Chapter 178: Training

Before the sun had even risen, in a small, worn-out courtyard, Frostmoon, Farfetch'd, and Bellossom had already begun their training.

Compared to the sword-wielding Farfetch'd and Bellossom, who substituted its leaves as blades, Frostmoon was undoubtedly much simpler, wielding only a wooden sword.

Although the origins of swordsmanship in the Pokémon world differed somewhat, both the training methods and techniques bore a striking resemblance to what Ron had seen in One Piece.

Previously, in a sparring match against Farfetch'd, Bellossom had successfully passed Frostmoon's trial, earning his approval to be taught swordsmanship.

As Frostmoon had said, the practice of swordsmanship was already rare in this era, and most who claimed to practice it were mere pretenders.

Whenever he encountered someone or a Pokémon with potential, he never hesitated to pass on his knowledge.

Even if Frostmoon had refused to teach, Ron could have found other ways—whether by spending money or using other means—to acquire swordsmanship training. The only difference was having a mentor to guide the process.

While Frostmoon trained Bellossom, Ron took Machamp and the others to train away from the dojo.

Part of the reason was to avoid disturbing Frostmoon, but more importantly, Ron had to keep Six Powers a secret. He couldn't risk revealing it to anyone.

At this point, he didn't even trust regular training rooms. Who could guarantee that the Pokémon League hadn't installed hidden cameras made from materials that blocked psychic detection to spy on trainers?

Frostmoon had no objections to Ron's actions and continued to train Bellossom with full dedication.

Swordsmanship emphasized strong fundamentals, but talent was even more critical.

Previously, Ron had Bellossom train using methods inspired by what he had seen in One Piece. Though somewhat crude, it laid a solid foundation for Bellossom.

Now, under Frostmoon's tutelage, Ron was confident that Bellossom's full potential could be unlocked.

To support Bellossom, Ron chose to train nearby in Bamboo Hill.

Unlike Ash, who left Pidgeot in the forest for years without ever checking in, Ron believed in personally overseeing his Pokémon's growth.

Fortunately, there were strong wild Pokémon in the area, ensuring that Machamp and the others could continue to improve.

The only drawback was that Bellossom, in dedicating itself to swordsmanship, had less time to refine its strength and practice Finger Pistol.

...

Arriving at a secluded area, Ron had Kirlia use its psychic abilities to scan the surroundings before beginning their training.

At this stage, Machamp had already mastered Shave, Moonwalk, and Finger Pistol, and was now starting to train in Iron Body. Meanwhile, Persian continued refining Finger Pistol, striving to master Flying Finger Pistol.

After successfully mastering Shave, Nidoking had begun training in Moonwalk.

Ron insisted that Nidoking perfect both techniques to ensure a consistent and stable battle performance.

Kirlia was also training in Shave, primarily to complement its Teleport ability.

One relied on psychic energy, while the other depended on physical stamina.

By alternating between the two, Kirlia could create unpredictable attack patterns, making it harder for opponents to anticipate its moves and direction.

Once the training ground was prepared, the session officially began.

Among all the training, the most eye-catching was undoubtedly Machamp's self-inflicted suffering.

Iron Body functioned by accelerating blood flow and muscle contractions to harden the body to the strength of steel.

Like the other Six Powers techniques, its defensive power would increase alongside the user's overall strength. However, the major drawback was the inability to move while using it.

Yet, based on Jabra's performance, it was theoretically possible to move while using Iron Body—provided one had enough mastery.

Since Iron Body shared similarities with Finger Pistol in principle but applied the effect to the entire body, Machamp had to repeatedly smash itself against tree trunks and rocks, gradually familiarizing itself with the technique.

Seated nearby, Ron used Fighting Aura to nurture the two Pokémon Eggs in his possession.

One was the mysterious, pitch-black egg left behind by Gengar.

The other was a pseudo-legendary Pokémon Egg he had applied for—Tyranitar, from the Johto region.

With Machamp as the warrior, Persian as the assassin, and Bellossom excelling in both physical and magical abilities, the only gap in his team was a tank-like Pokémon.

Even after Nidoking, Kirlia, and Torchic fully matured, that gap would still exist.

Tyranitar was the perfect Pokémon to fill that role.

Despite being weak to seven different types, its base defenses exceeded 100, making it an excellent tank capable of absorbing damage while drawing enemy attacks away from teammates.

If it had the Sand Stream ability, it could even trigger a sandstorm, increasing its Special Defense and doubling its speed, mitigating some of its type weaknesses.

Not to mention, the sandstorm itself would continuously damage enemy Pokémon.

Aside from its defensive prowess, Tyranitar also possessed immense physical strength—after all, it was classified as a pseudo-legendary Pokémon for a reason.

However, raising a Tyranitar was going to be a nightmare for Ron's wallet.

Unlike his other Pokémon, Tyranitar required not only high-quality Pokéblocks and food but also energy-rich minerals. Some extreme cases even involved feeding it diamonds.

The mere thought of it made Ron's wallet tremble in fear.

Based on its estimated incubation period and Shadow's promise to supply food for a month, Ron figured Tyranitar's upkeep would become his responsibility right around the time of the Indigo League.

This meant that after the tournament, he would have to find a way to earn money for its food.

If he could win the Indigo League Championship, the prize money combined with Shadow's promised rewards should sustain him for a while.

After that, it would depend on how many Pokémon Hunters he could take down.

Gengar's egg, on the other hand, was a mystery—Ron had no idea when it would hatch, as such occurrences were incredibly rare.

After safely placing the eggs aside, Ron slipped on a pair of training gloves and approached Machamp.

If Machamp was going to train Iron Body, it was only natural that Ron, as his Trainer, should help.

Not only would it assist Machamp, but it would also serve as a great way for Ron to sharpen his own combat skills. A win-win situation.

Seeing the wide grin on Ron's face, Machamp couldn't shake the feeling that his Trainer was only excited because it meant getting to pummel him.

After consistently practicing breathing techniques, Ron's strength had grown significantly, making him a viable sparring partner for Machamp.

In fact, once Machamp and the others mastered Six Powers, it wasn't entirely impossible for them to learn Armament Haki or Observation Haki.

As for Conqueror's Haki, Ron wasn't sure—that wasn't something that could be acquired through mere training.

Still, if he somehow managed to awaken it, he might just become the only one in the Pokémon world to do so.

Who knows? Maybe he could even gain the power of the Face-Face Fruit, forcing others to show him respect.

The thought made Ron even more excited, and he exerted even more force. Meanwhile, Machamp was growing increasingly convinced—this little brat wasn't trying to train with him at all. He was outright attacking him!

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