Chapter 33: Elite Gyarados? Just a Minor Hurdle

Chapter 33: Elite Gyarados? Just a Minor Hurdle

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To prevent any accidents, Luo Hoshino had been riding his Pidgeot, patrolling the vicinity of the lake in the secret realm.

He worried that some reckless student might ignore his warnings and approach the dangerous waters.

His Pidgeot, at the pinnacle of gym-level strength, was more than capable of asserting dominance in this secret realm.

Sure enough, his fears were realized.

Frowning, he noticed Sayaka enthusiastically collecting items by the lake, oblivious to the Gloom sneaking up on her. Fortunately, her Bulbasaur reacted quickly, shielding her from the poisonous stinger.

As events unfolded, Luo Hoshino found himself tempted to intervene several times. But every time, unexpected twists kept him intrigued.

Particularly when Hikaru turned the tables on a group of robbers and even stripped them of their dignity—literally. Luo Hoshino couldn't help but laugh.

"This kid… reminds me of my younger days," he mused, a smile tugging at his lips.

However, his amusement turned to astonishment.

It seemed like every encounter with Hikaru brought a new level of shock.

"An elite-level Gyarados? Surely, he can't handle that," Luo Hoshino muttered as he watched the massive serpent emerge from the lake. He expected Hikaru to use the emergency signal flare.

Instead, he saw the opposite.

Hikaru and his Pokémon, Charmeleon and Ralts, looked eager to fight.

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Despite facing an intimidating elite-tier Gyarados, enhanced by its Intimidate ability, neither Charmeleon nor Ralts flinched.

Protect, Fairy Wings, Fire Punch, Flamethrower, and Psychic Cone.

Their coordination was impeccable. The Gyarados, for all its rage and strength, seemed more like a training dummy.

Its Aqua Tail, Water Gun, and even the devastating Hyper Beam were either blocked by Ralts' Protect or preemptively dodged by Charmeleon.

Gyarados, known for its short temper, was eventually enraged to the point of recklessness. It surged up the narrow creek, making itself an easy target. Hikaru seized the opportunity and captured it with a well-aimed Poké Ball.

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From above, Luo Hoshino was dumbfounded.

Not only had Hikaru's Pokémon defeated an elite-tier Gyarados, but the coordination between them seemed almost telepathic. It was as if Charmeleon instinctively followed Hikaru's intentions without verbal commands.

"Could this be… some kind of extraordinary ability?" Luo Hoshino wondered, his intrigue deepening.

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Victory and Growth

The battle had pushed Charmeleon to level 21, successfully breaking through to elite-level strength.

It had been a grueling fight. Even with Hikaru's Aura guiding the strategy, Charmeleon had taken a hit from Gyarados' Aqua Tail, leaving a scorched mark on its scales.

After the fight, Hikaru swapped out the Combat Drain entry for Forest Friend to accelerate recovery.

Within minutes, Charmeleon and Ralts were back to full energy, standing proudly beside their trainer.

"Wow, Hikaru, you're amazing!" Sayaka exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

The Gyarados was at least six meters long and mid-elite tier—yet Hikaru had defeated it!

Her awe deepened. It was like attending school with a prodigy who had already earned a full scholarship while she was still struggling with the basics.

"Sayaka-senpai, let's focus on treating Bulbasaur's poison first," Hikaru reminded her, snapping her out of her daze.

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Sayaka panicked momentarily. "I didn't bring any antidotes! What do we do?"

"Don't worry, I can make one," Hikaru said, smiling confidently.

With the right materials, crafting an antidote was child's play for him. Fortunately, he had been gathering herbs and ingredients from this and previous secret realms.

"Pecha Berries, Cooling Grass, Cleansing Flowers…" Hikaru listed as he carefully processed the ingredients.

His precision and focus captivated Sayaka. Seeing him so absorbed in his work made her heart skip a beat.

Unlike energy cubes, this was Hikaru's first time crafting an antidote, so he worked meticulously. Within moments, a clear, high-quality antidote was ready.

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"You're incredible, Hikaru!" Sayaka exclaimed, marveling at the crystal-clear potion. The quality was undoubtedly top-tier.

Between his unparalleled Pokémon training skills and his expertise as a breeder, she couldn't help but wonder—was there anything this junior couldn't do?

"All done. Let's get Bulbasaur healed up," Hikaru said, handing her the antidote. He stored the remaining batches in his space backpack.

Each dose could fetch hundreds, even thousands, on the market. And Hikaru had made over fifty in one session. The raw materials had cost mere thousands, underscoring the lucrative nature of Pokémon breeding.

Sayaka quickly administered the antidote to Bulbasaur, her relief palpable when it began to stir.

"Bulba!" it croaked weakly, its eyes regaining clarity. Sayaka hugged it tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face.

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With limited time left for their secret realm exploration, Hikaru urged Sayaka to resume collecting Light Water Stones.

Under Charmeleon's watchful eye, they scoured the area near the lake, where the stones were most abundant.

By the time the sun began to set, their space backpacks were nearly overflowing.

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"Thank you so much, Hikaru," Sayaka said, her gratitude genuine.

If not for Hikaru's reputation and the knowledge that he was already being pursued by many admirers, she might have been tempted to express her feelings more openly.

The Light Water Stones would provide her with enough funds to support her Pokémon training for a long time. For someone from a modest background, this was life-changing.

"No need to thank me, Senpai. We're just helping each other out. Besides, who knows? Maybe you'll be strong enough to look after me one day," Hikaru teased.

Sayaka nodded earnestly. "I'll protect you in the future, Hikaru!"

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As they made their way back, Hikaru used his Aura to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Even when they encountered wild Pokémon, Ralts dispatched them effortlessly.

Hikaru didn't let Charmeleon fight. He didn't want to risk starting a forest fire in the dense jungle.

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Finally, they reached the secret realm's exit—a shimmering red portal guarded by officers and their Arcanine.

As they stepped out, the golden hues of sunset greeted them.

"Selling secret realm treasures! We buy permanent and one-time-use items! Official Alliance traders!" a black van parked nearby advertised.

The crowd bustled as trainers gathered to trade their finds.

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