This Time, She Would Protect Him

Before Leona left, she shouted Cynthia's identity for everyone to hear.

She feared Cynthia would devote herself to protecting Xu Mu until she got caught up in the fight too...

There was no telling what these Eastern Lands powerhouses might do!

Xu Mu stared at Cynthia, wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

Holy shit, she's the Saintess?

The Saintess of Western Europe was the equivalent of the crown prince of the Eastern Lands.

She was certain to succeed the Chief one day and take charge of all Western Europe.

All at once, Xu Mu felt a little inadequate.

I'm just a kid from an ordinary family. Sure, I'm the protagonist, but you're the Saintess. You really are out of my league!

Damn...

Remembering how he had coaxed Cynthia into letting him hold her hand, Xu Mu couldn't help smiling bitterly.

Turns out I was the fool all along!

Trying to save Entei had landed him in this sorry state.

His life could end at any moment...

The embarrassment was one thing. Worse, he felt inadequate...

Unaware of Xu Mu's thoughts, Cynthia walked slowly to his side.

"Let's give them the Pokémon Egg."

"Taking it now won't do them any good. I'll have my father get it back."

Cynthia spoke sincerely. She had never been one to lie.

Hearing her, the powerhouses in the distance wore all sorts of expressions and began making plans of their own.

"No. This little one is important. They say it could change this era."

"Entei entrusted it to me, but I don't know if I'm worthy of that responsibility."

"So I'll let fate decide."

"If I was never worthy of being its partner, then someone taking it from me was bound to happen."

Xu Mu looked calmly at Cynthia as he spoke.

What he said was half true and half false.

The truth was that he didn't want to hand over the egg.

Even knowing Cynthia could use her connections to get the Pokémon Egg back, Xu Mu still didn't want to give it up.

Being treated like a piece of meat on a chopping block, to be carved up however they pleased, made his blood boil!

Xu Mu would rather take them down with him than endure that humiliation.

Besides, no one knew what Pokémon was inside the egg or how long it would take to hatch.

If Cynthia's father took too long and the egg hatched first, he might never get it back.

The false part was his claim that he would let fate decide.

To hell with fate. My life is mine to control, not heaven's. Xu Mu didn't believe in fate!

If transmigration is fate, why hasn't everyone transmigrated?

He would sooner trust that damn system than fate.

Use the Torch Dragon Bloodline on Charizard. Now!

Xu Mu gave the system the order silently and did his best to stall for time.

[Host has completed Charmander's check-in task: bring or use Charmander in a Master Class battle in the Viridian Forest Secret Realm—reward: Torch Dragon Bloodline!]

That was the system notification from earlier.

Xu Mu had been too caught up in Entei's situation to check his reward until now.

Seeing that Xu Mu had made up his mind, Cynthia stopped trying to persuade him. She simply stood stubbornly beside him and took his hand.

"I'll stay with you. They won't dare hurt you."

Earlier, Xu Mu had said he would protect Cynthia, using it as an excuse to hold her soft, smooth hand.

Now their positions were reversed.

Cynthia took Xu Mu's hand of her own accord.

This time, she would protect him!

"I'm glad I met you. If we get the chance, I hope I can be the one who spends a lifetime with you," Xu Mu said softly.

He couldn't tell whether Cynthia had heard him. Her wide eyes held a hint of confusion, but also resolve.

"Roar!"

A resounding Dragon's Roar rang out!

It was Charizard!

He had successfully fused with the Torch Dragon Bloodline, and his strength had undergone a dramatic transformation!

[Pokémon: Charizard]

[Type: Fire (Dragon)]

[Strength: Elite Four Peak!]

[Ability: Solar Power (attack power increases in intense sunlight)]

[Moves: Outrage, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Tail, Overheat, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Solar Beam, Brick Break, Iron Tail, Ancient Power...]

[Check-in task: Host has too few Pokémon. Advanced check-in tasks remain locked. Please catch more Pokémon to increase your access level.]

Elite Four Peak!

Xu Mu smiled in satisfaction.

Now, if Charizard underwent Mega Evolution and became Mega Charizard X, the Torch Dragon Bloodline within him could be brought to its fullest potential.

He might even reach Master Peak in one leap!

"Come on, you scum! You want to take something from me? Let's see if you've got what it takes!"

Xu Mu gritted his teeth and roared at the powerhouses in the distance.

"Roar!"

You're all dead!

Sharing Xu Mu's anger, Charizard let out a resounding Dragon's Roar.

The powerhouses were baffled...

But after a brief moment of confusion, they rallied.

"Entei must have left him some kind of treasure before he went, and his Charizard absorbed it!"

"Right! That Pokémon Egg must contain a Legendary Pokémon. We can't let the kid go!"

"We've already made an enemy of him today. If we let him go and he grows stronger, we'll pay for it!"

"Exactly! Let's take him out first!"

As the powerhouses shouted over one another, they released their Pokémon and prepared to attack Xu Mu.

For all their bluster, they were panicking inside.

Xu Mu was a monster!

A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy already had two Pokémon at Elite Four Peak!

And he had mastered Mega Evolution!

If the boy survived today, he was sure to become a peerless talent of the Eastern Lands. The Chief might take notice of him, perhaps even accept him as a disciple and name him crown prince!

If that happened, they had to act now. They had to kill Xu Mu!

Whatever came afterward, they could not let him go!

The boy was too extraordinary. Leave him alive, and he would bring them endless trouble!

As one Elite Four- and Master Class Pokémon after another charged at him and Charizard, Xu Mu laughed wildly.

So this really is a world where people prey on each other!

All I wanted was to live an honest life. Is that so hard?

"Charizard, Mega Evolve! Show no mercy! Kill them—Take down as many as you can!"

"Greninja, Transform! Fight beside me!"

"Croak!"

I, Greninja, swear to face any danger for the Xu family, generation after generation!

Greninja croaked and, pushing his exhausted body, entered Battle Bond once more!

What had started as a joke had now become reality!

"Roar!"

Got it, Xu Mu!

Charizard had known Xu Mu for less than a month, but his ability to undergo Mega Evolution proved that he acknowledged Xu Mu, just as Xu Mu acknowledged him!

He would fight for someone who understood him!