"What else do you want?"
Kyle Miller asked quickly.
"I want your family's training method for the move Swords Dance."
Ethan smiled faintly and went straight to the point.
"The training method for Swords Dance, huh?"
Upon hearing that, Kyle fell silent for a moment.
His family was known for specializing in Bug-type Pokémon; Scyther was practically their family emblem.
In fact, every trainer in his family received a Scyther as their first Pokémon —a sign of how deeply they had studied and developed that species.
And since Swords Dance was one of Scyther's signature moves, the Miller family had devoted enormous resources and time to completely systematizing its training method.
So it was easy to understand that such a method represented the very essence of their family heritage —a legacy as valuable as their history itself.
Although a single Scyther held great value, it could not compare to the method of mastering Swords Dance.
"This matter... I'll have to discuss it with my family."
Kyle's eyes gleamed; he didn't reject it outright. He knew that, while he couldn't decide on his own, Ethan wasn't just anyone.
After all, Ethan was the one who discovered the new evolutionary direction for Pokémon and had also played a crucial role in the discovery of Scizor.
Therefore, for both convenience and strategy, Kyle felt it was worth at least trying.
"Alright."
Ethan nodded, understanding that Kyle truly didn't have the authority to decide by himself.
After that, Ethan sat on the sofa beside Sandslash, waiting patiently for the Miller family's response.
"Sha!"
Standing beside him, Sandslash stretched his neck to look toward where Kyle was talking on the phone, clearly nervous.
"Don't worry. Even if we can't get the Swords Dance method, I have other ways to make you stronger."
"You must believe in yourself. Your talent is not inferior to any other Pokémon's, and I'll also do everything I can to help you."
"Becoming strong is a shared effort between trainer and Pokémon. Don't forget what I told you about bonds —keeping your heart firm is the key to continuous growth."
Ethan smiled softly as he patted Sandslash's head.
Hearing his words, Sandslash rubbed his head against Ethan's leg, closing his eyes and nodding firmly.
After a while, Kyle finally returned, looking as though he had just sighed in relief.
"They agreed?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, they agreed."
Kyle nodded.
"But..."
Just as expected...
Ethan gave him an attentive look.
"You want the Swords Dance method so your Sandslash can learn it, right?"
Ethan nodded. His goal was clear: to strengthen Sandslash's offensive power.
He remembered that in the anime, the Bug-type Gym Leader from Johto, Bugsy, had a Scyther capable of executing Swords Dance by spinning on itself —even enduring Fire-type attacks while using the move.
That kind of application of Swords Dance was perfect for Sandslash's fighting style. Combined with Rapid Spin, it could increase attack power during the spin —a brutally effective combo!
The problem was that the Swords Dance training method was extremely valuable; not even the Pokémon Researchers Guild had it recorded. Ethan only knew that the Miller family possessed it.
"In that case, we can do it."
"But we won't give you the written method for Swords Dance."
"Instead, we'll have your Sandslash learn it through direct instruction."
Kyle explained his family's conditions —that way, they ensured the secret wouldn't leak.
"No problem."
Ethan nodded. If possible, he'd have liked Absol and Charmander to learn Swords Dance as well, but since Kyle had set that limit, he wouldn't insist.
As long as Sandslash mastered it, that was enough. The rest of his Pokémon had their own paths of growth.
"Alright, but we'll adjust the deal a little."
"The Miller family will agree to teach Swords Dance, but in exchange, we want to learn your Sandslash's move combination technique."
Kyle's eyes gleamed as he said that. That was his true intention. He had been deeply impressed by Sandslash's way of combining moves; if they could learn even a bit from it, they could greatly enhance the strength of their own Pokémon!
"Sandslash's combination technique?"
Ethan frowned slightly with a strange look.
To master that technique, one first had to control the simultaneous use of moves (split focus), and also learn synergistic moves such as Defense Curl, Rollout, and Rapid Spin.
For instance, Sandslash had managed to integrate those three moves through a unique understanding: replacing Defense Curl with Rapid Spin during Rollout training, thus perfecting the combined move Spin Drive.
Then, based on Rapid Spin, he incorporated moves like Metal Claw and Crush Claw, creating the combined techniques Crush Spin and Metal Spin.
Just mastering dual control was already extremely difficult, and few Pokémon could even learn all three moves at once. It was easy to imagine how complex that technique truly was.
Even if Kyle obtained the method, it would only serve as a reference. Reproducing it so that a Scyther could replicate it was practically impossible.
Moreover, much of that development came from Sandslash's own innovation, not from any written method; it was something unique —not replicable.
Thinking this through, Ethan reflected and said:
"I propose a fair trade: your family teaches my Sandslash Swords Dance, and I'll let him demonstrate the combination moves in front of you. If you manage to learn something, that'll depend entirely on your own ability. What do you say?"
Although he knew the entire training process, that was Sandslash's trump card, and he had no intention of revealing it completely.
Unless they offered the full Swords Dance method outright...
Kyle fell silent. He knew that move combination techniques were something that looked simple but were impossible to explain in words.
The energetic reactions and principles behind them were extremely complex. Still, if Sandslash could perform a detailed demonstration, they might be able to glean some clues.
(End of chapter)