When Chen Shi found Garchomp and Salamence's cave,
he saw Drakloak tilting its head back, Dragon-type energy gathering at its mouth, while Salamence explained something beside it.
Before long, Drakloak roared and launched a meteor wrapped in Dragon-type energy from its mouth into the sky.
Chen Shi watched expectantly. This was Draco Meteor, one of the most powerful Dragon-type moves. Of course he recognized it.
But a moment later, instead of scattering as Chen Shi had imagined, the meteor plummeted straight down and blasted a sizable crater into the ground.
It was exactly like Ash's Gible in the anime.
"Pfft!" Chen Shi couldn't hold back a laugh.
Drakloak quickly turned to look, its draconic face reddening visibly.
"Kiya!!"
Drakloak suddenly wanted to smash its head into something and die. Its entire life felt bleak.
Why? Why?
Why couldn't Shi have come earlier or later? Why did he have to show up at my most embarrassing moment?
How am I supposed to face him after this?!
A hint of amusement flashed in Salamence's eyes.
She was very pleased with Drakloak as a student. Draco Meteor was a powerful Dragon-type move, after all. Nobody could learn it that quickly.
The fact that Drakloak could launch the meteor into the sky had already surprised Salamence.
It had taken her ages to reach that point herself.
Chen Shi walked over and smiled. "Keep working hard, Drakloak."
Drakloak turned its head aside, not daring to look at him.
Clearly, it was still dwelling on its embarrassing performance.
Chen Shi reassured it. "You only just started training with Salamence, and you've already learned a new move. That's impressive!"
"Ki... kiya?"
Drakloak looked as though it were saying, I'm not very educated, so don't try to fool me.
"All right." Chen Shi handed Dreepy the backpack his grandmother had prepared.
"This is all your food. Come home and get more from me when you run out."
"Learn everything you can from Salamence and Garchomp. I'm looking forward to seeing your eventual transformation."
Drakloak took the backpack and nodded solemnly.
Chen Shi then said to Salamence, "Big Sis, sorry for the trouble."
"If you need anything, just let me know."
Salamence waved a claw and voiced her agreement.
She was usually bored anyway. Teaching this exceptionally gifted little dragon would be a nice change.
"I'll get going, then."
After saying goodbye to Drakloak and Salamence, Chen Shi left the Back Mountain, planning to head home and supervise Togepi's training.
But the moment he arrived home, he found a large Arcanine lying in the living room, looking extremely weak.
His grandparents were examining Arcanine. Beside them stood a beautiful, pale-faced woman wearing a Senior Investigator's uniform.
She was watching Arcanine with a worried expression.
At the sound of the door opening, all three turned to look. Seeing that it was their grandson, his grandparents returned their attention to examining Arcanine.
When Officer Jenny Muko saw Chen Shi, she forced a smile onto her pale face and greeted him.
"Oh, Shi. Are you back from your journey already?"
"You've certainly grown taller."
Chen Shi recognized her too. She was one of the Jenny Family's rare prodigies, already a Senior Investigator at such a young age.
"Muko! What happened to Arcanine? Is he all right?"
Chen Shi walked over and asked, while Arcanine's stats appeared before his eyes.
Pokémon: Arcanine Level: 67 (late-stage Senior Elite King) Potential: Elite King Gender: Male Ability: Justified Moves: Ember, Bite, Howl, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Leer, Protect, Take Down, Extreme Speed, Fire Spin, Flame Charge, Sunny Day, Fire Blast, Substitute...
Chen Shi marveled inwardly. She certainly lived up to her reputation as a Jenny Family prodigy. What a powerhouse.
Grandpa Chen spoke up. "Arcanine's injuries appear to have been treated already."
"The reason he hasn't recovered is that a powerful surge of Fire-type energy is rampaging inside him, causing his own energy to run wild. That's why he's so weak right now."
"If we can't calm this powerful foreign energy, I'm afraid Arcanine won't last much longer."
At those words, Officer Jenny Muko's pale face fell.
"What?" Chen Shi stared at his grandfather in disbelief too.
Arcanine?
Fire-type energy made his own energy run wild?
You've got to be kidding me, Grandpa. This is an Arcanine!
He's a pure Fire-type Pokémon. Even without Flash Fire, surely Fire-type energy shouldn't leave him in this state?
Grandpa Chen shot his grandson an exasperated glare, then turned to Officer Jenny Muko and asked,
"He was injured by a Champion Level Fire-type Pokémon, wasn't he?"
Officer Jenny Muko nodded grimly. "A Champion Level Camerupt injured him."
What else could Chen Shi say? He could only marvel at how terrifying Champion Level Pokémon were.
One had reduced a Pokémon of the same type to this state.
Understanding dawned on Grandpa Chen. He didn't ask how Arcanine had been injured or where the Champion Level Camerupt had come from. He simply told Officer Jenny Muko,
"What Arcanine needs isn't a Revival Potion, but an Energy-Attracting Potion and a Recovery Potion."
"The Energy-Attracting Potion costs five million League Coins, and the Recovery Potion costs three million."
"Shall we use them, lass?"
"Of course!" Officer Jenny Muko agreed immediately. Money like that was no issue for her. What she lacked were the potions.
In fact, top-tier potions only cost more elsewhere. Their prices could easily double.
The reason was that there were very few people anywhere in the world capable of making top-tier potions.
What people lacked wasn't money, but potions and the people who could make them.
That was why breeders enjoyed such high status.
Hearing her answer, Grandpa Chen said to Gardevoir, "Sorry for the trouble, but could you bring me Potion Boxes 53 and 74?"
"Gardevoir~"
Gardevoir vanished with Teleport and soon returned with two boxes.
"Bring Arcanine outside with me," Grandpa Chen said, taking the boxes.
Officer Jenny Muko immediately recalled Arcanine into his Poké Ball and followed Grandpa Chen outside.
Seeing this, Chen Shi eagerly tagged along.
Once they reached an open space outside, Grandpa Chen motioned for Officer Jenny Muko to let Arcanine out.
Then he opened Box 53, took out the Energy-Attracting Potion, and held it to Arcanine's mouth.
"After drinking this, immediately channel the raging energy inside you out through your mouth. Understand?"
Arcanine raised his head with difficulty and looked at Officer Jenny Muko. Only after she nodded did he gulp down the potion.
After giving him the potion, Grandpa Chen immediately pulled Officer Jenny Muko and the spectating Chen Shi away from Arcanine.
Arcanine writhed in pain, savage crimson flames flickering faintly over his body.
Seeing Arcanine in such agony, Officer Jenny Muko asked anxiously, "Mr. Chen, is this really all right?"
Grandpa Chen shook his head and explained, "He'll be fine. Don't worry."
Officer Jenny Muko could do nothing but watch Arcanine anxiously, hoping he would pull through.
Out in the distant clearing, Arcanine was already howling in pain, powerful Fire-type energy radiating from his body.
The temperature around him continued to rise.
Finally, with a furious roar from Arcanine, all those savage flames surged out of his mouth.
"Holy shit!"
Chen Shi swore in shock.
A wave of extreme heat hit him head-on. Even from this far away, it scorched his skin painfully.
Watching the enormous pillar of fire shoot into the sky, Chen Shi could only call it insane.
Now it finally understood why its grandfather had said there was such a vast gulf between Elite King and Champion Level Pokémon.
Even a mere remnant of energy could unleash power like this.
That's fucking terrifying.
Arcanine
Before you continue