Chapter 108: Zeraora's Comprehension

Chapter 108: Zeraora's Comprehension

After finishing the Gym battle, Ron and his companions did not rush to the next Gym location. Ron stayed behind to seek advice from Pryce about Pokémon training.

Pryce's suggestions were all excellent, but Ron still felt something was missing. His current strength was very close to the Elite Four level, but he was just a step away—just that tiny gap was keeping him outside the door.

"Sigh. Ron, don't blame this old man for saying this," Pryce and Ron sat quietly in the dojo, meditating, when Pryce finally couldn't help but speak.

"Grandpa Pryce, please go ahead," Ron said seriously.

"Your shortcoming is experience," Pryce said.

"Experience? But my Pokémon have all been through countless battles; they are not lacking in experience. And I have commanded them in numerous fights, so I am not lacking in command experience either," Ron said, a bit frustrated.

"Sigh, you're hopelessly dull." Pryce knocked Ron on the head and said, "You have plenty of experience in high-level battles, but what you lack is experience in low-level battles!"

"Low-level battle experience?" Ron pondered, seemingly enlightened.

"That's right. I don't know where you managed to catch so many high-potential Pokémon, but being exposed to high-level battles too early has actually broadened your perspective too much. However, your foundation in low-level battles is pitifully weak," Pryce explained. "The most important thing is always the foundation. If the foundation is unstable, no matter how high you build, it will be a castle in the air, unable to withstand pressure."

"But are low-level battles really that important?" Ron asked. "My current Pokémon could probably wipe out multiple teams of low-level Pokémon with just one. What's the point of battling them?"

"Fool. The most fundamental skill training, the proficiency of each move, and the development of various techniques—your battles are too rough and lack any technical depth," Pryce said bluntly. "Mastery of moves is one thing, but on another level, your Pokémon are so powerful that you have never learned how to fight in a disadvantageous situation. This is a huge flaw. No one can always have good luck. If you encounter a trainer who excels at strategy, you will undoubtedly lose."

Pryce looked at the pondering Ron, then glanced at Ruby, who was taking notes, and Rosa, who was listening attentively along with the many Pokémon. He continued, "Third, don't underestimate low-level battles. Sometimes, things that rookie trainers unconsciously display can even be enlightening for me. Those rookie trainers may not realize it, but with your higher-level vision, you can discard the useless and absorb the essence, incorporating it into your battle style."

Ron thought for a long time before speaking. "Thank you, Grandpa Pryce. Your words hit the mark. I'll take them to heart. Also, I truly appreciate the days I've spent learning here."

"Alright, go now. Spending too much time with an old man like me is a great waste," Pryce said with satisfaction. "I look forward to the day you become Champion."

"No, the day I become a Master!" Ron said seriously.

Then, he recalled his Pokémon and called Ruby and Rosa to prepare for their journey to Blackthorn City.

Before leaving, Ron adjusted his Pokémon team. Currently, he let his Pokémon train independently at his estate and took with him: Celebi, Zeraora, Dragonite, Gyarados, Togepi, Kirlia, Torchic, and Treecko.

The rest were left at the estate. Kirlia, Torchic, and Treecko had not officially started training yet, and Ron had refrained from using any experience boosters on them. After Pryce's guidance, he temporarily abandoned the idea of using shortcuts and decided to train them step by step. After obtaining the Rising Badge in Blackthorn City, he planned to head to Olivine City.

Ron remembered that Olivine City had a Battle Tower with many trainers, making it an ideal place to reinforce his fundamentals.

In the following days, Ron focused on training Kirlia and the others. To make up for the lack of a strong foundation, he even turned off the experience booster to slow down their leveling, allowing him to learn as much as possible.

From initial struggles to gradually adapting to low-level battles, Ron put in a lot of effort. He had always specialized in fast-paced combat, where his Pokémon understood his intentions instinctively. Often, a hand gesture or a glance was enough to command them. But now, he had to instruct them step by step, which, in turn, brought him valuable insights.

Battling rookie trainers indeed brought moments of inspiration, leading to unexpectedly brilliant fights.

It wasn't just Ron who benefited—his Pokémon also gained significant insights, improving their control and understanding of their moves. For example, Celebi's Future Sight and Zeraora's Plasma Fists—these two moves were unquestionably their signature techniques.

A few days later, Ron and his friends arrived at a mountain lake.

"Wow, so many Electric-type Pokémon!" Rosa exclaimed as she saw numerous Electric-type Pokémon soaking in the lake.

"That's strange. What are these Pokémon doing in the water?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"This lake has a special ability to heal Electric-type Pokémon," a female voice said.

Ron and his friends turned around to see a blue-haired girl in mountaineering gear standing behind them. She smiled when she saw their curious faces and said, "Hello, I'm Luka. I'm the caretaker of this lake."

"Hello, I'm Ron from Pallet Town, and these are my travel companions, Ruby and Rosa," Ron introduced himself.

As soon as he finished speaking, dark clouds gathered over the mountaintop, followed by streaks of lightning, signaling an impending storm.

Luka's expression changed, and she said solemnly, "Whatever happens next, please promise me you won't tell anyone!"

Seeing her serious demeanor, Ron and his friends nodded in agreement. Ron then released Zeraora, thinking that all this electricity going to waste would be a shame.

The Thunder Stone on Zeraora's belt activated, absorbing the ambient electricity, causing bolts of lightning to strike directly onto Zeraora.

"Be careful!" Luka said worriedly.

"Don't worry. My Zeraora can absorb electricity," Ron reassured her.

Zeraora bathed in the lightning, closing its eyes in comfort, but a strange and wild energy awakened within it.

"Ding. Zeraora has absorbed electrical energy and is beginning to comprehend its essence," the system prompt announced.

A loud cry rang out as the storm clouds dispersed, revealing a massive yellow bird in the sky.

"It's Zapdos!" Rosa exclaimed.

Zapdos was a large, yellow, bird-like Pokémon with black markings around its eyes and a long, pointed orange beak. Its wings and tail were covered in spiky feathers, and black feathers lined the underside of its wings and tail. Its crest consisted of jagged feathers, and its legs were a dusty brown, with exposed thighs and clawed toes.

"This is bad! Zeraora is in the middle of comprehending its essence. Without more lightning, it might fail!" Ron said anxiously.

He quickly released Dragonite and Gyarados, commanding them to use Thunder in an attempt to mimic natural lightning. Though they successfully hit Zeraora, it was clear that the move was not suitable, as Zeraora frowned in discomfort.

Ron sighed, realizing that this attempt might end in failure. However, Zapdos let out another cry, sending down a massive bolt of lightning that struck Zeraora directly. Zeraora's expression relaxed, its eyes gradually opened, and the lightning dissipated. A wild, powerful energy surged from its body.

It had succeeded! Ron thought excitedly.