Three hours later.
Roy was panting heavily, but he refused to sit down.
He knew better than to lie down immediately after high-intensity training.
Riolu, on the other hand, despite being tired, remained energetic. After consuming another Energy Cube, it indicated it could continue training... Notably, Riolu's three-hour training volume was at least triple what Roy had managed.
Was this really a baby Pokémon?
Some fully-evolved Pokémon in the anime couldn't match this level of stamina. Riolu's physical capabilities were truly exceptional.
Roy rubbed his sore shoulder and said weakly, "Riolu, let's pause the physical training for now. It's time to practice battle moves..."
"Ri! (Understood)"
Riolu obediently suppressed its natural excitement and eagerness to continue.
Roy smiled reassuringly.
After just a day together, he was getting to know Riolu better... The Fighting-type was cold and distant with strangers, but once it recognized its trainer, it became incredibly loyal and obedient—a truly dependable partner.
"First, show me the moves you've already mastered."
"Ri!"
Riolu responded and began demonstrating its techniques.
For the first time, Roy witnessed the extraordinary capabilities of Pokémon in this world.
"Quick Attack!"
Riolu transformed into a blur of blue-black lightning, passing by the speedometer like an arrow released from a bowstring.
—48m/s.
"This is..." Roy was stunned. Though it was using a move rather than running normally, Riolu could cover 100 meters in just over two seconds?
Usain Bolt would be weeping...
No wonder there were no Olympic Games in this world—humans simply couldn't compete.
Endure and Counter couldn't be demonstrated without an opponent, so Riolu displayed its remaining three moves.
"Metal Claw!"
"312kg."
"Rock Smash!"
"428kg."
"Thunder Punch!"
"320kg."
Roy let out a nervous breath. It's fine, it's roughly equivalent to Tyson... wait, what?!
Roy was quite certain that if he faced Riolu in combat, it would take just one second for him to be on his knees begging for mercy.
And this was still just a child...
Roy could imagine how devastating the human-Pokémon conflict must have been a century ago.
Fortunately, he wasn't without hope for improvement. The system mall offered various items to strengthen trainers too.
"Ri?"
Noticing Roy's dazed expression, Riolu gave him a concerned look.
Roy gently touched Riolu's ear with a smile, then took out a pen and paper to record all the stats.
Metal Claw and Thunder Punch seemed weaker than Rock Smash in raw power, but that didn't tell the whole story. Metal Claw was a Steel-type move, and Thunder Punch was an Electric-type move. Comparing them directly to the Fighting-type Rock Smash wasn't entirely fair...
The advantage of Metal Claw and Thunder Punch was that they channeled Steel-type and Electric-type energy.
For instance, no matter how powerful Rock Smash was, it would do zero damage against Ghost-types, while the other two moves could affect different types, even dealing super-effective damage against vulnerable Pokémon.
'Steel and electricity...'
Roy tapped his chin with the pen tip.
"Riolu has never received formal training since birth. I understand how it knows Metal Claw and Rock Smash—these are genetic moves that all Riolu naturally learn at certain development stages..."
"But what about Thunder Punch?"
"Ordinary Riolu wouldn't learn this without a trainer."
"An egg move, perhaps?"
Roy speculated.
Egg moves, as the name suggested, were moves inherited from parents.
Of course, not every move known by the parents could be passed down to offspring.
Unlike the game mechanics, real-world scholars specializing in "genetics" had proposed a well-accepted theory.
Egg moves were related to a Pokémon's natural affinities.
For example, Pokémon with a natural connection to Steel-type energy could easily inherit Steel-type moves.
In Riolu's case, it wasn't naturally an Electric-type, yet it inherited Thunder Punch—likely because Riolu's Hidden Power might be Electric-type.
"Does Riolu have a strong affinity for Electric-type energy...?"
Roy sensed he might be onto something, remembering a classic training method.
Not taking anything for granted, he took out his phone and searched for specific keywords.
"On the Feasibility of Pokémon Electric Body Conditioning."
He quickly found his answer.
Electricity at specific frequencies and intensities could stimulate cellular development and accelerate growth. This was scientifically proven.
However, the method was virtually impossible to implement widely and extremely difficult to execute safely.
Pokémon varied tremendously in their biological makeup, even within the same species.
Even among identical species, each individual's cellular endurance differed, with subtle variations in body structure and electrical conductivity that couldn't be easily quantified.
What frequency should the electricity be? What voltage and amperage would stimulate cells optimally? How should the current be increased as cells developed?
Stimulating cells with electricity wasn't something to take lightly. One mistake could cause serious injuries. Repeated cellular damage could hinder development and ruin a Pokémon's potential...
For these reasons, "Electric Body Conditioning" remained largely theoretical.
From the search results, Roy also found several news articles about Trainers who had recklessly attempted this method. Their Pokémon were left with permanent scars, leading to regret, condemnation, and formal censure from the Pokémon League...
"It really is dangerous."
Despite his concerns, Roy didn't abandon the idea.
He had searched online merely to verify the approach's scientific basis.
As for the dangers...
"Exchange it."
Roy gritted his teeth and spent nearly all his remaining points.
[Lightning Rod (can absorb electrical current not exceeding Thunderbolt intensity). Points deducted: 25,000]
This clearly wasn't a combat item.
A Thunderbolt-level electrical conductor—this was serious equipment.
Of course, the current needed to stimulate cells must never reach Thunderbolt intensity—at that level, it wasn't stimulation but destruction.
"Riolu, listen carefully..." Roy meticulously explained the concept of Electric Body Conditioning to Riolu.
He didn't hide the dangers.
Riolu showed no fear whatsoever. It trusted Roy completely. After receiving the Lightning Rod, it began using Thunder Punch to channel controlled electrical current to stimulate its cells...
Watching Riolu train diligently, Roy experienced for the first time the profound feeling of being completely trusted by another being.
He smiled, strengthening his resolve.
'We will definitely become stronger and make yesterday's bold claims come true.'
Seeing that he had just over a thousand points left, Roy gritted his teeth, picked up his phone, and logged back into the forum.
For more points, he would let the storm rage even harder!