Eastern plains of Ecruteak City.
Tetsuya noticed right away. There were far fewer people here today than yesterday.
Some probably couldn't handle even one day of "special training". People like that had no right to complain about society.
Yesterday's grass-cutting session had trained Ditto's endurance.
Today, Tetsuya began scouting for his new training target.
A Mankey.
A Tyrogue.
Perfect. Tetsuya set his sights on two kids with Fighting-type Pokémon. In his eyes, these two Pokémon were completely subpar, but right now, he didn't have the luxury to be picky.
Tetsuya walked over and called out, "Hey, kid…!"
'Wait…' He still hadn't fully adjusted to his return yet. He'd have to be more mindful of his behavior going forward.
Luckily, the two… boys, hadn't heard clearly. They just looked around.
Tetsuya corrected himself: "Your Pokémon are Fighting-types, which means they need strength the most. I've got a sandbag here for them to train on."
But the two boys didn't react at all. At their age, they had no real concept of "special training". To them, "training" was just playing around and comparing themselves to their peers.
Tetsuya shook his head.
Kids were kids.
It was no use explaining, and Tetsuya didn't bother trying. He just turned to Ditto and said, "Transform into a sandbag. When they hit you, use your body's flexibility to absorb the impact. If you can't, it's going to hurt."
Now, Ditto didn't hesitate for even a second when Tetsuya gave a command.
A sandbag about one meter tall appeared in front of him.
Tetsuya stepped up and threw a punch into the sandbag. Judging by how deeply his fist sank, Ditto hadn't absorbed any of the force.
"So, you don't know what pain is yet, huh?"
Tetsuya let out a cold snort and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks like a torrential storm…! 'Cough…'
As each strike sank deeper and deeper into the sandbag, he knew Ditto was finally learning how to disperse the force using its body.
Only under extreme pressure could a Pokémon awaken its potential.
The physical pain forced Ditto to seek a path.
Tetsuya switched between punches and palm strikes. Even though he knew many fighting techniques, he was still in the body of a seven-year-old child. His power had limits. After about thirty minutes of strikes, Ditto could easily absorb his attacks.
There was no point in continuing.
Tetsuya turned to look at the nearby Mankey and Tyrogue.
"Got the idea? Now come hit it!"
He snapped, annoyed. How useless were these Pokémon? After half an hour of demonstration, they still hadn't shown any fighting spirit. They remained unmoved.
Mankey and Tyrogue even backed away behind their Trainers.
"Hmph, pathetic…"
These Pokémon were probably raised in a Daycare, never exposed to the harsh realities of survival in the wild. They had no clue what battle meant, let alone life and death. That was why Tetsuya would rather pay high prices on the Black Market than deal with Daycare-raised Pokémon.
Tetsuya took a swig of water and stepped back in. While it didn't help Ditto much anymore, it was still great for improving his own physical conditioning.
He was in the middle of a strong strike-
When suddenly, a Machop leapt out and hit the sandbag with a Karate Chop!
The sandbag collapsed from the blow.
Strength, speed, accuracy… it had it all. This Machop wasn't one of those "make-believe play-fighters".
Tetsuya was impressed. If this had been Ditto from yesterday, it would've reverted instantly under the pressure of that move. The force was easily five times stronger than what he could deliver.
"That sandbag's Ditto, isn't it?"
A voice came from ahead. A boy around eleven or twelve years old stepped forward. Black long hair covered half his face. Despite the sweltering heat, he wore a black long-sleeved T-shirt.
The faint smirk on his face carried a chill that sent a shiver down the spine… 'Emo-type kid.'
So young, yet with such sharp eyes.
The fact that this boy could instantly tell the sandbag was Ditto made Tetsuya realize, this kid was no ordinary person.
Tetsuya didn't respond right away. He turned to the knocked-over "sandbag".
"Stand up."
That last attack had been a real Fighting-type move, Karate Chop. For a Normal-type like Ditto, the damage was significant.
Ditto paused slightly, then stood up.
"Come on, continue."
Tetsuya addressed both Machop and the Emo-type.
"Heh… interesting."
The emo kid gave another cold smirk and signaled to Machop with his eyes.
Machop's strength was leagues above Tetsuya's. It launched into a combination of Karate Chop and Low Sweep, attacking the sandbag from multiple angles.
Tetsuya kept his eyes locked on the changes in the sandbag.
Ditto still couldn't fully absorb the force of Machop's attacks. Every punch and kick inflicted real pain.
The sandbag kept shrinking but held its shape. Tetsuya could feel Ditto's vitality draining.
'Not bad.' Tetsuya nodded in approval at Ditto's performance.
After thirty minutes of strikes, the sandbag had shrunk down to about Ditto's normal size.
"That's enough."
Upon hearing the command, Ditto returned to its original form, now covered in injuries.
But the emo kid didn't stop.
Machop, still full of energy after thirty minutes of attacking, leapt up and aimed another Karate Chop directly at the now-exposed Ditto.
'Foolish.'
Tetsuya let out a cold snort, stepped in, and delivered a sharp kick to Machop's shin. It staggered forward, nearly falling. If not for Tetsuya's weak childlike physique, that kick would have knocked it flat.
Tetsuya turned to leave, but the emo kid stepped in front of him.
"…You hurt my Machop and think you can just walk away? Aren't you underestimating me a little too much?"
Tetsuya rolled his eyes. "Move."
Hearing that, the emo boy sucked in a sharp breath. 'He's clearly in no position to be arrogant, yet he dares to act this bold?'
Tetsuya used the moment. He whispered, "…Dagger."
Ditto understood instantly. It transformed on the spot; a daggernow in Tetsuya's hand.
His left hand shot out and gripped the emo kid's neck. His right hand, holding the dagger, was pointed directly at the boy's chest.
The emo kid may have been two or three years older, but Tetsuya's deep knowledge of fighting techniques made him more than a match.
Tetsuya's eyes were wide, bloodshot with fury. "Don't mess with me… Or you'll die a horrible death."
Like a wild Pokémon, Tetsuya's presence froze the emo kid in place. A chill ran down his spine, his legs trembled, and he was too scared to speak.
"N-No… I won't. I won't dare…"
He had only meant to teach Tetsuya a lesson. Who could have guessed a child would pull a weapon? And with no one else around on the plains, if this really was a desperate lunatic…
Machop, seeing its Trainer subdued, didn't dare make a move either.
The emo kid was already petrified. Tetsuya shoved him aside with ease; like pushing over a withered weed.
With a cold snort, Tetsuya got back on his Bicycle and rode toward the city.
In his past life, Tetsuya had spent over sixty years navigating both the underworld and legitimate society. He'd encountered all kinds of people. And from the moment he saw this boy, something felt off.
He couldn't explain it. Just a gut feeling… the kid's aura was completely different from others his age.