The production of Pokéblocks came to a standstill, limited by Magnemite's current mastery of Hidden Power.
Owen had no choice but to temporarily set it aside, despite the itch to continue. Cooling hadn't worked; next time, he planned to try heating.
Rather than obsessing over Pokéblocks, he decided it was better to focus on more practical, immediate goals—namely, the training progress of his two Pokémon.
Magnemite needed to continue practicing Hidden Power. This wasn't just about its flight or combat capabilities; it was the key to Pokéblock production.
Without specialized machinery, Owen had to rely on Magnemite's psychic power to perform the steps that were impossible to do by hand.
"That's enough for today," Owen said. "Magnemite, starting tomorrow, we're switching to a new training method."
"Kuo...?" Magnemite's eye widened. Unlike Eevee, it genuinely enjoyed training—a trait likely born from its past struggles.
"The new method still targets Hidden Power. Wait here." Owen ran to the balcony and brought back a basin of sand. It was leftover from Eevee's Counter Shield practice.
"This is your new training tool. I want you to use your psychic power to control the sand, molding it into a cube just like the fruit pulp from earlier. Then, apply pressure from all sides simultaneously."
"From the moment you release the move, remember one word: 'Fast.' From grabbing to shaping to pressurizing—the faster the better."
"This won't just improve the speed at which you manifest energy; it will refine your precision and control." Owen rubbed his nose, knowing full well that these were the exact steps needed for Pokéblocks.
"Kuo-yi-yi-yi!" Magnemite's expression turned solemn and determined. Owen felt a wave of emotion. If only Eevee were half as hardworking and obedient as Magnemite...
Wait. Where was Eevee?
While Owen was explaining the task to Magnemite, Eevee had sensed trouble and made a break for it.
She was currently creeping toward the bedroom, deathly afraid that Owen would notice her and assign a training task of his own.
"Stop right there, Eevee!" Owen shouted toward the bedroom door.
Thump! ΣΣΣ(」○ωω○)／
Eevee slammed into the door in her haste to escape. Owen hurried over; he wanted to check the results of her training.
Between the morning rush and getting out the door, he wasn't entirely sure how much her physique had actually improved through the new method.
"You little rascal." Owen pushed the door, but it didn't budge. He felt a vein throb in his temple. When did Eevee learn how to lock the door? How did she even manage it with paws?
Owen cleared his throat outside the door. One second, two seconds, three... finally, Eevee opened the door with a look of pure innocence.
"Stop hiding. I'm not going to make you train anymore today," Owen said, exasperated.
With that assurance, Eevee finally cooperated.
The Power of "Return"
"Incredible!"
Owen's jaw dropped as he inspected Eevee. The improvement in her physical strength was startling. While leg strength was hard to gauge without a track, the increase in her tail power was undeniable.
Whether it was the speed of her tail-swish or the deep indentation left in the throw pillow after a strike, it was clear: Eevee's tail was no longer a soft, fluffy toy. A slap to the face with that thing would definitely leave a mark!
Owen was thrilled. Eevee had to keep using Return to boost her physique—he couldn't let her stop now! Medical care at the Pokémon Center, combined with high-end nutritional supplements, was a legitimate shortcut to physical excellence.
Moves like Quick Attack, Return, and Iron Tail all scale with physical strength. Furthermore, a tougher body meant better endurance. To be a great fighter, you must first learn to take a hit—that was an eternal truth.
Sunday: The Perfect Foundation
Owen headed out early Sunday morning to restock on Berries. However, he vowed not to attempt Pokéblocks again until Magnemite mastered Hidden Power.
While Berries were cheaper than supplements, that was only relative; throwing Berries around like candy was a luxury his wallet couldn't afford.
After shopping, Owen couldn't resist leading Eevee toward the public training grounds. The change in their route caused Eevee's expression to shift from joy to utter despair in a split second.
"Let's hurry through training. After we're done, I'll go home and write my summary while you go home and play on your phone. Isn't that a win-win?" Owen coaxed.
"Vee..." Eevee sighed. What else could she say?
Owen looked at her seriously. "Eevee, you've already felt the changes from yesterday's training, right?"
Eevee nodded. The "form-breaking" Return method, by digging out latent potential, had an incredible training effect on specific body parts.
Currently, Eevee's toughest areas were her torso and head—the former from impact training and the latter due to her natural skull structure and shock-absorbing tissues.
Owen's new plan was to use Return to train every part of Eevee's body at least twice a week—specifically her limbs and tail.
For a move like Quick Attack, the limiting factors were leg strength and speed. If she consistently trained her legs through Return, Owen believed her mastery of Quick Attack could jump from "Practiced" to "Expert."
The tail training served the same purpose. It would accelerate the growth of her tail's muscles, ensuring that once she learned Iron Tail, it would have devastating power immediately.
By training the limbs, tail, torso, and head in a balanced manner, Eevee would develop a perfectly harmonious physique.
It was about building the ultimate foundation. From a physical standpoint, she would truly have no weaknesses; her entire body would become a weapon.
"What do you think, Eevee? Since you won't be evolving anytime soon, why not unearth every bit of your potential? We'll build a foundation so solid that when you finally do evolve, the explosion in power will be massive!"
Owen had been dreaming up this "Perfect Foundation" plan since last night. Regardless of what Eevee eventually evolved into, a powerful physical body would never be a waste.
He considered teaching this to Magnemite as well, but then he remembered that "Return" is based on emotional bonds—he decided to keep that special focus on Eevee for now.
He'd figure out a version for Magnemite later.
"Cha~~"
Eevee let out a long yawn. No matter how grand Owen's vision was, she remained unmoved. As long as Owen told her what to do, she'd do it; thinking too much was just exhausting.
Owen realized his mistake... explaining the "why" to Eevee was a waste of breath. Coaxing and "scams" were much more efficient.
"Training! Let's get to it!"
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