Miss Gothitelle's Wariness

Yes, Mark decided to study on his own.

By asking the young Teacher Sun a few questions, he had already gained a rough understanding of her level.

In a word, she taught straight from the textbook.

Perhaps she was quite skilled at preparing students for exams, but in terms of breadth of knowledge, she was actually inferior to Old Man Qian, the village elder.

Yes, although the Village Elder acted obsequiously before League officials and carried himself like a country bumpkin, the old man truly knew his stuff.

Mark felt that he could study on his own from now on. If there was anything he did not understand, he could ask Old Man Qian directly or use Old Man Qian's Pokemon Index to look up information.

Without much further thought, Mark closed his book and asked, "Teacher Sun, I think you mentioned in class that besides the written exam, the Pokemon Academy Entrance Exam also includes a Physical Fitness Exam and a Pokemon Affinity Exam. What are those two tests?"

Sun Ting nodded. "I was just about to explain that to you properly. Pokemon Academies in different places have different entrance standards, but most use these three types of exams, only with different areas of emphasis. In addition, some Pokemon Academies also include a plant identification test. If you want to enroll in those academies, you will need to prepare in advance, and..."

Mark noticed something and interrupted Sun Ting. "Aren't Pokemon Academy exams standardized?"

Sun Ting shook her head. "Of course not. Pokemon Academies in different regions have different admission standards, and their teaching content and priorities differ as well. For example, Riel Pokemon Academy places greater emphasis on overall ability, while Great Earth Pokemon Academy focuses on Rock- and Ground-type Pokemon.

"The exam times also vary from place to place, though most are held between September and November each year. If the entrance exam dates do not overlap, you can apply to several Pokemon Academies at once.

"As for the Physical Fitness Exam and Pokemon Affinity Exam you just asked about.

"Being a Trainer is a very demanding profession. Leaving aside trekking through mountains and rivers in the wilderness, even riding a Pokemon consumes a great deal of stamina, so a Physical Fitness Exam is essential. You look very strong, so I estimate that passing it should not be a problem for you.

"In fact, it should not be much of a problem for the other children in the village either.

"As for Pokemon Affinity, it affects how efficiently you train Pokemon.

"For example, given the same Pokemon, some people can build a good relationship with it and guide it through training within a few hours. Others can spend days and still be unable to communicate with it effectively, much less train it.

"That represents your Pokemon Affinity.

"In the actual exam, if you have a Pokemon of your own, you can demonstrate the bond between you and your Pokemon for bonus points. However, the main factor determining your final score is still the formal Pokemon Affinity Exam.

"Pokemon Academies generally prepare some wild Pokemon for you to interact with, then score you based on that."

As he listened to Teacher Sun Ting's explanation, Mark nodded repeatedly.

It seemed that unlike the unified college entrance exam from before his transmigration, Pokemon Academies in the Hia Kingdom were more like Japanese university entrance exams, with each school conducting its examinations independently.

In some respects, this admission model was quite scientific. Each Pokemon Academy excelled in different fields, so the qualifications they required from their students naturally differed as well.

As for the Physical Fitness Exam and Pokemon Affinity Exam, Mark did not think he would have much trouble with either.

First was physical fitness. Though it might sound a little boastful, there was no doubt that if he could not pass the fitness test, then probably no one could. After all, he was a beast of a man who could swing continuously through the forest on vines like Tarzan.

Then there was Pokemon Affinity. As a Spirit Master possessing Trainer Power, communicating with Pokemon presumably would not be a problem either.

That meant the only thing affecting his application to a Pokemon Academy was the written exam.

Most of the material in these books consisted of conceptual knowledge that needed to be memorized by rote. As a seasoned test-taking machine, Mark felt that after a few months of self-study, he could probably master all of them.

In other words, in another three or four months—around this autumn—he could begin applying to Pokemon Academies.

Thinking of this, Mark said, "Teacher Sun, can I study on my own instead of coming to school?"

"Not come to school?"

Sun Ting's face was full of astonishment.

How had they suddenly gone from talking about lessons to him not coming to school at all?

Sun Ting was just about to persuade him when Mark spoke first. "Teacher Sun, I know this might put you in a difficult position, but I think I would be more efficient studying by myself. If you're worried, I've already basically finished studying the Hia Kingdom Pokemon Encyclopedia (I) and Hia Kingdom Pokemon Encyclopedia (II). You can ask me some questions to test my progress. During my self-study afterward, I'll also return regularly for you to assess my progress. Would that be alright?"

Sun Ting furrowed her brows. After hearing Mark out, she more or less understood what he meant.

Put simply, Mark thought that studying on his own would be better than having her teach him.

If this had been when she had first arrived in Clear Stream Village a year ago, Mark's words would likely have infuriated her, and she would have given this arrogant brat a proper lesson.

But after more than a year of frustration, she suddenly found that she had become somewhat detached.

Perhaps, just as her father had said, going to teach in a remote mountain village had only been her own wishful thinking and self-indulgent sentiment...

Mark did not realize how much his words had struck this young teacher.

Not long after he made his request for self-study, Teacher Sun gave him two questions.

Neither question was difficult. Both were relatively important topics from the books, covered at great length.

The first question: Why did some Pokemon awaken their Abilities innately, while others only awakened their Abilities later in life? Give several examples of each.

In fact, this had also been one of Mark's questions when he first arrived in this world.

When he had first come here, Caterpie's Ability had not awakened, whereas in the Pokemon games, every Pokemon's Ability was innate.

