Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 84: Little Ho-Oh?

[Level: 65 (Heart of a Champion – This Pokémon has grown into a true powerhouse. When facing a worthy opponent, its strength will be amplified. Time until next level: 801 days.)]

[Talent: Champion]

[Friendship: 95 (from -25 to 95)

[Ability 1: Pressure]

[Ability 2: Regenerator]

[Gender: Male]

[Moves: Scratch (62%), Growl (62%), Ember (62%), Smokescreen (62%), Dragon Breath (62%), Sunny Day (62%), Fire Fang (62%), Slash (62%), Flamethrower (62%), Scary Face (62%), Thunder Punch (58%), Dragon Claw (57%), Sacred Fire (10%)]

[Description: This is a Charizard that has grown into a truly powerful Pokémon. When it was still a Charmander...]

"My god—this isn’t even a Charizard anymore. This is basically a baby Ho-Oh," Rio muttered in awe, staring at Charizard’s updated stats.

Pressure was the signature Ability of true powerhouses, and Regenerator granted it continuous self-healing. Clearly, Sacred Fire had given Charizard a phoenix-like rebirth ability. What’s more, Rio noticed that the flame on Charizard’s tail had changed—from fiery red to purple. The color of Sacred Fire.

He strongly suspected that if the legendary beasts—Entei, Raikou, and Suicune—saw this, they’d be utterly baffled, wondering if they had a fourth brother who could fly.

On the other side, Archer and Sabrina were equally stunned by the new Charizard. The overwhelming pressure was unmistakable.

"What’s going on? Is this really still a Charizard? It looks different from the one we saw on the screen—and it hasn’t even re-evolved yet," Archer said in disbelief. The pressure was even causing his Magmortar to show a hint of fear.

The last time he’d seen that was when a Pokémon named Mewtwo had escaped from Team Rocket. One glance from Mewtwo had sent his Magmortar into a panic—and then, with a casual wave, Mewtwo’s psychic energy had materialized and one-shot it. That image was burned into his memory—terrifyingly powerful.

But this Charizard couldn’t possibly rival Mewtwo. So there was no need to be afraid.

"Magmortar, Blast Burn!" Archer pointed fiercely at Charizard, his greed for the Pokémon stronger than ever.

"Mag~" Magmortar launched a blazing inferno.

Rio’s lips curled into a confident smirk: "Charizard, Sacred Fire."

But the moment the words left his mouth, his expression changed. He suddenly realized something—those bastards are standing on the roof of my newly built Lavender Gym!

"Wait, Charizard—don’t use Sacred—" he shouted in panic.

"Roaar~" But it was too late. A surge of purple flames that instantly raised the surrounding temperature had already erupted from Charizard’s mouth. The flames pierced through Magmortar’s Blast Burn and drove it straight from the roof down to the ground.

"Magmortar!!!" Archer cried out in anguish.

"My Lavender Gym!!!" Rio wailed at the same time.

"Roaar~" Charizard looked back at Rio with a confused tilt of its head, as if asking what it had done wrong.

Rio stared at its bewildered expression, his mouth agape, watching his newly completed Gym catch fire from a single Sacred Fire blast.

It’s over. All over. My brand-new Lavender Gym, burning to the ground. Sacred Fire couldn’t be extinguished—not until everything it touched was consumed.

"So..." Rio’s expression shifted from despair to cold fury. "...not a single one of these bastards gets away. All their money—every last coin—is going to pay for this."

"Charizard, Sacred Fire—take out both their Magmortar and that Alakazam!"

"Roaar~" Charizard’s gaze locked onto Sabrina’s Alakazam, another torrent of scorching purple flames ready to burst forth.

"Alakazam, Teleport!" Sabrina commanded.

The next second, Alakazam vanished with Sabrina and Archer. The Sacred Fire only intensified the blaze consuming the Gym, leaving the trapped Magmortar to suffer even more.

"Burn, burn—I don’t even care anymore," Rio thought, his heart bleeding. "As long as I keep them here."

He pulled out two more Poké Balls. With a flash, Primeape and the Red Gyarados appeared.

"Hold on, Primeape—not the Gyarados today. See those two over there? And anyone else in this town wearing the same uniform—I want every single one of them stopped. Not a single one gets away."

He pointed at Archer and Sabrina, who had reappeared about ten meters away after Teleporting.

"Pu-cha~"

"ROAR!!!"

Sensing Rio’s fury, both Pokémon wore expressions of anger as well. But Rio still had his wits about him—he didn’t want them going berserk and attacking friendlies.

"Remember—only hit people in those uniforms! Everyone else is an ally. Do not hit them!"

"Pu-cha~"

"ROAR!!!"

Primeape and the Red Gyarados nodded. Then they charged out of the burning Gym.

Once they were gone, Rio turned his attention back to Archer and Sabrina. Archer had just released a Level 63 Elite Four–talent Houndoom, while his Magmortar had also escaped from the burning Gym.

"Houndoom, Flamethrower!"

"Magmortar, Flamethrower!"

Archer commanded both Pokémon simultaneously, intent on overwhelming Charizard with sheer firepower.