: “Apply to Become a Pokémon Investigator! Dream Martial Practice!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On Mu Yun’s birthday, he prepares dinner, cake, and gifts for Wang Dan, who is emotionally affected but tries to remain cheerful.
• Mu Yun provides Wang Dan with supplies for her Pokémon Egg, including nutrient solution, Moomoo Milk, and Basic Energy Cubes tailored for the Indeedee inside the egg. He deliberately withholds more advanced resources, intending only to give her a companion rather than overwhelm her with valuable items.
• Chi Duoduo calls from a different time zone to wish Mu Yun a happy birthday and promises to give him a present when they meet.
• At midnight, Mu Yun receives birthday greetings from several friends, including Liu Jianhao, Zhao Hailong, Wu Tu, Sun Xin, Ma Sitong, and Liu Yingying.
• Liu Yingying asks whether Mu Yun still wants to become a Trainee Pokémon Investigator. He enthusiastically confirms his interest, explaining that he is drawn to punishing evil and upholding justice.
• Liu Yingying warns him that Pokémon Investigators face serious danger, including injury, disability, and death. She agrees to submit his application, though the process may take at least a month because Mu Yun is now famous as the top national scorer in the Pokémon track.
• Mu Yun returns to Pokémon Space and sleeps with Bingbing, Xiao Xin, and the mischievous Xiao Wen. He insists that Xiao Wen sleep only in his hair.
• Mu Yun then experiences Dream Martial Practice for the first time. The initially ancient training ground transforms into a replica of the Gravity Room at Songjiang No. 1 High School.
• He discovers that the virtual environment can reproduce gravity settings and increases the pressure from five to ten times normal gravity.
• Completing the Ninth National Fitness Exercise under these conditions grants him an enormous amount of skill experience: the ordinary exercise reward of 5 experience is supplemented by 500 additional experience for training under abnormal gravity.
• Encouraged by the result, Mu Yun decides to increase the gravity even further.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun continues to show generosity and responsibility by carefully preparing for Wang Dan’s Pokémon Egg. He also reveals his strong desire to become a Pokémon Investigator, motivated partly by justice and partly by his hidden interest in encountering powerful Gifted individuals.
• Wang Dan remains emotionally vulnerable but tries to maintain a positive attitude during Mu Yun’s birthday celebration.
• Liu Yingying demonstrates concern for Mu Yun. Although she once saw him as a promising investigator, she now worries that his growing status and talent should lead him toward a safer and more prestigious career.
• Chi Duoduo maintains a close relationship with Mu Yun through her birthday call and hints at a future present.
• Xiao Wen is established as a playful, troublesome presence who makes Mu Yun’s normally peaceful sleeping arrangements more chaotic.

Significant Themes

• Justice and personal ambition: Mu Yun presents his desire to become an Investigator as a commitment to justice, though his private thoughts reveal that he also hopes to encounter Gifted people and advance his own abilities.
• Responsibility and companionship: His careful preparation of supplies for Wang Dan’s Pokémon Egg shows that Pokémon ownership is treated as a long-term responsibility rather than a display of wealth.
• Danger versus glory: Liu Yingying highlights the risks of the Investigator profession, contrasting it with Mu Yun’s safer path toward becoming an elite trainer.
• Training and limitless growth: Dream Martial Practice introduces a powerful new method of strengthening Mu Yun’s skills. The chapter emphasizes his excitement at discovering that increasingly difficult conditions produce dramatically greater rewards.
• Reality and simulation: Dream Martial Practice can recreate familiar locations and physical effects with surprising accuracy, suggesting that it may become an important tool for Mu Yun’s future development.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun and Wang Dan share a quiet birthday dinner and candle-lighting ritual, with Mu Yun participating because he knows it matters to her.
• Chi Duoduo offers Mu Yun long-distance birthday wishes and promises a gift.
• Liu Yingying and Mu Yun debate his decision to become a Pokémon Investigator. She warns him about the profession’s dangers, while he confidently insists that justice will prevail.
• Mu Yun provides Wang Dan with detailed instructions and supplies for caring for her Pokémon Egg.
• Mu Yun negotiates with Xiao Wen over where the Pokémon is allowed to sleep, showing their playful but slightly exasperated relationship.
• Through Dream Martial Practice, Mu Yun interacts with the system indirectly, testing its limits and discovering that higher gravity dramatically increases his training rewards.

