Chapter Summaries

Eichi met Muramasa’s disciples A Zheng and A Jin at a Pokémon Center and accepted their offer to ride with them to Muramasa’s Training Hall. After three days of travel, they arrived at the forest training hall.

• Eichi encountered A Zheng again, and A Zheng recognized him as the trainer who had stopped the rampaging Tyranitar and Ursaring in Blackthorn City.
• At dinner, Eichi told A Zheng and A Jin that he was seeking training from Muramasa because he wanted to improve his Scizor.
• A Zheng revealed that Muramasa was his master and invited Eichi to travel with him and A Jin to the Training Hall.
• Eichi traveled in A Jin’s vehicle, with A Zheng taking over the driving when needed.
• After three days, Eichi, A Zheng, and A Jin arrived at Muramasa’s Training Hall in the forest.

Eichi arrived at Mr. Muramasa’s training hall and met the students, including Ze Ye, while waiting for the master to return. After seeing Muramasa’s Elite Four-level Scizor, Eichi began a one-month training arrangement and settled into a simple room at the hall.

• A Zheng and A Jin brought Eichi to Mr. Muramasa’s training hall, where Ze Ye welcomed them and showed Eichi the Pokémon training.
• Eichi told Ze Ye he had come to learn from Mr. Muramasa because the master’s Scizor was stronger than the Scizor used by his school’s teachers.
• Mr. Muramasa returned with his Scizor, and Eichi used Bug King Eye to assess its exceptional power and Elite Four-level strength.
• Mr. Muramasa read Director Liu’s letter and agreed to teach Eichi for one month for three thousand, telling him to call him Teacher.
• Ze Ye showed Eichi to an empty room, and Eichi gave him the tuition money to pass to Mr. Muramasa.
• Ze Ye brought Eichi a mattress, pillow, and blanket that evening.

Eichi began separate training under Muramasa, who tested Scizor against Zong Zheng and judged its potential and solid foundation. Muramasa then blindfolded Scizor and had an Elite-level Scyther attack it, beginning its special training.

• After morning training, Muramasa took Eichi to a forest clearing and asked him to release Scizor.
• Muramasa summoned Zong Zheng, who sparred with Eichi’s Scizor and pushed it to fight faster and sharpen its attacks.
• Muramasa praised Scizor’s potential but explained that its progress had slowed because its foundation was solid and it needed special training and more real combat.
• Muramasa blindfolded Scizor and ordered his Elite-level Scyther to attack it.
• Scizor heard Scyther approach and blocked its first strike before Scyther used Agility and vanished.

Scyther overwhelmed the blindfolded Scizor, then Muramasa blindfolded Scyther and had Scizor take its turn attacking. Scyther detected and blocked Scizor’s real body despite its Double Team, leaving Eichi astonished.

• Scyther used Fury Cutter to batter blindfolded Scizor, which protected itself with Protect and tried to locate its attacker.
• Scizor used Swords Dance to block Scyther’s charge, but Scyther struck from below with Air Slash and knocked it unconscious with more Fury Cutters.
• Muramasa stopped Scyther before it could deliver a final blow, and Eichi treated Scizor’s wounds with a Super Potion.
• After Scizor recovered, Muramasa covered Scyther’s eyes and ordered Scizor to attack it.
• Scizor used Double Team, but Scyther identified the real Scizor and blocked its pincers, shocking Eichi.

Eichi watched Scizor battle Muramasa’s Scyther, then learned that sensory training could help Scizor detect hidden opponents and strengthen its combat ability. At the waterfall, Scizor struggled to focus until Eichi calmed it by channeling energy into its body.

• Muramasa stopped Scizor and Scyther’s battle after Scyther began to falter, and explained how Scyther used perception to distinguish Scizor’s Double Team copies from the real one.
• Muramasa told Eichi to train Scizor by blindfolding it in the forest and having other Pokémon attack it, then took Eichi and the Pokémon to a waterfall for sensory training.
• Scizor repeatedly tried to sense its surroundings, but the waterfall’s roar interrupted its concentration and made it increasingly agitated.
• Muramasa warned Eichi that Scizor’s condition seemed wrong, and Eichi calmed Scizor by placing a hand on its head and channeling energy into its body.

