Pikachu's Thunderbolt shattered Houndoom's Flamethrower, the scattered sparks dissolving like crimson butterflies fading into the night.
Harry's eyes widened. "Pikachu's that strong?"
Hadn't the Pokémon Encyclopedia mentioned Pikachu as a rather weak species?
He shot a doubtful look at Professor Charles Gold, his curiosity barely contained. What he really wanted to ask was: Professor, is that Pikachu even legal?
Charles mentally rolled his eyes. System-gifted Pokémon, mind your own business!
Still, he didn't have time to explain. The battle was far from over. Pikachu, following his command with perfect precision, launched another Thunderbolt. The lightning tore through the flames and struck Houndoom head-on, sending it flying.
Before the Dark Pokémon could recover, Charles gave his next order.
"Use Electro Ball."
Without hesitation, Pikachu lowered itself, dashing toward Houndoom at lightning speed. Crackling energy surged around its tail, coalescing into a bright sphere of electricity.
The power of Electro Ball depended on the difference in speed between user and opponent—and Pikachu's base Speed stat was a whopping 120. No wonder its attack would hit far harder than that of an ordinary Pikachu.
The glowing orb lit up the night like a hundred-watt bulb, illuminating the darkness for a fleeting instant—just before Pikachu struck.
BOOM!
A violent explosion followed, the shockwave sweeping up dust and smoke. When it finally cleared, Houndoom lay fainted, unable to battle.
Charles casually pulled out a Poké Ball and captured it in one smooth motion.
Harry and the others stood there, dumbfounded. A powerful Houndoom—defeated in just two moves? That Pikachu was absurdly strong!
But in truth, they wouldn't have been so shocked had they known Pikachu's level. Three months ago, it had already reached Level 47. Now it was Level 48. A ten-level gap wasn't something you could simply ignore.
"These Houndour are yours to capture if you want them," Charles said mildly. "Since you've already defeated them, they shouldn't disobey."
His calm tone brought Harry and the others back to their senses.
"Professor, these Pokémon are called Houndour, right?" Hermione asked.
"That's right," Charles nodded. "And the one I just caught is its evolved form—Houndoom, the Dark Pokémon. It's a dual-type: Dark and Fire."
Upon hearing that, all three boys—Harry, Ron, and Wood—decided to capture a Houndour each. Hermione, true to her cautious nature, abstained.
Ron, however, looked utterly thrilled. "I'm naming mine Inferno!"
Harry wasn't as impulsive. He captured his Houndour but was already planning ahead—he had to catch a Pikachu next. The professor's Pikachu was just too cool!
He remembered spotting several Pikachu silhouettes earlier on their way here.
"Well," Charles said, "the Rocky Desert Region can be a little dangerous. Do you want to keep exploring, or head somewhere safer?"
Even though Houndoom's level was high for this area, their encounter had mostly been bad luck. Staying wouldn't be too risky now.
But the young wizards were clearly shaken.
"Of course we're leaving!" Ron said immediately.
Stay here? Was he insane? They'd barely been in the Rocky Desert for thirty minutes before running into such a terrifying opponent!
"I think the Grassland Region might suit us better," Harry added quickly.
Charles nodded. "That's reasonable. In fact, I'd recommend the wetlands, grasslands, or forest edges. The Pokémon there tend to be weaker. Shall I teleport you back?"
"No need, Professor. Rapidash and Ponyta are waiting for us at the border."
Charles nodded again. "All right then." With that, he had Abra use Teleport, vanishing in a flash of light.
Back at the Breeding House, Charles began to ponder Harry Potter's Pokémon lineup. The great Savior of the Wizarding World can't have so few Pokémon. Ron and Hermione already outnumber him!
"If he doesn't catch anything else by tonight, I'll bend the rules a little," he muttered. "Otherwise, Dumbledore will pester me about it later."
But as it turned out, Charles worried for nothing.
Harry's luck had just been a little off earlier. His actual skill wasn't bad at all.
By dusk, he had captured two more Pokémon—Pikachu and Elekid.
Well, well, Charles thought with amusement. So he couldn't resist in the end. After all, Elekid evolved into Electabuzz, whose body bore black, lightning-shaped stripes—perfectly fitting for Harry.
Harry had managed to catch three Pokémon total. His remaining three Poké Balls had broken after failed captures.
Hermione, on the other hand, had caught four. Her luck was remarkable—among them were a Hoppip and even a Chikorita, one of the Johto Region starter Pokémon.
Ron's third Pokémon was a Sandshrew, while Wood later added a Pidgey and a Spearow to his team.
The other students also made good progress; only a handful failed to catch anything at all. After all, the Reserve was home to plenty of low-level and juvenile Pokémon, which were far easier to handle.
"Has anyone got any Poké Balls left?" Charles asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
They'd spent them all—each Pokémon they saw, they wanted to catch. Six Poké Balls were nowhere near enough.
"Excellent," Charles said approvingly. "Opportunities to capture Pokémon in the Reserve are rare—usually only once per term. Beyond that, entry depends on your performance."
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the group.
"Those who didn't catch a Pokémon today will have another chance tomorrow. I'll give you three more Poké Balls. But if you still fail, I'm afraid you're not ready to join the club yet."
"Any other questions?"
Hermione raised her hand. "Professor, what should we feed our Pokémon?"
"Most Pokémon can eat specially made artificial food," Charles replied. "They aren't strictly carnivorous. In fact, the meals from the Hogwarts dining hall will do just fine."
He wasn't exaggerating—Ash's Pikachu famously loved ketchup, after all.
"If there's nothing else, you're dismissed. Those who caught Pokémon, gather in the club classroom tomorrow. The rest, meet me in my office. Oh, and—"
"Draco Malfoy, stay behind. We need to talk about what happened at lunch."
(End of Chapter)