Chapter Summary: “Inspiration Strikes! Preparing to Earn a Professional Trainer Certificate!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun tests different levels of Gravity enhancement and discovers that 50× Gravity provides the ideal training pressure for his current physique.
• He calculates that, by training eight sessions per day, he can gain roughly 20,000 experience points daily, allowing him to reach the next Calisthenics level in about five hundred days.
• During one training session, he experiences an unexpected flash of inspiration, earning an additional 7,500 skill experience. This significantly accelerates his progress and gives him hope of reaching Champion-level physical strength even sooner.
• Mu Yun realizes that Dream Martial Practice allows him to train continuously without physical or mental fatigue. After practicing all night, he wakes refreshed and recognizes the ability’s extraordinary potential.
• The next morning, he leaves home with Gogoat’s Poké Ball and sets out to obtain his Professional Trainer Certificate, an essential qualification for Trainers who want to work with Pokémon or challenge Gyms.
• He rides a shared bike, summons Namikaze, and quickly reaches the local Trainer Association.
• Mu Yun registers for the basic One-Star Professional Trainer assessment, which requires demonstrating the combat strength of three Professional-level Pokémon. The assessment is conducted in a battle arena and judged through recorded footage and automated scoring.
• The examiner, Master Hou, assumes Mu Yun is merely another inexperienced high-school graduate wasting money, unaware of Mu Yun’s actual abilities.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun becomes increasingly confident in his training potential. He recognizes that his Martial Arts Heart and Dream Martial Practice give him an enormous advantage over ordinary Trainers.
• His ambitions expand from simply improving himself to achieving Champion-level physical strength before age twenty, a feat he realizes would be exceptionally fast by normal standards.
• His surprise at gaining experience through inspiration shows that he is still discovering new functions and benefits of his training system.
• Wang Dan appears concerned and contemplative after Mu Yun leaves, staring at the Pokémon Egg in their home, suggesting that the egg—and possibly Mu Yun’s departure—may be important to her.
• Master Hou is introduced as a practical, somewhat cynical examiner who routinely sees students fail or perform poorly. His initial judgment of Mu Yun sets up a contrast with Mu Yun’s hidden strength.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary growth through perseverance: Mu Yun’s disciplined training allows him to progress at a rate far beyond ordinary Trainers.
• The value of special abilities: Dream Martial Practice functions like an inexhaustible private training room, emphasizing how supernatural advantages can transform effort into rapid advancement.
• Ambition versus conventional limits: Mu Yun compares his projected progress with the typical ages of Title Elite Four and Champion-level Trainers, highlighting how unusual his path is.
• Hidden strength and underestimation: The examiner assumes Mu Yun is an ordinary teenager, creating anticipation for the reveal of his true capabilities.
• Professional legitimacy: The certificate represents Mu Yun’s first formal step toward entering the Trainer profession and participating openly in the Pokémon world.

Character Interactions

• Wang Dan wishes Mu Yun a safe journey as he leaves, but afterward silently focuses on the Pokémon Egg, indicating unresolved thoughts or concerns.
• Mu Yun interacts politely with the Trainer Association receptionist, pays the assessment fee, and follows the registration process.
• The receptionist contacts Master Hou to arrange Mu Yun’s evaluation.
• Master Hou internally dismisses Mu Yun based on his age and background, unaware that Mu Yun possesses three Pokémon capable of meeting the Professional-level requirement.

Chapter Summary: “Perfect Score!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun begins his Professional Trainer Certificate Level 1 assessment under Master Hou’s supervision.
• The exam requires three Pokémon battles with no switching during each battle, and both trainers must change Pokémon after every match.
• Master Hou sends out a level 39 Crustle first. Mu Yun responds with his level 37 Meowscarada, Xiao Xin.
• Xiao Xin uses Darkest Lariat and defeats Crustle in a single blow. The move’s guaranteed critical hit, piercing effect, and Mu Yun’s various bonuses overcome Crustle’s strong Physical Defense.
• Master Hou’s second Pokémon is Shuckle, renowned for its exceptional defenses. Mu Yun sends out Golisopod, Bold, who defeats Shuckle with a wide variety of moves despite being lower-level.
• In the final match, Mu Yun’s Lairon defeats Master Hou’s Graveler.
• Mu Yun passes the assessment without losing a single battle. The results reveal that he has earned a rare perfect score.

2. Character Developments

• Mu Yun demonstrates confidence and strategic awareness. He deliberately avoids using his strongest Pokémon, Xiao Du, choosing instead to let Xiao Xin test Darkest Lariat and allowing his other Pokémon to gain experience.
• Xiao Xin/Meowscarada reveals overwhelming offensive power. She defeats Crustle almost casually, even appearing surprised by how easily the battle ends.
• Bold/Golisopod contrasts with the species’ usual cautious reputation. Rather than avoiding combat, he fights aggressively and overwhelms Shuckle.
• Lairon successfully completes the third battle, confirming that Mu Yun’s entire team—not just one exceptional Pokémon—is highly capable.
• Master Hou initially underestimates Mu Yun because of his youth, unusual team, and apparent lack of concern for type or matchup conventions. After three crushing defeats, he recognizes Mu Yun as an extraordinary prodigy.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Mu Yun appears to be an inexperienced young trainer, but his Pokémon possess abilities far beyond what their levels suggest.
• The gap between conventional expectations and reality: Master Hou assumes Crustle’s defenses will counter Meowscarada and expects Golisopod to be timid, but both assumptions prove wrong.
• The importance of special abilities and battle mechanics: Darkest Lariat’s critical-hit and defensive-piercing properties allow Xiao Xin to defeat a physically defensive opponent with ease.
• Youthful genius: The perfect score symbolizes Mu Yun’s exceptional potential and suggests that remarkable talent can emerge even from a relatively small city.
• Growth through battle: Each Pokémon gains levels and development from the victories, reinforcing the connection between combat success and progression.