Scizor learned to sense nearby living beings, then Eichi and his Pokémon began training beneath a waterfall with Muramasa and Zong Zheng. Scizor was still enduring the pounding water when it saw Zong Zheng remain unfazed.

• Scizor entered a focused state and sensed Eichi, Muramasa, Zong Zheng, and nearby Magikarp as clusters of mist with red energy inside.
• Muramasa praised Scizor for mastering the perception exercise in one morning and said it would train its perception daily.
• Muramasa brought Eichi and Scizor to the waterfall, where they joined him and Zong Zheng beneath the pounding water.
• Eichi endured the waterfall for an hour on his first attempt, then left the water and warmed himself by a fire while Muramasa followed later.
• Muramasa warned Eichi that a Trainer needed physical strength to survive dangers in the wild, and Eichi said he understood.
• Eichi concealed his strength during a later session and left after half an hour, while Scizor continued until its body trembled and saw Zong Zheng remain calm.

Scizor endured waterfall training and discovered that it improved its ability to sense its surroundings. Over the following days, Eichi trained Scizor, Beedrill, and Heracross in blindfolded combat and waterfall endurance, then began teaching them sensing.

• Scizor collapsed into the river after enduring the waterfall, but after resting it sensed farther than before and returned to the training.
• Eichi and Muramasa ended the session, and Muramasa revealed that Zong Zheng could withstand the waterfall for a day.
• Muramasa told Eichi to train alone for a week before learning a new method.
• Eichi had Scizor, Heracross, and Beedrill practice blindfolded combat; Heracross struggled, while Beedrill blocked Scizor's attacks with sharp instincts.
• Eichi brought the three Pokémon beneath the waterfall, then taught them sensing; Beedrill learned the method quickly.

Eichi trained Beedrill and Heracross in sensing, while Training Hall students learned of his strength from A Zheng’s story about his Pokémon stopping a rampaging Tyranitar and Ursaring. A week later, Muramasa brought Eichi to the waterfall to teach him a new training method.

• Beedrill learned sensing quickly, while Heracross struggled to focus and needed two days to enter the right state.
• A Zheng told the Training Hall students that Eichi’s Pokémon had swiftly defeated a rampaging Tyranitar and Ursaring in Blackthorn City.
• A Zheng revealed that the Pokémon he could barely see had been Beedrill, surprising the students and catching Muramasa’s attention.
• Eichi noticed the students looking at him strangely during dinner but could not figure out why.
• After a week of training, Muramasa brought Eichi to the waterfall to demonstrate a new training method and called out Zong Zheng.

Eichi began waterfall training with Scizor, Beedrill, and Heracross after watching Zong Zheng break through the current with raw strength. Meanwhile, the inter-academy exchange competition selection match began at Silver Academy, where Tetsu felt confident and Xiao Ye was nervous.

• Zong Zheng broke through the waterfall using only its strength, and Muramasa assigned Eichi's Pokémon to practice the same training over the next twenty-two days.
• Scizor climbed one-third of the way up the waterfall before exhausting itself and losing consciousness, but Beedrill caught it and brought it safely back to shore.
• Eichi warned Scizor not to push itself recklessly, then had Beedrill try; Beedrill climbed nearly halfway before choosing to return.
• Heracross attempted the training but could not rise beyond one-quarter of the waterfall, while Eichi considered how easily Zong Zheng had broken through it.
• The selection match for the inter-academy exchange competition began at Silver Academy, where Tetsu felt confident and Xiao Ye nervously waited among nearly thirty students.

Tetsu and Xiao Ye earned places in the Selection Match, where two powerful newcomers dismissed their classmates and drew Tetsu’s attention. Meanwhile, Eichi trained Scizor and Beedrill before Shingo arrived at the Training Hall, leaving Eichi wondering why he had never seen Muramasa’s son there before.

• Tetsu quickly defeated his Selection Match opponent and watched a green-haired newcomer’s Steelix defeat Girafarig with Iron Tail.
• Tetsu and Xiao Ye earned two of the seven spots, while two newly enrolled students also qualified and dismissed Eichi and Sato as weak.
• Eichi watched Scizor block Beedrill’s attacks while maintaining its sensing state, then praised Scizor for mastering the technique.
• A Jin returned from town with Shingo, whom Eichi met at the Training Hall.
• During dinner with Muramasa, Eichi asked why Shingo did not live at the Training Hall and why he had never seen him before.

