Chapter 50: Like Living in the Past
Arthur's original intention was just to express that he was different from them.
But these words, heard by Justin, who was currently feeling dejected, took on a completely different meaning.
"Are you trying to say that it's precisely because of idiots like us that your roommate and the others look so smart?"
After glaring at Arthur, he sank into his own depression again.
"Maybe... maybe your roommate is right. Most of the previous trainees seem to graduate this way."
They had been in the youth training camp for over a month now, and naturally, they had come into contact with some of the senior trainees who hadn't graduated yet.
And most of them also used the same method as Galen, and unanimously believed that only this method offered the best chance of graduating.
Many seniors even praised Galen's foresight.
The reason Galen chose Scyther as his first Pokémon was because he knew this Pokémon could possess considerable combat power without needing to evolve - he had used his initial Pokémon purely as a stepping stone to enter the youth training camp.
Once the door was opened, the stepping stone naturally became useless.
This extremely utilitarian approach was even praised by the seniors in the youth training camp, who called this mindset extremely advanced and more "professional."
Galen's ability to quickly sway these new recruits was inseparable from the praise of these seniors.
And now, even the last hot-blooded teenager, Justin, was almost convinced.
Looking at the teenager in front of him with a face full of doubt about life, Arthur unusually provoked him with words.
Because Arthur knew that for this proud teenager, sometimes stimulation was far more effective than comfort.
"So you're giving up that easily? Even I, the bottom-ranked, haven't given up yet. And you used to be a champion."
"You used to be a champion" was exactly what Justin had said to mock Galen. Now, Arthur used the same words to return the favor, and he exploded on the spot.
"Damn it! Who are you calling spineless?! You just wait and see how I'll slaughter them all in the next test!"
But after saying those fierce words, he couldn't help but become doubtful again.
"But the next ranking test will probably be at least half a year later. In a month at most, your roommate will have enough money to buy a new Pokémon, right? And as long as he invests enough resources, it'll probably evolve quickly."
"Evolving too quickly isn't good for Pokémon."
"I know, I know that. Rapid evolution is exploiting a Pokémon's potential, it's harmful and detrimental. But so what? Some Pokémon, even if their potential is lowered, will still be stronger than others. The difference in species is always real."
Arthur glanced at him.
"So you're also planning to abandon Pidgeotto to buy a new Pokémon?"
"How is that even possible?!"
This was the only point that Justin still refused to budge on. "I'll never abandon my Pidgeotto! What do they mean by her physical examination results being just average for her species? I don't believe it! She's the partner who helped me win the championship!"
Arthur smiled.
This was probably the most endearing thing about this teenager in his eyes.
By now, he knew that the mainstream trainers of these two eras had completely different attitudes towards Pokémon.
People in the new era obtained Pokémon too easily. Once they found that their Pokémon's talents weren't good enough, and their combat power wasn't strong enough, their first reaction was always to buy a better one, even glorifying this practice as "professionalism."
However, in the era Arthur was familiar with, every Pokémon willing to follow humans was incredibly precious.
If a Pokémon wasn't strong enough? There was nowhere to trade them, and often they didn't have the means to buy another one. They could only try their best to train them and make a living.
This was probably also the reason why, after more than a month, only Justin would commiserate with him and become his brother in misfortune.
They both seemed like trainers who were still living in the past.
"Don't be too discouraged."
Arthur comforted him in a lighthearted tone that Justin found incomprehensible.
"A Pokémon's combat strength is ultimately determined by four main factors: physical attributes, energy reserves, moves, and combat skills. If the first two aspects are at a disadvantage due to species, then just try your best to catch up in the latter two areas."
Of course, Arthur knew in his heart that there was actually one more area he hadn't mentioned, and that was special combat forms, such as Mega Evolution and Gigantamax.
But even after two hundred years, these two special forms still seemed to be very advanced and not widely adopted.
At least, he had hardly heard of anyone using them in the professional league, so he simply didn't bring them up.
Justin glanced at him.
"That's easy for you to say. Of course I want to improve my moves and combat skills, but where am I going to get so much money to buy courses? I'm not that rich old hag!"
Arthur pretended not to hear the teenager's strong sarcasm.
"Learning moves doesn't necessarily have to rely on buying courses."
"How is that even possible?"
Justin immediately retorted subconsciously, but the next second, he suddenly opened his mouth in shock, almost unable to speak.
Because he saw Arthur's Froakie calmly emitting dense black energy waves on his own.
After a month of theoretical courses, Justin's knowledge had also improved, and he quickly recognized it.
"Holy crap?! That's... Dark Pulse?! Froakie shouldn't be able to learn that move before evolving, right?! And I remember you only signed up for a Water Pulse course this month?!"
Arthur shrugged lightly.
"Since they're both pulse-based moves, there are some similarities."
"Are you freaking kidding me?! Pokémon can learn moves on their own just because they're similar? Who are you trying to fool?!"
"I didn't say he learned it on his own."
"???"
Justin was completely bewildered.
Then Arthur explained:
"This month, while Froakie was receiving guidance on Water Pulse, I was also listening in. So I roughly understood the coaches' teaching approach for pulse-based moves, and I expanded on that idea to guide Froakie in learning Dark Pulse myself."
Justin's mind was reeling, and his worldview was collapsing.
Why could he understand every word the other person was saying, but the combination of those words sounded so absurd?
Coaches teach Pokémon!
They impart Pokémon skills!
You listened in for a month and learned the coaches' teaching approach? What the hell?
Are you a humanoid pulse Pokémon?!
And can you just casually expand on a teaching approach like that? The core content and parameters must be kept secret by the coaches, right? They have to be, right?
Why could you teach Dark Pulse yourself after only listening to a month of Water Pulse courses?
Even Arceus isn't as ridiculous as you?!
At this moment, the young and reckless Justin felt his worldview faintly shaken...
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