Chapter Eighteen: When Pokémon Attack People and People Attack Pokémon

Bell’s gaze grew colder as he looked at Chen Ou, who was smiling broadly.
“So there’s nothing more to discuss?”
Bell’s tone remained fervent, but his words and expression were cold as frost.
Chen Ou couldn’t quite understand how someone could issue such a declaration of war with a tone so enthusiastic.
With a soft sigh, Chen Ou met Bell’s blade-sharp stare and said, “I just don’t get it. It’s just an apology. Who makes a mistake and refuses to apologize? If you hadn’t come to find me, that’d be one thing. But since you’re here and still won’t apologize, isn’t that a bit arrogant?”
He raised his brows, grinning.
“And who do you think you are?”
“Shadow Ball!”
With a cold shout from Bell, the teapot on the table exploded instantly. Its ornate porcelain shell shattered, shards flying in every direction. Out of the fragments, Mimikyu revealed itself, a black Shadow Ball condensing in a heartbeat and shooting toward Chen Ou at lightning speed.
Chen Ou’s expression didn’t change. The Poké Ball at his waist opened automatically, and Charmander appeared before him. Flames formed armor on its arms as it crossed them to block the Shadow Ball. The scattered porcelain shards passed through Chen Ou’s body, carrying little bursts of flame, but Chen Ou himself was untouched.
Bell was startled by this scene—not to mention the flames drifting from Chen Ou, but just the fact that Charmander had blocked Mimikyu’s Shadow Ball was enough to shock him.
He’d chosen this Charmander himself and knew its abilities inside and out. For a Charmander not yet two years old to withstand an attack from Mimikyu, who had followed him for ten years, was simply unbelievable. And yet, less than two weeks ago, this Charmander didn’t have this kind of power.
What could possibly have happened in just a dozen days?
Bell felt his entire worldview waver. Yet years of combat experience and instinct had him snatching the lone Poké Ball at his waist in the next instant.
“Come out, Umbreon! Dark Pulse!”
“Umbre!”
“Charmander, Quick Attack—target Bell!”
“Char!”
The moment Umbreon landed, it unleashed a black, ring-shaped wave toward Chen Ou. At the same time, flames surged over Charmander’s body, and in a flash, it darted straight for Bell.
“Mimikyu, Protect!”
Mimikyu hurriedly floated toward Bell, a green glow of Protect enveloping it.
In a blink, Charmander and Mimikyu collided. Mimikyu’s face twisted in pain as it was pushed back several steps, but it managed to stop Charmander.
Meanwhile, Chen Ou’s right arm transformed into flame. With a fiery punch, he met Umbreon’s Dark Pulse head-on. There was little contest; Umbreon was quickly overwhelmed, the orange-red flames roaring toward it. Forced to endure the backlash from its shattered move, Umbreon desperately summoned Protect.
But Umbreon had underestimated Chen Ou’s strength. The powerful blaze smashed through Protect and sent Umbreon crashing into the wall.
It struggled to get up, but thanks to the combined defense of Protect and Dark Pulse, most of the fire punch’s power was blunted. Otherwise, Umbreon would have been knocked out completely.
Though it sounded like a lengthy ordeal, all of this occurred within a single minute.
That minute of tumbling events left Bell doubting reality.
In wild battles, Pokémon attacking trainers is not uncommon. So typically, a trainer would carry at least one Pokémon for self-defense.
Bell had seen Chen Ou with only one Poké Ball, and Mimikyu had assured him that there were no Ghost-types hiding in Chen Ou’s shadow. He’d planned to exploit this numbers advantage.
Who could have predicted that Chen Ou would nearly lay Umbreon flat with a single punch—an arm transformed into searing flame, no less? Even now, Chen Ou’s right arm remained wreathed in fire.

