Four hours of combat instruction, four hours of basic training, four hours of cultural studies (tactical drills) – Riolu's day was packed.
[Sirona: If I remember correctly, Riolu was only a week old, right? Can its body withstand such high-intensity training?]
[Bruno: Don't underestimate the golden spirit of Fighting-type Pokémon! What's a mere twelve hours of special training a day? Ash, try adding another twelve hours!!!]
[Joy of Viridian City: Although the training process looks very strict, there aren't any major problems in reality. Haven't you noticed? During the training, Ash is constantly observing Riolu's physical condition, and he will stop the training as soon as he finds any abnormality.]
[Brock: I estimate Parallel World Ash's training plan is custom-made for Riolu.]
[Caitlin: I still think it's too exaggerated. If it were my Gothitelle, she would have thrown in the towel long ago.]
[Diantha: It's different. Gothitelle is a Psychic Pokémon, inherently delicate, so she naturally can't be treated this way. Riolu is different; it's a Fighting-type, and it also has abundant Steel-type energy within it, making it exceptionally durable. Not training it like a workhorse would be a disservice to its talent.]
Yes.
A word to awaken the dreamer.
Although Riolu was only a few days old, who made it so gifted in cultivation? This is equivalent to having both Earth and Wood spiritual roots in the cultivation world, a natural workhorse, born to suffer.
Nurse Joy, Brock, and Diantha were all correct, but they overlooked the most crucial point, which was the key to Black Ash daring to push Riolu to its limits.
He had Mew.
The best healer in the world.
Mew can transform into Chansey and use Egg Bomb and Healing Wish for healing.
It can transform into Wigglytuff and use Sing to lull patients to sleep, sweeping away the day's fatigue. It can also transform into Comfey, Audino, and Indeedee.
In short, Mew was Ash's strongest backing. With it, there was no need to worry about the Pokémon's physical condition.
Ash's devilish training lasted for a month. In that month, the changes in Riolu and Pidgeotto could only be described as a complete transformation.
Riolu shed its childishness and its eyes were filled with determination. At this point, it was already a qualified warrior.
Pidgeotto's changes were even greater; it directly completed its second evolution, evolving into Pidgeot.
[Brock: In less than a month and a half, Pidgey evolved into Pidgeot. This training speed would make even Flying-type Masters shed tears.]
[Bruno: Flying-type Masters shedding tears? No, Lance isn't crying.]
[Lance: Hey, what are you talking about? I'm not a Flying-type Master, I'm a Dragon-type Master. Lance, the strongest Dragon User in Kanto!]
[Lorelei: Lance, it's fine if you lie to us; we'll just laugh behind your back. But if you start believing your own lies, that's when you're truly finished.]
[Chloe: Brother, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but can't you go and catch a few real dragons? Our family can afford it.]
A Trainer who came out of a Dragon Village, bearing the title of Dragon User, yet only one Pokémon in his team was a Dragon-type. It was truly hard to know how to comment on that.
[Steven: The fake Dragon-type Master Drake, team: Altaria, Flygon, Salamence, Kingdra. The real Dragon-type Master Lance, team: Gyarados, Charizard, Aerodactyl, Dragonite.]
[Wallace: All four Pokémon are Flying-type, Lance. You deserve the title of Flying-type Master.]
[Lance: ...]
In the suburbs three kilometers from Pewter City, Ash slowly descended on Pidgeot.
"You've worked hard, Pidgeot." Ash gently stroked Pidgeot's head, then recalled Pidgeot into its Poké Ball.
[Ash: Why don't we just ride Pidgeot to Pewter Gym?]
[Misty: Idiot, don't you know there's a League rule against riding Pokémon in the city?]
[Ash: Huh? There's a rule like that?]
[Misty: Of course there is! You're hopeless.]
At Pewter Gym, after showing his ID card, Ash was led by an apprentice into Pewter Gym.
Unlike its dilapidated state a year later, Pewter Gym at this time still had the aura of a renowned establishment.
The Gym Leader, Flint, was a famous Rock-type master in Kanto, and Pewter City was a city known for its stones, so Flint was very popular in Pewter City.
Since there was already a Challenger before Ash, he had to wait a while before he could begin his challenge.
The Challenger was about twelve or thirteen years old, and his Pokémon was a Poliwag. It seemed he planned to win by relying on type advantage.
"Having only a type advantage won't be enough to beat me. Come on, let me show you my strength!"
"Go, Golem!"
[Ash: Is this really that slovenly uncle?]
It was hard to believe; Ash couldn't connect the spirited middle-aged man in the video with the slovenly uncle he had once met.
[Misty: Pewter Gym is, after all, officially recognized as one of Kanto's eight strongest Gyms. If Uncle Flint wasn't powerful, how could he have elevated Pewter Gym to such a high position?]
[Brock: I've brought shame to Pewter Gym.]
[Misty: Heh, speaking of shame, there are three guys even more shameful than you.]
[Lily: Hey, Misty, who are those three guys you're talking about?]
[Daisy: It's not us, the three beautiful girls, is it?]
[Violet: It can't be us, we are the Cerulean Sisters, possessing both beauty and strength!]
[Misty: Elite Lorelei's words just now are for you all: you can fool others, but don't fool yourselves.]
[Lily, Daisy, Violet: ...]