After evolving, Primeape's round body was now covered in light yellow fur.
The fur on its limbs had disappeared, replaced by black rings around its wrists and ankles. Its hands looked like boxing gloves, and its feet were more human-like, though they had only two toes.
Its tail was gone, and its eyes burned with anger. A throbbing cross-shaped vein bulged on its forehead.
Even without speaking, Primeape's new look screamed, I'm furious. Stay away.
Gu Yuan opened his system panel and checked Primeape's data.
Pokémon: Primeape
Gender: Male
Ability: Defiant
Rank: Junior Rank
Level-up Moves: Scratch, Leer, Focus Energy, Covet, Fury Swipes, Low Kick, Seismic Toss, Swagger, Cross Chop
TM Moves: None
Egg Moves: Curse, Beat Up
After evolving, Primeape hadn't learned any new moves.
Even so, its enhanced physique and strength were enough to keep it improving for a while.
The most important part was that Primeape was getting closer to learning Rage Fist.
Rage Fist only had a base power of 50, but its effect was extraordinary.
Each time it took a hit, the move's power increased by 50, up to a maximum of 350, stronger than Explosion itself.
Once it evolved into Annihilape, its charging ability would also improve. By then, it could flatten opponents with a single punch. Just the thought of it was thrilling.
But Gu Yuan didn't let his excitement last long. He quickly returned to reality and called his Pokémon over for lunch.
That afternoon, he began arranging battles for Primeape, helping it master its newfound power as soon as possible.
After evolution, Primeape had become noticeably more aggressive.
Thanks to its new face, its use of Leer became even more effective.
Of course, there were drawbacks too.
With its current expression, Covet could no longer charm opponents as easily.
Luckily, Leer could make up for some of that weakness. Primeape's speed had also increased, so with a few tactical adjustments, it could handle most wild Pokémon with ease.
Gu Yuan hadn't forgotten Ditto's training either.
Ditto's only move was Transform, which was also its main source of combat ability.
What made his Ditto special was its Imposter ability. It allowed it to transform faster, more accurately, and more efficiently than an ordinary Ditto.
However, keeping its transformed state consumed stamina, and it also had to battle while maintaining that form. Its endurance simply couldn't compare to Charizard's or the others'.
So, Gu Yuan's initial training plan focused entirely on stamina.
Only by building endurance could Ditto maintain its transformed state for longer, instead of becoming a "five-second fighter."
As for battle training, Gu Yuan had Ditto observe his other Pokémon's fighting styles and learn from their moves and tactics.
One key advantage of Transform was that Ditto perfectly copied not just a Pokémon's appearance but also its move mastery and proficiency.
As a result, Ditto's training during their journey became increasingly demanding.
To speed up its growth, Gu Yuan crafted weighted gear for it, making it walk on its own while carrying the extra load to build stamina.
"All right, you've endured long enough. From now on, when we find a good opponent, it's your turn to battle."
Seeing Ditto's tired expression, Gu Yuan smiled and removed the weights.
Hearing that, Ditto's eyes lit up with excitement.
After all this hard work, it could finally experience what it truly wanted: a battle.
"Let's pick that Parasect, then. Get ready, Ditto."
Once Ditto had recovered its energy, Gu Yuan found a suitable opponent.
Ditto eagerly moved forward, its eyes shining with fighting spirit as it faced Parasect.
"Ditto, transform into Sylveon! Use Covet to close in, then attack!"
Parasect was still wondering how a lump of goo planned to fight when Gu Yuan's command rang out.
A flash of light surrounded Ditto as it transformed into Sylveon.
With Covet, it quickly dashed toward Parasect.
Seeing a Pokémon suddenly change form stunned Parasect.
And it had to admit, the new form was beautiful.
Taking advantage of that brief hesitation, Sylveon's ribbon-like feelers lashed out, striking Parasect hard.
"Ditto, transform into Primeape! Use Leer, then Cross Chop!"
The searing pain snapped Parasect back to its senses, and fury surged within it.
But just as it was about to counterattack, it locked eyes with a face even angrier than its own. The intimidating glare froze it in fear.
Cross Chop landed squarely, slamming Parasect backward.
"Ditto, transform into Charizard, then finish it with Flamethrower!"
As soon as the order came, Ditto transformed again, spreading its wings and taking to the sky.
A stream of fire burst forth, engulfing Parasect completely and knocking it out.
The battle was over. Ditto reverted to its normal form.
Looking at its fallen opponent, Ditto's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Gu Yuan, standing nearby, was equally pleased.
This battle had been meant to help Ditto adjust to this style of combat.
Once it fully mastered transformations into Charizard and the others, Gu Yuan would have it mimic even more Pokémon.
That way, no matter what type of opponent appeared, Ditto could transform into something that countered it perfectly.
"Well done, Ditto. Keep it up."
He gently patted Ditto's head and fed it an Energy Pokéblock to restore its stamina.
Eating the delicious Pokéblock and feeling Gu Yuan's hand on its head, Ditto seemed to savor the taste of victory.
"All right, let's move on and find your next opponent."
"When you fully master the power of Charizard and the others, you'll be able to transform into even more Pokémon. By then, you'll be the most versatile member of the team."
Standing up straight, Gu Yuan painted a grand vision for Ditto's future.
Naïve and untested by the harshness of reality, Ditto easily fell for his words, already imagining its glorious days ahead.
At that moment, Ditto brimmed with determination.
Seeing this, Gu Yuan nodded with satisfaction.
Then he turned to glance at Sylveon.
Forget it. I've given up on this one. Better to focus on training this little newbie instead.
"Let's go, Ditto. Time to find your next opponent."
At his words, Ditto followed behind him energetically, eager for its next battle.