Pikachu proudly handed the pokédex to Roy.
Roy opened it and saw a video Pikachu had secretly filmed while following Damian.
As expected, the video clearly recorded what Damian did after leaving the Pokémon Center.
The injured Pokemon nearby that Nurse Joy had described earlier—as expected, they were all Damian's handiwork!
This bastard had caught a bunch of new Pokemon again.
In the video, Damian released all five or six newly caught Pokemon in a forest clearing.
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"Stand up straight, all of you!"
He stood with hands on his hips, looking condescending.
"Selection starts now! The strong stay, the weak get lost!"
Among those Pokemon were Oddish, Pidgey, Caterpie, and even a Rattata.
Damian first made them fight each other.
Completely disregarding that they had just been caught and were in poor condition.
"Fight! Fight to the death!"
"Let me see which of you is qualified to follow Master Damian!"
Several weak Pokemon fought under duress and were soon covered in wounds.
Damian didn't even look at the injured ones and directly took out a poké ball.
"You, too weak!"
He pointed at the Oddish, then at a distant rock: "Go wait over there. I'll come back for you after I'm done."
The Oddish believed him and hopped over.
Next was the Rattata.
"You too, go wait behind the rock."
"Pidgey, you go wait in the tree."
"Caterpie, you go into that patch of grass."
He used the same trick to lure all four Pokemon he deemed "not strong enough" to different locations.
Then, the bastard turned and left.
Without looking back.
The video ended with scenes of those Pokemon waiting in their respective spots.
Their eyes were exactly like Charmander's.
Full of trust and expectation.
Waiting for a "master" who would never return.
The video wasn't long, but it was enough evidence.
Damian's abuse and malicious abandonment of Pokemon were clearly filmed.
Roy saved the video.
His gaze turned cold.
Only one thing left to do. Educate Damian, and get back Charmander's poké ball... The heavy rain lasted all night.
Roy stayed by Charmander's bedside, not sleeping all night.
From time to time, he touched Charmander's forehead and checked the flame on its tail.
When Nurse Joy came for her rounds in the middle of the night and saw this, she nodded inwardly.
This Trainer truly treated Pokemon well.
The next morning.
The rain stopped.
Sunlight spilled into the ward through the window.
Charmander opened its eyes, and the first thing it saw was Roy staying by the bed.
"Char?"
It let out a soft cry, seemingly asking: Have you been here the whole time?
Roy rubbed its head: "How do you feel?"
Charmander sat up and stretched its body.
Then, the flame on its tail flared up with a "whoosh," burning even more vigorously!
Full of energy!
"It seems you've recovered well." Nurse Joy pushed the door open and said with a smile, "You can be discharged."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Roy stood up.
"You're welcome. By the way..." Nurse Joy hesitated but said, "I heard you plan to find Damian?"
Roy nodded.
"Be careful. That person... isn't someone to mess with." Nurse Joy warned, "His family has some influence locally."
"Influence?" Roy smiled. "In the face of evidence of Pokemon abuse, no amount of influence matters."
His gaze was firm.
Looking at his eyes, Nurse Joy suddenly felt that this young man was not simple... The discharge procedures were quickly completed.
Roy first went to find Delia.
"Sister Delia, this is for you." He handed a backup of the video to Delia.
Then he whispered a few instructions.
Delia's eyes lit up: "Don't worry, leave it to me!"
She took the backup and left quickly.
Roy then took Misty and Charmander out of the Pokémon Center.
"Where are we going now?" Misty asked.
"The road Damian often passes by," Roy said. "He goes through there every day to'select' new Pokemon in the forest."
Charmander followed by Roy's side.
When it heard the name "Damian," its body stiffened slightly.
But soon, it looked up, its gaze becoming firm.
Roy noticed, crouched down, and looked it in the eye.
"Are you afraid?"
Charmander shook its head.
Not afraid.
Just... feeling complicated.
"Don't force yourself," Roy said softly. "If you don't want to see him, we can do this another way."
But Charmander shook its head firmly.
It raised its small claw and pointed forward.
The meaning was clear: I want to go.
I want to face him myself.
Roy looked into its eyes and saw the determination within.
