Chapter 32: Refuting the Panda

Roar—

Qianlin, having just rushed down from the mountain, didn't even have time to assess the situation before hearing a deafening roar.

The massive black-and-white figure threw its head back and let out a howl. Dark energy swirled between its paws before expanding outward like a ripple. The sheer force obliterated the surrounding trees. Growlithe, already injured, had no time to react and was sent flying by the shockwave. Swablu, being further away, escaped the direct impact but was buffeted by the fluctuating energy, causing her to lose control and plummet from the sky, slamming heavily into the ground.

"Th-that's it! That’s the Pokémon that was chasing me!" Zhou Fuqing’s face turned deathly pale, his right hand trembling as he pointed at the Pangoro in the distance.

Qianlin’s pupils contracted sharply. Almost instinctively, he ran toward where Growlithe and Swablu had fallen. "Swablu! Growlithe! Are you guys okay?"

【Holy crap!】
【It took out both Growlithe and Swablu in one hit?】
【What move was that? It looked so cool!】
【A panda! It’s a panda!】
【I didn't know there were pandas in the Pokémon world. I thought the name was just a coincidence; I didn't expect it to look so much like one.】
【Is this really the time for that? Qianlin is in big trouble!】
【Damn, they couldn't even beat it together. What do we do?】

In the distance, at the Pokémon Research Institute, Manager Che gripped his hands tightly, barely suppressing the urge to send someone to rescue Qianlin. Everyone now understood the gravity of the situation: a Pokémon capable of defeating both Swablu and Growlithe—a Pokémon that an ordinary human could never hope to contend with—had appeared before Qianlin. And its attitude was far from friendly.

After moving Zhou Fuqing to a safer distance, Qianlin hurried to where Swablu had landed, finding her covered in wounds, struggling to climb to her feet.

Swablu: "Chirp, chirp, chirp!" ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ
(If you’ve got the guts, let’s fight somewhere else! Just wait until Master Milotic crushes your panda skull!)

Seeing that Swablu still had the strength to talk trash, Qianlin breathed a sigh of relief. He scooped her into his arms and, while keeping a wary eye on the distant Pangoro, approached the spot where Growlithe had been thrown.

The giant rocks in the forest had been shattered entirely. Growlithe lay motionless among the rubble, blood streaming from his body. One look was enough to tell how severe his injuries were. Qianlin clenched his fists, glaring at the Pangoro with icy hostility.

Logically, these actions had taken enough time for the Pangoro to attack him, but strangely, it didn't. Instead, it just kept growling, staring at Qianlin with eyes burning with rage.

Qianlin redeemed a bottle of potion and, right in front of the Pangoro, sprayed the medicine onto Growlithe and Swablu. As the medicine took effect, the wounds on Swablu slowly faded, and Growlithe’s bleeding stopped. However, it would clearly take a significant amount of time for them to fully recover.

With the bleeding stemmed, Growlithe opened his eyes, the first thing he saw being Qianlin’s face, etched with worry. Weakly, Growlithe raised his head and offered a silly, endearing smile.

"Woof… ow…" (＾▽＾)

Though he was bleeding, he remained gentle.

"You idiot... couldn't you have run away if you couldn't beat it?" Qianlin felt a sting in his nose; his worry turned into tenderness as he gently stroked Growlithe’s head. "Rest up. Leave the rest to me."

"Woof," Growlithe replied softly.

【Those injuries are so bad. He lost so much blood; it must hurt so much.】
【How dare it hurt our dog! Someone take it out!】
【Take it out? Don't be ridiculous! Both of them lost to it together. Qianlin, run!】
【Run, run, run!】
【That’s a panda, not a cat. It looks even bigger than an Ursaring. Qianlin, please, your safety is what matters most.】
【A gentleman takes his revenge after ten years. Just get out of there for now.】
【How is Qianlin supposed to carry both Growlithe and Zhou Fuqing? This isn't just about running; it's about him having to choose between them.】
【This is…】

Placing Swablu beside Growlithe, Qianlin stood up and faced the Pangoro, his tenderness replaced by cold resolve. He looked at the creature nearby and took a deep breath. "So, Pangoro, can you tell me why you were fighting Growlithe?"

"Roar—" The Pangoro clenched its fists, low growls rumbling from its throat.

Fury. Qianlin could feel it in the Pangoro’s voice. It was as if an endless fire were burning—not just at Qianlin, but at Growlithe, Swablu, and even Zhou Fuqing behind them.

Qianlin braced himself instinctively. The Pangoro’s pressure was immense. While it didn't reach the suffocating level he had felt when facing Milotic, it still made cold sweat bead on his forehead. "What happened? What made you so angry?"

Roar—

The Pangoro threw its head back and roared again, energy gathering in its mouth. It aimed a Hyper Beam at Qianlin, clearly done with talking.

In a human body—even for a human in the Pokémon world—it was impossible to survive a point-blank Hyper Beam fueled by such rage. Qianlin held his hands up in front of him, his expression sinking.

So... was he just going to die here, without even knowing why?

【F***!!!!】
【Dodge! Get out of the way!】
【Qianlin, please don't die!】
【Move!】

The chat stream was a blur of frantic messages telling Qianlin to run, but he couldn't. If he moved, the Hyper Beam would hit Growlithe and Swablu behind him, and given their current state, it would be fatal.

He instinctively shielded himself. The violent wind whipped across his face, feeling like the sting of a blade.

Gritting his teeth!

His body might not survive this, but to live, he had to find...

"Chirp—"

A figure flapped its wings with all its might, positioning itself in front of Qianlin.

Qianlin’s pupils shrank. He surged forward, instinctively pulling the wounded Swablu into his arms to shield her.

The light grew blinding.

Roar—

A second later, another roar echoed from afar, accompanied by a massive beam of light. A powerful force slammed into the Pangoro, and the energy gathering in its mouth dissipated instantly. The force of the Hyper Beam sent the Pangoro flying, crashing hard against the ground.

"Pichu!" ᕦ(･ㅂ･)ᕤ

The small yellow mouse landed in front of Qianlin, standing tall as if to say, "Look how awesome I am."

"But I don't think you can learn Hyper Beam..." Qianlin exhaled a long breath, clutching Swablu.

"Pichu~" ('∇')シ
(Doesn't matter. My big brother’s moves are my moves.)

Following the trajectory of the Hyper Beam, a two-meter-tall Ursaring stepped slowly out of the orchard, glaring at the Pangoro as it stood back up.

(╬￣皿￣)=○
Roar!
(This is the human I’m protecting. What do you think you’re doing?)

The Pangoro rose to its feet, glanced at its shoulder where the Hyper Beam had struck, and its rage flared even brighter. It let out a deafening roar at the Ursaring: "Roar—"

"Roar!" The Ursaring roared right back. (Who says I can’t do that? We’re both bears, don't act like you're the boss here.)

As the two bears faced off, Pichu gently tapped Qianlin’s calf. "Pichu, Pichu~"

Qianlin blinked. "You're saying we should take this chance and run?"

"Pichu!" Pichu nodded.