Below is the English translation of Chapter 7 of the novel "精灵:初始宝可梦是亚古兽" (Sprite: The Starter Pokémon is Agumon), along with fixes for clarity and flow in English, notes on the translation, and confirmation that no chapters are present between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7. The translation preserves the original tone, humor, and reflective context while ensuring natural readability for English audiences.
Translation: Chapter 7 - Lost and Leveling Up
Weaving through towering trees and dodging dense shrubbery, Aoyagi and Agumon navigated a sea of green.
Occasionally, they'd spot a cluster of trembling Caterpie at their feet or a flock of startled Pidgey taking flight.
Agumon eyed them curiously, looking back and forth.
"Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and those hiding in the corner are Starly. These bird Pokémon are a bit smaller than Biyomon. I wonder if they get huge after evolving," Agumon mused to itself, trailing beside Aoyagi.
Having only encountered Unown in battle, Agumon found everything in this world new and strange. Yet, this unfamiliarity sparked its curiosity, and it hadn't stopped observing and asking questions since they set out.
Its studious attitude made Aoyagi feel like this wasn't a typical Agumon but rather an "Agumon Professor" who'd misplaced its doctoral cap and staff.
That said… if it were an Agumon Professor, they probably wouldn't be lost.
Yes, Aoyagi and Agumon were lost.
To reach Twinleaf Town, the closest settlement to the Twinleaf Ruins, Aoyagi had ventured beyond the familiar area he'd explored since transmigrating. It was his first long-distance trek.
Without a compass or map, they'd wandered for just half a day before getting lost in the labyrinthine forest.
"If only I had a Pokédex," Aoyagi sighed, glancing up at the canopy where sunlight barely pierced through.
The trees were too tall, their leaves too thick, blocking out nearly all sunlight except for the occasional stray beam.
Fortunately, after maintaining their pace, they stumbled upon a clearing where the foliage was sparse, allowing sunlight to filter through.
At this point, they had to resort to old-school methods.
Picking up a long, straight stick from the ground, Aoyagi stepped into the sunlit clearing and crouched down.
He planted the stick in the center where sunlight hit, placed a stone at the tip of its shadow, and sat on the ground to wait.
Agumon, done with its sightseeing, wandered over. It glanced at the stick, then at Aoyagi, puzzled. "What's this for?"
"Finding our direction."
"Just like that?"
"It takes about ten minutes. Once the shadow moves, I'll place another stone at its new tip. Connecting the stones gives us a rough direction, and we can get back on track."
"…"
After Aoyagi's explanation, Agumon scratched its head awkwardly.
As expected, it didn't grasp the logic. Giving up, it plopped down beside him to wait.
Seeing Agumon's slightly embarrassed expression, Aoyagi chuckled.
Judging by its struggle with longer explanations, it definitely wasn't a misplaced "Agumon Professor."
"Oh, Agumon," Aoyagi said, struck by a thought. "Since leaving the ruins, have you felt your strength, speed, or move power increase?"
At that, Agumon furrowed its brow, raising both hands and swiping them through the air.
Its sharp claws sliced the air, producing faint whooshes.
Then, as if discovering something fun, Agumon swung faster, even activating Sharp Claw. Eventually, it stood up, ready to test Mini Flame's power.
Aoyagi quickly intervened.
Setting a forest fire could land them in serious trouble. Those flames were scorching—if they sparked a blaze, someone might rescue them from the forest, but they'd likely spend the rest of their lives "stitching in jail."
"No need to test everything. You can probably feel it, right?"
"Yeah, I feel stronger! My whole body's brimming with energy. No wonder I'm not tired after walking so far," Agumon said excitedly.
Nodding silently, Aoyagi's face broke into a smile.
He'd asked because, while using the panel's Pokémon scanning function as a radar, his gaze had accidentally landed on Agumon.
Blue text detailing Agumon's information appeared.
[Species]: Agumon[Category]: Reptile Pokémon[Type]: Dragon[Ability]: Sharp Claws (Increases the power of attacks using its sharp claws)[Level]: 12 → 13[Signature Moves]: Mini Flame, Sharp Claw[Learned Moves]: None[Base Stats]: 360 (HP: 50, Attack: 72, Defense: 55, Special Attack: 72, Special Defense: 50, Speed: 61)[Bond]: 60 (Acknowledges you internally and sees you as a friend)[Status]: Normal[Summary]: …
Agumon had leveled up.
Its level had risen from 12 to 13.
Aoyagi guessed it was due to the battle in the Twinleaf Ruins, where Agumon defeated over a dozen Unown, including their leader, gaining enough experience to level up.
This was great news.
Beyond his excitement for Agumon's growth, Aoyagi had deeper considerations.
In the Digimon world, combat strength hinged on type advantages and willpower. The protagonists often fought foes of similar levels and numbers, relying on type matchups when outmatched.
Non-protagonist Digimon typically grew stronger by reducing opponents to data and absorbing it, gradually accumulating enough to evolve.
This growth system was vague, making it hard to compare strength or training progress clearly.
But in the Pokémon world, levels were explicit.
Whether it was learning new moves at specific levels or evolving at certain thresholds, the system was clear-cut.
As a Pokémon in this world, Agumon's strength should increase with its level.
Agumon's response confirmed this.
After all, Pokémon didn't turn into data when knocked out, so Agumon couldn't absorb anything. If it couldn't grow through training and battles, wouldn't it be stuck in its Growth Phase forever?
"Still…" Aoyagi thought, another question surfacing.
If Agumon fully adhered to Pokémon rules, would it evolve automatically upon reaching a certain level?
Or would it need Digimon-specific items like a Digivice or Crests?
If it did, where was he supposed to find those in the Pokémon world?
Agumon had transitioned into a Pokémon, but he couldn't afford to lag behind and fail to become a "Chosen Hottie."
Finally, Aoyagi's gaze settled on the panel before him.