Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Fire Dragon

Dust in the darkness was like a thick black fog, swallowing the light and plunging everything into a silence laced with the despair of utter darkness… Until a wave of white flame burned away the dark, consuming the smoke and snow, and once again scattered light and warmth across the world.

That white flame was so bright and so scorching.

Chen Ou gazed at the white flame, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

As the smoke cleared, a Pokémon appeared, its body glowing with a deep orange-red hue. Upon its head was a horn-like protrusion, its mouth had grown pointed, resembling a bird's beak. Its limbs and tail were longer than those of a Charmander, claws more slender and sharp, with a flame still burning at the end of its tail.

This was Charmeleon… The Pokémon that marked Charmander’s true transformation from child to warrior.

Charmeleon's white flame was its own unique power; according to Professor Oak’s Pokédex, Charmeleon could unleash a blue-white flame when emotionally charged.

Yet the white flame before them was both Charmeleon's innate ability and the result of Chen Ou’s own powers, purified and enhanced.

Chen Ou rubbed his chin, clearly recognizing the white flame’s attack was far stronger than ordinary fire. Logically, Mega Charizard X could maintain blue flames as its norm.

So Chen Ou considered whether it might be worthwhile to train Charmander—no, Charmeleon—to sustain the white flame as a regular ability.

Hmm, not a bad direction for its development.

Meanwhile, Xue sat slumped on the ground, staring blankly at the gleaming Snow Maiden who had been blasted away.

This was entirely unexpected. Neither Chen Ou turning into a fire-man nor Charmeleon defeating her shiny Snow Maiden with a single Flamethrower had been in her plans.

Frankly, she was stunned. This was nothing like a normal battle. Who ignores the basic rules of engagement? With such a huge difference in levels, how could things go wrong?

Unfortunately, Chen Ou had no idea what Xue was thinking. If he did, he would quietly mutter, "In the world of cheat codes, you just don’t get it."

To be fair, Charmeleon’s strength had indeed surpassed Chen Ou’s expectations. He rubbed his chin, wondering if his powers also had some restorative effect. It seemed Charmeleon was now even more overpowered.

If it were to evolve into Charizard… what then?

The thought excited Chen Ou, and he also noticed that Charmeleon’s latest attack was no longer Ember, but Flamethrower.

According to the game, Flamethrower was a move learned automatically at level thirty.

Was Charmeleon already at such a high level?

How many functions of his fruit ability had he yet to unlock?

The realization gave Chen Ou a splitting headache…

That damned, unscrupulous game developer couldn’t even bother to give him a cheat manual when sending him across worlds? Others transmigrate with a system; he didn’t get one, and had to figure out even his cheat code’s usage all by himself…

It could only be described as a disastrous start to his transmigration…

But now was not the time for Chen Ou to dwell on such things. The battle was not yet over.

The shiny Snow Maiden struggled to her feet; it was clear that the type disadvantage had inflicted significant harm.

Yet, as a formidable near-Champion-level Pokémon, she was not so fragile. Charmeleon’s attack, though delivered in anger, had been hurried, meant to extricate itself, not carefully prepared. The damage, in truth, had not reached its full potential.

So expecting a single strike to rob her of her fighting spirit was unrealistic.

Still, Chen Ou no longer worried about the outcome. As for Growlithe…

At this moment, Growlithe was having fun toying with the Snow Maiden…

Striking with Ember, then pouncing with Fire Fang, and retreating with Flame Wheel, embodying the essence of both trickery and caution.

Whenever struck, it would heal itself with Morning Sun…

Such a rogueish tactic was precisely why Chen Ou never worried about Growlithe. It might seem a bit simple-minded, but in truth, it was much cleverer than Charmander.

Born with an innate bond to Chen Ou, its personality seemed molded from the same template. Coupled with absolute trust in Chen Ou, its progress was even faster than Charmander’s.

Chen Ou still fretted over Charmander’s evolution, but with Growlithe, he had no such concerns. Give it a Fire Stone now, and it would easily evolve into Arcanine, powerful as ever. The only reason he hadn’t evolved it yet was because Growlithe still had untapped potential.

Its talent was extraordinary.

Here, Chen Ou silently thanked a few old friends—the Mayor, the Fortune Child, the Great Benefactor!

Retracting his gaze, Chen Ou looked at Charmeleon, who was now eyeing the shiny Snow Maiden like a predator. He commanded, “Charmeleon, Flamethrower!”

Charmeleon obeyed instantly, unleashing a stream of orange-red fire. Within the flames, hints of white still flickered, though they no longer dominated.

Thankfully, this slightly charged Flamethrower was more like a tidal wave of flame.

It filled nearly all the space before Charmeleon with fire.

The temperature and volume of the flames were absurdly high.

This was simply beyond what any Charmeleon could achieve.

Within the flames, the Snow Maiden erected a Protect barrier, a verdant shield warding off the overwhelming fire. She could only describe the force of the flames as immense and crushing.

The green barrier quivered, seemingly on the brink of shattering.

Fortunately, the wave of fire soon faded, and behind the shield—now riddled with cracks—the Snow Maiden stared at the resolute Charmeleon with fearful eyes, her expression pitiful.

But Charmeleon, ever the determined warrior, would not let an opponent go so easily.

He strode slowly up to the Snow Maiden, extending his sharp claws.

In his steadfast gaze, there was no mercy, no pity.

Enemies should all fall on the battlefield.

Having stepped onto the field of battle, one must be prepared to die.

Charmeleon raised his claw high, and in the Snow Maiden’s despairing gaze, amidst Xue’s cry of “No,” his claws flashed with white light and then ignited, coming down in a fierce strike.

And then…

Struck another newly-erected Protect barrier…

Chen Ou: …

Charmeleon: …

Snow Maiden: trembling with fear

Damn, two consecutive Protects—how respectable!

Both Chen Ou and Charmeleon found their spirits flagging.

Charmeleon’s face darkened as he struck several more times, finally smashing the barrier.

With another swipe, he knocked out the Snow Maiden, then walked back toward Chen Ou, still scowling.

Damn it, all the dignity of a battle-hardened warrior was utterly lost!