CHAPTER 8
008 - Training Ralts, Progress (8/10)
May sighed as she bid Qin Yun farewell, her movements fluid and practiced clearly, this wasn't her first time visiting this place.
Qin Yun touched his nose, feeling slightly helpless.
Once May left, the ever-observant Miss Nurse leaned in slightly and gave Qin Yun a knowing thumbs-up.
"Young man, not bad at all," she said with a teasing smile. "Let me tell you a little secret this May is the daughter of Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader. If you manage to win her over, you'll have access to endless resources. Becoming a professional trainer, maybe even reaching the Elite Four, wouldn't be an issue."
The title of professional trainer was an unreachable dream for most, yet for those from powerful families, it was merely a matter of investment. A strong family background, coupled with talent, could nurture many elite trainers this was the harsh reality of class disparity in the Pokémon world.
Petalburg Gym wasn't just any gym it was the most influential in Petalburg Province, the provincial capital. Norman himself was a trainer of immense strength, considered one of the most likely candidates to ascend to the rank of Elite Four in the Hoenn League.
Knowing this, May's presence in a place like Jiang Cheng seemed unusual.
'Why would the daughter of such a high-profile gym leader come here?' Qin Yun wondered, shaking his head. No use dwelling on it now. His priority was strengthening his Pokémon.
After taking some final notes on the Pokémon Center's facilities, Qin Yun bid farewell to Miss Nurse and left.
The Joey and Jenny Families
Speaking of Miss Nurse, Qin Yun couldn't help but think about the Joey family. The Joys existed across the entire Pokémon world, with each city's Pokémon Center headed by a different Miss Joy. Their lineage was vast, just like the Jenny family, who held dominant roles in law enforcement.
These two families held immense influence while Joys dedicated themselves to healing and Pokémon care, Jennys upheld the law, ensuring peace in various regions.
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Training Ralts
"The next step is to find a quiet place for training," Qin Yun murmured.
After walking some distance, he summoned Ralts.
The moment Ralts appeared, she let out a happy cry and threw herself into Qin Yun's arms. Qin Yun chuckled and gently held her.
"Ralts, we're starting training soon. Are you ready?"
"Lalu Lalu!"
Ralts nodded firmly, her determination shining through she wanted to grow stronger to protect her trainer.
"Then no crying later."
Qin Yun playfully pinched Ralts' tiny nose, making her let out a soft, bell-like giggle.
Currently, Ralts was still in her infant stage. Despite having high-top potential and knowing four moves, only Disarming Voice was an offensive skill.
Disarming Voice (Fairy-type, Power: 40)
A useful starting attack with never-miss accuracy.
Meanwhile, her other two skills Double Team and Teleport were more suited for utility rather than direct combat.
Qin Yun's immediate goal was to have Ralts master these three skills thoroughly before learning new ones. Ideally, he wanted her to acquire Psybeam or Shadow Ball next to expand her offensive options.
Between the two, Psybeam was the better choice.
Psybeam (Psychic-type, Power: 65)
With STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus), it reached 97.5 power, making it stronger than Shadow Ball despite the latter's 80 base power.
Of course, Shadow Ball was still crucial.
Since Ralts was a Psychic/Fairy-type, she was naturally weak against Ghost and Steel-types. While Shadow Ball wouldn't help against Steel-types, it would allow her to better counter Ghost-type opponents, one of her major weaknesses.
'The road to becoming strong is long, and Ralts has just taken her first steps,' Qin Yun thought. Training Pokémon was never easy every skill required meticulous refinement.
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Training Begins
"Alright, Ralts, let's start with Double Team."
Training wasn't just about battling it also involved skill drills, movement refinement, and stamina conditioning.
The wild served as the perfect training ground. Unlike the overcrowded training facilities in the city where reservations were difficult even with money here, Qin Yun could train as much as he wanted.
"Lalu!"
Ralts focused, releasing Double Team.
Within two seconds, she successfully created three mirage copies, but they faded after just three seconds.
"Not bad! That's a solid start," Qin Yun praised.
Ralts' lips curled slightly at the praise, clearly pleased with herself.
"However, we need to reduce the time it takes to activate the skill and increase its duration."
In a real battle, two seconds of activation time was too slow. Against a quick opponent, she'd be hit before the mirages even appeared.
"Lalu."
Ralts nodded seriously, her eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. Qin Yun was satisfied enthusiasm was key to rapid growth.
"Alright! Let's get stronger together!"
Qin Yun's voice held a spark of excitement, the kind trainers felt when raising a Pokémon from the very beginning.
"Lalularu!!!"
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Rapid Progress
For the rest of the day, Qin Yun pushed Ralts to refine her abilities. Thanks to her high intelligence and the energy boost from Power Cubes, she trained with great enthusiasm.
By the end of the session, Ralts had made significant improvements:
Double Team → Activation time reduced from 2 seconds to 1 second, and mirages lasted 7 seconds instead of 3.
Teleport → Preparation time reduced from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds. Accuracy within 5 meters was near-perfect, though errors occurred beyond that. The maximum range improved to 13 meters.
Disarming Voice → Power and casting speed increased, making it more effective in battle.
Overall, an excellent first day of training.
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First Battle
Qin Yun nodded in satisfaction, scanning the tall grass nearby.
A Rattata had been lurking there for some time, likely watching their training.
Perfect timing.
"Alright, Ralts our first battle starts now."
A flicker of light flashed in Ralts' eyes as she turned toward the wild Pokémon, her small hands tightening into fists.
Qin Yun suddenly shivered.
'That look… this Ralts might be a little too eager to fight.'