Rex is well aware that he is not a once-in-a-century genius martial artist; rather, he is rapidly enhancing his body with the aid of the miraculous energy known as life energy. However, Rocky clearly does not share this view. He has secretly resolved to pull the young man before him into the ranks of martial artists.
True martial artists are incredibly rare in this world filled with Pokémon because, compared to the effort required to train one's body for battle against Pokémon, capturing and training Pokémon for combat is far more convenient and effective.
Before the advent of Poké Balls, people developed various methods to enhance their strength to compete with wild Pokémon, which led to the emergence of the early martial artist profession.
If Poké Balls had never become widespread, Rex believes that the martial artist profession would have taken center stage in human society, just like trainers do today.
Moreover, with generations of martial artists developing and researching techniques, along with the abundant natural energy in this world, a new breed of superhuman beings would have emerged.
Unfortunately, reality is what it is. With the emergence of the trainer profession, people no longer need to engage in grueling training day after day to possess the strength to fight against Pokémon.
A Pokémon trainer only needs to capture one Pokémon, train its strength, and then capture and train more Pokémon. This allows their strength to grow like a snowball, and for excellent trainers, this may only take a few years.
In contrast, someone training to be a martial artist may spend years of hard work and still struggle to defeat even some average-strength Pokémon, leading to a crushing sense of disparity.
Thus, over time, martial artists gradually faded from the historical stage. However, their legacy persists, as there will always be individuals who enjoy strengthening themselves and relishing their own power.
Rocky is one of them. Of course, in this era, even martial artists will capture Pokémon for training, so they can actually be considered a unique type of trainer.
There are quite a few famous martial artists, such as Bruno, one of the Elite Four from the Kanto region; Marshal, one of the Elite Four from the Unova region; Maylene, the Gym Leader from the Sinnoh region; and Bea from the Galar region's Stow-on-Side Arena.
These individuals are passionate martial artists and top-tier fighting-type Pokémon trainers. Many of the training methods of martial artists are actually derived from the power of fighting-type Pokémon. As such, most martial artists train fighting-type Pokémon.
While cultivating fighting-type Pokémon, they also enhance their physical fitness and fighting skills, improving both their and their Pokémon's combat experience through battles together.
Rex could also take this path. He already possesses several fighting-type Pokémon, especially the powerful Machoke, a pure fighting-type Pokémon that is very enthusiastic about training and becoming stronger.
"Rocky, how did you end up practicing on the street?" Rex asked curiously after he and Rocky found a drink shop and ordered something.
"Well, about that, it's actually one of my bad habits. Sometimes, I have insights into energy, and to capture a fleeting thought, I immediately enter a meditative state in hopes of grasping it. Alas, I still didn't manage to do so this time!" Rocky shook his head regretfully.
"Uh, Rocky, what do you mean by insights into energy?" Rex felt that the explanation was somewhat profound and was unsure, so he asked.
"We martial artists refer to the energy we perceive as 'Qi.' You could think of it as a type of fighting-type energy, but it differs somewhat from the energy of fighting Pokémon. Only when one truly condenses Qi within their body can they be considered a true martial artist," Rocky explained earnestly, noticing Rex's interest in this energy.
In fact, Rocky had long since pushed his body to its limits. To proceed to the next stage of training, he needed to comprehend Qi. Without Qi, it is incredibly challenging for a mere mortal to contend with skilled Pokémon.
This is why he has traveled extensively over the years, seeking out famous martial artists from various regions. Unfortunately, although he feels he is on the brink of a breakthrough, there remains an invisible barrier obstructing the generation of Qi within him.
Rocky often feels helpless about this. There are times he wants to give up on the path of being a martial artist. Yet, reflecting on the time and energy he has already invested makes it hard to abandon it halfway.
To make his journey more enjoyable, Rocky hopes to impart the art of strength to young people he encounters, hoping to lead more individuals down the path of martial artists, with Rex being one of them.
"So, what do I need to do to reach the level of comprehending Qi?" Rex's interest in the martial artist profession grew significantly after hearing Rocky's explanation. He felt it resembled the martial masters from his past life, and as an ordinary person, he yearned for that feeling of great power coming from within.
If being a martial artist were not so difficult to achieve, many young people would likely be willing to pursue this path. After all, training oneself and capturing Pokémon to become a trainer do not conflict much.
"To comprehend Qi, one must first push their body to its limits. This limit varies for each individual based on their physical aptitude. However, one thing is the same: once you reach your physical limit, no amount of training will allow your body to progress further!"
"Only after one comprehends Qi can they utilize it to enhance their physical qualities, allowing for growth once more. This is also a bottleneck that has trapped many people, and I am one of them."
As Rocky spoke, his emotions became slightly subdued, feeling the weight of his inability to break through.
"Then, Rocky, if I want to comprehend Qi, what kind of training do I need to do?" Rex asked, now fully captivated by the prospect of learning Qi. Although he hesitated, he still posed the question.
"You have quite good aptitude. If you join our All Star Fitness Club, I can teach you our club's secret techniques. This way, you can push your body to its limits, but whether you can comprehend Qi depends solely on you," Rocky said, looking sharply at Rex, as if trying to peer into his soul. He would only extend this invitation once; if the young man refused, it would signify a lack of affinity with their club.
"May I ask, after joining the club, what will I need to do?" Rex felt a pull at Rocky's invitation, but he wanted to understand more before joining; otherwise, he might be sold without knowing it.
"You don't need to worry about that. Our club doesn't have many rules. In fact, we don't impose any strict requirements on where you train. The only requirement is that when the club encounters a crisis, you need to lend a helping hand," Rocky said with a smile.
Hearing this, Rex breathed a sigh of relief. This requirement was not excessive. After all, others would be imparting their skills to him, and it was reasonable to expect him to step forward when the club faced danger. It was quite generous indeed.
Moreover, this club clearly had something exceptional about it, making it obvious that not just anyone could provoke it.
(End of Chapter)