Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Fierce Battle of the Little Fire Dragon

There was no panic on Xue’s face. The Froslass beside her had already soared forward, countering Growlithe’s attack with a Shadow Ball.

Meanwhile, Charmander was rapidly closing in on Xue. The Froslass locked in fierce battle with Growlithe was clearly unable to spare any effort to intercept Charmander. Yet Xue’s gaze remained fixed on Chen Ou, her expression one of infatuation.

Chen Ou knew this woman still had something up her sleeve, though he wasn’t sure what. But… the answer would soon be revealed.

Charmander’s claws were just about to reach Xue’s neck when suddenly, he felt his whole body seize up, followed by an immense force that sent him flying. Fortunately, Charmander had sensed something amiss and maintained a defensive posture. Even so, the blow was heavy. He struggled to steady himself, stumbling as he landed, then looked up at the newly appeared Froslass, a fierce gleam in his eyes.

Chen Ou raised an eyebrow at the sight of this Froslass. How interesting—she wore a purple sash: a Shiny Froslass.

Charmander received no command from Chen Ou, which meant he was to continue fighting on his own.

That suited Charmander just fine. In the next instant, a pillar of fire surged toward the Shiny Froslass.

The Shiny Froslass covered her mouth with a graceful laugh. It was clear both Froslass had been raised by the same trainer—even their small gestures matched.

Probably hatched from an egg by the trainer herself; only such Pokémon could so fully inherit a trainer’s personality and thought patterns.

An egg-born shiny—Chen Ou felt a pang of envy.

The Shiny Froslass twisted aside, dodging the first wave of flame, but with Chen Ou’s enhancements, Charmander’s Flamethrower wasn’t so easy to evade. Charmander simply turned his head, swinging the jet of fire to track the Froslass.

This was another advantage of Chen Ou’s reinforcement: greatly increased heat resistance. What had once been a simple, short-lived Ember attack could now be sustained much longer.

What’s that? Charmander was using Ember, not Flamethrower? Never mind, then…

The Shiny Froslass was startled by the sudden pursuit of the flames; this was nothing like her previous battles. Still, she remained composed. Realizing she couldn’t dodge, she quickly abandoned the Icy Shard she’d been preparing and used Protect instead. This quick tactical shift was proof of her top-tier combat experience and innate talent.

Charmander couldn’t maintain the fire column indefinitely—not because he was exhausted, but because, according to Chen Ou’s tactics, the attack had served its purpose. Whether forcing an opponent into position or obscuring their vision, it was an effective move.

Truthfully, this kind of battle was tough on both Charmander and Growlithe. Never mind the gap between their base and the opponent’s final evolutions; with Chen Ou giving only evasive commands in moments of danger and leaving the rest to their own judgment, it was already a great challenge.

But that, too, was part of Chen Ou’s design.

Chen Ou was more than a trainer; in the wild, when facing a boss Pokémon, he needed Growlithe and the others to clear out minions, so he himself could take on the boss one-on-one.

That was why he was training them to fight autonomously. Chen Ou’s tactical system had taken shape the moment he met Charmander, and his current approach was gradually moving toward his ideal.

The moment Charmander struck the Shiny Froslass, he immediately shifted to his specialty tactics:

Smoke Screen, Ember, Dragon Rush.

The Smoke Screen clouded the Froslass’s vision. She did not panic, merely flicked her sleeve and swept away the smoke with an Icy Wind.

But as she cleared the smoke, another pillar of flame came hurtling at her. Caught off guard, she had no choice but to use Protect again. Meanwhile, Charmander leaped high, his body aglow with a purplish-red light. As he descended, a dragon-shaped aura burst forth, roaring as it dove at the Shiny Froslass.

She didn’t use Protect again—this wasn’t the time for blind gambles.

Instead, a pink light shimmered around her as she cast Psychic.

It must be said: for both Pokémon and moves, the Psychic type is nothing short of “incredibly useful.” Even an offensive move like Psychic, when used with skill, could become a defensive tool.

Charmander’s Dragon Rush collided head-on with Froslass’s Psychic, and the two attacks locked in place.

Separated by their energies, dragon and specter stared each other down. The Froslass, meeting Charmander’s fierce, determined gaze, curled her lips in a mocking smile.

Charmander saw that slight sneer and felt a surge of nameless fury.

Against Froslass, against himself…

Why am I so powerless? Why… am I this weak?

Charmander let out a youthful roar. Strangely, that roar, once feeble, now began to carry true force.

A white light flared around Charmander. Within it, his body stretched and changed, rapidly taking on a new form.

Seeing this, Xue shouted her command at once:

“Froslass, get away! Use Blizzard to interrupt his evolution!”

The Shiny Froslass obeyed, retreating and preparing Blizzard.

But Xue herself was now facing extreme danger.

Chen Ou became a living flame, flashing to Xue’s side in an instant. One hand gripped her throat; the other conjured a blade of fire.

“Your methods are truly revolting…” Chen Ou said coldly, his voice carrying a hint of murderous intent.

To interrupt a Pokémon’s evolution—such an act could damage the very core of its being. True, it was rare for such harm to occur.

But more often, it meant instant death.

Chen Ou had always claimed that, when dealing with the vile and wicked, one need not abide by any code of honor. Yet in truth, he had never once intended to kill a person or Pokémon.

Even back in his original world, he had always loved Pokémon. The deaths of those thousands of Grimers had pained and saddened him deeply. That was why he never hesitated to involve himself in great events, doing all he could to minimize losses.

At that moment, the Shiny Froslass’s Blizzard was ready: a bitter wind laced with icy shards surged toward Charmander.

Chen Ou’s heart clenched with worry. The more anxious he grew, the tighter his grip became. Xue’s face flushed red—she was clearly on the verge of suffocation.

Suddenly, the flames surrounding Chen Ou leapt with excitement.

The stone in his heart was at last lifted. He released his grip at once.

Xue staggered back, clutching her throat, gasping desperately for breath, with no thought for her dignity. Around her pale neck, angry red burns stood out starkly.

Chen Ou looked toward Charmander and said softly, “Welcome, Charmeleon.”

A great pillar of white fire blasted through the Blizzard, shattering it, and slammed into the Shiny Froslass.

PS: Many thanks to Mo Bai Mu Chen for the 100 Qidian coins. Wishing you health, good fortune, and endless luck in love!