After reading the textbooks these past few days, he now basically understood why this happened.

Like Pokemon moves, Pokemon Abilities originated from the Pokemon's bloodline genes and generally fell into three categories.

The first category was innate activation. As the name implied, these were Abilities that activated at birth.

Abilities of this type did not produce any distinct physical characteristics in a Pokemon, and many were related to the Pokemon's personality, such as Machamp's Guts Ability and Jigglypuff's Competitive Ability.

The second category was acquired development. Abilities of this type did not activate at birth. As the Pokemon developed, distinct physical characteristics would appear on its body, thereby awakening the Ability—for example, Caterpie's Shield Dust, Venusaur's Thick Fat, and Dragonite's Multiscale.

The final category was the composite type. Depending on a Pokemon's talent and genetic predispositions, it could awaken either innately or later in life. Examples included Charmander's Blaze and Solar Power Abilities, as well as Squirtle's Torrent and Rain Dish Abilities.

Second question: Explain Move Tutors, the common methods and principles by which Pokemon learn moves, and why Pikachu cannot learn the move [Flamethrower].

In Pokemon games, Move Tutors resembled discs and could help Pokemon comprehend moves they were capable of learning, allowing them to instantly master entirely new moves after use.

The Move Tutors mentioned in Hia Kingdom textbooks were similar things. They could awaken move skills contained within a Pokemon's bloodline genes, rapidly bringing forth the skills and moves embedded in those genes. The only difference was that they were not shaped like discs.

In fact, the other methods of teaching Pokemon moves operated on roughly the same principle.

Whether it was the principle behind teaching a Pokemon a move, having it directly endure and comprehend a move, or stimulating it with medicine, there was no essential difference from using a Move Tutor.

All of them were intended to allow the move skills contained within a Pokemon's bloodline genes to awaken faster and more easily.

Conversely, if a Pokemon did not possess that particular move within its bloodline genes, then no matter how it studied, used medicine, or was stimulated by a Move Tutor, it basically would not be able to learn it.

Pikachu could not learn Flamethrower for the same reason: Pikachu's bloodline genes simply did not contain the genes for Flamethrower.

It was like how his Caterpie had mastered Tackle (Instant Strike) through studying Quick Attack.

In truth, with Caterpie's current understanding of Quick Attack, even Old Man Qian's Raticate might not compare to it. Yet even so, his Caterpie could not comprehend true Quick Attack and could only simulate it through the force of Tackle. That was the limitation imposed by a Pokemon's bloodline genes.

Using Pokemon as an example might not be easy to understand.

If humans were used instead, it would be like teaching an ordinary person to punch with a third hand. Humans only had two hands, so learning a martial art for a third hand was obviously impossible. Even if one truly studied it, they could only barely imitate it using the two hands they possessed.

After thinking for a moment, Mark wrote down a conjecture about Thunder Shock at the end of his answer.

It was impossible for Pikachu to learn Flamethrower, but by referring to the principles of Flamethrower, it might still be possible for it to learn Thunder Shock.

Mark answered quickly. In less than ten minutes, he had finished writing both answers and handed them to Sun Ting.

Sun Ting had originally planned to give them a casual glance before approving Mark's request for self-study.

However, as she read what Mark had written, her brows gradually furrowed.

It was not that Mark had written anything wrong. Rather, he had written far too well. The text was clear and logically organized, and at the end of the second question, he had even offered a conjecture that made her eyes light up.

Have Pikachu learn the principles of Flamethrower in order to discharge electricity?

Though she was reluctant to admit it, Sun Ting knew that if she had answered those two questions herself, she definitely would not have reached Mark's level.

In fact, let alone casually finishing them in under ten minutes like Mark had, even if she had been given several hours and then copied out her answers neatly afterward, they still would not have matched Mark's current answers.

Sun Ting set down the paper in her hand, looked up at Mark, and subconsciously asked, "You... aren't considering becoming a researcher?"

"No, I want to become a Trainer more. Teacher Sun, then starting tomorrow, I'll begin self-study. If anything comes up, you can tell Village Chief Qian. I'm staying at his house for now."

After saying that, Mark left the classroom with Caterpie.

Sun Ting watched Mark leave without speaking for a long while. A black shadow appeared and conveyed some information into Sun Ting's ear.

Sun Ting looked at Miss Gothitelle in confusion.

Her Miss Gothitelle possessed the Anticipation Ability.

According to Miss Gothitelle, something that made it feel wary and threatened seemed to have appeared near the classroom that morning, though the feeling was very vague.

More specifically, Miss Gothitelle would feel wary and threatened while inside its Pokeball, but when it carefully probed outside with Psychic, it could not sense anything at all.

"Something that made you wary? Could a Ghost-type Pokemon have slipped into the classroom?"

Miss Gothitelle shook her head. It was not entirely sure either. In its perception, aside from the students who had come to class, there had only been one Caterpie and two Weedle in the classroom.

Other than that, only the Village Elder who had appeared that morning made it feel wary.

But it had basically grown accustomed over the past year to the wariness it felt toward the Village Elder. The feeling of wariness that had appeared that morning was completely different from the Village Elder's, and the degree of threat seemed lower as well.

As Miss Gothitelle conveyed further information, Sun Ting fell into deep thought. Recalling her teaching experience that morning, aside from those Bug Catchers who had been mischievous enough to make her teeth itch with anger, there did not seem to be anything unusual or off about it...