Recaps

Qingliu trained Agumon to push Pepper Breath beyond its usual limits so he could learn the stronger Baby Burner, using Pokéblocks and Heal Spray to help him recover. After a long day of practice, Agumon sensed his limit and refused to stop.

• Qingliu explained that Agumon could build up more energy than Pepper Breath normally allowed and release it as Baby Burner.
• Agumon struggled to suppress his instinct to fire Pepper Breath, then repeatedly practiced pushing his energy and flames to their limits.
• Qingliu gave Agumon Dragon-type Pokéblocks to restore his strength and treated his injured mouth with Heal Spray.
• Agumon completed ten training rounds over more than half a day, repeatedly firing Pepper Breath at the boulder.
• After Qingliu called the hundredth shot the limit, Agumon kept charging his attack because he had sensed how much fire he could withstand.

Qingliu guided Agumon as he learned Small Explosion, a powerful attack that blasted a deep crater into a boulder. Agumon was left exhausted and hungry, while Qingliu realized Agumon might also be able to learn Pokémon moves that match his type.

• Qingliu urged Agumon to control the flames and imagine Small Explosion as a larger Pepper Breath.
• Agumon gathered the energy for Small Explosion and fired it at a boulder, leaving a deep crater with scorched cracks.
• Agumon toppled over from exhaustion, but Qingliu discovered he had simply become extremely hungry and gave him Pokéblocks.
• Qingliu checked Agumon's information and saw that Small Explosion consumed much of his stamina.
• Qingliu concluded that Agumon could learn other Digimon moves and wondered whether he could also learn matching Pokémon moves.

Qingliu and Agumon continued training, improving Agumon’s moves while building his stamina and physical fitness. After worrying about dwindling supplies and money, Qingliu decided their next step was to battle nearby wild Pokémon so Agumon could gain experience and levels.

• Qingliu had Agumon train Pepper Breath and Razor Claw alongside Mini Blast, which Agumon fully mastered by the end of the day.
• Qingliu took Agumon jogging the next morning to build their stamina and explained that Trainers needed to be prepared for wild Pokémon attacking them.
• Agumon ate Pokéblocks after the run, and Qingliu noticed that the food had helped him recover and grow stronger, though their supplies and money were running low.
• Qingliu planned morning conditioning and afternoon move practice, then decided to take Agumon to battle nearby wild Pokémon for experience.

Qingliu and Agumon defeated another Beedrill, but their repeated battles had made them feared throughout the jungle, leaving them with few Pokémon to train against. As they wondered where to find more opponents, a training opponent came looking for them.

• Agumon defeated a Beedrill that had attacked him before, and Qingliu noted that it had been expelled from its colony.
• Qingliu and Agumon tried to find battles with Ekans and Mankey, but all of them fled when they appeared.
• Qingliu recalled that Agumon had beaten nearly every local Pokémon, including the level 19 Skarmory, making them a taboo in the jungle.
• Agumon reached level 14 and seemed close to level 15 as Qingliu worried about their dwindling food and lack of training opponents.
• A training opponent came looking for Qingliu and Agumon.

Candice found Qingliu training in the woods, where Agumon’s Pepper Breath nearly hit her and her Pokémon. After the two traded jokes and their Pokémon met, Candice challenged Qingliu to another battle.

• Candice followed Sneasel’s lead toward the smell of fish and found Qingliu and Agumon by a campfire.
• Snover prepared to use Icy Wind, but Agumon’s Pepper Breath shot through the bushes and fizzled out before reaching Candice and her Pokémon.
• Qingliu apologized, and Candice accused him of repeating a trick from their previous battle.
• Agumon greeted Sneasel, which tried to slash at him before Snover stopped it.
• Candice explained Sneasel’s prickly temperament, then challenged Qingliu to battle again.

Qingliu accepted Candice’s challenge and proposed that Agumon fight all three of her Pokémon at once. Candice’s coordinated trio launched their first attack, leaving the battle’s outcome unresolved.

