The library of Ironvale City's Pokémon University covered a fairly large area.
It was divided into four floors, and each one contained a different category of books about Pokémon. For example, on the first floor were the most basic books: introductions to Pokémon, attributes of moves, type advantage relationships, etc.
On the second floor were intermediate-level books, such as the moves each species could learn, and the methods to perform certain moves.
The third floor, on the other hand, housed books with basic training methods and fundamental knowledge about Pokémon breeding. This was considered the most valuable part of the entire library.
Lastly, on the fourth floor were the most important books: advanced breeding methods for specific species, training techniques for rare moves, etc. If Professor Harris managed to complete his research on the move Sandstorm, his findings would be stored there.
However, access to the fourth floor was restricted. Only people who had made great contributions to the university could receive permission to enter.
The access card Ethan Black possessed allowed him to reach up to the third floor, which was already more than enough to leave him ecstatic.
In the following hours...
Ethan Black took a general look at the library's digital catalog.
Since the books on the first floor could be borrowed, he planned to take the three works on Sandshrew that he had found earlier.
In contrast, the books on the second and third floors could only be read inside the premises, so, since it was still early, he decided to stay and review them right there.
The books on the second floor were quite basic, mainly general Pokémon data that Ethan Black already mastered perfectly—even feeling he knew more than what was written there—so he went straight to the third floor, where the material that interested him most was: basic move training and fundamental breeding.
He went up the stairs and, after passing through card scanners and facial recognition, entered without issue. Then he wasted no time and continued on to the third floor.
From there, he scanned the place with his eyes. Although the floor was spacious, it was not filled with books. On each shelf there were only a few volumes, organized by elemental type.
He followed the signs until he reached the shelf of Ground-type moves. As it was, Ground-type moves were not many, and in the library there were only three moves available: Dig, Sand Attack, and Mud-Slap. Even so, there were multiple books that taught different ways to train them.
When he saw the title "Dig," Ethan Black's eyes lit up.
He knew that in the real world this move was incredibly useful. Not only did it allow evading attacks, but it also worked in everyday situations.
Previously, he had tried to get Sandshrew to learn the move Dig, but he realized it was not as simple as digging a hole. It required deep mastery of Ground-type energy.
The key lay in how to use that energy to soften solid ground and create tunnels quickly. That was the core of the move!
Without hesitation, he took one of the books and sat down in a corner to read it.
The more he read, the more his eyes shone. The content gave him many ideas, and he began to mentally design a personalized training method for Sandshrew.
"So that's how it was... With this method, the Dig move can definitely be learned!" he murmured in amazement.
The person who wrote that book was a true scholar, someone whose knowledge was far above his own. Ethan Black had learned a great deal.
When he finished, he pulled out his cellphone to check the time, but the screen only showed static snow. Evidently, the school had blocked the use of electronic devices, which made sense: if anyone could photograph the books, it would be easy to take them illegally.
"Maybe there's even some Pokémon here keeping watch," Ethan Black thought, looking around.
He went to the reading area, where there was a wall clock. It read exactly 8:00 p.m.
"Time flew! Just reading one book about the move Dig took me hours..."
"Maybe I should leave move training for later. What's most important now is strengthening Sandshrew's body."
"With the nutrient juice and the special food Professor Harris gave me, I need to make the most of this opportunity."
He put the book back in its place and went straight to the shelf with the basic breeding books.
Although these were on the second floor, they were not specific to any Pokémon species. However, that didn't take away their value; in fact, he was excited.
Until now he had had lots of general knowledge about Pokémon, but zero real information on how to raise them. These books were perfect for building a solid foundation and broadening his vision.
Browsing the shelves, he found a volume on Ground-type Pokémon breeding, grabbed it immediately, and began to read it in a quiet corner.
"So raising a Pokémon is a bit like training an athlete," he reflected. "The basics are to develop its physique: strength, defense, speed..."
"But you can also train body control, coordination, reaction time... all with specific methods."
"And if you combine that with the right food, you can even strengthen parts like scales, claws, or skin!"
The more he read, the more fascinated he felt. It was as if a new world opened before his eyes. He understood that raising a Pokémon went far beyond the cold data of a video game.
Ethan Black finished the book from beginning to end, completely absorbed. When he looked at the clock again, he discovered it was already 11:00 p.m. A new day was about to begin!
"Time really flies... I'd better call it a day."
"Tomorrow I have to help Professor Harris with his research, and if I'm exhausted and make mistakes, it would be terrible to cause him trouble..."
He stretched, returned the book to its place with some reluctance, and went down to the first floor to borrow the three books on Sandshrew.
Then he scanned his card and left the library toward the dormitory he had been assigned.
(End of chapter)