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

"Uh… you really want to catch this little guy?"

Pei Jingguo wasn't surprised that Xiao Zhang wanted to capture a Pokémon.

After all, until now, Xiao Zhang only had one partner—Machamp.

But… wanting to catch a Pokémon is one thing. Why was he crying about it?

He was just about to poke fun when something dawned on him. He silently nodded and called his Pawniard back to his side.

Inside the Pokémon Center…

Su Bai rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

From a stats perspective, Cubone wasn't exactly powerful. Even its evolved form, Marowak, only had a base stat total of 425.

That's a full 100 points lower than the average of 525 for starter Pokémon.

So yes—objectively, it wasn't very strong.

But if Pokémon battles were all about stats, there'd be no such thing as upsets or underdogs.

In a real Pokémon fight, it was the training, the bond, and the strategy between Trainer and Pokémon that made all the difference.

Still… was Cubone really the right match for Xiao Zhang?

As Su Bai was pondering this, the old Principal behind him let out a soft sigh.

"Xiao Zhang… both of his parents were Awakened. His mother died during a mission. He was raised by his father alone."

"When you explained Cubone's story, I had a feeling this might happen…"

Su Bai paused, finally understanding the emotional reaction Xiao Zhang had shown.

In this world teeming with Death Beasts, tragic stories like Xiao Zhang's were common.

Awakened fighters lived dangerous lives. Their mortality rate was even higher than that of protected civilians.

"But… with Machamp's strength, how does he plan to capture Cubone without hurting it?"

Su Bai narrowed his eyes as he stared at the screen.

Machamp was a fully evolved Pokémon—its attack and defense far exceeded that of an unevolved Pokémon like Cubone.

And Xiao Zhang had trained Machamp well.

If Machamp misjudged even a single blow, it could cripple—or outright defeat—Cubone. That would defeat the purpose.

Pawniard obediently stepped aside.

Xiao Zhang walked up to Machamp.

At that moment, Cubone, still flustered from losing its bone, glared at Machamp and let out a fierce (yet oddly cute) roar.

"Give me the bone, Machamp."

Xiao Zhang took the bone from Machamp's hand, then crouched and held it out in front of him.

"This bone… it's very important to you, isn't it, Cubone?"

A soft smile appeared on Xiao Zhang's face—his most sincere and gentle expression.

…Or so he thought.

With his bleached yellow hair, flashy nose ring, ear studs, and muscular martial artist build—

He looked more like a gangster trying to scam a child than a loving older brother.

Watching this from the screen, Su Bai couldn't help but cover his face in exasperation.

Cubone's expression instantly turned furious.

"Cubone!!"

The skull atop its head rattled violently as it bent its knees—

"Fwoosh!"

Like a small rocket, Cubone shot forward and slammed directly into Xiao Zhang!

Boom!

Xiao Zhang barely had time to raise his arms in defense before he was sent flying backward by the powerful impact.

Su Bai shook his head with a sigh.

This scene felt eerily familiar…

Wasn't this the exact same way Xiao Zhang tried to catch that Rhyhorn back at the Pokémon shelter?

"…Definitely not a good example. Kids, don't try this at home."

Su Bai spread his hands in helplessness.

"Even though Pokémon are intelligent and emotional, an angry Pokémon can still be extremely dangerous."

"Cubone's attack just now? That was Headbutt—a move with a base power of 70 and a chance to cause flinching."

"Xiao Zhang might be fine since he's nearly an A-rank Awakened, but if a normal person took that hit…

Even the ER wouldn't save them."

He wasn't really worried about Xiao Zhang dying from the hit.

But he would be in pain.

Lately, more Awakened had tried to brute-force their way into capturing Pokémon.

It made sense. With their physical prowess and combat experience, they thought they could handle it.

But mistaking a Pokémon's cuteness for harmlessness?

That was dangerous.

This was the perfect moment to teach the public about the risks of mishandling Pokémon.

Watching Xiao Zhang get flung across the field, the audience inside the Pokémon Center collectively nodded.

That little Cubone? Absolutely feral!

"Machamp! Machamp!!"

Seeing its Trainer attacked, Machamp was instantly furious.

Its massive frame shifted as it prepared to charge at Cubone in retaliation.

But Cubone stood its ground, twirling its bone menacingly in challenge.

Just as Machamp was about to strike—

"Stop! Machamp, don't attack!"

Xiao Zhang scrambled to his feet and ran forward, ignoring the aching pain in his arms.

The blow hadn't seriously injured him—he was a martial artist, after all—but it had hurt. A lot.

Still, that didn't matter.

He sprinted up to Cubone again and opened his arms wide.

"You're lonely, aren't you?"

Unfazed by the previous attack, Xiao Zhang reached out in an attempt to hug the wild Pokémon.

"Wham!"

Cubone's bone club came flying again.

But this time, Xiao Zhang was ready.

He raised his gloved arm and deflected it mid-air.

Cubone caught the bone.

And threw it again.

"I'll play with you," Xiao Zhang said with a soft smile.

Again, he blocked it.

Cubone caught it.

And threw it again.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

The scene resembled a parent playing catch with their child.

"Whack! Whack! Whack!"

The rhythmic sound of bone on glove echoed across the field.

Inside the Pokémon Center, the audience burst out laughing.

Especially the children—who saw it as a heartwarming game between parent and child—and laughed with wide-eyed delight.

"Um… guys," Su Bai said with a worried expression, "that's Cubone's Bone Club attack…"

To the viewers, it looked wholesome.

But Su Bai knew better.

Cubone wasn't a puppy.

Each one of those bone throws could take out a C-rank Death Beast in a single blow!

If not for Xiao Zhang's impressive strength and martial artist physique, he wouldn't have been able to handle the continuous impact.

"Thank goodness… my master gave me these upgraded gloves."

Xiao Zhang winced with each catch, feeling the sheer force behind each strike.

If he were still wearing his old gear, his gloves would've exploded by now—just like during his previous fight with Pawniard.

Even with the reinforced gloves, Xiao Zhang could feel the strain in every joint.

The pounding impacts pushed even his fighter's body to the limit.

He wasn't as strong as Machamp—who could catch the bone with ease.

He could only deflect, redirect, and endure.

Combined with the earlier Headbutt, the energy ("Qi") in his body was being drained at an alarming rate.

He was expending more effort than he had in his last fight with Pei Jingguo!

"Cubone!!"

No one knew how many rounds had passed.

But eventually, Cubone's throws started slowing down.

Its movements grew weaker and more hesitant.

Its big eyes, visible behind the skull helmet, blinked in confusion.

It had realized that… Xiao Zhang wasn't trying to hurt it.

Xiao Zhang stood still for a moment, then opened his arms wide again and took a cautious step forward.

"…Finally reached your limit, huh?"

Su Bai watched the scene with a long breath of relief.

In-game, Pokémon skills are governed by PP.

In reality, it's stamina.

Using a move repeatedly will drain a Pokémon's energy.

Cubone's stamina was limited.

Xiao Zhang, being a B-rank Awakened, had far greater endurance.