“What… what are you?” Bell stammered, his voice trembling.
Chen Ou flicked his right arm, the flames twisting back into flesh, and smiled gently.
“Me? I’m just an ordinary Fruit Ability user, nothing more.”
Bell’s mind was a muddle at this completely unfamiliar term.
Fortunately, he didn’t stay dazed for long. The butler’s shouts and the barking of Houndooms snapped him back to his senses.
He sneered at Chen Ou.
“You may be strong, but this is my estate. Every Pokémon here obeys only me!”
Five Houndooms crashed through the doors, growling and forming an orderly circle around Chen Ou, backs arched and teeth bared. The butler released three Poké Balls—Bellossom, Ledyba, and Mr. Mime appeared at Bell’s side as his guards.
Bell sneered at Chen Ou. “Come then, Dr. Chen. Show me your strength!”
Chen Ou glanced around. The encirclement was well-trained, cutting off nearly all escape.
“You’ve trained them well.”
But…
“Inferno Domain.”
Chen Ou’s low voice sounded. A wave of fire burst from beneath his feet, quickly spreading to fill the entire hall.
Before Bell and the butler could react, Chen Ou spoke again.
“Flame Dragon, coil!”
A dragon of fire rose from the inferno, roaring as it circled the hall. Soon, flames surged along the walls, spiraling inward, forming a blazing cage that closed in step by step.
“Charmander, Ember! Blast away those Houndooms.”
“Char!”
A column of fire from Charmander’s mouth swept the five Houndooms together and hurled them into the flames.
The butler’s three Pokémon cowered behind or atop him, trembling. Muttering curses, the butler recalled them to their balls.
Bell and the butler, faces dripping with sweat, their hair and brows singed and curled, lips cracked and bleeding, had no choice but to retreat toward Chen Ou at the center to escape the fire.
Charmander glared at them, while Chen Ou watched with a half-smile.
“Come now, Mr. Mayor, teach me a lesson right here in your own home.”
Bell, terrified, said nothing.
But the flames kept coming, the space shrinking further.
“You! Stop this! I’ll agree to whatever you want!”
Staring at Charmander so close at hand, Bell finally shouted.
“An apology. Your son’s apology.”

“All right, all right! I promise! Just let us out! Put out the fire!”
Bell was utterly broken. He’d faced death before, but this slow, inexorable march toward it was unbearable.
At Chen Ou’s smile and wave, the flames surged higher. Bell and the butler shrieked in terror at the searing heat, only for the fire to vanish in an instant.
The two collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, faces lit with the relief and joy of a narrow escape.
They hugged one another in excitement, their faces flushed with exhilaration.
The sight made Chen Ou shudder. He quickly said, “Hurry up and get Bailey to apologize. Once that’s done, I’ll leave!”
Bell’s face lit up with joy at those words, and he hurriedly instructed the butler to fetch Bailey, then glanced at his ruined hall, body going rigid for a moment.
Aside from the five motionless Houndooms on the floor, the once-luxurious hall was now a wasteland. Through the giant hole in the ceiling, one could gaze straight up at the stars.
He turned to Chen Ou, wanting to say something, but at Chen Ou’s fierce glare, he swallowed his words.
Before long, the butler returned with Bailey. Bailey paid no heed to the devastated hall, eyes wide in delight as he spotted Charmander.
“Wonderful! Dad, you brought my Charmander back!”
He rushed forward for a hug—
Only to be grabbed by his furious father.
“Apologize to Charmander!”
Bailey stared at his exasperated father in confusion. “Dad, what are you talking about?”
Bell, catching the impatience on Chen Ou’s face and the returning flames on his right arm, slapped Bailey hard across the face.
“Apologize! Now!”
Bailey clutched his cheek, stunned, then burst into tears.
Bell had no intention of stopping. Another slap fell.
“Apologize!”
“I—I’m sorry… Wahhh…”
Hearing the apology and seeing Charmander relax, Chen Ou exhaled deeply. “All right, it’s done. Until we meet again.”
He recalled Charmander and strode out, head held high.
Bell breathed a sigh of relief, finally ridding himself of this living plague. His legs gave out, and he collapsed.
The butler wiped sweat from his brow, ignoring Bailey’s wailing, and began organizing the cleanup.
And in a corner where no one was looking, a Growlithe—its face the picture of cleverness—quietly slipped out of the manor.