Rescue

All seven Water-type Pokémon and four Ground-type Pokémon were recalled.

"Go! Charizard!"

Hua Silai threw her Pokémon Ball. A Charizard landed on the ground and breathed a stream of fire.

Su Bai hadn't expected Hua Silai's ace to be such a rare Pokémon.

"Charizard, let's go!"

Hua Silai climbed onto Charizard, while the Breeding Teacher called over an Altaria.

Su Bai walked over with Pikachu.

"Teacher, senior, let me come too! My Pikachu knows Surf."

"No! It's too dangerous. Only fourth-year school team members can take part in missions at this level."

Hua Silai was the first to turn Su Bai down. In a wildfire of this scale, even if Pikachu knew Surf, Su Bai would still be in serious danger without a Water-type Pokémon to protect him.

The Breeding Teacher also told Su Bai not to act rashly and to stay here to soothe the frightened Pokémon.

After the two left, peace returned to the breeding area.

Su Bai glanced at Pikachu, then at Gengar in his shadow, before turning and climbing onto the last Altaria.

"Altaria, sorry for the trouble!"

After spending these past few days together, Su Bai had become familiar with all the Pokémon in the breeding area, so Altaria was willing to let him ride.

Altaria cried out, spread its wings, and soared into the sky.

Faced with a disaster like this, Su Bai simply couldn't stand by and do nothing.

Su Bai wasn't a saint, but he knew he was someone with a strong sense of empathy.

If he stood by and did nothing, Su Bai couldn't imagine how awful he would feel when he saw the casualty figures afterward.

He couldn't live up to the idea that greater power meant greater responsibility, but saving even one more Pokémon or person would still be something.

Along the way, many professional Trainers and capable citizens had come out to help.

Teachers and students from the Pokémon Departments of various schools had also turned out in large numbers.

Su Bai even spotted three familiar figures from the sky.

Zi Shang had her Azumarill with her, while Ru Meng held Milotic's Pokémon Ball. The two were riding a Pidgeot.

Zhang Zhi was riding a Mantine, which used Aqua Jet to weave between the buildings.

"Your school actually let you come out to help?"

"No, we sneaked out too!"

Zi Shang patted Azumarill.

"As Trainers, how could we stand by and do nothing at a time like this?"

"Good point!"

As more and more Trainers gathered at the foot of the mountain, the authorities had no choice but to set up a safety cordon and assign some police officers to stop the volunteers from approaching.

It was actually the right thing to do.

In a disaster this large, even having a Water-type Pokémon was no guarantee of safety. The volunteers also lacked organization and discipline. Rushing into the fire would only create chaos, add pointless casualties, and interfere with the firefighters' efforts.

The volunteers who had arrived could only direct their Pokémon to help from outside the cordon.

High-level Water-type Pokémon with powerful attacks could help put out the fire.

Pokémon such as Staryu, Octillery, and Clauncher could still help by spraying water around the perimeter to cool it down.

The firefighters' Seaking, Wailmer, Floatzel, and other Pokémon all moved as close as possible, even plunging into the flames to rescue Pokémon that were trying to escape but had caught fire.

Those three species all had the Water Veil Ability, so they weren't afraid of burns.

Working alongside the fire engines, Blastoise, Feraligatr, Gyarados, and other Pokémon unleashed their full water power. One powerful Hydro Pump after another formed a barrier between the wildfire and the city.

The Ground-type Pokémon used moves such as Mud Shot and Sandstorm to smother the flames.

At a time like this, Psychic-type Pokémon were also extremely useful.

The Psychic-type Pokémon all used Protect, Light Screen, and Safeguard to keep the frontline firefighters and Pokémon from being burned by the flames.

The second line of defense consisted of Breeding Teachers from various schools.

Most of their Pokémon could use healing moves such as Heal Bell and Mystic Water, cooling down, extinguishing, and treating the Pokémon that rushed out of the fire.

This second line of defense was not to be underestimated. The small Pokémon fleeing the blaze were all carrying flames on their bodies. If they were allowed to run into the city while still burning, the consequences would be unimaginable.

As the strongest local combatant, Qi Shijun could hold back the fire from one direction all by himself.

This was also Su Bai's first glimpse of true Elite Four Level power.

Jynx's Sheer Cold froze vast swaths at a time.

The female Machamp threw up wave after wave of sand and dirt, burying the flames.

Gardevoir also raised enormous Light Screens, blocking the flames outright and preventing them from spreading.

Although they were extinguishing the fire quickly, they could only advance into the mountains from the city side. After all, building a firebreak to protect the city came first.

Every Pokémon capable of using Rain Dance began using it.

"Gengar, use Rain Dance! Pikachu, use Surf! Altaria, Ice Beam!"

Flying overhead, Su Bai did what little he could to help.

"Hee hee hee. (Kid, something's wrong.)"

"What's wrong, old ghost?"

Gengar pointed a stubby finger in a direction not far away.

That area had already been engulfed by the wildfire and was extremely dangerous.

"Over there! There's human life energy. People are still trapped inside, at least three or four!"

"Are they all alive?"

"Alive and kicking, but that might change if they burn a little longer."

Hearing Gengar's words, Su Bai landed somewhere inconspicuous, recalled Altaria, and asked Gengar to take him over.

Altaria was too conspicuous.

Gengar nodded and led Su Bai and Pikachu into the woods.

At the spot Gengar had indicated, two men, two women, and a Meowth were huddled together in two groups, trembling all over.

Not even the billowing smoke could stop their shouting.

"Help!" ×5

"What an awful feeling!" ×3

"What an awful mood!" ×2

The man and woman huddled with Meowth wore white combat uniforms. They were Jessie and James.

The man and woman on the other side wore black combat uniforms. They were Cassidy and Butch.

When Su Bai arrived, he froze on the spot.

"You?"

"Dragon Nation twerp, please save us!"

"We'll never forget your kindness, meow!"

Su Bai was genuinely shocked to find this bunch here.

But what shocked him even more was that Jessie and her trio were speaking the language of the Dragon Nation!

It's only been two months!

You're already this fluent in the Dragon Nation's language?

Especially you, Meowth. You even know how to say you'll never forget someone's kindness?

Wait a second!

"You lot, don't tell me you had nothing to do with this fire?"

At Su Bai's question, Jessie and James shuddered.

Cassidy and Butch hadn't learned the Dragon Nation's language yet, so they didn't react.

"Since you've asked us so sincerely!"

"We'll be merciful enough to tell you."

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To safeguard the world's peace."

Crash-!

A large tree, charred dry by the fire, came crashing down, cutting off the Team Rocket Trio's entrance speech.

Seeing these two idiots still insisting on their opening lines in the middle of an inferno, Su Bai turned to leave.

"Forget it. I'm not saving you."