Chapter 103: Incinerate Move

Having made his decision, Lian checked his current Combat Points balance. Recently, he hadn't accumulated many due to facing stronger opponents, making it easier to earn Combat Points; typically around one thousand per day, allowing for rapid enhancement of his strength.

With Water Resistance now maximized, it was time to gradually accumulate Combat Points again.

Lian roughly calculated that to upgrade his Special Attack base stat to its maximum limit +60, he would need over twenty thousand Combat Points. This estimate was just for the current level, and as he progresses further, the requirement will only increase.

Over twenty thousand Combat Points wasn't an unattainable number. Considering Lian earns more than a thousand Combat Points daily, enduring for about half a month should suffice.

In reality, Lian's offensive capabilities were already sufficient. Once he evolves into a Charizard, combining its inherent high Special Attack base stat with the additional points gained from Combat Points, his power will reach an incredibly impressive level.

Accumulating Combat Points is still necessary, given that the system might continue upgrading. However, whether to use them for enhancing Special Attack or not will depend on future circumstances.

Currently, increasing Special Attack Ability Points by one requires 480 Combat Points, which is quite expensive compared to improving other abilities.

***

The next day, at dusk.

After working at the Battle Tower all day, Kalia returned to the library. Following a brief rest, she headed to the reading room and began studying from various books.

Mostly focusing on material relevant to the beginner trainer assessment, she was currently reading "One Hundred Basic Facts About Pokémon," which covered essential knowledge about different species.

Vulpix lay sprawled on the table, its small stature accentuated by six swaying tails. The blue markings on its body caught the eye remarkably.

Lian emerged from his Poké Ball after a nap, landing softly on the floor. The light cast a shadow through his tall figure, enveloping the petite Vulpix.

"Charmeleon, what are you doing out here?" Kalia noticed Charmeleon's sudden appearance from his Poké Ball, puzzled.

The library is a public space, and having a Charmeleon present could potentially disturb others.

Vulpix lifted its head, also looking at Lian. As fellow Fire-types, it felt no fear towards him but sensed a strong concentration of fire energy emanating from him.

"Vulpix, come with me outside for a moment," Lian said to Vulpix. Demonstrating Fire-type moves would require open space, not suitable within the library confines.

"Okay." Vulpix, though puzzled, stood up, flicked its tails, and gracefully leaped to the ground.

Lian looked contentedly at Vulpix; his plan was progressing smoothly. Now, he just needed Vulpix to demonstrate some moves, which could be seen as practicing proficiency. Even if Kalia witnessed it, she wouldn't suspect anything unusual.

Kalia watched as Vulpix followed Charmeleon out of the library, feeling slightly perplexed. Were the two Pokémon planning to play together? After a moment's thought, she decided not to follow them, knowing she still had books to read. Instead, she gently instructed, "Don't go too far, stay nearby for your playtime."

Both Lian and Vulpix responded with soft calls, assuring her they heard her request.

Relieved, Kalia knew both Pokémon were intelligent and didn't require much supervision. The area around the library was also relatively safe.

Outside the library:

"What did you need from me?" Vulpix stopped and asked in their shared language.

Lian pondered how to convince Vulpix willingly to demonstrate its moves. Suddenly, a clever idea struck him, and he said, "Vulpix, your current strength is quite weak. Having been with Kalia for so long, I know she isn't particularly fond of less powerful Pokémon."

"Really? But my owner adores me, and I'm incredibly cute," Vulpix responded somewhat defensively. Despite its weakness, it knew its charm could win over many admirers with just a hint of cuteness.

"But you're too weak, and eventually, you'll have to battle. You can't remain as just a pretty face forever. Once Kalia sees how feeble you are in combat, no matter how adorable you are, it won't make a difference," Lian countered.

"I am weak? Then tell me, how can I become stronger?" Vulpix acknowledged the point, realizing that although it rarely left the library, it often heard people discussing powerful Pokemon during their conversations.

"You're indeed very weak now, unable to defeat other Pokemon through battles alone. Strengthening yourself that way isn't feasible yet. Instead, you should practice your moves," Lian suggested, feeling optimistic.

"What moves should I practice?" Vulpix seemed uncertain, having spent most of its time in the library with minimal battling experience, not even fully aware of the moves it had learned.

