Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

Boom!

With one final Brine attack crashing onto the Rampaging Bull's hide, the already tattered S-class death beast collapsed like a felled mountain.

The dark glow of the heavy debuffs faded from its body.

Clearly, the monstrous beast… was dead.

A wave of cheers erupted across the battlefield!

"We did it!"

"We defeated an S-class death beast!"

"Nice job, Empoleon!"

"Torterra, you're a beast!"

"Infernape, I love you!"

Laughter and shouts of victory rang out across the field, tinged with disbelief and pure joy.

They had actually taken down an S-class death beast—together!

And they weren't even graduates of Haicheng No.1 High School yet.

This kind of accomplishment was nothing short of unprecedented.

Now, the battlefield was only left with scattered A-class and B-class deathbeasts—already faltering in strength after their leader's fall.

"These youngsters… truly incredible."

Priest Zhang Wenhao couldn't help but murmur with admiration.

As an experienced A-class Awakened, he had seen his share of dangerous missions—and knew better than anyone just how terrifying an S-class death beast could be.

Yet here it was, lying lifeless before him.

And the ones responsible… were a group of kids, alongside their Pokémon.

Su Bai gave a silent nod, but his expression remained serious.

Then he raised his voice sharply:

"Sorry to cut the celebration short—but we're not done yet."

"Clean up the remaining deathbeasts immediately! We're moving out to reinforce the other battlefield!"

Even as he gave orders, his gaze turned eastward, brow furrowed.

In the corner of his vision, the number on his Pokédex jumped quietly—from 153 to 154.

But clearly, none of the Pokémon here had just evolved.

Which could only mean…

"Someone in the Pokémon Corps evolved one."

"Falinks can't evolve. Floatzel is already in its final form…"

"That only leaves Corvisquire!"

Su Bai's mind quickly connected the dots.

A Corvisquire had evolved into Corviknight.

And in such a short window… under such brutal battlefield conditions… that wasn't normal.

"My starters evolved because they were pushed to their limits against S-class threats, with proper training… and I had Diancie and Meloetta to protect and empower us during the fight."

"But over there…?"

Rather than relief, this unexpected evolution deepened Su Bai's growing unease.

Through his recent experience, Su Bai had come to understand that Pokémon evolutions in the real world required not just training, but external stimulation—specific conditions.

Corvisquire's training level shouldn't have reached that threshold yet.

So… what triggered its evolution?

Su Bai clenched his brow. Then he gestured quickly.

Meloetta and Diancie glided to his side.

"Diancie, stay and oversee the battlefield. Make sure everyone here is safe and supported."

He gently patted Diancie's head.

"This side is clear. No more S-class death beasts. The rest should fall soon."

Around him, the final phase of cleanup had begun.

The fully evolved starters, along with trusted veterans like Talonflame, were tearing through the remaining enemies.

Under normal circumstances, they'd already be wrapping up and reorganizing the battlefield.

But Su Bai… couldn't wait.

"I'll be right back."

With that, Su Bai took a deep breath—and leapt.

In a blur of motion, he shot forward dozens of meters in an instant!

"What the—?!"

Ji Wei stared, slack-jawed, as Su Bai's figure vanished in a streak of speed.

"That guy's not even human! What kind of class is Pokémon Trainer?!"

"You get Pokémon, AND you're that strong yourself?!"

Su Bai and City Lord Zhu had originally split into opposite directions when the battle began.

They had divided Haicheng's outer defense zone into two curved segments—like a giant snake coiling inward.

Both sides swept forward in coordinated spirals, slowly tightening the net.

And now, the final layer—the one infested with S-class death beasts—was at the farthest edges of both paths.

Even with Su Bai's newfound speed, reaching Zhu Jianyuan's battlefield wouldn't be easy.

At dusk…

Zhu Jianyuan stood bloodied, a mountain-like S-class death beast lying slain at his feet.

His powerful muscles were battered and torn, his body a map of wounds.

Clang!

He barely raised his silver spear in time to block another blow from an S-class death beast—a cunning, lizard-like monster.

But it feinted—and its whip-like tail lashed out, piercing his waist!

Blood poured freely from the wound.

Zhu gritted his teeth and slapped his waist. His muscles clenched, forcefully sealing the injury.

And the lizard paid a steep price for its strike.

Its vertical pupils screamed in pain as one was punctured by his silver spear.

"Damn… this thing's a pain."

Zhu licked his cracked lips, eyes drifting toward Li Zhi, who was also barely holding on.

His trusted comrade's left arm was… gone.

They'd been fighting for over five hours.

And in that time, two S-class deathbeasts had fallen.

One by Zhu's hand.

The other—claimed by Li Zhi, at the cost of his arm.

Even S-class elites were showing signs of exhaustion.

This wasn't just any battle—this was war between titans.

Even the cunning lizard-beast now stood still, licking its ruined eye instead of attacking.

"If Liu's Corvisquire hadn't suddenly evolved… we might've lost the line back there."

Zhu's eyes swept over the battlefield.

Not far from him and Li Zhi, a terrifying two-headed S-class death beast was locked in a frenzied clash with the Pokémon Corps' elite.

A massive Corviknight—newly evolved—was tearing through the sky, its feathers bristling with reckless fury as it launched wave after wave of attacks.

If it weren't for the supporting Pokémon assisting with status moves and debuffs, this suicidal approach would've long gotten it killed.

But S-class death beasts were still S-class.

"Raaaargh!"

The furious roar of the two-headed beast sent tremors through the air.

A sonic pulse shook Corviknight mid-flight—just long enough for it to be struck by a mighty claw.

The newly evolved Corviknight… was slammed into the ground!

It wasn't strong enough yet to tank a true S-class head-on.

Without it holding the line, the already weakened A-class guards were now exposed again!

"Damn it!"

Veins bulged on Zhu Jianyuan's forehead.

But before he could react, a rush of wind slammed into him from behind.

A long, slimy tongue lashed from an unnatural angle, aiming straight for his blind spot!

Zhu had no time to dodge—only enough to raise his spear.

CLANG!

Even in his berserk giant form, the force of the hit sent Zhu flying across the battlefield.

His silver spear bent from the impact.

He managed to survive—but he was in no shape to help the others now.

He looked up—just in time to see another guard about to fall.

"No…!"

He turned away, heart twisting in anguish.

Humans were not afraid to die—but that didn't mean they could stomach watching their comrades perish in front of them.

These were his guards.

His own men.

He couldn't let them die in vain.

One A-class shield-bearer stood tall against the two-headed deathbeast, unflinching.

His shield—scarred, chipped, broken—had held firm through countless impacts.

Now, it was barely more than scrap.

This time, there was no surviving.

But the soldier said nothing. He simply stood firm—like a wall.

A wall that had held the line again and again…

But now, it was crumbling.

The deathbeast's twin heads glared in fury.

This man had denied it victory before. Not this time.

Its razor-sharp claws tore through the air, ready to rip shield and man apart.

And then—

A blinding pressure descended from above.

The beast froze mid-motion, sensing death before it struck.

Too late.

A force like a meteor slammed it straight into the ground!