• Candice challenged Qingliu and chose Sneasel, while Qingliu confirmed Agumon was still his only Pokémon.
• Qingliu proposed a three-on-one battle, and Candice agreed after realizing he and Agumon were serious.
• Candice ordered Snover and Snorunt to attack with Powder Snow, added Snover’s Razor Leaf, and sent Sneasel charging with Quick Attack.
• Qingliu watched the trio’s coordinated opening assault and wondered whether defeating all three would yield combined experience.

Qingliu and Agumon battled Candice’s Sneasel, Snover, and Snorunt, with Candice’s coordinated attacks trapping Agumon in midair. As Sneasel prepared to finish it with Bite, Qingliu revealed that Agumon had mastered a new move and ordered it to use Small Explosion.

• Agumon’s Pepper Breath disrupted Snover and Snorunt’s cover, allowing Sneasel to close in and strike first with a Quick Claw-boosted Metal Claw.
• Agumon countered Sneasel’s attack with Razor Claw and forced it back, but Candice regrouped and coordinated Ice Shard, Icy Wind, Double Team, and Headbutt.
• Agumon jumped to avoid Snorunt’s attack, and Sneasel ambushed it from above while Snover’s Icy Wind froze its joints.
• Candice expected Sneasel’s Bite to finish the battle, but Qingliu ordered Agumon to use its newly mastered Small Explosion.

Qingliu and Agumon defeated all three of Candice’s Ice-type Pokémon, leaving Candice shaken and doubting her ability to inherit the Gym. Qingliu urged her to treat Sneasel before its condition became fatal.

• Candice ordered Sneasel to withstand Agumon’s Small Explosion, but she and Sneasel tried to dodge when they realized how powerful it was.
• Small Explosion overwhelmed Candice’s snowstorm shield and knocked Sneasel unconscious, leaving it critically injured.
• Qingliu directed Agumon to defeat Snover with Pepper Breath and knock out Snorunt with its claw.
• Candice stared at her defeated team and began doubting whether she was capable of inheriting the Gym.
• Qingliu patted Candice on the shoulder and told her to get Sneasel treated before it died.

After Agumon defeated Candice’s team, it reached level 15, and Qingliu decided to return to Solaceon Town. He planned to challenge the Lost Tower to find stronger opponents for Agumon and earn money.

• Candice treated Sneasel after Agumon’s Small Explosion injured it, while Qingliu noted that Agumon had reached level 15.
• Qingliu and Candice shared grilled fish, and Candice admitted the battle had shown her flaws and renewed her determination to keep improving.
• Candice asked whether Qingliu planned to challenge Cynthia, and Qingliu said he was returning to Solaceon Town because he needed money and new training opponents.
• Candice realized Qingliu meant to challenge the Lost Tower, whose Ghost-type Pokémon and floor rewards could serve both his needs.
• Qingliu judged that Agumon’s improved strength and reduced stamina cost for Small Explosion might let it use the move twice.

After Cynthia cleared the Lost Tower, a string of challengers failed to follow her example, disappointing Solaceon Town’s mayor and the reporters waiting for a story. When Candice arrived to challenge the tower, Qingliu entered ahead of her, and everyone outside waited for him to fail, but nearly half an hour passed without any sign of him.

• Trainers repeatedly failed to clear the Lost Tower, and many reporters left Solaceon Town to pursue a story in Veilstone City.
• The mayor lamented that the failed challengers had not brought the publicity he wanted for Solaceon Town.
• Candice arrived with Qingliu, and the mayor and assistant recognized her as a promising challenger.
• Reporters surrounded Candice, separating her from Qingliu, who encouraged her and entered the Lost Tower.
• The mayor and reporters expected Qingliu to fail quickly, but nearly half an hour passed without anything happening.

Qingliu and Agumon entered the Lost Tower’s first floor, where Qingliu used his panel to spot two Zubat hiding in the darkness. Agumon quickly defeated both Zubat, leaving the other Pokémon on the floor stunned.

