"Xiao Wu, hurry up."
Chu Xin watched the Dratini running around the field with exhaustion written all over his face. Training Pokémon really was tiring.
Zhao Ge sat in his rocking chair, gazing up at the sun umbrella overhead as he sighed.
The sun was scorching, baking him until even his throat felt dry.
No, I need a drink.
Chu Xin picked up the chilled drink on the table beside him and took a sip. In an instant, all his exhaustion seemed to vanish.
I'm such a hardworking person. I should do more training like this.
After working desperately to finish every lap assigned, Xiao Wu crawled wearily over to Chu Xin.
"Mu!?" (Didn't you say we'd run together? Where were you?)
Xiao Wu glared angrily at Chu Xin. Why hadn't this human kept his word? He had vanished halfway through their run.
Chu Xin sighed helplessly.
"Xiao Wu, I've been watching you this whole time, haven't I? My heart has been with you all along."
"Mu!" (I'm so mad!)
Xiao Wu's big, watery eyes brimmed with murderous intent. This was unbearable. Something was stuck in Xiao Wu's throat, and it had to come out!
Furious, Xiao Wu opened wide and shot a stream of blue fire at Chu Xin. Startled, Chu Xin hurriedly dodged aside, but the flames struck his recliner, leaving a black mark.
Both Chu Xin and Xiao Wu were startled. Aier, the maid watching from nearby, stepped behind Xiao Wu to prevent another attack.
Chu Xin reached out and rubbed the black ash on the recliner, a trace of shock in his eyes.
"Was that... Dragon Rage?!"
Dratini were weak, shy Pokémon, so they usually hid beneath waterfalls or at the bottom of lakes. When faced with extreme danger, however, they would spit blue flames at their enemies. That attack was Dragon Rage.
But Xiao Wu was a newly hatched Dratini and hadn't learned that move yet. Could this be a matter of natural talent?
As an innate move, Dragon Rage needed a certain stimulus to awaken. With power like this, it couldn't quite be called Dragon Rage yet. More practice was needed.
Still, looking at the black ash on his recliner, Chu Xin flushed a little.
Dragon Rage was a move that awakened when a Dratini became extremely angry. Apparently, he really had upset Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have slacked off."
Chu Xin looked apologetically at Xiao Wu, but Xiao Wu clearly hadn't forgiven him, turning away and ignoring him.
"Mu!" (I'm not forgiving you!)
Ah, Xiao Wu really is angry.
"How about double Pokéblocks for dinner?"
"Mu~!" (No taking it back!)
At the mention of delicious food, Xiao Wu instantly chose to forgive Chu Xin. No matter how serious the issue, food must never suffer for it. Delicious food was innocent!
Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with visions of Pokéblocks. Clearly, what had just happened was already forgotten.
Beside them, Aier sighed helplessly. These two children really did worry her to death. She was so tired!
Never mind. It looks like Xiao Wu and Chu Xin will be fine.
To think the young master is already so good at getting along with magical beasts when he's only just started interacting with them. His bond with Xiao Wu is almost as strong as mine with Garchomp. How strange!
Seeing that everything on the field was fine, Aier turned and quietly left. Neither Chu Xin nor Xiao Wu noticed her departure.
On the field, having just soothed Xiao Wu, Chu Xin recalled what he knew about Dragon Rage.
Dragon Rage used Dragon-type energy to attack an enemy. In the games, it dealt a fixed 40 points of damage, but things weren't calculated that way in this world.
Dragon-type energy was extremely powerful in the Pokémon world, and Dragon Rage, a move that used that energy, was naturally very powerful as well. If Xiao Wu truly mastered it, that would provide another powerful move during these early years.
Moreover, Dragon Rage drew upon Dragon-type energy. Becoming proficient at using it would also help with learning moves later on.
As Chu Xin remembered it, the Z-Move "Devastating Drake" was a powerful move that required a Dragonium Z crystal and a Pokémon capable of using Dragon-type energy.
Of course, all that was a long way off. Chu Xin hadn't even caught a glimpse of a Z-Crystal yet.
Still, if Xiao Wu could successfully master Dragon Rage, that would also improve proficiency with Dragon-type energy, which would be a great help when learning Dragon-type moves in the future.
"Xiao Wu, do you remember how angry you felt just now?"
Chu Xin looked at Xiao Wu expectantly, but Xiao Wu merely opened wide. Nothing happened. Clearly, the earlier incident had been a fluke.
"Can't do it anymore? Xiao Wu, give it a try. Think back to how angry you were just now. Maybe you'll be able to use it."
But Xiao Wu had clearly already forgiven Chu Xin. Even recalling that earlier anger produced only a wisp of blue light around Xiao Wu's mouth. It plainly wasn't doing much.
This isn't working. Xiao Wu just used Dragon Rage, so there should still be some memory of it. Why won't it work now?
Could it depend on emotions?
"Xiao Wu, there won't be any Pokéblocks tonight. Aier just called and said we've run out. More won't arrive in the mail until tomorrow..."
Before Chu Xin could finish, blue flames appeared around Xiao Wu's mouth. Xiao Wu stared at him furiously, eyes blazing.
Xiao Wu opened wide, and a blue fireball hurtled toward Chu Xin. Startled, he hurriedly dodged aside, and it struck the spot where he had been standing, leaving a black mark.
Apparently, it really did depend on emotions. This attack was far stronger than the earlier one. Clearly, Little Mu was getting better at using Dragon Rage.
Chu Xin looked at Xiao Wu with delight.
"Little Mu, great job! You're getting better and better at using that move! Little Mu? Little Mu!!!"
Xiao Wu: (.﹏.)
"Mu!" (No more Pokéblocks! It hurts! It hurts so much!)
In a fury, Xiao Wu couldn't hear anything else. Dragon-type energy gathered in Xiao Wu's mouth before being spat at the liar standing ahead. Clearly, anger had overwhelmed all reason.
"Xiao Wu, we still have Pokéblocks! I lied! Xiao Wu, I'm sorry!"
But the furious Xiao Wu clearly had no intention of forgiving Chu Xin. Weak blasts of Dragon Rage kept flying at him, forcing him to dodge again and again around the field.
Off to the side, Aier watched the farce on the field calmly and took a peaceful sip of coffee. Beside her, Garchomp watched Chu Xin and laughed heartily.
"Roar."
"Are you asking why I'm not going to save the young master? Don't tell me you haven't noticed. Even at the height of that Dratini's anger, those attacks deliberately avoided him. Xiao Wu could never bear to hurt the young master. This is just blowing off steam now. If you want to go, go save him."
Garchomp curled a lip, clearly having no intention of helping either. The desire to sit back and enjoy the show, however, was obvious.
Before you continue