"Train hard, and tonight we're feasting on roasted Swinub hooves!"
Mmm… Swinub hooves?
Combusken snapped to full HP, smacking an incoming rubber ball with a claw swipe!
One ball, two balls, three balls…
After a rocky start, it adapted faster than a Pikachu on a caffeine high.
Left claw, right claw, slow-motion style—Combusken was yeeting rubber balls with Scratch like a pro.
Training was on lock, and the system was popping off!
Scratch Proficiency +10!Scratch Proficiency +10!…
This is how you crank the system's dials!
Basic drills can wait—pumping move Proficiency was the key to quick power-ups for the Baby Cup!
Scratch Proficiency climbed steadily. Jiang Feng grinned like a proud dad watching his kid ace a test.
With the system's juice and the 7,000 Proficiency from Combusken's earlier rage explosion, Scratch was soaring!
Scratch (Competent 8230/10000)
At this rate, by tonight or tomorrow, Scratch would hit Master-tier!
With nothing else to do, Jiang Feng plopped on a stool, munching sunflower seeds like a chill NPC.
Training's the Pokémon's job—why should I sweat?
His eyes kept drifting to the side.
There, a punk-rock twin-tailed queen was drilling her Pokémon. If you squinted, you'd catch her sneaking glances his way.
Gotcha, girl—hooked on my plum sauce charm, huh? Jiang Feng smirked, smug as a Smeargle.
Taking a break, he wandered the Gym, scoping out other Trainers' routines for inspo.
Somehow, he ended up in Mali's training zone.
Mali, gunning for Champion since forever, was a studyholic. Her daily grind was intense, with laser-focused goals—no wonder she was Ash's rival in the anime.
Her main squad? Toxtricity and Morpeko.
Morpeko's feet crackled with white lightning, zipping like a Raboot on steroids, leaving afterimages!
Jiang Feng's eyes narrowed. That's some speed!
Gotta be Master-tier Quick Attack!
At that pace, Combusken couldn't even see its tail lights—huge gap.
Gotta level up Combusken's speed ASAP.
On the other side, Toxtricity spread its hands, conjuring layers of shimmering barriers—Light Screen!
The screens were dense and tough, close to Master-tier!
Worthy of Sword-and-Shield's flower! Jiang Feng was shook. Status moves like Light Screen were a pain to train, especially a god-tier support move like that.
But Mali wasn't happy, her cute brows furrowed.
A giant question mark floated over her head, begging for a quest trigger…
Hearing footsteps, Mali snapped out of it.
She pouted, shooting Toxtricity a sneaky glance.
Toxtricity got the memo, its hair silently stretching across the floor toward Jiang Feng's feet.
Some punk's trying to trip the Emperor!
Aura's got my back!
Jiang Feng hopped over the sneak attack, glaring at Toxtricity.
The Pokémon scratched its head, awkward as a caught Diglett.
Nice try, kid!
"That trick? Ain't working on me!" Jiang Feng taunted.
Prank failed, Mali blinked in surprise, then huffed and turned away.
"What're you doing here?"
She hadn't forgiven him for that kiss scam!
Not to mention, he yoinked three grand of her pocket money! A little prank was letting him off easy.
"Looks like you hit a wall?" Jiang Feng had snooped around the Gym and heard Toxtricity's Light Screen was stuck at a bottleneck, with no breakthroughs despite her efforts.
Mali, desperate to level up, was racking her brain.
In her battle plan, Light Screen was key. Unlike the games' flat 50% special damage cut, real-world Light Screen was a tank move.
Weak attacks couldn't even scratch it.
Higher-tier Light Screen? Nigh-unbreakable (see Ash's Mime Jr. in the anime).
But training it was a nightmare. Even with Toxtricity's Prankster ability, it was stuck at Competent-tier's peak, no progress.
Mali was so stressed, her auntie was running late…
"Hmph, what's it to you, con artist?"
"Maybe I can help?" Jiang Feng's eyes glinted with scheming.
"You?"
"Skeptical, huh?" He nodded at Toxtricity. "Its Light Screen's been stuck at Competent-tier's peak for ages, right?"
Prankster boosted status moves, but Master-tier Light Screen was a wall. Breaking through would skyrocket Toxtricity's strength.
Toxtricity was stuck, no gains.
It didn't have a system to auto-level with enough Proficiency.
Reaching Competent-tier's peak was already prodigy-level.
In the anime, Mali's Toxtricity never used Light Screen against Ash—probably stuck at Competent, too weak to show off.
World Championships-level battles? Competent moves were useless.
"So what? You gonna help it break through?" Mali had tried everything, and Toxtricity was still stuck. Jiang Feng could help?
She wasn't buying it. Sure, his music was fire—Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart was a banger.
And his magic tricks? Pretty slick.
But training? She glanced at Combusken. Let's not.
"No biggie, easy fix."
That confident? Mali's eyes flickered. Did he actually have a trick up his sleeve?
Then she shook her head. Desperate times, desperate measures. "Get your Combusken in shape first, Mr. Benchwarmer—not a single Master-tier move!"
Benchwarmer?
Girl, you haven't seen my 18-centimeter blade!
"Master-tier move? Pfft, tonight—tomorrow at the latest!"
Mali tilted her cute head, shocked by his confidence. But after all his scams, she wasn't falling for it.
Shady old man vibes!
Seeing her doubt, Jiang Feng didn't push. He strolled to Combusken's training room.
Scratch (Competent 9510/10000)
Just 490 Proficiency to go.
After a full day's grind, Combusken was sprawled out, dead-fish eyes, refusing to move.
No meat, no get-up.
Moon high in the sky, time running late, Jiang Feng sighed. Fine, breakthrough tomorrow.
He tossed out a Swinub hoof. Combusken perked up, scampering over to chow down.
No passion for food? That's a character flaw!
Fed and happy, time to head home!
Spikemuth's a small town.
His place was on the east side, a 20-minute trek.
Cutting through bar street, Jiang Feng—with great moral fortitude—fended off the street ladies eyeing his little Clucky.
As a high-class Sea King, his fishpond only took premium catches—no stinky Magikarp!