4. Character Interactions

• The robot referee provides rigid instructions and enforces the assessment rules, contrasting with the unpredictable strength of Mu Yun’s Pokémon.
• Master Hou initially judges Mu Yun critically, believing he may lack basic matchup knowledge or possess only one usable Pokémon.
• Mu Yun responds calmly and lets his Pokémon fight, while Master Hou becomes increasingly shocked by their strength.
• After the assessment, Master Hou remains professional despite losing, but the perfect-score result forces him to acknowledge Mu Yun as a rare young genius.

Plot points and events

• Mu Yun receives his One-Star Professional Trainer Certificate and contribution-point card, officially becoming a Professional Trainer and gaining the right to accept missions, explore the wilderness, and apply to enter Secret Realms.
• He heads to the Songjiang Gym for his first Gym Challenge. The Gym specializes in Water Pokémon and is led by Yan Hu, whom Mu Yun has met before.
• While waiting for his match, Mu Yun activates a permanent mission called Badge Collector, which rewards him for defeating Gym Leaders. Its prizes scale up with Gym rank and include bonus training points, storage expansions, recipes, and move-learning items. The ultimate reward for defeating a National Gym Leader is a chance to enhance a Pokémon’s Ability a second time.
• Mu Yun also uses ten Move Learning Memories from an earlier reward. He assigns the resulting moves among his Pokémon and the Beldum he hopes to obtain, then is called to the battle arena.

Character development

• Mu Yun takes an important step toward greater independence as a Trainer and eagerly begins pursuing Gym Badges.
• His ambitions grow when he discovers the Badge Collector mission offers a route to the coveted second Ability enhancement.
• He plans his Pokémon’s development strategically, assigning moves to complement their existing strengths and expected growth.

Character interactions

• The Gym receptionist processes Mu Yun’s challenge application and gives him queue number seven.
• Mu Yun recalls his previous encounter with Gym Leader Yan Hu, connecting his first challenge to someone he already knows.

Significant themes

• Progress through achievement: Professional status and Badges mark Mu Yun’s advancement.
• Long-term ambition: The mission offers increasingly valuable rewards, making a distant National Gym challenge a meaningful goal.
• Preparation and specialization: Mu Yun carefully matches moves to each Pokémon’s strengths and future development.

Chapter Summary: “Is It Genius? Being a Little Stronger Is Only Natural!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun arrives at Songjiang Gym to challenge for a Badge and meets Yan Shiming, the acting Gym Leader.
• The chapter explains the role of acting Gym Leaders: they handle inexperienced challengers before those challengers are allowed to face the true Gym Leader.
• The referee outlines the Gym Challenge rules:
  • Each side may use three Pokémon.
  • Battles are one-on-one, with one switch allowed per side.
  • Defeated Pokémon cannot continue attacking.
  • Pokémon cannot leave the battlefield or hide behind officials.
  • Attacking the referee is forbidden.
  • The challenger attacks first.
• Yan Shiming sends out a level-49 Seismitoad, a Water/Ground Pokémon with only one major weakness: Grass-type attacks.
• Mu Yun sends out Xiao Du, his level-50 Beedrill. Although Mu Yun initially expected a stronger opponent and considered sending out another Pokémon, he realizes Xiao Du is more than capable.
• Xiao Du independently analyzes the matchup and uses Focus Energy and Swords Dance before striking with the Bug-type move X-Scissor.
• The boosted attack defeats Seismitoad instantly, sending it flying across the stadium.
• Mu Yun’s system confirms that he has completed a battle mission and rewards him with points while slightly increasing Beedrill’s growth.
• The referee officially declares Xiao Du the winner of the first round.
• Yan Shiming is stunned by the strength of Mu Yun’s Pokémon and begins suspecting that Mu Yun may be the nationally renowned top student from Songjiang City. He rationalizes the loss by assuming that such a famous genius naturally ought to be unusually strong.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun: Demonstrates confidence, preparation, and restraint. He has researched the Gym’s specialty and understands the battle rules, but he also shows how seriously he evaluates his own team by reflecting that he could have used a less powerful Pokémon. His calm attitude reveals that he expected a much harder battle.
• Xiao Du/Beedrill: Establishes himself as one of Mu Yun’s most reliable Pokémon. His battle experience, knowledge of type matchups, and ability to execute precise tactics make him more than a physically strong fighter. He effectively directs his own battle strategy.
• Yan Shiming: Initially views Mu Yun as an inexperienced young Trainer and expects to teach him a lesson. After Seismitoad is defeated in one attack, his confidence is replaced by shock and speculation about Mu Yun’s identity.
• Referee: Begins the match in a routine, detached manner but is visibly astonished by Beedrill’s overwhelming performance.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken assumptions: Mu Yun’s age and One-Star Professional status cause Yan Shiming to underestimate him, but his actual ability far exceeds expectations.
• Genius and natural superiority: The title and ending emphasize the idea that exceptional talent can make extraordinary achievements appear “natural.”
• Preparation versus appearances: Mu Yun’s research and Xiao Du’s knowledge allow them to exploit the matchup effectively, showing that victories come from both planning and strength.
• Growth and progression: The battle advances Mu Yun’s system mission and contributes to Beedrill’s development, reinforcing the story’s progression-based structure.
• Professionalism and regulated competition: The detailed Gym rules highlight how Pokémon battles have evolved into formalized, safer sporting events.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun and Yan Shiming exchange polite introductions, but Yan Shiming’s attitude shifts from confident instruction to disbelief after seeing Xiao Du’s power.
• Mu Yun largely leaves the battle decisions to Xiao Du, demonstrating deep trust between Trainer and Pokémon.
• Xiao Du communicates his tactical understanding through his reaction to Seismitoad’s typing and immediately carries out the appropriate attack sequence.
• The referee acts as the formal mediator of the match, announcing the rules and confirming the result, though even he is caught off guard by the speed of Beedrill’s victory.
• Yan Shiming’s final realization reframes his defeat: rather than accepting that an unknown beginner beat him, he convinces himself that Mu Yun must be a celebrated genius.

