章 18: Chapter 18: It Can't Be That Charmander!
Chapter 18: It Can't Be That Charmander!
Luo Hoshino found himself momentarily lost in thought, reminiscing about his first encounter with his Pokémon. But he quickly shook off the nostalgia and barked, "Enough sentimental theatrics! Since you've decided to participate in the High School League, your first task is to acquire a second Pokémon."
Hikaru was puzzled. "Does the High School League require two Pokémon?"
Luo Hoshino shot him a stern look. "What do you think?"
"Understood. I'll take care of it right away," Hikaru replied, nodding.
With that, Luo Hoshino dismissed him back to the group to begin the training session.
"Today's training is simple," Luo Hoshino announced. "The goal is synchronization. Match your Pokémon's pace, no matter how hard it gets."
At first, the students didn't take him seriously, but they quickly realized how grueling the task was.
For instance, in a five-kilometer run, Charmander barely broke a sweat. However, the students struggled to keep up with their Pokémon.
Unless they had a Caterpie, running alongside their Pokémon was near impossible.
And yet, Luo Hoshino kept shouting, "You're their trainers! Do you even understand how hard they train for you? In the wilderness, wild Pokémon won't treat you as just spectators. If you can't keep up, you'll be the first to fall!"
Everyone understood the logic. They just weren't used to such relentless discipline. Now, with Luo Hoshino breathing down their necks, they had no choice but to push themselves.
Five kilometers later, the students collapsed, gasping for air.
Hikaru, however, activated his Quick Recovery Trait. Within five minutes, his energy and stamina were fully restored.
Standing next to him, Wang Miao stared in disbelief. His Squirtle was gulping down water, exhausted.
"Hikaru, are you even human? Aren't you tired?"
"Not really," Hikaru replied casually, shaking his head. "Maybe it's because I train regularly."
Not a single bead of sweat fell from his face. Unintentionally, he once again came off as someone impossibly cool.
In this world, even humans could be considered a type of Pokémon.
Wang Miao stared at him as though he were some kind of monster.
First, Hikaru's Pokémon growth defied logic. Now, even his own endurance seemed superhuman.
At the end of the day, the other students were too drained to move, while Hikaru seemed completely unaffected.
"This is the intensity of the reserve team. If anyone wants to quit, now's the time," Luo Hoshino announced. "For those who stay, expect training like this every day."
Hikaru raised his hand. "What about me?"
"You?" Luo Hoshino smirked. "As long as it doesn't interfere with your cultural studies, you can come whenever you want. If the second-year team needs you, your homeroom teacher will let you know."
Luo Hoshino was immensely satisfied with Hikaru. Not only was Charmander powerful, but Hikaru himself demonstrated exceptional physical fitness and adaptability.
He decided to give Hikaru more autonomy in his training. And with that, Hikaru gained the envy of every student present.
He was granted unlimited leave privileges.
"By the way," Luo Hoshino added, "since your Charmander is a fire-type, you should visit the Fire Gym to learn more advanced moves before the league. Here's my card—tell them I sent you. Gym Leader Zhong Yue is an old friend of mine."
The other students, including Wang Miao, were left feeling the unfairness of the world yet again. But there was nothing they could do.
Hikaru took the card with a grin. It seemed that Luo Hoshino and Zhong Yue had a long-standing friendship.
---
Learning Flamethrower was essential for most fire-type Pokémon, and Hikaru had always wanted Charmander to master it.
Taking Luo Hoshino's suggestion to heart, Hikaru decided to visit the Fire Gym after school. It was a much more affordable option compared to purchasing a Flamethrower Learning Machine, which cost tens of thousands.
When Hikaru arrived at the Fire Gym, the intense heat hit him immediately. It was said that beneath the gym lay a massive magma chamber, saturating the area with fire energy. This made it a paradise for fire-type Pokémon.
However, to his dismay, Hikaru spotted a familiar and unwelcome figure.
Standing near a molten lava pool was Kei Hoshino, his expression cold and distant. Beside him, his Growlithe was diligently practicing its fire techniques.
Kei Hoshino noticed Hikaru as well and stiffened for a moment before quickly averting his gaze, pretending not to recognize him.
Hikaru ignored him. He wasn't here to pick a fight; he was here to see if Zhong Yue would allow Charmander to learn Flamethrower.
At that moment, Zhong Yue entered the gym with his Charizard. Spotting Hikaru, he grinned.
"Right on time! The first exploration of the new secret realm just wrapped up. Your share of the rewards will be delivered to you soon."
Hikaru nodded politely. "I'm actually here to ask if my Charmander can learn Flamethrower."
Hearing this, Zhong Yue frowned. "Charmander? Learn Flamethrower? That's a bit ambitious."
Nearby, Kei Hoshino's attention was drawn to their conversation.
As Hikaru released his Charmander from its Pokéball, Kei's eyes widened in shock.
This Charmander...
It looked familiar.
It looked very familiar.
It resembled the Charmander belonging to the first-place scorer in the training exercise—Hikaru's Charmander.
As he stared at Hikaru's back, recognition slowly dawned on him.
Could it be...
A thought crept into his mind—a possibility he refused to believe.
Could this be the same Charmander he had abandoned on that rainy night?
"Impossible!" Kei Hoshino suddenly shouted, his voice tinged with panic.
Zhong Yue turned to him, annoyed. "What's with you?"
"Nothing, nothing..." Kei Hoshino muttered, his expression conflicted.
The evidence before him was undeniable. This Charmander was likely the one he had abandoned.
But he couldn't admit it—not here, not now. To everyone else, he had claimed that the Charmander had run away after failing to endure his rigorous training.
Zhong Yue shook his head. "Don't be so rash, Kei. Anyway, Hikaru, your Charmander isn't ready for Flamethrower yet. Forcing it now would do more harm than good."
Hikaru nodded, albeit a bit disappointed.
Suddenly, Kei Hoshino stepped forward. "Hikaru, I challenge you to a trainer battle!"
His tone was almost desperate, as if trying to prove something to himself.
There was no way this Charmander—the one he had deemed worthless—could be the same Pokémon standing before him now.
---
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