"First, let's see what moves you know. For example, try using Ember, a simple move," Lian prompted, surprised by Vulpix's naivety, as it appeared unaware of its own abilities.

Vulpix clumsily opened its mouth and instinctively managed to release a simple move like Ember. A small flame emerged, landed on the ground, and quickly fizzled out.

Lian was somewhat speechless; Vulpix's proficiency with Ember was remarkably low. At this level, forget about Incinerate, even Fire Spin requires strong control abilities. Although the system indicated that Vulpix had learned these moves, could it truly execute them?

"That's too weak," Lian remarked disapprovingly. He then demonstrated by casting Ember himself, sending a burst of flames towards the ground, which exploded into numerous sparks.

"This is how Ember should look. Now try other moves, such as Incinerate - just gather the flames and exhale through your mouth." Lian decided to start with simpler Fire-type moves for Vulpix. Since the system showed they were learned, he believed Vulpix must indeed possess them.

Feeling slightly confused, Vulpix nonetheless sensed abundant fire energy within itself. Following Lian's instructions, it gathered the flames and expelled them from its mouth.

Whoosh!

Despite having a relatively small mouth, initially emitting minimal flames, once outside, they rapidly expanded into a large inferno, continuously burning around the area.

Compared to Flamethrower-like moves, Incinerate has a wider range, capable of fully enveloping an opponent. Its unique effect is burning away any held berries or enhancing gems on the target.

Vulpix couldn't sustain it for long, and as the Incinerate move ended, she appeared quite exhausted, lying on the ground with shallow breaths.

"Next, we'll focus on practicing Incinerate. Stand up and continue training until you master it proficiently before moving onto other moves." Lian's expression was stern, resembling a strict teacher.

"I'm so tired," Vulpix whined pitifully, still sprawled on the ground. After using Incinerate, she felt drained of energy, somewhat weak.

"At this rate, when will you ever perfect Incinerate? Without dedication, your future battle performance will suffer, and Kalia might grow disappointed in you. But if you master it, she'll surely be impressed by your skills," Lian encouraged.

Reluctantly, Vulpix flicked her six tails and stood back up, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. To earn my owner's admiration, I must practice diligently.

As time passed...

Lian observed Vulpix practicing the Incinerate move. With persistence, he believed she would soon grasp it effortlessly. Starting with simpler moves, they gradually progressed together.

In truth, Lian was already subtly grasping the concept. With his Flamethrower reaching its mastery limit, his understanding of Fire-type moves had significantly improved.

The system allowed him to continuously enhance move proficiency, but as it increased, Lian didn't rely solely on instinct. His comprehension of these moves also steadily grew.

As a result, after observing Fire-type moves just a few times, he could quickly develop a basic understanding. His ability to grasp Fire-type moves continued to improve with each observation.

"Tonight, let's see if I can finally unlock the Incinerate move," Lian thought to himself.

"Vulpix, that's enough for today. We'll continue practicing tomorrow," Lian checked the time and decided it was appropriate to pause their session.

"Wonderful, no more practice for now." Vulpix eagerly cheered, then collapsed onto the ground, completely still.

Continuously expending fire energy to execute moves is inherently exhausting.

Mastery requires extensive practice; except for Lian, who could directly boost proficiency using Combat Points, every Pokemon must undergo diligent training to gain control over new moves.

***

Within the System Space:

The combat rating for today wasn't worth discussing; it remained consistent as usual, steadily accumulating Combat Points for future system upgrades.

Lian immediately focused on the move and displayed a look of delight. As expected, after observing Vulpix's use of Incinerate several times, he gained a vague understanding of the move. This insight served as the key that unlocked its early appearance within the system.

For moves of other attributes, Lian might not have grasped it so quickly. However, Fire-type moves were his forte, making them relatively easy to learn.

He promptly activated the Incinerate move but refrained from increasing its proficiency right away. Firstly, Incinerate had only 60 base power, significantly weaker than Flamethrower.

Secondly, Lian wanted to try enhancing his proficiency through personal practice instead of relying solely on the system. It was crucial to manage time and resources effectively. With ample free time at night, while watching Vulpix train its moves, he could also allocate some time for his own practice.

Feeling confident about his grasp of Fire-type moves, he believed even with self-practice, he could rapidly improve his proficiency, thus saving a substantial amount of Combat Points.