Eichi learned that Shingo’s senior student Heiji had arrived at the Training Hall and was defeating its disciples with help from his computer analysis. Muramasa asked Eichi to challenge Heiji, and the chapter ended with Heiji inviting another opponent after beating Kishikawa.

• A Zheng told Eichi that Shingo rarely visited the Training Hall and relied on his computer during battles.
• Eichi continued waterfall training, improving Scizor and Beedrill, then found Heiji waiting at the Training Hall.
• Muramasa explained that Heiji was challenging his disciples and asked Eichi to defeat him.
• Eichi entered the hall and watched Heiji’s Natu defeat Kishikawa’s Hitmonlee with Hypnosis and Psychic.
• Heiji claimed he had information on all the disciples’ Pokémon and challenged someone else to fight.

Eichi stepped forward to challenge Heiji, whose Natu had been humiliating the others, and sent Scizor into battle. After Heiji grew confident that he had found Scizor’s weakness, Eichi’s Pokémon outmaneuvered Natu and struck it down, leaving the battle’s outcome clear.

• Eichi stopped the others from confronting Heiji and volunteered to fight him himself.
• Heiji sent out Natu while Eichi chose Scizor, and Natu repeatedly used Teleport to evade Scizor’s attacks.
• Natu struck Scizor with Psychic, but Scizor endured the hit and used Protect to block Natu’s attack before teleporting away.
• Heiji ordered Natu to use Hypnosis, but Scizor shut its eyes and used Agility to dodge Natu’s Psychic attack.
• Scizor used Double Team to distract Natu, then appeared behind it and hit it with Cross Cut, making Natu scream in pain.

Eichi defeated Heiji in a sudden battle, then learned why Muramasa had taken in his struggling disciples. On the final day of waterfall training, Scizor broke through the torrent and reached the top.

• Scizor swiftly knocked Natu out, and Eichi won his battle against Heiji.
• Muramasa and Zong Zheng watched Eichi's victory, while Heiji went home and the others kept the battle from Shingo.
• Muramasa told Eichi that his disciples came from ordinary families and trained at the hall because they hoped to become Trainers.
• Eichi turned off the remote during Scizor's final waterfall climb, and Scizor surged upward with renewed strength.
• Scizor cut through the waterfall and reached the top, roaring in triumph.

After Scizor broke through the waterfall and reached the Elite level, Muramasa began teaching Eichi about Combination Skills. He demonstrated Cross Chop, a powerful combination of Cross Cut and Air Slash, leaving Scizor eager to learn it.

• Scizor broke through the waterfall after Eichi switched off its Weight Training Device, and Eichi told it that it had reached the Elite level.
• Muramasa praised Scizor and announced that Eichi’s next training phase would focus on Combination Skills.
• Eichi agreed to learn Combination Skills, and Muramasa explained their requirements before introducing Cross Chop.
• Zong Zheng demonstrated Cross Chop by combining Cross Cut and Air Slash, unleashing a massive Cross Wind Blade against the waterfall.
• Scizor watched Zong Zheng’s move with determination, while A Zheng told the Training Hall trainees to keep training.

Muramasa taught Scizor how to perform Cross Chop by sensing, gathering, and connecting the energy in its pincers. Scizor struggled to control the flowing energy, but continued practicing after gaining some insight.

• Muramasa had Scizor compare its Air Slash and Cross Cut, then asked it to combine their techniques into Cross Chop.
• Scizor repeatedly attempted to create Cross Chop but produced only Cross Cut and small gusts.
• Muramasa explained how Scizor should sense, gather, connect, compress, and release energy through its pincers.
• Scizor followed Muramasa's instructions, but the connected energy rioted and caused it pain.
• Muramasa advised Scizor to begin with less energy, and Scizor tried again, gained some insight, and continued practicing.

Scizor learned Cross Chop after carefully combining Bug- and Normal-type energy, then continued practicing to improve its speed and power. Eichi wondered how Tetsu was doing, and the chapter ended with Tetsu reacting sourly when Sato brought up his loss to two opponents.