Chapter Summary: “There Were Gaps Even Between Gym Leader Levels!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Shiming sends out his strongest Pokémon, a level 57 Totem-Level Floatzel, hoping to challenge Mu Yun after Seismitoad was defeated instantly.
• Mu Yun’s Beedrill defeats Floatzel with a single move, leaving Yan Shiming stunned. He struggles to understand how even a Totem-Level Pokémon could be defeated so effortlessly.
• Yan Shiming sends out a third Pokémon, Vaporeon, but it suffers the same fate. Beedrill wins the battle without difficulty.
• The system announces that Beedrill has completed a mission by defeating an opponent at the same major level, awarding Mu Yun points and increasing Beedrill’s growth level from 50 to 51.
• After the battle, Yan Shiming admits defeat and leads Mu Yun to the main arena to meet his master, Gym Leader Yan Hu.
• Mu Yun observes that the arena is usually empty because Songjiang City is small and rarely attracts challengers or spectators. Gym Leaders can also earn money through exhibition matches if they are famous or provide entertaining battles.
• Yan Hu emerges from a gaming session to face Mu Yun. He recognizes Mu Yun from a previous encounter and knows of his reputation as the National Top Scholar.
• The official Gym challenge begins under the same rules as the earlier battle, but this time Mu Yun must fight the Gym Leader himself.
• Yan Hu explains that Gym challenges are carefully monitored by the Pokémon League, and that issuing too many badges can negatively affect a Gym Leader’s evaluation. He promises not to hold back.
• Yan Hu sends out his level 67 Swampert, a durable Water/Ground-type Pokémon with the Torrent ability and a Gym Leader-level evaluation.
• Mu Yun examines Swampert’s profile and finds it less impressive than expected, especially compared with stronger Pokémon owned by elite or champion-associated Trainers. He suspects Gym Leaders may deliberately limit their Pokémon’s strength during official challenges.
• Yan Hu recognizes Mu Yun’s Beedrill as the same powerful Pokémon that once defeated a Gyarados in one attack. The chapter ends with Yan Hu acknowledging that even Pokémon within the same Gym Leader level can possess very different levels of strength.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun: Continues to display overwhelming confidence and strength. His Beedrill is now level 51 and capable of instantly defeating Totem-Level opponents, reinforcing Mu Yun’s reputation as an extraordinary Trainer.
• Beedrill: Demonstrates another dramatic increase in power, defeating three strong Pokémon in succession and advancing in growth level. It is established as Mu Yun’s ace and Starter Pokémon.
• Yan Shiming: Changes from a playful, confident mentor figure into a deeply shaken Trainer after being completely overwhelmed. He develops greater respect—and perhaps fear—for Mu Yun’s abilities.
• Yan Hu: Is introduced as Songjiang City’s Gym Leader. Though friendly and relaxed, he is more experienced and perceptive than his disciple. He recognizes Mu Yun’s exceptional talent and intends to conduct a legitimate, serious Gym challenge.
• Yan Shiming and Yan Hu: Their relationship is shown through Yan Shiming’s role as Yan Hu’s disciple and guide. Yan Shiming reports the outcome of the preliminary battles and brings Mu Yun to his master.

Significant Themes

• Unequal strength within the same rank: The chapter emphasizes that level classifications alone do not determine true battle strength. Two Pokémon may both be Gym Leader Level yet possess vastly different abilities, resources, training, and combat effectiveness.
• The gap between prodigies and ordinary Trainers: Mu Yun’s power is so extreme that even high-level Pokémon are unable to withstand one attack, highlighting the enormous difference between him and conventional talented Trainers.
• Official competition and institutional rules: Gym challenges are not casual matches. They are recorded, inspected, and tied to the Gym Leader’s professional evaluation, making fairness and controlled difficulty important.
• Hidden limitations and standards: Yan Hu’s Swampert appears weaker than expected, suggesting that Gym Leaders may intentionally adjust their teams to match challengers or follow unwritten rules about how Gym challenges should be conducted.
• Reputation versus actual power: Mu Yun’s national fame is supported by direct evidence of his strength, while Yan Hu’s experience allows him to recognize that fame is not the only factor—battle quality and the Pokémon’s actual capabilities matter more.

