The Sequoia Secret Realm.
Because of its complex terrain and rich ecology, a massive number of low-level wild Pokémon gathered here. Many of them lived in packs, forming one of the most dangerous group-based zones within a C-level secret realm.
Among these—
The most representative group Pokémon in the redwood forest were Poochyena and Mightyena.
The pack standing before Chen Ran numbered no fewer than twenty.
Among them were five Mightyena, their bodies strong and muscular, eyes sharp and vicious.
The rest were Poochyena, packed closely together.
Each one looked fierce, hostile, and territorial—clearly warning outsiders not to step any closer.
---
Inside the monitoring room.
The moment Chen Ning saw this scene, her heart clenched.
"Director."
"A freshman has encountered Group No. 3."
She immediately reported the situation.
After selecting the secret realm, the school had conducted extensive investigations.
All high-risk Pokémon groups had been registered and marked, with real-time monitoring in place—precisely to prevent freshmen from being injured or killed by large-scale wild Pokémon attacks.
"Understood."
A tall, middle-aged man glanced at the main screen.
The feed had already switched to Chen Ran.
The massive Poochyena pack filled the frame.
At first glance, the director's eyes locked onto Charmeleon standing beside Chen Ran.
A Fire-type starter from the Yusanjia was already eye-catching enough.
But this Charmeleon—
Its physique was far beyond normal.
Nearly half a head taller than an ordinary Charmeleon, muscles tight and perfectly proportioned.
The director couldn't help but stare.
"This Charmeleon was raised extremely well."
He sighed in admiration.
A freshman.
From a civilian background.
Yet able to nurture a Pokémon to this level—this was clearly a Trainer with real talent.
Combined with the fact that Chen Ran had already subdued a wild Riolu and climbed to the top of the rankings, the director's impression of him rose even higher.
"Warn the freshman to retreat."
"Have the guards approach the area."
The director hesitated briefly before issuing the order.
Talent meant nothing if you didn't survive.
Once a Poochyena pack went berserk, five Mightyena charging together could easily overwhelm a lone Charmeleon.
---
However—
Just as Chen Ning was about to send a warning message—
Chen Ran's voice suddenly came through the screen.
The monitoring room instantly erupted.
"Charmeleon."
"Prepare for battle."
"Let's see if we can wipe out this Poochyena pack."
"…?!"
The moment those words landed—
Everyone froze.
The same thought appeared in countless minds.
A newborn calf isn't afraid of tigers.
This was pure madness!
Even Elite-level Trainers avoided confronting Poochyena packs inside secret realms. One mistake, and they'd be torn apart.
"Heh."
"A kid who doesn't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth goes."
The Teacher who had been obsessively watching Ye Feng spoke with open sarcasm.
His tone carried no concern for Chen Ran's safety at all.
The director shot him a sharp glare.
The Teacher immediately shut up, lips twitching as he shrank back.
"Enough nonsense."
The director knew some inside information and chose not to elaborate.
"The guards move faster. Be ready to intervene at any time."
---
But before the order could even be fully relayed—
On the screen—
A massive pillar of fire erupted without warning.
It roared forward like a fire dragon, instantly filling half the display.
The terrifying heat made even the Trainers sitting safely inside the monitoring room feel as if a wave of scorching air had rushed toward their faces.
At that moment—
Not just Chen Ning.
Even the Gym-level director was completely stunned.
⊙▃⊙
"That was… Flamethrower?"
"It shouldn't be. That Charmeleon just evolved—it shouldn't have learned Flamethrower yet."
"Was that… Ember?"
A young counselor spoke hesitantly.
Dozens of blank stares immediately turned toward him.
Your Ember looks like this?!
Don't joke around!
Yes—
It was Ember.
But under god-level Special Attack, stacked bonuses, and overwhelming output, this Ember carried the destructive power of an enhanced Flamethrower.
---
BOOM!
The Poochyena pack, which had been resting moments earlier, instantly descended into chaos.
Several Poochyena closest to the flames screamed as their fur ignited. No matter how they rolled on the ground, the fire refused to go out.
"Aw—!"
Painful howls echoed through the forest.
The flames carried a lingering burn effect, completely suppressing their fighting capability.
"This single Ember wiped out one-third of the pack."
Chen Ran counted quickly, eyes shining.
There were twenty-seven Pokémon total.
Twenty-two Poochyena, ranging from Level 15 to Level 18.
Five Mightyena, mostly around Level 20, with the strongest only Level 22.
Charmeleon's opening attack had instantly crippled the pack's numbers.
The rest of the fight would be much easier.
"Charmeleon!"
"Keep moving. Don't let them surround you!"
Chen Ran wasn't worried about one-on-one combat.
Even at Level 16, Charmeleon could leapfrog and defeat a Level 22 Mightyena.
The only real threat—
Was pack tactics.
"Roar!"
Charmeleon responded.
Wind surged beneath its feet as saffron-colored flames wrapped around its claws.
The temperature of the surrounding area rose sharply, making even Chen Ran feel heat pressing against his face from a distance.
"Roar—!"
Charmeleon charged forward—
Leaving Chen Ran behind.
Alone, it plunged directly into the Poochyena swarm.
This scene made both Chen Ning and the director's hearts jump into their throats.
"Absurd!"
"This is too reckless!"
The director's brows knit tightly.
"Charmeleon must stay close to its Trainer!"
"If the pack realizes Chen Ran is alone, a single Poochyena could kill him!"
Even though Chen Ran still held Riolu—
A newborn Riolu was no match for a wild wolf Pokémon.
Chen Ning's palms were already slick with sweat.
Her beautiful eyes never left the screen as she tracked the guards' positions.
She could only hope they would arrive in time.
What they didn't know—
Was that on Chen Ran's shoulder, there was also a Level 50 Mythical Pokémon quietly watching everything.
At that moment—
A system notification rang out.
"Ding! Charmeleon successfully defeated Poochyena and gained 100 experience points. Due to the experience multiplier, it gained 200 experience points."
"…"