Cherreads

Chapter 6 - My First Partner, Charmender!

Ray held his breath as the fiery red book pulsed in his hands, the title glowing on its ancient leather-bound cover—Beast Grimoire.

Flip.

The moment he opened the first page, a brilliant golden light surged out, illuminating the misty card-making realm like a dawn sun piercing through eternal fog. The light then condensed into a vibrant illustration. His eyes widened, and a huge, nostalgic grin crept across his face.

There it was.

That iconic, orange, bipedal creature with a round snout, gleaming blue eyes, and a flame flickering at the tip of its tail—a creature beloved by millions in his past life.

Charmender.

It wasn't exactly Charmander, the name he had once known. No, this was his version—reimagined, refined, and reborn into this new world.

Beneath the image, glowing stats neatly appeared in golden script:

Name: CharmenderType: Fire, BeastLevel: 1

Attack: I0Defense: I0Speed: I0Magic: I0

Talents:🌟🌟🌟🌟 Talent 1 – Blazing Heart(★★★★)A flame that never dies. Increases fire-type skill growth rate and resistances. Boosts morale when HP drops below 30%.

🌟🌟🌟 Talent 2 – Instinctive Combat(★★★)The body remembers what the mind forgets. Increases evasion rate and reaction speed when facing multiple enemies.

Skills:

Scratch (*) – Focuses mana into claws for enhanced slashing damage.

Growl (*) – Channels mana into the vocal cords to produce a warping growl that reduces enemy attack.

Ember (**) – Releases a burst of fire elemental mana as heated embers from the mouth; may cause burns.

Smokescreen (**) – Channels fire mana to produce thick, choking smoke that hinders enemy vision and induces coughing.

"Hehehe…" Ray couldn't help but chuckle, his heart fluttering with excitement. "Charmender… You were always number one on the popularity boards when the series aired. And now—you're mine!"

A wave of nostalgia hit him like a tidal wave. Memories of playing Pokémon games on emulators, collecting cards during recess, and debating evolutions with friends resurfaced one after another.

But this wasn't a game. This was real.

And he had created Charmender—an original fire-type beast card, powered by a background story so vivid that even Heaven gave it a passing grade.

Ray's eyes narrowed as he stared at the stat sheet. "All I need to do now is train him. If I can get at least one stat to D0, I can trigger his level-up."

He smirked.

"But if I hold off and push all stats to S before leveling up… that would raise his base growth immensely. High-risk, high-reward—just like that one anime with gods and dungeons. I love it."

His fingers trembled in anticipation as he reopened the Grimoire and looked at the summon page. There was no incantation or ritual. All it took was his will and his words.

Ray inhaled deeply and shouted, "Come out, my partner—Charmender!"

The air trembled.

A ripple spread through the void, and a complex red magic circle—covered in flame glyphs and beast sigils—materialized in front of him.

FWOOOOSH!

A pillar of red light shot upward, and with a flash of fire and crackling embers, the figure began to form. First the feet, then the body, the arms, the head—and finally—the tail, crowned by a flickering, living flame.

"Char! Charmender!!"

The creature cried out the moment it landed on the glowing blue ground, smoke curling from its nostrils and sparks dancing in its fiery tail.

Ray's breath caught in his throat.

The orange fire lizard turned its head, blinking curiously. Its gaze wandered through the misty realm, inspecting the odd space like a child seeing the world for the first time. But when its eyes landed on Ray—it froze.

One heartbeat. Two.

Then—WHOOSH!

"Charrr!"

With a joyful cry, it rushed forward on its two legs, arms outstretched, and rubbed its face affectionately against Ray's leg.

Ray laughed out loud. "You're even more adorable in real life!"

The flame on Charmender's tail flared with joy, and Ray instinctively reached down to pet it on the head. The scales were warm—surprisingly soft for a fire-type creature. It purred like a cat, nuzzling deeper.

Ray's grin softened.

"…So this is what it feels like to be a card master."

Not just summoning monsters. Not just stats and battles.

It was connection. Bond. Purpose.

"Alright, partner," Ray said, standing up. "We've got work to do. The school's practice matches are coming up next month, and I refuse to lose in my debut!"

Charmender perked up, flames flaring in agreement.

Ray nodded, serious now. "We'll start small—basic training, stat enhancement, and skill refinement. I'll focus on raising your physical stats through combat drills. We're aiming for S-rank growth before level-up. No shortcuts."

"Char!" Charmender saluted with one clawed hand, fire trailing from its mouth like steam from a kettle.

Ray laughed. "Now that's what I like to hear!"

"Ray!" came Lyra's voice, concerned and excited. "Your room was glowing! Did you just finish your card?! I saw the light under your door!"

Just then—

KNOCK KNOCK!

Ray blinked. He glanced at the door—and sure enough, the fiery glow that had escaped moments ago was already gone. The magic circle had vanished. The room had returned to normal, save for the adorable fire lizard now sitting beside him.

He chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah… I did. And you're not gonna believe how awesome my Partner is."

Charmander puffed proudly, its tail swaying in rhythm with its new partner's heartbeat.

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