Important Character Interactions

• Yan Shiming’s repeated defeats force him to abandon his earlier attitude of casually instructing Mu Yun.
• Yan Shiming respectfully escorts Mu Yun to Yan Hu after admitting that he cannot compete with him.
• Yan Hu and Mu Yun exchange polite greetings before immediately shifting into a serious professional challenge.
• Yan Hu recalls Beedrill’s previous feat against Gyarados, while Mu Yun evaluates Swampert analytically rather than being intimidated by its Gym Leader-level status.
• The encounter establishes mutual recognition: Yan Hu respects Mu Yun’s talent, while Mu Yun expects Yan Hu to provide a genuinely challenging battle.

Chapter Summary: “Seconds... That Fast?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Gym battle between Mu Yun and Yan Hu begins, with Yan Hu sending out his veteran Swampert first.
• The chapter explains the Gym’s unwritten rules: each successive Pokémon must be at least as strong as the previous one, and Gym Leaders cannot use Pokémon Treasures or external items.
• Swampert uses Curse to increase its Attack and Defense, intending to withstand Beedrill’s physical assault and counterattack.
• Xiao Du, Mu Yun’s Beedrill, immediately demonstrates astonishing speed after previously using Double Focus Energy and Swords Dance.
• Swampert attempts to disrupt Beedrill with Screech, hoping to break its concentration and set up a combination of Take Down and Rock Throw.
• Beedrill ignores the Screech and executes a powerful Dual-Move Parallel X-Scissor.
• The attack receives multiple enhancements, including a critical-hit effect, Bug-type power amplification, and increased physical strength.
• Swampert is knocked out in a single strike, shocking Yan Hu, Yan Shiming, the referee, and the spectators.
• Mu Yun receives mission rewards and points for defeating a stronger opponent and progressing toward collecting Gym Badges.
• Yan Hu recognizes Mu Yun’s extraordinary talent and connects him to the prediction that Songjiang City has produced a remarkable “dragon.”

Character Development

• Mu Yun is shown to possess exceptional confidence and strategic preparation. His Beedrill’s abilities far exceed what would normally be expected from a Pokémon raised by a rookie.
• Xiao Du/Beedrill reveals that its speed is just as impressive as its previously demonstrated strength. Its enhanced techniques allow it to defeat a much higher-level opponent instantly.
• Yan Hu begins the battle as an experienced and confident Gym Leader, relying on Swampert’s battle experience and a careful defensive strategy. After Swampert’s defeat, he is forced to reassess Mu Yun as an unprecedented genius.
• Yan Shiming witnesses firsthand how far Mu Yun’s Beedrill has surpassed ordinary Gym Leader-level Pokémon, drawing a painful comparison with his own earlier defeat.
• Swampert is portrayed as a veteran Pokémon with sound instincts and extensive experience, but even its preparation and tactical response prove ineffective against Beedrill’s overwhelming power.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming talent versus experience: Swampert has more than a decade of training and countless battles behind it, yet Xiao Du’s explosive growth and superior abilities allow it to win instantly.
• The unpredictability of genius: Mu Yun’s strength is so far beyond normal expectations that even an experienced Gym Leader cannot accurately judge it.
• Preparation and hidden power: The battle emphasizes the importance of accumulated boosts and special abilities, as Beedrill’s speed and attack power are revealed to be much greater than in its previous match.
• Changing standards of strength: The chapter introduces distinctions such as Near-Elite Four Level and shows that Mu Yun’s Pokémon may already possess combat power approaching that realm despite remaining technically within Gym Leader-level growth.
• Reputation and destiny: Yan Hu’s final remark suggests that Mu Yun may become a transformative figure for Songjiang City.

Character Interactions

• Yan Shiming watches anxiously from the audience and is stunned when Yan Hu’s Swampert suffers the same kind of one-hit defeat he previously experienced.
• Yan Hu and Mu Yun engage in a battle of contrasting strategies: Yan Hu attempts to weaken and control Beedrill, while Mu Yun relies on Xiao Du’s speed and decisive offensive power.
• Swampert’s Screech is intended to disrupt Beedrill, but Beedrill’s composure and momentum completely invalidate the tactic.
• The referee reacts with disbelief at witnessing a Gym Leader’s Pokémon being defeated in one move.
• After the battle, Yan Hu openly acknowledges Mu Yun’s extraordinary ability, marking a shift from treating him as a rookie challenger to recognizing him as a once-in-a-generation talent.

