Pokemon:Trainer

Perhaps it was due to his increased intelligence, but these reference books felt remarkably easy for Link to understand.

Thanks to the wisdom distilled by his predecessors, he identified a minor flaw in his Fennekin: its lack of stamina.

Stamina, after all, affects more than just how many hits a Pokémon can take. It determines overall endurance.

Pokémon rely on stamina to fuel their moves. A Pokémon with low stamina suffers from poor endurance and may struggle in prolonged battles.

Take Pikachu, for example—a well-known species, often considered "cute" rather than formidable.

While Pikachu boasts average speed, its Attack, Special Attack, Defense, and Special Defense are all unimpressive. Most importantly, its stamina and durability are severely lacking.

Even under the guidance of a master trainer, who might push Pikachu to unleash exceptional speed and explosive power, its short stamina means it can only shine in brief bursts. Prolonged battles would expose its flaws, leaving it fatigued and vulnerable in later stages.

This issue isn't unique to Pikachu; it's a challenge many Pokémon face. Even championship-level Pikachu cannot fully escape this natural limitation.

This deficiency is primarily determined by a Pokémon's innate talents and personality. When natural shortcomings exist, trainers must devote more energy to addressing them through rigorous training and tactical adjustments.

In simple terms:

1. Wait for opportunities. Exhaust opponents before engaging.

2. Play strategically. Use subtle moves to disrupt enemy plans.

3. Stay alert. Never fight in situations stacked against your Pokémon's weaknesses unless necessary.

Victory in both 6v6 singles and 4v4 doubles depends on which team still has at least one Pokémon standing at the end.

It's incredibly satisfying to rely on cheats to max out a Pokémon's stats or spam overpowered moves. But unfortunately for Link, his system items only worked on himself, not on his Pokémon.

This realization was deeply frustrating. His system was akin to a watered-down PKHeX, limited in utility.

Even if he transformed himself into a human-shaped Pokémon through rigorous training, trainers aren't allowed to battle in official competitions!

Though… he briefly entertained the idea of wielding a single Honedge in battle.

Still, regardless of whether he could ever join Pokémon battles directly, training outside the arena determines 80% of the outcome.

After spending the entire afternoon reading half of "Introduction to Pokémon Breeding," Link believed he had gained enough insight to call himself a super-genius trainer and breeder.

"Wake up, little fox. It's time to work off that energy!"

As he spoke, he waved a teething stick under Fennekin's nose.

"Fufu!"

Fennekin snapped it up and started gnawing with enthusiasm, the crunching noises echoing in the room.

Within moments, the little fox had gone from sleepy to brimming with excitement.

"Tomorrow, we'll visit an orchard to collect some proper branches for you," Link said. "Chewing sticks are fine as emergency snacks, but they lack the fresh flavor of real fruitwood."

Unfortunately, Duskwater Town didn't have many orchards or plantations.

Once Fennekin calmed down, Link led her to the training grounds at the Pokémon Center.

"Let's start small—nothing too intense. We'll make it fun," he said.

"Fu?"

Pulling out a badminton racket and a tube of birdies from his backpack, Link explained, "This game is called badminton. The goal is to hit the birdie into the opponent's court while preventing it from landing in your own."

Tossing the birdie into the air, he swung the racket, sending it flying toward the other side of the court.

Fennekin instinctively tracked the birdie with her eyes, her sharp vision following its every arc.

The birdie landed lightly on the court before Link launched it back into the air with another strike.

"That's how it's done," he said. "Want me to demonstrate more, or are you ready to try?"

"Fu!" Fennekin shook her head, already grasping the concept.

"Good! Now, since you don't have a racket, you'll use your energy. Transform your power into small projectiles and aim at the birdie. It's all about precision."

Fennekin's eyes lit up in understanding.

Link served the first shot with a simple forehand stroke, sending the birdie to the edge of Fennekin's court.

Reacting quickly, Fennekin unleashed a fiery Ember… which incinerated the birdie instantly.

"Fu!?"

Her eyes widened in shock as the birdie disintegrated into ash.

"It looks like Fire-type moves are too intense for this game," Link said, shaking his head. "You'll need to use neutral or Psychic-type energy instead."

Reassuring the embarrassed Fennekin, he added, "Don't worry; we have plenty of birdies. Let's try again."

The next serve sailed to the same spot on Fennekin's court.

This time, Fennekin focused her energy, launching a medium-strength Neutral Energy Bullet that hit the birdie squarely.

The birdie arced into the air, landing just inside Link's side of the court.

"Nice shot!" he praised, returning the birdie with a lighter swing.

It landed in the front half of Fennekin's court, far from where she was standing.

Fennekin didn't panic. Instead of running, she fired another energy bullet to intercept the birdie midair.

While the shot was successful, the angle was slightly off, causing the birdie to ascend at a steep 70-degree angle.

Spotting an opportunity, Link grinned. He leaped into the air, preparing to deliver a powerful smash.

But Fennekin wasn't about to let him win so easily.

Before Link's racket could strike the birdie, she launched a high-speed Star Energy Bullet into the air.

The bullet struck the birdie just before Link's racket, sending it soaring back into his court.

Caught mid-jump, Link could only watch in disbelief as the birdie landed behind him.

"F-Focus…" he muttered, dumbfounded.

His normally sharp mind felt completely overwhelmed.

Had Fennekin predicted the birdie's trajectory before he hit it?

To add insult to injury, the birdie had already touched down, scoring the winning point.

Final Score

15:0.

"Fufu!"

The victorious Fennekin barked proudly, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

To this, Link responded with mock irritation:

"Shut it down. This game is officially boring."

(End of Chapter)