• Scizor stabilized the two energy streams, formed a Tai Chi pattern, and used Cross Chop to leave a cross-shaped mark on a tree.
• Eichi praised Scizor, while Muramasa acknowledged its success and warned that the move was slow and weak and needed more training.
• Scizor succeeded again on its second attempt, and Eichi had it practice to improve Cross Chop’s speed and power.
• Eichi took his Pokémon back for dinner and wondered how Tetsu and the others were doing.
• Tetsu finished training and met Sato, who mentioned Tetsu’s loss to two opponents, souring Tetsu’s mood.

Tetsu explained that two powerful students had humiliated him and defeated everyone who challenged them, while Sato encouraged him and looked forward to facing them. Meanwhile, Eichi trained Scizor’s Cross Chop before following Muramasa deep into the forest, where they met a group of Scyther.

• Tetsu told Sato that two strong students had defeated him, Xiao Ye, Hirota, and the other students after mocking them.
• Sato told Tetsu that hard work could help him win a rematch and said he looked forward to the challengers coming for him and Kona.
• Eichi trained Scizor to build a powerful Cross Chop, but found that it could only strike straight ahead and required five minutes to charge.
• Muramasa took Eichi into the forest for the final stage of his training, and Eichi saw many powerful Pokémon along the way.
• Muramasa had Zong Zheng communicate with the wary Scyther, who accepted Eichi and led him and Scizor farther into their territory.

Eichi and Muramasa reached the Scyther and Scizor clan’s territory, where Eichi was to undergo his final training in real battles. Muramasa reunited with the clan’s leaders and introduced Pokémon food, leaving his request for later.

• Eichi spotted many Scyther and Scizor with strong aptitude, including two Scizor with outstanding aptitude, as they traveled through the clan’s forest.
• Muramasa explained how he had first challenged the clan, later helped defend it from rival Pokémon, and eventually became close to its members; he also revealed that Zong Zheng’s wife was the clan leader’s younger sister.
• Muramasa and Eichi arrived at three giant trees and met the Scizor leader, whose aptitude surpassed Zong Zheng’s, along with two Scizor at Elite Four level.
• Muramasa released an Elite Four-level Scizor and a Scyther; the Scizor reunited with her brother, the clan leader, while Eichi wondered who the Scyther was.
• Muramasa told the clan leader he had a request to discuss and brought the clan’s favorite Pokémon food.

Eichi and Mr. Muramasa fed the Scyther and Scizor clan before arranging a blindfolded trial for Eichi’s Scizor. The challenge began with Scizor needing to cross the clan’s territory and reach three giant trees within ten minutes while facing a large group of opponents.

• Eichi helped Mr. Muramasa distribute Pokémon food, adding bowls and food from his own supplies so every Scyther and Scizor could eat.
• Heracross told Eichi that its Older Brother was about as strong as the Scizor leader and had once fought a Scizor like it, confirming Eichi’s suspicion that the Pokémon was Elite Four level.
• Mr. Muramasa asked the Scizor leader to help test Eichi’s Scizor by having it reach the three giant trees while blindfolded and hindered by the clan’s Elite Class-or-weaker Pokémon.
• The Scizor leader agreed after Muramasa promised to bring Pokémon food every day, and around forty experienced Scyther and Scizor were selected to obstruct the trial.
• Eichi led his blindfolded Scizor to the territory’s edge, and Muramasa began the countdown before the trial started.

Eichi's Scizor attempted to reach the finish line within ten minutes but was overwhelmed by Scyther and failed the trial. After Scizor returned to the starting point, Muramasa asked Eichi over the communicator whether it had come back.

• When Muramasa started the stopwatch, Eichi's Scizor raced ahead and dodged a series of attacks from Scyther.
• Several Scyther surrounded Scizor, and it used Swords Dance to break free before an older Scizor ambushed and pinned it in the brush.
• Scizor failed to reach the finish line before time ran out, so Zong Zheng found it and told it to return for another attempt.
• Eichi saw Scizor return frustrated, and Muramasa asked over the communicator whether Scizor had come back.