"Okay." He stood up. "Then we'll go together."
...Roy and Misty arrived at that forest road.
This was the only path from the Pokémon Center to the depths of the forest.
Sure enough, before long.
Damian appeared.
He swaggered over, humming an unpleasant tune.
Beside him were two Pokemon, a Pidgeotto and a Raticate.
Clearly, these were the "strong" ones left after his "selection."
When Charmander saw Damian, its body instinctively trembled.
It was a conditioned reflex from long-term abuse.
But this time, it didn't back down.
Instead, it took a few steps forward.
Standing in front of Roy.
Looking at its former master with a complicated gaze.
Damian also saw them.
He was stunned for a moment, then showed an impatient expression.
"Tch."
He clicked his tongue and looked Charmander up and down.
"You piece of trash, you're still alive?"
"Even that heavy rain last night didn't put out your flame?"
The malice in his words was completely undisguised.
Hearing these words, the last shred of illusion in Charmander's heart was completely shattered.
It had originally thought that even though it was following a new master, maybe it could say a proper goodbye to Damian.
Now it seemed... there was no need.
"Shut up! You scum!"
Misty's shout came first.
She stepped forward quickly and pointed at Damian's nose: "Last night, if it weren't for Roy, this Charmander would have... You really are an animal!"
Damian was stunned by the scolding.
Then he became angry from embarrassment.
"What did you say?"
He glared at Misty and then caught sight of Roy.
"Oh~ so it's you, the busybody."
Damian sneered: "What, planning to gang up on me?"
He flashed the poké ball belt at his waist.
Six poké balls were hanging on it.
"I... I'm not afraid of you. I have plenty of Pokemon!"
Even as he said it, his tone clearly betrayed his lack of confidence.
Roy stepped forward and pulled Misty behind him.
His gaze was calm, but beneath the calm was a cold fury.
"We're not as shameless as you."
Roy's voice was cold: "Today, I brought Charmander to prove itself."
He glanced at Charmander.
Charmander was immediately encouraged.
Char!!
It cried out twice, its voice loud.
Then it took a step forward and struck a battle pose.
The meaning was clear: I want to battle!
Damian watched this, stunned at first, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! You're a fool too!"
He laughed so hard he doubled over: "You're using my Charmander to fight me?"
"It's just trash I threw away!"
"You actually want to use this trash to challenge me?"
The mockery in his words stabbed into Charmander's heart like a knife.
Charmander's body trembled.
But this time, it wasn't out of fear.
But out of anger.
Roy's hand pressed gently on its head.
Warm Aura was transmitted.
"Don't listen to him," Roy whispered. "You are strong. I will prove it to him."
Charmander looked up and saw Roy's firm gaze.
It nodded vigorously.
Damian finished laughing and wiped away the tears.
"Whatever, I don't want it anyway."
He waved his hand dismissively: "In that case, I'll give you a good thrashing."
"To let you know just how much of a loser you and this Charmander are."
He took out a poké ball.
"And to make this little piece of trash give up completely."
His voice fell.
The poké ball opened.
A white light flashed.
A Poliwag appeared on the field.
This was because he had suddenly become interested after seeing Charmander defeated by a Poliwag last time.
But this wasn't one he caught himself; Damian had intended to catch the Poliwag that defeated Charmander, but he failed and got soaked.
This one was obtained by begging his second uncle.
When Charmander saw the Poliwag, its gaze instantly changed.
Intense fighting spirit!
Although it wasn't the same one, today it had to win, it had to prove itself to its new master.
Damian was still mocking: "What's wrong, little trash? Seeing the Poliwag that beat you, are your legs turning to jelly?"
"Are you remembering how you were abused last time?"
"Hahahaha!"
Roy ignored his trash talk.
He crouched down and whispered in Charmander's ear.
At the same time, he quietly took out the High-Quality Charcoal rewarded by the system.
While stroking Charmander, Roy gently pressed the High-Quality Charcoal against it.
The charcoal turned into a red light and merged into Charmander's body.
Charmander's body jolted.
It felt a powerful surge of Fire-type energy within its body!
The flame on its tail flared up with a "whoosh," burning even more intensely!
