Mutant Phanpy

Taking out Ponyta with a single Boomerang was easy. The level 14 Ponyta had no chance to resist before Shiny Cubone knocked it down.

"Beep. System notification: Shiny Cubone used Boomerang. It's super effective."

"Beep. System notification: Shiny Cubone defeated Ponyta. Level up. Points +14."

"So Points are tied to level. Defeat a level 14 Pokémon, get 14 Points."

Cubone had reached level 11, but that was nowhere near enough.

For Liu Xin, this was only the beginning.

Ito Hei felt a pang of sympathy for Ponyta, though he could see that Shiny Cubone had held back. It had only knocked Ponyta unconscious.

He stroked Ponyta and comforted it. "You did great. Come back and rest."

"But Liu Xin, don't think this battle is over."

"Come out, my second Pokémon: Rattata!"

The little purple mouse landed and bared its teeth and claws at Cubone, looking fierce.

Liu Xin touched his backpack and said enviously, "After this match, I have to catch a second Pokémon. Having only one just won't do."

"Xiao Hei, you'd better be careful. Rattata has no advantage against my Shiny Cubone."

Ito Hei refused to take his word for it. "Talk is cheap."

"Rattata, use Tackle!"

A level 16 Rattata. Not bad.

But its stats were far below Shiny Cubone's, even worse than Ponyta's had been.

Shiny Cubone easily dodged the attack. Its Battle Armor Ability activated, and gray-brown stones appeared across its body.

Layer upon layer of defense made its body tougher.

Perfect Evasion strengthened Battle Armor's defenses further, letting Cubone wear Rattata down.

Ito Hei snapped, "Can't catch you like this? Then how about this?"

"Rattata, use Quick Attack!"

Whoosh!

Rattata shot forward a whole step faster, almost as if it had teleported, and closed in on Shiny Cubone.

"That's it, then!"

To Shiny Cubone, the attack was too weak and too slow. It was nothing compared to Rhyhorn or Ponyta.

Cubone swung its bone club down along Rattata's line of attack.

Thud!

"Beep. System notification: Shiny Cubone used Knock Off on Rattata. It's super effective."

"Beep. System notification: Shiny Cubone defeated Rattata. Points +16."

One hit. That was all it took.

Ito Hei was clearly shaken. Both his Pokémon had been several levels above Shiny Cubone, yet it had beaten them with ease.

He took a deep breath and declared, "Just you wait. Once I'm stronger, I'll come challenge you again."

"I'll be waiting. I hope I'll be facing a Rapidash and a Raticate by then."

"Safe travels."

The free experience had put Liu Xin in a great mood, but it had also highlighted a problem.

He didn't have enough Pokémon. Most people started with at least two, while he still had only Shiny Cubone. His next goal was clear: catch a second Pokémon of his own!

Before he had rested enough, a wave of heat swept over him.

"It's so hot. Why did the temperature suddenly climb so much?"

"Is there a Fire-type Pokémon over there? If there is, I could get some experience."

He barely touched the grass in front of him before it turned to ash and fell away. The heat was absurd.

An ordinary Pokémon couldn't produce heat like this. Whatever was ahead was powerful!

It might be the toughest opponent he had ever faced. Liu Xin approached nervously.

"If anything seems wrong, I'll run."

"Heat like this is no joke."

But the Pokémon that came into view took him by surprise.

He had expected some terrifying Fire-type Pokémon. Instead, he found a Phanpy no bigger than a small dog.

Something was wrong with it, though. Its whole body was trembling.

More importantly, was the heat coming from its body?

"I need another Pokémon, and Phanpy is a Ground-type. I could catch it."

"But something's off about it. Better be careful."

Seeing Phanpy shiver, Liu Xin decided against trying to catch it immediately. He stepped closer to see what was wrong.

The moment he gently placed a hand on Phanpy, a tremendous force surged out of its body.

A low Roar burst from it. Liu Xin staggered back several steps, eyes wide.

He could still feel the lingering heat on his hand. It was hard to believe.

"Phanpy should be a pure Ground-type. Why is it so hot?"

"Pokémon can change because of their habitat, or to adapt to it. Could that be what's happening to this Phanpy?"

Phanpy.

It let out another low cry, and flames began rising from its body.

Liu Xin's eyes lit up as if he had found a treasure. "Well, would you look at that!"

"It really is a mutant Pokémon! I don't know why it's developed Fire-type traits, but I'm catching this Phanpy!"

The flames grew hotter. Feeling threatened, Liu Xin backed away.

"That fierce? Did it eat something it shouldn't have?"

"Shiny Cubone, go see what's happening."

Shiny Cubone, a Ground-type, approached step by step. The little stones on its surface burned away, stripping it of its defense.

Those flames seemed to ignore defenses entirely. Armor was useless against them.

Calling this a mutation hardly did it justice. This was a massive upgrade.

Flames caught on Shiny Cubone's body. It hurried back, batting them out with indignant cries.

Cubo! Cubo!

It was plainly venting its displeasure—and its confusion over Phanpy.

Phanpy looked pained. A mark resembling a fiery bird gradually appeared on its forehead.

Flames began rising from several parts of its body, making it look a little like Ponyta.

Its eyes turned fiery red, as though it stood in a sea of flames.

Liu Xin opened the system display to check its stats.

Mutant Phanpy:

Level: 16

Attack: 170

Special Attack: 220

After reading all its stats, Liu Xin was stunned.

Its new stats were twice those of an ordinary Phanpy. Then there was its Special Attack.

Its Special Attack was absurdly high. Clearly, this was a Pokémon built to deal damage with moves.

That settled it.

His second Ground-type Pokémon had to be Mutant Phanpy.

Phanpy's mutation was nearly complete. Liu Xin said gravely, "Shiny Cubone, be ready to fight."

"This could be a tough battle, but we have to win!"

Cubo! Cubo!

Cubone wore a proud look as it thumped its bone club against the ground. Who did he think he was underestimating?

As the residual heat faded, the temperature gradually dropped. Phanpy's mutation was complete.

Its eyes had turned scarlet. It had lost control, and now it fixed its gaze on Liu Xin and Shiny Cubone.

"Phanpy!"