Despite being unfazed by thousand-degree heat, Magmar was now sweating bullets.
"Mag. (A human told me that before.)"
Su Feng facepalmed. "I don't know who told you that, but when humans treat fevers, we don't just 'cool down' the patient—and you're Magmar!"
Magmar's head drooped lower.
Sighing, Su Feng asked, "Is there a particularly hot magma pool nearby?"
This, Magmar knew. "Mag! (This way!)"
Following him, Su Feng arrived at what looked like a village—clusters of stone houses, each sized perfectly for different Pokémon. Fire-types lounged around a central magma pool like it was a hot spring. Some even sold goods (mostly shiny rocks) in makeshift stalls.
For a moment, Su Feng wondered if he'd stumbled into Zelda's Goron City.
[Is this… a Pokémon-built town?!]
[This is insane! Talking Pokémon? Fine. But architecture?!]
[Tool use separates humans from animals. If they can build houses… their intelligence rivals ours.]
[I refuse to believe this isn't staged.]
[You clearly don't know Feng-ge's streams. No fakes here.]
[What is this channel? How is this guy just walking into monster territory?!]
His shock deepened as Pokémon greeted Magmar respectfully:
"Meowth~ (Mr. Magmar!)"
"Growl! (Afternoon, sir!)"
Magmar was clearly a leader here.
[How do all these species coexist peacefully?]
[Looks harmonious. Like an animal fairy tale… if fairy tales were 1000°C.]
[Now I need to explore wild Pokémon habitats.]
"Mag. (Any Pokémon can live here if they follow the rules and build a house.)" Magmar explained. "Mag. (Though only Fire-types stay long.)"
Su Feng deadpanned. No kidding.
"Who founded this place?"
"Mag. (I did. Twenty years ago.)"
"Twenty—?!"
Pokémon had only appeared globally a year prior. This hinted at another world's history. But first—
"Let's treat Magby."
Magmar led them to the grandest stone house. Inside, a pristine magma pool glowed fiercely.
"Mag. (This is mine. Hottest magma in the area.)"
Magby's breathing eased slightly in the heat.
Su Feng frowned. "Wait—if it's this warm indoors, why didn't Magby recover sooner?"
"Mag. (Because someone insisted on 'cooling' him outside.)" Magmar's mate glared.
Su Feng: "…"
This esteemed elder is just a clueless dad.
"Put Magby in the pool. I'll assist, but his immune system does most of the work."
As Magby submerged (like a cozy bath), Su Feng prepared medicine at a cooler spot—compressing it into heat-resistant tablets. Liquid medicine would vaporize instantly.