"Haa... ah... ha... I... I can't... go on..."
On the vast school field, under Kai's lead, seventeen students and their Pokémon were running laps together, their youthful energy on full display.
At the front of the pack was Eri, her tall, commanding figure making her stand out among her peers. Her long black hair swayed in the wind as she maintained a steady lead over the rest.
A fair distance behind her, students like Penny, Mela, and Eri's other classmates followed at a more controlled pace.
Ortega, surprisingly, was much quieter today. He neither taunted his classmates nor showed any resistance toward Kai's instructions. His expression remained stiff as he ran at an even pace, much to the confusion of his two remaining underlings.
Meanwhile, trailing at the very back of the group was a certain student who had just let out that pained groan, sweat dripping as she struggled to keep up.
Kai, who had been matching Eri's pace, temporarily handed over the lead to her and slowed down to check on the struggling student. He sighed as he matched her pace.
"Need a break? You don't have to push yourself so hard."
Nemo was gasping for breath, her lungs burning from exertion. Yet, as Kai's biggest admirer, she refused to show any weakness in front of him. Forcing a strained smile, she insisted, "I'm fine… I might look like this, but I have the endurance to finish the whole run."
Beside her, Pawmi let out a determined cry, fully believing in its Trainer's extraordinary willpower.
A few strides ahead, Penny occasionally glanced back, her expression growing more puzzled. "Wait… she's actually bad at running?"
She had assumed that, given Nemo's sporty-looking outfit, she wouldn't necessarily be as fast as Eri, but at the very least, she should've been keeping pace with her.
Who would've thought that she'd even fall behind that rich pretty-boy, who looked like he'd never done a day of physical labor in his life?
"You got this, Nemo!"
Eri cheered with a bright smile as she waved her hands, standing at the finish line. The other students who had already completed the ten laps were also gathered there, waiting for Nemo to complete her final stretch.
At first, some of Ortega's underlings had snickered at Nemo's apparent lack of athletic ability. But now, seeing her grit her teeth and push through the full ten laps, even they had to admit a bit of respect.
After all, if it were them, they probably wouldn't have had the determination to actually finish.
Just as Nemo's consciousness started to blur from exhaustion, her feet finally crossed the finish line. The moment her body recognized she had made it, all the tension drained from her at once, and she began to collapse.
Eri, who was well aware of the effects of intense physical activity, instinctively stepped forward—moving even faster than Kai—to catch Nemo before she hit the ground.
Though Eri was only about fourteen or fifteen, her voice carried a warm gentleness. She patted Nemo's head lightly, speaking softly.
"You worked really hard."
Seeing this, Kai signaled to Kukui, who quickly brought over a cup filled with warm water.
"I got it."
Eri took the cup from Kukui, her movements surprisingly delicate as she gently helped Nemo drink, making sure she didn't choke. Despite her tall and muscular frame—stronger than many boys—her actions were as kind and careful as any ordinary girl's.
"Thanks, Eri."
Watching her, Kai could already understand why so many members of Team Star respected her so much. Even someone as sharp-tongued as Ortega listened to her.
After replenishing her fluids, it took a while before Nemo started to recover. But Kai could tell from her movements that her stamina hadn't fully returned.
It seemed like Nemo's physical endurance wasn't something that could be easily improved through simple training. Her lack of athletic ability was likely something innate.
While she rested, Kai led the other students through various exercises that could help them train alongside their Pokémon. By the time they had finished, the class was almost over.
Clapping his hands to draw everyone's attention, Kai smiled.
"So… did today feel more like a physical education class rather than a battle strategy lesson?"
No one answered, but Kai could tell from their expressions that nearly everyone agreed.
"As I said before class, as Trainers, we often have to explore the wild alone. Besides our Pokémon, the only thing we can truly rely on is our own two legs."
Kai paused for a moment before continuing, "Let's say you encounter an exceptionally strong wild Pokémon in the wilderness—so strong that even if your Pokémon fights with everything it has, it still can't drive the opponent away. What should you do?"
"Eri, why don't you answer?"
Eri, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, pointed at herself. After receiving Kai's confirming nod, she stood up, her excitement rising. "I'd use my bond with Annihilape to unleash our ultimate fighting spirit and drive it back!"
Annihilape nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
"Wrong." Kai lightly tapped Eri on the head and released his Swampert from its Poké Ball. Smiling, he asked, "Eri, do you think that your fiery teamwork with Annihilape could make my Swampert even budge?"
"This challenge... I accept!"
Eri's eyes burned with determination as she glanced at the Swampert, its muscular frame exuding raw power. In perfect sync with Annihilape, she rushed forward, positioning herself on one side while her partner took the other. With a sharp motion, both their right hands transformed into precise karate chops.
"A double Brick Break!"
Ortega, standing closest to Eri, felt a gust of wind whip past him. Startled, he watched the towering girl and her equally aggressive Annihilape charge forward. His face stiffened as he muttered, "She really is just a muscle-headed gorilla..." His lackeys murmured in agreement.
However, in the face of Eri and Annihilape's confident attack, Swampert barely reacted. It simply lifted its arms, effortlessly catching both strikes. Its solid, imposing frame remained utterly unmoved.
Despite their combined strength, their attack had been completely neutralized.
Eri braced her stance and tried to yank her right hand free, but Swampert's powerful grip didn't budge an inch. Annihilape, growing desperate, started kicking and even tried to bite.
Seeing this, Kai stepped forward and patted Swampert on the shoulder. The moment the Water/Ground-type let go, both Eri and Annihilape staggered back several steps before regaining their balance, their expressions filled with shock.
It was like Swampert's strength existed on an entirely different level—completely out of their league.
The other students were just as stunned. Eri's raw physical power was infamous throughout the academy, yet she and Annihilape hadn't even made Swampert shift an inch.
Calmly, Kai recalled Swampert into its Poké Ball. "Now, do you understand? Wild Pokémon are living creatures. They move. They fight. And no one can guarantee that the areas you explore will always be safe."
"From the very first lesson, I told you—what I teach isn't something you can just read in books. Everything I share comes from real, firsthand experience as a Trainer who has learned through trial and error."
"While we may not live in the era when Pokémon were once feared as beasts by ancient humans, modern wild Pokémon can still be dangerous. Pokémon are powerful beings. When faced with an opponent whose strength is obviously beyond yours—don't hesitate. Use every means necessary to escape."
"Because only by staying alive... can you have a future."
----
Don't forget to drop some Power Stones!💎💎💎
Read more chapters ahead of everyone else on my Patreon
Patreon/ Nyxal