Chapter Seventy-Four: The Flame of the Cadre

The water column and the pillar of fire collided, stirring up a dense mist that slowly began to condense in the cold air. Before it could fully form, a Crobat sliced through the haze, darting out at high speed toward Zhao Fang’s position.

Zhao Fang’s pupils contracted; right after he ordered Gyarados to use Water Pulse, he’d begun moving to a new spot, but he hadn’t expected the opposing Pokémon to arrive so quickly.

“Gyarados! Stop it!” Zhao Fang urgently commanded. Gyarados leapt up, jaws wide, ready to bite, but Crobat was astonishingly swift, nimbly evading Gyarados’s attack. Its wing edge even grazed Gyarados’s body, leaving a mark.

Without pause, Crobat charged at Zhao Fang, its sharp fangs reflecting in his eyes. Just as it was about to bite him, Crobat’s face was struck, sending it tumbling through the air several times before it managed to stabilize—Dragapult had made its move.

“Dreee!” Dragapult let out an angry cry, furious that someone would attempt to harm its meal ticket—or rather, its trainer! Absolutely unforgivable!

Watching Dragapult rush forward and deliver another Dragon Tail to Crobat, Zhao Fang finally breathed a sigh of relief. This Crobat had exceptional speed, but speed-focused Dragapult was equally matched.

Zhao Fang looked up and saw Camerupt lumbering over on its thick legs, accompanied by a Mightyena at its side.

“Three versus three?” Zhao Fang eyed the approaching enemies with puzzlement. He hadn’t expected this lineup; previously, he thought they would outnumber him.

“Boss Blaze, are you sure you don’t need to send out any more Pokémon?” The cold-faced woman at the side was tending to an injured teammate, still unwilling to accept the situation. If she added her own Pokémon to the fray, the opposing trainer wouldn’t last long.

Moreover, Froslass had escaped in the mist, which added to her frustration. This was a task assigned by the organization—how could it end in failure?

“Hmph. You doubt my strength?” The man called Blaze looked down coldly at her, his icy gaze making her lower her head instantly.

Once she fell silent, Blaze finally looked ahead. The opponent seemed to only have three Pokémon, but just in case, he grasped another Poké Ball. As for his defeated subordinate, Blaze paid no mind.

The powerful Magma Team had no need for weaklings to follow the will of their leader, Maxie.

Just as Camerupt was about to reach Zhao Fang, he saw Camerupt, Mightyena, and Crobat all recalled suddenly. The two Magma Team members retrieved their Pokémon, then hurried away with their injured companion, while Froslass had vanished.

“What’s going on?” Zhao Fang stood stunned. He had just been planning for Gyarados to battle Camerupt and for Avalugg to take on Mightyena, but he hadn't expected them to flee so quickly.

Soon after, Zhao Fang heard the sound of motorcycles behind him. Turning, he saw two Officer Jennys speeding over, both astride their bikes. Instantly, Zhao Fang understood—the Magma Team members must have learned of the Officer Jennys’ arrival and bolted.

After all, though Magma Team and Aqua Team were constantly developing, they remained far too weak to stand against the enormous force of the League.

“Hello, did you request assistance?” The motorcycles arrived quickly, and the two Officer Jennys dismounted. Their Arcanines stood by their sides, watching Zhao Fang with vigilance.

“Yes, I am Zhao Fang, a Pokédex holder.” Zhao Fang produced his Pokédex. Upon seeing it, the two Officer Jennys relaxed a little. The lead Jenny then asked why Zhao Fang had triggered the support request.

Zhao Fang explained his findings, showing them the evidence he’d recorded earlier. The lead Jenny’s expression grew instantly serious as she conferred with the other Jenny, holding the Pokédex.

Zhao Fang curiously observed the pair—they were practically twins, and he couldn’t tell them apart at all. The Arcanines were also watching Avalugg with interest, their tongues lolling cutely.

“Thank you very much for your intelligence. That man is wanted by the League; he’s Blaze, a Magma Team executive—a very dangerous individual.” The Officer Jenny’s tone became even more respectful. A capable Pokédex holder deserved serious attention.

Zhao Fang told them what he’d previously discovered, especially highlighting how the Magma Team members had tried to capture Froslass. He still didn’t understand why they wanted her. Upon hearing this, the Officer Jennys recorded the information, intending to report it to both the League and Interpol.

Then Zhao Fang, carrying his backpack, joined the Officer Jennys in searching the area where Blaze had been. Arcanine tracked a trail to a certain spot, but eventually circled in frustration.

“Looks like they flew away.” Officer Jenny examined the footprints on the empty ground and gave a straightforward answer.

Zhao Fang nodded. In the Pokémon world, escape was easy—if you didn’t make preparations beforehand, anyone could ride a flying Pokémon and slip away.

Afterward, Zhao Fang rode with Officer Jenny on her motorcycle back to Kanaz City, where he needed to give his statement at the police station. By the time he finished, it was already mealtime.

Zhao Fang went directly to the battle hotel, challenged an owner, defeated them, moved into their room, and released his Pokémon.

“It’s pretty cold today—let’s have hot pot.” Zhao Fang quickly decided on tonight’s meal. Dragapult instantly grew excited, Gyarados looked delighted, while Avalugg merely wore an indifferent expression.

But as Zhao Fang prepared the hot pot, Avalugg quietly drew near, the aroma making her swallow repeatedly. Zhao Fang found it amusing to watch, though Avalugg still held her head high with pride.

[A standard hot pot: consuming it increases Avalugg’s base stats by 0.4...]

Seeing the familiar text box, Zhao Fang took out his notebook and began recording Avalugg’s stat increases, wanting to see at what point the growth would be limited.

After setting aside his notes, Zhao Fang picked up his chopsticks to feed Gyarados, then Avalugg. Dragapult watched its two companions who couldn’t use chopsticks, eyes shining with pride.

Zhao Fang felt like a nanny—raising Pokémon was truly exhausting.