Night fell.
Cicadas chirped endlessly, while frogs croaked in rhythm.
The entire West Lake Secret Realm was bathed in a calm, tranquil atmosphere.
At night, most Trainers avoided battling.
Darkness put them at a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, wild Pokémon emerged from their lairs, moving through hidden paths, stretching their bodies and enjoying the cool night air.
Along the shoreline, tents had been set up everywhere.
Barbecue grills sizzled, beer flowed freely, ice clinked in cups.
People chatted and laughed as they waited for the meteor shower.
Then—
A notification appeared.
> "Due to force majeure, the Leonid meteor shower originally scheduled for 10:00 p.m. has been delayed.
The scale of the meteor shower has also been reduced to one-tenth of its original size."
"..."
The West Lake Secret Realm exploded into chaos.
"What the hell?!"
"Are you kidding me?!"
"I've been holding this spot since three or four in the afternoon, and now you tell me it's delayed?!"
"I don't care if it's delayed—what do you mean it's only one-tenth the size?!"
"That's insane!"
"Forget it, I'm out."
"Unlucky as hell."
"…."
Disappointment spread instantly.
Some people began packing up their tents and folding their stools.
Others who had come alone simply got up and left.
Within half an hour, nearly ninety percent of the crowd had cleared out of the West Lake Secret Realm.
Those who remained truly wanted to see the meteor shower—
Even if only a fraction of it remained.
After all, they were already here.
That alone made it hard to leave.
Chen Ran was one of the few who stayed behind.
"Going back now wouldn't help anyway. The dorms are already locked."
"Better to wait until morning."
Besides, he had already requested leave from his counselor.
"If it were a normal Pokémon issue, there's no way I'd have gotten approval."
All thanks to Charmander.
With the crowd gone, the secret realm felt spacious again.
Chen Ran climbed to a higher hillside and held Charmander in his arms.
"Move your tail a little farther out."
He was worried the flame might burn his clothes.
"Char~"
Charmander looked wronged—but obediently shifted its tail.
This was one of the inconveniences of Fire-type and Electric-type Pokémon.
At moments like this, having a constant flame—or sparks and lightning—always carried some risk.
Compared to that, Normal-, Grass-, and Water-types were much safer.
The meteor shower had originally been scheduled for ten o'clock.
By midnight, only a handful of meteors streaked across the sky.
But unlike the meteor showers of Chen Ran's previous life—those dull white streaks—
The meteors here trailed brilliant, multicolored flames.
They were breathtaking.
"Still… not bad at all."
Chen Ran took out his phone and snapped a few pictures.
Minutes later, more meteors appeared.
Within ten minutes, he counted over thirty streaks across the sky.
Honestly, the numbers weren't terrible.
And this was after the scale had supposedly been reduced by ninety percent.
"No wonder everyone was furious."
A once-in-a-decade meteor shower—
Cut down like this?
Anyone would be angry.
"Char!"
Charmander stared up at the sky from Chen Ran's arms, eyes wide with wonder.
Nearby, a few remaining spectators were also filming and recording.
Then—
Chen Ran noticed something wrong.
"That meteor—!"
He sucked in a sharp breath.
His eyes widened.
Among the falling meteors, one suddenly changed direction.
Then it changed direction again—
And flew straight toward the West Lake Secret Realm.
"What the hell?!"
"Why is that meteor coming this way?!"
"…!"
It wasn't just Chen Ran.
Everyone still in the secret realm saw it.
Because that meteor—
Was enormous.
So massive it looked like the pearl atop the Oriental Pearl Tower.
"Holy—!"
"Run!!"
"Get out of here!!"
In an instant, panic erupted.
Everyone fled in all directions.
The peaceful atmosphere shattered completely.
Chen Ran could already feel the scorching heat washing over him.
The meteorite filled his vision, occupying nearly his entire field of view.
"Damn it!"
"Is this karma for transmigrating?!"
A chill ran down Chen Ran's spine.
There wasn't even time to think about running.
Just as the massive meteorite was about to crash down—
A dragon's roar echoed through the sky.
"Rooooaaaar—!"
A towering crimson pillar of fire erupted upward.
BOOM—!
The blazing flame struck the meteorite head-on—
And obliterated it instantly.
The meteorite shattered midair, breaking into countless fragments that rained down toward the West Lake Secret Realm.
Chen Ran stared in shock.
Following the source of the flames, he saw a Pokémon.
An orange body.
Large gray eyes.
Two long, thin antennae and a small horn atop its head.
Its cream-colored belly extended all the way to the tip of its long tail.
"Dragonite!"
Chen Ran cried out.
"A pseudo-legendary Dragonite!"
Then he noticed—
There was someone standing on Dragonite's back.
Red hair.
A cloak billowing in the wind.
"That is…?"
Chen Ran frowned.
"Why does he kind of look like a Doduo?"
Before he could think further—
The Trainer atop Dragonite threw several Poké Balls.
Red light flashed.
Multiple Pokémon appeared midair, roaring as they took shape—
Aerodactyl.
Hydreigon.
Salamence.
"…Holy crap."
"He's definitely not a Doduo."
With the arrival of the mysterious Trainer, more Trainers sprang into action.
Together, they intercepted the falling meteor fragments, shattering them or safely redirecting them away from the ground.
What should have been a catastrophic disaster—
Was resolved in an incredibly short time.
Just when Chen Ran thought everything was finally over—
A seven-colored streak of light suddenly shot through the air—
And slammed straight into his arms.