Chapter 174: Special Training and Special Training

Chapter 174: Special Training and Special Training

At the foot of Fiery Volcano, in a relatively secluded training ground.

Rio looked at the two Pokémon before him, somewhat lost in thought.

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[Pokédex]

Encounter Progress: 98/100

Battle Progress: 55/100

[Real-time Analysis]

Pokémon: Extreme Flame Peerless - Charizard (Male) (Aging)

Level: Lv42 (Originally Lv68)

Type: Fire + Flying

Trainer: Akagi

Ability: Solar Power (Under strong sunlight, this Pokémon's Special Attack is boosted, but it loses some HP each turn as a trade-off)

Peerless: Monarch's Blaze (This Pokémon is like a Monarch of Flame, possessing ultimate fire control and super-strong fire energy. In its burst state, the power of Fire-type moves is greatly increased. Water-type moves with less than 100 power cannot deal damage)

Moves: Flamethrower (Lv5) (Orig. Lv7), Flare Blitz (Lv5) (Orig. Lv7), Inferno (Lv5) (Orig. Lv6), Fire Fang (Lv4) (Orig. Lv5), Fire Spin (Lv4) (Orig. Lv5), Dragon Dance (Lv4) (Orig. Lv5), Air Slash (Lv3) (Orig. Lv4), Dragon Claw (Lv3) (Orig. Lv4), Hurricane (Lv3), Crunch (Lv3), Earthquake (Lv3)

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Strong! Just like the overwhelming aura of a powerhouse, Charizard's data could be described in one word: strong.

The very rare hidden ability that could enhance Special Attack—Solar Power—plus the Peerless Charizard's peerless ultimate move—Monarch's Blaze—all served to greatly enhance the effect of Fire-type special moves. Fire-type moves were already known for their great power. If Charizard entered the field and used [Dragon Dance] to increase its speed, this kind of Fire-type Pokémon that could use hugely powerful fire moves with priority speed... Rio could feel the pressure on the opponent standing opposite Charizard just by imagining it.

"Although my old partner and I are old now, we still have our experience."

The old man Akagi patted Charizard's sturdy legs with infinite emotion.

Rio just wanted to say, this aged Charizard, if it just gave me a light punch, I don't think I could take it.

Fortunately, the one the old man Akagi sent out to train with him was not Charizard.

But rather...

"Wow, hello, Eldest Senior Brother!"

Rio looked at the majestic monkey before him and couldn't help but blurt it out.

"Mon?"

Infernape tilted its head in confusion.

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[Pokédex]

Encounter Progress: 99/100

Battle Progress: 55/100

[Real-time Analysis]

Pokémon: Elite - Infernape (Male)

Level: Lv40

Type: Fire + Fighting

Trainer: Akagi

Ability: Blaze (When this Pokémon's HP is low, the power of its Fire-type moves is boosted)

Special: Accelerating Punches (Possesses an agile body, which allows its punching speed to continuously increase as a battle lengthens)

Moves: Fire Punch (Lv5), Close Combat (Lv5), Mach Punch (Lv5), Leer (Lv4), Flamethrower (Lv4), Swords Dance (Lv4), Endure (Lv3)

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A perpetually burning flame sat atop its head, its eyes bright and full of spirit. Its ape-like body looked as if it were wearing a suit of battle armor.

It was precisely that Pokémon Rio was familiar with, the Fire-type starter Pokémon—Infernape.

Of course, Rio was more willing to call him Eldest Senior Brother.

As for the reason, those who know, know.

Infernape didn't quite understand why the little brother before it was so enthusiastically calling it "Eldest Senior Brother," but being simple-natured and with only battle in its mind, it didn't think too much about it and gladly accepted this title.

"The sublimation of a life tier sounds very profound, but in fact, it's just two very simple principles."

"The first and most important is to try your best to approach the limit of your current tier, and then, break through it."

"But breaking through the limit is easy to say. However, with the slightest carelessness, it's very easy to lose your life in the process of breaking through."

"This depends on whether your will is firm enough, whether your desire is strong enough."

"This is the second key point. You must decide on the path you want to take."

"Only when you are clear about the direction you are heading in will you not hesitate, which could lead to failure at the final step."

"Just like my Charizard. It loves flame, and pursued flame to its extreme. And so, when faced with the limit of flame, it did not hesitate, but in one breath, broke through the limit and became the Peerless Monarch who controls flame."

Akagi explained in detail to Rio, then asked a question.

"So, your path, where does it lie?"

A Peerless Pokémon is one that walks its own path alone, is second to none in the world, and achieves the strongest version of itself.

The Dark and Fire-type Incineroar, on the path of evil, galloped a thousand miles, and only then did it possess that extreme evil that made other creatures fear it to the depths of their souls.

The Fire and Flying-type Charizard, abandoning its advantage of flight, on the path of extreme flame, the moment it was born as a Peerless being, its fiery might looked down upon the world.

And himself, Riolu, or Lucario, what path should he walk?

Riolu is a Fighting-type; Lucario is a Steel and Fighting-type. Logically speaking, heading in the direction of Fighting seems to be no problem.

