After finishing the explanation about the auxiliary device, Eichi asked, "Akira, if you had your first Pokémon, what would you feed it?"
Akira scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, "I'd give it food."
…
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Eichi: …
Eichi began explaining, "Akira, Pokémon can eat human food, and that's fine.
"For ordinary people who keep a Pokémon as a pet and don't make it battle, feeding it regular food or the most basic store-bought Pokémon food is enough.
"But if you want to become a real Trainer, giving your Pokémon human food every day isn't right.
"Pokémon also have different levels of potential, but that potential can change.
"If a talented Pokémon eats only ordinary food and basic Pokémon meals, its potential will slowly fade until it becomes average.
"On the other hand, if you feed a normal Pokémon with the best food, Pokéblocks, and other high-quality items, even its weakest traits will gradually improve.
"So, understanding your Pokémon's physical condition and choosing the most suitable food for it is extremely important."
After saying that, Eichi took out three bags of Pokémon food from his backpack and showed them to Akira. "These three types are the most suitable for Beedrill.
"They help Beedrill grow stronger and tougher.
"They're made by different, lesser-known brands. But you know, every food maker has products that suit certain Pokémon."
"That's why you have to choose carefully when shopping. This is also a test of a Trainer's ability.
"Of course, there's also the money issue, but we'll talk about that another time."
"Now, let's move to the final topic: training."
"A Pokémon must train and battle to become strong. Let's put battles aside for now and talk about training first.
"The first kind is physical training. Physical fitness is a key factor. It can be improved through food and proper workouts.
"Running, lifting dumbbells, these all help raise a Pokémon's energy level.
"A Pokémon's strength is reflected in three aspects: its energy level, how well it has mastered its moves, as well as how many moves it knows."
Eichi paused for a moment and then continued. "As for moves, those must be trained through effort. A Trainer needs to develop effective training methods and make sure the Pokémon works hard.
"Every Pokémon has its own personality. It's best to capture one that's competitive or diligent, so when you tell it to train, it will take it seriously."
…
Eichi went on teaching Akira many useful things.
Time passed quickly.
The next day's matches were more exciting. After reaching the Top 16, battles became full 6-on-6 matches.
This really tested a Trainer's strategy.
Sometimes, one Pokémon could turn the tables, while another could cost the whole match.
Now, the current match featured a refined-looking competitor with purple hair. What stood out the most were his cross-shaped earrings, and he was handsome too.
His name was Genkaku. Strong and good-looking, he was already quite popular among the contestants.
He used a Crobat, while his opponent used a Vileplume.
During the battle, Crobat achieved a three-win streak. Then Genkaku recalled Crobat, sent out a Ninetales, and it swept the remaining three Pokémon as well.
He was no weaker than Bas. Every match afterward was thrilling. Except for Bas and Genkaku, who each used only two Pokémon to completely crush their opponents, everyone else had to fight hard for victory.
It wasn't that the others were weak; it was just that strong opponents faced each other head-on.
At the Verdant Breeding House in Viridian City, Archie sighed. "I'm sure that Genkaku and the other one are from Silver Academy. My junior even ran into one of them."
"Well, let's just enjoy the show. Bas is really strong. Even I might not beat him. But that Genkaku guy isn't bad either. He has a Ninetales, same as me."
"But I'm sure his Ninetales isn't as strong as mine," Archie added proudly.
Elsewhere, in an office, a large television was broadcasting the Indigo League.
Two people sat on the couch, watching the battle.
The silence was broken when Teacher Arno pointed at Genkaku on the screen and asked, "He's the one you sent, isn't he?"
The Director chuckled. "That's right. He's one of my students. Among this year's graduates, two were top-tier. One entered the Johto League, and the other entered the Indigo League. Our academy is going to take both championship titles!"
Teacher Arno interrupted, "With your reputation, I doubt you could convince them so easily. Winning those championships brings them no benefit. You must have promised them something."
"That's not a promise, that's a reward! How could you think I'd bribe them?" the Director replied irritably.
…
Back to Eichi's side, the Top 16 had ended, and the quarterfinals were underway. None of the remaining eight Trainers were weak. Even Bas and Genkaku were finally starting to get serious.
Although both of them won, Bas revealed five of his Pokémon, while Genkaku revealed four.
Bas's Pokémon were Arbok, Nidoking, Blastoise, Machamp, and Pidgeot.
Genkaku's team included Crobat, Ninetales, Cloyster, and Umbreon.
They were all powerful and impressive Pokémon. After the quarterfinals and semifinals, the final match came down to the two of them.
Both sides had now revealed all their Pokémon.
Genkaku's last two were Flygon and Gengar.
Gengar was his ace Pokémon.
Bas's final Pokémon, also his ace, was Rhydon. The moment it appeared, it exuded a tremendous aura.
Its roar alone showed how powerful it was.
The match came down to their last Pokémon. The battle was intense, thrilling, and evenly matched.
Akira and Eichi held their breath. Beedrill and Scyther were also watching intently.
In the end, Bas outsmarted his opponent with a clever strategy and had his Pokémon use Thunderbolt, knocking Gengar out of the fight.
Bas won this year's Indigo League championship.
Akira jumped up, shouting, "He won! Bas won!"
He had been cheering for Bas all along, while Eichi supported Genkaku. Maybe it was because both of them were handsome.
…
On the other side, Archie waved his arm excitedly. "He won! As expected of Bas, he never disappoints.
"But the tournament's over, so it's time for me to go."
…
At Silver Academy, in the office, the Director groaned, "How could he lose? Ah, forget it. At least the Johto League champion is still ours."
After watching the match, Teacher Arno walked to the window and said, "Your semester's about to begin. I should be going too."