Chapter Seventy-Seven: An Unnamed Individual...

Charmander, the famed starter Pokémon of the Kanto region, becomes a formidable Charizard after evolution, boasting not only impressive strength but also a sleek, dazzling appearance that has enchanted countless admirers. Among the starters, Charmander is certainly the most renowned. Of course, many have questioned why Charizard, with its dragon-like appearance and “dragon” in its name, is classified as a Flying type and not a Dragon type.

It’s said that the online post sparking this debate once received a “like” from a certain Elite Four champion who preferred not to reveal his name. Although Lance quickly clarified afterwards that he hadn’t liked the post, it did little to quell the rumors. The company managing the Pokémon World’s social media stepped in, confirming that Lance hadn’t intentionally liked the post; rather, after the topic went viral, he accidentally tapped “like” and withdrew it five seconds later. Truly, it was a moment of public embarrassment. Mischievous fans even circulated a photo claiming Lance had already ridden his Charizard to the headquarters of “Porygon Network Company” to settle the matter.

But before all this, Heath had never imagined he’d be able to obtain a Charmander himself—especially one so well-bred, which filled him with delight.

“Charmander, look, when training muscles, you usually start with the core strength areas... Huh? What’s core strength? It’s the chest, back, and legs,” Heath explained, sitting in his food truck and imparting his meager fitness knowledge to the Pokémon.

After purchasing his ingredients, Heath drove to his usual spot and began waiting for customers. It was still early, so he seized the opportunity to talk with Charmander. Charmander watched Heath’s movements, confused and uncertain. Heath rummaged through his toolbox and pulled out a piece of gym equipment he’d seen before, tossing it aside. Suddenly, a device suited to Charmander’s size appeared inside the truck.

“Hey, sit here, and add a five-kilogram plate to each side... Relax your shoulders, push with your chest muscles,” Heath instructed patiently. Charmander managed to lift it, albeit with some difficulty—likely due to previous injuries.

Once Charmander had completed a proper rep, Heath explained the rules of training.

“If you want to build muscle, start with four sets, twenty reps each,” Heath said kindly. Charmander nodded earnestly and began pushing the apparatus with determination.

“Oh? Heath, are you teaching your Pokémon to train its chest muscles?” came a familiar voice. Heath turned and saw Mr. Fujiyama.

Mr. Fujiyama seemed to have just finished his own workout, sweat streaming down his face as he looked curiously at Heath and the Charmander beside him.

“That’s right, Mr. Fujiyama. Charmander is quite interested in muscle training,” Heath replied with a smile. With Mr. Fujiyama around, Charmander had a proper teacher.

Although Heath had once frequented the gym, his understanding of fitness principles was limited, and he knew even less about how to train Pokémon. After all, his former coach never taught him how to train Pokémon physically.

“Hey, you’re helping it build core strength, aren’t you? It’s rare to find equipment that fits its size so well,” Mr. Fujiyama observed immediately, recognizing the exercise Charmander was performing.

Charmander, having finished its first set, glanced curiously at the burly, muscular man before it. The man’s massive physique and rippling muscles drew an envious gaze from the little Pokémon.

“It’s just something I managed to borrow—Officer Jenny’s quarters have plenty of Pokémon-sized gym equipment,” Heath replied, sharing the excuse he’d thought up earlier.

Officer Jenny’s dormitory had a variety of training equipment suitable for Pokémon, so Mr. Fujiyama nodded in understanding.

“Charmander, it’s rare for Pokémon to be so eager about muscle training... Tell you what, if it’s truly determined, I’ll design a custom fitness regimen for it. As long as you keep its nutrition up, I guarantee you’ll have a real muscle-bound Charmander,” Mr. Fujiyama mused, arms crossed, before offering his assistance with a cheerful smile.

Heath was astonished; he hadn’t expected Mr. Fujiyama to offer help. With his guidance, Charmander’s training would be even more effective.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Fujiyama! I’ll prepare a fitness meal for you,” Heath said happily, opening his refrigerator. Fitness wasn’t his strong suit; he preferred to leave it to professionals.

Now, Heath needed only to treat his passionate guest, repaying Mr. Fujiyama’s kindness.

Mr. Fujiyama waved his hand excitedly and led Charmander outside, measuring something beside the truck. Heath didn’t interfere; Mr. Fujiyama was an old customer.

While preparing breakfast for Mr. Fujiyama, Heath glanced at Charmander, who listened with rapt attention. It was clear the Pokémon truly enjoyed fitness, reminding Heath of Charmander’s enthusiastic morning workout.

Heath looked at his cabinet. He’d considered selling all his protein powder to Mr. Fujiyama, since it fetched a high price. If he sold it all, he could save even more money.

But recalling Charmander’s joy that morning, Heath suppressed the urge to profit.

“Forget it, I’ll let Charmander use it for training. I wonder what it’ll look like in the future...” Heath placed a freshly made pancake wrap into a bag and glanced at Charmander.

Charmander was currently small and skinny, much like any other of its kind. But Heath knew that wouldn’t last. With a set of gym equipment, professional guidance, and protein powder, his Charmander would soon be transformed.

A vision of a muscular Charmander emerged in Heath’s mind—when it evolved into Charizard, it would be a muscle-bound Charizard. Heath chuckled, finding the idea strangely appealing.

“Oh~ my trainer~ do you think I’ll look like this?” A strange voice echoed in Heath’s mind. He turned to see a Pokémon.

Charmander, its entire body bulging with muscle, yet its face remained delicate and gentle, reminiscent of a character from an old anime—like a bodybuilder Barbie. Heath shivered.

“Zorua!” Heath muttered in annoyance. Zorua reverted to its original form, pulling a funny face.