Chapter Summary: “First Badge!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Beedrill decisively defeats Yan Hu’s Blastoise despite Blastoise using Protect. Beedrill’s advanced Dual-Move Parallel technique allows one X-Scissor strike to break Protect and a second to knock Blastoise away, leading to its defeat.
• Yan Hu sends out his final Pokémon, a level 69 Gyarados. Despite its great size, Gym Leader-level strength, Moxie ability, and beginner-level Awakening Power: Water, Gyarados is overwhelmed by Beedrill’s superior speed and close-range offense.
• Beedrill uses Double Focus Energy, Swords Dance, and Double Brutal Swing to repeatedly strike Gyarados. Gyarados cannot keep up with Beedrill’s movements, and even Waterfall fails to stop it.
• Beedrill defeats all three of Yan Hu’s Pokémon, completing a perfect sweep and earning additional system points because each opponent was at a higher level.
• Mu Yun receives Songjiang Gym’s Level Three Songjiang Badge, officially marking his first Gym victory.
• The system rewards Mu Yun with:
  • A 5 m³ Storage Space Expansion Card
  • An intermediate Grass-type Energy Cube recipe
  • A Dragon-type Move Learning Memory containing Dragon Tail
• After leaving the Gym, Mu Yun reflects on Little Gold and Second Carp’s lack of current battle ability. He expects both Magikarp to evolve soon because of the accelerated growth effect in Pokémon Space.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun demonstrates a major leap in strength and combat skill. At only eighteen, he defeats a Gym Leader’s full team using Beedrill, including two Pokémon significantly higher in level.
• Beedrill/Xiao Du displays exceptional confidence, speed, tactical awareness, and mastery of advanced techniques. Its familiarity with Gyarados allows it to exploit the opponent’s slow movements and weaknesses.
• Yan Hu shifts from confident Gym Leader to impressed and frustrated veteran. He recognizes Beedrill’s unusual Dual-Move Parallel technique and feels embarrassed by the three-to-zero loss.
• Yan Shiming, Yan Hu’s disciple, becomes the target of his master’s frustration. Yan Hu now compares him unfavorably with Mu Yun and questions whether he has enough talent to inherit the Gym.
• Little Gold and Second Carp remain temporarily unable to battle, but Mu Yun is optimistic about their rapid future development and upcoming evolutions.

Significant Themes

• Skill overcoming level and size: Beedrill defeats Pokémon much stronger and larger than itself through speed, technique, and precise tactics.
• Experience versus innovation: Yan Hu’s decade-long partnership with Blastoise is defeated by Mu Yun’s newer and more advanced combat methods.
• Growth and ambition: The badge represents Mu Yun’s formal entry into the Gym challenge system, while Yan Shiming’s stagnation contrasts with Mu Yun’s rapid progress.
• Humor and generational contrast: Yan Hu wishes Mu Yun were his own disciple or family member, then immediately criticizes Yan Shiming for falling behind.
• Future potential: The chapter foreshadows the development of Little Gold and Second Carp, whose unusual size and rapidly approaching evolutions may make them important future battlers.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun and Beedrill work in close coordination, with Beedrill confidently adapting to both Blastoise and Gyarados.
• Yan Hu acknowledges Mu Yun’s strength by awarding him the Songjiang Badge and congratulating him despite his embarrassment.
• Yan Hu’s brief exchange with Yan Shiming reveals his disappointment and raises questions about Yan Shiming’s ability to inherit the Gym.
• Mu Yun’s final reflections show his affectionate amusement toward Little Gold, particularly regarding the irony of an oversized Magikarp competing in the Little Cup.

