NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: ch2
Flickering with stunning special effects, the screen in front of Alex lit up brilliantly. A variety of colorful products appeared one by one, dazzling and mesmerizing him.
Among them, the most eye-catching item was a vibrant, Pokémon-like product!
"Ding! Congratulations, host! The refresh was successful, and the flash sale shelf has been updated. Please check it out!"
"Ding! Attention, host: the Super Refresh Opportunity is available once a year. Eleven items will be generated at one time, including one guaranteed god-level item!"
God-level merchandise!
Was it the item radiating with colorful brilliance?!
Alex's eyes burned with excitement as he stared nervously and expectantly at the shelves.
For the first time, he clicked on the product enveloped in the seven-colored light.
Swish—
The colorful brilliance faded.
An orange-yellow Pokémon radiated power, waving its claws and baring its teeth at the screen.
"It's Charmander!"
Alex took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement to avoid screaming out loud. His gaze fell on the Charmander displayed on the screen, his heart pounding with joy.
"The first fire starter of the original trio, Charmander!"
"This is definitely the most iconic Pokémon for every gamer."
Compared to the grass-type Bulbasaur and the water-type Squirtle, the powerful and stylish Charmander—with its high damage output and fast speed—was always the first choice for gamers, especially for a quick early-stage advantage.
And after evolving into Charizard, its combat power soared.
As a protagonist's ultimate companion, Charizard was a must-have, and its prowess was well-known to everyone!
"The most famous examples are Zhipeng's, Leon's Charizard, and Alan's Charizard. But the strongest one is undeniably the red Charizard!"
It single-handedly took on the three legendary birds.
Its Mega Evolution defeated Mewtwo.
If it could go to space, it wouldn't lose to Rayquaza in battling extraterrestrials.
"According to the system, the seven-colored light indicates god-level quality. The ultimate version of this Charmander should evolve into the Crimson Charizard!"
Alex's excitement surged uncontrollably. He quickly checked the flash sale price for the god-level Charmander.
Even tens of thousands of dollars.
Alex gritted his teeth, determined to obtain it!
However, the system remained true to its name.
It was a flash sale.
---
Charmander (Colorful)
Description: The original fire starter of the trio. A master of fire born in the Primordial Flame, capable of unimaginable destruction when fully grown. Loyal and brave, the ideal Earl Dervish Pokémon for a Trainer.
Flash Sale Price: $99.99
---
"Holy crap!" Alex exclaimed.
His excitement reached a peak. Without hesitation, he recharged $100 to instantly purchase the god-level Charmander.
"Ding! Congratulations, host! You successfully purchased Charmander. Considering the host's current situation, do you wish to replace the Pokémon egg in front of you with Charmander?"
"Ding! Special reminder: The Pokémon egg in front of the host contains a Caterpie. Its quality is average, and its potential is extremely low."
"…Caterpie?"
Average quality. Low potential.
Alex scoffed at the comparison. A pseudo-Rayquaza Caterpie versus a god-level Charmander? It was no contest. He decisively chose to replace the egg.
"Ding! Congratulations, host! Charmander will hatch within one minute!"
"…One minute? That's pretty efficient."
Alex temporarily ignored the remaining ten items on the flash sale shelf, even though many of them glimmered enticingly. Instead, he focused on witnessing the birth of Charmander.
---
The dormitory was quiet.
Since the four roommates had returned with their free Pokémon eggs, everyone had been cautious, afraid of disturbing the eggs and affecting their hatching times.
Alex and his roommate, Bob, sat near their eggs, watching them closely. Meanwhile, Kai and Max lay on their beds, each holding their own egg.
A soft crack interrupted the silence.
Suddenly, all four roommates sat up, startled.
"Whose egg just cracked?!"
"Whose Pokémon is about to hatch?!"
Once a Pokémon egg's shell begins to crack, it signals the imminent birth of a Pokémon.
Seeing that their own eggs hadn't changed, the three roommates turned their attention to Alex and his egg.
"Holy crap," Max said. "Alex, your Pokémon is about to hatch!"
"Looks like you'll be the boss of the dorm now," Bob added.
The four had agreed earlier that whoever's Pokémon hatched first would be the dorm leader, with rank determined by hatching order.
"Let's discuss that later," Alex said, motioning for them to quiet down.
He pulled out his phone to record the moment.
---
Under their tense gazes, the Pokémon egg started to crack open.
Click—
A sharp orange claw broke through the shell.
Then the entire egg shattered like glass, revealing an orange Pokémon. Its belly and the underside of its tail were buttery yellow, and a bright flame danced at the tip of its tail.
Its bright, energetic eyes shone with confidence and dominance.
It was Charmander!
The dorm exploded in excitement.
"Holy crap!"
"Charmander!"
"It's Charmander, the fire starter from the trio!"
"Alex, you're insanely lucky!"
---
Charmander stared at Alex curiously, seemingly committing his face to memory.
For Charmander, Alex was the Trainer it would protect loyally for life.
Word of Alex hatching a Charmander quickly spread. Within minutes, Dormitory 427 was packed with students eager to see it.
"Show us Charmander!"
"Step aside! I was here first!"
"I've never seen a Charmander in real life before!"
The excitement only subsided when the dormitory staff intervened.
Finally, after everyone left, Alex let his roommates admire and photograph Charmander.
Then, he turned his attention back to the flash sale shelf.
"The flash sale only lasts an hour. If I miss this, it's a huge loss."