"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
This time, Charmeleon didn't shape the flames into anything else. It simply shot a column of fire forward.
Not far away, Nidoking, still catching its breath, saw the fire coming closer. Its brain had already issued commands, but its body was in too much pain to respond.
The fire struck, forcing Nidoking to step back a few times before collapsing. Next to it lay its son, Nidorino, who had just lost the ability to fight.
"Great job, Charmeleon!"
"Seeing this, Flamethrower at Expert rank is really strong. Next, I'll change my plan and move deeper into the forest. This way, I can use Flamethrower more effectively in battle."
Hearing this, not only Charmeleon but also Eevee was thrilled.
Finding a suitable opponent for Charmeleon meant Eevee didn't need to fight.
Thinking of this, Eevee decided it must eat an extra lunch today to celebrate.
"Let's go. Keep moving. I'm sure you're eager to see wild Pokémon fall under your Flamethrower."
At this moment, Gu Yuan looked like a child with a new toy, impatient to play.
Eevee hopped down from Gu Yuan's arms, careful not to slow him down or change his mind.
Working together, they found another Intermediate rank Dodrio before lunch.
"This is it."
"Go, Charmeleon. Use Flame Charge, then Flamethrower!"
Gu Yuan first scanned Dodrio to check its strength, then sent Charmeleon forward.
Blazing flames rose, wrapping Charmeleon in fire as it disappeared in a burst.
Sensing danger, Dodrio immediately countered with Triple Attack, trying to stop Charmeleon.
"Charmeleon, dodge to the right, then use Flamethrower!"
Charmeleon shifted direction and avoided Dodrio's attack. Then the flames shot out.
Dodrio's three sets of eyes flashed with disdain.
If Charmeleon could dodge its attack, a fast Pokémon like Dodrio shouldn't have trouble dodging Flamethrower.
Thinking this, Dodrio ran faster.
But then, Flamethrower spread around, wrapping around Dodrio's ankles.
The intense pain forced Dodrio to slow down.
The flames wrapped around Dodrio's body like living snakes.
Dodrio leapt, scattering the fire.
But in its panic, Dodrio made a foolish decision.
Though Dodrio could fly, it didn't. In midair, it became an easy target for Charmeleon.
"Charmeleon, use a Flamethrower combo to secure victory!"
The fire shot forward, first forming a large net around Dodrio, then another burst hit it directly.
Dodrio, now a fireball, fell to the ground.
Before it could get up, Charmeleon's Flamethrower struck again. The flames completely immobilized Dodrio, ending the battle.
Seeing this, Gu Yuan had Charmeleon stop the flames to avoid further harm.
He fed Charmeleon some Energy Cubes to restore stamina and continued onward.
Charmeleon's control over Flamethrower had clearly reached its peak. It could now release the move in any form at will.
Gu Yuan's next task was to develop more ways to use Flamethrower. This wasn't something experience alone could teach; it required trainer and Pokémon to work together.
So Gu Yuan changed the battle plan, letting Charmeleon face more opponents to explore Flamethrower's potential.
As Charmeleon's understanding grew, nearby Intermediate rank Pokémon were in trouble.
To them, Expert proficiency was something way out of their league. They couldn't defend against it at all.
Even Pokémon stronger than Charmeleon were soon dominated by its Expert Flamethrower.
"Alright, Charmeleon, that's enough for the morning. In the afternoon, we'll head out of the forest."
Gu Yuan patted Charmeleon on the shoulder. The battles wouldn't be so frequent or intense anymore.
Charmeleon, though a bit reluctant, felt satisfied after so many fights.
Looking back at the forest, it felt as if it had conquered this place.
At that moment, Charmeleon remembered Tom's Charizard.
Since their last meeting, Charmeleon had a clear goal to surpass.
Now, it could feel that it had taken a step closer.
"Roar!"
Charmeleon suddenly felt the urge to roar.
Before Gu Yuan could ask why, a white light enveloped Charmeleon.
"Spread out and watch for danger. Protect Charmeleon," Gu Yuan commanded his pokémon quickly.
Eevee and Kadabra immediately formed a defensive line.
Mankey, unsure of what was happening, was also tense and watched the surroundings.
During the evolution, Charmeleon's shape began to change, revealing its final form.
Before Gu Yuan could inspect carefully, the light vanished, and a Charizard stood before him.
Mankey tugged at Gu Yuan's sleeve, confused. It seemed to not understand where Charmeleon had gone.
"Mankey, this is evolution. Charmeleon now is the same Pokémon as before, just stronger."
"You'll go through this too. It will give you a new form and make you stronger!"
Gu Yuan patted Mankey's head and explained.
After evolving, Charizard's skin turned orange, lighter than its previous form, and its belly, tail tip, and feet became yellow.
Its legs were short and strong, its arms relatively short for the size of its body, but looking at three sharp claws at the end of each of them no one would mistake them as weak.
Massive wings grew on its back, showing its flying secondary typing.
The single horn from its previous form became two, making it look more powerful, and now its tail flame burned even stronger.
Seeing the evolved Charizard, Gu Yuan thought of Ash, but smiled, realizing he probably wouldn't encounter such a situation.
He stepped forward toward Charizard.