Next came move training. The little Scyther only knew four moves, and Focus Energy could be taught by Beedrill, showing it how to improve.
For the rest, Eichi had to figure out training methods on his own.
He didn't ask Scyther to follow a strict training plan today.
Eichi hadn't finished making one yet, so for now, he just let Scyther practice freely and do some adaptation exercises.
Beedrill, however, trained as usual. It couldn't afford to relax like Scyther. That was the price of becoming stronger.
Without countless days of training and endless sweat, how could one grow strong?
Beedrill had come to understand that. It knew that Bug-type Pokémon had low limits by nature, so it had to work hundreds or even thousands of times harder than others to catch up.
***
That night, after giving Beedrill and Scyther their massages, Eichi sat at his desk and began drafting Scyther's training plan.
Scyther's body was growing quickly; in just a few days, the word "little" might no longer suit it.
For now, Eichi would focus on training its four moves.
Vacuum Wave required Scyther to swing its scythes while channeling Flying-type energy through its body to create shockwaves.
It needed to learn to control those waves and the internal flow of energy, which required constant practice.
There was no need to train Leer, as its effectiveness depended on the user's strength. The stronger the Pokémon, the greater the effect.
Quick Attack was essentially speed training. Eichi remembered how well Ash's Pikachu had mastered it in his previous life, and he already had some ideas for how to train Scyther's version.
While writing, Eichi suddenly thought of his Bug Force.
Thanks to it, his body had been improving day by day, becoming more and more like a humanoid Pokémon.
In this world, there were people who could fight Pokémon hand-to-hand after enough training.
Eichi knew that Bruno, one of the Kanto Elite Four, could do that. His physical power was incredible.
Eichi had also been training every day. Well…"Training" might be a strong word since it was mostly done in his sleep.
Over time, the amount of Bug Force inside his body had increased greatly. Once it filled his entire body, he could begin compressing it.
Just like in cultivation novels, he could condense his gaseous Bug Force into liquid form, and eventually into solid form.
His physical strength had already improved a lot; he felt that he might be able to run 100 meters in under ten seconds now.
That physical growth also meant greater combat ability. Maybe one day, he too could fight a Pokémon barehanded.
After finishing Scyther's training plan, Eichi began studying breeding.
To be honest, it was much harder than anything he learned at school.
There was so much to memorize. Pokémon breeding knowledge included how to raise Pokémon properly, covering reproduction, diet, and massage techniques.
The making of Pokéblocks and the preparation of Pokémon food fell under the diet category.
It also involved learning to read a Pokémon's emotions and how they affected its body.
For example, with Pikachu, most people saw the red pouches on its cheeks but didn't know what they were. Only someone who had raised a Pikachu would know those pouches stored its electricity.
But Breeders went further. They knew that constant use of the cheek pouches could stiffen Pikachu's facial muscles.
That's why it needed regular massages, not just on the cheeks, but on other parts of its body too.
Massage techniques had to be precise; if done incorrectly, they could cause harm instead of helping.
Breeder knowledge also included Pokémon grooming.
That field was a special branch of study. After earning a Beginner Breeder Certificate, one could specialize in grooming and become a Groomer.
Eichi didn't plan to do that. He wanted to become a Trainer, not a Beautician.
But before qualifying as a Beginner Breeder, there was still so much to learn.
The final topic was Pokémon reproduction. Some Pokémon could breed even if they weren't the same species.
The resulting offspring might belong to either the mother's or the father's species.
Another important topic was incubation. In the past, hatching was done manually, but ever since incubators were invented, machines have been used instead. Both Beedrill and Scyther had been hatched by a machine.
Amelie had given Eichi more than ten books, each quite thick; stacked together, they reached over a meter high.
The one he was reading now was The Complete Pokémon Encyclopedia of Kanto and Johto.
It was completely different from the textbooks he used in school. Those only showed what a Pokémon looked like, its type, ability, basic moves, and some lifestyle habits.
This one was an advanced edition. It included details about a Pokémon's habits, cries, skin texture, facial expressions, body condition, and diet.
Take Charmander, for example.
Everyone knew that the flame on its tail represented its life.
But that was all most people knew.
A Breeder, on the other hand, had to know what its skin felt like. Since most people had never touched a Charmander, they had to memorize it from books.
They also had to learn to judge its health by its cry, since ordinary people didn't understand its body structure.
Luckily, Charmander's expressions were easy to read, which made that part simple.
Still, a Breeder had to know everything, from the shape of its head and limbs to how to tell if it was malnourished.
They also had to know Charmander's growth cycle, its favorite flavors, and how to make Pokéblocks suited to its body condition.
And that was just Charmander. There were also its evolutions: Charmeleon and Charizard.
A Breeder also had to learn to identify the cause of a Pokémon's injuries, even which move had caused them.
Altogether, there were over two hundred Pokémon in Kanto and Johto combined, excluding Legendaries.
There was just too much to memorize.
Eichi had received these books from Amelie several days ago. Each one had her handwritten notes inside.
Her notes were detailed and beautifully written, saving Eichi a lot of time.
He studied until about eleven o'clock, then checked the clock and went to bed.