The color of the flame changed from ordinary orange-red to a deep crimson with golden edges!
"Feel it?" Roy whispered. "This is your power."
"Go all out."
"I will always be with you."
"Together, we will win this victory."
Charmander turned and looked at Roy.
There were tears in its eyes, but more than that, there was gratitude and fighting spirit.
It nodded vigorously.
I won't let you down!
In the distance, Damian watched Roy and Charmander's "mutual affection."
A wave of annoyance suddenly surged in his heart.
Even though he had already abandoned Charmander.
Seeing a Pokemon that once belonged to him being so close to someone else... he felt an indescribable sense of frustration.
It was like seeing his girlfriend being intimate with someone else right in front of him.
"Hey! Are we fighting or what? Hurry up!"
He urged impatiently.
Charmander stepped forward.
Standing opposite Poliwag.
The two Pokemon's eyes met.
"Charmander, don't be impulsive."
Roy's voice came from behind: "Follow my lead."
Charmander nodded.
Complete trust.
"Battle, start!"
Misty acted as the referee and called for the start.
"Poliwag, use Water Gun!"
Damian gave the first order.
Poliwag opened its mouth and a jet of water shot out.
Aiming straight for Charmander!
"Dodge to the left, then use Smokescreen!"
Roy commanded calmly.
Charmander didn't hesitate and leaped to the left.
The Water Gun grazed its body and hit the ground, splashing mud.
At the same time, Charmander opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of black smoke.
The Smokescreen quickly spread, covering the entire battlefield.
Poliwag lost sight.
"Damn! Poliwag, use Double Slap wildly!"
Damian ordered in a panic.
But it couldn't hit Charmander at all.
"Charmander, circle to its side and use Tackle!"
Roy's voice rang out from outside the smoke.
Charmander moved nimbly within the smoke.
Relying on its perception of heat, it could clearly "see" Poliwag's location.
While Poliwag was completely blind in the smoke.
Charmander slammed into its side.
Poliwag was knocked off balance.
It let out a cry of pain.
"Poliwag! Use Bubble Beam!"
Damian grew anxious.
Poliwag sprayed bubbles haphazardly in all directions.
But Charmander had already moved from its original position.
"Next, use Scratch!"
Roy ordered.
A white light glowed on Charmander's claws.
It approached quickly and clawed at Poliwag's back.
Poliwag jumped in pain.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Damian stomped his feet in anger: "Poliwag, use Water Gun! Clear the smoke!"
Poliwag looked up and began to channel water energy.
But Roy wouldn't give it the chance.
"Charmander, continuous Tackle! Don't let it use its move!"
Charmander accelerated.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Three consecutive Tackles, all hitting their mark.
Poliwag was knocked dizzy, and its Rain Dance skill was interrupted.
The Smokescreen gradually dissipated.
The situation on the field became clear.
Charmander stood in the center, the flame on its tail burning brightly.
There were only a few water stains on its body from the splashes earlier.
As for Poliwag... it had multiple scratch marks and was panting heavily, clearly having suffered significant damage.
A crowd of onlookers began to gather.
Many Trainers passed by this road.
Seeing a battle, they all gathered around.
"Isn't that Damian?"
"Who's his opponent? That Charmander... looks like the one Damian had before?"
"Yes, yes! That's the one! I've seen it!"
"What's going on? Didn't Damian abandon it?"
The murmurs reached Damian's ears.
His face grew uglier and uglier.
"Poliwag! Give it everything you've got! Water Gun!"
Poliwag struggled to stand straight and fired another Water Gun.
This time, the power of the Water Gun was noticeably weaker.
"Charmander, dodge and use Ember!"
Roy ordered.
Charmander dodged nimbly.
Then, it opened its mouth.
A burst of Ember shot out!
This was no ordinary Ember.
With the enhancement of the High-Quality Charcoal, the Ember was deep red and carried intense heat!
The Ember hit Poliwag.
The already weakened Poliwag was knocked down by a single move despite the type disadvantage. (Though it was the result of the entire battle, to the onlookers, it looked like a total humiliation for Damian.)
"Useless! Useless! Why are you so useless too!"
Damian began to hurl insults at Poliwag in a fit of rage.