The next day arrived, and Axel spoke up, "The first thing we need to do is train properly."
"What do you mean by training ourselves properly?" K asked.
"I can see that neither you nor your Pokémon have received proper training. A managed to use the Everstone strategy and fared relatively well, but you and B have neglected it. I understand your desire for faster advancement, but it's not a solution. You'll be compromising their foundation," Axel explained.
"But our Everstone strategy was our own creation. Others aren't using it, and they're doing well," K argued.
"K, do you know why there are fewer Elemental-ranked, Pseudo-King-ranked, King-ranked, and Champion-ranked Pokémon?
There are several factors, but the most basic one is their foundation. Pokémon without a solid foundation may struggle to advance and rank up in the future," Axel elaborated.
This revelation was new to the trio. Axel began pointing out their training mistakes and advised them to focus on training their Pokémon's abilities and hidden abilities, as well as utilizing the knowledge from Mew's book. He also emphasized the use of Vitamins and type-enhancing items, essentially giving them a comprehensive overview of Giovanni's book.
These were his true friends, and he wanted them to train their Pokémon properly. After lecturing them for the entire day, the three brothers realized the multitude of mistakes they had made in their Pokémon training.
"Now, since we've covered the Pokémon part, I also want you to focus on training your bodies. All of you have unlocked your Aura, but you haven't trained it properly. Your physical training has also been lacking," Axel continued.
K had done a commendable job since he trained outside and focused on his physical fitness. However, both A and B needed to prioritize their physical training.
"It might not seem important now, but when your Pokémon reach higher ranks, it's essential for a trainer to have good physical stats as well," Axel emphasized.
While training his friends, Axel noticed K's Golbat and decided it was time to research its evolution. He called Mark to join them at the training ground.
###
"Mark, how is your research on the King's Rock evolution going?" Axel inquired.
"It's going well. I've already studied the King's Rock and drafted the paper. It just needs to be submitted to the league," Mark replied.
"Good. Now, I have another theory about a different evolution," Axel shared.
"Really? You're just increasing my workload now," Mark joked.
"Come on, you'll be interested in this. It's about Golbat. I believe that, similar to Eeveelutions, Golbat can also evolve through friendship," Axel proposed.
"Are you sure about that?"
"It's just my intuition, but you know my intuition is usually spot on," Axel confidently replied.
After discussing other Pokémon that could potentially evolve through friendship, Axel and Mark obtained a Soothe Bell for Golbat. The Soothe Bell helps increase a Pokémon's friendship with its trainer. Axel instructed K to focus on building a strong bond of friendship with Golbat.
"Regularly talk to it, intensify its training, and strengthen your bond with Golbat. I have a feeling it will evolve into something," Axel advised.
The rest of the day was spent training their friends and their Pokémon. Axel didn't neglect his own training or the training of his Pokémon. Nidorino aimed to level up its move 'Venom Drench' to 40, while Beedrill focused on training its passive move 'Resolve' to stage III.
Axel initially expected Nidorino or Beedrill to rank up first, but to his surprise, Gogoat stole the show. As it started to rank up, all of Axel's Pokémon and friends gathered around to witness the process. Axel tossed a Miracle Seed he had recently obtained from the Venusaur family.
The process took about 10 minutes, and the rank-up was completed. Unlike the others, Gogoat remained in full control of its emotions. Axel then examined its new stats:
---
Pokémon's Name: Gogoat (Age: 13 yrs)
Pokémon's Nickname: N/A
Pokémon Rank: Pseudo-King
Ability: Sap Sipper (80%)
Hidden Ability: Grass Pelt (75%)
Potential: Red (Advanced)
Health: 3000/3000 Attack: F
Agility: F Defense: F
Sp. Attk: F Sp. Def: F
Moves: Growth (G) (Lvl 39), Earthquake (G) (Lvl 32), Razor Leaf (G) (Lvl 39), Horn Leech (G) (Lvl 39), Bullet Seed (G) (Lvl 39), Seed Bomb (G) (Lvl 39), Grassy Terrain (E) (Lvl 41), Milk Drink (G) (Lvl 39), Solar Beam (G) (Lvl 39), Sunny Day (G) (Lvl 39), Wild Charge (C) (Lvl 29), Grass Pledge (G) (Lvl 36), Frenzy Plant (G) (Lvl 37), Field Control (C) (Lvl 21)
Core: Grass (Mastered)
Hidden Power: Electric (13%)
---
###
Several changes were evident in Gogoat's stats. Its potential had increased from Orange (Normal) to Red (Advanced), which was a significant development. Another notable change was its health, which now stood at 3000, indicating an impressive amount of endurance.
Most of its moves had reached level 39, and its new move, 'Field Control' had reached level 21. Gogoat had worked diligently over the past two months, and its move levels had improved significantly.
Axel now had three Pseudo-King-ranked Pokémon: Gogoat, Alakazam, and Shedinja. Soon, Beedrill and Nidorino would also join their ranks. Axel had previously stated that he would compete in the league after ten months, and only Pokémon with King-ranked status would be eligible to participate. Consequently, all his Pokémon were committed to intense training, striving to become renowned through their participation in the league.
Charizard, in particular, was working tirelessly. With its exceptional potential and Axel's talent for 'Elemental Overgrowth', it was on the verge of ranking up to Elemental Rank, despite having only reached Rare Rank a few months ago.
Axel was delighted with these developments. He could challenge other gyms right away, but he wanted Beedrill and Nidorino to achieve Pseudo-King rank before making his move.