Chapter Summary: “Is This Guy Really Human?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving Songjiang Gym, Mu Yun departs Songjiang City on a rented Gogoat, beginning a long journey south toward Chang City.
• His route will pass through Liaoning Province, North River Province, and Imperial City. Rather than staying in cities, Mu Yun plans to spend most of the trip in the wilderness.
• His goals are to:
  • Train his current Pokémon and help them gain experience.
  • Capture additional Pokémon for future Master Level missions requiring specialized types.
  • Provide stronger protection and better resources for Pokémon that join him.
• In the wilderness, Mu Yun encounters many wild Pokémon, including Rattata, Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, Spearow, and Bunnelby.
• When a group of five Diggersby ambushes him, Mu Yun sends out Xiao Yan, his Charcadet, while ordering Bold to protect the surroundings and prevent accidental forest fires.
• The Diggersby use coordinated tactics: three Veteran-level Pokémon attack Xiao Yan, one targets Bold, and the strongest, a Professional-level Diggersby, directly attacks Mu Yun.
• Mu Yun easily defeats the Professional-level Diggersby with a casual finger flick, sending it crashing through a tree. Bold also defeats another attacker.
• Xiao Yan defeats the remaining three Diggersby with his flaming sword, earning substantial experience and mission rewards.
• Xiao Yan advances from Level 19 to Level 20, reaching the Veteran level and moving closer to evolution.
• Mu Yun and his Pokémon then continue their journey.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun: Demonstrates extraordinary physical strength and confidence. His effortless defeat of a Professional-level Diggersby reveals that he is far more powerful than an ordinary human Trainer, shocking even Gogoat. He also shows practical responsibility by taking precautions against forest fires and considering the long-term welfare of Pokémon under his care.
• Xiao Yan: Displays strong enthusiasm for battle and significant combat growth. He efficiently defeats multiple Diggersby and reaches Veteran Level, bringing him closer to evolution.
• Bold: Acts as a defensive support Pokémon, following Mu Yun’s command to monitor and extinguish any flames that might spread.
• Gogoat: Becomes visibly stunned by Mu Yun’s strength, implicitly questioning whether its rider is really human.
• Wild Diggersby: Are portrayed as experienced and organized ambushers rather than harmless wild Pokémon. Their coordinated strategy shows that wild Pokémon can pose a serious threat to travelers.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the wilderness: Wild Pokémon are not merely obstacles or sources of experience; they can organize attacks and directly threaten human lives.
• Power beyond normal human limits: Mu Yun’s overwhelming strength contrasts sharply with ordinary Trainers and creates the chapter’s central humorous question: “Is this guy really human?”
• Growth through battle: Xiao Yan’s victories show how combat and mission rewards accelerate Pokémon development.
• Responsibility toward Pokémon: Mu Yun intends to offer captured Pokémon safety, food, training, and opportunities to improve their futures, presenting his Pokémon Space as a better life than the harsh wilderness.
• Preparation and long-term planning: The journey is not only for travel or Gym challenges but also for building a diverse and powerful team capable of completing future missions.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun encourages Xiao Yan to battle after sensing Pokémon moving through the forest.
• He gives Bold a specific protective command, showing trust in Bold’s abilities and awareness of the environmental risks.
• Mu Yun calmly identifies the ambushing Diggersby and assigns the battle to Xiao Yan.
• The Diggersby coordinate their attack against both Mu Yun and his Pokémon, but their plan fails because of Mu Yun’s Aura perception and overwhelming strength.
• Xiao Yan responds enthusiastically to Mu Yun’s command and proves himself in battle.
• Gogoat reacts with disbelief after witnessing Mu Yun defeat the strongest Diggersby with a single casual attack.

Summary: “Tadpoles in a Standoff!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mu Yun ends the day’s journey and sets up camp with his rented Gogoat.
• He admires Gogoat’s impressive jumping ability and discovers that the Pokémon also has a talent for finding ideal campsites.
• Mu Yun releases his nine Pokémon and assigns them wilderness tasks: gathering water, chopping firewood, pitching tents, and supervising the group.
• Xiao Du is tasked with keeping an eye on Xiao Xin, who tries to avoid pitching the tents. Aron offers to help, though his physical limitations make him of little practical assistance.
• While collecting water, Mu Yun discovers a large confrontation in the river between two groups:
  • A Poliwag group led by a Veteran-level Poliwhirl.
  • A Tympole group led by a Level 35 male Palpitoad and a Level 29 female Palpitoad.
• The Poliwag’s representative demands that the “outsiders” leave their territory, while the male Palpitoad dismisses them as weak and demands to speak with their leader.

Character Developments

• Mu Yun demonstrates growing wilderness-survival skills and responsibility as a trainer, organizing his Pokémon and practicing camping rather than relying entirely on his Portable Pokémon Space.
• Gogoat is shown to be highly capable, energetic, and observant. He feels an unusual compatibility with Mu Yun, though the narration humorously attributes their efficiency to Mu Yun’s riding skills rather than emotional “aura” compatibility.
• Xiao Xin displays reluctance toward routine labor, especially tent setup, but ultimately accepts her responsibility.
• Aron shows kindness and concern by trying to comfort and assist Xiao Xin, despite being poorly suited to the task.
• Xiao Du takes on a supervisory role, particularly because Xiao Xin is prone to slipping away from work.

Significant Themes

• Teamwork and division of labor: Each Pokémon contributes according to its abilities, emphasizing cooperation within Mu Yun’s group.
• Adaptation and self-reliance: Mu Yun deliberately practices camping and survival skills in preparation for situations where returning to his Pokémon space may not be possible.
• Territorial conflict and hierarchy: The river confrontation reflects competition between Pokémon groups over territory and authority.
• Humor and companionship: The chapter balances potentially serious events with lighthearted interactions, such as Gogoat’s mistaken interpretation of their compatibility and Aron’s ineffective but sincere attempt to help.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun praises and directs Gogoat, while Gogoat quietly evaluates their partnership.
• Mu Yun assigns duties to his Pokémon, and Xiao Du watches over the mischievous Xiao Xin.
• Aron encourages Xiao Xin, creating a small moment of mutual support despite his inability to contribute much physically.
• The Poliwhirl and Palpitoad groups exchange hostile words, with the Poliwag demanding territorial respect and the Palpitoad responding arrogantly, setting up a likely confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Mu Yun observes a dispute between a Palpitoad family that has migrated from a forest lake and the Poliwhirl family native to the river. He wonders what drove the Palpitoad away from their lake.
• Moonlight reveals a hidden Moonlight Purifying Stone in the riverbed. It can produce Moonlight Essence Dew after absorbing enough moonlight; the dew can improve a Pokémon’s energy and, under certain conditions, convert a compatible Pokémon’s treasure into growth-boosting energy.
• Mu Yun’s status panel shows his Luck has risen by two. The system explains that Gogoat earned the blessing by overcoming hardships to reunite with his Rapidash mate and father several Ponyta.
• Drawn to the dew, the Palpitoad leader orders an attack. The Palpitoad and Poliwhirl families launch into a brutal fight over the stone, with both sides fighting to kill and weaker Pokémon among the casualties.
• Disturbed by the savagery, Mu Yun summons Wawa, his newly evolved Poliwhirl, and shows him the battle. Wawa recognizes the harsh reality of wild life and responds with anger and resolve.

