Scizor, who Heracross now looked at, wore a faint smile. To Heracross, that smile was mocking it, but it could only lower its head mournfully, feeling utterly wronged.
Seeing its expression, Eichi stroked Heracross's head. "Don't feel wronged. It's your own fault for not training properly. Here's a deal: if you promise me to train diligently and never slack off again, I will prepare you some very delicious Tree Sap. How does that sound?"
Heracross immediately lifted its head. "Hera? (Is that true?)"
"Would I lie to you? I keep my promises," Eichi confirmed.
Heracross instantly agreed. "Hera! (Okay, I promise you, I won't ever slack off during training again!)"
"Good. That's enough for today. Let's go back," Eichi said.
He then recalled his three Pokémon into their Poké Balls. After tidying up the Training Room, Eichi left.
Just as he stepped out the door, the door opposite opened, and Sato emerged. Sato also saw Eichi and smiled. "Eichi, did you just finish training too?"
"Yes," Eichi replied. "But it's already 11 o'clock. You're very diligent, Sato."
"If I don't work hard, how can I surpass you?" Sato asked. "And what about you? Why are you training so late?"
Eichi chuckled. "I'm training late because I'm afraid you'll surpass me."
"You should work hard then," Sato said with a laugh.
"I will," Eichi assured him.
"Let's walk together," Sato suggested.
"Alright," Eichi agreed.
The two walked side-by-side back toward the Dormitory Building.
On the way, Sato asked, "Eichi, I heard you plan to specialize in Bug-type Pokémon?"
"Who told you that?" Eichi inquired.
"Director Yanagi told me," Sato replied.
Why is Director Yanagi telling everyone? How many people has he told? Eichi wondered. "Yes, I have chosen to specialize in Bug-type Pokémon. What, do you not think highly of my choice? Are you regretting choosing me as your rival?"
"Do you think I'm that kind of person?" Sato countered. "I believe that with your ability, even specializing in Bug-types, you will become a powerful Pokémon Master in the future. Besides, why would I regret it? Your Beedrill defeated me!"
Eichi just smiled without speaking.
Sato continued, "Eichi, the Inter-Academy Exchange Match is coming up. Work hard! There will be battles for all three grades. I hear that the Indigo Academy students are generally stronger than us, and only our freshmen class is slightly stronger than theirs. So, the chances are high that the academy's honor will rely on us. We need to be ready."
Eichi nodded seriously. "I understand."
"Why am I even telling you this?" Sato said, shaking his head. "Even if I didn't say anything, your strength speaks for itself. You don't need to worry." He paused. "Alright, this is my stop. See you next time."
"See you," Eichi replied.
***
As usual, whenever Eichi was free or didn't have classes, he would go to the Pokémon Breeding Teaching Building to practice making Pokéblocks. Eichi took out the key Professor Kant gave him and unlocked the door.
He preferred to make Pokéblocks when no classes were in session. Sometimes, when Eichi arrived and a class was ongoing, he would silently go to a corner and work alone. The teachers there were already accustomed to seeing him, not to mention that Professor Kant had already informed them, so they didn't react much and sometimes even greeted him.
Because Eichi came so frequently, some students were curious about him, as he was a student who possessed a key and made Pokéblocks by himself. Furthermore, some of the better-performing students who occasionally saw Eichi's work would be astonished because his production quality was very good.
Eichi quietly walked to his corner, his usual spot. He expertly turned on the machine, placed his backpack down, and pulled out a box. Opening it revealed various Berries, all neatly arranged inside.
Eichi selected three Berries, the three that Professor Kant had first taught him to use for Pokéblock production. He placed the Berries one by one into the machine, which juiced and filtered them into a fine powder. He had performed this process countless times, so he executed it with ease.
Next, he operated the instrument to bring up a large mold with over a dozen concave slots. Eichi slowly manipulated the instrument, injecting the Fusion Liquid into each slot very quickly.
After about a minute, Eichi began to dispense the first powder. Within seconds, he dispensed the precise amount of powder he needed.
He quickly poured the powder into the first slot. Then he dispensed more and poured it into the second slot. Continuing this pattern, he filled all the slots with the first powder.
He then repeated the process with the second powder, followed quickly by the third. Each time he dispensed powder, it took an average of two seconds.
In the end, all three kinds of powder were poured into every slot, and the exact amount of powder from the three types of Berries was used, neither too much, nor too little.
He closed the lid, agitated the mixture for one minute, and then began the drying process.
Ten minutes later, the machine chimed, signaling the Pokéblock was dry. The machine opened, revealing a large rectangular mold.
Eichi opened it, and the dozen slots inside held the finished Pokéblock, still warm. He took them out one by one, examining them. After inspecting all of them, he muttered to himself, "The color is dark blue, the scent is fresh, the fragrance is clear, and the texture is smooth and regular. They are all of Perfect quality."
That's right, Eichi had produced over ten Perfect quality Pokéblock in a single batch. Professor Kant had asked him to eventually make ten or more Perfect quality Pokéblock at once. Eichi had achieved this in less than two weeks, and only by working in his spare time.
However, Eichi was not complacent. He pulled a new Berry from the box, juiced it, and filtered it into powder. In this manner, he processed seven or eight types of Berries into powder.
Eichi could now consistently produce Perfect quality for several very simple types of Pokéblock. In the field of Pokémon breeding, Pokéblocks are generally categorized by grade based on their effectiveness and potency. The Pokéblock Eichi had been making until now were Beginner Pokéblock. He was now going to attempt to make an Intermediate Pokéblock.
The recipes for the Beginner Pokéblock Eichi had been making were free, but not all Beginner recipes were free. Trainers could exchange credits for recipes at the Logistics Department. The Intermediate Pokéblock recipe Eichi was about to use was the only free one available at that level.
Below the machine, a colorful array of feeder tubes was arranged. The recipe for the Intermediate Pokéblock appeared in Eichi's mind. He closed his eyes, reviewed the recipe mentally, and then opened his eyes.