However, Rio recalled the Aura energy that had supported him in his desperate battle against the super divine beast Mewtwo and felt that heading down the path of Aura could also allow him to obtain great power.

Akagi also saw that Rio was troubled. As if sensing the latter's inner thoughts, he spoke, "Are you wondering which of your attributes can become your path?"

"Y-yes."

"If you think like that, you will never be able to step into the realm of the Peerless."

Akagi shook his head.

Am I wrong in my thinking? Isn't finding one's own path about pushing one's own attribute to its utmost extreme?

Rio was a little confused.

"It's not what kind of Pokémon you are that decides your path, but your path that decides what kind of Pokémon you should be... Forget it. These things, I think it's very difficult for you to understand at this stage. So, in this special training, I'll let you come to understand this point."

Akagi pointed at Infernape.

"My Infernape is also pursuing the path of the Peerless. I'll let you two undergo special training together."

Rio had an ominous premonition in his heart and asked cautiously, "Excuse me, the special training is..."

Akagi chuckled "kindly."

"The special training is... to first let you and Infernape have a battle!"

Hearing the word "battle," Infernape's eyes immediately lit up.

"Mon!"

Then, a blazing fighting spirit locked onto Rio's body.

"Battle until you reach your limit!"

…

On the other side, in the training ground specially rented out for Pokémon trainers in Fuquan Town.

Míng Rìzhào, Kirlia Ruru, and Eevee were also about to start their special training.

Since Rio had to undergo secret special training, the Pokémon egg was temporarily entrusted to Fengling for safekeeping. And Fengling, holding the Pokémon egg, was watching her good friend speak earnestly to Eevee.

Snivy sat on the side, leaning against Fengling, somewhat drowsy.

"Eevee, Eevee?"

Eevee's large eyes looked at Míng Rìzhào innocently.

The girl took a cup of water from Kirlia's hand and slightly moistened her own throat, which had become a little dry from talking.

"Thanks, Ruru... So, Bubu (Eevee's nickname), are you willing to enter the battle with me?"

Bubu was the nickname for Eevee. According to Míng Rìzhào's habit, she liked to take one character from the Pokémon's name and repeat it as a nickname, like Ruru for Ralts, Bubu for Eevee. If Rio hadn't had a name himself, he probably would have also suffered Míng Rìzhào's "poisonous hand"—a Riolu named Lili? Or Ouou? Or Lulu? They all felt like dog names.

And Fengling liked to add a "Xiao" (little) in front of the Pokémon's name, like Xiao Teng for Snivy and so on.

Oh, getting off track.

Just now, Míng Rìzhào had been trying to communicate with Eevee, trying to get the latter to understand the matter of battling.

But Eevee had just been rolling its big eyes, occasionally twitching its long, pointed ears, looking completely innocent.

Does the human in front of me want to pat my cute Eevee's big tail? Okay!

Eevee obediently placed its fluffy, large tail in Míng Rìzhào's hand.

The soft and fluffy feel made Míng Rìzhào unable to help but stroke it again and again, then suddenly came to her senses.

"Ah, this fluffy feeling, I'm dying... No, Bubu, I don't want to touch your tail! I'm saying, are you willing to battle with me?"

Hmm? Could it be that the human in front of me doesn't like my Eevee's tail?

Eevee's small head held a big confusion. It then looked at its own soft, pink paw pads.

Could it be that she likes Eevee's paws? Alright, I, Eevee, am still very generous. I'll let you touch them.

"Eevee~"

Eevee proudly raised its left paw and pressed its paw pad against Míng Rìzhào's arm.

The soft, springy paw pad made Míng Rìzhào let out a long sigh. She then gave up on herself, picked up Eevee, and began to frantically pet it.

"Alright, alright! It's fine if you don't want to battle! Who made cuteness justice!"

Ruru helplessly glanced at her own trainer, who was engrossed in snuggling Eevee, and went to the side to practice her own psychic powers.

Suddenly.

"BOOM—"

A huge explosion attracted the attention of everyone around the training ground.

Ruru looked back in surprise.

She only saw Míng Rìzhào looking at the large hole in the ground in front of her, dumbfounded. And the Eevee in her arms felt its nose itch, tilted its head, and rubbed against Míng Rìzhào's clothes. A few electric sparks still remained in its small, not-fully-closed mouth.

"This damage... was caused by Eevee?"

Fengling also stood up in surprise, her gaze somewhat dazed as she looked at the deep, large hole.

Just now, she had witnessed with her own eyes the Eevee, which was playing with Míng Rìzhào, as if its nose was tickled by its own fur, let out a loud sneeze. Unexpectedly, a blindingly bright electric light shot straight out, fiercely bombarding the ground and creating a huge explosion.

"Xiao Teng, do you think you could also cause this kind of damage?"

"Teng, teng..."

Snivy was also looking at the cute little sister with a completely baffled expression.

You can't judge a Pokémon by its appearance.

Sure enough, pink-haired characters are always secretly dark, and cute things are always secretly bosses.