After Zhou Zhiwen left, Wen Qi returned to his own little world. At that moment, a mischievous idea suddenly popped into his head, so he headed toward where Arcanine was.
When Wen Qi’s figure came into view, the Arcanine, which had been lying quietly on the ground, instantly perked up. It wagged its tail joyfully, its eyes brimming with delight. Unlike its lively and restless days as a Growlithe, the Arcanine now carried a bit more steadiness.
Wen Qi smiled and walked over to Arcanine, saying, “Arcanine, I’ve found two companions for you. From now on, you need to take good care of them, okay?”
Hearing about new companions, Arcanine’s eyes lit up, and it barked happily. It thought to itself, *Finally, I’ll have friends to play with. Life’s going to be so much more fun from now on.*
But the moment Wen Qi released the two Houndour, the smile on Arcanine’s face froze instantly. Its eyes widened in disbelief as it stared at Wen Qi, letting out a string of dissatisfied barks: “Woof woof woof! Master, how could you do this to me? I’ve been loyal and stayed by your side all this time, and now you bring in two more dogs! Does my place in your heart get replaced that easily? I won’t stand for it, I won’t! Woof woof woof!”
Arcanine circled Wen Qi incessantly as it barked, its tail drooping, looking utterly wronged and furious. Wen Qi quickly crouched down, stroking Arcanine’s head, and said with a smile, “Arcanine, don’t be mad. Their arrival won’t lessen my love for you.”
Arcanine grumbled a few times, stopped in its tracks, and said, “Woof! Master, that’s easy for you to say. Before, I was the only dog, enjoying all your attention. Now, with two new ones suddenly here, how can I not worry?”
Wen Qi gently patted its back and explained patiently, “Silly dog, you’re my most trusted partner. The Houndour are here to strengthen our little family. From now on, you’ll play and fight together—won’t that be livelier and more fun?”
Arcanine tilted its head, still a hint of discontent in its eyes, and said, “Woof woof woof! Fine, Master, but you have to promise that I’m still your favorite.”
Wen Qi nodded repeatedly, “Of course. Your place in my heart is irreplaceable.”
Only then did Arcanine’s mood ease slightly, but it still eyed the two Houndour warily.
When the Houndour were first released, they seemed a bit dazed. They blinked their round eyes, curiously taking in the new surroundings. Soon, their gazes locked onto Wen Qi in front of them. Having been raised by humans from a young age, they knew they would eventually become someone’s Pokémon, and this person before them was their Trainer. Moreover, the power of Viridian Forest emanating from Wen Qi gave them a familiar and comforting feeling, instantly making them realize he was their master.
They wagged their tails happily and, without hesitation, ran straight to Wen Qi, circling his feet and letting out affectionate whines. Watching the Houndour dash toward him joyfully, Wen Qi’s face lit up with a warm smile. He crouched down, reached out with both hands, and gently stroked their heads, saying softly, “Little ones, don’t rush. From now on, this is your home. I’ll take good care of you and make you stronger.”
Wen Qi’s voice seemed to carry a magical charm, making the Houndour’s whines even more cheerful. He patted their backs lightly, as if giving them strength and courage. “Be good, follow me, and there’s plenty of fun waiting for us ahead.”
The Houndour seemed to understand his words, wagging their tails even faster and nuzzling affectionately against his legs. As they played around Wen Qi, they noticed the majestic Arcanine and felt a surge of admiration. The two Houndour exchanged glances, as if communicating through their eyes, and then, as if reading each other’s minds, decided to treat Arcanine as their leader.
So, they hurried over to Arcanine. One Houndour cautiously rubbed against Arcanine’s leg, letting out soft cries that seemed to say, “Boss, please take care of us from now on.” Its tail wagged like a little whirlwind, its eyes full of hope and flattery. The other Houndour was even more proactive. It spun around, found a Fire-type energy cube it had hidden earlier, and placed it in front of Arcanine, its eyes brimming with sycophantic intent as it whimpered, “Boss, this is my best thing—a gift for you.”
Arcanine was still upset at first. It turned its head away, unwilling to acknowledge the newcomers. But the Houndour didn’t give up. They kept circling Arcanine, making appeasing sounds. Watching this, Wen Qi smiled and walked over, crouching down to gently pat the Houndour’s heads, saying softly, “Little ones, don’t worry. Arcanine will accept you.” Then he turned to Arcanine and said, “Arcanine, you’re the boss now. Act like one and lead them in play.”
Hearing Wen Qi’s words, Arcanine hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at the two Houndour. Their hopeful, pleading eyes softened its heart. Arcanine sighed helplessly, thinking, *Since these little ones are so well-behaved, I shouldn’t keep sulking.* So, it gave a slight nod, accepting them.
Seeing Arcanine nod, the two Houndour leaped with excitement, bouncing and jumping around Arcanine, filling the air with a joyful atmosphere. From then on, Arcanine stopped complaining to Wen Qi and began seriously sizing up its new companions. It circled the Houndour a few times, then stood tall and proud before them, as if to say, “Follow me, and I’ll have your backs from now on!”
The Houndour barked happily, sticking close behind Arcanine as the three little ones started to get acquainted. Wen Qi watched this harmonious scene and couldn’t help but laugh. He knew that from now on, this little world would be even livelier and more interesting with these three Pokémon around.
Wen Qi looked at the Houndour playing and checked their stats using the system.
Pokémon: Houndour (Male) / Houndour (Female) Level: 10 Type: Dark + Fire Ability: Flash Fire (When hit by a Fire-type move, absorbs the flames, strengthening the user’s own Fire-type moves) Talent: Green Moves: Leer (Beginner), Ember (Beginner), Howl (Beginner), Smog (Beginner), Roar (Beginner), Bite (Beginner), Dark Pulse (Beginner), Infernal Parade (Beginner)
After reviewing the information on both Houndour, Wen Qi noticed they were at similar levels and knew roughly the same moves, suggesting they had trained together. Now at around level ten, it was the perfect time for training. Though the Houndour were primarily Dark-type, they also had the Fire-type, making it fitting for them to live alongside Arcanine. Since Wen Qi had captured them, some caves had appeared beneath the volcano, filled with Dark- and Fire-type energy—an ideal environment for the Houndour to thrive.