Character developments and interactions

• Mu Yun shifts from curiosity about the territorial dispute to shock at its deadly violence. He shares the scene with Wawa rather than immediately intervening, prompting Wawa to confront what he had nearly forgotten about life in the wild.
• Wawa moves from cheerful contentment with his safer life under Mu Yun to grim determination when he sees Poliwhirl being overwhelmed.
• The Palpitoad leader becomes more aggressive after sensing the dew’s value, while the Poliwhirl family fights to defend what it considers a sacred relic.
• Mu Yun’s thoughts briefly turn to Gogoat’s unlikely romance with Rapidash, adding humor amid the mounting conflict.

Significant themes

• Nature’s brutality: Wild battles are depicted as survival struggles without the restraint or sporting spirit of formal Pokémon matches.
• Territory and possession: The treasure intensifies an existing dispute and pushes both families toward violence.
• Comfort versus harsh reality: Wawa’s secure life with Mu Yun has allowed him to forget the dangers he once faced; the battle forces that reality back into view.
• Luck and unexpected fortune: Mu Yun’s discovery of the stone coincides with a mysterious blessing tied to Gogoat’s devotion and perseverance.

Chapter Summary: “Wawa the Brave!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Palpitoad tribe attacks a group of Poliwhirl and Poliwag, forcing them to retreat and suffer heavy casualties.
• Wawa, angered by seeing his fellow Pokémon harmed, wants to intervene. Mu Yun gives him permission and supports him with Evolution Essence.
• Wawa enters the battle by striking the male Palpitoad with an exceptionally powerful, Limit-Breaking Water Gun. The attack sends the Mid-Professional-level opponent flying and gives the defeated Poliwhirl renewed hope.
• He follows with Mud Shot, covering the male Palpitoad in sticky mud and severely slowing him.
• When the female Palpitoad attempts to help her husband, Wawa blasts her away with another Water Gun. Already exhausted from the earlier battle, she loses consciousness.
• Wawa then defeats the enraged male Palpitoad through a combination of Mud Shot and repeated Pound attacks.
• His victories complete mission objectives, reward Mu Yun with points, and cause Wawa’s growth level to rise from 25 to 26.

Character Development

• Wawa: Demonstrates courage, loyalty, and intense empathy toward his fellow Poliwhirl. Though newly evolved and only Level 25, he proves capable of defeating stronger opponents through his enhanced abilities, powerful moves, and determination. His battle also marks a major step in his growth and confidence.
• Mu Yun: Shows trust in Wawa by allowing him to act on his desire to help. He supports Wawa’s development and views the relationship between Trainer and Pokémon as mutually empowering.
• The Poliwhirl group: Initially frightened and close to defeat, they regain hope when Wawa appears. The weakest female Poliwhirl in particular becomes deeply impressed by his strength and bravery.
• The Palpitoad pair: The male Palpitoad shifts from confidence to hesitation, then fury, as Wawa overwhelms him. His anger cannot compensate for Wawa’s superior tactical advantage. The female Palpitoad is quickly incapacitated.

Significant Themes

• Empathy and solidarity: Wawa’s anger comes from identifying with the suffering of his own kind, highlighting the instinctive bonds between members of the same species.
• Courage against overwhelming odds: Wawa confronts stronger enemies despite being newly evolved and apparently outnumbered.
• Mutual support between Trainer and Pokémon: Mu Yun’s trust and resources enable Wawa to realize his potential, while Wawa acts to protect the Pokémon community.
• Power through growth and perseverance: Limit-Breaking moves, training, and determination allow Wawa to overcome opponents with higher levels.
• Hope inspired by heroism: Wawa’s intervention transforms the Poliwhirl’s despair into renewed confidence.

Character Interactions

• Mu Yun encourages Wawa by patting him and telling him to do what he wants, validating Wawa’s decision to fight.
• Wawa protects the battered Poliwhirl by targeting the Palpitoad pair, first interrupting the male’s attack and then preventing the female from assisting him.
• The Poliwhirl watch Wawa’s performance with awe, especially after he defeats the female Palpitoad and brutally overwhelms her husband.
• The male Palpitoad reacts with anger and fear as Wawa’s attacks expose the difference between their apparent numerical advantage and Wawa’s actual combat strength.