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Seeing that both Zubat and Bellossom were progressing well in their special training, Sato left a bowl of PokeBlocks and two bowls filled with fresh water for them before moving to where Growlithe was training.
Growlithe was running on a track inside a sealed glass enclosure. Due to the limited space and the need for effective training, the track was designed in a winding, U-shape, with numerous S-shaped curves in the middle.
Surrounding the track were several machines that resembled ball launchers. However, instead of shooting solid balls, these machines launched water balls. The timing of each machine's water ball launch was random, likely triggered by sensors embedded in the track.
Every time Growlithe passed by, the machines would automatically aim at him and shoot water balls at speeds ranging from 20 to 30 meters per second.
Growlithe's current training involved using Flame Charge while maintaining his speed and agility to avoid the water balls. Sato also allowed him to use Ember to block some of the water balls if necessary.
Growlithe, with small flames burning on his body, was sprinting through the curving section of the track, occasionally spitting small fireballs from his mouth. Plumes of white steam constantly accompanied his movements as the flames on his body battled the water.
Unfortunately, due to the high density of the water balls and their impressive speed, combined with the twists and turns of the track, it was difficult for Growlithe to maintain a good rhythm.
As a result, Growlithe couldn't avoid all the water balls, and several struck him, soaking his fur and extinguishing the small flames on his body. By the time he finished the curved section of the track, he resembled a drenched pup.
Fortunately, there were no water-launching machines on the straight section of the track, giving Growlithe a chance to use the flames surrounding his body from Flame Charge to evaporate the water and dry himself off before starting another round of dodging water balls.
In Sato's strategy, Growlithe, as a Fire-type Pokémon, was the team's frontline attacker. He was the spearhead, responsible for breaking through the enemy's defenses. Therefore, excellent mobility and the ability to deliver powerful strikes in a short amount of time were essential skills for Growlithe.
Currently, Growlithe's usable moves included Bite, Ember, Flame Wheel, and Flame Charge. Of these, three were close-combat moves, while one, Ember, was a ranged attack.
After observing Growlithe's father demonstrate how to win battles by using clever tactics, Sato believed that Flame Charge was the core move for a quick assault Pokémon like Growlithe.
In practice, Flame Charge was similar to Flame Wheel, both moves involved enveloping the user in flames for a fiery charge toward the opponent.
However, compared to Flame Wheel, which had slightly higher power, Flame Charge granted a speed-boost buff, allowing Growlithe to move faster the longer he used it.
Thus, Flame Charge was a move that was inherently powerful for both offense and defense, and it came with a natural speed boost.
The flames enveloping Growlithe's body not only served as an attack but also as a defensive layer, weakening incoming enemy attacks and deterring foes from engaging in close combat.
Additionally, the speed boost from Flame Charge significantly enhanced Growlithe's already high mobility, making his assault capabilities even more formidable.
Based on Sato's understanding of Fire-type moves, there were likely only subtle differences between Flame Charge, Flame Wheel, and Flare Blitz. The difference, he speculated, lay in how Fire-type Pokémon used Fire energy.
In Flame Charge, Fire-type Pokémon not only used condensed Fire energy for the attack but also applied some of that energy to their own bodies, heating or stimulating their physical abilities to temporarily boost mobility (similar to Luffy's Gear Second).
On the other hand, with Flame Wheel and Flare Blitz, the Pokémon unleashed all of their gathered Fire energy in a single burst, though the amount of energy used in each move varied.
In summary, Flame Wheel can be considered a lower-tier version of Flare Blitz, with reduced power but also easier execution and fewer severe side effects.
At present, since Growlithe is still young and Flame Charge was hastily taught to him by his father, his proficiency with the move remains at a beginner level. Unlike his father, who could completely envelop himself in flames and had clearly mastered Flame Charge, Growlithe can only produce a few small flames and use Fire energy to heat his body, boosting his physical capabilities.
As for how to train Growlithe in mastering Flame Charge, Sato envisions developing it into a passive skill. Essentially, Sato hoped that Growlithe will eventually be able to multitask, maintaining Flame Charge while also using other moves simultaneously.
For example, Growlithe's father's strategy of combining Flame Charge's speed boost with the Ember move to outmaneuver and strike Pinsir in hit-and-run tactics was something Sato thought was well worth learning.
With the mobility boost provided by Flame Charge, Growlithe's charging moves would also see a significant increase in power, making an offensive charge style highly effective.
It's important to note that Growlithe can learn powerful charging moves like Reversal, Take Down, Double-Edge, Outrage, Close Combat, Wild Charge, and upon evolving into Arcanine, Extreme Speed and Giga Impact. These potent moves all involve charging at the opponent.
The current training track Sato had set up for Growlithe was specifically designed for him to improve his Flame Charge.
The machines placed along the curved sections of the track shot out fast but weak water balls, ensuring they wouldn't harm Growlithe. Their purpose was to train Growlithe's ability to dodge while moving at high speeds, while the heat from Flame Charge would quickly dissipate. Then, once he reached the straight sections of the track, Growlithe could reignite Flame Charge.
This created an ideal environment where Growlithe could continuously practice Flame Charge without waiting for his body temperature to cool down, greatly improving the efficiency of his training.
Allowing Growlithe to use Ember to block water balls also indirectly helped him practice multitasking.
With such a well-designed training environment and an ample supply of high-quality PokeBlocks, Growlithe, being a talented Fire-type Pokémon, was making steady progress with his Flame Charge.
Compared to when he first ran the straight sections of the track while still somewhat wet, Growlithe could now not only dry himself off but also maintain small flames on his body, a significant improvement.
As time passed, Growlithe's body gradually adjusted to the rhythm of running the curved sections of the track and found the optimal timing to exert force. Thanks to muscle memory, he began effectively dodging the water balls, clearly improving his evasive skills.
"Great job, but don't push yourself too hard. Your body is still growing quickly. Just another 20 minutes of training, and then we'll stop. After that, I'll give you a post-training massage," Sato said, smiling as he patted Growlithe's head while he rested.
Growlithe's effort was evident. As a Fire-type Pokémon, he had a strong sense of pride and was eager to catch up to Zubat and Bellossom as quickly as possible.
In the past hour, he had barely rested, pushing his body to its limits.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Hearing Sato's words, Growlithe stopped eating his PokeBlocks and drinking water, nodding excitedly.