A simple jog.
Chansey had clearly overestimated her heat resistance. By the tenth lap, Kashiwagi had to pull her off the track. Her face was practically melting from the heat, and he forced her to take some anti-heatstroke medicine.
Lairon, meanwhile, was still happily trotting around the small pitch. Every time he passed the little sapling, he picked up his pace. This made Kashiwagi worry—if that sapling withered under the sun, Lairon would likely cry an ocean. He'd have to keep a close eye on it.
Shortly after, the basic endurance training was complete. Kashiwagi took the two Pokémon to the Underdome. They first stopped by his assigned apartment to drop things off, then headed straight for the battle pitch.
Since the tournament had only just ended, few people had the stomach for casual battles, leaving the arena as his private stage.
Basic Pokémon training wasn't actually that complex; it was essentially a grueling mix of supplements and persistent exercise. The catch was the cost. In this world, the "Vitamins" that increased base stats—just like in the games—were outrageously expensive.
"Gotta take it slow," he muttered.
He watched Lairon repeatedly charging and Chansey taking the hits. He shouted, "One set of thirty! Make sure the impact is even!"
Aside from endurance, Chansey's main focus was Defense. Her physical durability was honestly appalling, and he needed to boost her individual survivability. The method was primitive: physical impact. "Thick skin" wasn't just bred; it was forged. Once her physical thresholds increased, Chansey wouldn't be as panicked on the battlefield.
Confidence comes from knowing you can take a hit.
The only thing to watch for was post-training nutrition. If funds allowed, he'd also need to arrange for massages and grooming to keep their stress levels low. But those services were pricey.
Starting actual training made Kashiwagi realize why most Trainers in Pyrite Town swapped Pokémon so frequently. First, training was exhausting for both the Pokémon and the human. Second, it was a money pit. If you slipped up, a Pokémon's combat effectiveness and health would plummet.
Pokémon weren't invincible; they got colds, fevers, broken limbs, or even broken teeth. These weren't things a single Heal Pulse from Chansey could magically fix. If they were, the Pokémon world wouldn't need a massive medical industry, Nurse Joy wouldn't need diagnostic machines, and there would be no need for recovery chambers.
Training a Pokémon was a profound science. Countless Breeders spent their entire lives studying it and still wouldn't claim to know how to raise every species perfectly. As a rookie, Kashiwagi could only pore over the records left by his predecessors and carefully guard his own team.
While Lairon and Chansey did their specialized drills, Kashiwagi trained himself.
"To forge iron, you must be strong yourself." He didn't expect to win a fistfight against a Machamp, but he at least wanted to last more than three rounds. Many of the "superhuman" technologies in this world required a certain level of physical fitness to handle.
Truth be told, a human couldn't defeat a Pokémon, but technology could. Hunter J's stone-cold capture gun, Iron Masked Marauder's Dark Balls, Zero's megastructure that could copy Giratina's power... the list went on.
By evening, the session ended.
"That's enough for today. Too much is as bad as too little. We'll adapt gradually."
"Lairon!"
"Lucky~"
The two Pokémon responded softly and returned to their Poké Balls. In this world, the interior of a Poké Ball was designed for comfort—perfect for the exhausted duo to get some rest.
At this hour, the neon signs of the Underdome shops were flickering to life. Casinos, bars, discos, and ballrooms opened their doors, luring in the Sand Unit grunts. Kashiwagi had been curious at first, but after wandering in a few times, he'd quickly left. The environment was intoxicating, but the constant, rhythmic music felt almost hypnotic. It was a predatory atmosphere designed to drain wallets and spirits—a drug in its own right.
Nighttime.
Kashiwagi sat on his bed, still savoring the memory of the nutritious fried eggs, and looked at the bottom-right corner of his vision.
Due to the brush with death in the tournament and his relentless battles beforehand, the simulator's cooldown had plummeted. He was about to get another "Rare Candy" and a new move for free.
Based on previous results, the better his simulated persona performed in the League, the better his rewards. He had high hopes for this run. Three duds in a row, surely I'm due for some luck? I don't need a championship—just give me a runner-up, a Top 4, or even Top 8. Getting knocked out in the prelims is just embarrassing!
Kashiwagi scooped up Chansey and held a book, telling her despite her confused expression: "Cry a few times for me. I need you to build up my luck."
"Lucky? Lu...cky? Lucky!"
Chansey obediently let out a string of cries. Nearby, Lairon looked on with confusion, wondering what his partner was shouting about. He saw the Trainer's face—a mix of excitement, anticipation, and a hint of nervousness.
Lairon realized: It's starting again!
He remembered a few days ago, around the same time, Kashiwagi had climbed into bed early, twisting around like a Wurmple while staring at a book. It was such a bizarre sight that Lairon had been worried. If he could read human language, he'd have to find out what was so stimulating!
Lairon lay down by the bed, keeping watch.
At that moment, the countdown in Kashiwagi's vision hit zero.
[Choose your starting region ▽]
"Kanto, obviously!" Why change regions when he hadn't cleared the first one yet?
He thought about the gender and decided to switch it up—he chose Female. To his surprise, the previously blank "Starting Pokémon" slot now had an option!
Clefairy!?
Kashiwagi stared at the text. Why the sudden choice? Was it because his last simulation reached the main tournament? That had to be it. He chose Clefairy without hesitation; a well-played Clefairy was leagues better than his previous starters.
[Please draw your Talents]
He pressed the button.
Fixed Talent:
Early Enlightenment (Blue): (Pokémon growth and training progress is lightning-fast.)
"Whoa! A Blue talent!?"
Kashiwagi's eyes nearly popped out. He'd assumed all talents were white; he didn't realize there were tiered rarities. Was this also from the last run? No, he felt it was Chansey's luck. If the previous run had such good rewards, it wouldn't have given him the option to "roll over" a talent. This had to be a lucky random draw.
"Chansey, cry again!"
Kashiwagi was buzzing, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. The memory of the "Camping Boy" and his sudden demise was still fresh—overconfidence usually led to a disaster.
He scrolled down.
Impoverished: (Financial burden when raising Pokémon.)
Ruthless: (Single-minded pursuit of goals.)
Social Butterfly: (Attracts Pokémon of the opposite gender more easily.)
Kind-hearted: (Eager to help others.)
Was there even a choice here? "A good horse doesn't return to the same grass," especially when that grass was poisonous. Unless simulation attempts became dirt cheap, he was never touching Ruthless again. Besides, it probably wouldn't give him a break anyway.
By contrast, Kind-hearted—which seemed to be the direct opposite—looked beautiful.
Kashiwagi hesitated for two seconds, then quickly clicked the last two talents.
Simulation Start!
A massive light screen unfurled, and a pixelated character appeared before him.
"...A Lass?"
The JK-style (high school girl) outfit immediately reminded him of that specific Trainer class.