Chapter 128: The World Has Fallen Silent

A Weavile, distinguished by a colorful crest atop its head and claws noticeably longer and sharper than its kin, appeared between Erika and the Sneasel. With calm detachment, it blocked Erika’s Razor Leaf. A wicked smirk played on its face as it looked at Erika, as if mocking her negligence and carelessness.

Erika’s heart was burning with anxiety. Deep down, she was already cursing the staff responsible for clearing the forest. How could an elite-level Weavile this dangerous be allowed in a training forest for novices?

There was no time for Erika to dwell on such thoughts. She reached for the other Poké Balls on her belt, preparing to release another Pokémon. Yet, just as she moved, the Weavile—which only a moment ago had been engaged with her Vileplume—flashed with white light and lunged toward her. Its razor-sharp claws were aimed directly at the hand holding the Poké Ball, clearly signaling: "Stop now, or lose your hand."

Erika did not falter. Instead of withdrawing, she unleashed a Roserade from her ball. With a flash of light, the Pokémon appeared and struck the Weavile with a Magical Leaf. Forced to retreat, the Weavile’s assault was thwarted, and Erika’s crisis was averted. Truth be told, under normal circumstances, an elite-level Weavile would not have required Erika to use two Pokémon. However, the attack had been too sudden, the Weavile’s speed was overwhelming, and her Vileplume was far too slow to be an effective match-up.

But while Erika was safe, the students were still in danger from the Sneasel, which was far beyond their ability to handle.

Roserade and the Weavile were locked in combat, and the Weavile quickly began to lose ground. Erika glanced anxiously at the students, only to suddenly let out a sigh of relief. Chen Ou was not merely there for show; seeing the situation turn dire, he naturally intervened.

Since he was some distance away from the main group of students, a burst of flames erupted beneath his feet, and he dashed toward them like a streak of lightning. Bianca, choked by the dust kicked up in his wake, hurried to follow, waking the Chimchar on her head as she ran. After their recent bout with a Pinsir, Bianca knew exactly what level of strength the little creature born not long ago possessed. Honestly, it was impossible to learn; such "hacks" were simply not for sale.

As Chen Ou saw the Sneasel’s claws about to strike the young girl who had raised her hand to ask a question earlier, he swiped his hand across his belt and tossed a Poké Ball. With a flash of white, a Charmeleon appeared beside the Sneasel and, in the nick of time, swiped the young but vicious Pokémon away. The Charmeleon landed, remaining vigilant, and immediately chased after the flying Sneasel to ensure no further threats remained.

Chen Ou wiped the cold sweat from his brow. That had been dangerously close. Had he or his Charmeleon been half a second slower, the lovely young girl would have met a tragic end.

Fortunately, in the ensuing panic, no one noticed Chen Ou’s moment of transforming into flame. While Chen Ou didn't mind if others knew of his abilities, he preferred to avoid unnecessary complications. He extinguished the flames and walked over to Youyue, saying calmly, "Are you alright? Don't be afraid; it's taken care of."

Though there were many accidents over the years, they were usually minor—mostly Sneasels or Haunters causing trouble. This was one of the rare instances where Chen Ou wasn't involved with Legendary Pokémon. Just as he was feeling relieved that the incident hadn't been worse, a soft, delicate body threw itself into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

Chen Ou felt the girl trembling in his embrace. He remained awkward, unsure whether to hold her back or push her away. There was no such thing as "the innocent have nothing to hide" in this situation. Actions spoke louder than intentions. A hug might seem like nothing, but Chen Ou couldn't quite accept it—even though it felt perfectly natural when he hugged Cynthia.

"Classmate, there's no need for that. Don't be afraid," Chen Ou said with an awkward smile, shooting a "help me" look at Bianca, who had just caught up. Bianca simply shrugged, indicating she was helpless. To be fair, she really was. What could she do? Pull Youyue off Chen Ou? She wasn't his girlfriend, and she didn't know Youyue well; it would be inappropriate to intervene.

The surrounding students, initially shocked, now looked as if they were watching a show. Despite their fear, their instinct for gossip quickly returned, and they watched with great interest as Youyue clung to Chen Ou.

Just as Chen Ou was struggling with an awkward smile, his savior appeared.

"Alright, alright, stop embarrassing yourself! If you want to cry, cry on me! What kind of nonsense is it to hug the Doctor?" Hui Li stepped forward and grabbed the hood of Youyue’s jacket, pulling her back.

"Oh! Hui Li, I haven't had enough yet!"

Youyue was dragged away, though she didn't seem to be putting up a real fight. Her words left Chen Ou feeling quite helpless. He could only offer a bitter smile. If he claimed he was the one suffering, people would say he was being hypocritical, enjoying the benefits while acting reluctant. But if one suggested he was taking advantage of the situation, Chen Ou certainly didn't feel that way. Youyue was neither as cute as Bianca nor as beautiful as Cynthia; how could he feel any excitement from her hug? Of course, that wasn't to say Youyue wasn't pretty, but Chen Ou was accustomed to the company of exceptionally beautiful people.

Just then, Charmeleon returned, carrying the dazed, swirl-eyed Sneasel. He poked Chen Ou’s waist with his claw. Chen Ou snapped out of his daze, patted the Pokémon’s head with a "Good work," and returned him to his ball.

He then addressed the students: "Gather around and stand straight! Watch how Teacher Erika handles the battle over there!" Given the strength Chen Ou had just displayed, the students didn't dare disobey. They lined up neatly and turned their attention to Erika.

Erika, hearing Chen Ou’s command, sighed bitterly, feeling as though he were mocking her, but she ordered, "Roserade, finish this! Don't let them laugh at us!"

"Rose!" Roserade responded, its gaze sharpening. Spotting an opening, it unleashed a Solar Beam directly into the Weavile’s face.

And with that, the world went quiet.