Chapter 111: Firefighting

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"This is your equipment. We're short on personnel right now, so no one can accompany you inside. However, there should be traces left by the previous team along the route, so you can follow the path they took!" The person in charge handed Ash the equipment, pointing to a line marked on the map.

This route had been previously planned for firefighting. As long as they followed it and there were no accidents, they should be able to merge with the earlier team.

"I understand!" Ash nodded, putting on the fire suit, mask, and helmet. He then turned to the Squirtles. Pokémon are generally more resistant to extreme conditions than humans, so they didn't need equipment. At least in the case of smoke, they could handle it for half an hour without any issues.

"Let's go!" Ash called out to his Pokémon and started walking in. Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, turning around to signal the Squirtles to follow.

"Jenny Jenny!" The leader of the Squirtles shouted excitedly and immediately began following. The four other Squirtles followed suit, their quick and decisive action earning a nod of approval from the head of the firefighting team.

Once inside the building, they encountered no problems on the first floor. The fire had originated on the fifth floor, and naturally, the elevator couldn't be used, so they had to take the stairs. Ash followed the route on the map to find the stairwell.

"Everyone, hurry up and join the team in front, understood?" Ash called back to the Squirtles. Given their small arms and legs, climbing the stairs might be a challenge for them.

If the Squirtles were Ash's Pokémon, he could simply recall them into their Poké Balls, but they weren't his Pokémon.

"Jenny!" The leader of the Squirtles responded with a determined nod, then looked back at the four members. He gave them a slight nod to encourage them.

"Let's go!" Ash took the lead, running up the stairs. His physical fitness had improved significantly over time, and the heavy firefighting suit didn't slow him down too much. He quickly ascended two steps at a time.

The Squirtles followed behind. Their speed couldn't compare to Ash's, but they were nimble, especially the leader of the Squirtles, who moved so quickly that he stayed less than a step behind Ash.

"Starmie, use Bubble! Staryu, Water Gun!" As they reached the stairs between the fourth and fifth floors, Ash heard Misty's voice. She sounded very busy, and Ash could tell she was focused on fighting the fire.

Ash paused for a moment, looking back to check on the Squirtles. The leader was still following closely, while the four Squirtles were a little slower but steadily climbing the stairs.

"Take a break and catch your breath!" Ash instructed when the four Squirtles reached him. He didn't want them to exhaust themselves.

"Jenny!" The leader of the Squirtles nodded in agreement, panting slightly, while the others were visibly out of breath, though none of them showed any signs of giving up.

Despite their past pranks, the Squirtles had surprisingly good stamina. Years of avoiding trouble had built up their physical strength.

"Good job!" Ash said, impressed. Within ten seconds, the Squirtles had caught their breath and were ready to continue. Although they were at an ordinary level, their ability to recover so quickly was impressive.

"Let's go!" Ash waved, and the five Squirtles followed him up to the fifth floor. There, they encountered a firefighter guarding the door. Ash explained his purpose and was allowed to join the firefighting team.

Misty hadn't noticed Ash's arrival. She was too focused on her work, clad in firefighting gear, helping to battle the flames.

Ash didn't want to distract her, so he followed the instructions from the scene manager and directed the five Squirtles to join the firefighting efforts.

The Squirtles were impressively coordinated. They could use their Water Guns simultaneously and even combine their attacks to create a more powerful stream of water. Their teamwork was so precise that it seemed like they had been trained together for years.

Ash couldn't help but admire them, and the firefighters were equally impressed.

The firefighters exchanged glances and murmured to each other, watching the Squirtles' seamless teamwork. This kind of coordination was normally the result of daily training, but the Squirtles had never been part of such a program. The fact that they could execute such coordinated attacks on their own was a clear indication of their exceptional talent.

With the Squirtles' help, the fire was gradually brought under control. Combined with the efforts of the fire trucks outside, the flames were finally extinguished, leaving only a mess of debris behind.

"Huh... I didn't expect Ash to come in. I didn't even notice him!" After everyone returned downstairs, they were met with applause from the residents, and Misty smiled, enjoying the moment. It was only then that she noticed Ash.

"I couldn't get in at first. It was thanks to the Squirtles," Ash replied, brushing some damp hair from his forehead. "Thanks for your hard work."

"It's nothing!" Misty blushed slightly, but she didn't pull away from Ash's gesture. She accepted his praise with a smile.

"This time, we really owe it to you!" The person in charge of the firefighting operation approached and thanked all the trainers. Officer Jenny also mentioned that rewards would be distributed to each trainer's account. The reward was 5,000, which wasn't a small amount.

"In addition to the trainers, the Squirtles also made significant contributions during this operation," the person in charge said after hearing about the Squirtles' performance from the firefighters who had gone upstairs earlier. He looked down at the five Squirtles with a new sense of respect.

"Thank you for your help, Squirtles!" The person in charge knelt down on one knee to address the Squirtles. Though they had been known for their pranks, they had proven themselves to be heroes when it mattered most.

"Jenny..." The Squirtles seemed taken aback by the gratitude. They appeared slightly embarrassed, unsure of how to react to the praise.

The residents, who had once disapproved of the Squirtles, now looked at them with mixed expressions. Many of them had already started clapping for the Squirtles' heroic actions.

After all, the Squirtles had only stolen food to survive, and their pranks had never harmed anyone.

"Now, on behalf of the Fire Department, I would like to extend an invitation to you!" The person in charge stretched out his hand toward the Squirtles. "Given your impressive abilities, it would be a waste not to put them to good use."

The Squirtles seemed moved. If they could have a place to call home, they would no longer need to resort to stealing. After their contribution in this firefighting effort, they felt proud of their actions. But it was up to their leader to make the final decision, so they turned to the Squirtle leader.

"Jenny!" The leader Squirtle nodded vigorously but didn't lead the others forward. Instead, it walked behind them and gave them a gentle push.

"Jenny—?!" The other Squirtles looked confused, not understanding what their leader meant.

"Jenny—!" The leader Squirtle gave a slight nod to its team, then shook its head at the person in charge. With a determined look, it turned toward Ash.

This human had chosen to trust them when no one else had. And so... it wanted to follow this Trainer's lead.

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