• Qingliu explained to Agumon that Ghost-type Pokémon were making the eerie noises in the Lost Tower.
• Qingliu spotted two level 16 Zubat hanging from a rod and warned Agumon to prepare for battle.
• Qingliu ordered Agumon to attack, and Agumon defeated the first Zubat with Pepper Breath and Razor Claw.
• Qingliu tracked the second Zubat with his panel and directed Agumon to defeat it with Pepper Breath.
• Agumon accepted a Pokéblock as the other Pokémon hiding in the shadows wondered who the challengers were.

Qingliu and Agumon fought three Misdreavus who tried to frighten and bite them, but Agumon remained unafraid and countered with Pepper Breath. Qingliu ended the stalemate by directing Agumon to use the walls to close in, leaving Agumon poised to attack the Misdreavus at close range.

• The three Misdreavus appeared and charged at Qingliu and Agumon, seeking revenge for their defeat five days earlier.
• The Misdreavus bit Agumon, but Agumon showed no fear and asked Qingliu for permission to burn them.
• Qingliu told Agumon to use Pepper Breath, and the Misdreavus dodged the fireballs while evading and startling Agumon.
• Qingliu analyzed the Misdreavus's speed and directed Agumon to charge toward a corner.
• Agumon ran up the walls, turned toward the Misdreavus, and prepared Pepper Breath at close range.

Qingliu and Agumon defeated the first floor’s Misdreavus, and Agumon reached level 16 before they headed upstairs. Outside, the Town Mayor, Candice, and the reporters assumed Qingliu had failed until he finally appeared on the stairway surveillance feed.

• Agumon defeated the Misdreavus that tried to trap him with Mean Look, and Qingliu confirmed that it had a physical body.
• Agumon leveled up from level 15 to level 16 after defeating the first-floor Pokémon.
• Qingliu checked for remaining threats, recalled Agumon into his Poké Ball, and headed toward the second floor.
• The Town Mayor and reporters assumed Qingliu had failed because he had stayed inside longer than the usual time to clear the first floor.
• Candice worried that something had happened to Qingliu and Agumon as they remained absent from the surveillance feed.
• Qingliu appeared at the stairway entrance on the surveillance feed.

Qingliu cleared the Lost Tower’s first floor after spending more than twenty minutes inside, astonishing the mayor’s assistant and drawing the attention of reporters. He reached the second floor with Agumon, where three smoky Pokémon rushed toward them.

• The mayor’s assistant saw Qingliu emerge into the passage and realized he had cleared the first floor after setting a record for the longest successful attempt.
• The mayor ordered the assistant to alert the town’s media outlets and bring Qingliu the first-floor reward.
• Reporters rushed to film the surveillance feed, while one reporter questioned Candice about Qingliu and his strength.
• Candice identified Qingliu as her friend, said he was stronger than her, and refused to answer questions about his Pokémon.
• Qingliu entered the second floor, opened Agumon’s Poké Ball, and ordered Agumon to use Pepper Breath on three approaching Pokémon.

Qingliu and Agumon fought three Gastly, using Small Explosion to knock out the two that knew Hypnosis. With only the strongest Gastly remaining, Qingliu ordered Agumon to resume the attack.

• Agumon peppered the charging Gastly with fireballs, then failed to hit one with Razor Claw because its gaseous body drifted out of reach.
• Qingliu identified Hypnosis as the main threat and told Agumon to keep firing Pepper Breath while avoiding Razor Claw without a command.
• The strongest Gastly used Mean Look on Agumon, but Agumon showed no fear and began gathering flames.
• Qingliu drew the strongest Gastly away and ordered Agumon to use Small Explosion on the other two Gastly, knocking them both out.
• Qingliu asked whether Agumon could continue, then ordered him to clear a path with Pepper Breath and attack the remaining Gastly with Razor Claw.

Qingliu and Agumon cleared the second and third floors of the Lost Tower, and Agumon rose to level 19. After the third-floor battle, Qingliu discovered something that threatened to disrupt his plans.

