"Bang~~~"
A loud sound echoed through the air. Terrance stopped in his tracks, letting Mismagius fly higher to investigate. It turned out that Altaria had gotten into a fight with a Pidgeot not far away.
However, according to Mismagius's account, Altaria had the upper hand and would likely drive the opponent away soon.
Terrance paid no further attention to Altaria and continued on his way.
Before circling the entire island, Altaria had already used Dragon Dance once. With its boosted state, Terrance believed there were very few Pokémon on the island that could pose a threat to Altaria one-on-one. He decided to let Altaria maintain the effect of Dragon Dance for a while, and once it wore off, it would use it again. This way, the effects of Dragon Dance would continue to be extended, which was the training plan Terrance had arranged.
However, such training heavily relied on nutritional supplements. When an ordinary Pokémon sustains a state that exceeds its physical limits for an extended period, it may unlock greater power, but the body would undoubtedly suffer damage, potentially leaving behind hidden injuries.
If the nutritional replenishment couldn't keep up with the consumption of squeezing the body's potential, it would undoubtedly amount to self-harm.
Even in battles, using Dragon Dance for a brief moment would leave a Pokémon fatigued, let alone maintaining the state for a long period.
That said, Terrance's Altaria had a bloodline far more exalted than ordinary Altaria. While using Dragon Dance still pushed its limits, the side effects were significantly reduced. This is why this has currently become one of the training methods for Altaria.
In other words, it is better to use the Dragon Dance move to deeply stimulate Altaria's Dragon Type bloodline, which is far superior to the others of its kind.
Even so, Terrance didn't dare to push Altaria too hard. While Altaria's body could endure the effects of up to six Dragon Dance in a very short period, reaching its peak state and shining brightly for a moment, the cost was far too great. Unless in a life-or-death crisis, there was no need to do so even in important battles.
Two Dragon Dance boosts were the optimal level of enhancement for Altaria's physique. However, maintaining such a state for an extended period is simply a pipe dream. Compressing it to a single Dragon Dance boost was a decision Terrance reached after numerous discussions with his teachers. This number imposed minimal side effects while still providing a certain degree of training effect. If Altaria could one day maintain a single Dragon Dance state and not be affected by external factors, it would signify the completion of the first phase of training.
The nutrient solution made by a Top-tier Breeder had stimulated Swablu's Dragon-Type bloodline and confirmed its potential to reach the level of an Elite Four ace Pokémon. This wasn't just empty talk—it was bound to manifest in its growth speed and pattern.
For Elite Four, Champions, veteran Trainers and even Gym Leaders with exceptional strength, it was common to change their Pokémon teams multiple times.
As Trainer's status, strength, and reputation rises, the Pokémon that had been with them from the start often couldn't keep up to the very end.
Terrance understood this; many of the Elite Four's current main Pokémon were the result of generations of breeding.
While it's not an absolute rule, it's generally true that the more outstanding the parents, the more outstanding their children tend to be. The potential and aptitude of Pokémon, aside from changes from later efforts, are more or less related to their innate qualities. For the sake of a particular move, talent, or skill, Trainers with higher levels of strength tend to prefer seeking Pokémon that better suit their own ideals. At this point, aside from breeding the next generation from outstanding Pokémon of the first generation and starting from scratch to raise them for their own goals, there is no better method.
In the circles of high-level Trainers, such practices were no secret. Terrance knew of several Elite Four members who employed similar methods. For instance, Kanto Elite Four fighter Bruno, was known for capturing multiple Pokémon of the same species. With enough resources and time invested by Trainers, it is only natural for the Pokémon to grow stronger.
However, there were also ruthless Trainers who resorted to unspeakable methods in their pursuit of raising outstanding Pokémon. A notorious example was Kane, a criminal sentenced to death a decade ago. To raise a strong Ariados, he dissected countless Poison-type Pokémon, extracting their poison sacs for experiments. While he ultimately succeeded in creating an Ariados with venom so potent it could even kill other Poison-types, he could not escape the League's punishment for his heinous methods. Hunted by two Elite Four members, he was left with no choice but to take his own life.
"It was the right decision not to recklessly capture Pokémon in the beginning..." Reflecting on his early decisions, Terrance nodded to himself. His approach had been to progress step by step, only capturing Pokémon that met his standards after careful evaluation from multiple perspectives.
Terrance had often experienced situations where, despite finding a Pokémon he really liked, he had to let it go because it didn't suit him for various reasons.
Compared to most Trainers, Terrance considered himself fortunate to have Altaria. Based on his estimates, once Altaria fully adapted to one Dragon Dance, he would be well on his way to joining the ranks of the truly strong. Compared to most people who want to improve their strength but are powerless, Terrance still has huge room for improvement.
Rustle, rustle...
The bushes nearby stirred. Terrance halted again, and Mismagius floated forward, chanting a melodious incantation.
Spinning World!!
Immediately, the two Sandshrew resting behind the bushes felt themselves enter a transparent space. Then, the entire world began to shake. First, they experienced a rapid descent, causing them to let out cries, followed by a swirling sensation coming from all directions. This sudden shift instinctively made the two Sandshrew curl into tight balls, rolling out of their hiding spot in the bushes in a completely haphazard manner.
"Look at their ears, pressed flat against their heads. They must have been scared out of their wits," Terrance said with a chuckle, glancing at Castform.
"That's enough, Mismagius. Stop now."
Mismagius has quite good comprehension skills; it didn't encounter any problems during the first practical use. After that, it didn't continue tormenting the Sandshrew who had suddenly appeared into view. Terrance praised Mismagius but also told it to keep up the good work.
The two Sandshrew were quite weak, likely even a rookie Trainer who has just started out can defeat them. Disorienting them so thoroughly wasn't much to celebrate.
Mismagius nodded earnestly.
Then Terrance, Mismagius, and Castform saw the two Sandshrew suddenly wake up. They wobbled left and right, their bodies not yet adjusted, as they fled into the grass while limping.
"Hmm… they're limping," Terrance mused. Generally, when a body suddenly shifts from one "state" to another, it's only natural to be disoriented. This likely stems from a kind of memory mechanism. If Mismagius's Spinning World can heighten the spatial awareness of affected Pokémon, then even if they manage to break free from the illusion skill, they might still struggle to adjust back to reality at first.
The most likely scenario is that it is like being drunk, stumbling even while walking.
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