"So, what do you think? Not a bad setup, right?"
Seeing Rex a little distracted, Rocky patted him on the shoulder with a grin.
"Yeah, the atmosphere here is really intense. Way better than training solo."
Training alone versus training with others were two completely different experiences. Humans were social creatures, after all—unless someone reached a level so high others couldn't keep up, training alongside peers was far more motivating.
"Uh, sorry about earlier..."
The young man who had been sweeping earlier approached them sheepishly, clearly feeling guilty for doubting Rex earlier.
His name was Connor, one of many young people who had joined the All Star Fitness Club after being inspired by Brycen's movies. He had been a student at the Club for several years and was one of its more senior trainees.
Though he wasn't particularly gifted, Connor had tenacity and never gave up—something many others lacked.
"No worries. You were just doing your job. I'm Rex, by the way. You?"
"I'm Connor. Nice to meet you, Rex."
Seeing Rex's friendly response, Connor let out a sigh of relief.
"Alright, you two can chat more later. Rex, come with me—Master Layton's been looking forward to meeting you for a while."
Rocky cut in with a smirk, then ushered Rex deeper into the Club.
Rex gave Connor an apologetic glance, then followed Rocky into a spacious hall.
The room had a serene, traditional vibe, filled with antique-looking decorations. In the center stood a tea table set with a pristine white porcelain tea set.
Just from the decor, Rex could tell the owner was someone with refined taste—probably a tea enthusiast, too.
"Master Layton, we're here!"
Rocky called out loudly, not stepping further inside.
A moment later, an elderly man with white hair but sharp eyes and a commanding presence stepped into the room.
"Master Layton, sorry for the delay. I should've come sooner."
Rex bowed respectfully. Though they'd spoken via video call before, this was their first face-to-face meeting.
"Haha, no need to apologize. I'm not so petty. Welcome, Rex."
Layton laughed heartily and waved it off.
"Yeah, right. Says the guy who's been bugging me nonstop about it for days."
Rocky muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Rocky? You think just 'cause I'm old, I can't hear you mumbling?"
Layton barked, his eyes sharp.
"N-No, sir! I'll go make tea now!"
Chastised, Rocky quickly scurried over to the table to brew some tea.
"So, Rex, Rocky tells me you've already learned Brick Break?"
Once they sat down, Layton wasted no time diving into the real reason for the visit.
"Yes, but... I still need quite a bit of prep time. It's not practical for real combat yet."
Rex scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.
In truth, he'd underestimated how impressive his progress was. Learning a move like Brick Break through self-study alone was nearly unheard of—and both Layton and Rocky were genuinely surprised he'd managed it.
Rocky had given him some notes and guidance, but hadn't expected Rex to succeed with them alone. After all, using a Fighting move required precise control over the body's internal energy channels, something usually taught in person.
"Ahem. Sounds like you haven't been slacking off."
Layton gave a modest nod after clearing his throat.
Rex then began asking him about some of the problems he encountered during training. Layton eagerly answered—finally getting a chance to play the role of "teacher" after being a little left out until now.
After a while, Rocky chimed in with a grin.
"Hey Rex, you've been sparring with Machamp lately, right? I'm curious—wanna go a round with me?"
"Sure, but go easy on me, will you?"
Rex was immediately intrigued. All his training had been with Pokémon. A real fight against Rocky would finally let him test his skills in a human matchup.
The two didn't jump right into the match. Instead, Rocky led Rex to the locker room, where they changed into the Club's standard training uniforms.
"Alright, you ready?"
Once they stood facing each other in a practice arena, Rocky asked with a serious tone.
"Yeah. Let's go, Rocky."
Rex assumed a defensive stance and gave the signal.
"So fast!"
Before Rex even finished speaking, Rocky was already in front of him, sweeping a powerful kick toward his ribs.
If this had been Rex before his training with Machamp, he'd have been floored right then and there.
But thanks to his intense practice, his reflexes had improved immensely. His body reacted instinctively, sidestepping and raising both arms to block.
Thud!
Their limbs collided with a heavy impact, forcing Rex to retreat several steps.
Seeing Rex block his attack only made Rocky more excited. He launched into a flurry of blows, pushing Rex into a full-on defensive stance.
Their bodies weaved and clashed across the arena. Rex was clearly on the back foot, unable to counterattack effectively.
Still, he managed to hold his ground—if barely. But Rex knew he was fighting a losing battle. Without using life energy to refresh himself, he'd soon slip up.
Sure enough, once his stamina started dropping, Rocky feinted a punch to the face—only to drive his knee hard into Rex's abdomen.
The hit knocked Rex to the ground, curled up in pain.
"Ugh... Rocky... bit too hard, don't you think?"
Rex wheezed, clutching his stomach.
"Ahaha, sorry! Guess I got a little carried away!"
Rocky scratched his head, clearly embarrassed by the overkill.
"Well, I've got a pretty good sense of your current level now. I'll put together a proper training regimen for you."
Layton, who had been silently watching from the sidelines, finally spoke up.
With that, he left Rocky to show Rex around the rest of the Club, while he went back to his room to draft a personalized training plan.
(End of Chapter)