• Agumon defeated the level 18 Gastly with a second Small Explosion, then leveled up from 16 to 17.
• Agumon asked Qingliu for all ten remaining Pokéblocks, and Qingliu agreed after checking that Agumon could recover to normal condition within an hour.
• After resting for half an hour, Qingliu and Agumon challenged the third floor, where they faced a level 19 Murkrow, a level 18 Misdreavus, and a level 18 Gastly.
• Agumon defeated Gastly with Small Explosion, quickly beat Misdreavus, and took an arm injury before defeating Murkrow with another point-blank Small Explosion.
• Agumon rose from level 17 to 19 after the battles, while Qingliu discovered something that could disrupt his plans.

After Agumon cleared the third floor, Qingliu suspected the strange noises from the fourth floor were frightening its Pokémon and waited for Agumon to recover before cautiously approaching. Outside the tower, the reporters, Solaceo Town’s mayor, and Candice watched Qingliu’s progress and wondered whether he could clear the fourth floor.

• Qingliu realized the strange crashes from above had distracted the third-floor Pokémon and decided to investigate the fourth floor after Agumon recovered.
• Qingliu rested for more than two hours, then cautiously advanced from the third-floor passage toward the fourth.
• The reporters saw Qingliu emerge into the passage after clearing the third floor, and some argued over how he had managed to last so long.
• The mayor of Solaceon Town celebrated Qingliu’s progress and ordered his assistant to bring the reward for clearing the third floor.
• Candice watched Qingliu’s progress with Snover and considered that he might clear the fourth floor and reach the fifth.

Qingliu investigated strange noises on the Fourth Floor and found its Pokémon guardians extremely weakened and terrified. After they refused to explain what had happened, they blocked his way to the Fifth Floor, forcing Qingliu to prepare for a battle with Agumon.

• Qingliu and Agumon found that the Fourth Floor's Misdreavus and Golbat were extremely weakened, unlike the Pokémon on the lower floors.
• Qingliu heard loud crashes and Pokémon cries from the Fifth Floor and concluded that the source of the noises was upstairs.
• Qingliu sent Agumon to question the three guardians, but they trembled at the thought of the culprit and gave no answers.
• Qingliu headed for the Fifth Floor, but Golbat and the two Misdreavus blocked the passage despite their weakened condition.
• Qingliu gave up trying to persuade the guardians and let Agumon fight.

Qingliu and Agumon defeated the Lost Tower’s Fourth Floor guardians, but a hostile Spiritomb descended from the Fifth Floor and blocked their escape. As Spiritomb appeared, the panel’s previously dormant summoning function suddenly responded.

• Agumon defeated Golbat and two Misdreavus, reached level 20, and rested while Qingliu treated the Pokémon.
• Qingliu prepared to recall Agumon and leave, but Agumon sensed a powerful presence approaching from above.
• Qingliu identified the approaching creature as Spiritomb and ordered Agumon to flee toward the Third Floor.
• Mist and eerie laughter surrounded Qingliu and Agumon as Spiritomb emerged from an Odd Keystone and confronted them.
• The panel’s summoning function suddenly responded after Spiritomb appeared.

Qingliu’s panel explored the frenzied Spiritomb and summoned a Digivice, which fused into his palm and revealed that Agumon could evolve. As Spiritomb attacked, a woman’s voice ordered it to stop.

• Qingliu realized Spiritomb had triggered the panel’s exploration and told Agumon to keep it occupied while the process finished.
• The panel completed its exploration and randomly summoned a first-generation Digivice.
• The Digivice melted into Qingliu’s palm and left a matching mark.
• The panel showed that Agumon had met an evolution requirement and offered to begin an irreversible evolution.
• Spiritomb roared and charged at Qingliu and Agumon, but a woman’s voice ordered it to stop.

