The next day.
In the morning, while the sky was still gray and misty.
Cain led his Pokémon in starting a day of training in the mansion's garden.
To improve the quality of Pokémon training, it's ideal for the trainer to train alongside them. Even if you can't reach their level, simply showing your effort will push the Pokémon to try even harder.
Murkrow focused primarily on endurance and stamina training.
After changing his load to a new one, Cain increased the weight to thirty-five kilograms, and Murkrow flew around the entire garden.
The basic goal Cain set for Murkrow was to complete fifty laps.
Murkrow's combat techniques are already practically defined, and the level increase hasn't provided any new moves. Therefore, the focus is on quickly adapting to his new body.
Cain bought a set of mind-blocking spheres for Slowpoke, which help measure the strength of his psychic power and train its use and control.
Slowpoke's growth has been one of the fastest among the Pokémon, but since he already had great psychic abilities, the recent level increase has decreased his control.
The mind-blocking spheres will help him regain his previous skill level.
Haunter has already developed his poison attribute, but his capacity for increase has no clear limit. After acquiring another bottle of poisonous gas, his poison attribute has been enhanced again.
However, he hasn't fully mastered the two new poison-type moves he recently learned.
In combat, Haunter tends to lose accuracy with his Poison-type move, so Cain assigned him training with these two new moves.
Cain dug a hole in the garden for Haunter to train his poison control, regulating the amount he releases and ensuring he can retrieve it afterward.
Sneasel's ice attribute is improving, but Cain noticed that during recent battles, he still lacks precision and speed in executing certain moves.
Sneasel's training goal is to increase the hit rate of his Ice-type moves without reducing their power.
Cain bought a large bottle of calcium for Skorupi, with the intention that, while still growing, he can absorb these nutrients and surpass his growth limit.
Now Skorupi must take two calcium tablets three times a day, a routine that Cain assigned to Miltank to supervise.
Additionally, when Cain arrived in Mauville City yesterday, he used a black-market learning machine to teach Slowpoke the move Flamethrower and Sneasel the move Ice Beam.
Both moves are compatible with Slowpoke, but they are not easy to learn quickly. Therefore, Cain prioritized Flamethrower, as his team lacks Fire-type moves, a significant weakness.
Although Slowpoke is a Water-type and can learn Flamethrower, it will be more difficult for him than a Water- or Psychic-type move.
Cain has set Slowpoke the goal of mastering Flamethrower in the coming days.
Given Sneasel's great talent in Ice-type energy, Ice Beam is the most efficient choice for him. Now, that move is incorporated into his training.
Except for the utility Pokémon and Miltank, Cain has set clear goals for each.
After last night's talk, no Pokémon dared to slack off; all were determined to meet the daily goals Cain set for them.
Cain's plan is for his Pokémon to get used to their recent improvements before participating in battles at Mauville City's battle ring for one last push.
...
Seven days later.
Training is exhausting and monotonous work.
But during this final stretch of time, none of the Pokémon have relaxed.
After seven days, Cain feels that his Pokémon have fully mastered their bodies and moves, marking the end of this training period.
With the level increase, the Pokémon's combat power has now reached the standards.
During these seven days, even though the levels didn't increase, combat strength has significantly improved.
If Murkrow, Slowpoke, Haunter, and Sneasel were to face Tropius together now, it wouldn't be necessary to fight multiple times to beat him; they could dominate him without any problem.
This shows that level isn't the most important thing.
Only when the body and moves adapt to the level reached can real progress be claimed.
Early today, after breakfast, Cain headed to the battle ring in Mauville City.
This place is quite well-known in the city, frequented by citizens and high-status individuals.
Here, Pokémon battles are held 24 hours a day.
There are eight areas, divided into eight battle rings, and anyone can enter the ring to fight by paying ten thousand Pokédollars.
Winning also comes with a reward.
Rewards accumulate with each victory.
For example, a person who wins their first battle can receive a reward of twenty thousand Pokédollars.
That person can choose to leave the ring and claim their prize or continue and defend the ring.
Afterward, they can accept challenges without rest; the more they win, the greater the reward.
Winning twice grants a reward of forty thousand Pokédollars, adding up to sixty thousand.
Winning three times adds sixty thousand to the pool, accumulating to ninety thousand.
Upon reaching ten consecutive victories, regardless of whether they continue or not, they can claim all accumulated prizes.
The total would be one million one hundred thousand Pokédollars.
Of course, if you lose before reaching ten victories, you receive nothing from the pool.
After ten consecutive victories, if you decide to continue, you advance to the next level of difficulty.
Each ring has eight levels of difficulty, and every time you reach ten consecutive victories, you level up.
Additionally, the base rewards differ for each ring.
For example, in the first ring, the base reward is twenty thousand Pokédollars, increasing with each victory.
In the second level, the base reward is thirty thousand, increasing progressively from there.
And so on for the other levels.
(End of chapter)