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

At the city gates...

The battlefield had erupted into absolute chaos.

Humans and the army of death beasts were engaged in a brutal, all-out war.

These death beasts, forcibly "ripened" by death energy, might not have had the same natural strength as naturally evolved ones—but their frenzy and bloodlust far exceeded expectations.

Dong Feng raised his shield and slammed into a lunging A-class death beast, smashing into it with such force that its eyeballs burst from the impact!

At the same time, he even managed to deflect an attack from an S-class beast!

"Hold the formation! Keep your lines steady!"

"Form squads by profession! Stay in position—we can get through this!"

Dong Feng's class as a Shield Warrior excelled in defense.

Even against S-class strikes, he still had enough clarity to shout commands.

Every awakened human in Boulder City had been mobilized, forming a solid line of defense against the onslaught.

And although this death beast siege was hastily orchestrated and far less organized than Haicheng City's disaster, the destruction it caused was no less brutal.

The enemy had little preparation—but neither did the humans.

Dong Feng could only watch, powerless, as a healer accidentally exposed herself and was torn apart—her head exploding beneath an A-class beast's claw.

"Damn it!"

His jaw clenched with fury as he instinctively glanced toward the center of the gate—the most dangerous position.

If their frontlines were already this chaotic, then that area must be in even worse shape.

Zhu Jianyuan might have acted relaxed earlier—but that was probably just to calm his nerves.

"Damn it… if something happens to Lao Zhu… how will I answer to the people of Haicheng City?"

"Especially when he's surrounded by a bunch of kids! Damn it!"

Dong Feng's heart burned with anxiety.

To him, Wang Tao and the others were just barely eighteen—practically children.

He had heard they were treated like celebrities back in Haicheng City.

If they died here for his city…

He didn't even want to imagine the consequences.

But when he finally looked over—

The famously tough and stoic Shield Warrior Dong Feng was completely stunned.

Zhu Jianyuan was calmly holding off an S-class death beast like it was routine.

That part wasn't too surprising.

But—what were those kids even doing?!

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

That colossal Pokemon was tanking an S-class death beast without budging an inch!

The S-class death beast's claws scraped against the turtle's massive shell—barely leaving a mark!

How tough was that thing?!

Even Dong Feng's own reinforced shield would shatter under that pressure!

High defense was one thing—but these weirdly shaped Pokémon didn't just defend well—

They hit like trucks, too!

Electric shocks, fireballs, clouds of purple poison—all kinds of attacks rained down on the beast, pinning it under a relentless barrage!

It writhed and screamed in pain, helpless.

On top of that, it seemed to be bound by heavy, glowing chains—restricting its movement so much that it could barely even retaliate!

Even more shocking? This wasn't their full strength.

Several students hadn't even joined the fight yet!

Over there—one student with a floating longsword. Dong Feng recognized him:

"Pei Jingguo…?"

Haicheng City's famed "Number One Swordsman," someone even Boulder City's lord admired deeply.

But Pei Jingguo wasn't even drawing his main blade.

His floating sword fought on its own, slashing through death beasts alongside two other Pokémon—one of them blue-skinned and surprisingly agile.

And that other creature—it looked part shark and all killer—stood upright like a walking cannon turret, launching blasts as it plowed through wave after wave of enemies.

Behind it, someone kept feeding it potions mid-battle like a support unit!

And what about that enormous, seven-meter-tall brute over there?

That thing looked scarier than the death beasts themselves!

Dong Feng felt dizzy.

His assumptions were crumbling.

He had expected Zhu Jianyuan, the seasoned S-rank, to be the main force.

But now? It looked like these kids were the real spearhead!

In just a few moments, their frontline had decimated the attacking monsters.

Their efficiency… even surpassed Boulder's professional awakeners…

"Hey… don't you guys think something's weird with Gyarados?"

Li Xiaoyu said as she directed Jolteon to fry a flying death beast with a bolt of lightning.

She glanced over, puzzled, at the Gyarados, who was now fighting with surprising composure.

At the start, it had been nothing but fury and instinct.

Brutal, yes—but also reckless.

Within moments, it had racked up dozens of injuries.

After all, death beasts didn't just stand still and take hits.

But now…

Gyarados had changed.

Its moves were calculated.

Its attacks, measured.

It had even started retreating when injured, and—unbelievably—asking other Trainers for potions!

What the hell?

Since when does Gyarados act like it has a Trainer inside its brain?

But Xiaofei is still back in Haicheng City…

"You're right…" Ding Yue rubbed her chin, observing the creature.

"Its behavior really has changed."

Even its eyes seemed clearer.

That earlier frenzied savagery had turned into something… calm. Precise.

Their conversation drew others in.

"Yeah, and did you see? Gyarados used Whirlpool to limit enemy numbers in front of it!"

"And its injury rate's gone way down, too."

"This doesn't make sense. Gyarados is smart now?! Where's the bloodthirsty rage Pokemon we know?"

Normally, without a Trainer's commands, Pokémon fought entirely on instinct.

Especially something like Gyarados—a Pokémon famous for losing control at the drop of a hat.

At first, Pei Jingguo had even been hovering nearby to feed it healing items, worried it might die in the charge.

But now?

It was backing off when injured!

This makes no sense.

Absolutely no sense.

As the Trainers whispered, puzzled by Gyarados's strange new behavior—

A sudden series of explosions thundered from the far end of Boulder City.

At the foot of the signature stone mountain, where only sparse trees once stood due to geological interference—

Countless towering trees suddenly erupted from the earth!

Their massive canopies blanketed half the city in shadow.

And deep within this newly grown forest, a terrifying wave of destructive power began to build...