Qingliu met Cynthia in the Lost Tower after her Spiritomb went berserk, and helped her Gabite restrain it. After learning that Cynthia had been unable to calm Spiritomb, Qingliu suggested that its excess negative emotions might be the cause, leaving Cynthia to consider his explanation.

• Spiritomb briefly faltered at a woman's voice before its savage aura surged and it attacked Qingliu again.
• Cynthia's Gabite intercepted Spiritomb's blast, struck its Odd Keystone, and pinned it to the ground.
• Cynthia apologized to Qingliu and explained that Spiritomb had escaped while she napped in the Lost Tower.
• Cynthia said she had caught Spiritomb in a Ruined Village and brought it to the tower to release the energy it had accumulated while sealed, but it had not calmed down.
• Qingliu examined Spiritomb's information and suggested its negative emotions might be too strong, prompting Cynthia to ask if that was why it had become unstable.

Qingliu and Cynthia worked out that Spiritomb’s rampage came from an excess of negative energy and gathered Ghost-type Pokémon to draw it out. The chapter ended as eight Misdreavus began absorbing the energy from Spiritomb while Gabite held it down.

• Qingliu explained that Spiritomb’s rampage came from an overload of negative energy and that Ghost-type Pokémon could absorb it.
• Cynthia realized the Red Prayer Beads worn by Misdreavus might draw out the energy, and she had Gabite gather Ghost-type Pokémon from the Lost Tower.
• Gabite returned with six Misdreavus and nine Gastly, joining the two Misdreavus already there.
• Cynthia tried to persuade the Misdreavus and Gastly to help, but they refused until Qingliu threatened them with Gabite.
• Qingliu arranged the Pokémon in circles around Spiritomb, and eight Misdreavus used their Red Prayer Beads to draw negative energy from it.

Qingliu helped Cynthia’s Spiritomb recover by having Misdreavus and Gastly absorb most of its negative energy. After the Pokémon rested, Qingliu and Cynthia agreed to a battle between Spiritomb and Agumon the next day near a river south of Solaceon Town.

• Qingliu had Misdreavus and Gastly draw negative energy from Spiritomb, reassuring Cynthia that the painful process was not life-threatening.
• The Misdreavus and Gastly absorbed much of the energy, grew stronger, and eventually stopped as they neared their limits, leaving about a third around Spiritomb.
• Cynthia released Spiritomb from Gabite’s hold, comforted it, and thanked Qingliu for helping it recover.
• Spiritomb showed interest in battling Agumon, and Qingliu accepted after learning of Spiritomb’s challenge.
• Qingliu and Cynthia agreed to let their Pokémon rest and battle the next day near a river south of Solaceon Town.

Qingliu explained Agumon’s rarity and ability to speak to Cynthia, who offered to use her family’s influence to register him as an ancient Pokémon. In exchange, she asked Qingliu to give her his all in their battle the next day, and they parted looking forward to it.

• Cynthia asked whether Qingliu had chosen a remote place to keep Agumon hidden, and Qingliu admitted he wanted to protect Agumon from people seeking rare Pokémon.
• Agumon agreed to let Cynthia pet him, and she was astonished to discover that he could speak and seemed exceptionally capable of battle.
• Cynthia offered to publicly vouch for Agumon and have her family contact Professor Oak to register his basic information.
• Cynthia asked Qingliu to fight her with everything he had in their battle the next day, and they exchanged names and shook hands.

Qingliu cleared the Lost Tower with Cynthia’s help, collected his reward, and escaped the reporters with the mayor’s assistance. After meeting Candice, he explained how he reached the fifth floor and reaffirmed his confidence in his upcoming battle with Cynthia.

• Qingliu and Cynthia left the Lost Tower and were swarmed by reporters, while Gabite kept them away from Cynthia.
• The mayor congratulated Qingliu and presented him with the 150,000 League Coin reward as they performed for the cameras.
• Qingliu slipped away from the reporters and met Candice, who questioned how he had cleared all five floors.
• Qingliu explained that Cynthia had helped him deal with the fifth floor, then told Candice he was confident about battling her.