After Icarus walked out of the shop, he didn't go to the butcher shop as originally planned. The TM gifted by Captain Sam made him decide to extend the training period and only go hunting after Bellsprout had mastered the move.
"These 35 catties of Pokémon meat, plus the extra consumption from training, will probably only last Bellsprout seven or eight days. We'll see how it goes. If it really can't master the move in time, I'll go buy more meat."
He truly didn't want Bellsprout eating inferior feed continuously.
After all, the beginner stage was about laying a solid foundation. He wouldn't be foolish enough to damage their long-term potential for short-term gains. The stronger the foundation, the higher the chance of advancing to elite level in the future.
Of course, letting Bellsprout eat inferior feed occasionally as "motivation" was acceptable.
"Let's go, Bellsprout. We'll stop by the market and buy some groceries. I'll cook something good for you."
"Spri spri!" Bellsprout nodded happily. Raw Pokémon meat was already delicious, but it became even better when cooked with seasoning and side dishes.
They quickly bought enough supplies for about a week and returned home.
"Ah! Finally home!"
Icarus tossed his backpack aside and collapsed onto the bed.
The high concentration of spiritual energy in the wild, combined with constant battles, left his ordinary human body exhausted.
"Sprout!"
Bellsprout hopped onto the bed as well, clearly intending to drag him up to cook.
"You little guy… I don't have your extraordinary physique. I'll get up in a minute."
Icarus smiled bitterly and shook his head. Being a Pokémon trainer really wasn't easy.
"I really want to break through to elite level soon. Even the most basic extraordinary physique would let me go three days and nights without sleep."
He couldn't help but envy Uncle Sam again while cooking in the kitchen.
After eating, the two played around for a while before sitting down to draft a training plan.
Drawing from his previous life's experiences, Icarus believed that after intense battles, relaxation was necessary. Even veteran soldiers could suffer from PTSD after prolonged combat. He didn't want his Pokémon living in constant tension. Playing together also strengthened their bond.
"Alright, Bellsprout. Let's finalize the plan. First, we won't reduce basic training. Even though we're adding two moves, the fundamentals remain the foundation for going further."
"Spri spri." Bellsprout nodded seriously.
"Good. What we'll adjust is Vine Whip training. You've already mastered Vine Whip and Sand Attack and can use them well in battle. Now we'll shift focus to Bind. You need to make more wooden thorns grow along the vines."
"Sprout?" Bellsprout looked confused. Wasn't it enough to grow thorns only on the binding section?
"You're thinking too narrowly! If your entire Vine Whip is covered in wooden thorns, wouldn't it deal more damage? It would also make the enemy bleed more!"
"Spri spri!" Bellsprout's eyes lit up, nodding excitedly.
"So within three days, you must fully master Bind and expand the thorn coverage. If successful, we'll call this move Thorn Whip."
Unlike the conventional trainers here, Icarus, having lived in the information age, was more creative in his approach. That different perspective was his unique advantage.
Still, he sometimes felt conflicted.
Other transmigrators had systems or mysterious old mentors. He had nothing but fragmented knowledge. This world resembled the anime he remembered—there was Professor Oak and the Pokémon League—but there were also major differences.
Among the Kanto Elite Four, he only recognized Bruno and Agatha.
The Dragon-type member was named Watanabe Kuya, with gray hair instead of red. His main Pokémon was Dragonite. The Ice-type member was still named Lorelei, but here she was called Qianxia—gentle and approachable rather than cold and distant.
So was this a parallel world? Or had he traveled forward in time?
Would events from the anime still happen? Would Ash still pick up those powerful Pokémon?
He was especially greedy for Charmander. Even though Charizard had been disobedient for a long time, its strength was undeniable.
"Did I travel to the future? Or is this a parallel timeline?"
He shook his head.
"I'll probably find out eventually."
Coming back to his senses, he looked at Bellsprout.
"We'll spend three days training Thorn Whip. If we fail, we'll extend the schedule. But that means later plans get delayed too—and you might have to go vegetarian."
"Sprout! Sprout!" Bellsprout straightened up immediately, determination blazing in its eyes.
"I believe you can do it. Bind is part of your bloodline inheritance. You should master it quickly."
After encouragement, he continued:
"Once Thorn Whip is complete, we'll use the TM. You must learn Absorb within four days and apply it in battle. Do you have confidence?"
"Spri spri!" Bellsprout declared confidently.
"I think so too. Absorb may not be inherited, but it's still a Grass-type move. Learning moves of the same type is much easier."
Confidence was half the battle.
"Alright. The plan is set for now. We'll adjust based on progress. Tonight, we stick to basic training—Vine Whip weight training for one hour."
"Spri~"
Bellsprout immediately walked to the backyard clearing, selected a larger stone, and began lifting it with Vine Whip.
Icarus picked up a stone himself and began physical conditioning.
"Hah… hah…"
Heavy breathing gradually broke the calm of the night.
(End of Chapter)
Every 50 power stones= 1 chapter
Every 5 reviews = 1 chapters